Friday Fulham Stuff (18/08/17)...

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Fulham land Braga captain Rui Fonte on three-year deal


Rui Fonte scored 12 goals in 28 appearances for Portuguese side Braga last season

Fulham have completed the signing of Braga forward and captain Rui Fonte, the club have announced.

Fonte has signed a three-year deal at Craven Cottage, with the option of extending it for a further year.

The 27-year old, who spent time as a trainee at Arsenal in 2008-09, scored 12 goals in 28 appearances in the Portuguese league last season after joining the side permanently following a successful loan spell.

He has previously spent time at Crystal Palace in 2009, making 10 Championship appearances, before spending three years in La Liga with Espanyol.

The forward marks Fulham's fourth signing following the arrivals of Ibrahima Cisse, Marcelo Djalo and Aboubakar Kamara.

"I am very happy and very excited to sign for Fulham, this is an amazing challenge. Fulham is a massive club and I'm looking forward to it," Fonte told the club's official website.


The 27-year old spent a spell at Arsenal and Crystal Palace between 2008-09

"I wanted to say a big thank you to Braga who took me in as family and I'm thankful to all the staff and fans for their support during my time there."

Fulham chairman Tony Khan feels the signing of Fonte shows a sign of intent for where the Championship club is moving.

"Rui Fonte is a substantial talent, and I'm thrilled to welcome him to the Fulham Football Club," said Khan.

"We have been interested in Rui for a long time. We have great aspirations for the future of this club, and today we have taken another step towards realising them by adding a striker known for his immense skill and selfless teamwork."



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/10992826/fulham-land-braga-captain-rui-fonte-on-three-year-deal

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This signing could genuinely be season-defining for Fulham

It has been a slow start to the 2017/18 Championship season for Fulham.

Three games have resulted in three draws with their only win so far this season coming against Wycombe in the League Cup first round.

Given the level of football the Cottagers were playing at times during the previous campaign it is surprising to see them start so slowly.

Someone who might be able to help Slavisa Jokanovic's side is their newest signing from this summer's transfer window, Sheyi Ojo.

The 20-year-old's season long loan move from Anfield was confirmed by the club yesterday and in Ojo, Fulham have received one of England's brightest stars.

The young winger has some first team experience within the Liverpool first team, making 13 appearances for them and managing four assists and one goal in the process.

Given that both Floyd Ayite and Lucas Piazon are currently out injured, Ojo will likely be thrust straight into the first team against Sheffield Wednesday this weekend.

His pace and dribbling ability will give the Wednesday defence some trouble and both Jokanovic and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping the youngster can prove his worth as quickly as possible.

Previous loan spells at Wigan and Wolves didn't see a great return in terms of goals and assists per game.

His time at Wigan was especially disappointing for the forward as he failed to score or provide any assists in 11 games at the club.

Ojo is running out of time to impress elsewhere to break into the Liverpool first team on a consistent basis so he will be giving it his all, all season long which can only mean good things for Fulham.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/this-signing-could-genuinely-be-season-defining-for-fulham/

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Woodrow heads to Bristol City on loan
by Dan on August 17, 2017

Fulham striker Cauley Woodrow has joined Bristol City on loan for the remainder of the season this afternoon.

The former England under-21 international, who was part of Aidy Boothroyd's squad that reached the semi-finals of this year's European Championships, was unlikely to feature for Slavisa Jokanovic's side after a poor start to the season and had been tipped for a repeat of last term's successful loan spell with Burton Albion. Brewers boss Nigel Clough was keen to take Woodrow to the Pirelli Stadium once more but could not agree terms on a deal with Fulham. Clough claimed that Albion had been 'outbid by a Championship rival'.

Instead, the 22 year-old has moved to Ashton Gate and Bristol City manager Lee Johnson was delighted to get his man, especially with Bosnia-Herzegovina international Milan Djuric likely to be sidelined for at least two months following groin surgery:

    He's been on our list for a long time. I think he's found opportunities limited at Fulham, probably because of their playing style and them playing with one up front, but certainly in a two he gives us everything we want.

Woodrow's Fulham career has stalled since a promising beginning that saw him handed a senior debut by Felix Magath after he and Moussa Dembele formed a formidable partnership in the club's youth sides. He scored his first goal for the club in their final game in the Premier League – a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage in May 2014 – but struggled to hold down a first team place after Fulham signed Ross McCormack later that summer.

He made just one league start under Jokanovic last term, scoring twice in the EFL Cup but having a penalty saved by Ivan Lucic as City knocked the Whites out in the third round. Woodrow could make his Robins' debut against Millwall on Saturday.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/08/woodrow-heads-to-bristol-city-on-loan/

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A Solid Replacement For Sone Aluko? Why This 20-year Old Is A Shrewd Signing By Fulham

Sheyi Ojo

Why Sheyi Ojo Is A Shrewd Signing By Fulham

Fulham have announced the loan signing of Liverpool forward Sheyi Ojo and it means even more competition on a congested looking forward line. Floyd Ayite, Sone Aluko, Lucas Piazon, Neeskens Kebano and Ryan Sessegnon can all play in the two positions on either side of the striker in a 4-3-3, as can Ojo, and when this becomes a 4-2-3-1 you can add Tom Cairney to that list too.

However, Slavisa Jokanovic has struggled to land a prolific striker for the number nine position and may well continue to use the likes of Ayite or Aluko there occasionally, perhaps creating the need for Ojo.

Although perfectly happy on the left, Ojo can play as a modern right-winger, cutting in onto his stronger left foot. In this regard, he could be a fine replacement for Aluko, should he leave or be required up top. So in that regard, Ojo is the right man for the job.

Ojo already has experience in this division, having spent time on loan as a 17-year-old at Wigan Athletic and then later on at Wolves where he scored 3 in 19 from out wide. With another 3 years' experience behind him and a handful of Premier League appearances under his belt at Anfield we will see a much better Ojo in the Championship this time around and he could prove to be a canny signing for Jovanovic.

At this stage, a loan move to the Championship can only mean playing first XI football every week for Ojo, if he is to progress properly, although it is not sure if Fulham will be able to provide that. For their part though, the Cottagers needed to keep adding quality to a squad which is perhaps not in as good a shape as people thought it to be.

They scraped into the play-offs late in the season after a great run of form and those bursts are not what is required when looking for promotion. Consistency is the key and a part of getting that solidity is by having enough quality in and around the first XI to cover every eventuality.

Should Aluko be unavailable, be played up front, or for any other reason not be in the first XI, then despite their relative riches, they would not have anyone else capable of playing that role to the desired level. With Ojo in the squad however, that will all change.



http://soccersouls.com/2017/08/18/a-solid-replacement-for-sone-aluko-why-this-20-year-old-is-a-shrewd-signing-by-fulham/

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Fonte finally signs for Fulham
by Dan on August 17, 2017

Fulham have finally completed the signing of Sporting Braga captain Rui Fonte on a three-year contract for a fee that could reportedly rise to around £8.2m.

The Championship club's pursuit of the former Arsenal and Crystal Palace forward has dragged on over the summer months with Braga president Antonio Salvador revealing that they had rejected four Fulham bids as they did not want to lose their talismanic forward. The 27 year-old, who is the younger brother of West Ham centre back Jose, has scored twice in four Braga appearances this season to follow his fourteen goals as they finished fifth in the Portuguese top flight.

Fonte moved from Sporting to Arsenal as a teenager but only made one appearance for the Gunners in a 2008 FA Cup tie against Wigan Athletic. He played ten times for Crystal Palace in the Championship the following season on loan, before moving to Setabul. He helped Benfica win the Portuguese Cup, scoring in the final against Porto, as they triumphed on penalties and, after a host of youth caps, was on the bench for Portugal's 2-0 friendly win over Cape Verde in March 2015.

Fonte, who can play as a classical striker or on the right wing, told the Fulham website:

    I am very happy and very excited to sign for Fulham, this is an amazing challenge. Fulham is a massive club and I'm looking forward to it. I wanted to say a big thank you to Braga who took me in as family and I'm thankful to all the staff and fans for their support during my time there.

He is expected to go straight into Fulham's first-team squad for Saturday's Championship clash with Sheffield Wednesday at Craven Cottage.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/08/fonte-finally-signs-for-fulham/

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David Jones and Sheffield Wednesday seek a kickstart on the banks of the Thames

FEW grounds in the Football League are as pleasant to visit as Craven Cottage.

Even in the depths of winter, the stroll through Bishop's Park can be a joy with the approach to Fulham's home along the north bank of the Thames bringing an air of serenity rarely found on the traditional walk to a football stadium.

For Sheffield Wednesday, this tranquil setting has clearly been an inspiration with only a stoppage-time equaliser last season from Scott Malone denying the visitors a maximum six points against the Cottagers. At 9pm on Wednesday night, however, the omens for this weekend's trip south looked grim. Having gifted Sunderland an early lead, the Owls were toiling horribly and, but for some profligate finishing from Simon Grayson's men, would have been heading for a second defeat in three Championship outings this term. With the cloud of Fernando Forestieri's ostracisation from the matchday squad and rumblings over a third slow start under Carlos Carvalhal growing, unbeaten Fulham would surely have sensed blood.

As it is, Wednesday will head to the capital buoyed by a terrific late rally that came so close to securing that precious first league win of the season. David Jones, the scorer of the goal that sparked the late onslaught, certainly believes the Yorkshire side have every chance of extending their impressive form under Carvalhal next to the Thames.

As it is, Wednesday will head to the capital buoyed by a terrific late rally that came so close to securing that precious first league win of the season. David Jones, the scorer of the goal that sparked the late onslaught, certainly believes the Yorkshire side have every chance of extending their impressive form under Carvalhal next to the Thames. "Fulham will be tough," said the 32-year-old midfielder after opening his goalscoring account in an Owls shirt. "We are fully aware of that. "We played them last season and Fulham were a decent side. But we are more than capable of going there and getting all three points. "It was a disappointing start (against Sunderland) and that can knock you a bit. But we managed, after ten to 15 minutes, to regain our composure and put in a strong performance in terms of we were the ones pushing for the win at the end." Wednesday's second 1-1 stalemate in five days at Hillsborough, Queens Park Rangers having returned south with a point last Saturday, again came without Forestieri.

As it is, Wednesday will head to the capital buoyed by a terrific late rally that came so close to securing that precious first league win of the season. David Jones, the scorer of the goal that sparked the late onslaught, certainly believes the Yorkshire side have every chance of extending their impressive form under Carvalhal next to the Thames. "Fulham will be tough," said the 32-year-old midfielder after opening his goalscoring account in an Owls shirt. "We are fully aware of that. "We played them last season and Fulham were a decent side. But we are more than capable of going there and getting all three points. "It was a disappointing start (against Sunderland) and that can knock you a bit. But we managed, after ten to 15 minutes, to regain our composure and put in a strong performance in terms of we were the ones pushing for the win at the end." Wednesday's second 1-1 stalemate in five days at Hillsborough, Queens Park Rangers having returned south with a point last Saturday, again came without Forestieri. He has not featured in the squad since a training ground bust-up last week with Sam Winnall, fuelling speculation over a possible move away for the Argentinian. Whether Forestieri will be considered tomorrow remains to be seen, though Carvalhal has revealed that the forward has apologised to the squad and is "working hard" to earn a recall. One man who will be in the squad is Frederico Venancio, a 24-year-old defender who signed on loan for the season from Portuguese outfit Vitoria de Setubal shortly before the draw with Sunderland. Carvalhal's resources in defence are so stretched that left-back Daniel Pudil had to fill in at centre-back against the Black Cats and the Owls' chief plans at least one more addition. For now, though, the focus is on Fulham and the task of boosting Wednesday's points tally at the expense of a side who were the favourites to prevail going into last season's play-offs only to crash out to Reading in the semi-finals.

As it is, Wednesday will head to the capital buoyed by a terrific late rally that came so close to securing that precious first league win of the season. David Jones, the scorer of the goal that sparked the late onslaught, certainly believes the Yorkshire side have every chance of extending their impressive form under Carvalhal next to the Thames. "Fulham will be tough," said the 32-year-old midfielder after opening his goalscoring account in an Owls shirt. "We are fully aware of that. "We played them last season and Fulham were a decent side. But we are more than capable of going there and getting all three points. "It was a disappointing start (against Sunderland) and that can knock you a bit. But we managed, after ten to 15 minutes, to regain our composure and put in a strong performance in terms of we were the ones pushing for the win at the end." Wednesday's second 1-1 stalemate in five days at Hillsborough, Queens Park Rangers having returned south with a point last Saturday, again came without Forestieri. He has not featured in the squad since a training ground bust-up last week with Sam Winnall, fuelling speculation over a possible move away for the Argentinian. Whether Forestieri will be considered tomorrow remains to be seen, though Carvalhal has revealed that the forward has apologised to the squad and is "working hard" to earn a recall. One man who will be in the squad is Frederico Venancio, a 24-year-old defender who signed on loan for the season from Portuguese outfit Vitoria de Setubal shortly before the draw with Sunderland. Carvalhal's resources in defence are so stretched that left-back Daniel Pudil had to fill in at centre-back against the Black Cats and the Owls' chief plans at least one more addition. For now, though, the focus is on Fulham and the task of boosting Wednesday's points tally at the expense of a side who were the favourites to prevail going into last season's play-offs only to crash out to Reading in the semi-finals. "In terms of points on the board, we would want more from the start to the season," said Jones, when asked to assess a start that brought defeat at Preston North End on the opening day before those draws against QPR and Sunderland. "But we know what we are capable of and need to turn these performances into three points. We didn't have a strong first game at all. But then we have done enough in the last two games to get victories, in my opinion. "It didn't quite come (against Sunderland on Wednesday), but there are a lot of games in this league and we want to get some momentum, keep improving our results. We go again in another big game at Fulham."



Read more at: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/david-jones-and-sheffield-wednesday-seek-a-kickstart-on-the-banks-of-the-thames-1-8709144

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An independent Bristol City blog, established in early 2011, which aims to take a reasoned and balanced view of life at Ashton Gate.

Cauley Woodrow - a view from the Cottage

At first glance, the signing of a striker who can't get into Fulham's matchday plans may seem a strange one by Lee Johnson. After all, not only must there be a question over how capable he is based on that scenario, but despite the departures of Lee Tomlin and the pair of Hams this summer (Tammy Abraham and Aaron Wilbraham), City have what appears a top-heavy eight strikers on their books still.

However, that's not the full story. Famara Diedhiou and Bobby Reid have started the season together, with Freddie Hinds acting as cover. Milan Djuric, Matty Taylor and Arnold Garita (remember him?!) are currently injured. That's six, but half are injured. Then you have Gustav Engvall who has gone back to Sweden, probably for the last time, while under 23 goal machine Shaun McCoulsky is (rightly) learning his trade in League Two with Newport County.

The other reason Johnson would have been after an extra body is that although he is 'only' six foot tall, he's more of a target man option than most of the afore-mentioned list. At Brentford on Tuesday, Johnson had no choice available to bring on a physical, big option for the disappointing Diedhiou, and Hinds came on instead. You can argue we had to play differently than we might have otherwise, say if Wilbraham had been available to come on, which may have in turn helped us to equalise, but you can understand why Johnson wants a different option later on in matches and, with Djuric out for another two months, he had nowhere else to go.

By the way, before we leave our long list of forwards, many have questioned why we're bringing in a player when Gustav Engvall is scoring goals for fun in Sweden. It's a fair question, but quite simply, Engvall obviously isn't good enough. We might have spent a lot of money on him, but that happens to all clubs. Watching him in the Swedish league he may have looked quick, incisive, a physical threat but Johnson and his coaching team have now watched him in training for a whole year, and if he's not up to it at this level, then he's not up to it. End of.

So onto Cauley Woodrow. The first thing anyone looks for when a striker is signed is the goals record and in Woodrow's case it's safe to say that it's not spectacular. The positive however, is that his best spell was in the Championship on loan with Burton last season, so maybe he's maturing and, given the right service, can improve his overall goals to game ratio.

We all know fans of clubs can turn quickly when a player leaves them, but the reaction from Fulham fans on today's news was quite something else! It seems Woodrow is far from a favourite at the Cottage, and many were delighted and surprised we were willing to take him on. With that background, I spoke with Andrew Beck, @arbeck on Twitter, from Fulham fan site,Cottagers Confidential, and asked him why there was that sort of reaction.

"Cauley Woodrow isn't a bad player by any means. He's probably a fine striker at the lower levels of the Championship or League One.

He also isn't a great fit for Fulham's system. He's not small, but he's not really big enough to be your typical hold-up forward. He's not slow and unathletic, but he's not fast and mobile enough to be used on the wing.

He's got fairly good technical skills, and ideally he needs to be paired with another forward in a 4-4-2. If you have a speedier technical player Woodrow can combine well with him. If you have a bigger forward, he can float around and find space and combine with other players in the attack.

Part of the reason Fulham fans are down on Woodrow is that they had quite high hopes for him. He was a key figure in some academy teams that had a lot of success and played a lot for England youth teams. His development just kind of stalled after that.

I don't think you'll be able to win promotion with him as one of your two forwards. But I also don't think he would be the reason you get relegated if he's one of your two forwards.

There's also a chance he figures things out and takes a leap forward with consistent playing time, he's at the age where players often have things click and they start to reach their potential. I'd still bet against him becoming much more than he is now, but it's certainly worth a gamble."

Hardly effusive in his praise and all in all, on that reckoning, we appear to have a fairly 'average' player, but clearly the potential has been there through his youth career, and with a run of games, some goals and a bit of confidence, who knows what can happen?

One thing is certain, he sure can hit a ball. This was Fulham's goal of the season winner and you've got to assume it's not a one-off from the fact he even tried it. Very few of our players seem capable of hitting a ball from that distance so that alone would offer a different threat during games for the opposition defence to deal with.



http://exiledrobin.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/cauley-woodrow-view-from-cottage.html

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Sheffield Wednesday: Owls urged to cut out 'sloppiness'

There is no disputing the character, spirit and determination in Wednesday's squad to succeed in the Championship.

And their rousing finish against Sunderland should give them plenty of confidence, belief and hope for the future ahead of three tough-looking away assignments.

Carlos Carvalhal's charges battled back from a goal down for the second successive home match to secure a point and the team fully merited their ovation at full-time. Nonetheless, two points from their opening three Championship fixtures is a disappointing return. If the Owls are to quickly turnaround their fortunes, David Jones has acknowledged the team must rectify their slack periods of play. The midfielder said: "In terms of points on the board, we would want more from the start of the season. But we know what we are capable of and need to turn these performances into three points.

"We didn't have a strong first game at all. But then we have done enough in the last two games to get victories, in my opinion. "It didn't quite come but there are a lot of games in this league and we have to keep going, not lose confidence.

"We need to cut out some of the sloppiness that sometimes can be there at the start of a season. "There are two league games and a cup game before the international break; we want to get some momentum and keep improving on our results. Just keep building our performances, get stronger and stronger." It has been a frustrating start to the campaign and Wednesday have not helped themselves by going behind in all of their matches. Jones, utilised at the base of a midfield diamond formation, said: "You have to start well or it is an uphill task against any team in this division, never mind one that has come down from the Premier league. Especially a team like Fulham, you don't want to be behind early on.

"But if that happens it is up to you show the character to come back and get a point." Jones opened his Owls goalscoring account in fine style, rifling an unstoppable 25-yard strike past Sunderland goalkeeper Jason Steele to set up a thrilling finale. It was the 32-year-old's first goal in nearly two years and cancelled out George Honeyman's fourth minute effort. Jones said: "It was nice to get off the mark and nice to get the point. "I felt we had a strong second half and deserved to get a goal. "Unfortunately, we couldn't get the winner but they are a pretty strong side

"It was a disappointing start and that can knock you a bit but we managed, after 10 to 15 minutes, to regain our composure and put in a strong performance in terms of we were the ones pushing for the win at the end. "We can take lot of positives from the game, especially as it can be difficult to concede a sloppy goal against an experienced team early on. "At half-time, there was definitely no panic. There was a bit of frustration but we wanted to get out there and put things right." Next up for Wednesday is a trip to Fulham. The Cottagers, looking to kick on after reaching the play-off semi-finals last year, have recorded three draws. "We go again in another big game on Saturday," said Jones. "Fulham will be tough, we are aware of that. "We played them last season and Fulham were a decent side but we are more than capable of going there and getting all three points." Fulham, who have ex-Owls head coach Stuart Gray as part of their coaching staff, are expected to hand a start to new signing Sheyi Ojo. The 20-year-old, who can play anywhere across the front line, has arrived on a season long-loan from Premier League club Liverpool. Ojo has previously played second-tier football during loan spells at Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Fulham vice-chairman Tony Khan said: "I'm delighted to welcome Sheyi to Fulham. He possesses fantastic physical talents and also carries himself with poise and class, and I know that he's going to be a great addition to our squad."




Read more at: http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/sheffield-wednesday-owls-urged-to-cut-out-sloppiness-1-8708118

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For the love of the game – Fulham fan's year-long crusade around Europe
Matt Taylor is travelling to all 55 Uefa countries to attend a top-flight game


Matt Taylor on his visit to Estonia: "That will be 14 countries covered by the end of the week," he says of his visit to Ireland, "just 41 to go".

It's not unheard of for people to take career breaks to do a bit of travelling, but by the time Matt Taylor returns to his job as a statistician with the British Ministry of Justice after his 18 months away, he'll have racked up more air, land and sea miles than most would manage in a couple of lifetimes. And, along the way, he'll be attending football games. A lot of them.

"I knew I wanted to do something different around this time of my life any how," says the 40-year-old Londoner who, after reading Stamping Grounds by Charlie Connelly, the book that followed Liechtenstein's less than successful efforts to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, came up with a plan: he would travel to all 55 Uefa countries in a single season and attend a top-flight match in each.

This week he's in Ireland for Friday's game between Bray Wanderers and Drogheda United before heading north for Glentoran's meeting with Carrick Rangers the following day.

"So, that will be 14 countries covered by the end of the week," he says, "just 41 to go".


Action from a game in Tórshavn in the Faroe Islands. Standard-wise, he'd put Faroes football at the bottom of the quality league so far.

When the travelling is done, he plans on writing about his experiences and finding a publisher to turn them in to book form.

The project combines three of his great passions, travelling, photography and football, the Fulham supporter having already visited 80 countries before embarking on this particular adventure, attending two World Cups, the European Championships and the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Liechtenstein book appealed to Taylor because, he says, he likes the "underdog mentality" and that is one of the themes he will pursue on his travels, many of which will take him off the beaten track.

"It's not really about going to see the best quality football in Europe, it's about how football compares across 55 countries, how the experience compares, how the fans' attitudes towards football differ.

"I could easily have taken a year off to go and watch Real Madrid and Barcelona, I'd probably have spent the same amount of money to see much better football, but it wouldn't have been as interesting. If you go to a Barcelona game you're one of 90,000 there. Everything that they do is reported on in every sports newspaper in the world, it's hard to get a unique angle."

Starting in June, taking advantage of summer leagues to help him meet his challenge, he has so far visited Georgia, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Norway, then Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus in July, and earlier this month Lithuania and Latvia.

Quality league
Standard-wise, he'd put Faroes football at the bottom of the quality league so far, despite the huge array of imports he saw lining out for local clubs – players from Serbia, Scotland, Macedonia, Hungary, Poland, Georgia, and so on.

"It's all about money, of course," he says, "they go where they can make more than they'd ever make at home, the highest-paid players in the Faroes earn around £5,000 a month. Similarly, I saw French players in Kazakhstan, players who'd be lower league back home and would earn much less.


A section of the fans look on as BK Häcken defeat Hammarby 2-0 in Sweden.

"So that's been interesting, as have some of the contrasts so far. In some places I've visited there was a real passion for the domestic game, but there were others where they're fairly ambivalent towards football. As you go further east towards the Baltics other sports, like basketball and ice hockey, are definitely more popular, like in Belarus with ice hockey, where they struggle to get decent attendances at their football games.

"I was at a Dinamo Minsk game in a city with a population of around two million, but there were only 600 or 700 there. The official attendance was listed as 2,000, which was an absolute joke – I'm a statistician so I'm quite good at counting things."

There've been other surprises too.

"I was at Ufa v Spartak Moscow and there were lots of women there, more proportionally than any other match I've been to. It was surprising, I would have expected a Russian game to very, very male dominated. I have to be careful not to generalise too much when I'm only at one or two matches in each country, it may have been an exception, but it was striking."

He never expected his carefully planned itinerary to work out smoothly, but already there have been hiccups, including Latvia's SK Babite, who he intended visiting, unhelpfully being chucked out of their league for suspected match-fixing.


Fans at the Brann Bergen v Stabæk game in Norway.

"That's another issue that crops up, it seems it's a problem outside the top flights in Sweden and Finland and in the Baltic countries. Somebody said to me that the second division in Sweden is the most bent league in Europe, but I'm not sure if that's true or not."

When he returns to his desk at the British Ministry of Justice he will, you suspect, have some tales to tell.

* Taylor will be posting updates and photographs from his journey at these links:

http://55footballnations.com

facebook.com/55FootballNations

instagram.com/55FootballNations

twitter.com/55FtballNations



https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/for-the-love-of-the-game-fulham-fan-s-year-long-crusade-around-europe-1.3189783

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Fulham fans delighted after deal confirmed – 'Cracking signing', 'wonderful news'

Championship side Fulham have completed the season-long loan deal of Liverpool winger Sheyi Ojo and their fans were quick to welcome the new signing on Twitter.

The Cottagers were forced to act quickly to bring in a new wide man after loanee Lucas Piazon suffered a nasty injury in the draw with Leeds United on Tuesday night, one which is expected to rule him out for some time.

Slavisa Jokanovic secured a deal to bring Ojo to Craven Cottage for the remainder of the season, although the move could be considered a risky one.

The 20-year-old has had two previous loan spells in the Championship having spent time at Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers over the past three campaigns, but he failed to impress in either. In total in that time he played 30 matches in all competitions and found the net just three times.

This is now a big season for the man who was a significant member of the England squad that won the FIFA under-20 World Cup earlier in the year, as he looks to prove that he can have a career at the top level.

Despite Jokanovic allowing Cauley Woodrow to join Bristol City on loan, Ojo is expected to be given a wide role at the Cottage where his pace and trickery combined with his ability to beat a man should make him a fan favourite during his time in London.

The Liverpool starlet could make his debut when Fulham take on Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship on Saturday afternoon, which will provide him with an immediate chance to impress his new fans.

Many of those supporters were quick to welcome him to the club with positive messages regarding the youngster on Twitter when news of his signing broke.



https://ninetyminutesonline.com/fulham-fans-delighted-deal-confirmed-cracking-signing-wonderful-news/

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Fulham set to sign Portuguese fullback from Porto

Championship side Fulham are on the verge of signing FC Porto left back Rafa Soares, according to reports from Portugal.

The 22-year-old has been at Porto since 2005 and has spent the last two seasons on loan at Academica and Rio Ave. Portuguese daily O Jogo suggest that if negotiations between Fulham and Porto are successful, Soares could travel to England by the end of this week to complete his move to the Championship.

The report claims that the finer details of his contract have been sorted and only a medical in London stands in the way of Soares joining his compatriot Rui Fonte who was presented by Fulham yesterday.

The Cottagers are expected to sign Soares on a season long loan deal with an option to make his move permanent at the end of the loan. The Porto born defender is highly rated back in Portugal, having represented his country in every level from the Under-16s to the Under-21s.

There has been a steady influx of personnel from the Iberian peninsula to the Championship in recent years. Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield Wednesday have appointed Nuno Espírito Santo and Carlos Carvalhal as managers. Wolves signed the supremely talented Ruben Neves from Porto this summer who was joined by Willy Boly and Diogo Jota at the club. It is apparent that Soares could see some familiar faces when he steps on to the pitch for Fulham.



http://sportslens.com/fulham-set-to-sign-portuguese-fullback-from-porto/214869/

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U18s Travel To Swansea

The Under-18s travel to Swansea for their second Premier League South match of the season.

Last time out Fulham beat Arsenal in an impressive 4-1 display at Motspur Park, with Cameron Thompson scoring a hat trick after Sonny Hilton brought the team level.

It was all even at the break, and the Young Whites stepped it up a gear for the second half after conceding early on.

Swansea also won all three points in their opening fixture last weekend when they went on the road to Reading.

Marc Walsh scored early for the Swans, before substitute Matthew Roberts scored to secure a 2-0 victory.

In this fixture last year Fulham grounded out a 2-2 draw, with Thompson scoring early, followed by Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson. In the reverse fixture Fulham won 2-0.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/august/18/u18s-travel-to-swansea

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Sheffield Wednesday: Owls wait on captain ahead of Fulham test

Sheffield Wednesday hope captain Glenn Loovens will be passed fit to play in tomorrow's trip to Fulham.

The Dutch defender missed the Owls' home draw with Sunderland due to a back problem. His knock meant Daniel Pudil filled in at centre-half.

Speaking at his press briefing this morning, head coach Carlos Carvalhal said: "Glenn started moving and running on the pitch yesterday. Let's see if he can train with the team."

If Loovens fails to shrug off his injury, new boy Frederico Venancio would be the natual replacement. However, the 24-year-old, signed on a season long-loan deal from Portuguese side Vitoria de Setubal earlier this week, is still waiting to receive international clearance.

Carvalhal confirmed: "We are waiting for confirmation from the Football Association. At this moment, Frederico can't play. Tomorrow let's see." The Wednesday head coach has played down the prospect of handing Venancio a debut from the start.

"He doesn't know his colleagues; he needs some time." said Carvalhal. "It's not a question of whether he is ready physically because he has been playing in Portugal. "If I can protect him a little so he can get to know his colleagues, I will. "If we need him, he will play. Absolutely sure. "If the documents are ready, he will be involved in the 18."

Carvalhal declined to say whether Fernando Forestieri will be recalled. The forward has sat-out their last two matches following a training ground bust-up with teammate Sam Winnall. "Let's see if he will be involved or not," said Carvalhal. Kieran Lee started running yesterday but Carvalhal refused to give any time-scale on when the midfielder or Sam Hutchinson (knee) will return to action. The Owls go to Craven Cottage still searching for their first league win of the campaign. After their defeat to Preston North End on the opening weekend, Wednesday have followed that result up with two draws against Queens Park Rangers and Sunderland.

Carvalhal said: "Fulham will be an interesting game. They have had one more day than us to prepare for the game. "Fulham are a good team and bringing in more players. They try to upgrade the team. We know it will be a tough game like all the games in the Championship. "We will make things very difficult for them. Even though we haven't won the last two games, the way we play and have reacted after conceding means we feel strong."




Read more at: http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/sheffield-wednesday-owls-wait-on-captain-ahead-of-fulham-test-1-8709886

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Rui Fonte Signs for Fulham

Rui Fonte has finally officially signed for Fulham. He has put the pen to paper on a three year deal, with a club option to extend it for a further year. The fee remains undisclosed, but reports suggest a fee in the region of £9m.

Name: Rui Fonte

Club: Fulham FC, formerly Braga

Appearances: 26

Goals: 11

Assists: 1

WhoScored.com Rating: 7.10

Transfermarkt.co.uk value: £2.70m

Rui Fonte is a signing that has been highly anticipated by many Fulham fans. The big money striker has made a name for himself in Portugal by captaining Braga to a fifth place finish in Liga NOS. After the signing of Aboubakar Kamara, Fulham still seemed to be lacking a clinical finisher in attack. Fulham have now found the missing link in Rui Fonte, the striker stands tall at 5'11", and is very good in the air. He also can shoot with either foot, and is equally impressive with both. He will fill the hole left by Chris Martin, and will show more quality. Fonte is better at drawing other players into the game with his excellent movement and passing, and looks to be just as good, if not better of a finisher. A final important aspect of Fonte's game is his work ethic, Braga have described him as a warrior, something Chris Martin was not, and as a true leader. The team could do with an experienced, powerful striker, who is a strong leader, and role model for the younger players. Fonte can fill all of those holes.

Thanks for reading! Leave your thoughts on Fulham's targets in the comments below.



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2017/8/18/16162448/rui-fonte-signs-for-fulham

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Fulham's Cauley Woodrow open to permanent Bristol City move if loan goes well

The former Burton Albion striker can see a future at Ashton Gate

Cauley Woodrow is open to making his loan a permanent if he has a successful spell at Bristol City this season.

The Fulham striker completed his switch to Ashton Gate on Thursday and immediately addressed the media ahead of Saturday's home game with Millwall – where he could make his debut.

With Woodrow's future at Craven Cottage unclear following a second spell away from the London club, the England under-21 striker says it will be his performances that determines whether City take him on in the future.

"There has been talk about," confirmed the ex-Burton Albion player when asked if he would be open to a permanent switch.

He added: "Hopefully if I do well – it just depends on how I do and if the two clubs can agree on something at the end of the loan. I will have to see."



http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/fulhams-cauley-woodrow-open-permanent-345263

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Fulham Snapping Up Left-Back To Fuel Speculation Over Tottenham Target Ryan Sessegnon

Fulham are closing in on the signature of FC Porto left-back Rafa Soares on a season-long loan deal, something which will add to the speculation over the future of Tottenham Hotspur target Ryan Sessegnon at the club.

The 22-year-old defender is yet to make a senior appearance for Porto and the club have been looking to loan him out this summer in order to provide him with regular football.

He attracted interest from a number of clubs, such as Saint Etienne and Real Sociedad, but Porto have determined that Fulham are the right club for him to join.

According to Portuguese sports daily O Jogo, the two clubs have reached an agreement over a loan move for Soares and Fulham will be paying a loan fee of €1m to Porto in order to secure the services of Soares.

Porto also have the option to recall Soares back from his loan if required and they have finalised the deal, which will see the defender move to Craven Cottage this month.

Soares is expected to travel to London today, where he will undergo a medical before completing his loan switch to the Championship side.

The left-back's impending arrival also raises fresh doubts over 17-year-old defender Sessegnon's future at Fulham as he is subject of interest from Tottenham.

Fulham have already rejected a £25m bid from Spurs and it remains to be seen whether Soares is seen as a replacement for the young defender at Craven Cottage as the transfer window goes into overdrive.



http://www.insidefutbol.com/2017/08/18/fulham-snapping-up-left-back-to-fuel-speculation-over-tottenham-target-ryan-sessegnon/347406/

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Man On A Mission

Oliver Norwood helped Brighton & Hove Albion to Premier League promotion last season. The midfielder is hoping to repeat the trick with Fulham after joining the Whites on a season-long loan from the Seagulls in July.

"At Brighton we had a real togetherness in the dressing room and a desire to do well," he tells Saturday's matchday programme for the visit of Sheffield Wednesday. "There were times we were nowhere near our best but we'd find a way to win. It's about working hard and being consistent.

"We knew if we got the first goal last season it was game over. We scored first in 19 games and won them. The sort of experience Fulham had at Reading, playing for so long with 10 men for 90 minutes, brings you together and goes a long way."

To read the full interview with Kalas, in which he also discusses his Manchester United upbringing, international exploits and life in SW6, get your hands on the programme on Saturday.

Other highlights from the magazine include:

    Slaviša Jokanović reflects on recent results and wishes Lucas Piazon well in his recovery from injury
    Skipper Tom Cairney brings an update on his injury situation
    Mark Pembridge revisits his spells with Fulham and Norwich
    Ryan Fredericks takes our nine-dart challenge
    Rodney Marsh picks his Fulham 'Dream Team'
    Matt O'Riley discusses his future hopes and dreams
    And Gordon Davies pens his regular column

With more new features than ever before and a revamped look, the pocket-friendly 100-page programme is the essential companion to your matchday.

Priced £3.50, the publication is available from various sellers on Stevenage Road from two hours before kick-off. Or order it online from ProgrammeMaster where you can also purchase an annual subscription.

For just £1.99, the programme is also available as a digital download on your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, PC or Mac via Apple's Newsstand or Pocketmags from 1am on Saturday morning.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/august/18/norwood-programme-sheff-weds

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Neil Warnock confirms Joe Bennett turned down more money from Fulham to STAY at Cardiff City

The full back wants to remain with the Bluebirds despite Fulham meeting his release clause

Neil Warnock confirmed full-back Joe Bennett will remain at Cardiff City, having turned down bigger wages from Fulham.

The Bluebirds boss firmly put any further speculation to bed by revealing there were no other full-backs on his radar and Bennett was happy to stay.

Preston North End left-back Greg Cunningham was lined up as a possible replacement for Bennett, while there were reports in the Sun about Fleetwood Town's Amari'i Bell.

But Bennett is settled in South Wales and, like Sean Morrison, had no intention of leaving a rejuvenated Cardiff now pushing for promotion under Warnock.

"I spoke to Joe yesterday and I'm pleased (he's staying)," said Warnock.

"It's been difficult for him as he's had all sorts thrown at him over the last few days and there was nothing we could do because once they met his clause, it was down to him to say yes or no.

"But like Morrison, Joe's been playing well, he can see what we're doing, his wife is eight months pregnant and happy here, there's a lot of plusses to stay here at the moment, it's an exciting place.

"He was offered a very good contract but it speaks well of the lad and the club at moment about where we are when you turn that down.

"I put no pressure on him, it was down to him, he had the option. But he's staying for less money he could have had, on his original contract with two years to go."

On reported interest in other full-backs, the veteran manager said: "Joe's staying. Once we know the situation it puts it to bed, we are delighted to have Joe on board."

Warnock revealed a harmonious Bluebirds squad was behind the decisions of players like Bennett, Morrison and Bruno Manga committing themselves to the club.

Cardiff are flying right now, having won three out of three in the league ahead of Saturday's top of the table clash with Wolves at Moline.

He added: "I don't see many players not enjoying themselves. We know we'll come up against teams where we won't get the results. But we've got to enjoy it when doing well and not get down when it changes. We have to keep a level done.

"We're happy with the business done, Vincent (Tan) said right from start that 'Bennett didn't have to go, Neil, if you don't want'. I asked 'does it affect the (Omar) Bogle deal and he said 'no; and that he was very keen on signing him. It doesn't get much better than that.

"He's been very forthcoming, he realises we've only spent £3million which is probably classified as peanuts in this league. We're happy with what we've spent and players we've unearthed."



http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/neil-warnock-confirms-joe-bennett-13495330

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Fulham agree loan deal for Soares

Fulham have agreed a loan deal for Porto left-back Rafa Soares.

The Portugal Under-21 international spent last season on loan at Rio Ave and made 32 appearances.

Soares is yet to make a first-team appearance for Porto but has played regularly for their B side.

Fulham have been looking to sign a left-back and discussed potential deals for Cardiff's Joe Bennett and Bordeaux's Maxime Poundje before turning to Soares.



http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-set-sign-portugal-21-defender

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Joe Bennett: Cardiff City defender turns down offer from Fulham

A release clause in Joe Bennett's contract was triggered by a bid believed to be around £2m

Cardiff City defender Joe Bennett has turned down a move to Fulham.

Manager Neil Warnock confirmed the 27-year-old left back had opted to stay with the Bluebirds despite a more lucrative offer at Craven Cottage.

"He was offered a very good contract. It speaks well for the lad and the club where we are, when you can turn that down," said manager Neil Warnock.

He also reiterated star striker Kenneth Zohore is not for sale, despite Hull City's interest in the Denmark striker.

Bennett joined Cardiff from Aston Villa in 2016 and Fulham triggered a release clause in his contract.

Cardiff are top of the Championship and face Wolverhampton Wanderers - who are also unbeaten - at Molineux on Saturday.

Warnock said he is delighted the player has opted to stay and felt the club's progress contributed to his decision.

"Its been difficult for the lad, he's had all sorts thrown at him over the last few days," said Warnock.

"Once they met his release clause it was up to him to say yes or no really.

"Joe has been playing well, he can see what we are doing.

"His wife is happy down here and she is eight months pregnant, I think.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40974812