Fulham manager Martin Jol has no concerns about the early start to the Premier League club's season caused by their qualifying for the Europa League.
Indeed the Dutchman believes Fulham - who qualify for the Europa League through finishing second behind Champions League bound Chelsea in UEFA's national fair-play table - can repeat the success they enjoyed in European club football's second-tier competition two seasons ago.
Jol, who is in his second spell in the Premier League having managed Tottenham Hotspur, will oversee his first competitive match as the Cottagers' boss when they play NSI Runavik of the Faroe Islands in the Europa League first round on Thursday.
Fulham beat the likes of Shakhtar Donetsk, Hamburg and Juventus on the way to a Europa League final defeat by Atletico Madrid in 2010.
"I would imagine that there are quite a few teams that would like to be in Europe," said Jol.
"In Holland you play for Europe and I think it is the same in England.
"In the league you play for the support and yourself.
"You want to stay in the league firstly but secondly you want to finish in the first five or six spots. You want to be in Europe. That is the goal.
"Maybe that wasn't the goal for Fulham but because they are playing the way they did they did well in the Fair Play cup.
"If you can do that and if you're lucky enough you play in Europe so you can't complain.
"Two years ago they did unbelievably well, gave the club a good profile in Europe and the money was coming in as well."
Asked if Fulham could repeat their 2010 exploits, Jol said: "You need a bit of luck but I remember Fulham playing against Shakhtar Donetsk and beating them.
"I can't remember Shakhtar losing a game at home so they certainly played a way that could be successful in Europe, so why not?"
Indeed the Dutchman believes Fulham - who qualify for the Europa League through finishing second behind Champions League bound Chelsea in UEFA's national fair-play table - can repeat the success they enjoyed in European club football's second-tier competition two seasons ago.
Jol, who is in his second spell in the Premier League having managed Tottenham Hotspur, will oversee his first competitive match as the Cottagers' boss when they play NSI Runavik of the Faroe Islands in the Europa League first round on Thursday.
Fulham beat the likes of Shakhtar Donetsk, Hamburg and Juventus on the way to a Europa League final defeat by Atletico Madrid in 2010.
"I would imagine that there are quite a few teams that would like to be in Europe," said Jol.
"In Holland you play for Europe and I think it is the same in England.
"In the league you play for the support and yourself.
"You want to stay in the league firstly but secondly you want to finish in the first five or six spots. You want to be in Europe. That is the goal.
"Maybe that wasn't the goal for Fulham but because they are playing the way they did they did well in the Fair Play cup.
"If you can do that and if you're lucky enough you play in Europe so you can't complain.
"Two years ago they did unbelievably well, gave the club a good profile in Europe and the money was coming in as well."
Asked if Fulham could repeat their 2010 exploits, Jol said: "You need a bit of luck but I remember Fulham playing against Shakhtar Donetsk and beating them.
"I can't remember Shakhtar losing a game at home so they certainly played a way that could be successful in Europe, so why not?"
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