Kit Symons praised forgotten man Bryan Ruiz after he set Fulham on their way to victory against Doncaster on Tuesday night.
The Costa Rican World Cup star - frozen out by former boss Felix Magath - was brought in from the cold by the Cottagers caretaker manager at the weekend.
And Ruiz, who spent the second half of last season on loan at PSV, repaid his new gaffer with the opening goal as Fulham scraped into the fourth round of the Capital One Cup with a 2-1 win over the League One strugglers.
“Bryan scored a very good goal, so that will please him and give him confidence," said Symons. "It was a good, well worked goal as well.
“I know how good he is. He’s just come back from playing for Costa Rica, so we knew he was match fit, there were no issues along those lines.
"I spoke to him first to gauge his frame of mind and he was very positive, so it was quite an easy decision to play him.”
Symons also revealed he held 'positive' talks with owner Shahid Khan earlier this week as he tries to convince Fulham chiefs to give him the job on a full-time basis.
