Sunday Fulham Stuff (03/03/19)...

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Opinion: Ranieri's exit was the last nail in the coffin for Fulham
Mohul Bhowmick

Fulham Football Club made news last week when they announced that they would be parting ways with their manager Claudio Ranieri, after just seventeen games in charge. Ranieri was at Craven Cottage for just 106 days, making his reign one of the shortest ever in history. Club owner Shahid Khan made an enigmatic statement, and it made it hard to realise what exactly Ranieri had done wrong.

It looked like even the great Sir Alex Ferguson could not have turned around Fulham's fortunes around this season. The manager is an easy target and it is efficient to say that the buck stops with him, but one has to understand that a combination of bad players with bad attitudes have taken Fulham where they are today.

Ranieri took over in November from Slavisa Jokanovic and guided the team to a 3-2 victory over Southampton in his first game in charge but sadly, the Italian could muster only two wins after that. A combination of bad form, patchy business in front of goal and defensive woes meant that Fulham were edging more closer to relegation than ever. Ranieri made his first public error when it became clear that he had a falling out with Aboubakar Kamara, and made his wish to sell him known in public.

It was no doubt that Kamara pushed Ranieri's buttons and all others' at the same time. It started when he had a row with Aleksandar Mitrovic over taking a penalty against Huddersfield Town, when he snatched the ball away from the big Serb and eventually missed. Things escalated later when he got into another war of words with Mitrovic during a yoga session in training. Ranieri banished him from the team and ordered him to train with the club's Under-23 team, and eventually shipped him on loan to Yeni Malatyaspor.

Kamara was just one case and there were other players too who failed to live up to their potential. Mitrovic remains the club's top goalscorer with ten goals, but apart from Andre Schurrle who scored six, none of Fulham's attacking players could find the back of the net very often. Left-back/ left-winger Ryan Sessegnon, who was brilliant in the Championship last season, showed glimpses of his potential and has five assists and two goals to his name.

Defensively, Fulham were poor throughout the season with Alfie Mawson, Denis Odoi and Joe Bryan being found wanting all the time. Long balls were seldom provided and even when they were, there were seldom any takers for them. The Cottagers tried playing Arsenal loanee Calum Chambers in central defensive midfield, but that trick did not work out either.

So, it is not just Ranieri's fault that Fulham find themselves in the relegation zone. It was just that there were a bunch of unmotivated players whom the Italian could not improve. His exit is the last nail in their coffin, as they prepare for the Championship next season.



https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/opinion-ranieri-s-exit-was-the-last-nail-in-the-coffin-for-fulham?key=newsnow

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Jamie Redknapp has a warning for Chelsea over Scott Parker and Fulham ahead of west London derby

Chelsea face Fulham with Scott Parker set to take charge for the first time at Craven Cottage today

Scott Parker will lift the whole place at Fulham ahead of their game against Chelsea, according to Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp.

The former Blues midfielder will take charge of the Cottagers for the first time today (Sunday) as Fulham host his old club at Craven Cottage in a west London derby.

And Redknapp feels Parker will provide a boost to Fulham and their supporters, after taking charge on a caretaker basis following the sacking of Claudio Ranieri in midweek, with his comments serving as a warning for Chelsea ahead of the derby clash.

"I think he [Parker] gets the job no matter what happens, I really do," Redknapp said, speaking on Sky Sports.

"They're in a situation where nobody expects them to stay up, if he picks up a couple of good results. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go back to basics, bring in the likes of [Tom] Cairney who did so well for them last year, [Ryan] Sessegnon, I think the crowd want to see him in the team now, and Scott [Parker] will just lift the place.

"He knows the club well, he's got vast amounts of experience, he's worked with some of the best managers if you look at his CV, so if he could just take a little bit of all the good managers he has worked in, there's no reason he can't be a good manager himself."

Meanwhile, one of Parker's former team-mates, Kevin Nolan, feels that he could prove to be a superb appointment for Fulham, who currently sit ten points from safety with ten games left to play.

"Why not? I'm excited for him," said Nolan.

"I've been in that position myself, not in the Premier League, and that's where we all want to be as managers. I know Scott, I know what he's like. He was a fantastic footballer and I wish him all the best.

"Darren Moore got given the job on a temporary basis with West Brom so he's got an opportunity to go in, show what he's about and you never know. If he picks up a bit of momentum he could get them out of it, if not it gives them momentum for next season which is crucial as well."



https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/fixtures-results/redknapp-warning-chelsea-parker-fulham-15913560

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Fulham's problem is recruitment: The wrong players, now finding a manager to work with them

"Risk free" was a strange way to describe Claudio Ranieri's appointment, especially given Shahid Khan learned the hard way that risk in English football is much greater than the relegation-free NFL, where he also has skin in the game.

The American billionaire owner of Fulham had his words thrown back at him on Wednesday at Craven Cottage via the classic bed-sheet protest banner, and a day later that once risk-free manager was on his way.

"Risk free? Are you watching Tony Khan" was the question posed by disgruntled Fulham fans to Shahid's son Tony, the youthful vice chairman and director of football operations at the club, although strictly speaking not in charge of managerial appointments.

Like Ranieri once did, Tony answers direct to his father, the Fulham chairman, and that was why the Italian's sacking and Scott Parker's promotion was not announced until the afternoon of Thursday. Fulham's big calls are made on US time, not GMT.

They face Chelsea today with Parker the third manager of the season, ten points from safety at a club where the weather can change quickly. The Khans' intention was always to tame this unpredictable sport with the prioritising of data analysis in recruitment, Tony Khan's specialism. As things have turned out, Fulham have been just as prone to the vicissitudes of the game as any other but that does not mean they are in any mood to change.


Fulham's fans raided their well-stocked linen cupboards in midweek CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

The banner was right: the responsibility lies with Tony Khan, who has brought to English football the principles developed by his TruMedia data analytics company which Fulham apply in their "both boxes ticked" recruitment. The other box is traditional scouting, overseen by Brian Talbot who has very much bought into the Khan era and its data-led approach, and whose son Daniel is the club's European scout.

Talbot senior has realised what it has taken others at the club much longer to understand: Tony Khan's approach to recruitment will not change, the question is whether there is a manager out there capable of working with it. In their defence, the Khans believe that that they have a squad for the long-term, with a good age profile including those like Jean Michael Seri whom they are planning to keep in the event of relegation. As for a squad fit for the 2018-2019 Premier League season, Fulham, behind only Liverpool and Chelsea in summer spending, have fallen short.

Unpicking the failure of that £100million summer investment in 12 new players, four on loan, is not straightforward. Slavisa Jokanovic was never happy with Tony Khan's approach to recruitment and he was rarely afraid to say so. When he arrived in the Premier League he persisted with the more expansive style that had worked in the Championship and the club felt it had no choice but to appoint a more pragmatic manager.



https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/03/03/fulhams-problem-recruitment-wrong-players-now-finding-manager/

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Fulham vs Chelsea: Scott Parker urges club to wait over inquest into disastrous Premier League campaign

The Cottagers splashed out more than £100million on new players following promotion last summer but have since sacked two managers and appear condemned to an immediate return to the Championship

Scott Parker believes the inquest into Fulham's disastrous Premier League campaign must wait until May.

The Cottagers splashed out more than £100million on new players following promotion last summer but have since sacked two managers and appear condemned to an immediate return to the Championship.

Caretaker boss Parker has been tasked with bringing some stability back to Craven Cottage after replacing Claudio Ranieri on Thursday.

The 38-year-old inherits a team 10 points adrift of safety ahead of Sunday's derby with west London rivals Chelsea.

"At the end of the season, whether you're winning leagues or getting relegated, it's a time to reflect and work out where the mistakes have been made and where you can improve things," he said.

"There's no denying, and it doesn't lie, that the owners of this football club have invested an awful lot of money. Ultimately they have the club's best interests at heart.

"I'm sure at the end of the season, when all the dust is settled, everyone will sit around a table and say 'OK, look, this, this and this wasn't good enough, this was perfect'."

Parker, who was first-team coach under predecessors Slavisa Jokanovic and Ranieri, has 10 games in which to pull of an improbable great escape.

The former England midfielder acknowledges that the club's position is perilous but wants his players to strive for survival until it is no longer mathematically possible.

Parker was relegated from the Premier League as a West Ham player in 2011 and admits the experience hurts.

"It does," he said. "It's the same situation you find yourself in when you go into any club which is down at the bottom of the league. They'll all have the same issues - confidence, whatever that may be.

"Certainly I've got experience from that as a player from being relegated.

"I'd like to learn from that and get that across to the players."



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fulham-vs-chelsea-fc-preview-scott-parker-manager-epl-a8805181.html

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Why West Ham's dodgy goal vs Fulham will be illegal next season

Chicharito's West Ham handball goal vs Fulham

A few weeks ago West Ham beat Fulham 3-1 in the Premier League.

Ryan Babel opened for Fulham at the London Stadium after just three minutes.

However the Hammers were level by the half hour as Javier Hernandez equalised.

But should Chicharito's goal have been chalked off?

The Mexican striker courted plenty of controversy for handling the ball into the Fulham net.

In fairness to the match officials, the handball was difficult to spot at first instance.


Chicharito's West Ham handball goal vs Fulham

Accidental handballs will be illegal next season

There's been a major change to the rules which will come into affect next season.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) have decided that certain accidental handballs will be illegal from next season.

Readers have been told he following in the Sunday Times:

Accidental handballs in goal-scoring situations will be outlawed from next season.

When a goal is scored directly or set up by a player who gained possession or control of the ball 'from their hand/arm (even if accidental)' it will no longer be allowed.

Other changes to football's laws

Football fans should also be aware of a couple of other changes to the laws for next season.

Two other areas of the game which have been affected are free-kicks and substitutions.

The Sunday Times reports on the FIFA updates:

Fifa also approved law changes to stop players from interfering with defensive walls at free kicks.

Under the new rule, players from the attacking team will have to be at least one metre away from the wall when a free kick is being taken.

Also, players being substituted must now leave the field of play at the nearest touchline, in a bid to reduce time-wasting.



https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/why-west-hams-dodgy-goal-vs-fulham-will-be-illegal-next-season/

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Fulham hoping to beat Liverpool and Chelsea to signing of League One starlet

Premier League strugglers Fulham are hoping to secure a deal for Burton Albion forward Jayden Wildbore, according to a report from Sky Sports via a piece in the Sunday People.

The teenage forward has already been in the headlines this season, attracting admiring glances from the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea, but it is believed that the Cottagers are hopeful of securing a deal for the youngster.

Wildbore is highly thought of at the Pirelli Stadium and manager Nigel Clough is well aware he is fighting a losing battle in terms of keeping hold of Wildbore, who has yet to even make an appearance for the Brewers as yet.

However, his form in the youth set-up has attracted the attention of the Premier League big guns, although it is Fulham who think they have the best chance of landing the prospect.

The Cottagers are reportedly confident of convincing Wildbore to move to the club with the promise of more opportunities than he would get at a top six club, and with them looking likely to be in the Championship next term, it might just work out for Wildbore.

The Verdict
Fulham would be the move you'd make really if you wanted to play, but given the state they are in at the moment, it's not the ideal.

If a top six club comes along then how does Wildbore turn that down? He simply doesn't.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-hoping-to-beat-liverpool-and-chelsea-to-signing-of-league-one-starlet/