OFFICIAL: Arbeloa Appointed Fulham Head Coach

[I Ronic]

"It's OK I'm with the AA"

   

[General]

So he likes youth - we've Bobb and LDF off the back of good world cup campaigns, then Diop who's performed really well for quarter finalists Morocco, Berge also in the QFs as is Castagne.. so add in Kevin, ESR, Andersen, King and others, he's got a good base at the club. Hopefully he's backed properly this summer and can hit ground running.

One other thing - Raul, Chuk have both been taken off the clubs website, whilst Harry Wilson is still up...

https://www.fulhamfc.com/teams

Does this mean Wilson was waiting to see who we hired and to have a chat with Arbeloa before making a decision? Could still stay it seems, despite people saying a move to Leeds is a done deal.

[AnotherVicHalomLoveChild]

Back in the days of the threat to become Fulham Park Rangers and Craven Cottage being developed who would have believed that one day our beloved club would be managed by someone who had previously run Real Madrid? A Fulhamish of the highest order.

FPR, we swerved a bullet there
Alvero is a potentially exciting gamble. However,if he can settle and get to grips with the squad quickly, introduce his Real Madrid academy players and identify his targets and get them signed up fast then there is a chance
His first test against Chelsea wow!

[FFC007]

Franco Mastantuono looks a hell of a player if we can get him.

Left footed winger, a seriously better upgrade on Wilson and Chukwueze.

https://youtu.be/d3eVEBc6IYs?is=OLUzjQmB6HZGeRup

[Bronaldinho]

Quite excited by the Arbeloa appointment. Be interesting to see who he brings in, especially as we need a bit of a rebuild over the next 2 seasons and some players in we can develop for resale value.

Big project on his hands, but his success will also hinge on the club giving him a good platform to build on, by bringing in players early to maximise pre-season ideas and time.

[ScalleysDad]

The coaching/player management cv is impressive and he was highly regarded as a player so there can be no reason why some of our players fail to get their boots on with a sense of purpose. At times last season I felt some of our squad were bereft of energy, ideas and confidence.
I wonder if he is a 'show and tell' type coach. Could be the missing part of the ESR puzzle.

[@jolslover]

Good appointment, excited about this one and think it's an ambitious move by the club.

Managing the biggest club in the world 6 months ago working with Mbappe, Bellingham and Vinicius leading them to back to back victories over Man City. Well known for developing young players and playing an exciting brand of football. I suspect he will be able to attract some top players

His Castilla side had a very clear identity: possession, high pressing, intensity and the desire to dominate games. Flexibility when required, but with one non-negotiable principle: aggressive pressing without the ball. This is not a coach who wants his team sitting deep and defending its own box.

His influences are easy to spot too. Rafa Benítez's obsession with improving players individually. Pellegrini's love of attacking width and tempo. Mourinho's intensity, leadership and training-ground detail. And from Ancelotti and Del Bosque, the belief that man-management is just as important as tactics.

[Barrett487]

Welcome Álvaro Arbeloa and good luck.

I wonder how good a man-manager he is (a Silva strength)

Also, could he have a Kevin Keegan effect and attract good quality players to join us?

[Dodgin]

Looks all very promising, who will he be bringing with him?

[The Old Count]

Hasn't signed anyone. Hasn't bothered to train the players...
Arbeloa Out!

[SimonDaviesEnjoyer]

Exciting appointment IMO. Welcome aboard AA.

[Bassey the warrior]

Welcome Alvaro. An exciting appointment but also a risky one. Let's hope he does what's promised, integrating more academy players and improving the attack. Whilst keeping things tight at the back of course.

We'll need to give him time, it took 10 games for Iraola to get his first Bournemouth win.

[alfie]

Pete Rutzler also confirming the reason for the delay in announcing was due to work permits for him & the staff he's bringing with him

And there were people on here who said it was nothing to do with visa's, and the whole thing stinks.

[alfie]

Welcome Alvaro. An exciting appointment but also a risky one. Let's hope he does what's promised, integrating more academy players and improving the attack. Whilst keeping things tight at the back of course.

We'll need to give him time, it took 10 games for Iraola to get his first Bournemouth win.

Why do people keep saying it's risky, any manager/coach from top to bottom is a risk.

[cmg]

The BBC report ends with this:

"Arbeloa is keen to bring players with him, including attacking midfielder Franco Mastantuono, full-back Fran Garcia and forward Gonzalo Garcia."

Now when Arbeloa's name was first floated, it was said that he might be able to bring with him some Real academy prospects. Sounded as if he might hijack some promising kids who might or might not make it in our u18s.

The guys mentioned above are not kids. All three are full internationals, Fran Garcia is 26. All would be excellent additions to our squad. Gonzalo Garcia might be the goalscorer we desperately need and, as has been said, Mastantuono is a widely coveted prospect as an attacking midfielder. It would, surely cost £50+million to bring them to CC.

[Carborundum]

Welcome AA and all the very best. 

When I read:

"His Castilla side had a very clear identity: possession, high pressing, intensity and the desire to dominate games. Flexibility when required, but with one non-negotiable principle: aggressive pressing without the ball. This is not a coach who wants his team sitting deep and defending its own box."

I think: fine when your players are superior, as his would have been.  But try doing that when opponents have the better individuals and see where that ends up.

If he's a pragmatist, the style we think we are getting may not entirely match what's served up on the pitch.  When Hughes replaced Roy, it worked out OK, but only after senior players put the gaffer straight on the style of play that could work.

[_Putney_]

    

Just looking at the web page you can feel a change in the atmosphere with the players.

[hopper]

I'm very curious about this appointment. Leaning towards more excited than apprehensive, but there's so little to go on.

The Madrid links are exciting, and I think his experience winning the biggest trophies in the game and working with the top players could be invaluable - especially for the youngsters.

[cookieg]

Back in the days of the threat to become Fulham Park Rangers and Craven Cottage being developed who would have believed that one day our beloved club would be managed by someone who had previously run Real Madrid? A Fulhamish of the highest order.

FPR, we swerved a bullet there
Alvero is a potentially exciting gamble. However,if he can settle and get to grips with the squad quickly, introduce his Real Madrid academy players and identify his targets and get them signed up fast then there is a chance
His first test against Chelsea wow!

And an opportunity to become an instant legend!

[LittleErn]

So he likes youth - we've Bobb and LDF off the back of good world cup campaigns, then Diop who's performed really well for quarter finalists Morocco, Berge also in the QFs as is Castagne.. so add in Kevin, ESR, Andersen, King and others, he's got a good base at the club. Hopefully he's backed properly this summer and can hit ground running.

One other thing - Raul, Chuk have both been taken off the clubs website, whilst Harry Wilson is still up...

https://www.fulhamfc.com/teams

Does this mean Wilson was waiting to see who we hired and to have a chat with Arbeloa before making a decision? Could still stay it seems, despite people saying a move to Leeds is a done deal.

It's a good squad with one glaring weakness. We MUST bring in a goalscoring striker.