Marco Silva reveals the state of play as Fulham player eyes return | OneFootball

Fulham defender Kenny Tete has been absent from the side since way back in August and boss Marco Silva has today told West London Sport that he will have to ‘show he is better than the others’ to get back in the team.

Dennis Odoi is currently the go-to right-back at the club and has put in a series of solid showings for the Cottagers since being given the chance to fill in. With one goal and two assists to his name so far, Silva will be in no rush to drop the 33-year-old anytime soon.

The Belgian has proven to be a reliable face for Fulham and is proving that he is more than up to task in the second tier. He wasn’t the original first-choice though, as Tete was initially preferred in his position when the season began.

The 26-year-old had started every game earlier on in the campaign and had looked bright when doing so. However, the player was unfortunate to suffer an injury early on and it’s meant that he’s had to sit on the sidelines ever since.

Tete though could be back in contention for a spot soon – but boss Marco Silva has warned him that he may not be able to walk straight back into the starting eleven and that he may have some competition on his hands for that right-back spot.

Speaking to West London Sport, he said: “It’s a very good fight between him, Kenny and [Cyrus] Christie, and Kenny has to show he is better than the others. It’s what Kenny is trying to do, and for sure, Denis will do the same.

“Kenny has shown he’s now ready to play, and I will take the decision for each match.”

Tete then might not find it as straightforward to get gametime upon his return from injury – and with Dennis Odoi in fine form for the Cottagers, both will be desperate to make that starting spot their own.

The Verdict

Kenny Tete has looked sharp when given the chance to play for Fulham and he was looking like a solid face at the back for the club before his injury. If he can find similar form when he returns, then he will surely remain as their first-choice.

Odoi though has stepped in admirably and made things difficult for Marco Silva, albeit in a good way. It’s never a bad thing to have a multitude of options available to you and it shows that the club are currently very strong in that area.

It’ll be a plus point going forward for them too, as a 46 game Championship season often requires a fair amount of rotation if you want to compete at the top end of the table.