The task Marco Silva does in Fulham is downright remarkable.
After selling their best striker and midfielder and losing a top center on a free in successive summers, he has improved them every season with limited resources.
They are now eighth in the Premier League after they have only become the second team this season to beat champion -elect Liverpool and are contrary to Europe – at a time when Newcastle, Aston Villa, Brighton and even Bournemouth all challenge the established top six.
The performance of Silva responsible for Fulham raises the question: how much more incremental improvement and how much more Premier League matches does Silva have to win before he gets the chance on a top job?
The 47-year-old was in the Race in Manchester United last summer when they examined a number of potential replacements for Erik ten Hag, only to decide to keep the Dutchman in this season.
When the inevitable change came later in 2024, United chose not to go back to one of those candidates and instead went in a new direction with Silva's Countryman Ruben Amorim.
Silva could rightly be hurt that he was not the favorite Portuguese coach who was united. If they were looking for someone to organize the current team and start winning Premier League matches, Silva did that in Fulham.
If what they were looking for was to get promising talent above expectations, Silva did that in Fulham. If they were looking for someone to develop his young talent, Silva did that for Fulham.
If what they were looking for was a manager, someone to put the right culture through a club and to handle the media properly; Silva has also done that in Fulham. Where he was once seen as the budding young coach, he is now experienced and complete package.
After he was the Autumnman during a chaotic period behind the scenes in Everton (one that even Carlo Ancelotti could not arrest), Silva had his chance of redemption.
He has brought himself back on the map of Europe's elite managers with a heavily fought championship promotion and consistently better competition ends under his belt, all without the budget and the tools that have had many of the larger but under -performing clubs.
The recruitment in Fulham was usually led by Silva and almost everything was Canny, especially when it was confronted with replacing Alexsandar Mitrovic and his 111 goals, perhaps the best midfielder of the club in a generation in Joao Palhinha and formidable center-back-tosin who left a free for Chelsea.
Fulham has not spent great. Silva signed Raul Jimenez for a few million to replace Mitrovic during the development of Rodrigo Muniz and Sander Berge from Burnley to replace Palhinha. Joachim Anderson returned to the club from Crystal Palace to replace Tosin, while only Emile Smith Rowe was the only other real purchase last year.
Instead, Silva has improved the individuals he has, with Antonee Robinson and Alex Iwobi in particular enjoying particularly excellent seasons this term. They contribute enormously to what a balanced, well -drilled but flowing outfit is that can adapt to all kinds of opponents at home and away.
As a result, Fulham are nine points and five places where they were after 31 games in the past term and on course to quietly secure a place in Europe next season.
The will of West Ham, Benfica, as well as the Saudi Pro League, all wanted Silva during his time in Craven Cottage, but he remained loyal despite larger offers and became the fourth long -serving manager in the Premier League.
But it would not be surprising for even larger clubs to ask him this summer and to give him the next chance he deserves richly.
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