Arbeloa faces questions about his future ahead of vital Fulham game
Alvaro Arbeloa has been facing questions about his future on the eve of Fulham’s seemingly all-important home match against Hull City.
It comes amid major doubts about Arbeloa’s position, with the Whites bottom of the table and still without a win since his arrival as head coach in the summer.
Saturday’s harrowing 2-1 defeat at Ipswich, who scored two late goals, including a stoppage-time winner, increased the pressure on Arbeloa, while fans have become increasingly restless.
“I am focused on my players, on my team. That is the most important thing,” the Spaniard insisted.
“It is not about me, it is about the club, the players and the supporters.”
Asked about reports he has two matches to save his job or could even be axed if Fulham do not beat Hull, Arbeloa said: “It is not about my future. Like I said before, it is about the club and my players.
“They are looking for the reward and looking for a game where they can get a win for the supporters – they deserve it because of their support.
“They (the fans) are the most important thing in this club. They were here before any of us arrived and the club belongs to them.
“The only thing we are thinking about is to get the victory for them and to give everything tomorrow.
“It is important for all of us. I think it is not about me. For me it has been a normal week where we have been working hard and preparing for a difficult match against a very difficult team.”
There have also been reports that some players have felt confused by Arbeloa’s instructions.
Asked if he felt he had the support of the players, he said: “They did for many minutes against Ipswich. We did against Manchester United and we did against Liverpool. For me we need to try to keep that level for 90 minutes – that is important.
“I saw the commitment of the players in how they have been training. They are so focused on tomorrow’s game. The most important thing is the performance of my players.”
Midfielder Hugo Larsson is a doubt for the game at Craven Cottage because of a groin problem.
