Tom Cairney hopes Fulham can 'deliver on the big stage' in Championship play-offs
By James Walker-Roberts
Last Updated: 11/05/17 6:59pm
Tom Cairney says he can "feel something happening" at Fulham and says they will continue to play on the front foot in the Sky Bet Championship play-offs.
Fulham finished the season strongly to pip Leeds to the final play-off place in the Championship and were joint-top scorers in the division with 85 goals. Slavisa Jokanovic's side ended the campaign with five wins from their last six matches to set up a play-off semi-final with Reading, live on Sky Sports.
"I can feel something happening," Cairney told the EFL Weekly Podcast. "I always believed around Christmas we would make the play-offs because of the football we were playing.
"The results didn't always match the performances, but since the start of the year and especially in February, March and April we have turned a corner and really put teams to the sword. There is always one team that comes in late and luckily that was us.
"In the form table we are top of the league, and at times this season we have played the most attractive football in the Championship. Hopefully we can deliver on the big stage."
The first leg of the play-off semi-final takes place on Saturday at Craven Cottage, where Fulham beat Reading 5-0 in the league in December.
And Cairney said: "We will be on the front foot and looking to score goals. We won't change anything that has got us into the play-offs to start with.
"Whether they change tactics for the first leg at our place I don't know, but we will be looking to score and hopefully we can get our noses in front."
Cairney has been a key player for Fulham this season with 12 goals and 10 assists in the Championship.
However, the one area where he has sometimes struggled this season has been from the penalty spot, with the Cottagers missing nine of their 13 penalties.
"I don't think you can explain it," said Cairney. "We have had a number of takers, it's just the way it has been.
"Maybe it is a bit psychological with them now, I don't know why but we have been on such a bad run with them. Hopefully it's written in the stars for us to win on penalties at Wembley."
And who will be taking penalties in the play-offs? "I think I could still be on them, but we will see," says Cairney.
