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Tuesday Fulham Stuff (07/08/18)...

Started by WhiteJC, August 07, 2018, 06:40:46 AM

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WhiteJC

 
Parliament: Ben Davis is playing for Fulham as an English national, not as a Singapore citizen, says Ng Eng Hen

SINGAPORE - Teenage footballer Benjamin Davis is playing for English Premier League club Fulham FC as an English national, not as a Singapore citizen.

That was one of three reasons why the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) rejected the application for national service deferment made for the 17-year-old by his father Harvey Davis, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said in his reply to questions in Parliament on Monday (Aug 6).

Benjamin signed a two-year professional contract with English Premier League club Fulham FC in June. He had left Singapore to join the club's academy in 2017.

In his profile on Fulham's website, Benjamin is said to "hail from Singapore", but his nationality is listed as English.

The second reason is that the senior Davis had "consistently refused to indicate" when his son would return to do NS, if deferred. Davis said this was because there are "a lot of variables all dependent on his development and progression".

Third, Mindef said Davis indicated that Benjamin would still sign the contract with Fulham if deferment was not granted - as he did - and would consider the option for his son to renounce his Singapore citizenship in order to pursue his career.

"To grant deferment to Mr Ben Davis to pursue his personal development and professional career would be unfair to the many others who have served their NS dutifully as required, and not at a time of their choosing," said Dr Ng.

"The application by Mr Harvey Davis for his son's deferment is to further his son's professional career first and to the longest extent possible."

"He has been quite open about this. Singapore and her interests, including his son's NS obligations, are secondary consideration, if at all."

Dr Ng added there had been "no indication, commitment or plans" as to how Benjamin signing for Fulham would help raise football standards in Singapore, if deferred.

However, Davis had said his son would serve as an inspiration for the students registered to JSSL Singapore, a youth football academy he runs.

"To preserve equity for all national servicemen, Mindef will only defer individuals very selectively if their deferment serves Singapore's interest first and foremost, never their own," said Dr Ng.

This was the only basis to grant deferment to three sportsmen - swimmers Joseph Schooling and Quah Zheng Wen, and sailor Maximilian Soh - for them to train and compete at the Olympics.

In all three cases, clear expectations were laid out when deferment was given, in discussion with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) on the standards required for their training. If they do not meet the standards agreed upon, deferment would be curtailed.

Dr Ng also revealed that 13 NS defaulters were prosecuted after the new sentencing framework was established last year.

He said: "Some wanted to complete their university degree first before NS. Others said they had to support their families.

"In every judgment, the courts dismissed these personal reasons, convicted and sentenced them to jail terms.

"Harsh as it is, the Enlistment Act is blind to 'personal convenience and considerations', no matter how talented the individual or exceptional his circumstances."

Dr Ng also added that Mindef has provided support to national sportsmen, and revealed that 10 athletes have been given either a short postponement of their enlistment, or time off if they have already enlisted, to train for the Aug 18-Sept 2 Asian Games in Indonesia.



https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ben-davis-is-playing-for-fulham-as-an-english-national-not-as-a-singapore-citizen-ng-eng

WhiteJC

 
Alfie Mawson could be Fulham's best signing yet

Fulham fans will be confident that their side can avoid relegation from the Premier League next season.

The Cottagers finally returned to England's top division after a four-year absence by defeating Aston Villa in the play-off final. In addition to keeping the majority of their key players, Fulham have strengthened significantly during the summer transfer window. As a result, they look well equipped to beat the drop next year.

Star forward, Aleksandar Mitrovic, completed a permanent move to Craven Cottage after impressing on loan. Fulham also managed to lure Jean Michael Seri from Nice despite interest from Arsenal and Chelsea. Their latest recruit could be the final piece of the puzzle.

To sure up his defence, Slavisa Jokanovic spent £15m to sign Swansea City defender – Alfie Mawson. Valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, the Welshman impressed for the Swans last season despite their relegation. He played in every single Premier League game last season and showed he was too good to be playing at Championship level.

Mawson will add some much-needed steel into the Fulham backline. His ability in the air is his biggest strength – winning 3.2 aerial duels per game last season (WhoScored). Mawson also chipped in with two goals meaning set-pieces could be a huge factor in their bid for survival. The 24-year-old still has a lot to prove at Premier League.

But for £15m, Fulham have made one of the signings of the summer.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/fulham/alfie-mawson-could-be-fulhams-best-signing-yet/

WhiteJC

 
'Very strange, why not Holding?' - Confused Arsenal fans react to Calum Chambers' Fulham link

Arsenal news includes fan reaction to reports Calum Chambers is joining Fulham on loan

Arsenal are about to lose a central defender this week if reports are to be believed.

The summer transfer window for English clubs shuts at 5pm on Thursday which is earlier than the rest of Europe and there's expected to be a host of activity at the Emirates Stadium between now and then.

Having signed no less than five players - including Sokratis Papastathopoulos - head coach Unai Emery admitted after his side's 2-0 win over Lazio at the weekend that he is looking to streamline his squad before deadline day.

Speaking during his post-match press conference, he said: "My focus is on the first match and preparing, and not for the window and the possibility to sign another player.

"Maybe we need some players to leave because we have lots in the squad, but at the moment, my one focus is on our work."

Less than 24 hours after those comments, the Daily Mail claimed that Calum Chambers is to undergo a medical ahead of a season-long loan deal at London rivals Fulham.

The centre-back signed a new deal with the Gunners earlier in the summer, has featured heavily during pre-season, is capable of filling it at right-back as well as in defensive midfield therefore this link has left many supporters in shock.


Calum Chambers (Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

As expected, this transfer rumours has sparked a massive reaction from fans on social media.

Chambers' potential departure could possibly pave the way for a new centre-back to arrive in north London before Thursday evening.

Otherwise the Gunners will start the season with Papastathopoulos, Shkodran Mustafi, Rob Holding and Konstantinos Mavropanos as their centre-back options, while Laurent Koscielny is expected to return from injury later in the year.



https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/transfer-news/calum-chambers-arsenal-transfer-news-14994430


WhiteJC

 
Four ins and outs Fulham could complete this week

As the transfer window enters its final week, many Fulham supporters will be hoping it never comes to a close.

This summer has brought a deluge of exciting, high-profile signings to Craven Cottage, exceeding the wildest expectations of many fans.

After the captures of a number of attacking stars, the focus now shifts to shoring up Fulham's spine, as the club is in the market for a number of defence-minded players.

Here are four ins and outs Fulham could complete during the transfer window's final week...

Calum Chambers from Arsenal

Reports in the Daily Mail claim that 23-year-old Arsenal defender Calum Chambers is set to have a medical at Fulham ahead of a season-long loan in SW6.

A flexible player who can play comfortably in the centre of defence, right back, and holding midfield, Chambers would be a valuable asset for Fulham.

Add in a healthy dose of Premier League and European experience (in both the Champions League and Europa League), and the Englishman could be the ideal fit for Slavisa Jokanovic's possession-based side.


(Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Dedryck Boyata from Celtic

According to The Times, Fulham have tabled a £9 million bid for Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata. The Belgian international featured prominently during this year's World Cup and has excelled north of the border under Brendan Rodgers.

Fulham are in desperate need of centre-halves, and the 27-year-old ex-Manchester City defender would provide good cover at the back, along with new signings Alfie Mawson and Maxime le Merchand.

Josuha Guilavogui from Wolfsburg

Sky Sports reported that Fulham were interested in purchasing Wolfsburg's French international midfielder Josuha Guilavogui. Guilavogui is a defensive midfielder who would provide fierce competition for Kevin McDonald in the holding role of Fulham's midfield trio.

An experienced 27-year-old who has played in Ligue 1, La Liga and the Bundesliga, as well as the Champions League and the Europa League, the Frenchman would offer top-quality steel and grit to Fulham.


(Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Possible departure: Marlon Fossey on loan

The young American has been one of the revelations of preseason so far, impressing with his lively performances at right back.

At just 19 years of age, Fossey has bags of potential and would perhaps be best served heading out on loan to a Football League club this season to gain vital first-team experience.



https://tbrfootball.com/four-ins-and-outs-fulham/

WhiteJC

 
Premier League Team Preview #15: Fulham

In this series, each Premier League club will be previewed from an FPL perspective, analysing their predicted lineup, short and long-term fixtures and key FPL prospects before a final verdict is given. Please note that predicted lineups are based on existing players and signings close to completion at the time of writing.

Predicted Lineup


The predicted lineup given here still has a degree of uncertainty ahead of Saturday's home encounter against Crystal Palace. However, 10 of these players started the club's final pre-season friendly against Celta Vigo with only Alfie Mawson not involved as he has yet to return following knee surgery during the summer.

With that in mind, there are two possible options for Slaviša Jokanović. The first would be to simply slot Denis Odoi into centre-back to cover for Mawson. Odoi and Ream were the mainstay centre-back pair during the excellent 23 game unbeaten run that propelled Fulham into the play-offs. However, Odoi's lack of height at just 5 foot 10 and tendency to give the ball away when Fulham play out of defence means it is difficult to see him retain that role following the step up to the top tier of English football.

The other option would be shifting Le Marchand into centre-back and Ryan Sessegnon to left-back with Aboubakar Kamara coming into the team out wide. This is arguably the more likely outcome, unless Fulham move swiftly in the transfer market before Thursday's deadline. For Fulham's final friendly on Saturday against Celta Vigo, Fulham's team was exactly that listed above apart from Kamara being in the side ahead of Mawson, facilitated by those position changes.

Jokanović is still reportedly looking to improve the club's squad with up to five new signings. That article suggests that the Serbian manager hopes for defensive acquisitions, which may allow Mawson to be replaced in the above lineup for the first few gameweeks. This could either be directly if a new centre-back was signed, or a new left-back would allow Le Marchand to move into centre-back. Calum Chambers has been linked with a loan move, suggesting he could play alongside Ream at the heart of the defence whilst Mawson is out injured.

Jokanović's hope for new arrivals does not end there as he wants cover for both defensive midfielder Kevin McDonald and striker Aleksandar Mitrović. McDonald is expected to start in Gameweek 1 in a midfield three with new arrival Jean Michaël Seri and Wembley hero Tom Cairney. The ability of Seri to play in either a box-to-box role alongside the deeper-lying McDonald and creativity of Cairney or in McDonald's deep-lying position with Johansen coming in to push further forward helps Fulham's flexibility if no new central midfielder is signed. However I expect McDonald to keep his place during the initial weeks given that he made the lineup in Saturday's friendly and the fact that Jokanović is actively looking for back-up to McDonald, suggesting his style is integral to their plans in midfield for the coming season.

Marcus Bettinelli will provide competition for Fabri in goal, however the former Besiktas man will most likely be first choice, having started in the club's final friendly in what appeared to be a full-strength side.

Fixtures

Short-Term

For those planning an early wildcard during the first international break, Fulham provide a very useful option for investment. A trip to Wembley against a depleted Tottenham side is sandwiched between home encounters against Crystal Palace and Burnley before a trip to the Amex on 1st September. But with Alfie Mawson injured for this period, I would urge caution on defensive investment.

Long-Term

Looking beyond Gameweek 4, Fulham face Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United in the subsequent 12 gameweeks. Perhaps this points to either investing in Fulham assets from Gameweek 1 or avoiding them completely until a more favourable run of fixtures arises. What is close to certain is that Fulham will play the same style regardless of opponent so holding an attacker through a tougher run of fixtures would not be the worst idea. Should Fulham be in a fight for survival towards the end of the season and therefore still have something significant to play for, investment on your second wildcard could be worthwhile ahead of fixtures against Watford, Everton, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Wolves and Newcastle from Gameweek 33-38.

Defensive Prospects

There is very little to get excited about from a defensive perspective. Granted, they conceded just 17 goals during the second half of the season (23 games), however that covered all but one of their unbeaten run. Even if they were playing in the Championship, their performances and number of clean sheets would regress. The rise into the Premier League will make it even harder to reach such strong defensive numbers.

The goal threat of Alfie Mawson may provide a long-term option similarly to his Swansea days in what could be a leaky defence, especially if his price dropped closer to £4.5m as a result of his early season absence.

Attacking Prospects

Fulham's main strengths are during the attacking phases of play which makes investment here much more enticing.

Andre Schürrle coming in at £6m in FPL is perhaps a red herring despite appearing a real coup for the club. With all due respect to Fulham, leaving Dortmund for them can only be described as a step down and we have to consider what has forced that move. His 18 months at Chelsea suggest part of the reason for his move was the attraction of living in London once again. However, just three league goals in two years at Dortmund is perhaps justification for the German club loaning him out.

If in doubt, I would always approach new signings with caution as they will require time to adapt to their new surroundings. The same could be applied to Jean Michaël Seri, an excellent purchase for the club but he is not a prolific goalscorer from midfield with one goal every ten league games. Further complications arise through his medical condition which makes it difficult to train and play in cold temperatures. It may be tough for him to be a start every week once the heat wave in England comes to an end.

This leaves three options: Tom Cairney (£5.0m), Ryan Sessegnon (£6.5m) and Aleksandar Mitrović (£6.5m) and any of the three could arguably be included in your Gameweek 1 squad.

Cairney looks nothing more than a decent bench option. He will have licence to break forward from central midfield in what is an attacking team, feeding Schürrle, Mitrović and Sessegnon. Penalty duties are a further potential attraction for the former Hull man. Norwood (3) and Kamara (1) scored the club's penalties last season but with Norwood's loan spell now over and Kamara set for a bench role, it looks set to be between Cairney and Mitrović.

With this in mind, Cairney has the potential to be this season's Luka Milivojević should he assume spot kick duties. Unfortunately, we are only talking in hypothetical terms here so his potential for points remain unknown, hence he can only be considered a bench option at this stage.

Academy graduate Ryan Sessegnon has certainly been a popular pick amongst the existing 2.5 million managers with 11.4% ownership. Within the FPL Twitter community, an opposite view has been taken with many fearing he will be fielded as a left-back to start the season due to the club's current lack of defensive numbers. If Calum Chambers or another centre-back is signed, the back four is likely to be Christie, new CB, Ream and Le Marchand, allowing Sessegnon to move forward to left-wing. That transfer situation is certainly one to keep an eye on during the final few days of the Premier League transfer window.

Another issue for many people is the price. This has also been applied to Mitrović as that £6.5m tag being given to players yet to really prove themselves at this level has appalled swathes of managers.

What I would say to this is that Fulham are not your average newly promoted team. A run of 23 league games unbeaten from December to April demonstrates both the skill and resilience of this team to grind out results. Of course it is a big step up to compete in the Premier League but that run to end the season is unprecedented for a team promoted from the Championship.

Sessegnon and Mitrović were vital to Fulham's promotion effort as they recorded 15 goals in 46 games and 12 goals in 17 games respectively. As young players, both have the potential to improve significantly and take to the Premier League like a duck to water. This is not to say either are a must but disregarding players because they are promoted players that cost £6.5m is a very simplistic way of viewing the game.

Mitrović has matured since his days in the Premier League with Newcastle, turning into an efficient striker for both club and country through his ability to score goals and hold up play. Similarly, Sessegnon is improving leaps and bounds every season and should the club sign a defender before Thursday's deadline, fears of him lining up in defence will be all but vanquished.

With the aforementioned run of four fixtures to start the season, one of these two attacking assets are certainly worthy of consideration for Gameweek 1.

Final Verdict

As a newly promoted team, we can never tell how Fulham will take to Premier League life, especially as our article on such clubs refuted the suggestion that they traditionally get off to a good start.

However, what we do know is that both in terms of style and form at the end of last season, Fulham are fairly unique compared to the average play-off winner. They are comparable to a side like Bournemouth who struggle to keep clean sheets, especially during their first Premier League season but have always scored enough goals to a) remain in the division and b) provide us with some fantasy gems.

The key to owning any Fulham assets is of course timing, but with Crystal Palace, Burnley and Brighton during the first four gameweeks, it seems that many managers could be wrongly ignoring either Sessegnon or Mitrović at £6.5m.

Written by @FPL_Guidance



https://fantasyfootballanalysts.wordpress.com/2018/08/05/premier-league-team-preview-15-fulham/

WhiteJC

 
Clock ticking for £9million Boyata bid from Fulham

FULHAM will make a £9million bid for Dedryck Boyata this week according to The London Times. The Premiership club have been linked with interest in the Belgium World Cup star since his group stage appearances in the tournament in Russia and the rumours at the time suggested that Boyata's agent was looking at securing a £50k a week pay packet for the player.

Other interest from Lazio and Lyon amounted to nothing and Brendan Rodgers was hopeful of holding on to the big defender after holding positive talks with the player in his return to Lennoxtown last week.

Boyata, who is now in the final year of his current deal at Celtic, was offered a new contract at the end of last season and just before the season ended he stated that he wanted to stay at Celtic and would sign in his return after the summer – at that stage he wasn't sure if he'd be in the final 22 for the Belgium squad.

However things went very well for the former Manchester City player and he starred in the three group stage wins before losing his place to a fit again Vincent Company for the knock-out stages. Eventually Belgium won 3rd spot in the World Cup.

The next two weeks were spent on a beach holiday in Greece before his return to Celtic last week. Boyata was not involved in the squad for the 3-1 win over Livingston on Saturday and is unlikely to play any part in the game against AEK Athens on Wednesday.

The English transfer window closes on Thursday this week so if any Fulham bid is to be accepted then the clock is ticking.

It was thought that Celtic would sell if Boyata indicated that he would not sign his new deal at the club. However Brendan Rodgers, with concerns over his central defence for the Champions League qualifying campaign – we need to play 8 games to reach the group stages in 2018, in 1967 , 8 games got us to Lisbon – Rodgers has firmed his resolve and indicated that the player will not be sold at this stage.

If Fulham's £9million bid does arrive, and Peter Lawwell talks them up to a round £10million as the clock ticks to the English window closing, then you can see that happening.

It surely only works though if the cash is spent by Brendan on a replacement!



https://thecelticstar.com/clock-ticking-9million-boyata-bid-fulham/


WhiteJC

 
Arsenal defender Calum Chambers set for Fulham loan


Arsenal defender Calum Chambers is set for a loan move to Fulham

Arsenal centre-back Calum Chambers looks set to join Fulham on a year-long loan.

The two clubs have come to an agreement over a loan fee for the 23-year-old, Sky Sports News understands.

If personal terms between Chambers and Fulham can be agreed, the player could undergo a medical later on Monday.

Chambers agreed a new four-year deal with Arsenal last month, committing his long-term future to the club.

He is poised to join new signing Alfie Mawson at Fulham, whose £15m arrival from Swansea was recently confirmed by the club.

Mawson is currently working back to match fitness following injury, and is expected to be ready by September.

Fulham have also brought in high profile signings in Jean Michael Seri, Andre Schurrle and Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer as they prepare for their first season back in the English top flight.



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12691/11462990/arsenal-defender-calum-chambers-set-for-fulham-loan

WhiteJC

 
Fulham agree loan signing of Chambers from Arsenal

Fulham are set to complete the signing of Arsenal defender Calum Chambers on a season-long loan.

West London Sport revealed Fulham's initial interest in the 23-year-old and he has remained a top target for the Whites ahead of the new season.

He agreed a four-year contract with Arsenal last month but is not in their short-term plans and Fulham have therefore continued to pursue a deal.

An agreement has been reached with Arsenal and Chambers is expected to complete a medical before finalising the move later today.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/whites-set-to-snap-up-arsenal-defender

WhiteJC


Arsenal's Calum Chambers is the perfect man for Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham
The 23-year-old looks set to join the Cottagers.

Photo: Getty Images

On Sunday night, the Daily Mail reported that Arsenal defender Calum Chambers was set to undergo a medical on Monday ahead of a proposed season-long loan move to Fulham.

A composed, ball-playing defender with copious Premier League experience and vast positional flexibility, the 23-year-old Englishman is the perfect player for Slavisa Jokanovic's side.

Fulham have found themselves in a defensive crisis of sorts, with star signing Alfie Mawson ruled out until September, centre-back Denis Odoi suspended, and with last season's key performers Tomas Kalas and Ryan Fredericks having departed Craven Cottage.

The need to acquire more defensive reinforcements is vital, exacerbated by a shaky backline performance against Celta Vigo during Fulham's final preseason friendly.

And the proposed loan signing of Chambers represents an ideal addition to the Whites' depleted defence.

Chambers broke onto the scene as a youngster with Southampton, making his league debut as an 18-year-old in 2013.

After one full professional season at St. Mary's where Chambers played mainly as a right back, he made a £16 million switch to Arsenal.

At the Emirates, Chambers quickly became a favourite of Arsene Wenger and made 23 appearances in his debut season, mainly as a right back but also featuring in defensive midfield and centre-back.

In the 15/16 campaign the Englishman found opportunities harder to come by, playing just 12 times in the Premier League, mainly as a holding midfielder or centre-back.

Next came a loan at Middlesbrough where he played consistently as a centre-back, before returning to Arsenal where he missed much of last season with injury.

In all, Chambers has racked up 94 Premier League appearances, as well as eight in the Champions League and eight in the Europa League.

A player who is extremely comfortable with the ball at his feet, Chambers was molded in Wenger's possession-based style and would fit in seamlessly with Jokanovic's philosophy.

A strong, technically-minded, and versatile player who can feature across the back four and in defensive midfield, Calum Chambers is the ideal transfer that checks all of Fulham's boxes ahead of their return to the Premier League.



https://tbrfootball.com/arsenal-calum-chambers-fulham/


WhiteJC

 
Calum Chambers: Fulham close to signing Arsenal defender on loan


Calum Chambers has won three caps for England

Fulham are close to completing the signing of Arsenal defender Calum Chambers on a season-long loan deal.

An agreement has been reached between the clubs, but personal terms still need to be finalised.

The 23-year-old, who joined Arsenal from Southampton in 2014, signed a new four-year contract last month.

However, the club and player are keen for him to gain regular Premier League playing time, which is not guaranteed at Arsenal this season.

It follows the signing of defender Alfie Mawson from Swansea in a deal that could cost up to £20m and the arrival of Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic for a reported £22m last week.

The Cottagers have also signed Spanish goalkeeper Fabri from Besiktas and German forward Andre Schurrle on loan from Borussia Dortmund, as well as Ivory Coast midfielder Jean Michael Seri and French defender Maxime le Marchand from Nice.

Chambers played 12 times in the Premier League for Arsenal last season, with the Gunners adding defenders Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Stephan Lichtsteiner to their squad this summer.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45084069

WhiteJC

 
Brede Hangeland on football being his drug, 'mad man' Magath & Fulham's Premier League chances

Former skipper Hangeland sat down to chat his Fulham career and what he expects from Slavisa Jokanovic's new-look side

It's a baking hot July afternoon in Moscow. At the Azimut Smolenskaya, a well-to-do hotel at the heart of the Russian capital, there's a lanky Norwegian perched at one of the tables in the swanky looking café out the front.

Lending the place a certain humility with his laptop up, studiously scribbling away on his notepad every now and again is former Fulham and Crystal Palace defender Brede Hangeland.

The 37-year-old retired as a player in 2016. Here he is preparing for his next commentary on Norway's TV2 network, the World Cup rights holder in his homeland.

When co-commentating, he's next to lead commentator Kasper Wikestad, who also comes and sits down next to Hangeland.

Except in the café this time, the roles are reversed. Hangeland is the one doing most of the talking whilst every now and then, Wikestad chips in with a comment on Hangeland himself.

Wikestad remembers a time ten years ago when he was working at another Norwegian TV station which had the Premier League rights. A few of his colleagues had just returned from England where they'd interviewed Hangeland, who had just moved to Fulham.

"They came back and were like: 'That's like the strangest Premier League player I've ever met'. He was carrying our equipment when we needed to change location! I've never experienced that before," exclaims Wikestad.

Hangeland reacts with a sheepish laugh. It then turns out he's been doing the same in Russia to try and ease the load on their cameraman, Olaf.


Mark Schwarzer and Brede Hangeland during their time at Fulham (Image: HOWARD WALKER/AFP/Getty Images)

"The thing is this," says Hangeland, taking on a somewhat studious tone as he begins to tactically break down their teamwork.

"We're travelling round in a team of three. It's me, Kasper and the cameraman. For us to do a good job as a team, we all have to pull a similar weight. So if the cameraman is carrying a massive bag around all the airports in Russia, we sometimes have to help him out, otherwise he's going to do a worse job at some point and it's going to make our team worse. It's simple logic really."

In England, you might just label this as common decency or being a good bloke but in Norway, you could refer to this as Janteloven.

"The concept is that you should never believe that you are something more than anyone else," explains Hangeland. "It serves the purpose of keeping everyone at the same level a little bit. You're not allowed to be flashy in Norway. It's a strong value in our society."

Wikestad says this reflects itself in Hangeland, describing him as "one of the greatest characters in Norwegian society in this respect."

"That's so nice of you," quips Hangeland. "I'll have to give you some Rubles!"

They both laugh before Hangeland puts Janteloven into a footballing context from when he was growing up in his hometown of Stavanger.

"It's about being a team player. So you were always told if you got carried away a little bit: 'Janteloven!' In a nice way. Keep your feet on the ground. Remember it's about the group, it's about the team being successful. So everyone had to do their share of fetching the balls, putting the goals in place, all that stuff. There's no way really at that young age that you can create that star mentality in your own head – someone will correct it.

Hangeland emphasises that ethos as being a cornerstone of why his time in England went well.

"Even when you come to the Premier League, there's a lot of different characters but especially in teams I've played in, Fulham and Crystal Palace, the success in those teams is built on having enough of those characters because if you're a smallish team, you can never compete with the big teams on quality. You have to compete on something else and it would be togetherness, being a team player and if you look at our Europa League run with Fulham, it was basically 11 guys with that mentality."

Hangeland was brought over from FC Kobenhavn in the Danish capital to Fulham in January 2008 by Roy Hodgson, who knew him from his time in Stavanger.

Now Hodgson is Crystal Palace boss and will return to Craven Cottage on the opening day this weekend, for the first time managing against Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham, who uses a "top team way of playing."


Old friends: Roy Hodgson signed Hangeland for Fulham

"We [Hodgson's Fulham] were based on defensive organisation first and foremost. I remember speaking to people who played against us. It was just horrible to play against because we were really a unit. Whereas the team now have played a very impressive, expansive type of football which to be honest didn't think would work that well in the Championship but fair play, they went with it and have done it.

"The question now is will it work in the Premier League? And I'm not so sure."

Hangeland added that with the provision of seeing what Fulham do in the transfer market. The signings of André Schürrle and Jean Michael Seri in particular indicate that the club are willing to gamble.

"My gut feeling would be that you need to change it slightly towards a more compact style of play. If you look at the teams that went up last year, Newcastle, Huddersfield, Brighton – they played exceedingly compact, similar to Roy Hodgson type of football and I think that's easier to survive in the Premier League playing that way."


Against Sergio: Brede Hangeland tackles Sergio Aguero (Image: LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty)

He concedes that it's an advantage that Fulham have been able to build their style of play in the Championship – unlike what Crystal Palace tried with Frank de Boer.

"I knew straight away when Frank de Boer was appointed – it's not going to work because if you want to play expansive, you have to look at their eleven and your eleven and be sure that your eleven is better than them. All the good teams play expansive football because that's how they dominate. But if you are, player by player, worse than the other team, then you have to play compact football."

Hodgson's football helped Hangeland become a club legend in six years down by the River Thames.

Good results present a favourable climate for any player to endear themselves to the fans but Hangeland benefited from being one of the most reliable presences, alongside central defensive partner Aaron Hughes.

On a more human level, if Fulham were away from home, you could always spot Hangeland charging over to the away end after the pre-match handshakes to applaud the Fulham fans who had made the journey.

It was a sign though of how just playing in the Premier League for Hangeland was "like winning the lottery" as he puts it.

"When I moved from Copenhagen to Fulham, the first game is against Bolton, away. Kevin Davies playing up top. I remember standing there thinking: 'This is just so surreal!'"

His upbringing was fairly standard by Stavanger standards. His dad was in the oil business, the most prevalent industry in the city whilst his mum was a teacher. Growing up 100 yards from the football pitch, it was school, homework, then go off and practice.


Into the last 16: Brede Hangeland scores against Shakhtar (Image: Alexander KHUDOTEPLY/AFP/Getty Images)

4pm on a Saturday was "the highlight of the week" as it was for hundreds of thousands of his fellow countrymen too — the time when they could watch their weekly game of Premier League action.

In front of the TV would sit Hangeland, his brother and his dad along with some snacks. Whenever there was a goal in the other games, a little ding would go off on the TV coverage.

"I remember so clearly, my dad would go off to sleep, snore and wake up whenever the ding came," chuckles Hangeland.

"I was a Manchester United fan as a kid what with [Ole Gunnar] Solskjaer, Henning Berg and Ronny Johnsen. So I remember whenever they played. I don't know how they picked the games. It could be Norwich v Sunderland or Man United v Liverpool. But whenMan United played, it was like Christmas. I remember watching them and thinking, 'These are such good players. It's incredible.' But then also, you play against them and then you realise they're flesh and blood as well and you can actually defend against them."


Brede Hangeland plays against Portsmouth during the final game of the Great Escape in 2008 (Image: Hamish Blair/Getty Images)

Hangeland proved that himself – whether it was in Fulham's last-gasp escape from relegation in 2008 or the club's subsequent highest league finish of 7th the following year before finishing runners up to Atlético Madrid in the Europa League final in 2010.

And yet it was a game against United shortly after in August which brought a "Hollywood style" moment for Hangeland.

In Fulham's first home game of the season, they were 2-1 down with a minute to play. Hangeland points out was down to him having scored an own goal just five minutes earlier. But, they won a corner.

"It happens very few times but sometimes you have a feeling going up for a corner: 'I will score now.' If Damien Duff puts the ball in the right spot, I will score."


Brede Hangeland of Fulham scores their second goal with a header against Manchester United (Image: Phil Cole/Getty Images)

He wasn't wrong. In came the corner from Duff, up went Hangeland and in went the ball past Edwin Van der Sar. Two-two.

"I've had children and stuff like that but it's the ultimate feeling in the moment that I've had in my life. It's that or Portsmouth in 2008 when we saved our Premier League status. I've never done drugs but I imagine that's why people do drugs – to try and get close to a feeling like that."

Fulham though were over the other side of the hill. Roy Hodgson, who Hangeland still describes as being a mentor to him, had gone to Liverpool by that point. Mark Hughes had come in.

"My intuition was telling me there will be a gradual decline at this club now because it felt like you'd maxed your level here but by then, I loved the club so much I was going to stay anyway."

So what lessons then could the club learn from the four years that followed the Europa League final which ended in relegation to the Championship?

"It comes down to the quality of people rather than individual qualities as a player or whatever track record you have as a player," says Hangeland.

"It's always about getting the best possible people – obviously they need to have talent or they need to be specialists in whatever they do. First and foremost, it's do we like each other? Do we want the same thing? Is everyone prepared to be a team player rather than play for themselves?

"You take away the top six in the Premier League. They're playing a slightly different game. They can look for brilliant individual skill just to break a defence open but all the other teams, they need to look for this philosophy.

"You look at Burnley for example. Why did they do so well? I haven't been to Burnley this year but I can tell you, 100% sure – if you walked into their changing room, it's like Fulham. Why did Leicester win the league? They must have had the same thing. So if I was in charge of a football club, that would be my first priority: 'What kind of guy is this?' And secondly, 'Is he a good player?'"

That personal touch was lacking when Hangeland left Fulham in 2014 with the defender notified of his departure by email.

"It was really sad. I felt as if what happened that summer wasn't 'real' Fulham. Because 'real' Fulham wouldn't have handled it that way. It was perfectly fine to cancel my contract because they had the option to do that, so that's business. The way it was done was not OK, but I have a great relationship with the club now, so it's no problem."

That incident came under Felix Magath, who famously told Hangeland to rub quark against his thigh to help heal an injury.

Hangeland has taken the jokes which have come his way since then in good spirit. When doing an interview with one fan podcast earlier this year, he recorded a link for them saying: "Hello. I am Brede Hangeland and when I'm not rubbing my thigh with cheese, I'm listening to the Fulhamish podcast."


Former Fulham manager Felix Magath

The way though that Hangeland rationalises the club's relegation in 2014 comes back to the former Bayern Munich coach.

"I decided fairly quickly [after leaving Fulham] - what happened here is just the sign of some kind of sickness in Fulham. I'm a reasonable guy. I like most people but Felix Magath for me...it's just wrong. I don't like the guy. I think he's borderline mad and you have to view those times with that lens."

I put it to him that in spite of that, Magath has enjoyed success at different stages of his career in Germany, winning Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg

"It's a different mentality, I think, in Germany," reasons Hangeland. "I played with loads of German players and they will accept whatever instruction they get without any thought process for themselves. That can work. If I was a manager in Germany and I worked them like dogs and they didn't ever question it – of course, they'd be fit. But in England and especially in Scandinavia, whenever our boss calls us now, we will always think, 'Was that an intelligent move from him?'"


Brede Hangeland in training before a Europa League game at Fulham (Image: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Would Hangeland then ever consider becoming a coach himself?

"I think I'd be good at it. The main question I ask myself: is he happy? It's probably the main thing with life, to enjoy what you do and well over 90% of the managers I've had, I don't really think they were happy deep down.

"I think they get caught up in all these forces around them. It's not easy to remain in control of all that. You're constantly fighting battles and you're constantly dealing with pressure. I'm not sure it's a healthy job. I can see why they get drawn into doing it – there's fame, there's limelight, there's money and everything. Do they really enjoy it? I'm not sure."

For now, Wikestad hopes that Hangeland — "a fantastic man to work with" — will just stay by his side.

"We worked together at the Euros and from the first day, Brede just came in and was working, working like a journalist with the players, with the teams, with everything. Other ex-pros would come in like, 'I'm the world champion. I know this.' I think that's why he's had great success and is so popular in Norway."

In Fulham, they feel the same too. The final game of their relegation season when dropping out of the Premier League was at home to Crystal Palace. That turned out to be Hangeland's last game for the club. This time, it's the start of Fulham's second Premier League journey.

Expect Hangeland to be with them in spirit.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/brede-hangeland-football-being-drug-14994516

WhiteJC

 
Fulham season preview: Why Slavisa Jokanovic can aim high
Summer signings boost Slavisa Jokanovic's side


Fulham have shown ambition on their return to the Premier League

With Fulham having bought well this summer, expect Slavisa Jokanovic's side to impress...

Last season:
3rd (Championship)
Title odds: 1000/1
Relegation odds: 15/8
Major ins: Aleksandar Mitrovic, Alfie Mawson, Andre Schurrle, Jean Michael Seri, Fabri, Maxime le Marchand
Major outs: Ryan Fredericks, David Button, Joe Felix, Djed Spence, Daniel Martin, George Williams, Isaac Pearce
Key player: Tom Cairney

It is only nine months ago that the police were called to Fulham's training ground at the request of then assistant director of football operations Craig Kline following a dispute. The fraught mood at the club did not appear conducive to success. Fulham were 16th. Now they are basking in the glory of promotion and building on it with a successful transfer window.

Alfie Mawson is the latest arrival, signing a five-year deal despite interest from more established clubs, but getting World Cup winner Andre Schurrle - still only 27 - was even more impressive. Jean-Michael Seri might be the pick of the bunch, the highly-rated midfielder bringing class and vision to the team. He looks some coup for the Cottagers.


Aleksandar Mitrovic is back at the Cottage after his permanent switch from Newcastle

Perhaps the best thing about Seri's signing is that he is a perfect fit for the passing game that Slavisa Jokanovic prefers at Fulham. This is a team that picked up more points than Wolves over the second half of last season, keeping possession of the ball better than anyone else in the Championship. Seri will only help with that.

The hope is that he can bring the best out of club captain Tom Cairney, the hero against Aston Villa at Wembley, while Ryan Sessegnon is only going to improve further. Aleksandar Mitrovic will get service and after scoring 12 goals in 17 games to fire Fulham to promotion, expect him to take advantage. He will want to show his best form in the top flight.

Jokanovic too has had to wait to do that. Although he also won promotion with Watford, he was denied his shot at the Premier League the following season and there were times when he must have feared his Fulham opportunity would not work out either. But with Kline gone and key players stepping up, a 19-game unbeaten run turned everything around.


Andre Schurrle is an exciting new arrival at Fulham

Huddersfield showed that promotion via the play-offs need not prevent a team from making a success of it and Fulham are rather better placed to make a swift impact. There is a good blend of youth and experience, they are well coached, and are now odds on to stay up. The odds of that happening would have been rather longer when the police turned up late last year.

Paul Merson's verdict
They've had a go. They've done what Huddersfield did and want to stay in the Premier League. Bringing in Aleksandar Mitrovic, he suits the way they play and did well last season but I think it's a lot of money for someone who didn't score many at Newcastle.

I think they'll be alright, they play a Premier League way, get the ball down and pass it, and I think they'll be fine, I really do. Mitrovic will get chances, they've brought in Alfie Mawson who's a good player - there was talk of him going to bigger clubs than Fulham, and if things do start to slide he's been there and can be one of those to keep the dressing room's spirits up.

I don't think they'll change the way they play either, they're good passers. If you can get it down and pass it, that's fine. It's when you try to play that way and you can't pass it that you need to worry. It'll be interesting to see how Ryan Sessegnon gets on too after no-one came in for him.



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11460981/fulham-season-preview-why-slavisa-jokanovic-can-aim-high


WhiteJC

 
Why Unai Emery's previous comments about Calum Chambers make Fulham loan move even more bizarre

The 23-year-old is set to spend the 2018/2019 season on loan at Fulham

Calum Chambers' season-long loan switch to Fulham has caught many Arsenal supporters by surprise.

The 23-year-old only signed a contract extension at the Emirates Stadium last month, but football.London understands that an agreement has been reached between the two clubs over a potential loan move.

Having been linked with a permanent transfer to Craven Cottage earlier in the summer, it was expected that this new deal would have put an end to any speculation regarding the defender's future.

Turns out it did not and he's expected to depart on what will be a second loan spell away from the club he joined in July 2014.

Gunners supporters have already taken to social media and expressed their confusion about this deal. Some have questioned why Rob Holding isn't the one being sent out on loan, while others believe a new centre-back will arrive before Thursday's deadline.

Yet what makes Chambers' departure all the more bizarre is comments from Arsenal head coach Unai Emery literally a month ago.

"I'm delighted Calum has extended his stay with us," the Spaniard told the club's official website after the defender had signed his new deal. "He played an important role last season and will be part of my plans this season."


Calum Chambers in action against Chelsea (Image: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Of course things can change in the blink of an eye when it comes to transfer deals, but Emery had clearly earmarked a role for Chambers this season and even tested him in a defensive midfield position against Boreham Wood last month.

Furthermore, he has impressed during pre-season and is widely regarded as the best ball-playing centre-back among Holding, Shokdran Mustafi, Laurent Koscielny, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Konstantinos Mavropanos.

Now it's clear that Emery has had a rethink about his defence.

Chambers, Sokratis and Mustafi are all more comfortable bringing the ball out from defence on the right-hand side so keeping three players of the same profile wouldn't make much sense and maybe the decision to sell the Englishman was made when it became apparent that the German international wasn't going anywhere for now.

In addition, it would point to a left-sided player - maybe Domagoj Vida - arriving before 5pm on Thursday thus allowing Chambers to get more first-team minutes under his belt and he could still become a regular in the Arsenal side next season.

However, if Emery is planning on going with Mustafi and Sokratis as his first-choice partnership in 2018/2019 coupled with his past comments about Chambers then allowing a season-long loan move to Fulham is certainly a head scratcher.



https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/players/calum-chambers-to-fulham-emery-14996101

WhiteJC

 
Report: Fulham willing to buy Ole Selnaes as St Etienne reject loan offer

Premier League newcomers Fulham are still looking for new signings and reportedly like the Norwegian midfielder Ole Selnaes.

Wolverhampton Wanderers went into the summer with fans and neutrals alike tipping them to take the Premier League by storm next season, but fellow newly promoted side Fulham have arguably made a bigger splash in the transfer market.

The Cottagers have signed Andre Schurrle, Jean Michel Seri and Aleksandar Mitrovic among others, and are now allegedly looking to bring in a 17-capped international.

Football London reports that Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic wants a player who can act as a back-up to the influential Kevin McDonald at the base of the midfield and Ole Selnaes certainly fits the bill.

But TEAMtalk are claiming that Ligue 1 outfit St Etienne have rejected Fulham's attempts to sign Selnaes on a season-long loan. Les Verts would, however, consider selling the Norwegian if the price is right, and it is reported that Fulham would be willing to buy him outright.

It is unknown, however, how much it would cost to sign Selnaes, who TEAMtalk believe has caught the eye of several Premier League clubs after some impressive performances in France. He started 23 Ligue 1 games last season, picking up nine yellow cards along the way.

According to Transfermarkt, he is worth about £2.7 million but you can expect that St Etienne will demand far more than that.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/08/06/do-report-fulham-willing-to-buy-ole-selnaes-as-st-etienne-reject/

WhiteJC

 
Jokanovic will stick to his principles as Fulham fight for Premier League survival

Fulham secured their return to the Premier League playing some of the most attractive soccer in England. Will it keep them up?

It feels a long time since a promoted side generated as much excitement as Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham, who reached the Premier League via the playoffs last season while playing some of the most exciting, attacking soccer in England. The question is whether that style — the Cottagers averaged 57.8 percent of the ball in the Championship — can work in the top flight. Jokanovic, at least, is confident.

"We believe we can play this way," he said after Fulham secured promotion last May. "We must show ambition but we must know that next season we will probably not win as many games as at this level. In general, we must try to dominate the teams we believe we can dominate against."

He's right. They won't win as many games as they did last season — 25 in the league and two more in the playoffs — but they have the quality to survive.

And in Ryan Sessegnon they boast arguably the most talented teenager in the country. The 18-year-old has enjoyed an outstanding first two seasons as a senior player, scoring seven goals and adding four assists in all competitions in 2016-17, before increasing those numbers to 16 and eight last term, despite spending a considerable amount of time playing at left-back.

Sessegnon has attracted plenty of interest from bigger teams, with Tottenham, Liverpool and even Barcelona all rumored to be interested, but he seems intent on spending 2018-19, at least, at his boyhood club. His attempt to make the jump to the Premier League level will be one of the year's most intriguing storylines, and one that will presumably, if reports are to be believed, be followed closely by some of Europe's elite teams.

Sessegnon isn't, however, Fulham's only attraction. Their captain, Tom Cairney, who usually plays in midfield in Jokanovic's preferred 4-3-3 formation, recorded 10 combined goals and assists in the league last season, and 23 in about 1000 more minutes the year before. The drop off in playing time was a result of an ongoing knee problem, but Cairney started the last 15 games of the season, and scored the goal that sent Fulham up in the playoff final. He's the sort of technical, pass-first player that often struggles to make the jump from Championship to Premier League, but there's real talent there, and like the team in general, it will be fascinating to see how he adapts.

Andre Schurrle, still only 27 and on loan from Borussia Dortmund, will add more quality to the attack. He didn't have a particularly happy time at Dortmund, but he's proven himself in the Premier League with Chelsea and could chip in with some valuable goals alongside center forward Aleksandar Mitrovic, who moved to Fulham permanently this summer after spending the second half of last season on loan at Craven Cottage.

Then, of course, there's Jean Michael Seri, bought for £27 million from Nice, a year after almost moving to Barcelona, in what has surely been the strangest transfer of the window so far. Typically, it's not a good sign when a player linked with a club like Barcelona ends up at a club like Fulham, but Seri has impressed in Ligue 1 for years, and has experience in the Champions and Europa Leagues. His quality in possession and willingness to receive the ball under pressure could make a huge difference as Fulham look to get to grips with Premier League opposition.

The Cottagers have also stayed true to their old "Fulhamerica" nickname. Several notable U.S. stars played at Craven Cottage, including Brian McBride, Clint Dempsey, Eddie Lewis, Carlos Bocanegra and Kasey Keller. That legacy will live on in the form of center-back Tim Ream, who signed a new two-year deal in July after being named the club's player of the season for 2017-18. Ream's experience in the Premier League, however, is limited. He last played in the top flight with Bolton during the 2011-12 season.

"The goal all along was to be in the Premier League, and now to have the opportunity to play there with this group of guys is something that I think we're all looking forward to, not just myself, and hopefully we can make it special this year," he told the club's official website.

Ream is the lynchpin of the Fulham defense. He played alongside both Denis Odoi and Chelsea loanee Tomas Kalas last season, and now has a new potential partner in 24-year-old Alfie Mawson. If Mawson starts, that will likely see Odoi slide out to left-back (unless Sessegnon plays there, although his future seems to be further forward), with right-back still somewhat of a question mark after last season's starter, Ryan Fredericks, moved to West Ham.

Regardless of who starts, the back line will be tested far more than it was last season, when Fulham conceded 46 goals in the league, and Jokanovic, who will get his first chance in the Premier League after being fired by Watford after guiding them to promotion in 2014-15, will have some difficult decisions to make as he seeks to find the right balance between idealism and pragmatism.

Bournemouth and Swansea have both shown in recent years that sitting deep and defending isn't the only route to Premier League survival, and Fulham have, at least on paper, a better squad than both. It's time for them to show us how good they really are.



https://fansided.com/2018/08/06/premier-league-fulham-preview-sessegnon-seri-ream/


WhiteJC

 
Exclusive: George Williams on his Fulham spell, Euro 2016 and two year ambition
We caught up with the former MK Dons and Fulham prospect, now plying his trade for Forest Green.

Photo: Getty Images

From playing alongside Dele Alli to making the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2016, George Williams has experienced an immense amount in his footballing career at just 22 years old.

However, the glaring omission from the former Fulham player's resume is the presence of consistent first team football; the most senior appearances Williams has ever made in a season to date were his 20 matches in 2014/15.

This summer, the Welsh international marked the latest chapter in his whirlwind journey by moving to Forest Green Rovers of League Two in a bid to find stability, play regular football, and possibly even return to the international scene.

Williams sat down for an exclusive interview with The Boot Room in the stands of The New Lawn, reflecting on his time at Fulham, recalling his Welsh exploits, and describing his initial impressions of Forest Green.

The Sky Bet League Two club's most distinctive feature may be its emphasis on environmental causes, and Williams admits he wasn't too knowledgeable about that aspect beforehand— but insists the vegan food is quite alright.

"Obviously the thing that sticks out is the whole vegan football club. I didn't know too much about what being a vegan meant and the reasons behind it, but to be fair the food's been great."

Before experiencing the culinary delights on display at Forest Green, Williams started his career in the MK Dons academy. He came through the youth ranks with Dele Alli, and has fond memories of his early days in Milton Keynes.

"We had a great team and we had a manager at U-14 level through that wanted to play good football. It was good to play with young players at that level, as we all wanted to be the best and that made for a good competitive environment."

"The moment [Dele Alli] joined you could tell he had something different, he was an incredibly talented young footballer. You knew from that moment he was going to go on to play at the highest level, and he's doing that now."

In 2012, Williams moved from MK Dons to Premier League side Fulham. But in his six years by the banks of the Thames, the midfielder made just 17 senior appearances for the club. Nevertheless, he only has good things to say about his time in SW6.

"I can only take positives away from it. I joined the club as a 16-year-old and I got to play for the first team at Craven Cottage."

Williams recalls a successful spell during Fulham's 2014/15 campaign, when he was playing regularly and the Whites were on the brink of making a play-off charge. Unfortunately, a combination of injury and change in manager the following season derailed his good form.

"Kit Symons was the manager, and I remember a time if we had won a game we were going to move into just outside the playoffs... I was injured, there was a change of manager, he brought in his own players and I came back from injury trying to get back into the team— it was hard."

Yet, despite an injury-filled spell that featured four loan spells, the highlight of Williams' career—his international success with Wales— came when he was on the books at Fulham. The attacking midfielder made his debut against Holland in 2014 and was part of the squad that made the "amazing" run to the Euro semifinals two years later.

"It's memories that I'll have for the rest of my life. It was 60 days away in France, and it was an incredible experience to get to the semifinal.. by the end of it we were thinking 'Hold on we could go all the way here.' It wasn't to be, but semifinalists at the Euros was an incredible achievement and I'm very thankful to be a part of it."

When asked who has had the biggest influence on his career, Williams doesn't hesitate before crediting Chris Coleman with a major role in his development. The former Wales manager placed his trust in the youngster, Williams said, giving him priceless opportunities to further his ability.

However, his last appearance for the nation came in March 2016, and with new manager Ryan Giggs at the helm, Williams has been frozen out of the Welsh set-up. He said his move to Forest Green is a bid to change that, and Williams remains confident he can put himself back in the Wales conversation by playing regular football.

"I don't see why [I can't get back in the Wales set-up]. I don't see why if I get playing here and playing good football, being on the pitch and doing well, I don't see why not. That's ideally what I aim to do, I aim to get back into that Wales squad and hopefully I can do that."

Williams has enjoyed a transitory career path to date, and when asked where he sees himself in two years time he ponders his answer.

"Either playing for Forest Green Rovers and getting promoted with them...," he starts to answer before pausing for a moment.

"Just playing football really, that's all I want to be doing. Playing football at the highest level I can, and hopefully that could be with Forest Green Rovers, and if not, wherever. I just want to be playing football."

The desire to simply play football is a sentiment that can be understood for a player who has never had a full season of senior football under his belt.

And at the weekend, Williams made his Forest Green debut away at Grimsby Town, starting on the left wing as the club notched a 4-1 win.

At 22 years of age, George Williams appears primed to enjoy consistent football at Forest Green Rovers, granting the Welsh international a chance to finally fulfill his plentiful potential.



https://tbrfootball.com/exclusive-george-williams/

WhiteJC

 
Why the axis of Alfie Mawson & Calum Chambers could be key to Fulham's Premier League survival

The pair's partnership in the U21 Euros was impressive - now they can be the rock that Fulham build their future on

Fulham are wasting no time in trying to establish themselves as a Premier League club once again - and with the arrival of Alfie Mawson and the impeding signing of Calum Chambers, they have the bedrock to do so.

The club splashed £15million to secure the services of Mawson from recently relegated Swansea City, gaining a defensive leader who is able to play the 'Fulham way' while a loan move for Chambers ensures that bit of top flight quality is present in the back four.

While it's business that demonstrates Fulham aren't in the Premier League to make up the numbers this season, it also shows that the recruitment team are combining their usual models with a bit more cutting edge to gain an advantage on their rivals this campaign.

Players like Mawson and Chambers have Premier League experience - that much is a fact.

Between the two, they've played over 90 times in the top flight for their respective clubs, but it's their partnership for England U21s in the European Championships in 2017 that is of particular interest for Fulham fans.

The pair played every game together in the heart of the English defence in Poland as Aidy Boothroyd's side reached the semi finals, where they were beaten on penalties by Germany.

The Chambers-Mawson partnership was one of the main talking points that people took away from the tournament, with Mawson in particular earning rave reviews for his willingness to head away anything that came near the English box having just belted out 'God Save the Queen'.


Callum Chambers (R) and Alfie Mawson (Image: Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)

Chambers, meanwhile, was composed on the ball, eager to play from the back while also able to do the defensive side of the game that has traditionally been seen to go hand-in-hand with English football.

At just 23 (Chambers) and 24 (Mawson), the pair certainly have the potential to become a strong Premier League partnership, especially if their U21 Euro campaign together was anything to go by, and Fulham have shown an wiliness to have picked up on that tournament and bring it together once more.

That partnership has been largely credited for England's defensive displays in that tournament, where the Young Lions only conceded three goals, and speaking during the tournament, Chambers admitted that he and Mawson enjoyed playing together.

"I think we [Chambers and Mawson] enjoy playing with each other and we're both very vocal," he explained.

That vocal side to their game is something the Whites will need this season - despite being a talented side there's not much top flight experience in there, and when you're facing the likes of Eden Hazard, Mo Salah and Sergio Aguero, a loud voice from your centre halves might be the difference between dealing with them or not.

It represents a youthful direction of the club too - the pair are still early twenties and have a long career ahead of them, with potential senior England caps also on the horizon.


Andrea Petagna of Italy challenges Calum Chambers of England (Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

But it mirrors what Tony Khan has done with his Jacksonville Jaguars NFL franchise in the United States too.

Across the pond, the Jags reached the AFC Championship game - one away from the Superbowl - against the New England Patriots with a side rebuilt on youth and energy.

Before last season, The Jaguars hadn't had a winning season under Shahid Khan's spell of ownership, but shrewd recruitment turned that around and they were unlucky not to beat the Patriots in that Championship game.

And now as Fulham prepare for life back in the Premier League, success looks like it'll be built on a youthful core, with Chambers, Mawson, Sessegnon and Mitrovic all set to play a huge part in their quest for survival.

If the two young defenders can replicate the form that saw them gain so many plaudits from across Europe in the U21 championships, Fulham may finally have that solid defence Jokanovic has craved for since becoming head coach two and a half years ago.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/axis-alfie-mawson--calum-14994948

WhiteJC

 
Ryan Sessegnon leads exciting teenagers facing a season of scrutiny

Young English players are often mistreated but there will always be the thrill of seeing a major talent fulfilled


Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon (right) is one of the game's most admired teenagers and is likely to be in the England squad soon. Photograph: Ian Tuttle/BPI/Rex/Shutterstock

In the sweltering sunshine of Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon, Ryan Sessegnon was going about his usual business of looking older than his years. A composed, even studious presence in a Fulham side preparing for a return to the Premier League with a friendly against Celta Vigo, he spent an hour working at establishing a relationship with André Schürrle, just arrived on loan from Borussia Dortmund, on the left flank, and then half an hour pushing up into the position vacated when the German was withdrawn. Everything he did spoke of the qualities that have made him one of the most admired teenagers in English football.

Sessegnon was the one Gareth Southgate left behind. It must have been a difficult decision – harder than, say, Jonjo Shelvey or Jack Wilshere – because he so closely fits Southgate's unspoken template. The England manager wants players with enough upstairs to enable them to bring it to the application of their football gifts. He wants common sense as well as imagination, an ability to take responsibility without being burdened by it.

But Southgate decided that this was one tournament too early for Sessegnon, who turned 18 the day after the announcement of the squad for Russia. In any case he had Danny Rose and Ashley Young queuing up to start at left‑back, with Fabian Delph in reserve. Perhaps he also had in mind Theo Walcott, a very different type of player but one whose progress was arguably hindered by being taken to a World Cup as a teenager.

The development of young England players has been a controversial topic ever since the TV cashflow opened the gates to the finest foreign talent while enabling certain clubs to stockpile so many young players that they employ staff whose only job is to keep tabs on the ones sent out on loan. In some quarters it is claimed that the increased competition for places ensures that only the very best young Englishmen survive the test, giving the national team a core of talent hardened by the most rigorous apprenticeship. A more balanced view suggests that it can damage the development of players who would benefit from a more prolonged integration into first-team football at the highest level.

Although Sessegnon is known to be wanted by richer clubs, at the time of writing it appears that he will be starting the season in the shirt he has worn since becoming the first player born in the 2000s to score a goal in the English leagues. Not only his present club's fans will hope he stays put for a season at least, becoming acquainted with the pace and rhythms of the top tier while under no extra pressure to retain his place. Since he has never looked uncomfortable anywhere, there is a good chance that he will make it through and become a part of Southgate's team in time for the next World Cup – assuming, of course, that the manager lasts that long.

The previous evening, one of the many products of Chelsea's academy stepped into the spotlight as Frank Lampard's televised managerial debut showcased Mason Mount's first appearance for Derby. The 19-year-old, who scored nine goals in 29 league appearances while on loan to Vitesse Arnhem last season, was a discreet presence in Lampard's midfield, but it was a shrewd move on his part to score the sort of goal that was once his new manager's trademark, albeit with the help of defective goalkeeping. Voted player of the tournament when England won the European Under-19 championship a year ago, Mount was invited by Southgate to train with the senior squad before they set off for Russia.

And then on Sunday, on another side of London, Pep Guardiola gave another English midfield prodigy the chance to demonstrate his gifts in front of a large audience. Phil Foden, the winner of the golden ball in last season's Under-17 World Cup, took his chance with calm assurance, his smooth movement, Scholes-like vision and velvet-lined left foot evident as he moved the ball across the pitch before easing it into the path of Sergio Agüero for the first of Manchester City's Community Shield goals.

Facing City at Wembley without Eden Hazard, Maurizio Sarri gave Callum Hudson‑Odoi, who had impressed the new manager in pre-season matches, a chance to fill the Belgian's role on the left of Chelsea's attack. There was promise in the way the 17-year-old turned Kyle Walker inside out, although an ineffectual midfield gave him little support.

These teenagers face a season of trial and scrutiny. We all remember the promise and subsequent disappearance of Ravel Morrison and Josh McEachran. As my colleague Jacob Steinberg warned on Sunday while assessing Foden's performance, it is important to keep a sense of proportion, which is what José Mourinho failed to do four years ago when he declared that if Dominic Solanke, Izzy Brown and Lewis Baker – all teenagers on Chelsea's books at the time – failed to win full England caps, if would be his fault.

Today, Solanke, who despaired of making it at Stamford Bridge, is fighting for a start at Liverpool, while Brown played last season for Brighton, his fourth loan club, and Baker, on his fifth loan, was a late substitute in Marcelo Bielsa's first outing as Leeds's manager on Sunday.

But what football fan does not yearn to see young talent prosper, cheering it on and experiencing a sense of pride as it comes to fruition? One way and another, this was a good weekend for Southgate. But come back after Christmas, when the sunshine has dimmed and the struggle is on. Then let's see how it's all working out.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/aug/06/ryan-sessegnon-exciting-teenagers-season-of-scrutiny


WhiteJC

 
Calum Chambers to join Fulham as Arsenal agree season-long loan deal for defender

Newly-promoted Fulham have agreed a deal to sign Chambers on a season-long loan from the Gunners

Fulham are set to make it a magnificent seven summer signings by finally snapping up Arsenal defender Calum Chambers.

Newly-promoted Fulham have agreed a deal to sign Chambers on a season-long loan from the Gunners.

Chambers, 23, signed a new four-year Arsenal deal last month and had been earmarked for a starting centre-back role by Unai Emery.

But the new Arsenal boss has favoured Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Shkodran Mustafi in pre-season and Fulham have stepped in to offer Chambers regular top-flight football this season.

They tried to sign Chambers last summer and were keen again a year on before he signed his improved Arsenal contract.


Calum Chambers will join Fulham on a season-long loan (Image: Arsenal FC)

Leicester and Brighton had also expressed interest but Fulham are poised to finally land their man and continue their busy summer of activity.

You can keep track of all the latest transfer news and updates in our live, rolling blog throughout the day, right here.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/calum-chambers-join-fulham-arsenal-13040493

WhiteJC

 
Fulham Have the Pieces in Place to be this Season's Surprise Package


Slaviša Jokanović has overseen a turn around at Fulham that borders on miraculous. He took over during the 2015/16 season following a poor start to the season by his predecessor, Kit Symons, and led the club to a 20th place finish – 11 points above the relegation zone.  In his second season, he got them to the play-offs and then went one better last season by gaining promotion into the Premier League.

Unfortunately for Fulham fans, they had to do this the hard way. They missed out on automatic promotion on the final day of the season and had to go through the play-offs again. In seasons gone by, the third-place team has often gone on to miss-out on gaining top-flight status —  to buck this trend is a testament to the mental strength of their team.

Their four-year absence from the Premier League has now come to an end and, with Jokanović at the helm, there is optimism that they can make an impact on the biggest stage in the world and will finish their maiden campaign in a respectable league position.

Smart Summer Signings
The biggest dilemma that clubs face when they are promoted is how many players to sign. Striking a balance between strengthening your squad and maintaining togetherness is vital to avoid alienating existing players. This is a tough balancing act and getting it wrong can lead to being relegated straight away, undoing all the hard work that it took to get that far.

Fulham's transfer business so far has been exemplary. They have pulled off arguably the coup of the summer by signing Chelsea and Barcelona target, Jean Michaël Seri, from Nice. His range of passing and vision from midfield will be invaluable when it comes to breaking down teams that sit deep.

They have also bolstered their front line, André Schürrle has been brought in on loan from Borussia Dortmund to add another dimension in the final third and their talisman from last season, Aleksandar Mitrović, has been rewarded for his efforts with a permanent deal in West London. Not recruiting strikers wisely has been a major pitfall for many promoted teams in the past, so getting a player like Mitrović who fits into their system and is accustomed to the physicality of the Premier League could prove a valuable asset. Yes, he doesn't quite have the speed of Vardy, Aguero, or Usain Bolt, for that matter, but he is a constant threat in the box.

Championship Players Ready to Step Up
Despite making a number of high-profile signings, some of the players that came up from the Championship with them already have the skill-set to thrive in the top flight. Such is club captain, Tom Cairney's, quality that he has been linked with many Premier League clubs during his time at Fulham. His choices to stay have ultimately paid dividends as he can now showcase his talent on the big stage for a club where he has become a strong fan favourite.

Also coming up from the Championship with them is their teenage prodigy, Ryan Sessegnon. He has won many plaudits during his emergence as one of England's brightest talents. His intelligence on the ball and technical ability gives him the flexibility to play anywhere down the left-hand side of the pitch. Last season he was involved in 24 goals (16 goals and 8 assists) during Fulham's promotion bid so there is great optimism that he will be able to maintain this electric form and not be overawed by the pressure of the Premier League.

A Tactically Astute Manager
Despite not having the most spectacular managerial CV, Jokanović achieved great success during his spell at FK Partizan in Serbia and led Watford to the Premier League during the 2014-15 season which is a positive sign for anyone doubting his credentials. As well as this, his tactical acumen is clear to see as his Fulham team is renowned for playing a possession-based style of football that led them to be described by Neil Warnock as "the Manchester City of the Championship".

His dedication to playing stylish football in such a competitive league with unbelievably high-stakes was indicative of his belief in the quality of his squad and made them an attractive prospect to watch. If he can maintain this style in the Premier League, it is sure to draw the crowds down to Craven Cottage and will only increase his stock as a managerial talent.

Overall, predicting the trajectory of a team's season before they've even played a game is generally a fool's errand. However, all the pieces are there for Fulham to have a fruitful debut season back in the top flight and it seems like Slaviša Jokanović is the ideal man for completing the puzzle.



https://onsideview.com/football/premier-league/fulham-this-seasons-surprise-package/