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Friday Fulham Stuff (08/06/18)...

Started by WhiteJC, June 08, 2018, 07:30:45 AM

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WhiteJC

 
Aston Villa are in financial crisis: £6 million Fulham debt revealed

Aston Villa are in financial crisis

It's a worrying time for Aston Villa.

Aston Villa will once again be playing Championship football next season.

Steve Bruce's side reached the playoff final a few weeks ago. But Aston Villa lost 1-0 to Fulham in the showpiece at Wembley, as the Cottagers won promotion to the Premier League.

The impact of Aston Villa's playoff final defeat looks set to be significant.

Indeed, on Wednesday the Times confirmed that Aston Villa's defeat to Fulham "plunged the club into financial turmoil".

Aston Villa could be sold for 75 million pounds this summer amid interest from a possible US investor.

Aston Villa's £6 million Fulham debt

On Thursday the Times continue to reveal just how difficult a spot Aston Villa are in.

It's been confirmed that Aston Villa owe 11 million pounds in transfer fees. Of those debts, the largest payment owing is to Fulham:

Aston Villa owe more than £11 million in transfer fees to fellow Sky Bet Championship clubs who, under the football creditors' rule, are entitled to be paid before HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) or other businesses, The Times has learnt.

It is understood that Villa are due to pay the final instalments in the transfer fees of Ross McCormack and James Chester this summer, with Fulham and West Bromwich Albion owed payments of £6 million and £2 million respectively, while Brentford are owed £3 million for the transfer of Scott Hogan, with the final instalment due next January.

After reading the updates in the Times today, it's no surprise to learn that every single player in Aston Villa's squad is up for sale.



https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/aston-villa-crisis-fulham-debt-revealed/

WhiteJC

 
Defender 'very close' to signing for Fulham, club awaiting official bid

According to Aksam, Besiktas will sell Gokhan Gonul to Fulham and he's 'very close' to arriving in the Premier League.

This week we covered reports from the Turkish press that Fulham are keen on signing the 33 year old Turkish international, and are ready to pay €4.5m for the player.

Aksam claim no official offer has been received by Besiktas but the club's board are keen to sell him to Fulham if the London side are prepared to bid €4.5m, which seems a little high given his age.

It's claimed Gonul also wants to see out his career in England as would like to experience the atmosphere in the Premier League.

Besiktas manager Senol Gunes is keen to add a right back to his squad this summer and Aksam say this is probably due to him knowing Gonul wants to leave the Turkish club.

Gonul still has two years left on his contract and made 34 appearances for Besiktas last season.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/defender-close-signing-fulham-club-want-official-bid/

WhiteJC

 
Report: Fulham want Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic

Marko Grujic finished second in the Championship with Cardiff City and reportedly caught the eye of Fulham, who will join them in the Premier League.

Could Marko Grujic be playing regular Premier League football for the first time next season? Possibly, because Goal reports that newly promoted Fulham are keen on signing the prodigious Liverpool midfielder on loan.

The Mirror (June 2) reported that Liverpool were planning on farming out the 22-year-old Serb this summer and Cardiff City, who Grujic helped earn promotion to the Premier League during a five-month loan spell in the second half of last season, had been alerted to his availability.

Grujic started 12 Championship games for Neil Warnock's side and, while he perhaps did not live up to lofty expectations, he still made a mark with his tenacity and will to win which fitted in perfectly with the Cardiff rhetoric.

But it seems that Grujic's displays caught the eye of Fulham who were promoted alongside Cardiff, albeit via the play-offs, according to Goal.

The former Red Star Belgrade wonderkid, who joined Liverpool in January 2016 for £5.1 million, could be seen as a potential upgrade on Oliver Norwood, who spent last season at Craven Cottage on loan from Brighton.

Despite being one of the most highly-rated midfield prospects in Europe when he arrived at Anfield two years ago, Grujic has struggled to force his way into Jurgen Klopp's plans having made just eight substitute appearences in the Premier League.

But Fulham might have to act fast, with Grujic aiming to enhance his reputation with Serbia at this summer's World Cup.




http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/06/07/do-report-fulham-want-liverpool-midfielder-marko-grujic/


WhiteJC

 
Albion linked with Fulham goalkeeper as Hughton bids to solve back-up stopper issue

Fulham goalkeeper David Button is on Brighton & Hove Albion's radar as Chris Hughton bids to solve his back-up stopper issues.

The Sun is reporting that the former Tottenham player is wanted by the Seagulls as cover and competition for number one Mathew Ryan.

The paper claims that Albion are hoping to agree a £4million deal this week.

Support between the sticks is one place that Hughton must look into this summer.

There are question marks over whether Christian Walton is expected to again be loaned out after a successful promotion-gaining spell at Wigan Athletic last season.

The 22-year-old, who signed for Brighton in 2013, has been out gaining experience at Bury, Plymouth Argyle, Luton Town and Southend United in the past few season.

Last season's deputy to Ryan, Tim Krul is out of contract at Albion this summer, as is Niki Maenpaa.



https://www.brightonandhoveindependent.co.uk/sport/football/albion-linked-with-fulham-goalkeeper-as-hughton-bids-to-solve-back-up-stopper-issue-1-8525106

WhiteJC

 
Fulham facing transfer blow, Premier League club chasing £4m deal



Brighton and Hove Albion are targeting a deal for David Button this summer, with Chris Hughton looking to complete a £4m deal for the goalkeeper this week.

The Sun are reporting that Brighton are looking to add a new goalkeeper to their squad this summer, with Hughton eyeing a £4m deal for Fulham's Button.

The goalkeeper is out of favour at Craven Cottage, with Slavisa Jokanovic preferring Marcus Bettinelli during Fulham's promotion-winning 2017/18 campaign.

29-year-old Button started the season as Fulham's first choice, making 21 appearances, with 20 of those coming in the Championship.

However, the goalkeeper's last appearance came in the FA Cup on January 6th, with Jokanovic then turning to Bettinelli and putting his faith in the 26-year-old, who helped Fulham to promotion via the play-offs.

Button has spent the last two years at Craven Cottage, having arrived in the summer of 2016.

He featured on 40 occasions during the 2015/16 campaign, also helping Fulham finish in the top-six of the Championship.

Hughton hopes to secure a deal to take Button to Brighton by the end of the week.

The Verdict 

Button is a good goalkeeper, who finds himself in a situation at Fulham where an exceptionally talented goalkeeper is ahead of him.

Should he move to Brighton, Button will again find himself playing the understudy, so will want assurances that there is a chance he can challenge for a starting berth.

At 29, Button is the perfect age for a goalkeeper and arguably heading into his peak.

If Fulham lose the goalkeeper, who is an excellent back-up, ahead of their Premier League return, it will be a blow.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-facing-transfer-blow-premier-league-club-chasing-4m-deal/

WhiteJC

 
Premier League's elite clubs secure larger share of TV money in a massive victory for the 'big six'

    The Premier League's elite clubs secured a larger share of TV money on Thursday
    Clubs have voted to tinker with international television revenue share from 2019
    The news will be viewed as success in boardrooms of the 'big six' in top flight
    It creates a further wedge between the 'big six' and others in the Premier League

The Premier League's elite clubs secured a larger share of TV money on Thursday in a massive victory for the 'big six'.

Clubs have voted to tinker with the international television revenue share from 2019, with more emphasis placed on teams finishing higher up the league.

The news will be viewed as success in boardrooms of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, Manchester City and Liverpool.

A Premier League statement read: 'The maximum a club can receive in total central revenue payments is 1.8 times the amount received by the lowest-earning club.'

Regardless, it represents a shift from the norm and creates a further wedge between the big six and others in the top division.

They needed 14 of the 20 Premier League clubs to vote in their favour of a TV share based largely on league position.

Despite some surprising support from clubs lower down the league, the giants were only able to gain a slight addition to their pot.

The numbers still pale into insignificance when compared to La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1, with a maintained share of at least double that of the other big European leagues.

Richard Scudamore added: 'When the Premier League was formed in 1992 nobody could have envisaged the scale of international growth in the competition which exists now.

'Back then the clubs put in place a revenue sharing system that was right for the time and has served the League well, enabling them to invest and improve in all areas.

'This new agreement will continue that trend with a subtle change that further incentivises on-pitch achievement and maintains the Premier League's position as the most equitable in Europe in terms of sharing central revenues.

'By coming together and agreeing this change, the clubs have provided a platform for the future success of the League for many years ahead.'



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5816331/Premier-League-clubs-reach-compromise-overseas-TV-money-dispute.html


WhiteJC

 
We Are Premier League

Fulham will officially become a Premier League club once again today, Thursday 7th June, when the Premier League's Annual General Meeting convenes.

Every top flight side is given a share certificate, and relegated sides Swansea City, Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion will transfer their ones back. The Premier League Board of Directors will then confirm the cancellation of these shares.

A new share certificate for ourselves, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Cardiff City will be signed by the directors and company secretary, and we will all be entered into the share register, as required by company law.

Fulham's confirmation as a Premier League club will then come at the AGM where we will be awarded our framed share certificate.

Today also marks the changing of the Premier League season from 2017/18 to 2018/19, one week prior to the release of the new fixture list.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/june/07/we-are-premier-league

WhiteJC

 
Fulham transfers explored: Liverpool man linked while Button touted for exit

We've taken a look at the latest transfer rumours circling Fulham in the transfer window

Fulham are now officially a top flight club after the Premier League AGM on Thursday and the transfer gossip is intensifying ahead of the big kick off.

The Whites will discover who they will face and when next Thursday when the fixtures are released, but at the moment we are no closer to discovering which new players will be turning out in that first game of the season.

At the moment, the only movement at Craven Cottage has been the departure of Ryan Fredericks, who joined West Ham on a free transfer as his contract came to an end.

That hasn't stopped the rumours floating around about who the side might be signing next, with a whole host of names already being linked to the Premier League's newest team.

We've taken a look at the latest transfer rumours doing the rounds, and Fulham reporter Ryan O'Donovan has given his view on the likeliness of them happening.

Gokhan Gonul, Besiktas

The 33-year-old fullback has been linked in the Turkish press with a move to Fulham as a replacement for the outgoing Ryan Fredericks.

He's won the Turkish Premier League three times and has 64 caps for Turkey, making 24 appearances for Besiktas as they finished fourth in the top flight last season.

Gonul has two-years left on his contract in Turkey and it's been reported in the Turkish media that Fulham have put forward a €4.5million bid.


(Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Verdict: As per Fulham's recruitment policy, which is not to sign anyone over the age of 28 unless in exceptional circumstances, I can't see the club going for Gonul.

The club signed the replacement for Fredericks in January, Cyrus Christie from Middlesbrough, and I would be very surprised if they were going to splash this amount of cash on someone who may only have a year left in him.

Fulham go to the Premier League using this recruitment policy and I can't see it changing now that they're in the top flight.

Marko Grujic, Liverpool

Goal.com have linked Fulham with an interest in Grujic, who spent half of last season on loan at Cardiff City in the Championship.

They report that the Whites are monitoring him and remain keen on signing him, with a loan move a possibility for the 22-year-old who plays in a defensive midfield role.

He enjoyed a promising loan spell at in Wales last season, but Goal.com report that he could catch the eye of other clubs during the World Cup.


(Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire)

Verdict: This one is possible - Fulham have used the loan market successfully over the past two years and I can see that continuing this campaign, although with a far smaller number of loanees.

Fulham and Liverpool have a good relationship, with the Reds allowing Sheyi Ojo to spend last season on loan at the Cottage, despite his time there being marred with injuries.

Grujic does play in the same position as Kevin McDonald though, so it would be interesting to see how the pair would fit into the side if this was to happen.

David Button, Brighton

The Sun have linked Button with a £4million move to fellow Premier League side Brighton as they look to add a new keeper to their squad in the summer.

The 29-year-old became Fulham's number two this season after defeat at Brentford, with Marcus Bettinelli cementing his place as the side's number one choice as the season progressed.

His last appearance came in the FA Cup third round defeat to Southampton.


(Image: Harry Murphy/Getty Images)

Verdict: Button finds himself behind Bettinelli at Fulham for the second time in two seasons, having lost his place as the number one in both campaigns.

It's likely that Bettinelli will continue that role in the Premier League next season and at the age of 29, Button will be wanting first team football.

James Maddison, Norwich City

Maddison was linked with Fulham by the Mirror, with Norwich City reported to be looking to cash in on their talented midfielder after their parachute payments expired.

They've been linked with a £20m-£25m move for the 21-year-old, who has also attracted interest from some of the Premier League's biggest clubs, such as Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Southampton have also been touted as eying Maddison, who is currently recovering from a knee ligament injury.


(Image: Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

Verdict: Maddison would be a good signing for Fulham, but he plays in the same position as skipper, Tom Cairney, and it's hard to imagine the club will spend as much as that for someone in his position.

A back-up for Cairney could be on the cards, with the 27-year-old struggling with that knee problem all last season, however.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-transfers-explored-liverpool-man-14754629

WhiteJC

 
International Round-Up

Tomas Kalas and his Czech Republic teammates recovered from a 4-0 defeat by Australia to beat Nigeria on Wednesday.

Kalas – whose loan at the Club runs until the end of June – scored the only goal of the game, bundling home from a corner in the first half.



Stefan Johansen concluded his successful season by captaining Norway to a 1-0 win over Panama.

The Fulham midfielder played 77 minutes of the encounter with England's World Cup opponents, with an early goal from Bournemouth's Josh King the difference.

It caps a productive period for the Norwegians, who saw off Iceland 3-2 in Reykjavik a few days earlier, with Johansen playing the full 90.

On Monday, Aleksandar Mitrović played the majority of Serbia's 1-0 loss against Chile.

The striker was denied a penalty when he was brought down by Erick Pulgar, and the South Americans nicked it after Mitrović had been taken off when Guillermo Maripan headed in.



Last weekend, Luca de la Torre made his international bow in the United States' 2-1 defeat by the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.

The 20-year-old replaced Rubio Rubin in the 77th minute in a match where second half strikes from Graham Burke and Alan Judge saw Ireland bounce back from Bobby Wood's opener.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/june/07/international-round-up


WhiteJC

 
Liverpool must push Grujic to Fulham

OPINION

Marko Grujic can count himself unlucky to still be out on the fringes at Liverpool, with the signing of Fabinho pushing the Serbian further down the Anfield pecking order.


A hugely impressive loan spell at Cardiff City in the second half of 2017/18 would have given Grujic hope of breaking into the first-team this summer, but the arrivals of Fabinho and Naby Keita mean that is highly unlikely.

Instead it is another loan exit which is very much on the cards for the 22-year-old as he looks to continue his development, with the Bluebirds already linked with another swoop for Grujic.

However, another team has now waded into the picture, with Goal reporting that another newly-promoted side, Fulham, are interested.

Now, while this merely looks like a straight shoot-out between two new Premier League sides, Fulham are clearly the best choice for Grujic's development.

Firstly, their style of football is far superior to that of Cardiff, and the young Serbian will form part of an exciting outlet that will look to play their way out of relegation trouble next season.

Secondly, manager Slavisa Jokanovic is a compatriot of Grujic's, and that Serbian connection will allow the youngster to get the most possible out of a loan spell at Craven Cottage.

It is also looking likely that Serbia international striker Aleksandar Mitrovic will also be playing for Fulham next season, and with the two set to play at the World Cup together, that could be a fruitful relationship for the Whites.

Finally comes experience, with Grujic to take more out of a spell at a different club in the long-term.

A return to Cardiff will bring with it familiarity, but a new experience in London with Fulham will aid Grujic's development more than that, and Liverpool will reap huge long-term rewards.

It is a move which makes perfect sense for both club and player, and Liverpool must jump on this chance to broker a deal to take Grujic to west London in the coming weeks.



https://live4liverpool.com/2018/06/view-from-the-kop/liverpool-must-push-grujic-to-fulham/

WhiteJC

 
Premier League TV rights: Amazon to show 20 matches a season from 2019-2022


The current broadcast deal from 2016 to 2019 is worth £5.14bn to the Premier League clubs

Amazon will show 20 Premier League matches a season for three years from 2019, after winning one of the final two broadcast packages.

The online streaming service has won the rights to show every game from the first round of midweek fixtures in December and all 10 matches on Boxing Day as part of the three-year deal.

The matches will be available free to Amazon Prime's UK members.

The other unsold package of 20 games was bought by BT Sport for £90m.

That takes their total number of games to 52 per season, while a further 112 will be shown by Sky Sports, including prime-time Saturday night fixtures.

Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore described Amazon as an "exciting new partner".

The new deals mark the first time a full round of matches will be shown live in the UK.

How can I watch these games on Amazon?
You will need a Prime membership, which costs £79 a year or £7.99 a month.

In addition to live action, there will also be weekly highlights of all Premier League games throughout the season, although it has not been announced when that will be broadcast.

Prime can be streamed on any Smart TV, mobile device or through an Amazon Fire TV Stick.

Amazon, which started as an online retailer, already broadcasts the US Open tennis, ATP World Tour Tennis events and NFL games.

Who has won what?
The Premier League offered 200 live matches a season to broadcasters, an increase from the 168 available in 2015.

Other changes for the 2019-2022 deal include eight individual games being shown live in a 'prime-time' Saturday night slot, three complete rounds of 10 midweek matches all shown live, and one set of bank holiday games - not known to be Boxing Day.

The broadcasters bid on seven packages of fixtures and in February, Sky Sports paid £3.58bn for four of those, while BT Sport spent £885m on another.

BT initially said it had paid £90m for its final package, taking their total spend to £975m over three seasons, though that information was later removed from its website.

That would take the total value of the rights to £4.55bn, with Amazon yet to announce how much it has paid.

The Premier League's last deal, agreed in 2015 and running until 2019, was worth £5.14bn.

What are the packages?

Package A - won by BT  32 matches on Saturdays at 12:30
Package B - won by Sky Sports  32 matches on Saturdays at 17:30
Package C - won by Sky Sports  24 matches on Sundays at 14:00 and eight matches on Saturdays at 19:45
Package D - won by Sky Sports  32 matches on Sundays at 16:30
Package E - won by Sky Sports  24 matches on Mondays at 20:00 or Fridays at 19:30/20:00 and eight matches on Sundays at 14:00
Package F - won by Amazon  10 matches from one Bank Holiday and all 10 from the Boxing Day fixture programme
Package G - won by BT  20 matches from two midweek fixture programmes
   
Premier League clubs have also agreed a new deal over sharing revenue from international broadcast deals, which will see any future increases divided according to league position.

Revenue is currently shared equally among the 20 clubs, but the bigger clubs had been pushing for a greater share of the money, arguing they are the main attraction for foreign viewers.

'Most internet companies didn't take bait' - analysis

BBC sports news correspondent Richard Conway

These two remaining packages of rights were specifically designed to appeal to the internet giants such as Amazon, Netflix, Apple, Facebook and Google as online streaming continues to rise in popularity. The only problem is that most of those companies failed to take the Premier League's bait.

Now, some four months on and following extended negotiations, a deal has been struck with Amazon and BT Sport. However, the entire auction has fallen short of the Premier League's hopes on revenue.

Rob Wilson, football finance expert at Sheffield Hallam University

It makes complete sense for one of the online streaming services to pick up a Premier League package. The infrastructure and market potential needs testing and this gives Amazon an early mover advantage. They can test the concept at a lower cost to see what audiences they can generate.

For customers it means an additional subscription should they want to consume everything. The Sky, BT stranglehold was always going to break up with so many packages being offered so customers now face three subscriptions to pay for.

Will it spread the existing market more thinly? That remains to be seen. Sky, in particular, will be watching their subscription numbers closely.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44396151

WhiteJC


Fulham linked with loan move for Grujic
by Dan on June 7, 2018

Fulham are considering a loan move for Liverpool midfielder Marco Grujic, who was promoted from the Championship with Cardiff City last season, according to various press reports.

Liverpool are keen to send their Serbian midfielder out on loan again and Fulham are rumoured to be interested in bringing him to Craven Cottage. The 22 year-old midfielder, who has been named in Serbia's squad for this summer's World Cup in Russia, burst to prominence with a string of fine displays for Red Star Belgrade as a teenager but has struggled to make the breakthrough at Anfield, making just eight league appearances in two years.

Slavisa Jokanovic is known to be looking for midfield reinforcements as he plans for Fulham's return to the top flight and will know of his young compatriot's ability. Grujic made twelve appearances as the Bluebirds won automatic promotion ahead of Fulham last month and he could offer both physical protection for the back four and the sort of passing prowess that the Fulham head coach prizes. Grujic, who helped Serbia's under 20 side win the 2015 World Cup in New Zealand, has been tipped to be one of the stars of this summer's tournament – so the Whites may need to move fast in order to secure his signature.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/06/fulham-linked-with-loan-move-for-grujic/


WhiteJC

 
Power struggles, stylish football & blooding Ryan Sessegnon - the Slavisa Jokanovic story

It's been a long journey for Slavisa Jokanovic and Fulham to reach the promised land of the Premier League

Fulham are preparing for life back in the Premier League after play-off victory against Aston Villa last month, and a lot of credit has to go to head coach Slavisa Jokanovic.

The 49-year-old became the first foreign manager to win two promotions to the top flight after seeing the Whites up through the play-offs, three years after completing automatic promotion with Watford.

Promotion is the culmination of a two-and-a-half-year project at Craven Cottage for Jokanovic, who was appointed head coach on December 27 2015, with the side facing the real prospect of dropping into League One.

After steering the side to safety and following a major restructure of the playing squad by Tony Khan and the recruitment team, Jokanovic led Fulham to the play-offs, finishing sixth before being beaten in the semi finals by Reading.

The following season he went one better though, almost gaining promotion automatically before beating Derby County over two legs and sealing the deal at Wembley.

Through it all, there's been a change in playing style and a difference in the mentality, while not to mention a few disputes on transfers along the way.

It's been some journey for Fulham to get to this point - but Jokanovic's path to the Premier League started at Watford in 2015.

May 6, 2015 - Vicarage Road, England

A 2-0 victory against Brighton and Hove Albion the week before had seen Jokanovic's Watford side promoted to the Premier League just six months after being appointed as the Hornets' boss on a short term deal.

They'd come within seconds of claiming the Championship title at Vicarage Road on the final day of the season, with Matej Vydra's goal giving them a 1-0 lead over Sheffield Wednesday, but a last minute Atdhe Nuhiu equaliser meant that the title would go to Bournemouth instead.


Slavisa Jokanovic celebrates promotion to the Premier League with Watford in 2015 (Image: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Jokanovic was tinged with disappointment at not lifting the trophy, but after being Watford's fourth different coach in five weeks when he was appointed, he'd proved to the country that he had the right mentality to put a team back on the straight and narrow and take them to promotion.

Under his stewardship, Watford won 21 of their 36 games, ensuring he had a win percentage of 58% during his time at Watford.

June 5, 2015 - Watford, England

Less than a month later, however, and Jokanovic would not be the manager of a Premier League side.

Having entered contract talks with Watford, the two parties were unable to come to an agreement and the Serbian left the club with the Premier League season only a few months away.

He was replaced by Quique Sanchez Flores, becoming the side's fifth manager in a year.

But during the 241 days spent at Watford, Jokanovic had demonstrated an ability in being able to get results out of players, while showing he was able to build a style of play suited to the team at his disposal.

Above all that, however, his time at Watford showed that he was a Premier League manager in waiting - for the right club.

Those credentials he showed would later be the reason why Shahid Khan chose him to steer Fulham back to the top flight.

June 15, 2015 - Tel Aviv, Israel

Just ten days later and someone had made sure Jokanovic wouldn't be without a club for long.

Israeli champions, Maccabi Tel Aviv, had wasted no time in bringing the former Chelsea man to their club after he had parted ways with Watford.

Impressed with the qualities shown in his time in England, Maccabi's owner, Mitch Goldhar, was delighted he was able to take the helm at Tel Aviv, who would be embarking on a Champions League journey themselves that season.

It would turn out to be another short stint for Jokanovic, however.


Slavisa Jokanovic during his time at Maccabi Tel Aviv (Image: JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

June, 2015 - London, England

Meanwhile, Fulham were preparing for their second season in the Championship following a 17th placed finish the campaign before, which had seen Felix Magath sacked and replaced by Kit Symons.

Symons got the job permanently in October 2014 and was preparing Fulham to attempt to find their way back into the top flight of English football, with the signings of Tom Cairney, Tim Ream and Ryan Fredericks, who would play an important part in Jokanovic's side in the coming years, all imminent.

But like the previous season, all wasn't going to go to plan for Symons and Fulham.

November 8, 2015 - London, England

Symons is sacked as Fulham manager a day after his side lost 5-2 to Birmingham City at Craven Cottage, leaving the side 12th in the table, winning just 22 of his 64 games in charge.

Peter Grant would end up taking on managerial responsibilities until a new man was found - a search that was being headed up by Chairman, Mr Khan.

By the time a manager was found, Fulham would be 18th.


Slavisa Jokanovic in charge of Fulham in February 2016 (Image: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)

December 27, 2015 - London, England

Fulham were ready to announce their new manager - opting for Jokanovic after Mr Khan's extensive interview process for the job.

Jokanovic had been enjoying a good season at Maccabi Tel Aviv - he had guided them to the Champions League group stage for the first time ever after beating Hibernians of Malta, Viktoria Plzen of the Czech Republic and FC Basel of Switzerland in the qualifying rounds.

Despite losing all games in the group stages against former club Chelsea, Porto and Dynamo Kyiv, Jokanovic had lost just three games in the league in Israel and his side looked set to challenge for the title.

However, having applied for the Fulham role, he left Israel for England to take over at struggling Fulham, where all his managerial traits that he had learnt from his time in Thailand, Serbia, Israel and indeed Watford, would be put to the test as he was tasked with turning round the side's fortunes.


Slavisa Jokanovic at Griffin Park for Fulham's game with Brentford (Image: Lewis Darling)

This was the start of the Fulham project, with his sole objective getting the side back to the Premier League.

It would take him just two-and-a-half years to do that, completely transforming the side's playing style, going from a team that looked lacking in confidence to one that played some of the best football the second tier had seen.

May, 2016 - London, England

His first season complete, Jokanovic had made sure Fulham retained their Championship status, finishing 11 points clear of the relegation zone.

It wasn't easy going by any stretch of the imagination - Jokanovic didn't win any of his first five games in charge and only won six games in total, drawing six and losing all ten others.

But it was enough to get the side over the line and into the close season as a second-tier side, where the rebuilding behind the scenes could begin.


New team: Slavisa Jokanovic with Tony Khan (Image: Fulham FC)

24 players left the club that summer, while the recruitment department that had been set up at Fulham, under the jurisdiction of Tony Khan and Craig Kline, would bring in 11 new permanent faces, as well as four loanees, including Chris Martin.

Despite on the field success for Jokanovic, with his side following the principle of dominant, attacking football, it would be off the field issues that would be the issue for the forthcoming season.

August, 2016 - London, England

After a 2-2 draw with Cardiff in August, Jokanovic launched his first outburst about transfers after his unhappiness that the club hadn't signed a centre back.

It was the first glimpse the public saw of a power struggle behind the scenes between the Serbian and data analyst Kline, who was part of the team responsible for new signings.

At the time, Jokanovic said: "I don't think we need a striker but the position I want to improve is centre-back but this is not in my hands.

"I am not an important person in terms of recruitment, I have lost many players in the nine months behind me.


(Image: Harry Murphy/Getty Images)

"Ask Craig Kline because I do not handle this side of the business, in the end the decision is not in my hands.

"I am not frustrated by I am a little bit surprised.

"He is a very important person in the club but nobody knows him.

"He should come from backstage and explain what we are doing in the football club."

Fulham would go on to win just one game in their next seven matches before losing just two games in 11, including 5-0 wins over Huddersfield Town and Reading - victories that demonstrated just what Jokanovic was implementing with his side on the pitch.

January 2017 - London, England

'Fulham is not a train station'.

It's a quote that will live long in the memory of Fulham fans after Martin wanted to return to his parent club, Derby, during January of 2017.

But Jokanovic's message was simple - he'd be staying put at Craven Cottage and would not be going back to the Midlands to strengthen a rival team.

It's here where Jokanovic's management style and his ability to man manage in particular came to the fore.

Weeks later, Martin was back in the side, having failed to push through a move back to Derby, but with Jokanovic willing to forgive him for refusing to play against Reading.


(Image: Paul Burgman)

It would've been easy for other managers to cut their losses with Martin altogether, but Jokanovic knew that brining him back into the fold would help the team progress towards their targets.

With most of Fulham's business kept behind closed doors, it was a chance to see just how the head coach manages his players and earns the respect of his team.

February 2017- London, England

Following a 2-0 victory over Bristol City, where Fulham's style of football was highlighted thanks to two brilliant goals by Lucas Piazon and Cairney, the board gave Jokanovic a contract extension that would keep him at the club until the summer of 2019.

That win had seen the Whites rise into seventh after their third straight victory, and they'd only lose twice more all season long as they ended the campaign in sixth, completing a remarkable turnaround from the campaign before.

When Jokanovic signed his deal, he said he'd "made no secret of my desire to stay at Fulham and to continue the project that we have started" that December day back in 2015, and now the club were two games away from completing that job having played easy on the eye football, while scoring a bagful of goals.


Signed, sealed and delivered: Slavisa Jokanovic with his new contract (Image: Fulham FC)

March 2017 - Newcastle, England

By now, Jokanovic knew the wealth of talent that the Fulham Academy had on its production line, with Ryan Sessegnon having impressed the season before in first team training before coming into the fold as a regular this season.

There were a number of other youngsters training with the first team at the request of Jokanovic, whose faith in youth had seen Sessegnon, then just 16-years-old, take the Championship by storm.

But it was up in the north east in the middle of March that the world saw just why the head coach had put so much trust in a youngster still completing education courses at the club when he bagged a brace against eventual champions Newcastle United as Fulham tore them apart in a 3-1 win.

Since then, Sessegnon has gone on to enjoy an even better season, playing pretty much every game and ending the season as the side's top scorer, with 16 goals to his name.

Without Jokanovic's faith that a young man like Sessegnon can deliver despite his age, Fulham may not have got to see the potential and ability the 18-year-old had until he was older.

Amongst all his traits, Jokanovic's mantra of 'if you're good enough, you're old enough' has done wonders for the Academy at the club, which is another example of how he has affected the mentality of not just his squad, but the club as a whole.


Ryan Sessegnon, Morlon Fossey and Steven Sessegnon training (Image: Victoria Jones/PA Wire)

May 2017 - Reading, England

It was clear to see after the game that Jokanovic was unhappy Fulham had crashed out of the play-offs.

Coming into the two legs, his men in white were tipped as favourites for the end of season showpiece, despite finishing sixth, after battering Huddersfield in their own backyard and dominating Newcastle United up at St James' Park.

But they never got themselves to that level of the two legs, with Reading managing a draw at the Cottage before a penalty ensured they went through at the Madejski.

It was a bitter pill to take for everyone connected with Fulham - to have come so close to their targets just 12 months after finishing so low was hard, especially given the football they'd play.

But Jokanovic's post match press conference showed how he'd motivated his players to put in the performances they'd been doing in the weeks before, stating how proud he was of each of them for the way they'd played that season.

That pride and determination to want to play under Jokanovic would be a massive part of their success the following campaign.

December 16, 2017 - Sunderland, England

Fulham had just suffered defeat at Sunderland's Stadium of Light stadium, becoming the first team to lose there in a year and calls from some sections of the fans for Jokanovic's resignation were becoming louder.

Just six months before, Jokanovic was untouchable having lead Fulham to within touching distance of Premier League football, but after just seven wins in 21 games, fans were becoming worried that it might have been an anomaly.

The side were twelfth and losing pace with the leaders fast, but then the side rallied and the reason why Jokanovic was hired became clear.

All those experiences he had encountered over the course of his managerial career to date were put to use as he oversaw a 23-game unbeaten run that dragged the side right back into the play-offs.


(Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)

The way Fulham were playing demonstrated an ability to do everything Jokanovic had been drilling into them for the past two years - dominance on the ball, defensive resilience and a togetherness that showed Fulham meant business.

The way he got the team playing would see him linked with the Chelsea job, just under three years since his Maccabi Tel Aviv side were beaten 4-0 home and away by the Blues.

But Jokanovic's crowning moment was still to come.

January 2018 - London, England

Despite Jokanovic seemingly winning the battle behind the scenes after Kline's sacking in October, another transfer rift came to a head after the head coach told Fulham's board to back him or sack him over his concerns of the strength of the side.

Speaking in January, he said: "No, this January I am really disappointed with the information around us.

"We don't have any clear targets and for the direction of the club, I have some information that we are strong enough to fight for the important targets.

"I don't believe this - at the end there are so many assistants and so many things, I am really disappointed with our situation and I expect the club will change their opinion.

"I don't know, if we don't have the money or don't want to spend the money, but we are not competitive enough for this period what is in front of us.


(Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire)

"Solution? I don't know, but probably if the coach doesn't trust that we are strong enough (but they feel we are), then probably an option that the club must be thinking about is sacking the coach and this can be a good option for the club."

It seemed like another problematic transfer window for the side, however, come the end of the month three new players had signed, including Aleksandar Mitrovic, Matt Targett and Cyrus Christie.

We'll never know whether Jokanovic's words to the press had any effect on those incomings, but we do know he recommended Mitrovic to the recruitment team, showing an improved relationship between the two parties.

Since then, the head coach has been very complimentary of the work the recruitment team did in the January, which gave Fulham that little extra they needed to get them over the line.

May 2018 - Wembley, England

Three years since Jokanovic last achieved promotion to the Premier League, he completed the first part of his project with Fulham by guiding the side to play-off victory at Wembley.

Fulham made the national stadium look their own, almost like the brand of football they employ was made to grace the finer stages of English football, and it was clear to see what this achievement meant to Jokanovic after the game.

Clearly emotional, he watched on as McDonald and Cairney hoisted the trophy into the Wembley air, knowing he would now get the chance to test himself in the top flight of English football, three whole years after first achieving promotion.


(Image: Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Watford might've been Jokanovic's first English side, but this Fulham team is his own, nearly three years in the making, with a connection to the fans that he didn't have the first time around at Vicarage Road.

Fulham want to tie their head coach down to a new deal and it's no surprise why - he's helped turn the club from relegation candidates to one of the top 20 in the country.

When the Premier League campaign gets underway in August, Jokanovic can finally fulfill his dream of managing in the top flight, before focusing on the next stage of the project: making sure Fulham stay there.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/story-of-slavisa-jokanovic-fulham-14755183

WhiteJC

 
Pedro hails Slavisa Jokanovic as 'great manager' amid Chelsea interest in Fulham boss

Chelsea forward Pedro has hailed Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic as a "great manager" amid awareness the Blues are considering changing their head coach.

Sky sources understand Jokanovic has admirers at Chelsea as uncertainty over Antonio Conte's future rumbles on.

Pedro was asked about both his and the managerial situation by Spanish radio station Cadena Ser after being named as an ambassador of the island of Tenerife, where he is from, on Wednesday.

"We know there might be some changes, we're awaiting. We know that he (Slavisa Jokanovic) is a great manager," Pedro said.


Slavisa Jokanovic promoted his second Championship team in Fulham this season.

"Many names have been mentioned and he is one of them. If a new manager comes, we'll try to work in the best way possible."

Pedro joined Chelsea from Barcelona in 2015 and has scored 28 goals on the way to two trophies - the Premier League title in 2017 and the FA Cup in 2018 - and he says he is happy to stay.

"Obviously I have a contract at Chelsea and most likely I will stay. I'm good here," he said.

"I'm very comfortable with my team-mates and, in football terms I'm very happy for having won the Premier League and the FA Cup in three years. I'm happy because it's always difficult to win trophies in England.

"I'm enjoying my holidays right now, getting some rest and spending time with family, and then start the new season in the best way."



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/11397662/pedro-hails-slavisa-jokanovic-as-great-manager-amid-chelsea-interest-in-fulham-boss

WhiteJC

 
Should West Ham renew Grujic interest and rival Fulham for midfielder?

Fulham are reportedly interested in signing Marko Grujic from Liverpool but should West Ham United revive their own January interest in the midfielder?

Fulham are interested in signing Marko Grujic this summer, according to Goal, although it is unclear whether they want the Liverpool midfielder on loan or on a permanent basis.

Grujic has struggled to assert himself at Anfield under manager Jurgen Klopp following a move from Red Star Belgrade in January 2016, making 14 first team appearances since.

However, the Serbia international did enjoy a successful 14-game loan spell at Cardiff City in the latter half of the 2017/18 season to help them get promoted from the Championship.

This could be what caught the Cottagers' eye and while Grujic's time with the Reds may be over with Fabinho having been signed and Naby Keita on his way, that does not mean the 22-year-old doesn't still have plenty to offer in the Premier League.

Who else should be interested?

Before Grujic made the switch to Cardiff during the January transfer window, ESPN reported that West Ham United were keeping tabs on the Serbian.

New Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini is clearly in the market for a new player in the middle of the park and has been linked with expensive deals for Nice's Jean Michael Seri and Javier Pastore of Paris Saint-Germain by the Sun in recent times.

Yet perhaps Grujic could be a more affordable and realistic target for the East London club and someone who has great potential to improve with the right coaching.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/06/07/should-west-ham-renew-grujic-interest-and-rival-fulham-for-liver/


WhiteJC

 
Fulham Lose Their Defensive Ace To West Ham United: 3 Possible Replacements Jokanovic Can Go After!

Fulham might have secured the promotion to Premier League but it seems that it was not enough to keep hold of their star right back Ryan Fredericks who has departed the club and joined West Ham United on a free transfer.

Before it was being reported that the move might hinge on Fulham's promotion run and if they secure a move to the English Topflight, Fredericks would have signed a new contract at the club. However, now the deal has fallen through as Fredricks has signed a four year long deal with the East London club.

The right-back was a crucial part of Cottagers run to Premier League promotion and they will soon have to look for replacements in the transfer market as they prepare to take on the challenges of the English top flight. Fredericks made 48 appearances in all competitions for the Cottagers and managed to provide eight assists in the process. He was good on the attacking front as well and did his defensive duties diligently.

Slavisa Jokanovic will have a huge task to replace him and we look at three possible options he can go after.

Joel Ward

The Crystal Palace fullback has failed to get much game time this season as Roy Hodgson preferred Martin Kelly over him in the right back position. The 28-year-old is a veteran of 163 Premier League games and can provide Fulham with the much-needed stability in the right back spot. His contract is set to run out by the end of this month and the Cottagers can snap him up for free.

Kyle Naughton

The Swansea City right-back was one of the few players who had a decent run of games as the Swans got relegated to the Championship. Naughton was a regular feature down the right last season as he racked up 39 appearances in all competitions. An experienced head like him will certainly bring in a lot of calmness and strength in the back four and with Swans already relegated, he could be available on a cut-price deal. The player himself could want a move which will allow him to play at the top level for another season.

Andre Wisdom

Derby County managed to finish sixth and qualify for the playoffs but they struggled to go past Fulham in the semi-finals. Andre Wisdom was a regular for them down the right and he managed to make 34 appearances in all competitions. The defender has a prior experience of playing in the Premier League with Liverpool and can be a decent addition to Jokanovic's squad.



http://the4thofficial.net/2018/06/fulham-lose-defensive-ace-west-ham-united-3-possible-replacements-jokanovic-can-go/

WhiteJC

 
Player of the Month: Aleksandar Mitrovic – Fulham



Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has been named the Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month for April.

A second successive award for the unstoppable Serbian. Mitrovic scored in five of his six games, including the winners against Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland.

As well as his all-round contribution, his passion for the club as a loan player is striking.

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic said: "He's had a huge impact. He showed the quality he has fighting with this team and he's doing a great job for us.

"We're very satisfied to have him and we hope he's going to play a big part in Fulham's promotion."

Mitrovic said: "It feels great, I'm glad for the award, but I'm even happier that the team is doing well and keep winning games.

"We have one game to go before the end of the regular season, so we have to focus on this game to try and win and see what happens with Cardiff.

"Coming to Fulham has gone much better than I could have ever expected and I hope it can continue."

Sky Sports' EFL pundit Don Goodman said: "Back to back awards for the striker who can't stop scoring. Goals in all but one of April's games proved the difference for Fulham in their crusade to pile the pressure on Cardiff.

"You wonder how good Fulham's season could've been had he been there from the start."

Sky Bet EFL trader Mikey Mumford said: "It takes something special to scoop back-to-back player of month awards but Mitrovic's fine form in March has shown no signs of slowing into April.

"He plays with the steely determination you need to succeed in the Championship and the passion for his loan club is there for all to see.

"Goals in all but one of Fulham's six games in the month and an even bigger role could await if Fulham are to navigate their way through the Play-Offs."

The judging panel for the Sky Bet Player of the Month comprises Sky Sports' EFL expert Don Goodman; EFL Communications Director Mark Rowan, League Managers' Association Director Olaf Dixon and Sky Bet EFL trader Mikey Mumford.



https://www.efl.com/news/2018/may/player-of-the-month-aleksandar-mitrovic-fulham/

WhiteJC

 
Aleksandar Mitrovic picked out as key player at 2018 World Cup

Newcastle striker picked out: 'We can expect to see Aleksandar Mitrovic, still only 23, play a key role for his country in Russia.'

Aleksandar Mitrovic is last man standing for Newcastle United.

Matz Sels and Henri Saivet were expected to just about creep into the Belgium and Senegal squad, though not expected to get any game time.

However, they didn't even get that, failing to make the final cut.

So apart from England, Newcastle fans only have Aleksandar Mitrovic representing them in Russia.

An interesting write-up on Serbia by the respected Coaches Voice site, has picked out the Newcastle striker as their key man.

The 23 year old was the top scorer in Group D in qualifying and as the write up says, Mitrovic is 'an excellent focal point for Serbia's attacks.'

Central to Serbia's chances of doing well, will be the front three and how Aleksandar Mitrovic can combine with Tadic and Kostic.

Rafa Benitez has repeatedly made clear that Newcastle's style of play doesn't fit with the striker and indeed the stats showed only two Premier League clubs put in fewer crosses than Newcastle last season. With Serbia it is completely different, a style of play that is put together around Mitro, with Tadic, Kostic and others, encouraged to get as many balls into the box as possible.

Good luck to our only representative in Russia and Newcastle's no.45 doing well at the World Cup is a win/win all round, even if it still means he will be leaving St James Park.

The Coaches Voice:

Serbia

Star performers

Aleksandar Mitrovic

Forward, 23, Newcastle United

'Serbia's main goal threat, Mitrovic scored six times in qualifying to become the top marksman in Group D.

'The Newcastle striker, who played a huge role in Fulham's promotion to the Premier League this season, is capable of scoring all sorts of goals but also an excellent focal point for Serbia's attacks.

'He is one of only three players in the World Cup squad – alongside Dusan Tadic and veteran defender Branislav Ivanovic – to have more than 10 goals for Serbia.

An imposing figure, Mitrovic began his club career at Teleoptik in his native Serbia. Subsequent stints at Partizan and Anderlecht saw him impress enough to earn a move to the Premier League with Newcastle United.

'He has spent three seasons at Newcastle, but was loaned out to Fulham – with superb success – for the second half of the most recent season.

'We can expect to see Aleksandar Mitrovic, still only 23, play a key role for his country in Russia.

The target man for the majority of Serbia's play, he is good at winning the first ball and bringing others into play – he has a good relationship with fellow attackers Tadic and Kostic, from whose deliveries he can be a major aerial threat.'

Tactical set-up:

During qualifying, Serbia set up in a 3-4-3 formation and largely played direct into Aleksandar Mitrovic as the focal point.

'Since Krstajic has taken charge, however, they have switched to a 4-2-3-1 (sometimes 4-3-3) formation and looked to play through the thirds more regularly. This may well be what we see from Serbia in Russia, although don't be too surprised if they revert to direct play when they face Brazil in their final group game.

'What hasn't changed under the new coach is the use and threat of Mitrovic. He still holds play up really well, albeit now slightly more with his feet than his head, and can still be lethal inside the box.'

To watch Aleksandar Mitrovic and Serbia at the World Cup, these are dates and kick-off times.

They are in World Cup Group E:

Serbia v Costa Rica – 17 June 1pm

Serbia v Switzerland – 22 June 7pm

Serbia v Brazil – 27 June. 7pm



https://www.themag.co.uk/2018/06/aleksandar-mitrovic-picked-key-player-2018-world-cup-newcastle-united/