Thursday Fulham Stuff - 16/05/24...

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Results

Wednesday 15/05
Brighton	1-2	Chelsea
Man Utd	3-2	Newcastle

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Fulham FC changemaker creates open space for women in workplace
Eleanor Rowland's efforts are changing the workforce well-being landscape


Eleanor Rowland at the Women's Health Summit in partnership with Fulham FC, Elevate and Women in Football (Beat Media Group)

Fulham FC's director of safeguarding and inclusion saw a sizable gap when it came to providing female staff a safe space to grow in their profession and her efforts are changing the workforce well-being landscape.

Eleanor Rowland sought change following an incident 18 months ago when a female coach was sexually harassed during a session by a male adult.

The passionate changemaker established Fulham FC's female working group as a result, to tackle societal issues and empower women within the workplace.

Speaking at the Women's Health Summit at Craven Cottage, hosted in partnership with Elevate and Women in Football, Rowland revealed that the group now has more than 50 active members as she looks to inspire other clubs nationwide.

She said: "A lot of women go through the same experiences, and they didn't have space to talk about it, so we decided to set up a female working group.

"We started off with three or four individuals from a coaching background and it's expanded from there across all sectors of the club.

"We have so many discussions from merchandising to creating pathways for our female leaders.

"We've got a real appetite from the management boards at Fulham Football Club to invest in females and bridge the gender pay gap, which we are definitely on an upward trajectory with.

"A number of women have said that this has changed how they feel about coming to work now and that they've got more ambition than they've ever had before."

Rowland spoke on a panel at the Women's Health Summit as other sessions throughout the day focused on physical and mental well-being, stress management, nutrition as well as open discussion.

Women in Football are a professional network representing 9,000 members working in and around the football industry who support and champion their peers.

Rowland added: "To hear that people are genuinely feeling more enthusiastic and motivated, it makes me feel more and more ambitious and feel that I can do this.

"We've talked a lot about being a superwoman, it's interesting hearing about what society's expectation of women really is.

"It's excellent to be working with Elevate and Women in Football, we've got great working relations with them, and I hope that we can do more in the future.

"It feels like it's the start of something great and we've definitely got the appetite to do more."

Women in Football CEO Yvonne Harrison praised the safe and open space created by Fulham FC at Craven Cottage to host the important panels and presentations around female health.

Harrison admitted the day helped her take on board key pointers to continue to drive positive dialogue within her personal and professional life.

She said: "It was a fantastic occasion; our members have talked so much about the value that they've got out of the day.

"Whether it was learning about personal health, nutrition and how we fuel our bodies, coping mechanisms with stress, or responsibility as leaders to bring these conversations to the fore, it's perfectly normal for female, male and non-binary colleagues to be talking and socialising the idea of female health.

"My mind was buzzing with so much new knowledge, and I've really taken away things that I can do personally to improve my performance, protect my space, and equally inspire my team as well.

"It's not something that we've done before, Elevate bring a whole range of different expertise into our organisation which ultimately will benefit our members who have learned so much."



https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/fulham-fc-changemaker-creates-open-space-for-women-in-workplace-084148032.html

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Fulham inclusion lead promotes importance of male allyship in football clubs
Jamie Dapaah played an integral role in organising the Women's Health Summit, in partnership with Elevate and Women in Football


Jamie Dapaah at the Women's Health Summit in partnership with Fulham FC, Elevate and Women in Football (Beat Media Group)

Fulham FC inclusion lead Jamie Dapaah wants to promote the importance of male allyship at the South West London club and beyond.

Dapaah played an integral role in organising the Women's Health Summit, in partnership with Elevate and Women in Football which provided invaluable insight for female professionals working within the football and wider sports industry.

Elevate are the UK's leading workplace well-being provider who bring tailored programmes to employees and employers alike.

The company work with a number of Premier League clubs and have partnered Fulham FC for 18 months as they work to help create an inclusive space for all their workforce.

Dapaah said: "When we speak to women and look at their psychological safety and a sense of belonging in the workforce, it's also a male responsibility to ensure we're providing that platform for women feel their authentic selves.

"Allyship is key because you have to be visible, present, and supporting your female colleagues.

"For us as a football club, it is installed into every male at recruitment, we have to ensure there is a sense of value and duty to ensure you're providing a safe space the women within the workforce.

"It was a hugely important event; the Women's Health Summit is a dynamic initiative which will encourage conversations that speak directly to promoting a sense of belonging and psychological safety for women working within football and sport."

Panels and speaker sessions focused on physical and mental well-being, stress management, nutrition, and a whole host of other discussion around topical issues.

Yvonne Harrison, CEO of Women in Football, a professional network representing 9,000 members working in and around the football industry, said she will use knowledge gained from the Summit to continue to drive positive dialogue within her personal and professional life.

She said: "Whether it was learning about personal health, nutrition and how we fuel our bodies, coping mechanisms with stress, or responsibility as leaders to bring these conversations to the fore, it's perfectly normal for female, male and non-binary colleagues to be talking and socialising the idea of female health.

"My mind was buzzing with so much new knowledge, and I've taken away things that I can do personally to improve my performance, protect my space, and equally inspire my team as well.

"It's brilliant to be working with Fulham Football Club and Elevate on this Women's Health Summit.

"It's not something that we've done before, they bring a whole range of different expertise into our organisation which ultimately will benefit our members who have learned so much."



https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/fulham-inclusion-lead-promotes-importance-of-male-allyship-in-football-clubs-085719418.html

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Iwobi: Finish Strong
Alex Iwobi is keen for Fulham to conclude our season in style at Kenilworth Road on Sunday, before adding consistency to our game in 2024/25.

One win from our last eight has seen hopes of a top-half finish fall away, and Iwobi knows the importance of stringing results together next term if we're to progress.

Asked what he wants his team to show on the pitch against Luton Town, he replied: "Just to end the season high, to prove to ourselves, prove to our fans that we are a good team, no matter who we play against.

"Whether that's City or Luton, we treat teams with the same amount of respect, and try and get a result.

"We know the capabilities we have to beat teams. It's just the run of results, we haven't been consistent.

"We see [quality] in training every day, we've proven it in so many matches, it's just remaining consistent has been our problem.

"But I'm sure going into next season we'll figure it out and push up the table."

Iwobi has impressed during his first campaign in SW6, matching his career best tally of six goals – a number he also achieved for Arsenal in 2018/19.

"A bit of a rollercoaster, but it's been a good season," he replied when asked for his assessment of the year. "We've had some memorable moments which we can cherish this season.

"I've had my best goal scoring record again, hopefully I can break it against Luton, but it's been a good season.

"I've enjoyed working with Marco Silva and the team, they've welcomed me very well. Being back in London as well, I've enjoyed it, and I just want to kick on from this season and keep improving."

Mathematically, Sunday's opponents can still avoid relegation, but the need for a 12-goal swing almost certainly means an immediate return to the Championship.

"I feel their season's been unfortunate, because they've had some games where they probably feel they should have won or got a result," Iwobi said.

"It's last home game for them, so I'm sure they'll want to end the season on a high and give something back to the fans.

"We know it's not going to be an easy game, but we'd like to finish strong as well and end on a win."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2024/may/15/iwobi-finish-strong/

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Centre-back signing looks a certainty for Fulham in summer transfer window
Fulham will have at least one centre-back on their summer shopping list.

The Whites will lose Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer this summer after he rejected new terms.

The former Manchester City youngster is set to sign for Newcastle United and has not been selected for the west London club's last three Premier League matches.

Fulham look weaker without Adarabioyo partnering Calvin Bassey in the middle of their defence.

Issa Diop, Adarabioyo's replacement in Marco Silva's side, played well in the 0-0 draw at Brentford but found Saturday's
4-0 defeat to Manchester City a mixed bag.

The ex-West Ham United man made a couple of key blocks but was also too static for Josko Gvardiol's opening goal at Craven Cottage and then was sent off very late on for two bookable offences after his clumsy challenge on Julian Alvarez, who converted the subsequenct penalty.

Diop will miss Sunday's finale at Luton Town with veteran American Tim Ream, 36, expected to start.

Fulham's misfire in the run-in has killed off any hopes of a challenge for a top-10 finish.

Their only victory in the last nine matches was 2-0 at a West Ham United side who had played a few days earlier against Bayer Leverkusen and had the return leg to come.

It is now successive blanks and Rodrigo Muniz, who won the Premier League Player of the Month for March, has scored just once in his seven matches, the 1-1 home draw against Crystal Palace.

Eight of his 10 goals came in a red-hot two month streak starting in February and the frontline is another area which will need strengthening in the next window.



https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/sport/centre-back-signing-looks-a-certainty-for-fulham-in-summer-transfer-window/

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Mullins: A Showpiece Fixture

Fulham Under-21s boss Hayden Mullins believes playing at Craven Cottage can inspire his team, as our Young Whites take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League Cup Final on Thursday evening.

Our U21s have the chance to finish a memorable campaign by winning a piece of silverware at the Cottage, after a convincing 4-0 win over Chelsea last month secured our place in the Final.

"The boys are looking forward to the game," said Mullins. "It's a showpiece fixture at the Cottage against good opposition. I really feel as though the boys have earned this game and the opportunity to show everyone how hard they've worked throughout the season.

"Playing at the Cottage is a special thing for these boys and it can inspire them. It's a place they don't get to play [at] often and it's a great venue.

"Games like this don't come around often. It's a good stage for the lads - a lot of fans will be there to see the boys up close for the first time. It's a fantastic game and one the lads have earned."

It's been a successful year for our Young Whites in Mullins' maiden season at Motspur Park, finishing third in PL2, reaching the knockout stages of the EFL Trophy, as well as having the best attacking and defensive record in the Premier League Cup so far.

We also reached the Quarter-Finals of the Premier League International Cup, but were defeated by an Everton team which featured first-teamers Michael Keane, Nathan Patterson and Youssef Chermiti.

"The team have been absolutely fantastic," praised Mullins. "I can count on one hand the number of below par performances we've had this season. There haven't been many at all.

"The application of the boys has been fantastic. They've taken onboard lots of information and have applied it on the pitch. I work in preparing the boys, but all credit goes to them in terms of what they've produced on the pitch.

"We've been competitive in every competition. You look at the EFL Trophy as well, playing against men's teams, and we went unbeaten in the Group Stage. We were down to 10-men against Portsmouth at Fratton Park, a team who have just won League One, and we drew 3-3 with them. We also drew with Leyton Orient, beat Gillingham and then only ended up losing to Wycombe who made the Final."

The highlight of our run to the Final was our 4-0 victory over West London rivals Chelsea, where goals from Delano McCoy-Splatt, Devan Tanton, Terrell Works and Adrion Pajaziti saw the tie put beyond all doubt by half-time – and Mullins will be hoping for a repeat of that performance when Spurs come to the Cottage.

"We were fantastic in the first-half against Chelsea," he said. "That was one of our best performances in terms of defending, attacking, counter-pressing and counter-attacking. We were brilliant and blew them away.

"We were a joy to watch that evening and to be sat 4-0 up at half-time was very good."

Spurs were the team to beat in PL2 this season, topping the table while losing just two of their 20 league matches. Physical frontman Will Lankshear finished the regular campaign as PL2's top scorer, while Jude Soonsup-Bell and Yago Santiago also chipped in with 18 goals between them.

With just 28 goals conceded in their 20 matches – the best defensive record in the division – Spurs have got it right at both ends of the pitch and will provide a stern test at the Cottage on Thursday evening.

We took on Wayne Burnett's side at Motspur Park last month, with Spurs running out 2-0 winners thanks to Lankshear's double, but Mullins believes his Young Whites can come away from the Cottage with the Premier League Cup trophy.

He said: "Spurs won the league and they're a top side. It's probably the toughest game you could pick for a Cup Final. Whatever side we put out on the evening, we'll have to be ready for the challenge.

"However, I believe that we can give any team a tough game on our day. This game is a one-off and it's a chance to end the season on a high.

"It'll be an exciting game and you'll see two good sides going at it. Expect pace, goals and a bit of excitement."

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2024/may/15/mullins-a-showpiece-fixture/

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Exclusive: Fulham Expect £80k-A-Week Star to Stay
Joao Palhinha has been one of Fulham's most impressive stars since his move two seasons ago.

    Joao Palhinha is unlikely to leave Fulham this summer unless a bid over £50 million comes in.
    Fulham are confident in keeping their star midfielder beyond the transfer window.
    Palhinha's potential departure to Bayern Munich remains a possibility if they appoint a new manager that rates him.

Joao Palhinha's move to Fulham in 2022 was quite the coup for the Cottagers at the time, and that has since led to interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs - but whilst there were rumours galore last season linking him with a move away from the club, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed that the Cottagers are 'confident' of keeping the Portugal international beyond the summer.

Palhinha joined Fulham from a Sporting Lisbon side that had won the Primeira Liga for the first time in almost two decades, and many were wowed at his signing given that other clubs had been interested for quite some time. Excelling so far in the Premier League, Palhinha won Fulham's Player of the Season award last time out and has been influential in dragging the club to two Premier League mid-table finishes in his two years in the capital. And that could be extended with the midfielder looking unlikely to move on over the summer months.

Joao Palhinha: Fulham Transfer Exit Latest
Palhinha has been one of Fulham's most important players

There is only a small chance that Palhinha will depart Craven Cottage this summer though it would take a bid of over £50million, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.

The Cottagers are confident that their star midfielder will stay on their books come the end of the summer transfer window, though it would take a big bid from any interested party to land the Portugal international if he did indicate that he wished to depart Marco Silva's side. Even going beyond that, there are signs throughout the club that Palhinha could be offered a new contract upgrade on his current £80,000-per-week deal, though that has yet to materialise.

 Intermediaries have suggested that there may be scope to see a deal for him to depart once the window opens; with a move to Bayern Munich failing to be ruled out should they appoint a new manager and said new boss wishes to add Palhinha to his squad. Palhinha signed a new contract until 2028 in the summer, with the option to extend for a further year in the capital.

There is, however, minimal Premier League interest in securing Palhinha given that he is set to turn 29 in the summer and the high fee that Fulham have set for anyone to prise him from the banks of the Thames.

Joao Palhinha's Potential Influence at Bayern
Palhinha could have left Fulham last summer

 Famously, the former Sporting midfielder could have been a Bayern player last summer and even flew over to Munich for a medical before being told that the deal was a no-go once he reached Germany.

Leon Goretzka's omission from the Germany national team has shown that a new defensive midfielder might be needed in Bavaria and with the club failing to win a single trophy in a season for the first time since 2012, incomings could happen to avoid a catastrophic failure once again.

Palhinha was so close to joining Bayern last summer and with their struggles on the pitch this time around which involved them being second-best behind Bayer Leverkusen all season, his addition - however unlikely - could propel them back to the levels that fans are used to at the Allianz Arena.



https://www.givemesport.com/fulham-name-price-tag-on-star-midfielder-amid-exit-rumours/