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Head Coach Reaction

Slaviša Jokanović was disappointed with Fulham's performance in the Whites' 3-1 defeat to Birmingham City at St Andrew's on the final day of the regular season, but remains upbeat about his side's chances in the Play-Offs.

"We're disappointed because we didn't perform well enough," said Jokanović. 

"After many games without defeat, it was important to play a good game.


"Birmingham City played well, they moved the ball well, defended narrow, were very organised, scored three goals and completely deserve the victory.

"We can't be satisfied. We didn't play a good enough game. We can perform better and I'm sure we'll be ready for Friday's game against Derby.

"We didn't move the ball with enough pace. We tried to do something, but without creating many chances to equalise.

"It's not easy for the players. Both teams were under pressure, but they did a better job and deserve the three points. For us, we need to be calm, confident, and must accept that this wasn't our best performance. We just need to keep going and be ready for the next step.

"We can't be happy that we didn't win. We're disappointed that we lost the chance to be promoted today.

"The Championship is a complicated competition and Birmingham were fighting to stay in the league. They showed they can be strong and play good football."

Derby County's victory over Barnsley ensures they will provide the opposition in the Play-Offs over the two legs, starting at Pride Park on Friday.

"We are more experienced now - it's our second year in the Play-Offs," said Jokanović.   

"I can't compare this season to last, but I believe we're a good team and can perform better than today. We can find more pace, create more chances, and be more organised and solid defensively – that's our target for the next few days.

"I told the players after the game that we must be stronger and be ready to compete – take a shower, rest and be ready for the next step. This is part of football. Before today, we hadn't lost in a few months and we need to trust our style.
"I always believe we'll win the next game and I'm not going to change my mind because we lost one game. We've showed quality and character many times before." 



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/may/06/head-coach-reaction-birmingham

 
Birmingham City 3-1 Fulham

Birmingham City survived the final-day threat of relegation for the third time in five seasons as they ended Fulham's automatic Championship promotion hopes.

With Cardiff drawing, a win for Fulham would have seen them go up.

But they were always struggling after first-half goals from Lukas Jutkiewicz and home skipper Harlee Dean.

Tom Cairney briefly gave Fulham hope with six minutes left, but Che Adams jinked his way into the box to slide home a low right-foot shot.

The Cottagers' first defeat in 24 league games since December leaves them third, and facing Derby County in the play-offs as they bid to return to the Premier League after a four-year absence.

Blues, the EFL's joint lowest scorers with Burton with 38 in 46 games, hit three in a league match for only the third time this season.

But, after a season-long battle against the drop in a second successive campaign of three managers, Garry Monk's men finally finished five points above the bottom three, again in 19th - just as they did under Harry Redknapp 12 months ago.

It always looked on the cards once confident Blues had taken the lead when Jutkiewicz converted Wes Harding's low cross for his sixth goal of the season - and his fourth in seven games.

Home keeper David Stockdale then saved from Stefan Johansen before unmarked defender Dean, back from suspension, was left free to steer home Jota's left-wing cross, his first goal for the club.

Stockdale maintained Blues' two-goal half-time advantage when he saved from Cairney, who did pull a goal back when he headed in on 84 minutes.

The Blues keeper then turned over Aleksandar Mitrovic's header before Adams breezed through to cheekily finish Fulham off.

Birmingham City boss Garry Monk told BBC WM:

"We knew we were playing against an exceptional team that had been on the best run in the country, 23 games unbeaten, but I could sense it in the week.

"It's what the fans want to see. They want to see commitment and fight and then, on top of that, they want to see some quality, and we had that.

"We thoroughly deserved that win. Te key point was making sure that we finish it on our terms.

"We had an opportunity last week to do that. We didn't do that, so the response needed to be there and it was."

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic:

"I always believe we are going to win the next game. Because we lost one game, I am not going to change my mind.

"We showed quality. The character we showed many times - and we are going to be ready for the next game.

"We're disappointed, not because we're in the play-offs. We're disappointed because we lost a great chance to win the game.

"It's part of football and we must be ready for the challenge. We cannot be satisfied. It's simple. We didn't play well enough."



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43938848

 
Cardiff seal promotion to the Premier League as Fulham crumble at Birmingham
CARDIFF sealed promotion to the Premier League on a dramatic final day of the Championship season.

Cardiff were held to a goalless draw against Reading but Fulham were beaten 3-1 by Birmingham sending the Bluebirds up.

Fulham will have to go through the playoffs after losing their undefeated run.

Fulham face Derby while Aston Villa take on Middlesbrough as they battle for the final place in the Premier League.

At the bottom of the table Bolton scored two late goals against Nottingham Forest to survive and send Burton down.

Burton join Barnsley and already relegated Sunderland, who stunned champions Wolves 3-0, in heading for League One.

Cardiff celebrated a return to the Premier League as the 0-0 draw against Reading proved enough to give manager Neil Warnock a record eighth career promotion.

A draw left Cardiff sweating on Fulham's result at Birmingham, but news of the Cottagers' 3-1 defeat began to filter through before the final whistle to kick start the party in the Welsh capital.

The scoreline also guaranteed Reading another season in the Sky Bet Championship, although results elsewhere meant the Royals would have been safe even had they lost for the fourth successive game.

This will be a day long remembered in Cardiff as the Bluebirds nervously crossed the line back into the Premier League, their only previous stay being a one-season stop in 2013-14.

It was rarely pretty, as has often been the way this season from a side that Warnock has shaped in his no-nonsense image.

But no-one can dispute the spirit and resilience of a squad Warnock has put together on a relative shoestring and one that has mustered 90 points from 46 league games.

Reading reached the play-offs last season under Jaap Stam but it has been a miserable season in Berkshire.

Stam departed in March to leave Paul Clement with the task of keeping Reading in the division, something which was thrown into grave doubt by last week's capitulation at home to Ipswich.

Clement - who started the season at Cardiff's bitter rivals Swansea - has just about it managed it, although a busy summer of rebuilding now awaits the former Chelsea and Real Madrid assistant manager.

There was a raucous atmosphere inside the Cardiff City Stadium from kick-off, with the record league crowd of 32,478 witnessing a rare visit from Bluebirds' owner Vincent Tan.

With so much at stake, there was plenty of passion from both sets of players but fluency and goalmouth opportunities were at a premium throughout a first half woefully low on quality.

Joe Ralls denied David Edwards a shooting opportunity and the Cardiff midfielder struck a firm volley which was blocked by the head of Tommy Elphick.

But the real moments of note came off the pitch as Cardiff supporters celebrated Birmingham's opener and the Reading faithful lauded goals for Derby and Preston against relegation rivals.

Cardiff went close after 19 minutes when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing squared the ball to Callum Paterson on the edge of the area.

The Scot completely missed his kick but the ball ran free to Junior Hoilett who curled his attempt inches wide.

Hoilett soon wanted a penalty after tumbling under Tiago Ilori's challenge and Kenneth Zohore saw his close-range shot blocked as Cardiff carried the greater scoring threat.

The pattern continued into the second half with Zohore flashing over from the angle and Reading goalkeeper Vito Mannone gathering from Mendez-Laing and Craig Bryson at his near post.

The goal would not come for Cardiff, but it did not matter as referee Bobby Madley's final whistle and a pitch invasion signalled their return to the big time.



https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/955932/Cardiff-Premier-League-promotion-Fulham-Reading

 
Birmingham 3-1 Fulham: Lukasz Jutkiewicz, Harlee Dean and Che Adams score to confirm Blues' survival and condemn visitors to play-offs

    Lukas Jutkiewicz fired the home side in front after good work from Wes Harding
    Harlee Dean nodded home to double Birmingham's lead as he met Jota's cross
    Tom Cairney halved the deficit six minutes from time from Floyd Ayite's cutback
    Che Adams then restored Birmingham's two-goal advantage in the 89th minute
    The result sees Birmingham confirm their Championship status for next season
    And Fulham miss out on the final automatic promotion place and enter play-offs

The question now is how do Fulham react? Only in three of the past ten years has the team finishing third gone on to win the play-offs. Mental bruising is the typical symptom of those who come so close to promotion and miss out.

That victory would have sealed passage to the Premier League will only accentuate the psychological suffering. Cardiff's draw with Reading was unexpected and in hindsight gave Fulham a chance in the Second City.

But Birmingham had an important task of their own and set about it with greater purpose and intensity than Slavisa Jokanovic's side, whose 23-match unbeaten run came to an abrupt halt.

On a raucous afternoon at St Andrew's, Garry Monk completed his survival mission impressively. A serious risk of relegation when taking over in March, Monk has won five of 11 games and can now look ahead to potentially building his own Championship side next season.

okanovic's focus is more immediate. At the final whistle his players sunk to their knees and were surrounded by jubilant Birmingham fans. It will be a concern for the Serbian that on a day of great significance his team failed to properly show up.

The sparkling style that fuelled their incredible undefeated stretch was missing, replaced by a rather anemic imitation.

Sure Birmingham were right up for it, but Jokanovic must wonder how his players now react to the crunch of the play-offs, or a sell-out Wembley crowd?

Maybe Fulham just ran out of steam here, having been relentless in their pursuit of promotion from December. Their rise from Championship obscurity to the edge of the Premier League was something to behold.

But there is not much time to recuperate with the first leg of their semi-final against a resurgent Derby County on Friday.

Gary Rowett would do well to study his former club for tips on how to beat Fulham. Monk started two up top and sent his side out to be aggressive in tackles and positive in possession. Aleksander Mitrovic and Ryan Sessegnon were kept very quiet.

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/06/12/4BE9727700000578-5696593-image-m-7_1525607770519.jpg)
Birmingham boss Garry Monk embraces Fulham counterpart Slavisa Jokanovic before kick-off

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/06/12/4BE9EEBF00000578-5696593-image-m-9_1525607846469.jpg)
Fulham knew they needed a win and for Cardiff to slip up to secure automatic promotion

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/06/13/4BEA019100000578-5696593-image-a-20_1525608618416.jpg)
Matt Targett appears to vomit on the pitch as players battled in the May heat at St Andrew's

Having scaled Everest to reach the summit of promotion, Fulham gave themselves an insurmountable mountain to climb after this first half.

Lucas Piazon missed an early chance and from then on it was Birmingham as aggressors, pushing the visitors back.

Ryan Fredericks had already made a crucial intervention to stop a goal from a right wing cross when Wes Harding advanced down that flank in the 15th minute. His centre was true and Lukas Jutkiewicz arrived perfectly to hammer a finish into the top corner.

The roar from the crowd soon led to a carnival atmosphere at a stadium bathed in sunshine as Birmingham kept creating chances. Jutkiewicz headed wide from a Jacques Maghoma cross, and the same combination worked again thanks to brittle Fulham defending but Marcus Bettinelli was out quickly to block.

Maghoma again set up Jutkiewicz after the half hour but the Birmingham striker's stretch could not quite make connection with the goal gaping.

Fulham finally produced something of note nine minutes before the break when Stefan Johansen twisted past Maxime Colin and shot on angle, but David Stockdale was equal to it.

And soon after, Birmingham doubled their lead. Fulham didn't clear a corner and Jota danced into box to chip the ball to the far post, where Harlee Dean was waiting to head down and in.

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/06/13/4BEA1DB200000578-5696593-image-a-33_1525611068682.jpg)
Fulham players are dejected as they saw their chances of automatic promotion go up in smoke

As Birmingham celebrated, Kevin McDonald turned to his teammates, questioning, cajoling. It nearly worked when Ryan Fredericks found Tom Cairney in space, but Stockdale produced a superb save to his shot.

Fulham did spark a late comeback attempt when Tom Cairney headed a bouncing ball past Stockdale. Mitrovic then drew a fine save from Stockdale with a header of his own.

But it was too little too late. Denis Odoi allowed Che Adams to beat him far too easily – like a bouncer waving a VIP past the velvet rope – and the Birmingham striker applied the finish. It remains to be seen whether Fulham can still join the Premier League's exclusive area.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5696593/Birmingham-3-1-Fulham-Match-report.html#ixzz5EnKDSMWn
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Fulham miss out on automatic promotion after losing at Birmingham

Birmingham 3 Fulham 1

Fulham missed out on automatic promotion on the final day with their first Championship defeat in 24 games.

The Whites needed to better Cardiff's result against Reading, which finished in a draw, but instead fell to goals from Lukas Jutkeiwicz, Harlee Dean and Che Adams that ensured Birmingham's safety.

Tom Cairney had pulled a late goal back from close range to set up a tense finish before Adams got the third, and Aleksandar Mitrovic's bullet header would have found net if not for David Stockdale.

But Fulham now face Derby County in the semi-finals hoping to avoid a repeat of last season's heartbreak against Reading.

The visitors wasted a number of chances and defended poorly in an uncharacteristically disappointing display at St Andrews.

(https://www.westlondonsport.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/18329275-1.jpg)
Tom Cairney's goal gave Fulham hope

The in-form Mitrovic went close early on and then again from a free-kick just moments after Jutkeiwicz rifled home Wes Harding's cross from the right on 15 minutes.

Cairney saw an unmarked volley from inside the box saved by Stockdale after ex-Brentford pair Jota and Dean combined for the latter to make it 2-0 shortly before half-time.

Aboubakar Kamara was introduced for Matt Targett after the Southampton loanee had struggled with Jota, and Kamara's power produced a chance that he fluffed at the far post.

But the Whites struggled to create more clear-cut chances until Cairney tapped home a cut-back from returning substitute Floyd Ayite with five minutes of normal time remaining.

Mitrovic's superb header needed to go in to make it 2-2 and put Fulham on the cusp of a memorable comeback, but instead Birmingham raced down the other end and Adams waltzed past Dennis Odoi before finishing past Bettinelli to kill the game.
Fulham: Bettinelli, Fredericks (Christie 71), Odoi, Ream, Targett (Kamara 46), McDonald, Johansen, Cairney, Sessegnon, Piazon (Ayite 63), Mitrovic.
Subs not used: Button, Kalas, Norwood, Fonte.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-fulham-birmingham-match-report

 
Derby County will face Fulham in play-offs after cruising to 4-1 final day win

Cameron Jerome, Matej Vydra, David Nugent and Tom Lawrence all on target as Gary Rowett's men run riot against Barnsley

Derby County booked their place in the Sky Bet Championship play-offs thanks to a 4-1 victory over Barnsley at Pride Park Stadium.

The Rams went into their final league fixture of the campaign knowing that a point would more than likely be good enough to clinch a top-six spot.

In the end, they made sure other results were irrelevant, as they recorded a comprehensive win.

Cameron Jerome, Matej Vydra, David Nugent and Tom Lawrence were all on target for Gary Rowett's men before George Moncur netted a late consolation for the Tykes.

As a result, Derby finish sixth in the table and face Fulham in the play-off semi-final after Cardiff City clinched the second automatic promotion spot.

Middlesbrough will meet Aston Villa in the other tie.

Rowett made one change to the side that started last weekend's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at Villa Park.

He reverted back to the team that lined up in the previous home game - the 3-1 victory over Cardiff City.

So, Marcus Olsson was recalled at left wing-back, with Craig Forsyth dropping into the back three again.

Alex Pearce was the man to make way, while top scorer and player of the year Vydra had to settle for a place on the bench once more.

Ikechi Anya (calf) and former Barnsley man Sam Winnall (knee) both remain sidelined by injury, while George Thorne and Chris Baird did not feature in the matchday squad.

Barnsley boss Jose Morais named an unchanged side following the 2-0 victory over Brentford at Oakwell.

Both sets of supporters created a great atmosphere and Olsson nearly took the roof off in the sixth minute.

Derby broke through Richard Keogh before Andreas Weimann's crossfield pass found Olsson on the left.

He let fly from 25 yards, forcing Walton into a fine save, diving away to his right.

There was warning, though, for the Rams a couple of minutes later, when Connor Mahoney fizzed a low centre across goal, which Kieffer Moore was not quite able to bring under control.

At the other end, Weimann pounced on a poor clearance and weaved his way through a crowded penalty area, only to see his shot blocked by Ethan Pinnock.

Derby got the early boost they were looking for when they took the lead in the 14th minute.

It all stemmed from a Barnsley corner. Johnson nicked the ball off Mahoney out wide deep inside the Rams half and released Jerome.

He raced clear of his man and cut into the box from the left before lifting a shot past Walton at his near post and into the roof of the net.

It was Jerome's fourth goal in three games.

Barnsley responded in a positive manner and went close to an equaliser when Liam Lindsay glanced a header narrowly wide from Adam Hammill's cross.

Derby survived a spell of pressure, Keogh flinging himself into front of a Gary Gardner shot to make an important block.

The Rams defender then almost added to his side's lead in the 25th minute.

Weimann switched the play to Andre Wisdom on the right and he cut the ball back to the advancing Keogh.

The Republic of Ireland international swept a first-time shot from the edge of the area against the crossbar. Jerome netted the rebound but was adjudged to have controlled the ball with his hand, so the goal was ruled out.

Derby needed some last-ditch defending to keep their lead intact, after Olsson had gone down injured.

The Swede was initially able to continue following treatment but went down again soon afterwards and this time had to be helped down the tunnel.

Olsson was replaced by Vydra as Rowett reverted to a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Vydra almost pounced on a low centre from Weimann as he tried to make an immediate impact, before firing over a free kick from just outside the box.

Derby might have doubled their advantage less than two minutes into the second half.

Johnson's low shot from 20 yards looked to be heading into the bottom corner but was tipped around the post by Walton.

Then, in the 53rd minute, Jerome rolled a shot wide from just inside the area after Johnson had combined well with Vydra.

A couple of minutes later, however, the Rams did make it 2-0.

Weimann fed Jerome into space on the right and his low centre was calmly converted by an unmarked Vydra six yards out.

It was Vydra's 22nd goal of the season and 21st in the league.

Mamadou Thiam almost scored with his first touch after coming on for Barnsley but his low drive from the edge of the box was deflected narrowly wide.

It was another substitute who scored Derby's third goal in the 68th minute.

Nugent had only just replaced Jerome when he arrived unmarked at the far post to head in Vydra's cross from the left.

Nugent then turned provider in the 71st minute, hooking the ball in from the right for Lawrence to slide a low shot past Walton from close range.

Vydra could have inflicted further damage and added to his tally but volleyed over from six yards out.

Barnsley pulled a goal back with 10 minutes to go, substitute Moncur curling a nice shot past a stationary Scott Carson from the edge of the area.

It was little consolation for the visitors, who are relegated to League One along with Burton Albion and Sunderland.

DERBY COUNTY: Carson, Keogh, Davies, Forsyth, Wisdom, Huddlestone, Johnson, Olsson (Vydra, 38), Weimann, Lawrence (Ledley, 87), Jerome (Nugent, 66). Other subs: Roos (gk), Pearce, Hanson, Palmer.

BARNSLEY: Walton, Yiadom, Lindsay, Pinnock, Fryers, Gardner, Potts (Thiam, 61), Hammill, Mahoney (Moncur, 69), McBurnie, Moore. Other subs: Davies (gk), Pearson, Cavare, Mallan, Bradshaw.

REFEREE: S Hooper (Wiltshire).

ATTENDANCE: 30,682.



https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/derby-county-face-fulham-play-1538378

 
Fulham fail in automatic promotion bid while Bolton achieve great escape

• Fulham's Slavisa Jokanovic: 'We must be ready for the next step'
• Bolton's Mark Beevers: 'I didn't know whether to laugh or cry'

Fulham will need to swallow quickly the pain of missing out on automatic promotion to Cardiff City after a shock defeat on the final day in the Championship when Bolton avoided relegation with an extraordinary comeback win.

Trailing at home against Nottingham Forest, Bolton were heading for League One until David Wheater equalised three minutes from time and, 60 seconds later, Aaron Wilbraham popped up with the winner. The result proved a hammer blow for Barnsley and Burton Albion, who were relegated after defeat at Derby County and Preston North End respectively.

"That was the greatest moment of my career, I can't tell you how good that felt," the 38-year-old Wilbraham said. The defender Mark Beevers added: "At full‑time I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so I did both."

For Nigel Clough, this was his first relegation as a manager; his Burton side drop into the third tier after a remarkable climb from the Unibond League to within one division of the Premier League. Hope Akpan's goal had pulled Burton level at Preston with an hour played, only for Alex Neil's side to snatch a late winner while Bolton performed their heroics.

"We were minutes away from keeping the dream going," Clough said. "To lose in those circumstances when you think you are safe is extremely cruel. But it's not over the course of today but it is 46 matches and 41 points was not good enough." A point at Cardiff in a 0-0 draw was enough for Reading, who finished three points above the bottom three.

Victory for Fulham at St Andrew's could have steered Slavisa Jokanovic's side to the Premier League but instead they succumbed to stage fright at Birmingham City. They lost 3-1 as their 23-game unbeaten run and all hope of automatic promotion came to a grinding halt. First-half goals by Lukas Jutkiewicz and Harlee Dean gave them a mountain to climb and, although Tom Cairney pulled a goal back, Fulham were off-colour, unusually placid and suffocated by a lively Birmingham side who ended a miserable season on a high.

"The key point was finishing the season on our terms," the Birmingham manager, Garry Monk, said. "It's what the fans want to see; they want commitment and fight and then, on top of that, they want to see some quality, and we had that."

Fulham, for the second season running, face the lottery of the play-offs, with a visit to Derby on Friday first up. "I always believe we can win the next game and because we have lost one game I am not going to change my mind," Jokanovic said. "We have shown many times we are good enough. We need to be calm, be confident and we must accept and be ready for the next steps. We are disappointed because we lost a great chance."

Gary Rowett's Derby ran out 4-1 winners to clinch their top-six spot and simultaneously relegate Barnsley, who announced after the final whistle they had parted company with the head coach, José Morais, formerly an assistant to José Mourinho at Chelsea and Real Madrid. "Today is a sad day, we will discuss later what has gone wrong during the season," the club's chief executive, Gauthier Ganaye, said.

The title winners, Wolves, slipped up 3-0 at the managerless bottom club, Sunderland, and Middlesbrough's late equaliser at Ipswich Town catapulted them to fifth, resulting in a two-leg date with Aston Villa in the play-offs.

"If you had given me a play-off position when I took over I wouldn't have cared who we were playing, so I can't be judgmental, or care or worry about who it is," Tony Pulis said. "We have got Villa who most probably have the strongest squad in the Championship and it will be a real tough game."



https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/may/06/birmingham-fulham-championship-match-report

 
Fulham's last hope: Calls for Cardiff City to be docked points after Reading

Cardiff City are back in the Premier League!

Congratulations Cardiff City!

Cardiff are back in the Premier League for the 2018-19 season after a dramatic final day of the season in the Championship.

In the end a 0-0 draw against Reading was enough for Cardiff to win promotion.

Fulham helped push Cardiff over the finishing line after they lost 3-1 away at Birmingham.

Neil Warnock has now won promotion a record 8 times in his managerial career.

Fulham's last hope: Calls for Cardiff City to be docked points

In the final stages of the Cardiff vs Reading match there was a mini pitch invasion.

Around 50 Cardiff supporters rushed the pitch before the final whistle blew.

The disturbance caused a hold up in the proceedings, and it provoked a backlash on social media.

While it's unlikely to happy, some fans – probably Fulham fans? – have been calling for Cardiff to be docked points for their unruly fans.

While that's not happening, the FA could fine Cardiff for the scenes.



https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/social/fulham-cardiff-docked-points-reading/

 
Championship "Play Offs"
love 'em or loath 'em it's play off time

dates for the games are as follows...

1st Round
Friday 11th May – 19:45
Saturday 12th May – 17:15

2nd Round
Monday 14th May – 19:45
Tuesday 15th May – 19:45

the Final

? v ?
Saturday 26th May – 17:00



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=215

 
Play Offs-Confirmed

Following the completion of the Sky Bet Championship regular season this afternoon, the Club is able to provide ticket details for the Play-Off Semi-Final tie against Derby County.

Tickets for both the away leg on Friday 11th May, 7:45pm at Pride Park and the returning home fixture at Craven Cottage on Monday 14th May, 7:45pm, will be available to purchase from tomorrow morning at 10am, Monday 7th May.

First Leg - Friday 11th May

Fulham will take on Derby County at Pride Park in the Play-Off Semi-Final First Leg, with the Club taking the full allocation of 3,100 tickets available.

Given the high demand expected for this fixture, tickets will be sold on a Loyalty Points basis. Season Ticket Holders with 670 Loyalty Points will be able to purchase from 10am on Monday 7th May, with Season Ticket Holders and Members holding 630 Loyalty Points able to purchase from 10am on Tuesday 8th May. All tickets are limited to one per person.

The full selling schedule can be found below:

    10am, Monday 7th May: Season Ticket Holders with 670 or more Loyalty Points
    10am, Tuesday 8th May: Season Ticket Holders & Members with 630 or more Loyalty Points
    10am, Wednesday 9th May: Season Ticket Holders & Members with 400 or more Loyalty Points
    10am, Thursday 10th May: All Season Ticket Holders & Members

Tickets for the match are priced at £25 for adults, £15 for over 65s, £10 for under 18s and £5 for under 12s. Official Coach Travel will also be available to purchase, with prices starting from £17 for adults and £10 for juniors.

Fans can buy online at fulhamfc.com/tickets, by phone on 0203 871 0810 (opt. 1) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.

Owing to the tight turnaround of this fixture and due to the fact that our opposition has only just been confirmed, we advise supporters that physical tickets still need to be printed by the home host club and dispatched to the Fulham Ticket Office.

To allow supporters to purchase as early as possible, tickets will go on sale from Monday 7th May, however we will not expect to receive the physical tickets until Tuesday lunchtime. Supporters who purchase before this time will have their tickets dispatched via First Class post.

Fans can view how many Loyalty Points they currently hold by logging into their online ticketing account.

Second Leg – Monday 14th May

From 10am on Monday 7th May, tickets for Fulham's Play-Off Semi-Final home leg will go on sale to Season Ticket Holders, Members and supporters with a Booking History.

As Slaviša Jokanović's side seek to earn a trip to Wembley, get behind the Whites and help get Craven Cottage rocking for this crucial tie – with supporters able to purchase up to four tickets each, bring your friends and family to SW6!

2017/18 Season Ticket Holders' existing seats will be held until 10am on Wednesday 9th May, after which time all seats will be released. Fans are advised that blocks P1-P4 in the Putney End will be sold to home fans only at this match, with the Mixed Area not available.

Prices are £19 for adults, £9 for concessions and £5 for under 18s, with fans invited to donate £1 on every ticket to the Club's charitable arm, Fulham FC Foundation.

Fulham Football Club Foundation is a leading community charity, using the power of sport to provide meaningful education, employability, health, inclusion, environmental, and sport programmes.

Alternatively, why not take in the Play-Off action in style, with Matchday Hospitality also available to purchase from 10am on Monday, with a host of packages available and priced from £109 per person (+VAT).

Tickets and Matchday Hospitality will be available to purchase online at fulhamfc.com/tickets, by phone on 0203 871 0810 (opt. 2) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.

Supporters are advised the Home Cup Tie scheme is not in operation for this match, and as such all fans must purchase a ticket. Fans will receive a paper ticket for this fixture.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/may/06/play-offs-confirmed

 
"Fulham will be running scared" – Derby fans react after comfortable victory secures play-off

Derby County clinched their play-off spot in style, beating Barnsley 4-1 at Pride Park to finish sixth in the league table.

With Preston North End beating Burton Albion with a late goal, Derby needed a result against Barnsley.

But the three points were never in doubt after Derby put in a professional and dominant display at home against Barnsley, relegating the visitors in the process.

Cameron Jerome fired in a left-footed strike in the first half before second half goals from Matej Vydra, David Nugent and Tom Lawrence wrapped up all three points.

George Moncur netted a late consolation for the Tykes but by that point, Derby were already cruising to victory.

Middlesbrough's late equaliser at Ipswich Town means that Derby finished sixth, rather than fifth, and will face Fulham in the play-off semi-finals.

If they progress, a Wembley clash against Middlesbrough or Aston Villa awaits for Gary Rowett's side.

 
Ryan Sessegnon wasn't able to inspire Fulham to victory against Birmingham but the youngster can still power his team to promotion

    Birmingham beat Fulham 3-1 in the Championship on Sunday afternoon
    Visitors missed out on final automatic promotion place and entered the play-offs
    The game was a blip for teenager Ryan Sessegnon and Fulham in general

Ryan Sessegnon will play many more matches like this in his career. Matches when everything is on the line, when the pressure is sky-high, when promotion or a piece of silverware can be won.

Indeed, he will have at least two more this season given that Fulham must now negotiate the play-offs in order to secure their ticket to the promised land of the Premier League.

This defeat to Birmingham City should be filed under 'experience.' The 17-year-old has enjoyed a sharply rising trajectory in his fledgling career since he broke into Fulham's first-team last season.

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/06/15/4BEAF3C500000578-0-image-m-2_1525618260131.jpg)
Ryan Sessegnon looks on during Fulham's defeat to Birmingham on Sunday afternoon

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/06/15/4BEA8EF800000578-0-image-m-5_1525618333007.jpg)
A dejected Sessegnon leaves the pitch after his team were consigned to the play-offs

This was a blip, both for the teenager and the Fulham team in general. Sessegnon didn't make his mark here, nobody in white did, but can still do so when they play Derby County in the play-offs next week.

Sessegnon turns 18 in a fortnight. By then, Fulham could be a Premier League club. In the meantime, he still has a wonderful opportunity to boost his rising stock further.

With Football Association technical director Dan Ashworth an interested spectator at St Andrew's, Sessegnon wasn't able to inspire Fulham to victory as he has done at other times in a season of 15 goals and six assists.

It didn't help that Matt Targett, the man who takes care of the defensive responsibility behind him at left-back, had to go off at half-time, forcing Sessegnon to drop back into defence just when Fulham needed his thrust.

This was an off-day but it won't be judged in isolation. Not by those who have the power to make Sessegnon a wildcard pick for England at the World Cup this summer, nor his legions of admirers at football's elite clubs.

It remains to be seen whether Tottenham or Manchester United, the two clubs leading the chase, can manage to tempt Fulham into selling this summer.

And it remains to be seen whether Fulham will be a Premier League or a Championship side in August. Hopefully, Sessegnon will have a say in both once the disappointment of this loss fades.

The performance was distinctly un-Fulham like. All the merit they have accumulated over the course of a stunning 23-match unbeaten run ebbed away in the face of a Birmingham onslaught.

Taking no chances in their own fight against relegation, the Blues didn't give Fulham any time to settle, winning pretty much every 50-50 challenge and outnumbering them in every part of the field.

Sessegnon found himself caught up in the tempest, unable to show anything like his best despite showing the wholehearted corner-to-corner endeavour he always does on the Fulham left.

There were some promising early signs. A nice exchange of passes involving Sessegnon near the half-way line sparked a move that ended in Lucas Piazon sliding wide from Targett's cross.

Minutes later, a clever step-over on the edge of the box allowed Aleksandar Mitrovic to unleash a potent strike that was blocked by a defender.

But once Lukas Jutkiewicz had opened the scoring for Birmingham on the quarter-hour, Sessegnon, like many of his team-mates, seemed to retreat from the sky-high standards they have produced over five months.

Though the teenager pushed further inside of Targett into a more advanced position, he was exceedingly well-marshalled by Birmingham right-back Wes Harding.

The two of them had a foot race at one point, chasing a hopeful punt into the corner, and though Sessegnon is no slouch, he was comfortably outpaced by 21-year-old Harding.

That prompted loud cheers from the St Andrew's regulars, as did an untimely slip inside the box when Mitrovic managed to slip him into a pocket of space.

Trouble was, such openings were rare things. Garry Monk had his side well-organised and it was apparent they'd been thoroughly briefed on how to neutralise Fulham's threats.

When Harlee Dean doubled their lead three minutes before the break, the spectre of the play-offs was beckoning them.

Targett was taken off at half-time for Aboubakar Kamara, pre-match worries about an injury coming to the surface, and Sessegnon slipped back to left-back.

Not that Sessegnon's point of reference on the field changed at all. He was still required to push on as much as possible as Fulham tried to mount a siege.

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/06/13/4BEA1DB200000578-5696593-image-a-33_1525611068682.jpg)
Fulham players are dejected as they saw their chances of automatic promotion go up in smoke

But, for whatever reason, it wasn't clicking. Ryan Fredericks curled a cross straight out of play, before the right-back dragged an effort wide. Mitrovic challenged David Stockdale for the ball in the air, to no avail.

The resignation was evident in the final half-hour as Birmingham looked the more likely to score again. Sessegnon hovered around the half-way line but didn't receive the service to push on.

With six minutes left, Tom Cairney did halve the deficit but it proved false hope as Che Adams added Birmingham's third late on.

Fulham will have to find some momentum from somewhere. As they discovered in defeat to Reading in last season's semi-finals, they are a cruel mistress and history can easily repeat itself.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5696961/Ryan-Sessegnon-power-Fulham-promotion.html#ixzz5EnQ08sAQ
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Slavisa Jokanovic says Fulham can bounce back for play-offs

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic backed the club to recover after they missed out on automatic promotion.

The Cottagers must go through the play-offs again - where they will face Derby - to end a four-year Premier League absence after a 3-1 defeat to Birmingham on Sunday.

Victory at St Andrew's would have sent them up as Cardiff could only draw 0-0 against Reading - but Lukas Jutkiewicz, Harlee Dean and Che Adams scored to ensure Birmingham beat the drop on the final day.

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic backed the club to recover after they missed out on automatic promotion.

The Cottagers must go through the play-offs again - where they will face Derby - to end a four-year Premier League absence after a 3-1 defeat to Birmingham on Sunday.

Victory at St Andrew's would have sent them up as Cardiff could only draw 0-0 against Reading - but Lukas Jutkiewicz, Harlee Dean and Che Adams scored to ensure Birmingham beat the drop on the final day.

"I always believe we are going to win the next game, because we lost one game I am not going to change my mind," he said, with Fulham having lost to Reading in the play-off semi-finals last season.

"We showed quality many times, the character we showed many times - and we are going to be ready for the next game.

"We're disappointed not because we're in the play-offs, we're disappointed because we lost a great chance to win the game.

"It's part of football and we must be ready for the challenge. We cannot be satisfied, it's simple, we didn't play well enough."

Jutkiewicz and Dean gave Birmingham a 2-0 lead at the break and, after Tom Cairney made it 2-1 with five minutes left, Adams restored Blues' two-goal advantage late on.



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11361834/slavisa-jokanovic-says-fulham-can-bounce-back-for-play-offs

 
Jokanovic insists Fulham will be ready for play-offs

Slavisa Jokanovic insists Fulham will be mentally ready for the play-offs despite admitting his side had lost confidence in a bitter final-day defeat at Birmingham.

The Whites missed out on automatic promotion after failing to better Cardiff's draw against Reading, and now face Derby County in the semi-finals hoping to avoid a repeat of last season's heartbreak against the Royals.

Jokanovic admitted last week that his players were feeling under pressure and, after losing 3-1 at St Andrews, he said: "We weren't confident or comfortable on the pitch.

"All teams are under pressure, whether its promotion or relegation. They did a better job than us. We need to be calm and confident. We played well so many times this season. We need to accept this wasn't our best performance and be ready for the next stage.

"We are not disappointed because we are in the play-offs. We are disappointed because we lost a great chance to win the game. But we must be strong and ready for the next challenge.

"We are more experienced now. This is the second time we are in the play-offs, we are a good team and can perform better than today. We can find more pace and create more chances, and be more solid on the defensive side.

"This is the target for us in the few days. We must be strong, adult, and ready to compete."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/jokanovic-insists-fulham-will-be-ready-for-play-offs

 
EFL play-offs 2017-18: Key dates for semi-finals and finals


The closing weekend of the English Football League season saw Cardiff City return to the top flight, Rochdale pull off a great escape in League One and Barnet drop down to the National League.

The regular EFL season has been concluded, but the twists and turns of the 2017-18 campaign are far from over.

The play-offs get under way on Thursday, as the battles for the final promotion spots in the Championship, League One and League Two recommence.

You can follow live text coverage of every EFL play-off match on the BBC Sport website and app, including the three Wembley finals on 26-28 May.

Here are the key dates and fixtures:

Championship


Friday, 11 May (19:45 BST): Derby County v Fulham

Saturday, 12 May (17:15 BST): Middlesbrough v Aston Villa

Monday, 14 May (19:45 BST): Fulham v Derby County

Tuesday, 15 May (19:45 BST): Aston Villa v Middlesbrough

Saturday, 26 May (17:00 BST): Championship play-off final

League One
Thursday, 10 May (19:45 BST): Charlton Athletic v Shrewsbury Town

Saturday, 12 May (12:30 BST): Scunthorpe United v Rotherham United

Sunday, 13 May (17:15 BST): Shrewsbury Town v Charlton Athletic

Wednesday, 16 May (19:45 BST): Rotherham United v Scunthorpe United

Sunday, 27 May (15:00 BST): League One play-off final

League Two
Saturday, 12 May (15:00 BST): Lincoln City v Exeter City

Saturday, 12 May (19:30 BST): Coventry City v Notts County

Thursday, 17 May (19:45 BST): Exeter City v Lincoln City

Friday, 18 May (19:45 BST): Notts County v Coventry City

Monday, 28 May (15:00 BST): League Two play-off final



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44022475

 
Fulham forced to settle for play-off place after 23-game unbeaten run is halted by Birmingham

Fulham will have to negotiate a route through the play-offs if they are to return to the Premier League next season after the momentum that had carried them on a 23-match unbeaten run deserted them at the moment that mattered most.

A win against Birmingham, who began the day just two points above the bottom three, would have taken them above Cardiff City into the second automatic promotion place in the Championship after Neil Warnock's side were held by Reading at home.

Instead, having been well beaten by Garry Monk's team, they must take on Derby County over two legs for the chance to meet Aston Villa or Middlesbrough in the play-off final at Wembley on Saturday, May 26.

Slavisa Jokanovic's team were beaten at the semi-final stage of last season's play-offs but the disappointment would be much greater should they fail this time and the Serb knows his management skills will be tested as he tries to rally his team, with only five days to recover for next Friday's first leg at Pride Park.

"It is a disappointing to lose today of course," he said. "Birmingham were fighting against relegation, they were very well organised, defended narrow and played better. They showed a great spirit.

"We made mistakes, gave away easy goals and we did not produce enough quality.  I did not think the players looked as though they were feeling the pressure but we did not move the ball fast enough in possession.

"We are disappointed that we lost a great chance to win today but we are into the play-offs and we cannot be disappointed about that.

"We will need to come back stronger. We need to create more chances and be better organised in defence.

"But I always believe we can win the next game and I am not going to change now.  We have shown many times our quality, our character and that we can play good football.  We have to be strong and believe in what we have been doing to get this far."

Had an early half-chance that fell to Alexsander Mitrovic resulted in a goal it might have been different.  But as it was there was an urgency about the home side, who had the St Andrew's crowd behind them despite a hugely disappointing season.

Monks had his team set up to stretch Fulham's defence by attacking from wide areas and the tactic paid off after only 15 minutes when Michael Morrison's pass found Wes Harding in space on the right and the full-back's cross to the near post was volleyed home decisively by Lukas Jutkiewicz.

Jacques Maghoma was a threat to Fulham on the other flank and it was a cross by the Spanish attacker Jota following a half-cleared Maghoma corner that created the second hammer blow to Fulham's prospects, headed home by defender Harlee Dean to double Birmingham's lead before half-time.

(https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2018/05/06/TELEMMGLPICT000162464398_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqgTAY6D7EKZC68LBan7u1Rh6kbauLdibYBSrCETI9j2c.jpeg?imwidth=1160)
Cairney's goal gave Fulham a glimmer of hope but they must now navigate the play-offs Credit: PA

Jokanovic made changes and there was a response from his players but Birmingham, who realistically needed only to avoid defeat to stay out of the relegation drama, defended solidly and it took until six minutes from the end for Fulham to reduce the deficit, Tom Cairney heading home from Floyd Ayite's cross.

A magnificent save by David Stockdale denied Mitrovic an equaliser moments later, before substitute Che Adams skipped past a weary Kevin McDonald to add Birmingham's third with two minutes of the 90 remaining.

"We were determined to finish the season on our terms and in that respect it is mission accomplished," said Monks, who has overseen five wins in 11 matches since replacing Steve Cotterill as manager in March.

"But avoiding relegation is not an achievement. We took over in a bad situation and we need to change the whole mentality of the club.

"You have seen the essence of that change out there today but I am going to be relentless in trying to achieve that goal."



https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/05/06/fulham-forced-settle-play-off-place-23-game-unbeaten-run-halted/

 
the Play-off's

so after a record breaking unbeaten run we slip-up at Birmingham, unfortunate but what a run that was!

We now face Derby County to see who progresses to the play-off final.

Should you need a reminder of our two league games against them they were...
(home) 1-1  November
(away) 1-2  March

...so we've a reasonable record against them for this season.

The first game will be away at Pride Park on Friday evening 11/05, kick-off 19:45
The return leg will be the following Monday evening 14/05, kick-off 19:45, at Craven Cottage
I'm sure that Joka' and the lads are disappointed that we didn't get automatic promotion but with the run of form we're in we've no-one to fear.

Derby's last five results...
14/04/18 – Burton 3-1 Derby
21/04/18 – Derby 1-2 Middlesborough
24/04/18 – Derby 3-1 Cardiff
28/04/18 – Aston Villa 1-1 Derby
06/05/18 – Derby 4-1 Barnsley

whatever the result(s) we've had a fantastic season and this calendar year the lads have done us proud week in-week out.

I'd love a trip to Wembley

COYWs



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=230

 
Fulham Players Rated In Their Disappointing Loss Vs Birmingham City: Cairney Gets 7.5/10!

Fulham travelled to the West Midlands to take on Birmingham City at the St. Andrew's Stadium. The Cottagers were looking to secure maximum points from the contest in order boost their chances of clinching a promotion spot at the expense of Cardiff City in the league table. The visitors started the game slow and fell behind to a 15th-minute goal from Lukas Jutkiewicz.

Harlee Dean doubled Birmingham's lead just before half-time to leave the Cottagers with a mountain to climb in the second half. Slaviša Jokanović's team fought hard after the break and got a goal back in the 84th minute courtesy of Tom Cairney's header from close range. However, Che Adams came off the bench to seal the fate of the contest in favour of the home side in the 89th minute when he scored from a difficult angle. The match ended with Birmingham City claiming a 3-1 victory over their London opponents which ensured their English Championship lives for another season.

Let's take a look at how each Fulham player performed during the contest.

GK: Marcus Bettinelli – 6/10

He made a few great saves to keep his team in the contest. However, the English keeper was guilty of conceding three goals during the encounter which won't please him.

RB: Ryan Fredericks – 6/10

The 25-year-old full-back made a huge impact while going forward but defensively, he was found napping at times.

CB: Denis Odoi – 5.5/10

Not the best outing for him as part of the Fulham backline, the Belgian defender made a few errors while defending and was justifiably booked in the second half for a bad foul.

CB: Tim Ream – 5/10

He huffed and puffed but failed to keep the Birmingham attackers at bay.

LB: Matt Targett – 6/10

The left-back set up a great chance for Lucas Piazon in the 4th minute and made a few good runs in the opposition half. However, the on-loan defender from Southampton had to go off with an injury at half-time.

CM: Stefan Johansen – 6/10

The Norwegian had a few great attempts at goal during the match but failed to find the back of the net.

CM: Kevin McDonald – 6/10

The Scottish midfielder won a number of freekicks in the Birmingham half but got cautioned for a reckless challenge in the 70th minute.

CM: Tom Cairney – 7.5/10

The 27-year-old midfield enforcer was guilty of missing some wonderful opportunities during the first-half and his finishing left a lot to be desired. However, Cairney made amends in the 84th minute when he scored with his head to give Fulham some hope of a late comeback.

RM: Lucas Piazon – 6/10

The Brazilian went close with an early effort and did well to earn a few free kicks for the Cottagers. However, his impact in the game faded as the match went on, which led to his substitution after the hour mark.

ST: Aleksandar Mitrovic – 6.5/10

The on-loan Newcastle United forward had a good game and set up a number of great opportunities for his teammates. However, he was unlucky in front of goal which capped off a disappointing outing for the Cottagers.

LM: Ryan Sessegnon – 5/10

The Fulham youngster was unable to make his mark in the game and had a day to forget.

Substitutes:

RM: Floyd Ayité – 7/10

The Togolese midfielder came off the bench to set up Cairney's goal in the 84th minute.

RB: Cyrus Christie – 6/10

The English full-back did well to have an impact in the attacking third and was a threat down the right flank.

ST: Aboubakar Kamara – 6/10

The French forward came off the bench to make a real impact inside the Birmingham City box. Although, he failed to find the back of the net which led to his team's defeat on the day.



http://the4thofficial.net/2018/05/fulham-players-rated-disappointing-loss-vs-birmingham-city-cairney-gets-7-510/

 
Slavisa Jokanovic says Fulham will be ready for the play-offs despite final day heartbreak: 'I always believe we'll win our next game... that hasn't changed'

    Fulham missed out on last automatic promotion spot with defeat at Birmingham
    Cardiff went up with Wolves and Fulham enter play-off semi-final against Derby
    Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic insists they'll be ready for the first leg on Friday
    Aston Villa face Middlesbrough in the other Championship play-off semi-final

Slavisa Jokanovic urged his Fulham players to dust themselves down and ensure an exceptional second half of the season ends in Premier League promotion through the play-offs.

A hugely disappointing performance in a 3-1 defeat at Birmingham City ended Fulham's automatic promotion hopes and their 23-game unbeaten run - and they now take on Derby County in the semi-finals.

The first leg takes place at Pride Park on Friday night, with the return at Craven Cottage the following Monday.

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/06/19/4BE9646400000578-5697349-image-a-118_1525631294347.jpg)
Slavisa Jokanovic insists Fulham would maintain their belief as they prepared for the play-offs

'It is a shame and we are disappointed because we lost a great chance,' said Jokanovic.

'We cannot be happy that we didn't win today because we must always win the game. For the first 45 minutes, I don't know what happened, but the Championship is a complicated competition.

'But I always believe we will win the next game and, just because I lost one game, I am not now going to change my mind.

'We showed many times our quality, we showed many times our character, we showed many times we can play good football and we will be ready for the play-offs.'

Fulham suffered play-off heartache a year ago when they were beaten by Reading, though Jokanovic believes his team are stronger this time around.

'In general, we are more experienced. This is the second year in the play-offs,' he said.

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/05/06/19/4BEAD19A00000578-5697349-image-a-119_1525631382172.jpg)
Aleksandar Mitrovic lies dejected as Fulham saw their automatic promotion chances ended

'It is not easy but we are a good team and we can perform better than we did today. We need to find more pace, create more chances and be better on the defensive side.

'For us, we have to be calm and confident as we have been many times this season, keep going and be ready.'

Birmingham's win secured their survival and manager Garry Monk said: 'We were in a pretty bad situation and whichever way you get it done, you get it done.

'We have tried to take care of our own business and today was the icing on the cake.

'This club has been in this situation three times in the last five years so there is relief and happiness.

'Just because you are a big club, it doesn't give you the right to avoid this situation. But it has to change.'



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5697349/Slavisa-Jokanovic-says-Fulham-ready-play-offs-despite-final-day-heartbreak.html#ixzz5EnV1Z06A
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Reporter reveals the key reason why Rafa Benitez wants rid of Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer

According to the Chronicle, Rafa Benitez is 'receptive' to selling Aleksandar Mitrovic for a fee 'in excess of £20m' this summer – with the Spaniard keen to reinvest that money so he can sign a 'proven' striker of his choice with 'top flight pedigree'.

The Serbian striker has 12 goals in just 15 starts for Fulham since his deadline move to West London, however it doesn't sound like he's going to be back in Rafa's plans anytime soon.

Here's a snippet from the Chronicle's latest piece on Mitro, revealing just why Benitez is keen to get a 'bidding war' underway for the striker this summer:

    "Rafa Benitez is receptive to selling Mitrovic for the right price during the off-season, with the United manager keen to reinvest any money into his own transfer kitty so that he can sign a forward with proven top-flight pedigree.
    "Given Mitrovic's prolific form for Fulham, Newcastle are hopeful that they can demand a fee in excess of £20million for the forward – meaning they would make at least £7m profit on the Serbian.
    "But, given that the Cottagers are far from the only admirers of Mitrovic – Marseille, Bordeaux, Anderlecht, Brighton and Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers have all scouted the forward at various points over the past 12 months – United hope to start a potential bidding war for the striker's signature."

Some may be frustrated to hear this, but it's been clear for a few years now that Benitez just doesn't quite fancy Mitrovic – and I'm not too sure the Serbian is suited to playing in his side either.

This also proves why his form in recent months has actually served to benefit us, with it meaning we can demand a much higher fee for him than we have 6 months ago. Brighton bid just under £8m for him in January, but there's a strong argument that he's worth treble that now.

With the signing of a proven striker clearly top of Rafa's to-do list this summer, any big bids will be welcome – whether that be from Fulham or one of several clubs tracking him.



http://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2018/05/06/reporter-reveals-the-key-reason-why-rafa-benitez-wants-rid-of-aleksandar-mitrovic-this-summer/

 
Fulham: a journey to Europe


When Roy Hodgson took charge as manager of Fulham in December 2007, the outlook for the Cottagers was bleak. The west London side languished in 18th, two points from safety, having only managed two wins in a dismal campaign. The hope that Lawrie Sanchez could revive Fulham much in the same manner as his meritorious attempts to propel Northern Ireland from minnows-obscurity to Euro 2008 had been crushed by a series of sub-par displays and maddening results.

Sanchez had lasted only six months in the job, accruing a fairly miserable win percentage rate of 16.67 percent (four wins from 24 games), dismissed with the club teetering on the brink of banishment to the Championship. The board of directors at Craven Cottage sought out a man of vast managerial know-how in Roy Hodgson, his experience of the game all around Europe contrasting starkly to the overwhelmed Sanchez.

It was a surprise appointment for many despite Hodgson having established himself as a formidable coaching mind on the continent through stints with Inter, Copenhagen and Finland. The last club Hodgson had managed in England was Blackburn Rovers in 1998; he was sacked and Rovers relegated that season under caretaker Brian Kidd. Welcoming the 60-year-old back to the Premier League, Fulham tasked Hodgson with ensuring the club didn't follow Blackburn down the English ladder.

Hodgson arrived at Motspur Park still bearing the scars of a Boxing Day hammering by Juande Ramos's Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. In that London derby, Fulham were as toothless and cripplingly disconsolate as they had been in a long time, with the squad looking as forlorn and lonely as their lone striker, Diomansy Kamara.

The caretaker manager, Ray Lewington, could only hopelessly watch on from the dugout as Spurs comprehensively dismantled a side that looked bereft of ideas, tragically short of belief and visibly traumatised from a week when they had said their goodbyes to Sanchez. Lewington branded the Boxing Day massacre at the Lane a "humiliation".

The credulous corners of the Fulham faithful that had hoped for a dramatic resurgence under the well-travelled Hodgson were to be given a sobering wake-up call in their next game, on New Year's Day, at home to Chelsea. There was to be no electrifying renaissance from the start.

Unfortunately it was the same-old story of torment for the men in white. Danny Murphy had given Hodgson the perfect start, with a penalty in the first half. The Cottage dared to dream, however, in typically ruthless fashion, Chelsea brought the situation back to a haunting reality with goals from Salomon Kalou and Michael Ballack.

Undeniably disappointed with losing to goals from two set-pieces, Hodgson nevertheless praised the commitment of his players and there was a tentative harbouring of hope that relegation may yet be escapable. What lay ahead was an emotional rollercoaster, the likes of which have not been endured by many fans in the Premier League era. The scrap for survival is always defined by drama, tension and, in some cases, despair, but few can match Fulham's marvellous act of escapology.

Frankly, Hodgson's first three months in charge were far from a polished rescue act. Fulham lost the two games following the Chelsea defeat and by the time they arrived at Eastlands to take on Manchester City on 26 April, the Cottagers had managed just three victories from Hodgson's first 15 games in charge.

They were brushed aside at home by both Arsenal and Manchester United to the tune of 3-0 but after the defeat to Sir Alex Ferguson's men, Hodgson remained bullish in the face of mounting pressure: "Manchester United have a wealth of talent. 3-0 sounds like we've been outplayed but I don't think that was the case. We were not outclassed," he said. "I don't think five wins from our last 10 games is an impossible task. It's a big task but not impossible." Little did he know it, his words were to prove oddly prophetic come the end of the season.

At the time, Fulham's talented squad didn't equate to relegation battlers. The Northern Irish stable of Aaron Hughes, David Healy and Chris Baird was a remnant of the doomed voyage under Sanchez but were still good enough for the top flight. Healy was on his way to breaking the all-time goalscoring record for the European Championships qualifiers, when he managed a haul of 13. Hughes had played Champions League and Premier League football with Newcastle and Chris Baird had joined Fulham on the back of being handed Southampton's Player of the Season award.

Partnering Hughes at the heart of the Cottagers' defence was January recruit Brede Hangeland, the mountainous centre-half who had impressed with Viking FK in his native Norway under Hodgson. Bolstering the attack was £6m signing Diomansy Kamara, while Danny Murphy and Clint Dempsey offered creativity, craft and guile from midfield. Jimmy Bullard also provided his usual mercurial talents. They were led by their immensely popular captain Brian McBride, who proved to be the talismanic figure in the previous season with 12 goals to secure Fulham's status as a Premier League side.

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Read  |  Jimmy Bullard: laughing all the way to the top

It was McBride who precipitated the eleventh-hour charge from Fulham in their whirlwind climax to the campaign. The USA striker gave the travelling fans a much-needed boost at the Madejski Stadium against Reading in a game that looked incongruous to the 33 league ties they had played up to that point. For much of the season their football had been a dour shade of grey, but on a dreary spring afternoon in Berkshire, Fulham more closely resembled a side in the upper echelons of the top-flight rather than one scrambling desperately in the Premier League's basement of tortured souls.

Hodgson knew that three points represented only a fraction of what was required and that the task ahead of him was still unenviable, but he basked temporarily in the joy of a hard-fought victory. The previous week, following a dispiriting display in a 3-1 home defeat to Sunderland, Hodgson emerged for his press conference a visibly crestfallen boss: "I'm not giving up the ghost but you're looking at a manager who can't just put on an act. It'll be very hard now to lift the players. I only hope you will allow me to grieve for the result in a dignified way," he told reporters.

At that moment, it seemed almost like the veteran coach – despite what he had said to the contrary – was on the verge of throwing in the towel.

It was fellow relegation-threatened Reading who produced a listless performance, plunging the manager Steve Coppell's future into darkness after they were booed off by incensed sections inside the Madejski. Fulham could have made it even worse had it not been for the woodwork. Hangeland saw a header thunder off the crossbar in the first half while Bullard's wonderfully curled free-kick met the same fate. But this time there was to be happiness on the road, instead of the usual despair.

The Londoners recorded their first away win in two years, thanks to captain-fantastic Brain McBride's 24th-minute strike and a goal from super-sub Erik Nevland. Was that token away victory enough to buoy the men in white? Not exactly. They suffered a home defeat to Liverpool in their next game, before that fateful afternoon in Manchester.

David Marsh, an ardent Fulham fan and chronicler of their fortunes, recalled: "To win 3-2 in those circumstances defied belief but that is exactly what it gave the players and fans. All of a sudden we thought we could maybe get a result against Birmingham and Portsmouth would have the distraction of the FA Cup for the final game of the season. This was tempered by the fact we had not had a run of results like that for years and we still needed other teams to play their part."

That says it all. Fulham's extraordinary act of resilience in defeating City 3-2 from being two goals down was an achievement deemed beyond the squad, by most observers. The turning point in that game was when Kamara entered the field. An enigmatic, inconsistent talent, who spent much of his time fiddling on the periphery of games, was to be catapulted into Fulham folklore for his decisive contribution to that win over City.

The Citizens had roared into a two-goal advantage courtesy of Stephen Ireland and Benjani, but Kamara's introduction on 64 minutes dramatically altered the course of Fulham's season. Firstly, Kamara took advantage of the ineptitude of Vedran Ćorluka to sneak in and slot the ball through the legs of Joe Hart; 2-1, and the comeback was on. Then, the equally hapless Sun Jihai scythed down Nevland and Danny Murphy buried the penalty to make it 2-2.

A frantic finale ensued when City squandered opportunities to crush the Fulham renaissance. But it wasn't to be. This was to be Fulham's day. City's stunning capitulation was complete when Kamara gathered Murphy's perfectly weighted through ball, advanced and finished with devastating aplomb to complete a most unlikely victory. There it was -suddenly Hodgson could breathe and Fulham spotted the light of survival at the end of what had been a harrowingly dark tunnel for so many weeks.

The Great Escape wasn't complete yet, however, as Fulham had to contend with a tricky game away to Portsmouth. Fratton Park was always a difficult place to visit, but Murphy's gravity-defying header in the 76th-minute confirmed the club's survival, transforming the players from crestfallen troops to heroes and legends.

The coach wasn't prepared to rest on his laurels and made a point to act swiftly and decisively in the transfer market to ensure the stress and tension of a relegation battle was not felt in the following season. Hodgson moved early and shortly afterwards brought in Mark Schwarzer on a free and Zoltán Gera for the same outlay shortly after, while Bobby Zamora and John Paintsil arrived from West Ham for £5m.

A Cottage that had been darkened dramatically over the course of Sanchez's doomed spell had been exalted with a wave of optimism, instigated by their 11th-hour heroics in the scrap for survival, creating a momentum that carried the club to their highest-ever Premier League finish of seventh in 2009. It was a remarkable turnaround, made possible by some astute business in the transfer market and a methodology of coaching that became increasingly ingrained in the players, with the Hodgson factor truly taking shape as his tenure continued.

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Read  |  Roy Hodgson: the Inter Milan diaries

"Hodgson's approach was built around defensive solidity and drilling the players in playing very simple, unadventurous roles within the team. Simon Davies spoke about how strange they found it just repeating the same things again and again in training but that eventually it clicked. Hodgson had them passing in triangles and not moving too far up the pitch. Attacking and attractive it was not but it meant we conceded just 34 goals in 2008-09 (Arsenal conceded 37) in finishing seventh, having let in 60 a season for the previous two," Marsh explained.

His tactics concentrated on short passing and moving quickly to close down and regain possession when it was lost. Fulham rarely created a host of chances under him but they became quite effective at counter-attacking and nicking games by a single goal.

Hodgson made the players keep it straightforward; they became very good at doing the simple things well and journeymen like John Paintsil could look like world beaters in the company of teams like Chelsea. He created an efficient machine where new players could be easily slotted in and everyone felt confident in their ability to do their bit.

His style was never wholly popular because fans always gravitate to the 'I pay to be entertained' line and feel that even a club of Fulham's stature should always aspire to mix it with the big boys. They never really did that under Hodgson. While they had the odd reasonable result against the top four, they were mainly set up to beat the clubs they were expected to perform against.

The success of the approach Hodgson had pioneered decades before in Sweden was always finely balanced at a club with Fulham's resources. Indeed, there was a sense before he went to Liverpool that it was running out of steam. It takes time for players to get used to it, as two wins and nine losses in his first 16 games at Fulham demonstrated, but it enabled him to make the team greater than the sum of its parts and punch above its weight. Fans rejoiced at getting to see him bring the best out of players like Paintsil, Zamora, Simon Davies and Gera and he definitely saw quality where other managers did not.

At Liverpool, his players hated being restricted to simple roles and being repeatedly drilled in basic systems but you could see with England that Hodgson could get top flight players to keep it simple; his record with the national side compares with all but the very best managers.

Whatever Hodgson preached at Fulham in the 2008/09 season, it worked. They won 14 matches, drew 11 and lost 13. What is telling about the Hodgson system was their scoring stats: 39 in 38 games was distinctly unspectacular, but they only conceded 34. Hodgson's vision centred on an ultra-organised defence, making it as tight and compact as possible and becoming incredibly difficult to break down. He was meticulous and active in training at Motspur Park, getting involved at every opportunity and becoming more of a participator in the act of improvement rather than an observer.

While the Europa League can often be viewed as an entertaining distraction for some clubs, it provided some of the finest memories: "It was, for most fans, the most joyous and extraordinary experience we have had in football. If following your club is first and foremost about the camaraderie with your fellow fans then it is likely the Europa League run will ever be bettered for Fulham supporters. We had shocking luck all the way through, and some terrible refereeing decisions, but overcame some of the best teams in the game and did it with style and a buccaneering spirit you rarely saw in our league form," Marsh recalled.

For the supporters, watching their team mix it with the likes of Juventus and Roma felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity. The team played with heart and passion on their way to the club's first ever major European final, giving the fans the greatest season of their lives.

It all started in July – when many of the Premier League's top players were busy sunning themselves – when Fulham travelled to Lithuania to play Vėtra in the Europa League third qualifying round. The mileage may have been draining but Fulham were satisfied with a comfortable 3-0 victory, before repeating that scoreline to complete an emphatic 6-0 aggregate score.

The next test was considerably trickier – a playoff against the Russian side Amkar Perm. A 3-1 win at the Cottage put Fulham on the cusp of the competition proper, but they managed to hang on by the skin of their teeth in the away leg, losing 1-0 and praising their luck after a slew of Amkar chances went begging. The group stage beckoned.

Fulham were faced with a fascinating yet tough group, comprised of Roma, Basel and CSKA Sofia. Trips to Italy, Switzerland and Bulgaria was the reward for their hard work in the qualifying rounds. The chance to travel to the Olimpico in Rome was a tantalising prospect for fans who, just over a year earlier, had been dreading the indignity of the Championship.

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In the first game, away to CSKA, Hodgson made it clear that the Premier League was his priority, with Pantsil the only first-team regular in the starting 11. The game finished 1-1 after Kamara levelled the scoring to ensure Fulham's maiden group stage voyage didn't end in defeat. A Murphy goal gifted them the first three points of the competition against Basel at Craven Cottage. An encouraging start was almost made even better when Roma visited the Cottage in the third fixture.

Hangeland had headed the home side into the lead and Fulham managed to hang on right until the death, when Marco Andreolli scored in the 93rd-minute. Refereeing decisions marred the trip to the Olimpico when Paul Konchesky was sent off harshly, reducing Hodgson's men to 10 and making the task of beating Roma virtually impossible. Having led 1-0, Fulham lost 2-1 and Hodgson found it difficult to conceal his frustration: "I can't always be happy, not in the face of injustice."

However, their train was not to be derailed as a couple of spirited performances against CSKA and Basel – producing 1-0 and 3-2 victories – guaranteed a place in the knock-out rounds. In the league, Fulham were far from the miserable, relegation-threatened entity of two years previously. In December, they had thrashed Manchester United 3-0 in what remains one of their most impressive displays against a top side.

They faltered, however, around Christmas, losing five games in a row and denting the confidence ahead of their showdown with Europa League holders Shakhtar Donetsk in the last-32. However, a recurring element of Fulham's season was not letting their highs and lows in the league deter their journey in the Europa League.

Zoltán Gera fired them ahead against Shakhtar after just two minutes. However, Shakhtar were a team of genuine quality and pedigree, and they showed exactly why they were the holders, suffocating Fulham with a flurry of quick passing moves and a thoroughly deserved equaliser through Brazilian striker Luiz Adriano.

The scoreline didn't make for the worst reading but anyone watching the game would have remarked in the gulf between the two sides. Shakhtar were intelligent and relentless, and Fulham simply couldn't keep the ball. Hodgson decided to act. Noticing that Shakhtar were extremely dangerous in and around Fulham's penalty area, he pushed the defensive line up significantly and re-established a foothold in proceedings.

Then, Zamora sent the Cottage into a frenzy when he hammered a ferocious drive from 25 yards into the net via the crossbar. It was a 2-1 win and a tactical triumph for Hodgson, who had been brave with his risky high-line. Fortunately, it worked, and Fulham had the advantage to bring with them to Ukraine.

In the return leg, Hangeland struck to extend Fulham's lead and, despite Jádson equalising for Shakhtar, Hodgson's men clung on admirably and proceeded to the last-16. This Europa League distraction was rapidly becoming a point of real interest. Their reward for vanquishing the holders was even more enticing; a battle with the mighty Juventus.

Admittedly, the Bianconeri were not the premium force in Italy at the time, but they were nevertheless a club of significantly greater stature than Fulham. The first leg had seemingly ended Fulham's tournament; a 3-1 defeat in Turin providing a dampening anti-climax to the pre-game excitement. However, at Craven Cottage, Fulham pulled off an extraordinary turnaround in a night that will live long in the memory for fans and neutrals.

"I will never see a better game at Craven Cottage than the visit of Juventus. We could barely land a glove on Shakhtar at home, so sublime was their football, but we prevailed in the end but Juventus was several levels higher. I arrived late at the ground so missed their goal which put them three up on aggregate but the Fulham fans were in buoyant and positive mood all game," says Marsh.

"It is bizarre to relate but there was an eagerly expectant air around the ground even after their goal in the 2nd minute. For some reason we always felt we were still in the fight. We had seen such great play from Fulham so far that season that we always felt we had goals in us in Europe," Marsh continues.

"Gera and his joyous goal celebrations, Zamora and his tireless fighting for the cause and Dempsey and the chip from nowhere made it the loudest game of football many can remember at The Cottage and it is the most damage I have done to my vocal cords at football. And Dempsey meant that. He was that sort of player. Cocky, selfish, tactically naive and not troubled by the sense that his circus tricks might ever make him look an idiot, it was the logical conclusion to a game like that.

"After Juventus, it felt like we could take on anyone and the good wishes from fans across the country is something we had never experienced before," he continued.

They had done it: Fulham had beaten Juventus. Their confidence was reaching near unbreakable heights at this point, believing that they could take on anyone. David Trezeguet had increased Juve's advantage early on but Zamora – with a heroic performance yet again – slammed in an equaliser before a red card for Fabio Cannavaro changed the complexion of the match entirely.

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Davies fired in a spectacular second, after an expertly constructed move, and Fulham were dreaming once again. Then, they won a penalty. Murphy wasn't playing so up stepped Gera who fired it in to bring Fulham level on aggregate. The noise around the ground was deafening. Fulham were on the cusp of something truly special. Naturally, the best was saved for last. Dempsey, collecting the ball on the edge of the area, produced a sumptuous dink to score Fulham's fourth and see them through, prompting eulogies of the greatest night in the club's history.

Understandably, Hodgson was beaming in his post-match interviews, claiming that he was "on top of the world". Fulham, a team who had straddled the oblivion just two seasons earlier, in danger of falling off the map, had staged a stunning revival to knock out one of the greatest club sides in the world.

Suddenly, the fans started to truly believe that Fulham could go all the way to the final. What a rollercoaster it had been, from planning for life in the Championship to embarking on an exciting European odyssey. From the hellish relegation scrap, they were travelling to iconic stadia on the continent like the Stadio delle Alpi.

Their next adventure was a tussle with the reigning Bundesliga champions, Wolfsburg. It was an absorbing encounter at Craven Cottage and Fulham deservedly walked away 2-1 winners, with Zamora and Damien Duff amongst the goals. A late away goal courtesy of Alexander Madlung's impressive header put the tie on a knife's edge. Any anticipation of a nerve-shredding evening in Germany was soon dissipated by the superb Zamora, who struck after 20 seconds to silence the Volkswagen Arena and send Fulham through to the semi-final.

"When we kicked off this campaign, I don't think anyone would have expected that we would be in the semi-final come the end of April. It's a fantastic journey. We've had to do it the hard way. I'm delighted that we've done it and I think we did with some style and panache," Hodgson said of his side's progress. He was right, too.

While Fulham may not have been the most attacking team to watch in that year's Europa League, Hodgson's players were beguiling in that they were fiercely disciplined, unwaveringly organised and acutely aware of their own responsibilities. It may have been a painstaking process but Hodgson's vision for this side had been transmitted perfectly. He knew exactly what he wanted from the players and they knew exactly how to satisfy.

Their next challenge was a considerable one: a semi-final showdown with Hamburg, who were gunning to reach a final to be staged in their own backyard. The first leg was an even affair and ended goalless. Nobody could really complain about the result but perhaps there was a tinge of lament that Hodgson's men had failed to snatch an away goal, inevitably intensifying the pressure of the return leg.

And yes, it proved to be another emotionally exhausting evening; one that started disastrously after Mladen Petrić's astonishing free-kick fired the Germans into the lead, giving them an away goal that had eluded the Premier League side. Petrić's goal was one of the finest in the competition that season.

Once again, however, the footballing gods were smiling on west London. Davies, with 20 minutes remaining, latched onto a typically impeccable through ball from Murphy, juggled it around the defender and poked it into the bottom corner. Belief. Seven minutes later, a corner from the right was headed down into space and, with the Hamburg players failing to react sufficiently, Gera lashed home the all-important second, sending Fulham to the final.

After 18 games and 25,000 miles travelled, Hodgson and his troops found themselves in their first-ever European final, facing off against Atlético Madrid. The remarkable European adventure was about to reach a thrilling climax, with a major European honour on the line. The final was once again demonstrative of Hodgson's capacity to make bold tactical decisions during a game.

Fulham had been overwhelmed by the occasion – not to mention the considerable quality of the opposition – in the opening period, looking every bit as nervous as Hodgson on the touchline. Sergio Agüero and Diego Forlán looked dangerous every time they came forward and, after the Argentine found his South American compatriot after 11 minutes on the edge of the area, the English coach feared the worst. Luckily, the Uruguayan's shot flicked off the post and the Cottagers breathed again.

A reprieve? Not at all. Atlético didn't look like a side who had languished in LaLiga mediocrity that season (they finished ninth under Quique Sánchez Flores). Los Rojiblancos attacked with speed, fluidity and confidence. However, there was a sizeable slice of luck involved with their opener. Agüero had scuffed a volley, but the ball fell straight to an onrushing Forlán who, like every striker worth his salt, anticipated the potential rebound and fired home the loose ball before Schwarzer could react.

Fulham's run had been characterised by an undying resolve and they once again refused to wilt in the face of high-calibre opponents. With 40 minutes gone, Gera fed Davies and the Welshman smashed in the equalising volley at the far post. Fulham had been vastly inferior, but they were level.

At half-time, Hodgson took action. Forlán may have scored but Fulham's boss knew that the real threat came from the excellent Agüero, whose darting runs behind the defence and between the back four and midfield had bamboozled Dickson Etuhu. Davies and Duff were instructed to tuck in, making things narrower and providing assistance to a struggling central midfield.

Fulham's second half efforts were valiant and they unquestionably nudged themselves back into proceedings. However, it is almost impossible to keep a player of Agüero's quality quiet forever and, deep into extra-time, with the scores still locked at 1-1, the Argentine picked out Forlán with devastating precision from the left. The striker made no mistake in grabbing his second goal of the evening and destroying Fulham's European dream in the 116th minute.

After all the ups and downs, the ecstasy and the pain, Hodgson's men had come up just shy. As Forlán and the men in red and white wheeled away in celebration, the Fulham players collapsed with exhaustion. What a slog it had been, from that qualifying round 10 months previous to this point. It had been a journey thick with over-achievement and footballing romanticism, but there could be no denying the enrichment of spirit within this squad of players.

Hodgson had taken a side shattered by the terrors of relegation and transformed them into a side worthy of any Europa League final. No matter what was thrown at them, Fulham responded, and responded with conviction and heart. Their efforts in the Europa League and their miraculous avoidance of relegation two seasons earlier will long be remembered by any neutral.

Hodgson had done wonders for his reputation. Hailed as a leading man-manager with bundles of tactical acumen, he won the LMA Manager of the Year Award two days before the Europa League final by a record margin. Perhaps inevitably, the big clubs began to circle and when he was offered the chance to further his career with Liverpool, it proved to be an irresistible offer. Though the fans were disappointed he left, Hodgson will always be remembered as a Fulham legend.

When I asked David Marsh if he was the club's greatest ever coach, he summed the Fulham experience under Hodgson in eloquent style: "Roy Hodgson is the finest manager Fulham have ever had on a number of levels. He saved us from a fate that would probably have been much worse than our current scenario because our chairman was looking to sell the club and investment would probably not have been forthcoming to take us back up.

"He was also about the best match in terms of personality and temperament you could get in a Fulham manager. A south London boy he was polite, un-showy and blessed with a quietly confident footballing brain. He was also very intelligent but wore it lightly and would drop in the odd literary or philosophical reference into interviews and delight us with his extraordinary vocabulary.

"Hodgson always gives real detail in his interviews instead of the cliché-ridden nonsense of most managers and it made fans feel like they could see what he was trying to achieve. He has earned everything he has achieved in football by graft and intelligence."

Those last three words are a perfect summation of that Fulham side. Their intelligence came from Hodgson's immense understanding of the game, but their graft had always been there. Hodgson just brought it out better than anyone else. He was, for the club, better than anyone else, too.

By Matt Gault  @MattGault11

With special thanks to Richard Allen and David Marsh for their expert insight.



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Tottenham's deal with Fulham for Ryan Sessegnon 'agreed'

Tottenham's Ryan Sessegnon deal 'agreed'

News has filtered out of France that Tottenham will sign Fulham starlet Ryan Sessegnon in the summer.

Indeed, it's being claimed that Spurs have already "agreed" the deal with Fulham.

The news was relayed in the context of an update on PSG.

PSG insiders Paris United announced on Sunday night that the Parisians have been rebuffed in their attempts to sign Sessegnon.

Sessegnon told PSG he'd prefer to stay in London, while his move to Tottenham should be wrapped up in the off-season.

As to the terms of the Sessegnon-Spurs deal, it's possible that Tottenham leave the 17-year-old at Craven Cottage next season on loan as part of the package.

Birmingham 3 – Fulham 1

Will Fulham be playing Premier League football next season?

If that's to happen, Fulham will need to win the Championship playoff.

The Cottagers saw a 23-match unbeaten run end on the final day of the Championship season on Sunday.

In something of a shock, Fulham were beaten 3-1 at Birmingham City, who needed to win to stay in the division.

Goals from Lukas Jutkiewicz and skipper Harlee Dean put Birmingham in control on Sunday. Tom Cairney put Fulham on the board, before a late third from Che Adams.



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