Fulham might be about to welcome a new swimming pool at their stadium - but skipper Tom Cairney says the swimming pool might not be welcoming Jamie O'Hara. The midfielder is preparing to get the 2024/25 Premier League campaign underway when his club travel to Old Trafford to face Man United in the season opener on Friday 16 August, live on talkSPORT . Fulham finished in a respectable 13th place in the Premier League last season, but will be looking forward to better things this year.
And one of those things might include the renovation project set to take place at Craven Cottage. A swimming pool is not the only feature that will be installed on a brand new exterior deck of the stadium. The new Riverside Stand will also feature restaurants, bars, a hotel, a health club and event spaces.
But while many fans might be eagerly looking forward to availing themselves of these new features by taking a quick half-time dip, one talkSPORT presenter has already had that possibility ruled out! Fulham midfielder Cairney opened up to talkSPORT about the new luxury addition to the stand. And when asked about whether the squad were planning to celebrate every home win with a dunk in the pool, the club captain laughed: "I don't know, why not?!" "I don't know, maybe the injured players will be watching the game from the swimming pool! I don't know about that, but maybe if we get a big win or get to a final, then we can all jump in the pool, that'd be nice. In our kits!" But when questioned about whether his former Fulham teammate O'Hara would get the call-up for any end-of-season pool parties, Cairney joked that he had a few reservations there.
"Knowing him, I've been out a few pool parties with him before, a couple in Las Vegas," Cairney chuckled. "What he gets up to and how he behaves, I don't know if that's for a football stadium or a football ground!" Cairney went on to praise the Sports Bar host, who retired from professional football back in 2020. "What a character.
It's amazing to see him doing so well on talkSPORT," said Cairney. "I still speak to him, we're still in a group chat. He's a funny, funny guy.
A very good player as well. People forget but he's a very, very good football player. "He got a record amount of money in his early days in his full-on career.
He's a top man. He's hilarious. What I describe as a throwback.
" He added: "He was funny to be around. We lived in the same apartment block in Central. We used to go out for food sometimes.
We went on the same stag do at the end of that season. "Stuff like that. He was amazing in the dressing room.
" Much like the plans for Fulham's stadium renovation, Cairney's ambitions for the club this season are pretty big - although he is being realistic about his goals. "I can't really speak about Europe or anything yet," he said. "After being here as long as I've been here, I just want to become an established Premier League club.
I think we've got to look at teams like Brighton, for example, that have been in the Premier League for eight or nine years. I feel like they're an amazing example. "In my lifetime when I was young, Fulham were always a Premier League club.
I feel like we just need to get back to that and just keep building. "Like I said, last summer we lost Mitrovic. We had a bit of a slow start, came good at the end.
"This season we've lost a few key players again. It comes with life in football. You do well, your team's doing well, people are going to come and try and get your players.
That's just life. "We need to build again and get a strong Premier League squad. Anywhere like last year or a little bit better would have been an amazing season.
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