Wednesday Fulham Stuff (30/05/18)...

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Wembley Stadium sale: FA chief Glenn says grassroots opportunity exists

The sale of Wembley stadium represents an "opportunity" rather than a "betrayal", says Football Association chief executive Martin Glenn.

Fulham owner Shahid Khan has offered £600m for the stadium, but the FA faces criticism over a potential sale.

In a speech to the FA Council, Glenn said there was no need for "drama" or "meltdowns" over the issue.

"This is an opportunity to unleash an unprecedented amount of investment into community football," he said.

Glenn added: "Receiving an offer to sell Wembley Stadium is not a 'betrayal'. It is not selling the 'soul of the game'. Nor is it a desperate action by a desperate organisation.

"We do not need to sell, and we can and will do the things we have planned to do no matter what."

'What are the FA's priorities?'

Martin Glenn claims 150,000 grassroots matches have been postponed this year

Glenn said Khan's offer was the only one the FA had so far received and reiterated the governing body's stance that the funds could accelerate its plan to improve facilities in grassroots football and grow the women's game.

One FA Council member has told the BBC the mood around a potential sale is "pretty hostile".

But Glenn insisted the impact could be "transformational" and that around £500m could be ploughed into the grassroots game in the first three years after the sale.

He detailed how the finance generated could help the FA potentially invest over £1bn in the English game by 2030 and still have a £450m capital fund untouched.

He added: "The opportunity for the whole game is, I believe, transformational.

"This is a moment where we need to choose what the FA is for, what our priorities should be. To be for all of English football, driving improvements in every community in England at every level of the game? Or for the ownership and careful management of an elite venue?"

Wembley Stadium cost £757m and opened in 2007

Khan - who also owns NFL franchise the Jacksonville Jaguars - has said anyone who "loves English football" should "want" the deal.

His £600m offer would not include acquiring the FA's Club Wembley hospitality business, valued at £300m and Glenn also stressed Khan would inherit all the restrictions the FA has worked within, including usage, any potential name change and resale options.

A large number of the 127 council members are thought to be against the move, while EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey has said any sale could only proceed if Football League clubs received 50% of what remained after outstanding costs had been met.

In his speech, Glenn acknowledged some people had "emotional and personal" reactions to the prospect of losing ownership of the national stadium.

But he is adamant cup finals will not be impacted and use of the stadium will not be affected for large parts of the year.

The FA is thought to owe around £113m to public bodies including Sport England for their role in financing the construction of Wembley, which cost £757m and opened in 2007.

Glenn stressed only a sale would provide tangible benefit to the organisation, because renting the venue to Khan would still see the FA liable for costs attached to the stadium.

In highlighting what he called "cold facts" Glenn claimed 150,000 grassroots matches had been postponed this year and that England still only had half as many 3G pitches as Germany.

He added: "It's an opportunity to make the FA a more profitable organisation year-on-year and increase investment [and] to reconnect the England team with its fans up and down the country."



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44294032

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What do Fulham, Wolves and Cardiff need in the transfer window this summer?

It has been over six weeks since Wolves secured their return to the Premier League after a six-year exile, but Fulham have only just discovered they will be joining Nuno Espirito Santo's side and Cardiff in the top flight next season.

Wolves clinched the Championship title in style, collecting 99 points in their 46 matches and they were guaranteed promotion on April 14 when Fulham were denied victory by a late leveller against Brentford at Craven Cottage.

The Midlands club are expected to flex their financial muscle in the coming weeks under their Chinese owners and with the help of influential Portuguese super agent Jorge Mendes, but Fulham and Cardiff may have to be more shrewd with their business.

We assess the squads and potential areas in need of improvement...

Wolves
Having achieved promotion with four games to spare, Wolves will be itching to find out who they are facing on the opening day of the new season, but they will also be anxious about losing their star player Ruben Neves.

Neves has been linked with Juventus and Liverpool but having yet to prove himself in the Premier League, the midfielder signed for £15.8million last summer is even more likely to remain at Molineux after Fabinho completed his move to Anfield.

The main areas that require adjustment are at both ends of the pitch; John Ruddy has previous Premier League experience predominantly with Norwich and he made the Championship team of the season but the club are expected to seek competition between the sticks.

Making the headlines...
Stoke's Jack Butland was the subject of a reported £35million bid earlier in the summer, while Rui Patricio, Jose Sa and Bernd Leno have also been linked.

AC Milan's unsettled forward Andre Silva has been lined up as a potential record signing with at least £27million needed to prise him away from the San Siro.

The Midlands club are close to completing a deal to sign Porto defender Willy Boly on a permanent basis, according to Sky Sources. Wolves have the option to sign the 27-year-old for a fee in the region of £10m.

Any clues from the manager and hierarchy?
Espirito Santo said in April: "I am very cautious of what's going on. The summer is important, to have decisions on the squad and then we will see.

"We have to improve and work hard but we cannot say we are going to fight for the top 10. That will be a big mistake.

"We go to August 11, that's step one, then the next game. Honestly the decisions of the team are based on how you are progressing and what you are achieving.

"You cannot say what's going to happen in December."

Wolves sporting director Kevin Thelwell told the Express & Star: "It'll be quality over quantity. We're looking at having a smaller group of senior players, supported by a strong group of young and hungry players.

"Nuno prefers to work with a leaner squad so without question we're looking at that model, a squad of maybe 19 or 20 seniors and the rest will be younger players who are going to grow with us."

Cardiff
"You cannot say what's going to happen in December."

Wolves sporting director Kevin Thelwell told the Express & Star: "It'll be quality over quantity. We're looking at having a smaller group of senior players, supported by a strong group of young and hungry players.

"Nuno prefers to work with a leaner squad so without question we're looking at that model, a squad of maybe 19 or 20 seniors and the rest will be younger players who are going to grow with us."
Cardiff

There was a shortage of Premier League experience in the signings made four summers ago by Malky Mackay, but Warnock must first decide whether to pursue further loan deals for those who played a part in his side's promotion.

Greater creativity will also be needed in midfield, and Warnock could move for Robert Snodgrass following his successful loan spell at Aston Villa.

The Scotland international, who is valued at £12m, is in limbo at West Ham and he may welcome a reunion with Warnock having worked together at Leeds.

Making the headlines...
Marko Grujic impressed during the second half of the campaign, and he will consider his future at Liverpool following his World Cup commitments with Serbia. The arrivals of Naby Keita and Fabinho could lead to another loan spell in Wales.

Craig Bryson is another midfielder Warnock admires through his work rate, but having been deemed surplus to requirements at Derby, the prospect of working under Frank Lampard at Pride Park could excite the 31-year-old.

Winger Junior Hoilett was the club's top scorer with 11 goals in all competitions last term, so it's pretty clear where the team needs strengthening.

Warnock will show faith in Sol Bamba and Sean Morrison at the back, but Cardiff are interested in signing West Brom striker Salomon Rondon according to The Sun.

What have the manager and owner said?
Warnock has previous Premier League experience with Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield United, and the 69-year-old says he does not feel the pressure fourth time around.

"Why not? I have nothing to be afraid of," he added. "It's 11 v 11, we know we are going to have a tricky period where you lose or you don't win for eight to nine games and lose three to four on the trot.

"But the fans know we are in credit now. They have got to stick with us now next year and enjoy it because some of those fans thought they would never get there again, so take it on board."

Owner Vincent Tan laughed off suggestions that he would provide Warnock with a £200m transfer budget this summer, telling talkSPORT: "Hahaha! Neil, when I'm worth £10 billion we can look at that!"

Tan went crazy in the transfer market before the 2013/14 season, bringing in eight players and a further seven in the winter window.

Warnock added: "He's not going to go like he did last time, he wants to be sensible. He wants to do the sensible way, he's not going to go silly - I know that.

"They run the club, I'm just going to enjoy it. For me, it's like a bonus year. So whatever I'm given I'm going to spend, and whatever wages I've got I'll use them, and we'll do the best we can."

Fulham
Slavisa Jokanovic's side were renowned for their attacking flair last season having scored 79 goals. But their 17 clean sheets is a modest total for a side promoted, and Fulham will look to strenghten at the back before the transfer deadline on August 9.

Aleksandar Mitrovic was a revelation after arriving on loan from Newcastle in January, scoring 12 goals in 20 appearances. The Serbian striker heads to the World Cup in buoyant mood, and Jokanovic will be keen to secure a permanent deal.

Keeping the team together is a must for the west London club, with lots of interest in Ryan Sessegnon, but promotion may have delayed the 18-year-old's inevitable departure to a top-six side.

Ryan Fredericks has indicated his intention to remain at the club despite interest from Crystal Palace and West Ham and his current contract expiring at the end of June.

Jokanovic has been praised for allowing the likes of Sessegnon, Matt Targett and Sheyi Ojo to thrive during a 23-game unbeaten run despite their tender years.

Making the headlines...
Jokanovic was spotted at Serbia's pre-World Cup training camp on Tuesday as he headed for talks with Mitrovic.

Fulham are keen for a quick deal, but the Newcastle Chronicle report that the Magpies are wanting to wait until after the tournament to see if his valuation increases.

Fulham are also keen on signing French midfielder Lamine Fomba from Auxerre, according to L'Équipe.

The 20-year-old once rejected the chance to join Tottenham in favour of signing a professional contract with the Ligue 2 club but he has just one year remaining on his current deal.

Greek defender Dimitrios Chatziisaias is also on Fulham's radar, according to The Sun.

The PAOK defender is regarded as one of the most promising defenders in his country and at 6ft 4in tall, his imposing presence might be just what the club need.

What has the manager said?
Securing Mitrovic and Targett on permanent deals should be a priority for Jokanovic this summer, but the club will need strengthening in almost every deparment - whilst retaining their flowing style of play - if they are to survive.

The former Watford boss has warned of the need to spend, saying: "We must know what is ahead of us, the Premier League is the most competitive league and we must be clever.

"Now we have finished one important improvement and now we must be clever and make sure it's not one step back.

"We must show the ambition to be a Premier League team. To show the ambition, we're going to need to show the money too."

What are the odds?
According to Sky Bet, James McClean is 8/1 to join Cardiff while Salomon Rondon heading to join Warnock's men is 5/1.

Jack Butland is 7/2 to sign for Wolves, with Joe Hart curiously also in the running at 5/1 and fellow England international Jermain Defoe is 14/1 to depart Bournemouth for Molineux.

Robert Huth has been linked with all three promoted clubs. The centre-back left Leicester this summer and could join Cardiff (6/1), Fulham (12/1) or Wolves (16/1) on a free transfer.

Fulham and Wolves will be desperate to keep hold of their coveted stars. Ryan Sessegnon is 10/3 to join Tottenham, with Manchester United (4/1), Liverpool (12/1), and Manchester City (18/1) all admirers of the versatile winger. He is 8/11 to stay at Craven Cottage.

Ruben Neves, meanwhile, remains 6/4 to join Liverpool (6/4), while Manchester United (8/1) and Tottenham (14/1). He is 4/9 to stay at Wolves beyond the summer.



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11389093/what-do-fulham-wolves-and-cardiff-need-in-the-transfer-window-this-summer

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Chelsea loan system has improved, says Lucas Piazon
Brazilian forward undecided on Fulham return next season

Lucas Piazon says Ruben Loftus-Cheek's place in the England World Cup squad is evidence that Chelsea's loan system has improved.

Loftus-Cheek, one of 38 Chelsea players who spent last season away from the club, earned a call-up to Gareth Southgate's side after impressing on loan at Crystal Palace.

Piazon has been loaned out of Stamford Bridge every season for the past five years, with previous spells at Reading, Malaga, Vitesse Arnhem and Eintract Frankfurt.

The 24-year-old will return to his parent club this summer after consecutive seasons at Fulham, helping them earn promotion to the Premier League with victory in the Championship play-off final on Saturday.

When asked about whether he thought the loan system at Chelsea helps young players, Piazon said: "I think it is getting better now. Ruben [Loftus-Cheek] is a great example. He is going to the World Cup and he was on loan at Palace.

"A lot of players did well on their loans and they got a move or are back in the Chelsea first-team.

"The boys are understanding better what a loan is and what you have to do well to develop for the Chelsea first-team or for another team.

"The system is improving and our understanding of the system is also improving. It is working better now.

"The contact they have with us now is more consistent as well. A few years ago the contact was every once in a while, now it is much more. We feel a little closer to the club."

Piazon scored six goals in 25 appearances for Fulham this season and has not ruled out a third stint at Craven Cottage.

Asked if he had discussed a return to the club, Piazon said: "Not yet. We spoke briefly after the game [play-off final]. Everyone was so excited and the chats were not properly serious.

"We have got time. Last year it was the same, we didn't speak much at the end of the season and I ended up coming back. Let's just see what happens."



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/11389245/chelsea-loan-system-has-improved-says-lucas-piazon

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Fulham's de la Torre wins first USA call-up
by Dan on May 29, 2018

Fulham midfielder Luca de la Torre has won his first senior international call-up by being named in a youthful United States squad for their summer international friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and France last month.

American coach Dave Sarachan promised to introduce new names into his squad for over the course of the summer and 20 year-old de la Torre, a player highly rated for a long time at Motspur Park, is one of the major beneficiaries. The San Diego-born attacking midfielder, who starred as the American Under 20 side won their first ever CONCACAF Championship last February, impressed Slavisa Jokanovic when he trained with Fulham's senior squad during the 2016 pre-season and made three appearances in the EFL Cup, starting with his debut against Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road in August.

The classy American playmaker made five senior appearances this season, being introduced as a substitute against Bolton Wanderers, Derby, Brentford, Sunderland and Burton Albion. De la Torre, who has won seven caps for the US under-20 side, could make his international debut against Martin O'Neill's Ireland in Dublin on Saturday or when the States take on France in Lyon on June 9.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/05/fulhams-de-la-torre-wins-first-usa-call-up/

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Why the Championship play-off final is the richest game in soccer

Can there be anything in football more magnificent than the goal from an overhead kick?

When Gareth Bale scored exactly that goal on Saturday in a Champions League final, the acme of elite-club-football competition, it was literally breath-taking. The stage, the spectacle made it possibly the greatest goal ever scored.

But for all the beauty of that goal and how it will undoubtedly be admired throughout the ages, it wasn't even the most important scored that day. That accolade rests with Tom Cairney, a midfielder who has plied his trade all season in the second tier of English football. This is because Cairney's winning goal in the Football League Championship Play-Off final at Wembley was worth £170.3 million ($215m) to his club, Fulham.

That play-off match has become the football equivalent of the 725,000-pound-per-square-inch pressure that forms diamonds, concentrating all the weight of a 46-game season into a single 90 minutes that bear the greatest riches of any game in the sport.

And while the victors on Saturday, Fulham, will reap the benefits of this colossal financial boost, the future looks far less certain for Aston Villa.

What makes this one game so lucrative?
England's top division is the wealthiest domestic league anywhere in the world and promotion into it brings a fortune unparalleled anywhere else in the sport. The Premier League guaranteed all shareholder clubs a minimum of £94.7m ($125.9m) this season, rising to £149.4m ($198.7m) for the winner, Manchester City.

If a club drops from the top flight after only a single season up, the "parachute payment" aimed at softening the blow is worth £41.6m ($55.3m) in the first season out of the Premier League. Clubs that spend a second season out of the Premier League will earn a further £34.0m ($45.2m) from its distributions.

The Premier League's broadcast revenues are being renegotiated for the three-season period beginning in 2019-20, meaning that future parachute payments are not guaranteed to remain as they are. However under the current structure, if a club manages to eke out two seasons in the Premier League before relegation, it would be worth at least £288m ($383.0m). That figure factors in the extra year's Premier League participation and a further third year of parachute payments that is lost to clubs who only spend a single year up.

Come what may have, the parachute money was due to run out for Fulham with the final whistle of the Play-Off final. The club's owner, Shahid Khan, who also owns the Jacksonville Jaguars and is separately in talks over the purchase of Wembley, had already indicated to his club's board his strong financial support would remain irrespective of whether they prevailed in the Play-Off final. Now though, with Fulham's share of the Premier League pie guaranteed, it is a question of building for the future from a position of financial strength.

This arrangement has led to great success for promoted teams in recent seasons. Of the 18 individual clubs promoted since the 2011-12 season, 13 will be playing in the Premier League next year. Considering there are only 20 teams in the division, that's a pretty good record.

Much of the reason for this is that the huge injection of new funds allows promoted clubs to improve on what are (by Premier League standards) relatively frugal wage bills. Fulham's was £37.1m ($49.3m) in 2015-16, the most-recent season for which all clubs' financial data are available, compared to a top-divisional average of £113.9m ($151.5m) and median of £84.3m ($112.1m).

Fresh income from the Premier League broadcasting payments is also only one element of financial turnaround promotion brings. With the added profile come more valuable sponsorship deals and a broader merchandising opportunity. There is also the chance to raise season-ticket prices although Fulham have declined to do so for what will be their first season back in the Premier League since 2013-14.

Given that Fulham's sponsorship and gate receipts were all but cut in half following relegation, from £24.4m ($32.5m) in 2013-14 to £12.6m ($16.8m) in 2016-17, there is much for the club to leverage after Saturday's success. It is clear there is a lot of leeway for promoted clubs to make substantial future investment and the same applies for clubs promoted into the Championship Fulham is leaving behind.

Although Coventry City will find that the step up in broadcast payments from their promotion from the fourth-tier League Two to the third-tier League one is relatively marginal, from £952,000 ($1.2m) to £1.425m ($1.9m), moving up to the Championship is more lucrative. Rotherham's League One Play-Off final victory raises their broadcast revenues by £5.5m ($7.3m) in an instant, to £6.925m ($9.2m).

There is also the impact on home gate receipts based on the larger away followings of the generally bigger clubs in the Championship. Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest take many more fans to away games than Gillingham, Walsall and Northampton. Add it all together and there is a big revenue differential between the two divisions.

For a club of Rotherham's size, this makes the Championship a lucrative promised land. But for a club accustomed to life in the Premier League like Aston Villa, whose defeat to Fulham in Championship Play-Off final condemns them to another season in the second tier, there is no milk or honey to be found there.

The trouble ahead for Villa
Villa's financial accounts for the 2016-17 season were filed with Companies House in February and they do not make for pretty reading. This was the first year after Randy Lerner, the former owner of the Cleveland Browns, sold the club for £57m ($75.8m) to a Chinese group under Tony Xia's chairmanship. It prompted a waterfall of money flowing out of Villa.

On turnover of £73.8m ($98.2m), the costs of running Villa day to day -- through its wage bill, utility bills, travel, stocking the retail store and such like -- meant the club overspent by £15.9m ($27.8m). But that was before net transfer spending of £14.3m ($19.0m). Add to that the £57m ($75.8m) purchase cost and the new ownership funded the club to the tune of about £87.2m ($116m) in its first season.

Estimates suggest that Villa's extensive use of loans and free transfers for the 2017-18 season ensured that sales of players like Jordan Veretout, Carlos Sanchez and Nathan Baker created a net transfer profit approaching £15m ($20m). That was made necessary by the decline in Villa's "parachute payment" revenues, which fell by £7.6m ($10.1m) year on year, and a wage bill that was likely high by Championship standards given the presence of high earners like John Terry.

The drop in Premier League parachute revenues is now set to plummet even more dramatically. As described above, second-season payments were worth £34m ($45.2m). But in 2018-19, Villa's third successive campaign outside of the top division, the value of the parachute is more than cut in half, falling a further £18.9m ($25.1m). Whereas they have been used to receiving several tens of millions of pounds more from broadcasting than their Championship rivals, now Villa will only be £10.5m ahead of the others and it will only last for one more year before they must make do with the same as everyone else.

This explains why the trend of sales is already continuing this summer, with Jordan Amavi's loan to Marseille becoming permanent in a deal worth perhaps £9m ($12m). But the asset dumping can only stretch so far. Of Saturday's starting line-up, Sam Johnstone, Robert Snodgrass and Lewis Grabban were all on loan from parent clubs. Another seven players from the Villa squad are out of contract this summer and another six are entering the final year of their contracts, much reducing their transferable value.

In fact, only four Villa players have more than two years to run on their deals. The rest, including the highly regarded Jack Grealish, their best-performing player Saturday despite the intense pressure of that big match, have two years to run. This is traditionally when clubs seek to commit players to long-term extensions or cash in. Whether they do depends entirely on how much longer Villa's ultimate owners are prepared to fund the club.

The notes to Villa's 2017 company accounts state: "The directors have received confirmation that the ultimate holding company, Zhejiang Ruikang (Recon) Investment Co. Ltd., intends to provide [financial] support to the Group and Company for at least one year from 31 May 2017."

That might sound like a positive, long-term commitment or it might not. But if it isn't, then there is a strong chance that Grealish, who may very well have ambitions of his own that Villa cannot satisfy in the Championship, will move on from the club.

Villa are certainly at a crossroads. As they observe from a distance as Fulham take the place in the Premier League that might have been theirs, Villa must either request more funds from their owners for another throw of the dice or fit their new, reduced circumstances.

The gamble would require enormous investment in players to refresh a first team whose average age on Saturday was 30.1 years. The alternative will be to liquidate the most valuable assets such as Grealish and settle for a lengthy spell outside of the Premier League, as has been the case for their fellow former European champions Nottingham Forest and several other storied English clubs.

Only time will tell how things develop from here but Villa fans might brace themselves for the despondency they felt on Saturday evening to be the start of the disappointments to come.



http://www.espn.co.uk/football/english-premier-league/23/blog/post/3512726/football-league-playoff-promotion-to-premier-league-richest-game-in-soccer-what-that-means

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Newcastle United have Fulham star Ryan Fredericks on their transfer wishlist

The Magpies are keen to sign a right-back with Fredericks available on a free transfer

Newcastle United are believed to have entered the race to sign Fulham's Ryan Fredericks.

As reported on Chronicle Live on Sunday, the Magpies are looking to add another right-back to their ranks this summer and the 25-year-old fits the bill for United.

Fredericks' contract at Craven Cottage comes to an end in June and this has already alerted West Ham United and Crystal Palace.

The defender has spent most of his career in the capital but is no stranger to the North-East after a loan stint with Middlesbrough in the 2014/15 season.

United want to bring in more competition in the right-back department with DeAndre Yedlin the only recognised senior player in this position.

And while Newcastle have been delighted with Yedlin in the last couple of years they want to have at least two senior players challenging for each first team slot.

United do still have Javier Manquillo on their books but the utility man played on the left-hand side for most of last season, and Newcastle will also listen to offers for the ex-Liverpool man.

Fredericks has expressed a desire to stay at Fulham next season after helping the club to promotion in the play-off final with a 1-0 win against Aston Villa.

Fredericks has put the emphasis on Fulham to offer him a new and satisfactory deal but his agent is weighing up his options if the contract proves to be unacceptable.

After beating Villa he said: "It's up to the people behind the scenes but I'm sure everyone will want to stay and play at the highest level with Fulham and see what we can achieve."

Hammersmith-born Fredericks started his career at Tottenham Hotspur but could not break on to the first team scene, and after loan stints at Brentford, Middlesbrough, and Millwall he eventually signed for Bristol City.

However, he spent less than a month at Ashton Gate before making the move back to London after citing personal reasons for his change of heart.



https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-fulham-star-ryan-14721444

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Keep, keep, leave...
by Lydia on May 29, 2018

The dust has barely settled on what was one of the greatest days in the clubs history on Saturday at Wembley, but now that we know our football destination for next season, the club have a number of decisions to make about the squad in the coming weeks. Out of a squad of twenty-two (I have went with the official websites first team profiles for this number) six of the players are on loan from elsewhere. From the Roy Hodgson era Fulham have heavily relied on loan signings to bolster the squad. Generally this has been very smart business as it allows us to assess who will work in the team and who won't before paying a substantial fee for them. Loans have undoubtedly been important for us, but it's the air of uncertainty around their futures that can frustrate both players and fans alike.

Each of our loans are from current Premier League clubs so the question is will those players want a chance with their parent clubs or will they favour a move to the team they have just been promoted with? With these questions in mind, I thought that I would look at who we have and whether Fulham should be looking to make the deals permanent or whether we should be happy to see them leave. We also have to bear in mind that while we might want to make a deal permanent, the parent club may have other ideas.

Defence-

Matt Targett- the Southampton youngster was an important figure, along with Mitrovic, in our real upturn in fortune since January. He is a perfect fit for Jokanovic's Fulham with his speed up and down the left and a real ability to read the game. In his 21 games since joining the club, Targett scored one, assisted two and picked up four MOTM awards- not a bad record at all. His crossing has been suspect at times, but he loves to try and put the ball in the box and the more he does that, the more chances will be made. I would love to keep Targett but I get the impression that he will have his eyes on challenging Ryan Bertrand at Southampton.

Assessment- KEEP, but unrealistic.

Tomas Kalas- The return of the Chelsea loanee this year was greeted with much enthusiasm last summer as he had been a fantastic addition to our defence during the 2016/17 season. However, Kalas didn't quite manage to rise to that level of performance this time around. I'd argue that he is a better defender than Odoi, but isn't quite as good with the ball at his feet which is why the Belgium has been preferred. Fulham wanted to make the move permanent last summer but Chelsea priced us out of a deal and that could happen again this time around. Is he a Premier League defender? Potentially.

Assessment- KEEP, but only if Chelsea don't price us out of a deal. If they want more than 4milllion for him then we would be better putting the funds into someone else.

Midfield-

Ollie Norwood- maybe I'm biased being from Northern Ireland, but I think Norwood deserves a chance in the Premier League. Saturday's victory meant that he celebrated his second promotion in as many years after helping Brighton to second place last season. He is a very handy player to have in and around the squad and has a real footballing brain. I'd like to see him stay as he adds a more defensive aspect to the midfield than Johansen while also being able to dictate the attack.

Assessment- KEEP, we will need a number of smart midfielders in the Premier League.

Forwards-

Sheyi Ojo- the Liverpool loanee has shown glimpses of the talent that has made him so highly rated in the North West, but we unfortunately just haven't seen enough of it. He showed real steely determination to come back from a shoulder injury sustained at QPR at Loftus Road during the first half of the season, and went on a run of strong performances, but the impression that I got from him was that he is injury prone and inconsistent. Just not what we need I'm afraid.

Assessment- Thanks, but no thanks.

Lucas Paizon- the Brazilian loves Fulham and would seemingly run through a brick wall for us, but is that enough? Alongside Kalas, Paizon has completed his second year in a row on loan at Fulham but hasn't been as good as last season. He wasn't helped by an awful injury sustained against Leeds United in August. However, I still love his attitude and his constant willing running so I'd be happy to see him stay.

Assessment- KEEP, but again we are relying on Chelsea not pricing us out of a deal.

Aleksandar Mitrovic- The sight of Jokanovic with his arm around Mitrovic after the final whistle on Saturday was marvellous. The striker looks really emotional at the end of the game and I think that was partly down to just how well this season has turned out for him. It was like Slav had freed him from Newcastle and that he had finally found a manager who had faith in him. It's a match made in Heaven for me, and he should be at the top of our priority list between now and the World Cup.

Assessment- KEEP, without a shadow of a doubt.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/05/keep-keep-leave/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham and Hull City could fight it out for World Cup bound defender

According to Greek website Sdna.Gr, Olympiacos midfielder Ehsan Hajsafi is a target for Fulham and Hull City.

The 28 year old joined Olympiacos from Panionios last season and now there are reports linking him with a move to Fulham or Hull City.

Slavisa Jokanovic's side were recently promoted to the Premier League via the playoffs and will be looking to strengthen their squad ahead of next season.

Hull City on the other hand will spend another season in the Championship, but they of course still have ambitions to get back to the top flight. It's claimed Hull City have made the Iran international one of their prime targets this summer.

However, Fulham and Hull City may have to wait until after the World Cup to really try and get a deal done, with Hajsafi having other things on his mind right now.

Hajsafi is a 28-year old left back who can also operate as a left winger. The player is under contract with Olympiacos until 2021.

There's likely something in this one, because linking an Iranian international to Hull and Fulham isn't exactly an obvious work of imagination.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-hull-city-fight-world-cup-bound-defender/

[WhiteJC]

 
'If Fulham buy me, I'll be relieved,' says Kalas
by Dan on May 29, 2018

Tomas Kalas is keen to make his loan at Fulham permanent after two years on loan at Craven Cottage from Chelsea.

The Czech centre back, who came on for the final ten minutes of the Whites' Championship play-off final win against Aston Villa at Wembley on Saturday, has told Czech website isport that he is considering continuing his career elsewhere after eight years at Stamford Bridge, during which he has made just three first-team appearances.

Kalas admitted he would be attracted to staying with Fulham and helping Slavisa Jokanovic's side establish themselves back in the top flight and revealed that he has instructed his representatives to sort out his future swiftly.

    There is an agreement that Fulham must buy me or pay a loan fee. Now it's in their hands. I would like to be somewhere else and settle down after years of waiting. If Fulham would buy me, I would be relieved.

    At Fulham, until February, I played almost every game until I got injured and couldn't get back in the team. It was unfortunate that we couldn't go up automatically so we had to go into the play-offs but it was nicer to celebrate at Wembley. It was more valuable. It was the nicest experience I have ever had.

Fulham could be set for another summer of protracted negotiations with their near neighbours, who struck a hard bargain when the Whites wanted to extend the loan deals of Lucas Piazon and Kalas last year. Acquiring the highly rated 25 year-old centre half on a permanent basis could help bolster Jokanovic's options in the heart of the defence, which must be on Jokanovic's mind as prepares for the step up to the Premier League.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/05/if-fulham-buy-me-ill-be-relieved-says-kalas/

[WhiteJC]

Triumph
Fulham FC are back in the Premier League!

They have done it!

After four years of trials and tribulations, plugging square pegs into round holes, followed by quite a Renaissance by one man, Fulham are back in the Premier League! Before they achieved such a feat all supporters have been wanting for so long, they have had to get passed an Aston Villa side that weren't too shabby themselves.

But before we talk about the match, let's talk about how immense the Fulham supporters were. Whenever you get the entire 38,000-seat white wall, you know how much the crowd were bringing it at Wembley Stadium. As if the worldwide reputation of Fulham could not have been greater, it went up immensely in case there were those who forgot who the club were in Premier League seasons past. It was if the negativity surrounding Fulham days after the Birmingham defeat were a thing of the past.

The match started off about as cagey as you could get for any other final of any football tournament around the world. Both teams were really trying to feel each other out for the entire first 20 minutes. That said, the fouls started to come so thick and fast that the first yellow card had to be given out in the 8th minute of play. But once the game did come to life, it was the one play that decided it all.

When Ryan Sessegnon received a hard pass from Stefan Johansen, we was forced to move away from his defender and the penalty area. But when he was able to get on the run, it was enough movement to find the space for a throughball to Tom Cairney. Once the talisman broke through Villa's offside trap, it didn't take much for him to beat Sam Johnstone to the far post.

Fulham 1, Aston Villa 0

From there, it was all out resilience from the men in white. Not only was their relentless defending in the second half, with both Denis Odoi and Tim Ream being the leading men in that cause, but Fulham were able to maintain their style throughout the rest of the 90 minutes. They were able to generate a 7-2 shot advantage in the first it, and maintained it all the way with a final tally to a 15-12. Johansen almost made it 2-0 with a rising shot that just went over the bar in the 60th minute and Aboubakar Kamara had moments of his own too before the first half concluded. However, the damage was done early on in the game.

But before Fulham put the finishing touches to a magical day at "the home of football", they had to shut down one man that was doing his best to carry Villa back to the Premier League on his own. Jack Graelish was basically the sole focal point all match for the Villains and he literally became his team's namesake after a late challenge on Tom Cairney. Now Fulham fans will rightfully argue that he should have been sent off, but the argument on Villa's side of things were the fact that Fulham committed so many fouls on Graelish to begin with, including a stamp to the knee by Ryan Fredericks, that it should have been inevitable for Graelish to act the way he did. Still, the consensus should be that he deserved to get sent off because you can't spell professional football without the word "professional" and the 22-year old rising star wasn't even close to that on the Cairney foul.

In the end, Denis Odoi performed a massive poor man's Nigel De Jong via kick on the belly toward's Graelish in the 68th minute and because it was a second yellow, Fulham were reduced to 10 men. Fortunately for the men in white, Aston Villa really couldn't create anything afterwards. Albert Adomah seemed to be the only man that could do something creatively outside of Graelish on a consistent basis. By game's end, Graelish's totals are as followed: 8 successful dribbles, 6 shots and 3 key passes. The midfielder literally did everything! Beyond a few flutters by Connor Hourihane and Robert Snodgrass, that was basically it with their attack. Once manager Steve Bruce threw the kitchen sink via his substitutes in Josh Onomah, Scott Hogan and Jonathan Kodjia, Villa bluntly weren't that much better and the rest was history.

And boy did Fulham make some history. Despite it being a more futuristic stadium, Wembley still holds near and dear to many football fans' hearts. You simply can't take away how magical it is for Fulham to win this way. Now the supporters will be able to celebrate more magical nights in England's top flight. Some have argued they appreciated being in the Championship because they didn't enjoy losing to the Manchester United's, Liverpool's and Chelsea's of the world, but why not go after the big fish when you have the opportunity to do so every Saturday? After all, it felt like so long ago that even gaining promotion felt like an impossible dream. Now that dream has come true.




https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/5/29/17404790/triumph