Briefly imagining himself leading Fulham out at Wembley next month, Tom Cairney admits it is hard not to let his thoughts run wild.
“You’d be lying if you said you don’t think of it in the back of your head,” the Fulham captain tells Standard Sport. “But concentration is on tonight.”
Fulham host Premier League leaders Liverpool at Craven Cottage, having already made history by reaching their first-ever Carabao Cup semi-final.
Overcome a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Jurgen Klopp’s in-form side and they will set up a Wembley showdown with Chelsea next month.
“It’s a huge game in Fulham’s history,” says Cairney. “I have mixed feelings. You’re thinking of getting to the final, but before that there’s a big obstacle in the way.
“We said from the first Tottenham game that we wanted to go far. Beating Tottenham early on was like, ‘Okay, come on, that’s one big team out, so let’s keep going’. We’re in the semi-final, and normally Fulham don’t do well in this competition.”
I’ve missed Wembley... and Liverpool have had enough finals!
Fulham were leading at Anfield for much of the first leg a fortnight ago, but just like in the Premier League in December, when Marco Silva’s side lost 4-3, Liverpool scored two quickfire goals to turn the game around.
“They are definitely the best team in England at the minute, one of the best in the world,” says Cairney, who is in his ninth season at Fulham.
“We need to have a top game and them an off-night — then anything can happen.”
Fulham fans have fond memories of reaching the 2010 Europa League Final, and those old enough remember the 1975 FA Cup Final. But they are targeting what would be only the second domestic final in their history.
Cairney believes the club is in “good health” under Marco Silva and says: “The manager has done an incredible job and the owners have always backed the team.
“When I first came here [in 2015], it was in a much worse position than it is in now. Joao Palhinha has been a revelation, Mitro [Aleksandar Mitrovic] was fantastic, and you can’t look away from Tim Ream. And there are always good people that you don’t know about in clubs that help it come back to a good place from the dark times.
“Leading Fulham out in a domestic cup final would be insane. Actually lifting a trophy, that would be everything.”
Cairney has led Fulham to three promotions, including twice at Wembley in play-off finals.
“A play-off semi-final is two legs and then a final — kind of the situation we’re in now,” he says.
“In 2018, we were trailing after the first leg to Derby but ended up winning. Something like that tonight would be nice.
“I’ve missed Wembley... and Liverpool have had enough finals!”
