Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 30/10/26...

[WhiteJC]

Eddie Howe uninterested in joining Crystal Palace, Fulham
Eddie Howe has no interest in joining a mid-table Premier League club when he ends his managerial hiatus after leaving Newcastle United.

According to a report by the Daily Telegraph, Eddie Howe would prefer to join a high-profile team once he returns to the managerial sphere, with Manchester United and the England national team emerging as potential landing spots. However, Crystal Palace and Fulham are "not going to be able to persuade Howe to end his break prematurely".

Eddie Howe and his journey so far
Eddie Howe has been one of the most highly-rated young managers in the Premier League for nearly a decade. A native of Amersham, the Englishman was a centre-back as a footballer and spent most of his playing days with Bournemouth, with his career going under the radar.

The 48-year-old entered the managerial world in 2008, joining Bournemouth as the head coach and spending three years at the Vitality Stadium. After a short spell with Burnley, Howe returned to Bournemouth, with this spell bringing him into the spotlight due to his team's heroics in the Premier League.

Howe left Bournemouth in 2020 before taking his next job at Newcastle United in 2021. The English tactician made his mark at St. James' Park, taking the club to the UEFA Champions League while winning the EFL Cup in the 2024/25 season, having taken over with the team in the relegation zone. However, after an underwhelming 2025/26 campaign and mounting tensions behind the scenes, Howe's stint with Newcastle ended over the summer.

What next?
Reports immediately after Eddie Howe's departure from Newcastle United suggested that he would take a break from management. In the meantime, links with many domestic entities have emerged, with Crystal Palace showing an interest due to the team's struggles in the early days of Pierre Sage's reign.

While the French tactician arrived at Selhurst Park with lofty expectations after an impressive 2025/26 campaign with RC Lens, the Eagles are 15th in the Premier League standings after managing only four points in five outings. A similar situation is brewing at Fulham, with new manager Alvaro Arbeloa struggling to steer the ship after replacing Marco Silva.

The Cottagers have only one point in the Premier League thus far and are in the relegation zone. However, with Howe eager to join a bigger club, Fulham must look elsewhere. Recent reports have linked the former Newcastle United manager with Manchester United and the England job, both possibilities that would appeal to him.



https://thehardtackle.com/news/2026/09/29/eddie-howe-uninterested-in-joining-crystal-palace-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Real Madrid midfielder punished following manager bust-up
It has been a difficult start to the season for Real Madrid, who trail Barcelona by six points in the La Liga standings after defeats to Real Betis and Atletico Madrid. Jose Mourinho is finding it difficult to get his players to perform at a high level for 90 minutes, but at least he has them all onside at this stage, which was not the case for predecessors Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.

Mourinho has kept on top of things in the Real Madrid dressing room, which has meant no internal conflicts, although the same cannot be said for Castilla. Julian Lopez, who took over from Arbeloa in January when he was promoted to first team head coach, has been dealing with a difficult situation involving Jorge Cestero, who has not played a single minute in the B team's last two matches.

Cestero, who was linked with a summer move to Lille, was an unused substitute in last week's 1-1 draw with Sant Andreu, and that snub led to him clashing with Lopez. On the back of this, he has been punished by Real Madrid, with Marca (via Sport) reporting that he was left out of the weekend defeat to Alcorcon because of the bust-up.

Cestero furious at Pitarch demotion decision
According to the report, Cestero was unhappy at being replaced in the Castilla line-up by Thiago Pitarch, who had been with the Real Madrid first team for the opening weeks of the season. With La Liga currently on a three-week break, the decision was made for the teenage midfielder to feature for the B team, and this did not please Cestero.

It remains to be seen how long Cestero is left out by Castilla, but if the situation drags on, it would be no surprise if he left Real Madrid in January.



https://siempremadrid.com/real-madrid-midfielder-punished-following-manager-bust-up/

[WhiteJC]

Manager unhappy with rumours around Fulham attacker – Lies spread to 'create a stir'
Bangladesh manager Thomas Dooley has dismissed rumours of dispute with Fulham's Farhaan Ali Wahid or with his family.

Dooley was born in England but has decided to represent the Tigers of Bengal because of his Bangladeshi heritage.

The winger had a spell with Chelsea's academy and left them to be part of Fulham's youth system in 2019.

Ali Wahid has represented Fulham U18 and Fulham U21s, while he is yet to make his first team debut. He managed 12 goals and six assists from 41 matches for the U18s and 13 goals and nine assists for the U21s.

In August, Álvaro Arbeloa's side allowed him to join National League side Boreham Wood FC on a season-long loan deal. He has scored two goals and contributed two assists from six matches so far this season.

First call-up for Fulham man
The 19-year-old received his first call-up from Thomas Dooley for this international break and made his senior debut in the 3-0 defeat to Malaysia last week.

Farhaan Ali Wahid started in his preferred position on the left wing and Shahriar Emon replaced him after the break.

The Fulham owned player was an unused substitute in the national team's 1-0 defeat to Singapore on Monday. There were rumours of the youngster having a disagreement with the manager, who reportedly had an argument with his father.

That's according to T-Sports in Bangladesh, who point out rumours of the player wanting to leave the national team camp.

Fulham attacker's form reason for omission
The outlet also spoke to the manager on Tuesday morning to get his views about these rumours. Thomas Dooley has responded to lies spread across social media and says there is no dispute with Farhaan Ali Wahid or his family.

"There is no dispute between Farhan Ali and me. At least not from my side. I don't have a problem with his father either. I didn't have any arguments or debate with his father. The stories being spread beyond this are completely false," he said.

"When a coach benches or replaces a player, there is always a reason behind it. Perhaps the player needed a rest due to a run of games, perhaps he has an injury, perhaps the decision was tactical, or perhaps it was down to his performance. There can be many reasons behind it."

"Within the team and the federation, I am always open about my decisions. I am an open book; I have nothing to hide. And the only reason Farhan was taken off [against Malaysia] at half-time was performance."

Bangladesh appointed the German as their manager in May, and he has managed three matches so far.

"Ever since I came to Bangladesh, it seems like new rumours are spreading almost every day. When people are unhappy about something or simply want to create a stir, they post something on social media, and most of the time, there's no truth to it." Dooley explained.

Bangladesh have been eliminated from FIFA Asean Cup after losing two matches. They face Indonesia on October 1st, and it'll be interesting to see whether Ali Wahid can get minutes.



https://sportwitness.co.uk/manager-unhappy-with-rumours-around-fulham-attacker-lies-spread-to-create-a-stir/

[WhiteJC]

Charlie called up for FIFA Women's World Cup Qualifiers
Charlie Estcourt has been called up to the Wales Women's National Team for their upcoming 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup play-off ties against Albania.

Cymru will face Albania over two legs in Round One of the European qualifier play-offs, with the first fixture taking place away from home on Friday 9th October, before the return leg in Wales on Tuesday 13th October, KO at 7:15pm local time.

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/september/29/charlie-called-up-for-fifa-world-cup-qualifiers/

[WhiteJC]

Internationals: Shea captains Northern Ireland to top spot
Northern Ireland secured top spot in their Nations League group following a goalless draw against Hungary.

Shea Charles captained the side in Belfast as they made it four points from two games, after the midfielder's dramatic 99th-minute winner against Georgia on Friday.

Elsewhere, Sweden enjoyed a 3-1 win over Poland, with Hugo Larsson playing the final ten minutes of the tie in Stockholm.

After Benjamin Nygren opened the scoring for the hosts, Sebastian Szymański's equaliser had already been cancelled out by Yasin Ayari and Viktor Gyökeres when Larsson came off the bench for his 13th senior cap.

Timothy Castagne's Belgium suffered a late defeat to France at the Stade Roi Baudouin. Our full-back played the full 90 minutes and came so close to keeping a clean sheet, until Michael Olise found a winner with two minutes remaining.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/september/29/internationals-shea-captains-northern-ireland-to-top-spot/

[WhiteJC]

Nottingham Forest And Fulham Withdrew From Deal Amid Single Payment Demand
Nottingham Forest and Fulham were both prepared to pay the release clause of Rayo Vallecano star Andrei Ratiu, but were unwilling to do it in one sum.

Romanian international Ratiu was a man in demand during the summer transfer window as clubs looked at taking him away from Rayo Vallecano.

Ratiu came through Villarreal's academy system and joined Rayo Vallecano in the summer of 2023, quickly cementing his spot in the side.

Nottingham Forest and Fulham were both keen on the wing-back, though he also had interest from another Premier League side in the shape of Newcastle United.

Forest had other targets too, with Oliver Glasner having his eyes set on Daniel Munoz, who was being tracked by Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.

Nottingham Forest ultimately signed Munoz, but it has emerged they were serious about Ratiu, along with Fulham.

According to Spanish daily AS, Nottingham Forest alongside Fulham were ready to meet Ratiu's release clause but they could not agree on a payment structure.

Rayo Vallecano wanted the release clause fee of €25m to be met in one single payment, which did not suit Nottingham Forest.

Fulham were prepared to pay the €25m fee in instalments, but while Rayo Vallecano were ready to agree, they demanded each instalment be €6m to bring in a total of €30m.

For Fulham, the terms were not acceptable.

The chapter marks a fresh disappointment for Ratiu when it comes to moving to the Premier League.

In the summer of 2025, Ratiu was being chased by Tottenham Hotspur and it was suggested that he was left hurt after Rayo Vallecano rejected an offer from the Premier League that summer.

Ratiu has been regular for Rayo Vallecano this season, starting six of their seven La Liga games so far this season.

Whether there will be renewed Premier League interest in him when the transfer window opens again in January remains to be seen.



https://insidefutbol.com/2026/09/29/nottingham-forest-and-fulham-withdrew-from-deal-amid-single-payment-demand/728509/

[WhiteJC]

Bayern weigh up move for Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno
Bayern Munich are understood to be considering a move for Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

Fulham's Bernd Leno is among the options being considered by Bayern Munich, as the German champions look to bring in an experienced shot-stopper next summer, according to Bild.

With Manuel Neuer expected to retire in the summer of 2027, Jonas Urbig is being lined up as the new No. 1, but Bayern would like to have a reliable backup for the 23-year-old.

Leno is under contract with Fulham until 2027, but the Premier League outfit hold an option to extend the 34-year-old's deal by a further year.

The German goalkeeper is said to be open to a move to Bayern, which would give him the chance to live close to his native Swabia.

Augsburg's Finn Dahmen and 1. FC Köln's Marvin Schwäbe have also been mentioned as options for the backup role behind Urbig.



https://bulinews.com/bayern-weigh-move-for-fulham-goalkeeper-bernd-leno

[WhiteJC]

Super Eagles team news: Fulham star to captain Nigeria vs Guinea-Bissau – report
Nigeria's Super Eagles will have a new captain lead the team out of the dressing room when they face Guinea-Bissau in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Tuesday evening, Soccernet.ng reports.

EPL top earner Alex Iwobi will captain Nigeria against the Djurtus (Wild Dogs) as the Super Eagles return to AFCON 2027 qualifying action with three points already in the bank and a difficult away assignment waiting in Bissau.

The Fulham midfielder takes the armband from Wilfred Ndidi, who led Nigeria in Friday's 2-1 comeback victory over Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, per a Daily Post report. The change gives Iwobi, a Premier League record maker, an expanded leadership role after he supplied the pass for George Ilenikhena's equaliser in first-half stoppage time.

Iwobi was central to Nigeria's recovery against Madagascar, finding Ilenikhena with a precise ball that allowed the 20-year-old to mark his senior debut with a goal. Moses Usor then completed the comeback in the 65th minute, only four minutes after replacing Samuel Chukwueze.

The captaincy switch comes as Eric Chelle weighs his options for a match that could reshape Group L after only two rounds of fixtures.

Iwobi takes charge as Super Eagles chase another crucial win
Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau both opened the campaign with victories, but the Djurtus sit above the Super Eagles on goal difference after beating Tanzania 2-0 in Zanzibar.

Franculino Djú broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute before Mama Baldé struck in the 58th, giving Guinea-Bissau a two-goal advantage that Nigeria could not match against Madagascar.

Tuesday's encounter will be played at the Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro in Bissau, with kick-off scheduled for 5pm Nigerian time.

Chelle has 24 players available in camp, although Victor Osimhen is absent after the Galatasaray striker suffered a right thigh muscle strain against Başakşehir. Taiwo Awoniyi was subsequently added to the squad.

Nigeria have history on their side in Bissau. The Super Eagles won 1-0 at the same venue during the previous AFCON qualifying cycle, with Moses Simon scoring the decisive goal.

The stakes are unusually sharp because Tanzania are co-hosts of AFCON 2027 alongside Kenya and Uganda and therefore qualify automatically. Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar are consequently competing for the group's single remaining qualifying place.

A victory would take Iwobi and the Super Eagles to six points from their opening two matches while leaving Guinea-Bissau on three, giving Chelle's side an early advantage in a group where every dropped point could carry a heavy price.



https://soccernet.ng/2026/09/super-eagles-fulham-nigeria-bissau-ndidi.html

[WhiteJC]

What makes a cult hero?
Why do we take some players into our hearts?

AF had it right last week when he said we've been blessed with many talented ballers over the years at Craven Cottage.

But Fulham's always been about more than that. We don't win trophies, or have players nominated for the Ballon d'Or. Football on the banks of the Thames has always been built different. From the Globetrotters of Bobby Moore, George Best and Rodney Marsh in the 1970s to the Michael Jackson statue, Craven Cottage has been home to both the sublime and the ridiculous.

That inevitably means we've had our fair share of cult heroes over the years. But how does a player achieve such a status? Coops put forward a compelling case for the recently-departed Raul Jimenez last season, but I wanted to dig a little deeper to see if I could uncover the recipe for cult success.

Here's the main criteria. Cult heroes only have to satisfy one of these pillars, but the more you hit, the bigger cult hero you become.

They have to give us a moment
It's what the beautiful game is all about, right?

Tom Cairney's the master of moments. The leeds equaliser. The 100th goal of our title-winning campaign. The winner at Wembley.

But cult heroes all invariably have that one moment we love them for.

Carlos Vinicius's Chelsea winner. Denis Odoi's header against Derby.

The players who give us these moments are the ones who instantly find their way into our hearts.

They have to have a thing
This is a slightly more intangible one.

Think Moritz Volz cycling to games (a quirk that was reborn thanks to another beloved full-back in Kenny Tete - just don't ask him why he's not playing if you catch him on one).

Think John Paintsil's laps of honour, even if he contributed nothing to the result.

Then there's Facundo Sava's Zorro mask, as wonderfully pointed out last week. Why does no one use goal celebration props in this era of social virality? I don't want to see you dance on TikTok, I want to see you pull a cape from your shorts when you bag a last-minute winner.

Jimmy Bullard's thing was - well - being Jimmy Bullard. His stories of training ground hi-jinx combined with his on-pitch moments made him a cult hero wherever he went.

The thing doesn't even have to be a big one. Gabor Kiraly wore tracksuit bottoms, FFS. OK, so perhaps he's more of a candidate for AF's piece, but still.

They have to absolutely love being Fulham
We're all thinking the same thing here, right? Brian McBride.

The man came here as a 32 year old in the autumn of his career. But he loved this club so much he single-handedly kickstarted the special relationship that became Fulhamerica.

It showed on the pitch. He never gave less than 110% - and he bagged a few goals too.

Luis Boa Morte loved the club so much he came back as assistant manager.

This is where I see Rodrigo Muniz carving our his cult hero-dom. He's got his samba dancing, he's got his ridiculous obsession with bicycle kicks, and he's got a love for Fulham FC that's clear to see - just look at all the club tatt you see in his house on his Insta stories. God bless ya, Rodri.

They need to bring a little bit of chaos
And boy don't we love it.

I grew up on Boa Morte being an absolutely fantastic baller who enjoyed a card or five. In adulthood Joao Palhinha picked up that mantle.

The aforementioned Bullard brought chaos whereve he went.

Denis Odoi would send us to Wembley, then jeopardise it all with a red card in the final 20 minutes of the final. At the time we were livid, but it was all part of the package, wasn't it?

You never quite knew what you were going to get with these types of players - but you just knew it was going to be wild.

I think if you had to sum it up and try and articulate what makes a cult hero, it comes down to how they made you feel. And we're lucky enough to have had more than our fair share of players over the years who have made us feel closer to this great club. It's one of the many reasons we all keep going back.

I'd love to hear about your biggest FFC cult heroes in the comments - and, crucially, why they make the cut. COYW.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/what-makes-a-cult-hero

[WhiteJC]

Share your Remembrance story

Every November, Fulham FC joins the wider football community in coming together to remember and honour the sacrifices made by past and present generations of the Armed Forces.

Our dedicated Remembrance fixture against Newcastle United will take place on Saturday 7th November, with kick-off at 3pm.

Ahead of the match, we are inviting Fulham supporters to share their personal or family connections to the Armed Forces, what Remembrance means to them, and the role Fulham FC has played in those stories.

Throughout the Remembrance period and during the Newcastle United fixture, the Club would like to showcase a selection of these stories to help commemorate and celebrate the lives, service and sacrifices of those remembered.

Please complete the form below and share as much or as little detail as you feel comfortable with. We look forward to hearing your story.

We encourage supporters to submit their entries by Tuesday 13th October.

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/september/29/share-your-remembrance-story/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham star Bernd Leno readied for shock Bayern Munich switch: report
Fulham's Bernd Leno could be in line to replace Manuel Neuer for Bayern Munich

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Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno is being lined up by Bayern Munich.

Now 34, the Cottagers' No.1 has established himself as one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the Premier League since his move to West London four years ago.

As one of the longer-serving and more experienced of Fulham's current first-teamers, losing Leno to Bayern would be a blow – though the call of the Bundesliga giants may be too great for the German to ignore.

Bernd Leno lined up for Bayern Munich role away from Fulham
According to BILD in Germany, Leno is being lined up in an "easy" to complete deal for the Bavarians to become Manuel Neuer's backup.

The former Arsenal stopper is, of course, used to that role, having played deputy for Neuer for Germany, limiting him to just nine appearances for his country since he made his debut in 2016.

Earlier this summer, however, Neuer retired from international duty at the age of 40, and given that he has just entered his 16th season at the Allianz Arena, there's an opportunity for Leno to usurp his senior, should he make the move.

The stopper has proven himself as statistically one of the more impressive between the sticks in the Premier League over the last decade, and may well put forward a good case to challenge for the No.1 spot – or at least take the shirt if and when Neuer calls it a day.

Leno wouldn't be the first to move to Bayern in recent seasons to compete with Die Roten captain Neuer.

In 2020, the club moved to tie up a deal for highly-touted Alexander Nubel from Schalke, but when asked about the deal, Neuer described the 23-year-old's transfer as "irrelevant" to him – and sure enough, the Gelsenkirchen-born custodian captained his side to six trophies that year.

Yann Sommer and Daniel Peretz, meanwhile, have both moved to Allianz as an understudy – with the former used as an emergency option following Neuer breaking his leg in a freak skiing accident – but neither could oust the veteran from his position for long.

The good news for Fulham is that they have no obligation to sell their No.1.

The German left Arsenal for just £8 million, according to the BBC – a cost-effective deal for the time – and with Fulham having an option to extend his deal until 2028, they may even recoup what they spent on the player.

Leno is worth €6m, according to Transfermarkt. The winless Whites play Ipswich Town when the international break concludes and Premier League action returns.



https://www.fourfourtwo.com/person/player/fulham-star-bernd-leno-readied-for-shock-bayern-munich-switch-report

[bog]

Good morning Sir, to me in my time supporting our beloved club, although we have had so many standout characters, my top cult hero will always be Tosh Chamberlain. When Johnny Haynes got booked for calling him a f****** idiot he said 'but ref I am a f****** idiot'. I had the pleasure of meeting Tosh and it was an honour to shake his hand. One of those never forgotten.