Last Updated: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:08
Martin Jol was quick to praise debutant Pavel Pogrebynak after his goal helped Fulham to a 2-1 victory against Stoke City on Saturday.
The Cottagers chief was delighted with the January deadline day acquisition from German Bundesliga outfit Stuttgart as he opened the scoring at Craven Cottage before Clint Dempsey's free-kick came back off the bar before rebounding into the net of visiting goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen to make it 2-0.
Stoke pulled a goal back after the break, but Fulham held on to secure the three points which moves them up to 12th in the Premier League table, just three points behind 10th-placed Everton.
Jol said there were many positives to take from the team's performance, but he wasted no time in heaping praise on Pogrebynak following the Russian's productive Cottagers' bow.
The Dutchman told his post-match press conference: "Pavel was fit, he had worked hard in training and was ready to go.
"That was a positive thing and it meant Clint could play in his usual position. He did well, you always have to wait and see how a new player will do when coming from abroad, but it was a good start for him. He managed to score too, so that will be a big boost.
"English football is different from what he is used to and today he saw two sides of the game here. At times he got clattered, but following some lovely football he scored a good goal. I think in the first 10 minutes he realised just how different the Premier League is.
"He wants to play for us and that's what we want. He's come in until the end of the season, so we'll wait and see what happens. In many ways it was a brave move for him, so today, was good for us all."
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