Djorkaeff is quality, says Coleman

13 April 2012

Chris Coleman confirmed today that Youri Djorkaeff will be with the club until at least January after the 36-year-old striker impressed in training.

It is a welcome boost for the Fulham manager, who last night watched his side show the right kind of fighting spirit to beat Boston 4-1 and earn a trip to Premiership rivals Birmingham in the third round of the Carling Cup.

Former French international Djorkaeff has been a free agent since being released by Bolton at the beginning of the season. But he is keen to stay in English football.

Coleman said: "We should get Youri's situation sorted out by the end of this week. He will be good cover for us but he needs a few games. He has trained with us a couple of times and his quality is always there. He just needs match fitness now." The only downside to last night's match was the sending-off of Liam Rosenior. The 20-year-old right back, already booked for a foul on Courtney Pitt, was adjudged to have dived inside the Boston penalty area and was shown a second yellow card by referee Ray Olivier.

Coleman, who has spent the past week dealing with the fallout from the brawl at West Brom that ended with red cards and suspensions for Andy Cole and Papa Bouba, said: "We did not need another sending off. Liam's gone through into the box, he was tired and he has tried to kid the referee for a penalty, that is all really."

"That is three dismissals in two games now but there was nothing malicious in that at all and he will learn.

"Liam's one for the future and he has showed that he has got a bright future ahead of him."

Fulham were cheered by two goals from Tomasz Radzinski plus strikes from the returning Steed Malbranque and Brian McBride. Fulham were in control throughout and had raced into a three goal lead by the interval.

A tricky spell in the second half saw Lee Beevers pull a goal back for United, but Radzinski's second killed off any hopes that veteran Paul Gascoigne - whose tearstained World Cup shirt from 1990 sold for £24,000 at auction this week - would engineer a remarkable comeback.

Malbranque stamped his class on the game by providing a 30-yard pass for Radzinski's second goal

Coleman was happy to see Gascoigne on the pitch even though the ageing former England star is now a pale shadow of his former self in more ways than one.

Now thinner than ever, Gascoigne struggled to contend with the pace of the game and, despite his valiant efforts, the game largely passed him by until he was substituted in the second half.

Coleman said: "It wasn't easy for us. It was a tricky night with the rain coming down. I told the lads we needed a bit of character.

"We went about our business very professionally and deservedly went in three up at half-time.

"I was delighted to see Paul back playing football. He has been one of the best players this country has produced. It was nice for some of my young lads to be on the same pitch as a great player like him. I wish him all the best."

Boston manager Steve Evans said: "Fulham have some magnificent players don't they? I wish I had fringe players like that. In fact, I wish I had players like that full stop."

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Djorkaeff is quality, says Coleman

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