"Towards the end of last season most people were writing Fulham off, and I was one of them," Schwarzer has told the Evening Standard.
"Around February time, when I was at Boro, I remember thinking Fulham had no chance of surviving.
"But they created that amazing feat, staying up, and then, when I came down to speak Roy Hodgson, I realised he had plans, that he wanted to turn the club around and make them into a strong team and really look up towards the top half of the table.
"This season we've consolidated very well, we've played very good football and I think it's right we're in the position we're in.
"It's fantastic to have the type of manager who encourages you and gives you self-belief, so that if you make a mistake you just get your head down and rectify it.
"Everyone is pulling in the right direction, everyone is supporting each other, guys are covering each other in case there are mistakes."