Fulham manager Marco Silva has paid a moving tribute to George Cohen MBE – the Craven Cottage legend that won a World Cup with England in 1966.
Cohen, who sadly passed away on Friday morning aged 83, was a one-club man and made 459 appearances for the Cottagers while winning 37 England caps - earning him that rare honour of a statue outside the ground next to the Thames.
The full-back was famously born barely a mile from the Fulham stadium, and Cohen was a key and popular part of Sir Alf Ramsey’s victorious Three Lions side, having initially taken the right-back spot for his country from former captain Jimmy Armfield.
Cohen helped set up the winner in the World Cup semi-final against Portugal and played all 120 minutes in the final 4-2 win against West Germany. And he was described by no less a player than George Best as “the best full-back I ever played against”.
There will be a minute's applause and black armbands worn across the Premier League programme from December 26-28 including Fulham's trip to Crystal Palace before the club's own special arrangements at the New Year's Eve home game.
Silva said: “George Cohen is a huge loss for Fulham and for English football with him having won the World Cup. It is a sad day for everyone here and as the manager I wish to send my condolences from everyone to his family and all those closest to him.
“To have been a one-club man and made over 450 appearances for the club – that sets a huge example, and he is one of the biggest parts of this history of this club.
“That is unbelievable number of games, it speaks for itself and I know what he represents for Fulham. Not just when he was playing, but off the pitch and afterwards as well. Of course at our next home game on New Year’s Eve the club will be marking the sad event.
“There is a statue of George outside Craven Cottage – that says everything. He is one of the greatest and most important to play for Fulham, if not the greatest. I have been speaking to people this morning and you can feel the pride from the Fulham club, but not just here – from all over the country.”
Meanwhile top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic is a doubt for the Boxing Day return to Premier League action after 43 days at Crystal Palace.
And Silva admitted that it had been a “tricky and tough” situation seeing the Serbian forward go to the World Cup with an existing foot injury that was sustained back in September.
The Portuguese coach did not say that he wished Mitrovic had not gone to Qatar – but hearing him speak on Friday I was certainly possible to imagine that thought may have crossed his mind.
Silva said: “Mitro is a doubt for the game against Crystal Palace, and we are waiting on that. He had an issue with his foot before he went to the World Cup.
“He missed the last two games before the break against the two Manchester clubs, then played some games in the World Cup. In the last two of those I have to say, not fully fit again.
“Of course we are trying again to get him in his best physical condition for Crystal Palace – and if not for that match, then for the next one. It was a tough and tricky situation for us as a club, for Mitro and me as a manager.
“For us as a football club…it is not being selfish but we have to think first of all about our football club and our players, and to take care of them as well as we can to play in our football matches.
“I am being as honest as I can – tit was tricky not because we didn’t behave with him like we always do, but that it wasn’t a decision that came only from us.
“We spoke several times about that before the World Cup because this stemmed from a problem in the September international break.
“He got that injury, we tried to manage the situation in the weeks that followed and get him ready for matchdays. In some games he was not in his best physical condition.
“But he still helped the team, some important goals and was a test for the opposition. We expected a fast recovery from missing the last two league games, but that didn’t happen.
“Our medical staff were always in contact with the Serbian medical staff and they decided he was fit to play, and he played and scored important goals for his national team.
“We have made a plan and let’s see where that plan goes because he is a really important player for us.
“Antonee Robinson is one of the players that wasn’t available for the last friendly match against West Ham.
“And there is also the situation with Layvin Kurzawa, which is frustrating for him, me, the club and the fans. He has had some injuries, and then had a setback before last week's West Ham friendly."
