Sunday Fulham Stuff (22/07/18)...

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Newcastle United join Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Fulham in hunt for Bristol City star

The latest transfer news around Ashton Gate with another departure possible

Bristol City are bracing themselves for interest from Newcastle United in defender Joe Bryan.

The Sun reports that Rafa Benitez is preparing a £6million bid for the 24-year-old left-back as he looks to reinforce his back-line with a versatile option.

Benitez is reportedly set to sign a new three-year deal at St James' Park and he will be given a £100m 'war chest' to strengthen his squad with Bryan on the radar.

BristolLive reported earlier this week that the Robins were yet to receive an offer for the Bristol-born defender despite several sides in the running.

Middlesbrough and Leeds United have been strongly linked with a move for Bryan and it's understood they are both interested in the left-sided player.

Fulham have also been in the market for Bryan although they have now recruited Maxime Le Marchand from Nice - a centre-back-cum-left-back - and it's thought their interest has dwindled.

Bryan is entering the final year of his contract at Ashton Gate and he's not been prepared to sign a new deal amid interest from Premier League and Championship clubs.

It's thought that Bristol City have been demanding near £10m for Bryan but could be ready to lower their asking price with the window running out to avoid losing him on the cheap in January.

City have already sold Aden Flint and Bobby Reid this summer and it's seems that Newcastle could be about to make their move for their highly-coveted former team-mate.



https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/newcastle-united-join-leeds-united-1812225

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Lyon 4-0 Fulham: Dominant second-half display from French side earns impressive win as Jean Michael Seri makes debut for the Cottagers

    Fulham were comfortably beaten 4-0 by French side Lyon on Saturday night
    Slavisa Jokanovic gave new signing Jean Michael Seri his debut in midfield
    The game was goalless at half-time but Lyon netted four times after the break
    Martin Terrier scored a brace while Mariano and Maxwel Cornet were on target

A ruthless second-half display from Lyon saw them blow away Premier League new boys Fulham and claim an impressive pre-season victory.

Despite being goalless at the break, Lyon scored two goals in quick succession after the restart through Martin Terrier and a penalty from Mariano.

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic, who gave new signing Jean Michael Seri his debut,  made full use of his squad with 15 minutes to go but the Ligue 1 side wrapped up the victory through Maxwel Cornet and Terrier again.


A ruthless second-half display from Lyon saw them blow away Fulham in a pre-season friendly


Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic gave new signing Jean Michael Seri his debut


Jokanovic watches on as he prepares for his team's return to the Premier League next month

Lyon started the better of the two teams at Stade Pierre Rajon and Denis Odoi was forced to block an effort from former Manchester United winger Memphis Depay in the ninth minute.

Seri was keen to make an impression on his new manager and overstepped the mark when he flew into a challenge on Ousseynou Ndiaye on the edge of the area and received a yellow card.

Marcus Bettinelli was called into action in the 33rd minute when ex-Chelsea attacker Bertrand Traore curled a strike towards the far corner. The goalkeeper managed to parry away the shot in his first start of pre-season.

Moments before half-time, Lyon threatened again when Ndiaye played through Depay.

The Dutchman took the ball around Bettinelli but Tim Ream got back to clear it away from the line just in time. 

Jokanovic made just one change at the break while their opponents named an entirely different time.

Their rhythm was not affected though as Terrier hit the post from a low cross a minute into the second-half.


Lyon players pose for a team group photo before the match at Stade Pierre Rajon


Another new signing, Fulham's Maxime Le Marchand, in action during the game


Lyon's Bertrand Traore sharply turns away from Seri during the second-half of action


Fulham's Neeskens Kebano and Lyon's Tanguy Ndombele battle for the ball in midfield

He then opened the scoring three minutes later when Mariano faked a shot before passing to the winger for him to convert from close-range.

Norwegian midfielder Stefan Johansen was also yellow carded in the 68th minute when he cynically brought down Corne on the break.

Lyon were then awarded a penalty after Odoi brought down Oumar Solet in the box. Mariano stepped up and fired home to make it 2-0.

Jokanovic then made seven changes moments before and Lyon profited instantly when Cornet added a third from close range following some good work down the left.

Terrier got his second and Lyon's fourth six minutes later after a nice pass from Kenny Tete found him for an easy finish.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5978407/Lyon-4-0-Fulham-Jean-Michael-Seri-makes-debut-Cottagers.html

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'The start of hard work to come': What signing a professional contract could mean for Ben Davis


Benjamin Davis in action for Fulham. (Photo: Fulham)

SINGAPORE: Penning a professional contract with a Premier League club is a massive achievement, English footballers past and present told Channel NewsAsia, but making the step up to the first team presents a big challenge for youngsters like Benjamin Davis.

Having joined Fulham on a scholarship in July last year, it was announced last Friday (Jul 13) that the 17-year-old midfielder had signed a two-year professional contract with the Cottagers. Davis is the first Singaporean to ink a professional contract with a club in the top flight of English football.

For a young player to do so represents a milestone, said former Premier League midfielder Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

"You've worked so hard to get to the point of having a chance and the actual number of footballers (in all of England) who get that first professional contract is minute," the former Blackpool and Leicester City man explained.

"It's a massive achievement, but it's only the start of the hard work to come."

"It's fantastic, when you've signed a professional contract - it's the best feeling in your life," agreed former goalkeeper John Burridge, who clocked almost 800 appearances for over 25 clubs in the United Kingdom. "But you still haven't made it yet."

Players at top tier English academies have a better chance of being offered a professional contract than those at the lower rungs, according to a 2017 Guardian article citing statistics from the Premier League. Fulham are one of 15 Premier League and nine Championship clubs in that top tier, where 65 per cent of their 18-year-olds got offered such contracts last year.

But signing a professional contract is just the beginning. From then on, they will get to train either with the first team, U-23s or U-18s, depending on how good they are.

"It all depends on the coaches and how they see the player developing," said Taylor-Fletcher, who signed his first professional contract with Leyton Orient.

"If he's someone who is a big lad and who has developed well, then he might be put straight in with the U-23s. But usually at that age, they'll have a year or two with the U-18s before they make the step up."

"To get into the first team, that's an even bigger step up again," added Taylor-Fletcher. "At 18 you sign a contract, you might not play in the first team till you're 21 or 22."

Such was the case for Crewe Alexandra defender Perry Ng, a 22-year-old Englishman who qualifies to play for Singapore as his paternal grandfather is Singaporean.

After signing his first professional contract at 18, Ng took close to two years to make his first start for Crewe.

"It was very difficult at first because I was a young pro and wasn't getting selected so I had to work hard and try to impress in training," he said.

"Most got released at the end of their contract and now play for semi-pro teams, or some went to university."

As for Ng, he had to drop to the lower divisions to get more game time, towards the end of his first season as a professional.

"This was good for me as I got to play men's football for the first time and show Crewe that they could trust me playing against men," he added.

Ng is currently a mainstay with the League Two side, but he stressed that it is tough for young players to make the leap to the first team.

"Most other clubs don't really give young lads a chance unless they are an exceptional talent," he said. "So I owe a lot to Crewe for giving me the chance at such a young age as many other young lads don't even get a chance."

One such talent that Davis could seek inspiration from is Fulham teenager Ryan Sessegnon, who joined the Cottagers' academy at the age of eight, making his first start for the club in 2016 at the age of 16.

Similar to Davis, Sessegnon was also on a scholarship contract before turning professional. But while the Singaporean has mostly been featuring for the U-18s, Sessegnon played for the first team while he was on scholarship, scoring seven goals in 30 appearances in the 2016-2017 season.

After signing a professional contract, the 18-year-old last season became the first player from outside the top flight to be shortlisted for the Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year award.

But the speedy Sessegnon, who plays as a left back or left winger, is the exception rather than the norm.

The latest CIES Football Observatory report found that in the English top flight, of the players who spent at least three years between the ages of 15 and 21 at their clubs, only one in 10 graduated from their academies.

"At some of the top Premier League clubs now, it is very difficult to get the youngsters through," said Taylor-Fletcher, who has moved into management after a long playing career. "With the amount of money in the game and the pressure on managers to succeed, they will often go out and buy somebody ready made, rather than developing someone."

However, the door remains open for Davis to make his first start in one of the world's top leagues.

Premier League rules state that each club can use an unlimited number of U-21 players throughout the season, on top of their 25-man squad.

At the start of the 2017/18 Premier League season, there were an average of 49 players in each club registered as U-21 players, including those signed on contracts and scholars. A number of these players went on to feature in their respective clubs' campaigns, such as Arsenal's Alex Iwobi, Chelsea's Andreas Christensen and Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Davis could be registered as a U-21 player for Fulham in the upcoming season, but whether he will make his Premier League bow remains to be seen.

"He needs to stay focused, train hard and dedicate himself (to football), said Burridge, a former goalkeeping coach with Singapore.

"Everybody's got a different mentality, some people will strive and progress with a winning mentality," added Taylor-Fletcher. "It all depends on the personality of the individual, and on the coaches at the U-18 and U-23 squads."



Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/the-start-of-hard-work-to-come-what-signing-a-professional-10544746