Fulham had to show perseverance to beat Wigan 2-1 on Saturday but manager Martin Jol addressed the challenge he faced of keeping his players motivated during the season-ending run-in.
Fulham prevailed thanks to Philippe Senderos’ 89th-minute header after Pavel Pogrebnyak had levelled Emmerson Boyce's opener for Wigan at Craven Cottage.
The win rose Fulham to ninth in the table and aiming to surpass their best-ever top-flight finish of eighth would seem to be an incentive for the side with four games left.
But Jol said: "It's difficult to keep them motivated. There are big phrases up around the training ground about self motivation. Sometimes we have to have a word or two."
Asked what his motivational secret was, Jol said: "That is the trick of the wizard. If they make a mistake I forget about it. If they make three or four mistakes I forget about them. If they make me happy I will make them happy."
