Tuesday Fulham Stuff (12/03/19)...

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Crystal Palace's Scott Dann on rumours of January move to Fulham

Scott Dann has dismissed the talk which suggested he was on his way out of Crystal Palace to Fulham during the January transfer window.

Media reports suggested the 32-year-old had become a target after attempts to strike a deal with Chelsea over Gary Cahill fell through.

But Dann, who started only his second league game this season in the 2-1 defeat to Brighton, firmly denied there was anything in the rumours.

He said: "You get to that stage where I wasn't in the team at time and things like that spring up. It probably wasn't just me, there was a lot of talk going on in January.

"I have just been concentrating on getting as fit as I can and giving myself the best chance to get in the team when called upon. At the end of the day it is a squad game.

"Thankfully I have been able to play the last couple of games."

Dann suffered a season-ending injury in the draw with would-be champions Manchester City on New Year's Eve in December 2017.

He made his return to action more than a year later in Palace's victory over Grimsby Town during the FA Cup's third round.



https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/sport/17489487.crystal-palaces-scott-dann-on-rumours-of-january-move-to-fulham/

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Slow news day then............

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic: West Brom to hold further talks with former Fulham boss


Slavisa Jokanovic led Fulham to the Premier League through the Championship play-offs last season

West Bromwich Albion will have further talks with former Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic as they step up their efforts to replace sacked head coach Darren Moore.

However, it looks unlikely that they will have a new boss in place for Wednesday's game against Swansea.

Moore, 44, was dismissed following Saturday's draw with Ipswich Town.

Albion have made Jokanovic one of their prime candidates after guiding Watford and Fulham to the Premier League.

The 50-year-old, who was sacked by Fulham in November, worked with Albion's sporting director Luke Dowling during his spell as Watford boss in 2014-15.

The Baggies, who are fourth in the Championship, are continuing to talk with potential successors to Moore.

But it is understood former Huddersfield boss David Wagner will not be taking over as he wants to wait until the summer before assessing any job offers.

Former Swansea boss Carlos Carvalhal is also a potential candidate and is one of the men who made their interest known following Moore's dismissal.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47522836

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Interest from China could put Tottenham off going back in for Mitrovic

(Photo by Mark Leech/Offside/Getty Images)

Tottenham reportedly wanted Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic during the January transfer window but he could be set for a move to the Chinese Super League now.

Fulham talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic is the subject of interest from several Chinese Super League clubs, according to the Sunday People, 10/03, Page 53.

They report that the Serbian will leave Craven Cottage this summer despite having four years left on his current deal in west London and China is his most likely destination.

Wages of around £12m per year are reportedly on offer and would also be tempting for Fulham because it would allow them to recoup the money they spent on the striker during the summer.

TeamTalk reported last month that Tottenham made an approach for Mitrovic on deadline day of the most recent transfer window, but their £27m bid was rebuffed.

And the decadent spending going on in China is in contrast to Tottenham's frugality, which has seen them not sign a player in either of the past two windows.

On top of that, Spurs' problem when it comes to signing strikers is that it's tough to find one of the right quality who is happy to be behind Harry Kane in the pecking order – and Mitrovic would likely have those concerns.

When the alternative is to earn huge riches out in China on the back of a disappointing season for Fulham but one in which he enhanced his personal reputation, it's hard to see Spurs being able to compete when the can offer sensible wages and the possibility of being a backup striker.

The opportunity to remain in a more competitive league is the main appeal, but if money talks, then Spurs could well be blown out of the water.



https://tbrfootball.com/interest-from-china-could-put-tottenham-off-going-back-in-for-mitrovic/

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Fulham contracts: Full list of deals and when they expire at Craven Cottage

The likes of Ryan Sessegnon, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Tom Cairney all have a while to run on their deals

Fulham's season hasn't gone to plan and with just eight games left in the Premier League campaign, relegation back to the Championship is looking all the more likely.

A 3-1 defeat to Leicester City on Saturday means the Whites are now 13 points off safety and can pretty much start planning for the second tier next year, with who will stay and who will go now a major talking point.

Fulham have done a good job of tying down most of their key players to long-term contracts with club options to extend by a further year, meaning that if some do move on they'll be able to bring a strong position to the bargaining table.

We've gone through the squad at Craven Cottage and compiled a list of when each players' contract runs out, as well as whether or not they've got options on them.

2019

End of loans

Calum Chambers

Luciano Vietto

Sergio Rico

Timothy Fosu-Mensah

Havard Nordtveit

End of contracts

Ryan Babel

Lazar Markovic

Neeskens Kebano (club option of a further year)

Floyd Ayite (club option of a further year)

Denis Odoi (club option of a further year)

Stefan Johansen (with club option of a further year)

2020

Loans:

Andre Schurrle

End of contracts

Ryan Sessegnon

Rui Fonte

Ibrahima Cisse

Marcelo Djalo

Luca de la Torre

Matt O'Riley

Marlon Fossey (club option of a further year)

Kevin McDonald (club option of a further year)

Tim Ream (club option of a further year)

2021

Aboubakar Kamara (with club option of a further year)

Cyrus Christie (with club option of a further year)

Marek Rodak (with club option of a further year)

Fabri (with club option of a further year)

Marcus Bettinelli (with club option of a further year)

2022

Jean-Michael Seri (with club option of a further year)

Alfie Mawson

Joe Bryan (with club option of a further year)

Maxime Le Marchand

Steven Sessegnon (with club option of a further year)

2023

Tom Cairney (with club option of a further year)

Aleksandar Mitrovic

Andre-Frank Zambo Aguissa



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-contracts-full-list-deals-15928593

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Reported Tottenham target Aleksandar Mitrovic now allegedly valued at £50m

Fulham's 10-goal Premier League striker Aleksandar Mitrovic is reportedly a target for Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham Hotspur.

It is looking increasingly likely that Tottenham Hotspur will have to break the bank to sign Aleksandar Mitrovic in the summer.

TEAMtalk reported that Spurs saw a £27 million bid for the Serbia international rejected in January, with relegation threatened Fulham showing no interest in selling their top scorer midway through the season.

With relegation looking inevitable, however, the Cottagers are now expected to lose their star man with Tottenham set to renew their interest. Mitrovic has scored ten league goals for struggling Fulham and is almost unplayable when he is on top form.

The former Newcastle target man could be a fine successor for the veteran Fernando Llorente.

But can a Spurs side who haven't signed a player in either of the last two transfer windows really afford him?

TEAMtalk have provided an update on Monday, claiming that Mitrovic is now valued at a staggering £50 million – a fee that would make him Tottenham's all-time record signing if he arrived.

Furthermore, it is claimed that he is being offered wages of £12 million a year from clubs in the Chinese Super League.

Tottenham's highest earner, Harry Kane, earns £10.4 million, according to Sportac, with chairman Daniel Levy famously scrupulous when it comes to wages.

There is a chance then that Mitrovic is simply out of their reach.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/03/11/do-tottenham-reportedly-have-to-pay-club-record-fee-for-fulhams/

[WhiteJC]

 
Ayité: Bittersweet Afternoon

Goal-scorer Floyd Ayité was left frustrated with the result against Leicester but is happy working under Scott Parker.

The Togolese international came off the bench at half-time and levelled the scores five minutes later before Jamie Vardy scored twice late on to take the game away from Fulham.

"We were under pressure in the first-half and Leicester pressed us really high and we couldn't find a solution," said Ayité.

"I was in a warm up during the half-time team talk but I think Scott [Parker] gave some solutions and some support.

"In the second-half we were much better in the game and the shape was better, so was the way that we were playing.

"We were much better but we made some mistakes, unfortunately that is football."

The Fulham winger became only the second ever Togolese player to score in the Premier League and it was a proud moment for him.

"It was a good ball from Howie [Nordtveit] and I kept the first touch. I was a bit free so I was running towards the goalkeeper.

"It was a good first touch and then I kicked with my left foot and it was a bit lucky, I think the defender touched the ball. We deserved this goal because we were pushing a lot and it was a good moment," he said.

Ayité played with Parker at Fulham and is pleased with what his former teammate is trying to achieve on the training pitch.

He said: "Scott Parker is about quick football and I think in the second-half that's what we did, a lot of passing with pace and with desire.

"I think over the next couple of games we will see the same team that came out playing in the start of the second-half."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/march/11/ayite-reaction

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Three old players Slavisa Jokanvic could target if made West Brom manager

The former Fulham manager is reportedly in talks about the West Bromwich Albion vacancy.

The former Fulham manager, Slavisa Jokanovic, is in talks to succeed Darren Moore as manager of West Bromwich Albion (BBC Sport).

The twice promoted Serbian will be tasked with repeating his party trick should he take the Hawthorns reins.

But which of his old players could become targets should Albion return to the Premier League?

HITC Sport takes a look...

Matt Targett (Southampton)

West Brom will be keen to improve upon their current full-back options whichever league they're in next season and Targett, who starred while on loan at Fulham last season, could be high on Jokanovic's list after the 50-year-old's failure to sign him in the summer. Targett has played 19 times for Southampton this term, but remained an unused substitute in four of the Saints' last five league matches.

And if the Baggies don't go up? Denis Odoi (Fulham).

Tom Cairney

Central midfield is another area in which Albion are likely to be buy this summer, with Gareth Barry, James Morrison, Chris Brunt and Rekeem Harper all out of contract. Signing Cairney, who played a talismanic role in Jokanovic's Fulham team, would be an obvious solution - especially if Stefan Johansen, his old partner-in-crime, returns on a permanent basis.

And if the Baggies don't go up? Kevin McDonald (Fulham)

Aleksandar Mitrovic

Troy Deeney at Watford, Chris Martin and Mitrovic at Fulham - if there's one thing Jokanovic loves (and that West Brom may lack next season) it's a focal point up front. And the latter player could be that man should Albion replace the Cottagers in next season's top flight. The prospective Hawthorns boss paid around £18 million for his fellow Serbian last summer (Transfermarkt), and after 10 goals in 30 games so far it's a deal which it's safe to say has paid off.

And if the Baggies don't go up? Matej Vydra (Burnley)



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/03/11/three-old-players-slavisa-jokanvic-could-target-if-made-west-bro/

[WhiteJC]

 
Foxes Floor Feeble Fulham

A fortnight ago, we were expecting this match to be billed as Claude versus Claudio. In that time, both managers had lost their respective managerial positions and this would be the first viewing of Brendan Rodgers' side at home. After his experiment of a 3-5-2 formation against Watford, fans were expecting to see a similar set-up against Fulham, a side not renowned for its away record. Instead, the new manager reverted to a back four and one holding midfielder.

After conceding a second corner within four minutes, City fans were understandably becoming twitchy and wondering whether we would (yet again) be letting in an early soft goal. On this occasion – no. The visitors rarely made any impression into the City half for the rest of the first half.

This was due a lot to Ndidi's impressive tackling, blocking and intercepting. Indeed, after twenty minutes, he stole the ball from Chambers and immediately threaded it through to Vardy, who, using his speed, took it into the penalty area and, seeing Tielemans unmarked, crossed it to him. The Belgian took one touch with his right foot to give him space past the defender and rolled the ball into an empty net.

By this stage, the goal scorer could have had a hat-trick as he had tried two attempts on goal earlier. The build up to the goal was all the more impressive as Vardy was "on" to score his hundredth goal for City, and his unselfish play had given City the lead and a comfortable platform to continue the first half.

It was evident that City had been given instructions to play higher up the pitch as there was back-up to Vardy's attacking position on many occasions and with more luck or poorer Fulham defending City could have had a bagful of goals by half-time with attempts from Maddison, Vardy, Pereira, Barnes and Evans, who nearly scored with a dramatic diving header at the end of the half.

Defensively, City seemed hungrier for the ball than Fulham and were hunting in packs of two or three to retrieve the ball from Fulham midfielders, thereby stifling any of their attempts to move forward. City fans were happy at half-time but slightly frustrated that the dominance had not made the game safe by that stage. Fulham, meanwhile, looked rudderless and the lack of a permanent manager was noticeable.

However, Scott Parker, temporarily in charge of the Cottagers, decided that this City dominance could not continue and brought on Ayité after the break to replace Sessegnon, who had been unimpressive against Chilwell and had given the latter too much space down the left-hand side to support Barnes' attacks.

This change brought swift reward for the visitors. After about five minutes of the restart, they booted a high ball out of defence which looked as if it might be going out for a throw-in. Ayité judged the flight of the ball better than Chilwell, who seemed to dither, waiting for a throw-in to be given. Instead, Ayité controlled it perfectly and turned Chilwell easily and darted towards goal with the ball. As he entered the penalty area, his shot on goal was spotted by Schmeichel and he was ready to stop it. Unfortunately, the tame shot hit Maguire and trickled pathetically into the net leaving Schmeichel wrong-footed.

The tame goal that City usually give away in the first ten minutes of the first half came at the beginning of the second half this time. This rejuvenated Fulham who suddenly decided that attacking City was an option after all and for the next twenty minutes they looked the more likely to score. Mitrovic, who generally had a quiet game, could have given them the lead on 67 minutes when a perfect cross from the left found him unmarked between Evans and Maguire. His deft header trickled past the far post with Schmeichel beaten.

Our midfielders did not have the same control shown in the first half. On occasion two blue shirts would go for the same ball, get in each other's way and Fulham would come away with it. Ndidi certainly did not have the same effect on the game as in the first 45 minutes. Gray was ineffective on the right wing. Tieleman's passes were not as incisive as they were earlier and City looked tired going forward. Rodgers made a double substitution on 70 minutes bringing on Okazaki and Ghezzal to replace this duo.

Several minutes later, Maddison intercepted a poor clearance from Nordtveit and from the centre circle passed a perfectly weighted ball into space on the right of the penalty area for Vardy to run on to. This time, he took his chance with an immaculate shot into the far corner of the net. This settled the home side and after a further substitution whereby Mendy replaced Maddison to solidify the midfield there was only going to be one winner.

Most of the fans sitting around me have been impressed with Harvey Barnes since his return from West Bromwich Albion. His positive runs towards an opponent's goal have been exciting and penetrating. He deserves a goal. Earlier in the second half we thought he had one. He received the ball from Chilwell on the left hand corner of the penalty area and curled it wonderfully towards the far post. Unfortunately, Rico was equal to it and dived to his left to palm it away for a corner.

The next best thing to scoring a goal is probably creating one and in the 83rd minute, Barnes controlled the ball well on the touchline and turned for goal. Odoi's attempt to bring him down was brushed aside and he ran into the penalty area where he saw Vardy loitering with intent. Vardy's earlier unselfishness was rewarded when Barnes slipped the ball to him and he guided it into the net with his left foot. There was some doubt from Radio Leicester after the match as to whether the first or the second of his goals was the 100th for City – he had made sure one way or another that this milestone was reached.

The end scoreline suggests a comfortable win for City and in many ways it was. Yet the wobble at the beginning of the second half could easily have been punished by a stronger or more determined team. Fulham did not look like a side destined to remain in the top flight beyond the next couple of months.

The home fans had their first taste of what Brendan Rodgers may bring to the club. The first half was extremely promising even though the opposition was very poor. It has been a while since City have scored three goals at home. This was a game where the goal difference could have been improved even more but most fans went home happy.

Leicester: Schmeichel, Pereira, Evans, Maguire, Chilwell, Ndidi, Gray (Okazaki 70), Maddison (Mendy 79), Tielemans (Ghezzal 70), Barnes, Vardy. Subs not used: Ward, Morgan, Iheanacho, Fuchs.

Fulham: Rico, Odoi, Nordtveit, Ream, Bryan, Chambers, McDonald (Vietto 82), Babel (Seri 67), Cairney, Sessegnon (Ayité 46), Mitrovic. Subs not used: Le Marchand, Christie, Zambo Anguissa, Fabri.

Referee: D. Coote                                 Attendance: 32,017

The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation



http://foxestrust.co.uk/7143/foxes-floor-feeble-fulham

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Slavisa Jokanovic: West Brom hope to name ex-Fulham boss as next manager

The Serbian is the Baggies No.1 choice to replace Darren Moore and lead a promotion push

West Brom hope to name Slavisa Jokanovic as their new boss but he may not take charge until next week.

Albion are searching for a replacement for Darren Moore who was axed after three Championship games without a win.

Former Fulham manager Jokanovic, 50, is the first choice and has been contacted as he has had promotions with both the Cottagers and Watford .

The Serb, who was sacked by Fulham in November, is out of work and available without compensation.

He also knows Albion's technical director Luke Dowling from his spell as Hornets boss in 2014-15.

But the Baggies have confirmed James Shan as caretaker and he is due to take Tuesday's press conference ahead of Wednesday's visit by Swansea.

Shan may also take Saturday's trip to Brentford before the international break as Albion's CEO Mark Jenkins is in China seeing owner Guochuan Lai.

An appointment at the end of the week would give the new boss a two-week window to work with the squad before hosting Birmingham on March 29.

Other candidates include ex-Stoke boss Gary Rowett, ex-Huddersfield coach David Wagner and former Swansea boss Carlos Carvalhal.

Despite Albion being fourth, senior Baggies stars fear automatic promotion straight back to the Premier League has been blown by a run of six home games without a win.

The squad were sorry to see popular Moore go but accept the team could benefit from a new manager 'bounce'.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/slavisa-jokanovic-west-brom-hope-14119938