Friday Fulham Stuff (09/06/17)...

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Derby forward Chris Martin describes 'crazy' year at Fulham

The Scotland international forward did not figure in manager Nigel Pearson's plans last summer, leading to the transfer deadline day loan to West London.

Chris Martin started last season at Derby County, went on loan to Fulham, then went on strike halfway through the season in an attempt to force a move back to the Rams , before finishing the season at Craven Cottage and helping the Whites to the play-offs.

And the striker has admitted that it was as "crazy" as it sounds.

The Scotland international forward did not figure in manager Nigel Pearson's plans last summer, leading to the transfer deadline day loan to West London.

As January approached, Steve McClaren took the helm at Pride Park and tried to recall the big striker, who had refused to play for Slavisa Jokanovic in an attempt to force a recall, but due to the nature of the agreement, he was unable to return to the midlands, something which Martin says was tough.

Speaking to the Scotsman, he said: ""It's been very tumultuous, shall I say.

"It's probably the strangest season of my career, especially off the field.


Fulham celebrate Chris Martin's goal (Photo: Get Reading)

"It's been crazy. I don't want to go into too much detail but, if I told people what happened, they wouldn't believe me. "Some strange things have transpired away from the football pitch. It's been a bit disappointing on the pitch.

"I've been inconsistent but there have been some contributing factors towards that.

"There were certain things said during the January transfer window that didn't come from myself. That's the hardest part, trying to deal with things that I had no attachment to, really.

"I've seen a lot in my career and I'd like to think I'm fairly mature. I tried to deal with it the best way I could but that contributed to what happened on the pitch.

"I was in and out of the team and that makes it difficult to make your mark. I'll put it down to experience and go again next season."

"It's over now, I've secured a new contract at Derby and I'll be heading back there for pre-season."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/derby-forward-chris-martin-describes-13154247

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PL2 In Numbers

See who was top for the Under-23s when it came to stats this season.

Pass accuracy

Mikolaj Kwietniewski led the way for pass accuracy in the PL2 with an astonishing 92.4 per cent completion, although the 18-year-old only featured in four games this season for the Under-23s. Of the players who made more than 10 appearances, Ryheem Sheckleford had the best pass percentage rate with 90.1 per cent, completing 799 passes in his 15 appearances. Unsurprisingly next was American midfielder Luca de la Torre with the most passes, making 1,011 with an 88.3 per cent success rate.

Blocks and interceptions

Marlon Fossey made the most interceptions by a large margin with 3.56 per game, the closest teammate was Tayo Edun with 3.05. Sheckleford had the best rate for blocks, contributing 0.86 per time he pulled on a shirt. In close second was Under-18 defender Moritz Jenz with 0.7, he spent his season playing also with the 18s, and when on duty with them his block rate rose to 1.18.

Duels won

As expected, it was the defenders who led the way with duels won. Sean Kavanagh headed the way when it came to duels with an impressive 71.2 per cent success rate. He won 51 duels in his 10 appearances. Next, with fewer appearances, was Steven Sessegnon. Another promoted on occasion from the 18s, he made three appearances for the Under-23s and won 68.8 per cent of the balls he competed for. It was a midfielder who made the biggest contribution in duels throughout the season, with Josh Smile winning 62.8 per cent of balls he challenged for. In 16 games he won possession 92 times for Peter Grant's side.

Tackles

The most successful tackler was Aron Davies with an incredible 86.7 per cent success rate going in for the ball, having made 26 tackles in his 18 appearances. Davies made the second most number of tackles per match with 1.44, only bettered by Edun's 1.72, although his success rate was lower on 67.4 per cent. Dennis Adeniran led the way for the midfielders; although only playing eight games he made 1.35 tackles per match and won 79 per cent of his tackles.

Goals per minute

In attack, three people stand out for this season in the PL2. The best minutes per goal ratio belonged to Stephen Humphrys who scored every 83.2 minutes, hitting the target 61 per cent of the time. Adeniran competed at both ends of the pitch and followed Humphrys in second with a goal every 126.2 minutes, and then George Williams every 135. It is fair to mention, though, that Willams also scored seven in the PL Cup with a goal every 68 minutes. When he came back from his loan spell at MK Dons he had a hand in 17 goals in 17 games, scoring 15 and assisting two.

Chances created

Edun ran away with the number of chances created, at a rate of 2.67 per game and 48 in his 18 appearances, which shows how vital he is to the attack from left back. The closest team mates to his record were both de la Torre and Williams who both created 1.42 chances per match. Smile, Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson and Kavanagh all averaged at 1.3 chances created per time they stepped on the pitch.

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/june/08/pl2-in-numbers

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Liverpool's embarrassing climb down over Virgil van Dijk is not the club's first transfer gaffe... they were also forced to apologise to Fulham over their pursuit of Clint Dempsey in 2012

    Liverpool ended their interest in Virgil van Dijk and apologised to Southampton
    Saints complained to the Premier League over an alleged illegal approach
    The Reds also said sorry to Fulham in 2012 over their pursuit of Clint Dempsey
    Ian Ayre admitted then that their behaviour 'simply never should have occurred'

Liverpool's botched summer move for Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk is the latest in a number of transfer disasters in recent seasons - and the second time in only five years they have been forced to issue a grovelling apology to a fellow Premier League club for their conduct in the transfer market..

The Merseyside club on Wednesday dropped their interest in the central defender after Saints complained to the Premier League over an alleged illegal approach for the player.

The climbdown is the latest in a series of gaffes under the Reds' owners, Fenway Sports Group, during their six-and-a-half-year tenure.


Liverpool ended their interest in Virgil van Dijk and apologised to Southampton on Wednesday

They famously scrapped plans for a ticket price hike at Anfield last season following protests from supporters and their academy was earlier this year banned from recruiting domestically for two years after being found guilty of tapping-up.

And this is not the first time they have been forced to say sorry to another Premier League club for their pursuit of a summer transfer target.

In 2012 Liverpool wanted to sign Fulham and USA forward Clint Dempsey. Again, however, Liverpool were accused of tapping-up the player and again they issued a grovelling apology after being threatened over their conduct.

The Reds' co-owner Tom Werner made a personal visit to then Fulham owner Mohamed Al-Fayed and former managing director Ian Ayre, who has in the past faced the brunt of criticism from supporters for Liverpool's transfer failings, admitted in a letter that their behaviour was 'wrong' and 'simply never should have occurred'.


Liverpool were also forced to apologise to Fulham after trying to sign Clint Dempsey in 2012


Ian Ayre (left) said they were 'wrong' and Tom Werner (right) visited Mohamed Al-Fayed

'Please also consider this letter from me to be an additional expression of sincere regret and apology from our club to your club for our actions last summer. Our club can do better and we pledge that it will,' Ayre wrote to Fulham in late 2012.

'It is indicative of the leadership of your chairman (Al-Fayed) over the years in football matters and his ability to place the best interests of the game ahead of an intramural dispute between clubs.'

Five years on, Liverpool look set to again miss out on a primary transfer target, damaging their hopes of closing the gap on teams above them.

Manager Jurgen Klopp was criticised earlier this year for failing to strengthen his squad in January, a disastrous month which all but ended Liverpool's tilt for the title. And with the club facing a busier schedule next year having qualified for the Champions League, their attempts to bring in new recruits this summer have begun poorly.

They remain in the market for a number of new signings, but are now in talks with Sporting Lisbon over a move for Gelson Martins after becoming concerned at the price of their primary target Mohamed Salah.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4583864/Van-Dijk-Liverpool-apologised-Dempsey.html#ixzz4jTvRuoi8
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Fixtures, friendlies and a transfer plans: 6 things for Fulham fans to look forward to this summer

We take a look at the main dates to put in the diary as Fulham fans begin to look forward to a new season.

As we sit firmly in the quiet patch between last season and next, we take a look at the big things Fulham fans can look forward to over the summer.

Fixtures
The day that's actually nowhere near as exciting as we think, but means so much after suffering over a month of no football!

Wednesday June 21 is the day when all Fulham fans will find out who they'll face on the first day, when they'll face those long journeys north to play Middlesbrough and Sunderland and when London bragging rights will be won and lost against rivals Brentford, QPR and Millwall.

TV announcements
Just when you think your diary is up to date, Sky will start to announce which fixtures will be televised. It's always nice having your games chosen for television, just as long as you're given enough notice to rearrange travel plans for a Friday night trip to Preston!

New signings
The one which either sets your pulses racing, or bores you into a trance. The club are likely to press ahead with transfer plans once the team and back room staff officially report back for training later this month. Every club will be looking to get their business done early so fingers crossed we will see some fresh faces in early July as opposed to late August.

Outgoing transfers
Will the club be able to keep hold of star players such as Ryan Sessegnon? or will someone unexpected be snapped up? I can't see the club making as many changes as they've made in recent years but you can expect a handful of departures between now and the end of the transfer window.

Friendlies
Although never deemed to be classic encounters, pre-season friendlies are always interesting to get a glimpse into plans for the new season. Whether this be getting an early viewing of a new signing, seeing a new system being tried, or even seeing a young prodigy making an early impression on the first team squad, there's always some narrative to these games. For those looking to get their football fix, fixtures announced so far include a game at Wealdstone FC and a behind-closed-doors friendly with rivals QPR.

The Carabao Cup draw
The newly named Carabao Cup gets underway in the first midweek of the season with the draw taking place in the next two weeks. Whether it's the start of a historic cup run to Wembley, or an embarrassing early defeat against a League Two relegation-battler, it's always an occasion firmly in the minds of the fans.




http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fixtures-friendlies-transfer-plans-7-13154766

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Championship gossip: The latest as West Brom look to capitalise on relegated Hull and Sunderland, while Millwall bid for Reading star

We take a look at the latest news from QPR, Fulham and Brentford's Championship rivals as clubs look to make a head start on their summer transfer business.

We take a look at the latest news from QPR, Fulham and Brentford's Championship rivals as clubs look to make a head start on their summer transfer business.

   Hull City midfielder Tom Huddlestone is being linked with a move to the Premier League following their relegation from the top-flight. According to the Sun, West Brom are leading the chase for the 30-year-old who is thought to have a £2m relegation release clause in his current contract.

   West Brom are also thought to be interested in Sunderland defender Lamina Kone. The 28-year-old has expressed his desire to leave the Stadium of Light following their relegation last year and it's thought the Baggies are leading the line to secure his signature. It's thought a fee of £9m would be required to secure the Frenchman's services.

   Millwall have made two bids for Reading centre-back Jake Cooper, according to the South London press. The defender spent the second half of last season on loan at the Den and it's thought Neil Harris is keen to get him on board for next season in the Championship.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/championship-gossip-latest-west-brom-13155133

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Cairney: Quietly Confident

Tom Cairney admits it would be a surreal experience to play against England, but insists his Scotland side are capable of getting a result on Saturday.

Born in Nottingham, the Fulham midfielder made his Scotland debut earlier this year having been eligible through his father, and he's delighted to be back in the squad.

"It's nice to be involved in such a big occasion," he told fulhamfc.com. "After the season I had it's pleasing to see that I'm wanted in the national team. It's exciting.

"I think it may be a little bit surreal to be involved in the game because I am from England. It's something that me and my family are all looking forward to, they're all coming up, so I can't wait.

"I've never played at Hampden Park before, so it would be an experience in that atmosphere if I start or get on.

"I think it's more likely that I'd come off the bench if anything, but it would be some [competitive] debut if it was against England."

The Three Lions are big favourites going into the match, but Cairney believes Scotland could cause an upset on home soil.

Victory for Gordon Strachan's men would move them to within three points of England, blowing Group F wide open.

"I think we're quietly confident," Cairney stated. "Obviously we're underdogs going into the match, but it's like a derby game where form and everything else goes out the window.

"It just depends who turns up on the day. I think if we get an early lead we might hold onto it.

"The win against Slovenia in our last qualifier was huge, but if we can get a result in this game – because let's be honest, nobody expects us to – it would give us a lot of momentum.

"I think it'll be quite a tight game but England will obviously have a lot more of the ball. I'm expecting a lot of noise in the ground, and if I can play any part in it that would be great."

Training photo courtesy of @ScottishFA.




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/june/08/tom-cairney-quietly-confident

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He went on strike and was then in the centre of a tug of war between Fulham and Derby County...dissecting Chris Martin's 'crazy season' quotes

Derby striker has his say on a difficult year but what do his quotes really mean?

Chris Martin is looking forward to putting the past behind him and starting afresh at Derby County.

The 28-year-old has admitted that he endured a "crazy" season last year.

The 2016-17 campaign started with him at Derby, before he was deemed surplus to requirements by then boss Nigel Pearson and he was shipped out on loan to Fulham.

Pearson was sacked and Steve McClaren came in, stating how much he loved Martin and wanted to take him back to the iPro Stadium.

Martin went on strike in an attempt to force a recall from the loan, but there was no such agreement in that loan contract, so at Craven Cottage he stayed, eventually helping the Whites to the Championship play-offs with 11 goals.

He has now lifted the lid on everything that happened during the campaign, so we thought we'd take a tongue in cheek look at what Martin might have meant with his words.

Martin's quotes are in bold and what we believe he means by it is in italic afterwards...

"It's probably the strangest season of my career, especially off the field."

"I shouldn't have gone on strike, I should have got my head down and focused on my football with Fulham."

"Hopefully, there is a real positive twist to end an up-and-down season. Football is like that at times. It can be a roller coaster but not usually all in the one season. Sometimes you need to ride the wave and, hopefully, I can top it off with a real high against England."

"I want to score for Scotland against England."


Saving Scotland: Chris Martin (Photo: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

"It's been crazy. I don't want to go into too much detail but, if I told people what happened, they wouldn't believe me. Some strange things have transpired away from the football pitch."

"When Nigel Pearson was sacked I saw an opportunity to return to Derby. I told Slavisa Jokanovic I didn't want to play for Fulham anymore and when Steve McClaren said he wanted me back I thought it was on. If only I'd looked at the terms of my loan agreement..."

"I've been inconsistent but there have been some contributing factors towards that."

"I wasn't happy at Fulham, that's why I didn't play that well."

"There were certain things said during the January transfer window that didn't come from myself. That's the hardest part, trying to deal with things that I had no attachment to, really."

"Lots of people said lots of things about me, but I kept quiet. It wasn't my fault."


Chris Martin in action against Reading in the play-offs (Photo: Scott Heavey/PA Wire)

"I've seen a lot in my career and I'd like to think I'm fairly mature. I tried to deal with it the best way I could but that contributed to what happened on the pitch."

"I didn't like what people were saying and it affected my performances."

"I was in and out of the team and that makes it difficult to make your mark. I'll put it down to experience and go again next season."

"I should have been playing every week, even though I wasn't at the top of my game."

"It's over now, I've secured a new contract at Derby and I'll be heading back there for pre-season."

"I got what I wanted in the end."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/went-strike-centre-tug-war-13154232