This summer will decide regression or revival for Fulham

Fulham’s decisive 3-0 win on the road at Swansea moved the Whites up to 12th in the final Premier League table, but it can’t hide the dismal performance over the final quarter of the season. It was a limp down the stretch, one that saw them even become mired in the relegation talks for about 2 weeks in the final month.

Given the bright starts to both the beginning of the season and the new calendar year, it was a disappointing way to close out the season. During it, just about every single one of Fulham squad’s weaknesses were exposed.

This summer, Martin Jol is tasked with starting over, again.

The sale of Clint Dempsey and more importantly, Moussa Dembele shredded Jol’s plans for having long-term improvement at Craven Cottage to continue the groundwork begun by Roy Hodgson. Now, he must find a new foundation to structure his squad around.

That solution was thought to be Bryan Ruiz, but it seems his inconsistencies have caused Jol (and much of the fan base) to reconsider.

The Dutchman in charge can’t be blamed for the exits of two players who were cornerstones of his plans for success at Fulham. However, it is now his responsibility to move on and build anew.

This season was a struggle, forced by the departures to be a bridge rather than a step up. Jol had to piece together short-term stopgaps such as Giorgos Karagounis and Philippe Senderos. Karagounis will most likely move on (although his passion will be missed by many), and Senderos has signed another 1-year deal. These are not options for the future success of Fulham, however.

With the youth squads having another outstanding season and the budget still strained, it’s not going to be easy for Jol to make high profile purchases. The board may be instead focused on bridging the gap to when the young guns are ready for the big stage.

But this summer, with new pieces required in the central midfield, central defence, up front and even between the sticks, the duty for Martin Jol is a big one.

Will the squad recover enough to continue the slow and climb up the Premier League table into established top-10 consistency? Or will financial restraints and a lack of action cause the squad to squander the progress made by managers past? It hangs seriously in the balance, and Martin Jol may indeed hold the key to whether Fulham can continue to work towards the long-term goal or whether relegation is in the conversations of the near future.