Saturday Fulham Stuff (27/10/18)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Aleksandar Mitrovic: Striker on Newcastle struggles & love of Fulham quiet life

Aleksander Mitrovic has scored five goals in nine Premier League games this season for Fulham

Aleksandar Mitrovic had questions to answer when he left Newcastle United for Fulham. Would he always be the untamed talent who struggled on Tyneside or was there more to the Serbia striker than met the eye?

Mitrovic has gone a long way towards delivering the answers at Craven Cottage after spearheading the west London side's return to the Premier League with 12 goals in 20 games on loan last term - then starting this season in fine style following his permanent £22m switch in the summer.

He harbours no ill feelings towards the Magpies, where he scored 14 goals in 65 league games in the Championship and Premier League. It was just a case of the wrong club at the wrong time.

"It was really hard in Newcastle," he says. "It was one city, one club. Everybody there was really crazy about Newcastle.

"Sometimes it is nice, but sometimes you want to be quiet and go out with your family. When you are not happy on the field, you just don't want to think about football, [you want to] have your space.

"In Newcastle, there is no chance."

He is equally diplomatic about former boss Rafael Benitez, who inherited the striker after predecessor Steve McClaren brought him to St James' Park from Anderlecht for £13m in July 2015.

"We just didn't suit each other," says Mitrovic. "I didn't suit his tactics and I didn't really feel comfortable to play, so he couldn't get the best out of me. But it is nothing personal - just business.

"We had a good relationship and he is a good guy. Defensively he is one of the best managers that I have worked with."

Now Mitrovic can mix business with pleasure in the capital.

"I can go to the city," he says. "I am right on the river so it is always nice to have real space and time with your family. Nobody can disturb you. I enjoy it.

"Away from football it is just family. I try to spend time with my kids - I have to spend a lot of time away so every time I am at home I like to spend time with them. I am a really nice, quiet guy."


Benitez (left) took over as Newcastle boss in March 2016

The quiet man

A visit to Fulham's secluded Surrey training HQ proves the 24-year-old is a more rounded character than the hothead many labelled him.

Mitrovic's early disciplinary problems at Newcastle - he was booked 22 seconds into his debut and sent off in his fourth game - have led to a somewhat undeserved reputation. Two red cards and 13 yellow in 101 games in England is hardly outrageous for a striker at the sharp end of the game's physicality.

Season	Team	Games Played	Yellow Cards	Red Cards
2015-16	Newcastle United	36	4	2
2016-17	Newcastle United	29	4	0
2017-18	Newcastle United	7	0	0
2017-18	Fulham	20	3	0
2018-19	Fulham	9	2	0

And in person, Mitrovic is a quietly spoken figure whose off-field presence is nowhere near as intimidating as his matchday persona within Slavisa Jokanovic's side.

He comes straight out of his beloved gym, where he can often be found on his days off, sits back in a chair sipping a bottle of water and reflects on his career in England.

"I am still the same guy but maybe in the past I spent time fighting with people. having chat with the referee," says Mitrovic. "Now I put my focus on my game, my goals - but I'm still the same way.

"When I play football I try to win the game. That is part of me. That is who I am. If you ask any player they will always say the same. They play to win."

Having sampled the goldfish bowl existence and fanaticism of Newcastle, Mitrovic seems to be thriving in the space that life in London offers, living on the banks of the Thames with his partner Kristina and children aged two and nine months.


Aleksander Mitrovic scored nine goals in his first Premier League season with Newcastle

The Serb factor
Mitrovic was considering a move from Newcastle to Middlesbrough when contact from Fulham manager Jokanovic redirected him to London.

And the pair go back a long way, with Mitrovic a ball boy at Partizan Belgrade when Jokanovic was coach between 2007 and 2009.

"Thank God we kept in touch and he was one of the reasons I chose Fulham," says the striker.

"The manager is a big influence on me. It is always something special when you can talk with people from your country. It is always nice to hear advice in your own language.

"He's a great guy, a good manager and I really enjoy working with him. He is calm, honest - he knows what to do and get the best out of me."

A brief flirtation with karate was not enough to stop Mitrovic - brought up in the town of Smederevo, 28 miles down the Danube from the capital Belgrade - pursuing his dream to play in the Premier League, where his striking idols were Newcastle's own icon Alan Shearer and Chelsea's Didier Drogba.

"These are the two players I wanted to watch, work like and play like," says Mitrovic. "It is hard but I try to learn, to improve and to train hard to try and reach the top level."

There was another player the young Mitrovic idolised.

He says: "As a Serb of course you looked at Nemanja Vidic at Manchester United, Branislav Ivanovic at Chelsea, Aleksandar Kolarov at Manchester City - but obviously the biggest man who played in England was Vidic. He was one of the best defenders who ever played in the Premier League.

"All the dreams I wanted when I was young have come true and I feel I have a lot of space to improve.

"I hope if I can keep working everything will be better and better."

Fulham learning harsh lessons
Fulham arrived in the Premier League on a wave of optimism after beating Aston Villa in a Wembley play-off final in May, following that up with a £100m outlay as they confirmed Mitrovic's permanent signing, captured the coveted Jean Michael Seri from Nice for about £25m and brought in Germany World Cup winner Andre Schurrle on loan.

However, things have not gone to plan so far, with Fulham in the relegation places after one win and five points from their first nine games.

"We didn't expect this but we are here in this position and we need to try to get out really fast," says Mitrovic. "We have five points but if you can get one or two wins you can be in the top 10.

"Last year, when we made mistakes, teams couldn't punish us but now every mistake we make is punished with a goal - so we have to play smarter. This is life in the Championship compared to life in the Premier League.

"Some might say [Fulham] is a smaller club in the Premier League - but it is a club with big ambition, with a big future.

"I'm happy to be part of this."




https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45969705

[WhiteJC]

 
Cardiff send Fulham into drop zone

Cardiff ramped up the pressure on Slavisa Jokanovic by recording their first league win of the season and sending Fulham into the relegation zone after an end-to-end contest at the Cardiff City Stadium.

The Whites failed to build on going in front thanks to a long-range thunderbolt by Andre Schürrle and were left to rue familiar failings as more wretched defending allowed Neil Warnock's men to leapfrog them and climb out of the drop zone. A new-look back four, which Jokanovic admitted included 'four centre halves' and was designed to introduce more solidity at the back, crumbled under the weight of the task in front of them and, at times, it looked as if Cardiff, who had only scored two league goals all season, could score at will.

It looked as if the trip to Wales might bring some relief for Jokanovic, whose side were thumped 5-1 by Arsenal last weekend. The visitors went in front through a sensational strike from Schürrle , who may have been given far too much time to advance in a central position 35 yards from goal, but nobody would have expected him to curl a goal of the season contender past former Fulham keeper Neil Etheridge and into the top corner. It was a goal worthy of winning any game, but it proved a false dawn as the Bluebirds hit back twice in the space of five first half moments.
Calum Chambers, who endured a nightmare 45 minutes at right back, was caught horribly out of position going for an expansive one-two with Schürrle in the centre circle and Josh Murphy had the freedom of the city to race onto a searching through ball from centre back Sol Bamba. The former Norwich winger ran at Denis Odoi and finished clinically into the bottom corner with Marcus Bettinelli having little chance as the strike took a deflection off the covering Belgian defender. Five minutes later, it was 2-1 and again it proved a calamity of Fulham's own making.
The Londoners' looked to have dealt with the danger from a Cardiff free-kick which Gunarsson blasted into the wall but Schürrle attempted to take an extra touch rather than clear his lines and was robbed of possession outside his own area. Aron Gunnarsson's tackle ricocheted past Tim Ream, who was slow to react, and Bobby Reid pounced to slide a finish under the advancing Tim Ream. It might have been worse for Fulham had Chambers been dismissed for pulling back his tormenter Murphy when he seemed set to race through on goal. The on-loan Arsenal man was shown a yellow card instead, before being substituted at half-time.

The Whites did at least go in level courtesy of Ryan Sessegnon's first top-flight goal. The teenager, who has now scored five times in five appearances against City, produced an excellent finish to a flowing move to level the contest after Aleksandar Mitrovic – horribly isolated for most of the afternoon – beautifully flicked a through ball from Chambers into the winger's path. Fulham might have been fortunate to have restored parity by the break, but the second half was a much more even and cagey affair until Jokanovic made the decision to replace Jean-Michael Seri with Floyd Ayite, unbalancing a midfield that was dominating possession until that point.

Both sides had chances to win it, but Fulham's defence caved in with 25 minutes to go. Cardiff worked an opening down the right with the excellent Gunnarsson and Bruno Ecuele Manga involved before makeshift centre forward Calum Paterson beat both Ream and Mawson to the ball, turned and shot into the far corner, with Bettinelli seemingly going down in slow motion. Mawson had a header from a corner brilliantly palmed away by Etheridge but Fulham's soft underbelly was underlined when Ream slipped on the halfway line allowing Victor Camarasa to surge into the area and cross for substitute Kadeem Harris, who made sure of the points with a low finish. No wonder Jokanovic admitted Fulham have 'so many defensive problems to fix' afterwards.

CARDIFF CITY (4-4-2): Etheridge; Ecula Manga, Bennett, Bamba, Morrison; Gunarsson (Richards 77), Arter (Damour 86), Camarasa, J. Murphy (K. Harris 82); Paterson, Reid. Subs (not used): Smithies, Cunningham, Hoilett, Zohore.
BOOKED: Gunnarsson, Morrison, Bamba, Richards.
GOALS: J. Murphy (15), Reid (20), Paterson (65), Harris (87).

FULHAM (4-3-3): Bettinelli; Chambers (Mawson 45), Odoi, Ream, Le Marchand; McDonald, Seri (Ayite 58), Johansen (Vietto 82); Schürrle , R. Sessegnon, Mitrovic. Subs (not used): Rico, Christie, Anguissa, Kamara.
BOOKED: Chambers, McDonald, Johansen.
GOALS: Schürrle (11), R. Sessegnon (34).

REFEREE: Kevin Friend (Leicester).
ATTENDANCE: 29,681.




https://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/10/cardiff-send-fulham-into-drop-zone/

[WhiteJC]

 
Half Term Specials

Head to the Stadium Store or shop online today with a range of exclusive special junior offers available to enjoy during the half-term break!

Don't forget, fans have until 5pm on Friday 26th October to have your photo with the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final trophy free of charge.

Free Printing On All Junior Shirts

When you purchase any 18/19 Fulham Home, Away or Goalkeeper Junior Shirt today you can feature your favorite player - or even your own name - on the back at no extra cost!

20% Off Junior Training Range

Look the part and enjoy 20% off all Junior Training products. From the new winter jacket to adidas training tops and pants, get matchday ready by shopping the 18/19 Training Range today.

20% Off Junior Fashion Wear

With a number of trendy jackets and hoodies available to wrap-up in, or keep it cool with polo's and summer tee's, take advantage of 20% off all boys and girls fashion wear.

All on sale until midnight on Sunday 28th October, supporters can take advantage of these offers online or at the Stadium Store located at Craven Cottage on Stevenage Road.




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/october/26/half-term-specials

[WhiteJC]

 
Is it time for Fulham to give Sergio Rico a chance in goal?

On Thursday, Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli signed a contract extension at the club.

Yet for some Fulham supporters, the news was overshadowed by the looming presence of goalkeeper Sergio Rico, the Sevilla loanee and Europa League-winner who has yet to play a Premier League match for Fulham.

Supporters frustrated with Bettinelli's performances have been calling for the Spaniard to get the nod in goal, yet such a move would be a counterproductive measure that would simply increase the instability and lack of consistency in Fulham's defence.

Firstly, Bettinelli is not to blame for the Whites' defensive disaster. The vast majority of goals conceded by Fulham have been the back four's fault, and the Englishman has produced a number of outstanding saves to keep the scores close this season.

Questions can be asked over Bettinelli's diving, especially in the Arsenal and Cardiff matches, but the reality of the situation is that any goalkeeper would leak goals for fun when playing behind Fulham's dreadful backline.

In addition, dropping Bettinelli for Rico would yet again lead to a different back five for the Cottagers, contributing to more selection chaos in a squad that desperately needs a consistent starting XI.

And furthermore, there is no guarantee Rico will be a better option than Bettinelli, as his brief cameos in the League Cup tell us little about how he would far in the Premier League.

Nevertheless, Rico could prove to be an improvement in goal for Fulham, but the Whites must stick with Bettinelli against Bournemouth in order to maintain some semblance of defensive consistency for the vital home match.



https://tbrfootball.com/is-it-time-for-fulham-to-give-sergio-rico-a-chance-in-goal/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham v Bournemouth – Time for a change

We entertain Eddie Howe's Bournemouth tomorrow at Craven Cottage and the Cherries pose a serious threat to Slavisa Jokanovic's plans to turn Fulham's faltering season around. Bournemouth now find themselves in sixth after enduring their own sticky start to the campaign and will head to the capital full of confidence. They have one of the game's finest young managers in Eddie Howe, whose achievements since taking over at Dean Court have been nothing short of sensational. It is no surprise that he has been considered as a potential future successor to Gareth Southgate in the England job. Howe likes to set his teams up to be tough to beat, but not without sacrificing an easy-on-the eye style.

The stakes couldn't be higher for tomorrow's game. Fulham are in the bottom three following that lamentable display at Cardiff last weekend and badly need the points to gain some momentum. Club captain Tom Cairney has returned to training this week and is in line for a return to the starting line-up. If the Scottish international does start tomorrow, I would like to see Jean-Michael Seri and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa alongside him as I think that is our strongest midfield three and we need to get some consistency in a crucial area of the pitch.

I do expect changes after the nightmare in south Wales, especially given how poor we have been defensively. Despite signing a new contract this week, it could be time for Marcus Bettinelli to be replaced in goal. He was slow getting down to Cardiff's crucial third goal on Saturday and in Sergio Rico, we have one of the most consistent goalkeepers in Spain and a two-time Europa League winner on the bench. Tomorrow, could be Rico's opportunity to show what he can do in the Premier League.

We have conceded 25 goals this season – and you simply won't stay afloat in the top flight whilst being that vulnerable at the back. Ryan O'Donovan's analysis earlier in the week suggested that 80% of those goals were down to individual errors, which is just unsustainable. Jokanovic has had to juggle his resources due to injuries and suspensions and I think now is the time to put a back four together for the next three or four games – regardless of the outcome tomorrow. You'd expect Timothy Fosu-Mensah to come back into the defence. I've been very impressed with his start at right back and we've missed his pace at both ends of the field since that untimely shoulder injury at Everton.

I am in complete agreement with the majority that the substitutions have been questionable over the past couple of games and only Slavisa can answer why certain changes were made. I am a big Slav fan and I would hate to see him sacked so early on in the season. Our previous stay in the Premier League ended with three different managers in the space of six months and I hope we don't get the same turnover of managers this time around. Stuart Gray's departure has clearly affected things – and now is the time for some consistency and a bit of faith.

In his programme notes ahead of tomorrow's game, chairman Shahid Khan has stated he firmly believes Slav is the right man for the job and expects things to change given Jokanovic's record. It is a stance I share. Fulham's past couple of seasons started disappointingly, but gradually the performances and results began to improve. It is based on that history that I am confident we will start winning again before long under Jokanovic. The fans frustration over the past few weeks is totally understandable, but Jokanovic has been operating without our playmaker and has been trying to integrate twelve summer signings at a level most of them haven't experienced before.

Let's hope our second win of the season is against Bournemouth and gets us out of the bottom three, thus bringing some optimism back to the Cottage. There's no question that tomorrow is our biggest game of the season and it won't be easy. When the fixtures were released, Fulham would have been targeting this as a fixture they could get three points from, although it is a measure of how low confidence is right now that I'd take a draw were it offered to me. Let's hope that Jokanovic can get our football flowing again and have us back to winning ways.




https://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/10/fulham-v-bournemouth-time-for-a-change/

[WhiteJC]

 
Tom Cairney a major doubt to start AFC Bournemouth tie as he steps up recovery from injury

The skipper returned to training last week but it is unlikely he will start the game at Craven Cottage

Tom Cairney is a major doubt to start Fulham's game with AFC Bournemouth on Saturday as he steps up his recovery from injury.

The captain returned to first team training in the week, having spent the international break working on the pitches at Motspur Park without the ball, but the visit of the Cherries looks like it will come too soon for the 27-year-old.

He suffered an ankle injury against Burnley at the end of August in Fulham's only win of the season and has been missing ever since, except for a 26-minute spell against Everton in the 3-0 defeat at Goodison Park.

That cameo seemed to aggravate the injury, meaning that Cairney has missed both the Arsenal and Cardiff City defeat, but despite returning to training the game against Bournemouth looks like it will be too soon for the captain to return to the starting XI.

Fulham are looking forward to having Cairney back in the squad, however, and see his return as one of the ways the side can adapt and stop conceding so many goals, with his ability to dominate possession a vital asset to Slavisa Jokanovic.

Meanwhile, the injury list at Craven Cottage is growing shorter by the week, with only Joe Bryan out of the squad due to a hamstring injury he suffered against Everton.

He's been undergoing yet more rehab to get him back fit, but the club have placed no timescale on the injury as a result of it being a muscle injury and don't want to rush him back into the squad.


(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Calum Chambers limped off at half time in the defeat to Cardiff but he has taken part in training this week and is fit to be in contention for the game with Eddie Howe's side.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah is also fit for selection after recovering from a dislocated shoulder that he also suffered at Everton and could start at the Cottage.

Speaking of injuries, Jokanovic said: "Cairney is really important and after nine weeks he start working with us.

"He made a few training before the Everton game and now he needs little bit of time to catch his best level.

"It's not an excuse, we weren't at our best with injuries and with the team, I never have opportunity to work with all the team since we signed the players.

"Now I am only without Joe Bryan, he is not ready to work with us, it can be good news for us that Cairney starts working with us and I have a near complete team."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/tom-cairney-major-doubt-start-15331264

[WhiteJC]

 
Leicester City Tickets

18/19 Season Ticket Holders can now purchase additional tickets to the Whites' home Premier League fixture against Leicester City.

The Whites take on the Foxes at Craven Cottage on Wednesday 5th December, kick-off 7:45pm, and Season Ticket Holders can secure up to four tickets each.

Priced from £30 adults and £20 juniors, secure your seats today online, by phone on 0203 871 0810 or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/october/26/leicester-city-tickets

[WhiteJC]

 
Eddie Howe says Slavisa Jokanovic has his full respect, but not sympathy

Eddie Howe says Slavisa Jokanovic has his full respect, but not his sympathy, after Fulham's tough start to life back in the Premier League.

Bournemouth visit Craven Cottage on Saturday looking to build on their excellent form that sees them in sixth place, 10 points better off than they were at this stage last season.

Fulham's defeat to Cardiff last weekend saw them drop into the relegation zone, with Jokanovic's side being punished for their open, attacking brand of football.

Howe said: "I have respect for Jokanovic, but not sympathy.

"I know he's an outstanding coach and you can see his work on the pitch with how his team plays.

"They've got some very good players, a good way of playing and we know we'll have to be at the top of our game to win.

"I've got a lot of respect for their manager who led Watford to promotion.

"He's done the same with Fulham and that's not easy to do, with two different clubs. He has my full respect.

"The style of play is one that draws a lot of praise, a lot of plaudits last year for the way they did it.

"They haven't changed and they haven't adapted that, they're trying to enhance that this season and I've got a lot of respect for that way of working."

Howe stressed that there are no guarantees in the Premier League, particularly when playing away from home, and said he is expecting a tough game.

"This start to the season means everything because you're immersed in your work and this is your life," said Howe.

"It has been a pleasant start for us, but I think that's all it is.

"We know how tough the Premier League is and how quickly football can change, so we're very much focused on the next match."

And Howe was cautious of letting his standards slip on the training ground simply because of the Cherries' promising league position, saying that the hard work was continuing in earnest.

"It's a place where we work hard, where I set high standards for the players and try and push them in a productive and positive way, so they reach their maximum levels," he added.

"I'm not sure if 'buzz' is the word they would use to describe it, but it's a good place.

"I love being there, I love working with the players, their attitude to the work is second to none and it's an enjoyable place to be."




https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11743/11535985/eddie-howe-says-slavisa-jokanovic-has-his-full-respect-but-not-sympathy

[WhiteJC]

 
Defensive stability & sacking Jokanovic - how Fulham can avoid Premier League relegation

The Cottagers spent heavily in the summer upon their return to the top-flight but find themselves struggling inside the drop zone after nine matches

Despite racking up a transfer bill of over £100 million ($129m) this summer, and bringing in the likes of Jean Michael Seri and Andre Schurrle, Fulham are struggling in the Premier League.

The Cottagers are currently sitting in 18th place with only one win from their opening nine games, conceding 26 goals along the way, including four against fellow promoted side Cardiff City last time out.

This represents Fulham's worst start to a Premier League season, but can the west London outfit turn things around? Here are five things that would have to change if Slavisa Jokanovic's side are to beat the drop ahead of Saturday's crucial home game with Bournemouth.

Defensive stability

Jokanovic is yet to select the same back four in more than one Premier League game so far this season after bringing in six defenders over the summer, with the Fulham manager struggling to settle on his preferred back-line.

Fulham have persevered with diminutive defender Dennis Odoi at centre-back after his successful Championship campaign, as well as playing Ryan Sessegnon in his less preferred left-back position on numerous occasions thus far.

It is somewhat unsurprising, then, that the Cottagers boast the worst defensive record in the league at this early juncture and are on course to concede in excess of 100 goals should their current rate continue throughout the campaign.

In contrast, another newly-promoted side in Wolves have picked the same starting XI in every game, with great success. Consistency in defence could be key if Fulham are to steady their ship.

Sentiment cannot dictate team selection

The squad that carried Fulham on the 23-game unbeaten run that saw them qualify for the play-offs last season will always be heroes at Craven Cottage, but sentiment cannot fuel your team selection in the Premier League.

Odoi and Tim Ream were an incredible defensive duo in the Championship but Maxime Le Marchand and Alfie Mawson look more suited to playing against this level of opposition. Mawson was Swansea City's Player of the Year las season while when Le Marchand has played in the middle, he has looked like a Premier League-level player.

Stefan Johansen and Kevin McDonald are good back-up players but they should not be keeping Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa out of the squad after Fulham splashed out £30m on the Cameroonian midfielder.

Sergio Rico, meanwhile, has won the Europa League and had been Sevilla's first-choice keeper for the past three years but cannot get a look-in ahead of Marcus Bettinelli, who has been leaking goals of late despite earning a first call-up to the England squad.

Share the goals & change the style

Fulham's playing style lends itself to goals being spread throughout the squad rather than everything going through one or two players.

Schurrle and Aleksandar Mitrovic are the only players who have struck more than once for Fulham and they are currently the third and fourth highest shot takers respectively in the Premier League, taking 3.8 and 3.6 shots per game.

Last season Fulham's highest shots-per-game taker was on-loan Liverpool winger Sheyi Ojo, who was out of favour for most of the campaign due to struggling to fit into Jokanovic's style. The next highest was Johansen, who would take an average of 1.8 shots per game.

It seems that Fulham's slow passing build-up has been replaced by a hit-and-hope way of playing relying solely on Mitrovic and Schurrle. Jokanovic has the personnel to change this, however, as Sessegnon was their top scorer last year and Luciano Vietto was once considered one of the hottest strikers in Spain.

Tom Cairney and Seri can also provide goals from the midfield, and if Fulham are able to revert back to their patient build-up then the results will come.

Make Craven Cottage a fortress again

During Fulham's last spell in the Premier League, Craven Cottage was always seen as a potential banana skin ground for big clubs. Fulham would routinely pick up 30 points a season from home games alone, claiming a big scalp somewhere along the road.

They picked up 11 league wins at home in the 2009-10 season, as well as going unbeaten at home during their Europa League run when teams such as Juventus, Roma and Wolfsburg all failed to overcome Fulham in west London.

This season, though, they have only picked up one win at home from four games to date, and were comfortably beaten by both Crystal Palace and Arsenal.

Do not hesitate to sack Jokanovic

Recent reports suggest Jokanovic has two games to save his job. They are against Bournemouth and Huddersfield Town, and are two matches that Fulham will have earmarked before the season as opportunities to pick up points.

Jokanovic has always been a slow starter, Fulham won only seven of their first 22 games last campaign, and the season before it was a similar story, winning just eight times before Christmas. Both times they have been able to pull together an incredible run of form in the second half of the season to secure themselves a top-six spot, but how likely is a run like that in the Premier League?

They have to face the reality that they have one of the weakest squads in the league and Jokanovic may not be the man to carry them through, with his passion for playing good football potentially being their downfall. 'Ugly' managers have kept teams in the league for years and there is no doubting their effectiveness. Fulham, themselves, were once Roy Hodgson's biggest success story.

While the amount of money spent is different, Fulham are comparable to Ian Holloway's Blackpool team of the 2010-11 season. Blackpool outscored the majority of the teams in the division and were one of the most entertaining sides in the league, but ultimately were relegated, finishing behind teams managed by the likes of Mick McCarthy, Steve Bruce and Tony Pulis. If Fulham continue to leak goals, it could be time for a manager in that mould to take the reins.



https://www.goal.com/en/news/defensive-stability-sacking-jokanovic-how-fulham-could-avoid/12gzu96sb4l1y1ri1abtkak1el

[WhiteJC]

 
Tottenham stadium blow as Jacksonville Jaguars rule out games at new ground: 'We will only play at Wembley'

Jacksonville Jaguars will never play at Tottenham's new stadium despite the collapse of owner Shahid Khan's Wembley deal, says the NFL club's president Mark Lamping.

The Jaguars host the Philadelphia Eagles at Wembley on Sunday in their sixth consecutive year playing a regular-season game at the national stadium.

Khan's franchise have committed to playing annually in London until 2020 and Lamping says they want to extend the agreement with the NFL for a further half-decade.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, who was opposed to Khan's aborted £600million bid to buy Wembley, also has an agreement with the NFL to play at least two games a year for 10 years in the club's behind-schedule new stadium, due to open this winter.

Levy has said he would like to house a permanent London franchise at the 62,062-seat ground but Lamping insists the Jags — who are most often linked with a full-time move to the capital — are only interested in Wembley games.

"We've been doing five-year agreements," Lamping told Standard Sport. "In a couple of years we'll sit down with the NFL again and I'm sure we'll want to continue that commitment to London and it's our hope and expectation that the NFL will support us.

"Our conversations and our proposals to continue to play games in London will be conditioned on them being played at Wembley.

"We don't control that — the NFL controls that — but our commitment here [in London] is tied to Wembley.

"For the Jacksonville Jaguars, Wembley is the best place to play our NFL games and that's where we intend to play them. We think Wembley is the best place to play NFL in London. That's our view — not necessarily shared by everyone — but we firmly believe that."

Lamping, who distanced the Jags from a permanent move to London, added: "There is room in London for enough NFL games to satisfy commitments to Spurs's new stadium and Wembley."

Tottenham's stadium, which could eventually cost £1billion, has been custom built as both a football and NFL arena, with two dedicated entrances and a grass football field above a synthetic surface for  NFL games.

There will be NFL-sized dressing rooms, medical and media facilities, and the sight-lines in the ground will be as good for NFL games as they will be for football.

The NFL have paid Spurs £10m towards the tailoring of the build.

However, Lamping said: "We believe that the infrastructure, the public transport around Wembley is far superior to any other stadium in London. We believe the prestige and the image of the national stadium is far superior to the home ground of a Premier League team.

"We preferred an alliance with the [English] game as a whole through the FA, rather than an alliance with an individual club."

The proposal of Khan to buy Wembley collapsed last week amid a lack of support from the FA Council but Lamping, one of the Jags and Fulham owner's leading lieutenants, says it will have no impact on the team's commitment to London.

"Because the Wembley deal collapsed, that has no impact on the quality of this market," he said. "For the Jacksonville Jaguars, who prefer to play at Wembley, all it really means is that if we're going to continue to play there it'll be as a tenant, rather than an owner.

"For Wembley to remain an investment class facility, just like an other ageing stadium, it requires significant investment. We don't think there are any inherent design issues with Wembley Stadium. The sight-lines may be somewhat limited but I view that as an opportunity more than an issue.

"The NFL choose to close those seats off — why not open those up and allow kids who are just discovering American Football to sit there for free?

"There are so many ways to look at it."




https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/tottenham-stadium-blow-as-jacksonville-jaguars-rule-out-games-at-new-ground-we-will-only-play-at-a3972511.html

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Fulham youngster Matt O'Riley wanted by Dortmund

Arsenal and Manchester United will face competition from Borussia Dortmund for the signature of Fulham youngster Matt O'Riley.

The London Evening Standard reports that the Fulham midfielder is attracting interest from some of Europe's biggest sides after impressing with the Premier League new boys.

Juventus are also said to be keeping a close eye on the player, who has previously caught the eyes of Arsenal and Manchester United.

Shakhtar Donetsk and Valencia have been credited with an interest in the 17-year-old, who could be the next English youngster to take his career abroad in search of regular first-team football.

The promising midfielder is on the fringes of the first-team squad at Craven Cottage, having already made his debut for the senior side.

O'Riley is under contract at Dortmund until 2020 but there are concerns over the prospect of him breaking into the first-team in London.




https://readbundesliga.com/2018/10/26/fulham-youngster-matt-oriley-wanted-by-dortmund/

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Media view: Expert insight on Fulham

AFC Bournemouth travel to Craven Cottage for the weekend's game against Fulham.

Ahead of the fixture, afcb.co.uk sat down with Football London's Ryan O'Donovan, who has reported on Fulham every game this season.

Here's a look at what he had to say on the Cottagers.

afcb.co.uk: What do you make of Fulham's start to the season?

ROD: It's not been a good start to the season, they've only won the one game which came all the way back in August. They've struggled of late and keeping goals out is the real problem. They went to Wales and Cardiff managed to double their goal tally for the season against Fulham's defence.

They've looked good going forward and they've certainly had spells. Aleksandar Mitrovic led the Premier League scoring chart for some time an Andre Schurrle has looked a good signing and added something there.

It's defensively that they've looked really concerning and have been struggling this season. It's basic mistakes that they wouldn't have made last season, whether that's because of the pressure in the Premier League or because the teams they're playing have better players than those in the Championship, I'm not sure. 

afcb.co.uk: How crucial is Alexander Mitrovic up top for Fulham?

ROD: He is key. There are a few other players that Fulham rely on but he's the one that gets the goals. Last season he came in in February and Fulham didn't really have that focal point that they could get the ball into to provide anything and he's been a revelation since he came in.

He scored goals last season and he's scoring them this season. He provides a really physical presence for Fulham where they can play their nice football in behind him, but they also have someone who can hold it up, get on the end of it and put a few goals away.

afcb.co.uk: How big is tomorrow's game for Fulham?

ROD: It's a massive game. At this stage Fulham need a win so Bournemouth at home is going to be a big game.

I don't know whether the consensus is that it's a game that they should be winning, Bournemouth have started so well and they're an established Premier League side.

I was in Jokanovic's press conference and he was really complimentary about Bournemouth, he said what a good side they were, they have big physical players and are very very good up top. That's the concerning thing for Fulham, Bournemouth's attack is very strong and Fulham's defence is very weak.



https://www.afcb.co.uk/news/first-team/media-view-expert-insight-on-fulham

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham need to start getting real and improve – or Slavisa Jokanovic will suffer the consequences

The Cottagers' defence record is atrocious this season, writes Daniel Storey, and undermining everything that was good about them in the Championship

There were very few managers who began this season with more goodwill in the bank than Slavisa Jokanovic. The last time the Serbian began preparing for a Premier League campaign, in 2015, his plans were shelved after only six weeks. If reports suggested that Jokanovic had demanded an unrealistic annual salary from Watford, his achievements in charge probably merited the pay rise.

Instead, Jokanovic left England and found redemption in Tel Aviv. During his six months at Maccabi, the club reached the group stage of the Champions League for the first time in 11 years, eliminating Basel in the process.

But when Fulham – down on their luck and struggling in the Championship – called, Jokanovic jumped at the chance to return to England. He had unfinished business.

Reality bites

In some respects, Jokanovic is just another victim of his own success. Having staved off the lingering threat of relegation to League One, he led Fulham to the play-offs in his first full season. They beat Reading in the semi-finals in 2017, then won at Wembley a year later. Jokanovic became the first non-British manager to achieve two promotions to the Premier League.

Most impressive was the style of Fulham's success. Relying upon a squad of players with minimal top-flight experience and sprinkled with exciting young talent, Jokanovic utilised an alluring, attacking brand of football. Tom Cairney, Marcus Bettinelli, Kevin McDonald and Ryan Fredericks were just four players performing at a higher level than they had ever done before. This time, there was no danger of Jokanovic leaving before August.

But neither is there any guarantee that Fulham's manager will be employed beyond the end of October. If Fulham's cautious ambition for this season was Premier League consolidation, Jokanovic is so far failing in that task. Fulham haven't won in the league since August. Their Achilles' heel is exposed with a flashing neon sign pointing towards the flaw.

For all of Fulham's excellence in the Championship last season, their defence was the weak point. Only Derby in the division's top eight conceded more times, and only champions Wolves scored more goals. The solution was obvious: Fulham needed to focus investment on their defence.

Imperfect priorities

It would be unfair to accuse Fulham of ignoring the problem entirely. When you sign 12 first-team players in one transfer window, very few areas of the team get ignored.

But the west Londoners did spend the majority of their transfer fees, and allocated the majority of new salaries, on the attacking half of the pitch. Andre Schurrle, Luciano Vietto, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Jean-Michel Seri were the four highest-profile arrivals.

The neutral may welcome a promoted team that tries to do more than grimly cling on to the Premier League's cliff edge. There is a subtle but important difference between trying to be better than those around you, and trying to be a little less worse. The bottom half of the Premier League has become a bloated mess over the last few seasons. Fulham represented a different model.

But there is a reason why clubs opt for safety first: optimism is a short step from naivety. Fulham's defensive record is appalling: they have conceded 25 goals in their first nine league games, which is already six more than any other team. Extrapolate that to a whole season, and Fulham will concede 105 goals. That would break the record for a 38-game Premier League season by a margin of 16 goals. If football clubs are usually advised to avoid panicking, these are panic stations.

Drilling down into the figures won't give Fulham supporters any more cheer. Only Burnley and Brighton have allowed more shots this season, and no team has faced more shots on target. The simple conclusion is this: keep defending as they are, and Fulham will be relegated.

Gotta Slav faith

Jokanovic is not solely responsible for the problem, but he carries more guilt than most. Having wrestled control of transfers from the club in his first full season, it was he who had final say on transfer targets.

The Serb has also regularly chopped and changed his defence in search of a solution that remains out of reach. The accusation from worried supporters is that Jokanovic's only reaction to a strategic issue is to throw even more players forward. Attackers are given licence to stay forward, but it leaves the defence exposed.

The first signs of disillusionment are appearing, with some reports suggesting that Jokanovic has two games to save his job. Fulham have moved to reject those rumours – as is par for the course – but it's clear that such defensive calamity cannot persist.

"My job is to keep working and fighting to find the solution," Jokanovic said after Fulham conceded four times against a Cardiff side that doubled their goals total from the first eight games. "Last year people were against us, but we found a way to improve ourselves and be more competitive. We showed some positive things, but the negative things are killing us."

Killing Fulham, and killing the goodwill that Jokanovic had in the bank. If promotion from the Championship afforded the Cottagers boss a chance to create his own fairytale following Watford frustration, the Premier League does not give up happy endings easily.

It's time for a dose of the real world: Fulham must improve or Jokanovic will soon be sacked.



Read more at https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/fulham-need-start-getting-real-and-improve-or-slavisa-jokanovic-will-suffer-consequences#xaQVOOwjMCUQHdJU.99

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Fulham return to basics as Slavisa Jokanovic tries to find solution to defensive issues

The head coach has said that his players have shown a 'great attitude' to right the problems they're having this season

Fulham have made a return to basics in training this week as Slavisa Jokanovic's side look to find a solution to their defensive issues ahead of the game with AFC Bournemouth.

Another four goals conceded last weekend, this time during a 4-2 defeat to Cardiff City, took their tally to 25 goals shipped in nine games.

Those goals included a worrying number of unforced errors and individual mistakes - something that has been the story of the season so far for the Whites who look like they're lacking any defensive cohesion and are doing simple things wrong.

The past week has presented Jokanovic with the chance to get his players together, refresh their minds and work on the basics in order to get Fulham working together as a unit in defence - and stop conceding goals.

He said: "First of all, behind us is a normal week.

"We cannot be satisfied with the last result but the team show their confidence and desire to improve.

"We must fix this, it's not so complicated to detect what the biggest problems are in the team and people show the great attitude to refresh their minds and understand we must be more organised and show more defensive discipline to work as a unit.

"We must refresh our minds for the basic things and this is how we have been trying to find the solution this week.

"The attitude is good and we must all be motivated because we have opportunity to be part of the Premier League.

"A team from the Championship coming to the Premier League, it's not a walk in the park, we know we will find problems in this process and in general we have enough attributes and knowledge to overcome this setback that we made in the last few games."




https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-return-basics-slavisa-jokanovic-15331340

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Fulham boosted by Tom Cairney return as Slavisa Jokanovic looks to stop the rot

The return of Fulham captain Tom Cairney is a major boost for Slavisa Jokanovic as he looks to turn things around at Craven Cottage.

Cairney has been out for a month with an ankle problem but the midfielder was back in training this week and is in contention to start tomorrow's match against Bournemouth.

Fulham are in the relegation zone having failed to win a Premier League game since August 26 but Jokanovic was still given a strong message of support by owner Shahid Khan yesterday.

And the return of Cairney, who scored the winner in the Championship Play-Off Final at Wembley last season, could be key as he is influential to the way boss Jokanovic wants Fulham to play.

Gareth Southgate is said to be considering the 27-year-old for an England call-up and the rest of the team look more comfortable with him in it.

But, apart from 26 minutes as a substitute against Everton, Cairney has been sidelined since August.

While their defensive frailties have been the main issue for Fulham — they have conceded more than any other club in the League with 25 and have failed to keep a clean sheet — they have clearly missed their captain.

Jokanovic has been unable to get Cairney, Andre Schurrle and Jean Michael Seri in the team together but the trio could all start tomorrow for the first time in two months. The last time Cairney, Schurrle and Seri did start together, Fulham beat Burnley 4-2 in their best performance this season.

"Cairney is really important," said Jokanovic. "It is good news for us that Cairney starts working with us and I have a near-complete team."

Jokanovic has said he was grateful for the backing of owner Khan after the American delivered a public message of support to him yesterday. But the Serbian has insisted he is happy to shoulder the pressure of responsibility to take the heat off his players.

Khan, who last week pulled out of his £600million bid to buy Wembley, will be at Craven Cottage tomorrow and will hope to see Fulham climb out of the relegation zone. Jokanovic added: "I am happy with the pressure. It is part of the job and what I need is to give some freedom to my players to clear their mind to understand what we must do."

Speaking of Khan's support, Jokanovic added: "It is great. He is a great man and he is a brilliant businessman, too.

"Generally, I am not the kind of person who needs a shoulder for support. I am calm, I do my work and live in the present but they are great words from the owner's side.

"I know very well what my job is and what my players' jobs are. I want to make him and the supporters satisfied and I must do everything to offer them some enjoyment at Craven Cottage."




https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-boosted-by-tom-cairney-return-as-slavisa-jokanovic-looks-to-stop-the-rot-a3972706.html

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Omogbehin & Davis Reaction

Colin Omogbehin was upbeat following our Under-18s' win over Brighton, but knows there is still work to be done on the training ground for their form to continue. 

"I think the fact that any team who is winning back-to-back games has shown improvement." He told fulhamfc.com. "We had one or two strange results at the start of the season but we seem to have overcome that and we can continue to progress against Tottenham."

Tottenham will prove to be a tricky test for the Young Whites as they sit top of the table having amassed 41 goals and maintaining an unbeaten record. However, Fulham will take great heart into the game.

"I think the group deserved the win, we were the better team from start to finish so I couldn't ask for more.

"When they scored it was against the run of play and we'd had two chances prior to that. What I was happy with was the response - we didn't feel sorry for ourselves, we carried on sticking to our strategy.

"A lot of the intricate play is what we work on in training. It is always lovely to see when it comes off. This is how we encourage our players to play, to perform and be creative with their build-up play."

The Head Coach was keen to give credit to his two holding midfielders, Jonny Page and Ben Davis, who worked tirelessly throughout to sustain pressure on the Brighton goal.

"I thought Jonathon Page and Ben Davis were our unsung heroes. We will talk about the flair players and the goals they scored but I thought those two were excellent with their discipline.

"They broke up play and used it very calmly, as well as some fantastic off the ball awareness to go and win it back. They have been doing that sort of thing for the last two games so it bodes well going forward."

Davis was in a similar mind-set to his Head Coach as he stressed the difficulty of his side's fixtures coming up.

"It's good to get our first run going especially with back-to-back wins. The performance was excellent but we need to keep it up for the next few games because we have got a tough month coming up.

"I always felt that we would click into place. We just needed to get past the tough times at the start of the season and learn from it.

"We are going to be going in with loads of confidence, training has been good, so hopefully we can move that into Tottenham who will be the toughest test yet.

"I definitely worked hard and played well. The goalkeeper made a very good save to deny me, but it came at me quickly so I didn't have the time to adjust. It's important myself and my partner sit in. Fabio (Carvalho) and Sylvester (Jasper) love to attack, and although they get success they are prone to losing the ball. We need to have that insurance to mount fresh attacks."




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/october/26/u18-reaction

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FA eyes betting industry levy after collapse of Wembley sale

After Fulham owner Shahid Khan retracted his £600m offer to buy Wembley Stadium, FA Chief Executive Martin Glenn has revealed the FA could seek to implement a levy on betting operators.

Glenn had pushed for the sale of Wembley to increase the funding of grassroots football, however he failed to gain the backing of the FA Council and the potential takeover caused much discontent and division amongst English football, leading to Khan withdrawing his bid.

The FA Chief Executive has now revealed there's potential for a levy to be introduced on the gambling industry, in order to fund grassroots football. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Glenn said: "France has effectively a tax on gambling. We would call it a fair return on football gambling.

"All those betting companies use our intellectual property to have people lay bets, so why wouldn't a small percentage of that be put into the thing that made that possible in the first place?

"We, as football, could approach the government and say 'Have you thought about something like that?'

"It doesn't need to be a big lump sum. We've got £64m going into the Football Foundation between the three of us (FA, Premier League and government) – imagine if it was £80m or £100m. If we could get to that it would be brilliant."

In a statement to the media, Gillian Wilmot, Chair of the Senet Group, responded to the proposals: "Gambling companies already pay significantly above the market rate for the right to advertise alongside live sport.

"This is money which flows to broadcasters and ultimately benefits sport through the sale of broadcast rights. Instead of looking to further monetise gambling's relationship with live sport, the FA, clubs and broadcasters should be looking to work with the gambling industry to reduce the amount of gambling advertising around football. This is in the interests of protecting young people from any potential future harm."

In its conditions for the potential sale of Wembley, the government prohibited the national stadium from having an official betting partner. The FA hasn't had an official betting partner since it ended its partnership with Ladbrokes in 2017, citing a change of policy on gambling relationships as the reason.

The Remote Gambling Association also responded, echoing the sentiments of the Senet Group: "The British betting industry already pays for the use of football's intellectual property rights, not least through contractual arrangements with Football Data Co," RGA chief executive Clive Hawkswood told Press Association Sport.

"Alongside that, significant funds flow from the betting to the football industries through a range of commercial partnerships such as sponsorship, advertising and joint ventures.

"If the football authorities wish to use some of those funds to support grassroots football then that is an option they might consider, but there is no basis whatsoever for the introduction of a statutory betting levy to support what most people would consider to be an extremely wealthy sport."




https://www.sbcnews.co.uk/sportsbook/2018/10/26/fa-eyes-betting-industry-levy-after-collapse-of-wembley-sale/

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Premier League faces major rule change as football chiefs look to stop 'cheating'

The International FA Board plan big changes in their bid to combat time-wasting

Football's decision-makers are on the verge of declaring war on time-wasting 'cheats'.

A ban on substitutions in injury-time is one of the ideas being considered by the game's top brass.

The International FA Board will discuss the plans at their AGM in March, report The Times .

Their aim is to speed up the game and eradicate players and coaches running down the clock.

The recent Premier League match between Cardiff City and Burnley saw the ball in play for a total of 42 minutes, a record with the average time standing at 55 minutes.

Another idea thrown forward is for players to leave the pitch by walking to the closest touchline - and not back to their bench.

An IFAB source said: "We all want to crack down on major time-wasting and increase playing time but the fundamental question is how we do it."

Fans have been demanding change for some time with supporters fed up of games being slowed down in the closing stages.

Now, some solutions are being thrown forward to solve the issue.

"A rule to say there should be no substitutions during added on time is an interesting one," the source added.

"Referees add on 30 seconds for every one but in practice it can eat up a lot more time than that.

"There would, however, need to be trials to see if there are any unforeseen ramifications."

Last years the IFAB looked into whether time keeping should be taken away from referees.

But despite gaining a high level of support, the idea was disregarded and no experiment ever took place.




https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-league-rule-changes-revealed-13482417

[WhiteJC]

 
Jokanovic: Cairney return can spark Fulham revival

Ahead of AFC Bournemouth match, Fulham manager says absence of influential captain has hindered club's PL return

Slavisa Jokanovic is hopeful the imminent return of Tom Cairney will help improve Fulham's disappointing start to the Premier League season.

The club captain injured his ankle in the 4-2 victory over Burnley on 28 August and suffered a setback in his only comeback appearance, as a substitute during the 3-0 reverse against Everton in September.

He is, however, in the frame to feature against sixth-placed AFC Bournemouth on Saturday.

"Tom Cairney is a really important player for us," Jokanovic told the club's official website. "After nine-and-a-half weeks he started working with us [on Tuesday], although he had a few training sessions before the Everton game."

Without a win since that Matchweek 3 result against the Clarets, Jokanovic believes the end of an injury-plagued few weeks will help his side recover from a return to the top flight that has garnered five points from nine matches.

"There's no excuse or justification for the beginning of this season," said Jokanovic, whose side lie third from bottom in the table.

"But injuries haven't been our best partner in this period behind us."



https://www.premierleague.com/news/888179

[WhiteJC]

 
Shahid Khan issues update on Craven Cottage after Wembley deal falls through

The Fulham owner wrote in his pre-Bournemouth programme notes that he is still committed to re-devloping the Riverisde Stand

Shahid Khan has reaffirmed his commitment to Craven Cottage and redeveloping the Riverside Stand after his bid to buy Wembley Stadium fell-through.

The Fulham owner will be at Saturday's game with AFC Bournemouth before heading to Wembley on Sunday to watch his Jacksonville Jaguars NFL side in action against the Philadelphia Eagles in what will be the first time Mr Khan has been at the stadium since withdrawing his offer to buy it.

That bid raised a divide in the football community, with some believing the sale was a good thing as it would provide money for grassroots football, while others believed the stadium shouldn't be sold and should remain in the FA's hands.

It also raised questions about the future of Fulham and whether or not they would remain at the Cottage or be relocated to Wembley, with the club's former assistant director of football, Craig Kline, claiming in the past month that there were plans to relocate the club and sell Craven Cottage for housing, although last week he also claimed that there were plans for Fulham to groundshare with Chelsea at their proposed new ground.

However, ahead of Saturday's game, Mr Khan has taken the time reaffirm his commitment to the Cottage and the Riverside Stand to fans and has asked them to 'judge him by his actions, but until then to take his word."

In his pre-match programme notes, Mr Khan said: "It's a good reminder for me, and hopefully longtime Fulham supporters, that we should never take for granted the treasure we have here at Craven Cottage.

"It's why we will see through the renovation of the Riverside Stand, with work targeted to begin in May so this remarkable venue will continue to serve generations of Fulham supporters and football fans in general while also providing spectacular new amenities for the neighbourhood.

"We are currently speaking with potential partners who will bring the Riverside Stand to life, with plans calling for a café, leisure and exercise facilities, roof garden and other features based on the council's guidance that the new Riverside Stand must deliver amenities for residents and families on non-matchdays.

"Already we have been approached by celebrity chefs and Michelin-star restaurateurs to ensure such an experience, and we are close to appointing a contractor so that when it's time to commence work, we will be ready.


An artist's impression of the Riverside Stand looking from the Johnny Haynes Stand

"I wanted to touch on this early in my notes to once again emphasise to the Fulham community that I am committed to the renovation of the Riverside Stand and therefore a future for Craven Cottage as our traditional, spiritual and hallowed home ground.

"While I've tried to make this point clear over the past several years, and just earlier this month reiterated it in a letter to FA Council members in my offer to purchase Wembley Stadium, misunderstandings or doubts will occasionally surface.

"You can judge me by my actions, but until then, I ask you to take my word."




https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/shahid-khan-issues-update-craven-15331413