FULHAM boss Chris Coleman has braced himself for a season of penny pinching as his side pay the price for their emotional return to Craven Cottage -- but he insists he would not have it any other way writes Neil Bonnar

Coleman has been forced to wheel and deal in the transfer market after chairman Mohammed Al Fayed ploughed millions into the redevelopment of the Cottage to end the club's two-year exile at Loftus Road.

As a result, the young manager has been denied the majority of the £12.82million windfall from last-season's sale of Louis Saha to Manchester United -- with the likes of Andy Cole, ex-Wanderer Claus Jensen and Tomasz Radzinski coming in for minimal amounts from Blackburn, Charlton and Everton respectively.

And Coleman admitted: "Money is a bit tight but I think the chairman has got it right. He has spent a lot of money on the stadium and I don't have a problem with that.

"Craven Cottage is a much better ground than it was two years ago. Some of my players have never played there and it will be a real boost for us going back.

"Away teams will enjoy coming to the Cottage much more than they did. And if we play good stuff and score goals I'm sure people will turn up and be shouting for us.

"But the days have gone where Fulham pay £8million for a striker. We can't afford to spend four or five million on a player, hope that it works and if it doesn't just go and get someone else."

Fulham are hoping to make it a happy return to the Cottage when they kick off their home campaign against Wanderers next Saturday.

But they will be handicapped by selection problems with striker Luis Boa Morte away on Olympic duty with Portugal and playmaker Steed Malbrangue expected to miss the first six weeks of the season with a groin injury.

But Coleman insists the arrival of £1.75million Radzinski and free transfer Cole has given his squad more than enough firepower.

He added: "I've got to respect Luis' wishes, he's an important player for us. He wanted to go and I didn't see the point in keeping him back and making him unhappy.

"Radzinski is a great signing for us and I've got a lot of faith and belief in Andy. We needed to make sure we got someone in who knows the league and will score goals and Andy fits that bill.

"I've seen since he's been at Fulham what a hard worker he is and he's great with the lads -- all I've seen is a vibrant player. I'm totally delighted he's at the club.

"I don't know what happened at Blackburn but you've got to be happy in your environment and I've got to make sure I keep him happy."