The Fulham coaching staff includes an array of experts next to manager Marco Silva in the dugout at Craven Cottage. So, who is in the Cottagers’ backroom team in west London for the 2023/24 season?
Manager: Marco Silva
Fulham made Silva their manager in July 2021 on a three-year contract to replace Scott Parker. The Cottagers handed the Portuguese his return to football after Parker left by mutual consent following their relegation from the Premier League. Silva would win the Championship title in his first season.
Silva had been out of work since Everton sacked the coach in December 2019 after losing 5-2 at Liverpool. But he created a prolific attacking line-up, spearheaded by Aleksandar Mitrovic. They also made a successful step up to the Premier League during 2022/23 to see Fulham finish in 10th place.
Fulham coaching staff
Assistant manager: Stuart Gray
Fulham initially hired Stuart Gray back in December 2015 to join their staff as a senior coach with the remit of improving their defence. He also worked alongside Steve Wigley as the Cottagers’ co-interim head coach after moving to west London. Gray oversaw four games before Slavisa Jokanovic joined.
Jokanovic retained Gray on his coaching staff at Fulham through until the end of the 2017/18 season. But he let the coach go in the summer and the Cottagers endured a torrid run of form that ultimately saw the club sack Jokanovic in November 2018. Parker would later bring Gray back in February 2019.
Fulham accepted Parker’s request to re-hire Gray with the title of assistant manager upon becoming the club’s manager. The pair would work together during 105 games in all competitions before Parker left by mutual consent. Silva then also elected to retain Gray as part of his coaching staff at Fulham.
Silva respected the experience that Gray brings to the backroom team at Craven Cottage. He joined Fulham back in 2015 after a spell out of the game upon leaving his role as the manager of Sheffield Wednesday. He has also coached with Southampton, Aston Villa, Wolves, Burnley and Portsmouth.
Assistant manager: Luis Boa Morte
Silva strengthened the coaching staff at Craven Cottage upon his arrival in July 2021 by also naming Fulham legend Luis Boa Morte as an assistant manager. He had previously hired the Cottagers hero as his assistant manager with Everton in July 2019. But they both left Goodison Park that December.
Boa Morte cut his teeth as a coach with Sporting Lisbon after returning to his native Portugal in July 2014. He initially joined the Leoes as an assistant B-team coach before managing the youth and U19 teams. Sintrense later hired Boa Morte as their manager in 2017 after a stint as a scout for Arsenal.
Maccabi Haifa also named Boa Morte as their assistant manager in 2019 before Silva convinced him to join Everton. It was the Fulham icon’s return to a matchday role in the Premier League eight years after he left West Ham United. Boa Morte spent four years with the Irons after spending seven with Fulham.
Goalkeeping coach: Hugo Oliveira
Hugo Oliveira is a long-term associate of Silva and joined the Fulham manager in the coaching staff at Craven Cottage during July 2021. The pair had previously worked together with Hull City, Watford and Everton. Silva values what Oliveira offers as a goalkeeping coach, so sought their reunion at Fulham.
Silva first worked with Oliveira at Hull as the UEFA Pro Licence holder was out of work at the time. The Portuguese had left his position as the goalkeeping coach with Benfica after five years in June 2016. Oliveira also worked as a coach for the Portugal national team between August 2009 and July 2011.
First-team coach: Goncalo Pedro
Goncalo Pedro agreed to join the coaching staff at Fulham after Silva replaced Parker in charge. The coach has a long-term relationship with the Cottagers boss, having worked together since July 2013. They first united at Estoril Praia and then at Sporting Lisbon, Olympiacos, Hull, Watford and Everton.
Benfica gave Pedro his first role in coaching as the assistant manager with their youth squad in July 2000. He would leave As Aguias in June 2002 before joining their rivals Sporting Lisbon as their U17 and U19 assistant in July 2003. Spells at Portimonense, SC Braga’s U15s and Saudi Arabia followed.
Head of performance: Bruno Mendes
Fulham appointed Bruno Mendes as their head of performance after naming Silva as their manager in July 2021. Silva sought their reunion at Craven Cottage having also named Mendes as his head of performance at Everton. Mendes also held the same title with Benfica from July 2006 to June 2018.
Benfica promoted Mendes to the role after three years as a trainer-scout for the Portuguese giants. He also established As Aguias’ renowned Benfica Lab, the club’s data-driven department that tracks their players’ agility and accuracy. Benfica use it to identify talent at the right time to make the club better.
First-team match analyst: Antonios Lemonakis
Fulham agreed to add Antonios Lemonakis to their coaching staff upon appointing Silva as their head coach in July 2021. Lemonakis has worked as Silva’s first-team match analyst since July 2015 after the pair crossed paths at Olympiacos. The Greek analyst had already worked with the club for two years.
Olympiacos hired Lemonakis in July 2013 following spells as a youth coach at Asteras Pastidas, as the manager of Diagoras Rodou U19 and as the chief analyst at PAOK Thessaloniki. He would follow Silva to Hull in January 2017, however, and stayed by his side at Watford, at Everton and at Fulham today.
Development coach: Colin Omogbehin
Fulham promoted Colin Omogbehin to their senior coaching staff in July 2021 upon appointing Silva as their manager. The Englishman has worked with the Cottagers since July 2009 when he left Crystal Palace after seven years. He initially switched south for west London to work for Fulham’s academy.
Omogbehin initially held the role of assistant manager with the Craven Cottage natives’ youth teams before becoming the manager of their Under-18s in July 2017. He later became the manager of their U21s in July 2019. Now, Omogbehin helps Fulham’s academy prospects transition into the first-team.