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Thursday Fulham Stuff (25/10/18)...

Started by WhiteJC, October 25, 2018, 07:17:42 AM

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WhiteJC

 
Fulham set to reward goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli with a new contract to continue whirlwind start to season

    Marcus Bettinelli has enjoyed a superb start to the season for club and country
    Fulham goalkeeper has forced his way to No 1 and earned an England call-up
    He is now in talks with his club over an improved deal at Craven Cottage

England international Marcus Bettinelli is set to top off his whirlwind start to the season by signing a new Fulham contract.

The goalkeeper has been in talks with the Cottagers over an improved deal and there is now growing hope an agreement is close.

Having started the season on the bench, Bettinelli has won his place back in Slavisa Jokanovic's starting XI, and his performances for Fulham culminated in his first England call-up for the September games against Spain and Switzerland.

He kept his place in Gareth Southgate's squad for the games against Croatia and Spain earlier this month. He has also captained Fulham this season.


Marcus Bettinelli is set to continue his whirlwind season by signing a new Fulham contract


Bettinelli was down the pecking order at Fulham but is now No 1 and earned an England call-up


The goalkeeper punches the ball clear during Fulham's recent league clash with Arsenal




https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6310855/Fulham-set-reward-goalkeeper-Marcus-Bettinelli-new-contract.html

WhiteJC

 
Games for the Weekend 27/10
This weekend we welcome Bournemouth to Craven Cottage
After a run of terrible defensive displays, hopefully Slaviša will have worked on something to stem the flow of goals against? Timothy Fosu-Mensah could be back, assuming his shoulder is better, we really need a stable, functioning back four.

We also need Tom back in midfield, KMac and SetfJo were great for us last season but I feel they're not quite Premiership standard, certainly not 90 minutes worth anyway.

Bournemouth are comfortably in the top half of the table and must be relishing the chance to get a hat-full of goals, we really need to give them a surprise and get our season back on track COYW.

Games of Interest
Saturday 27th
Brighton v Wolves
Fulham v Bournemouth
Liverpool v Cardiff
Southampton v Newcastle
Watford v Huddersfield

Sunday 28th
Burnley v Chelsea
Palace v Arsenal



come and join the discussion over on the forum...
http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=453

WhiteJC

 
Fulham have been a rabble at the back and Shahid Khan will want more after £100m transfer spend


Work to do: Jokanovic is struggling to get the best out of his new signings ( REUTERS )

After a frantic final day of business took their summer spending over £100million, many felt Fulham's bold moves in the transfer market would mean a season free of relegation worry.

They were the third-biggest investors in the Premier League, behind only Liverpool and Chelsea, and a flurry of late signings showed ambition to do more than settle for survival. But nine games into the campaign and Fulham are in the bottom three, unable to stop leaking goals, and the influx of new players have struggled to make an impact.

Many of the 12 summer signings, which included five additions on deadline day, are either short of fitness or are still adapting to the way Slavisa Jokanovic wants them to play. It has been a chaotic few months and concerns are growing.

It is easy to forget that at the end of the summer there was a feeling that Fulham had one of the most productive windows of any club in the Premier League.

They broke their transfer record by signing Jean Michael Seri for around £25m and the arrivals of Andre Schurrle, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Alfie Mawson were viewed as a statement of intent from American owner Shahid Khan.

They were the third-biggest investors in the Premier League, behind only Liverpool and Chelsea, and a flurry of late signings showed ambition to do more than settle for survival. But nine games into the campaign and Fulham are in the bottom three, unable to stop leaking goals, and the influx of new players have struggled to make an impact.

Many of the 12 summer signings, which included five additions on deadline day, are either short of fitness or are still adapting to the way Slavisa Jokanovic wants them to play. It has been a chaotic few months and concerns are growing.

It is easy to forget that at the end of the summer there was a feeling that Fulham had one of the most productive windows of any club in the Premier League.

They broke their transfer record by signing Jean Michael Seri for around £25m and the arrivals of Andre Schurrle, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Alfie Mawson were viewed as a statement of intent from American owner Shahid Khan.

Players were identified by the club's recruitment department, which is overseen by director of football operations Tony Khan. He is assisted by chief scout Brian Talbot and data analyst James Lovell. Jokanovic is involved in the process but not all the players were his choices. Fulham have a "two boxes ticked" approach to player recruitment, in which any potential signing must be approved by a statistical database and their scouting department.

Many of the new players were brought in on better contracts than the players who helped them to promotion. While it is still early days, the number of signings has a similar feel to QPR under Tony Fernandes in 2013. Rangers had a huge outlay on players like Chris Samba, Jose Bosingwa and Julio Cesar but were relegated and Jokanovic has his work cut out ensure Fulham avoid a similar fate.

Nothing he has tried so far has tightened up a defence that has conceded 25 goals. Injuries have prevented him from playing a settled team and Fulham have been a rabble at the back. Jokanovic played four centre-backs against Cardiff but they still shipped four goals.

Fulham did start slowly in the Championship last season before Jokanovic found a settled back four around November and they then went on a long unbeaten run. But the players have looked nervy and the team have been unable to perform for 90 minutes.

Jokanovic, though, believes he can turn things around. Schurrle is a quality signing and Seri has shown glimpses of what he can do. Tom Cairney is expected to be back from injury against Bournemouth on Saturday and he could be key because the rest of the team look more comfortable when the midfielder plays.

Khan will hold talks with Jokanovic this week and he will want to see signs of improvement when he watches Fulham this weekend. Jokanovic retains the support of the hierarchy but unless results improve he is in a vulnerable position with under a year left on his contract.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-have-been-a-rabble-at-the-back-and-shahid-khan-will-want-more-after-100m-transfer-spend-a3970446.html


WhiteJC

 
Fulham talent Matt O'Riley latest English prospect targeted by Europe's elite clubs
EXCLUSIVE

Juventus and Borussia Dortmund are interested in the 17-year-old playmaker


Wanted | Fulham's Matt O'Riley ( Bryn Lennon/Getty Images )

Fulham youngster Matt O'Riley has emerged as the latest English prospect to be coveted by a host of Europe's top sides.

Standard Sport understands that Juventus and Borussia Dortmund are among the leading contenders for O'Riley, who was tracked by Arsenal and Manchester United before signing professional terms with Fulham in November last year. Shakhtar Donetsk and Valencia are also keen on the playmaker, who can play both in an advanced role and as a deep-lying playmaker.

The 17-year-old is considered one of the brightest products in a Fulham academy that has made a habit of producing top prospects both for the Cottagers and elsewhere, with Ryan Sessegnon and Moussa Dembele among those who have gone on to big things.

O'Riley made his senior debut at the age of just 16 and has continued on an impressive trajectory this season, featuring in the first-team's 3-1 win over Millwall in the EFL Cup and impressing in Fulham's Under-23 side in Premier League 2 action.

That has been noted by a clutch of Europe's biggest names and Fulham are believed to be aware of Juventus' interest in the youngster.

O'Riley's current contract runs until 2020 and he is prepared to stay and fight for a more regular opportunity in the Fulham first team, whose recent struggles have led to growing pressure on head coach Slavisa Jovanovic.

However were he to find himself on the peripheries of the first-team come the end of the season the lure of powerhouses from abroad would be tough to reject. Fulham would be reluctant to lose O'Riley but if they fail to tie him down to a new contract would face the prospect of losing the midfielder for a nominal fee if he went abroad.

Dortmund have been keen to snare the brightest youngsters in the English academy system for some time. Jadon Sancho's (below) form with the Bundesliga giants has already earned him a call-up to Gareth Southgate's senior squad and the German club have also been linked with Chelsea's 17-year-old forward Callum Hudson-Odoi.

A move to Turin would see O'Riley link up with former Arsenal striker Stephy Mavididi in the Italian champions' U23 side, who ply their trade in Serie C. Whether a move to a more physical league such as the Italian third tier would be in the best interests of the young playmaker remains a matter for some debate.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/fulham-talent-matt-o-riley-latest-english-prospect-targeted-by-europe-s-elite-clubs-a3970576.html

WhiteJC

 
The 'Tash with the Cash' sails in: NFL team owner Shahid Khan's £140million superyacht moors in the Thames ahead of his side's game at Wembley - a week after he withdrew £600m bid for the stadium

    The luxurious 308ft Kismet superyacht is currently moored at Butlers Wharf in the Thames in London
     Shahid Khan who owns Fullham FC and the Jacksonville Jauguars is rumoured to be the vessel's owner
    The yacht boasts a swimming pool, a helipad, multiple suites and a cinema room, as well as a jaguar statue

A lavish 308ft-long super yacht believed to be the property of billionaire Fulham Football Club owner Shahid Khan has returned to the Thames before a clash of NFL titans this weekend.

The luxury vessel 'Kismet' rumoured to have been bought by the Pakistani-American owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who will play the Philadelphia Eagles at Wembley, on Sunday, has been spotted days before the game.

With eight suites, a helipad, a swimming pool, and a cinema, as well as pamper rooms and posh dining areas - the yacht currently moored in Butler's Wharf was built to impress.

The Kismet, owned by the businessman nicknamed 'the tash with the cash' was last seen in London seven months ago.


Crew staff wash the 308 feet long luxury superyacht Kismet, reportedly owned by Pakistani-American billionaire, Shahid Khan, that has arrived in London and moored at Butlers Wharf

The original Kismet, a 223ft yacht was rechristened Global, after it was sold for a rumoured £69million. The second vessel was also named Kismet (a word meaning fate or destiny).

According to the website, YachtCharterFleet.com, the new, upgraded Kismet is 'unquestionably the realisation of both luxury and uncompromised perfection'.


Kismet has 6 staterooms, with the master bedroom having its own private deck with jacuzzi and helipad

Kismet accommodates 12 guests, with the master stateroom boasting its own private deck with Jacuzzi and a helipad.

There are lounging and eating areas on three different decks including a sundeck with a swimming pool with integrated Jacuzzi and fully equipped barbecue.

The Kismet is available for charter for a cool £1,050,768-a-week (€1,200,000).

Mr Khan, a Pakistani-American billionaire businessman, is the 158th wealthiest person in the world, and the world's richest person of Pakistani origin.

As well as Fulham FC he also owns the NFL franchise the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The vessel was delivered by Germany-based Lurssen in 2014 to Mr Khan as a replacement for his previous 68-meter Kismet, hellomonaco.com reported.

The yacht boasts a jaguar on the bow of the yacht, symbolic of the owner's NFL team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, which he bought in November 2011 for £540 million according to the New York Times.

'Built with corporate entertainment and charter in mind, Kismet stretches over five decks suitable for parties of up to 270 guests,' hellomonaco said.

'Among innovative features on Kismet are her video walls, extending up to two decks high, able to show regular television but programmed to display high-definition moving artwork.'

Billionaire Shahid Khan's rags to riches story has seen him go from earning just 85p an hour washing dishes to making an £800million bid for one of the crowns of the sporting world.

The 67-year-old highly successful businessman, who moved to the US when he was just 16 with just $500 (£360) to his name.

Khan was rumoured to be in the running to become the new owner of Wembley but he withdrew his bid a week ago.

His rapid rise to the top saw him become owner of Championship side Fulham in 2013, and the NFL side Jacksonville Jaguars are also one of his outfits.

But it has not come easy to the self-made billionaire from Pakistan, who is now the 217th richest person in the world.

Khan was born in Lahore, Pakistan in July 1950 to mother, Zakia, a maths professor, and father, Rafiq who sold surveying equipment.

Encouraged by his father, who stood for humility and frugality, Khan from an early age developed a nous for business.

As a child he would build and sell radios and perhaps with his father's influence would not allow any opportunity to pass by without being able to make a profit.

At the age of 16 he moved to the United States to study mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana with just $500 to his name, spending his first nights at a YMCA.

Concerned that he would quickly run out of money at the $2 a night accommodation, Khan went out the next morning to get his first job... washing dishes for just $1.20 (85p) an hour.

Soon after, the engineer by trade would start work at automotive manufacturing company Flex-N-Gate and 13 years after arriving in the United States he bought the company for $800,000 (£570,00)



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6311979/The-Tash-Cash-sails-NFL-owner-Shahid-Khans-140m-superyacht-arrives-Thames.html

WhiteJC

 
Fulham player names Wenger and Pochettino as managers who 'marked his career the most'

While he might not be considered a huge flop by today's standards, Rui Fonte's time at Fulham last year left a lot to be desired, so much so that Slavisa Jokanovic preferred to send him on loan to Lille instead of keeping him around in the Premier League.

Signing Aleksandar Mitrovic as their main striker, the Cottagers have somewhat struggled since the start of the new season, finding themselves in the relegation zone.

Down his end, Rui Fonte is giving interviews with his brother to RMC Sport, currently recovering from an injury that has kept him out from the past three league games.

Interviewed by José, the 28-year-old was asked which of his managers marked his career the most.

He said: "Arsène Wenger, because when I went to England, I trained with the first-team. He's the one who gave me my professional debut at the age of 17.

"Mauricio Pochettino took a gamble on me at a time when things weren't going well in my career. I'd gone to Spain and he believed in me until he left".

The Fulham forward also named his current manager, Christophe Galtier, who also decided he wanted him around despite his struggles at Craven Cottage.

It's easy to forget that Rui Fonte spent three years at Arsenal between 2006-2009, during which he also sent for a season on loan at Crystal Palace.

Returning to Sporting CP, he was then loaned out to Espanyol for a year before signing for the La Liga side permanently in 2011, where he stayed until 2013, playing under Mauricio Pochettino.

Spells at Benfica, Braga, Belenenses ensued before signing for Fulham off the back of a prolific season in which he scored 13 goals in 28 league games.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-player-names-wenger-pochettino-managers-marked-career/


WhiteJC


Cottage Talk: The Current "State Of Fulham"
Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.



In this episode of Cottage Talk, co-hosts Scott Tanfield, and John Cummins from Friends Of Fulham, discussed the issues going on with Fulham currently. The guys shared their views on the speculation surrounding Slavisa Jokanovic. After that,they talked about the Tim Ream interview, and what they got out of it,

Later on, the discussion shifted to how much of the blame for the poor season goes to the players, and how much should be put on Jokanovic. The end of the show dealt the topic of relegation, and the guys shared their views, if they believe the club will be in a relegation battle this season.



You can also listen to the show buy following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/10/24/18020600/cottage-talk-the-current-state-of-fulham

WhiteJC

 
The Tony Gale Column

Without a doubt it was a poor result against Cardiff City on Saturday, because they're one of the teams come the end of the season who are going to be down the bottom. It was a six-pointer that we lost there, so we can't say it's without worry. I would say we maybe need to have more respect for the opposition, as we've got to find ways of stopping people. Whereas last year it was all about us, this year the opposition are at a similar level to us or better, so we've got to find ways of negating the other team before we play them. We've got to work on our defensive solidarity, as much as we work on our open free play. There have been injuries and suspensions in defence all season which means the back four has been a bit unsettled. That makes it tricky for the lads to create an understanding with each other.

All four of Cardiff's goals were preventable, so we've got to start cutting out those mistakes. The way we play requires confidence from our defenders because, when they've got the ball, we're asking them to create. We're looking to attack off some balls, before we've actually defended them in the first instance. It is the Premier League, and you are going to get punished. We got away with some of those errors last season, but now they usually end up in the back of your net.


It's a shame we didn't take anything from the match, because it means André Schürrle and Ryan Sessegnon's lovely goals counted for nothing. Ryan's goal was typical of him. He's so good off the ball, it's probably his best quality. He makes some really good runs, and his one on Saturday saw him get on the end of a great little ball from Aleksandar Mitrović. Ryan outpaced the defender over about five yards with a beautifully timed run and finish. As for Schürrle, he's always looking to get a shot off, and you can see why with the quality he has. It was a great goal. I said at the beginning of the season how good a signing he was, and I stick by that. He will get those goals for you. He's not shy when it comes to taking shots on from improbable angles, but he justifies that with the calibre of his finishing.

I see that Tom Cairney is back in full training which is a massive boost, because I think he's been a big miss for us. Having Tom on the pitch is not only beneficial because of what he can offer, but I think his presence improves those around him. He's so calm and efficient on the ball, that it frees up time and space for those around him as well. It's unfortunate for Tom that he's picked up this injury because he's been waiting a long time for his shot at the Premier League. We all know he's a quality player, and he'll be keen to prove that's the case at the top level.

A tough test is next up when Bournemouth come to the Cottage on Saturday. I've seen them four times this season, including their draw with Southampton at the weekend, and we've got to be careful. They are a very well organised side, but within that organisation they play the same kind of football as us. This will be an open game because Bournemouth will be coming here to win, there's no doubt about that.


What we've got to be very wary of is their pace on the counter. They start Callum Wilson very high, with Josh King just behind him, and they're both so quick when they spring from defence into attack, and then they've got Ryan Fraser on one flank and David Brooks on the other. From defence into attack, their transition has been the big turning point for them since they got into the Premier League. I think it's a lesson that Eddie Howe's learnt since they were promoted. This year he's gone with more pace in his side as he realised that pretty football alone wasn't enough. Maybe there's a few lessons for us in the way that Bournemouth play.

It's great that we've sold out for the weekend. The fact that things aren't going our way at the moment, yet the Fulham faithful are still showing up in their droves every week is an absolute credit to the fans. The Cottage is a great place to be at. Everyone's been striving and dying to get back in the Premier League. We're there now, but we need the support of the crowd. Because ours is a confidence game, we don't need people getting on the players' backs. We need everyone firmly behind the Manager and the team, and believe still in the way that we're playing.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/october/24/the-tony-gale-column

KJS

Quote from: WhiteJC on October 25, 2018, 07:17:42 AM

Fulham set to reward goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli with a new contract to continue whirlwind start to season

    Marcus Bettinelli has enjoyed a superb start to the season for club and country
    Fulham goalkeeper has forced his way to No 1 and earned an England call-up
    He is now in talks with his club over an improved deal at Craven Cottage

England international Marcus Bettinelli is set to top off his whirlwind start to the season by signing a new Fulham contract.

The goalkeeper has been in talks with the Cottagers over an improved deal and there is now growing hope an agreement is close.

Having started the season on the bench, Bettinelli has won his place back in Slavisa Jokanovic's starting XI, and his performances for Fulham culminated in his first England call-up for the September games against Spain and Switzerland.

He kept his place in Gareth Southgate's squad for the games against Croatia and Spain earlier this month. He has also captained Fulham this season.


Marcus Bettinelli is set to continue his whirlwind season by signing a new Fulham contract


Bettinelli was down the pecking order at Fulham but is now No 1 and earned an England call-up


The goalkeeper punches the ball clear during Fulham's recent league clash with Arsenal




https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6310855/Fulham-set-reward-goalkeeper-Marcus-Bettinelli-new-contract.html

This reporter must have been watching a different Bettinelli than me!