Monday Fulham Stuff (07.03.11)

[White Noise]

Mark Clattenburg did himself no favours in bid to return to the shadows

By Graham Poll


Last updated at 9:33 AM on 7th March 2011


Who'd be a ref? It's the question I get asked most and, after his horrible week, Mark Clattenburg will probably be asking himself it, too.

After missing Wayne Rooney's forearm smash on Wigan's James McCarthy before being involved in further controversy at Manchester City on Wednesday, all he wanted was a quiet day at Craven Cottage on Saturday.


Trouble on the cards: Mark Clattenburg sends Blackburn's Gael Givet off at Fulham
     
The appointment to Fulham v Blackburn - with due respect to the two clubs - was a sensible one. It was a low profile Barclays Premier League match, yet Clattenburg once again left the field amid acrimony

That though is how refereeing can go. If you are prepared to make big decisions, as the very best referees are, then controversy often follows.

I can remember sending John Terry off at White Hart Lane on a Sunday in 2006 and then being investigated over alleged comments to Chelsea players. On the Wednesday evening I went to Everton and sent James McFadden off for abusive comments in a Carling Cup tie against Arsenal.

The players said that I was looking to be the main attraction, the media agreed and Sky Sports then advertised their next live game on Saturday lunchtime as 'Graham Poll's next game'. I hated it and Clattenburg should be feeling the same.

The problem is he created the controversy himself on Saturday and compounded it by his arrogant manner. After missing another elbow by Blackburn's Steven N'Zonzi, I think he knew that he failed to award a penalty when Andy Johnson was brought down by Grant Hanley.

He was certainly looking very closely for any potential offences form the resultant corner and, as happens at most of them, there was some holding and so a penalty was technically correct.

Blackburn boss Steve Kean called it absolutely correctly: if all of those were given there would be loads of penalties every week. The point is, as it does happen every week then referees should give penalties and it would stop.

The time to start awarding spot kicks though is not in the 89th minute just after missing a penalty. I did exactly the same in a World Cup qualifier in Slovenia and the Russian defenders were justifiably incensed.


In the spotlight: Clattenburg had a week to forget in the Barclays Premier League

All referees should crack down on this annoying and persistent offence from the start of every game at the start of a season. It's no good one ref doing it on a random game.

Clattenburg then appeared to have no choice but to dismiss Gael Givet after the Blackburn man raced from the dugout after the final whistle and abused the under siege referee.

Whatever the situation players and managers must show restraint. After all, Clattenburg wasn't wrong to award a penalty, he just picked the wrong incident. Now he'll just be hoping for a quiet few weeks... I'm just not sure he'll get them.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1363705/Graham-Poll-Mark-Clattenburg-did-favours-bid-return-shadows.html#ixzz1FuTvlswQ

[White Noise]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6800019,00.html


Zamora glad to be back

Cottagers striker pleased to have notched first goal since serious injury


Last updated: 7th March 2011
   


Zamora: Spot on

Bobby Zamora is delighted to be back among the goals following a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The Fulham striker suffered a broken ankle against Wolves in September, the day after penning a new long-term contract at Craven Cottage.

It has been a long road back for the England international, with a large part of the season having passed him by.

He has, however, returned to action over recent weeks and found the target for the first time since earning a first-team recall in Fulham's 3-2 victory over Blackburn on Saturday.

Nerves

He kept his cool to slot home a last-minute penalty, helping him to banish his injury demons and the Cottagers to another welcome three points.

On his late spot-kick, Zamora said: "I don't normally take penalties but there were a few nervous people out there and Danny Murphy had been substituted.

"Clint [Dempsey, who missed a late penalty against Chelsea recently] picked the ball up and passed it straight to me, so he obviously didn't want it and I was happy to take it and get my name back on the scoresheet.

"It's always tough when you're out injured for so long and the hardest part was being stuck in the gym while all the lads were training."

[White Noise]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11694_6800201,00.html


Duo revved up for Carr chase

Fulham & Stoke keep eye on Blues skipper


By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me on Twitter @skysportspeteo   


Last updated: 7th March 2011   



Carr: Attracting attention

Skysports.com understands Fulham and Stoke are considering moves for Birmingham defender Stephen Carr.

Carr has been in outstanding form for Birmingham this season and put in a brilliant performance in last weekend's Carling Cup final win over Arsenal.

The former Tottenham and Newcastle star, who has just over a year to run on his current contract, has rolled back the years this term with a number of eye-catching performances.

Carr has virtually been an ever-present for Birmingham this season and his form has not gone unnoticed by other clubs.

Fulham boss Mark Hughes and Stoke chief Tony Pulis are both thought to be in the market for a new right-back for next season and they are believed to be weighing up moves for Carr.

Birmingham would be loath to lose their skipper as Alex McLeish looks to build on his side's Carling Cup success this season and their plans for European football next term.

[White Noise]

Match Winner


Monday 7th March 2011




Bobby Zamora kept his cool to drill home a last minute penalty against Blackburn Rovers at the Cottage on Saturday to earn Fulham all three points and the striker was evidently delighted to have secured the win after a hard fought 90 minutes.

"I don't normally take penalties," Zamora told fulhamfc.com after the match. "I think there were a few nervous people out there to be fair.

"It was a chance for me to get on the score sheet so I was happy to take the penalty. Danny was off, who is the regular penalty-taker. Clint picked up the ball and passed it to me and I only had one thing in my mind.

"We were under the cosh a little bit, they [Blackburn] play a certain way and it's hard to play against. We didn't play our best football but the lads have been tremendous, showed great character, worked right to the end and got all three points.

"We've got so many good attacking options that we always expect to score and the lads at the back, as usual, are always tight and make our job that much easier. Our goal difference is where it is because they're doing their job so well."

Zamora's target is to achieve full match fitness over the coming weeks but with Fulham's attacking options now as strong as ever this season the England international knows he will have to earn his place back in Mark Hughes' starting eleven.

"The lads have been a different standard all season in terms of work ethic," said Zamora. "There are so many attacking options now; I don't expect to come back in.

"I'm happy to play my part coming on off the bench. It's a shame that it's so close to the end of the season, for me it's a case of getting properly fit and hopefully doing well - that's my goal.

"Just looking at the bench, it's frightening. The options are brilliant and I think anyone can go in and do a good job. You have to be on top form every week in training to be able to get in that starting eleven."

Zamora is clearly loving being back in the thick of the action after several months of recovery and rehabilitation. The striker admits there have been some difficult moments on the sidelines this season but is now enjoying the results of all his hard work in the gym.

"Everyone knows it's tough when you're injured and trying to get back but we've got a great medical team and it's thanks to them that I managed to make a straightforward recovery," Zamora explained.

"I've been pretty lucky all through my career not to pick up anything major and I suppose that was my time but, as I said, we've got a good medical team and I managed to come back.

"It was hard watching them [the other players] outside when I was in the gym – that's the hardest part but I always used to walk past and give them a bit of banter and abuse! It's lovely to be back training."


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/March/ZamoraRoversReaction.aspx#ixzz1Fv0uaZjP

[MikeR]

...I felt it was not as aggressive or powerful because Aaron Hughes never went to ground.

I respect his decision, it is technically a penalty but there were 10 of them in that game. If you give one, you have to give the rest...

Bogus reasoning from Kean if I've ever seen it: It's only a foul if the player goes down, and I would have been happier if Clattenburg had awarded 10 penalties against us.

Understandable, though, in light of the poor display from the ref.

[White Noise]

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/11/03/07/SOCCER_Fulham_Zamora.html&TEAMHD=soccer&BID=165


ZAMORA READY FOR SUPER SUB ROLE

Fulham striker Bobby Zamora does not expect to walk straight back into Mark Hughes' starting XI despite scoring his first goal since returning from a broken leg.

The England international, who came off the bench to slam home a decisive penalty in the 3-2 over Blackburn on Saturday, told the club's official website that the number of options available to Hughes mean that nobody is guaranteed to start.

"There are so many attacking options now I don't expect to come back in," said Zamora. "I'm happy to play my part coming on off the bench."

A recent run of good form has steered Fulham away from the relegation battle and Zamora feels that Hughes now has a squad brimming with quality players to select from in the closing weeks of the season.

"Just looking at the bench, it's frightening. The options are brilliant and I think anyone can go in and do a good job. You have to be on top form every week in training to be able to get in that starting eleven."

Zamora signed a new contract at Fulham back in September before breaking his leg the next day in a match against Wolves.

It was initially feared that he would not play again this season but the ex-Tottenham forward believes the club's medical staff have helped him return ahead of schedule.

"I've been pretty lucky all through my career not to pick up anything major and I suppose that was my time but we've got a good medical team and I managed to come back."

[White Noise]

Chelsea - The Kakuta Conundrum!


Having gone on loan, just down the Fulham Road, you`d have expected Gael Kakuta to be reaping the benefits, after all isn`t that the purpose of sending a player out on loan?

But that doesn`t appear to be the case!

Gael is finding it just as hard to get valuable match-time at Craven Cottage as he did at Stamford Bridge with Saturday being an ideal example.

Once again Gael didn`t make Mark Hughes` starting eleven and once again he was restricted to less than fifteen minutes of action as Hughes introduced him as a late substitute.

Comments left on the Vital Fulham site seem to mirror our own feelings about giving the youngster more time on the pitch as he strives to make an impression.

But something inside of me feels that Gael may well have been better going elsewhere on loan but where would you send him?

Obviously we`d be reticent to loan him away from English football as the player needs to pick up on the speed and physical attributes of our native game.

There`s also the problem of dropping him down a division to the Championship, whilst it may well serve the likes of Jeffrey Bruma, Jack Cork, Jacob Mellis and Patrick van Aanholt, you get the impression that a drop down into that league may well prove a step to physical for Gael.

So, in a roundabout way, we`ve found ourselves back where we started - back in the Premier League, which makes you ask the question as to whether Fulham might not have been the correct destination.

Whilst it`s physical location lends itself well to keeping a watchful eye on Gael, it`s worth noting that Mark Hughes has in his squad players like Damien Duff, Zoltan Gera and Dembele Moussa all of whom are more experienced and likely to get the nod ahead of Gael.

Looking elsewhere, we have Daniel Sturridge performing wonders at Bolton and Michael Mancienne who, when not injured, is integrated into a variety of positions by Wolverhampton Wanderers.

But if we are to look at an alternative Premier League destination for Gael, the field is narrowed down considerably when it comes to a suitable destination; those staring relegation in the face are reluctant to take a risk on somebody who has yet to turn on the style in the Premier League.

As for the higher echelons, once again there`s the risk factor which leads us right back to the original crux of this article - where do you place a player like Gael on loan?




Read more: http://www.chelsea.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=522454#ixzz1FwGplslD

[White Noise]

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2011/03/07/in-defence-of-mark-clattenburg-read-before-passing-judgement/


In Defence of Mark Clattenburg: Read Before Passing Judgement


by Poco T on March 7th, 2011


The internet is brilliant for meeting people and making friends, unfortunately I very much expect to do the opposite with this blog but here goes nothing...

Mark Clattenburg was right to award Fulham a penalty against Blackburn Rovers this weekend. Phew, that feels much better to have said it out loud. Please allow me to explain why.

Perhaps not to the same extent as Charlie Sheen, but Mark Clattenburg has had a tough week. It seems so long ago now but last week Mark Clattenburg was criticised for not sending off Wayne Rooney after he deliberately elbowed James McCarthey in the seventh minute of Wigan vs Manchester United. Uproar was soon to follow as the FA announced they would not be investigating the situation any further. The reason that Wayne Rooney escaped any punishment is because Mark Clattenburg had dealt with the situation and due to one of the FA's many stuffy laws, once an incident has been dealt with there will be no further investigations. This whole situation has left Clattenburg so frustrated and feeling so powerless, which is why he is sadly questioning whether he wants to continue as a top flight referee. Wayne Rooney could have been in trouble with the FA were it not simply for the honesty and integrity of Clattenburg. Last Monday morning, the FA's disciplinary department emailed Clattenburg the standard incident form. Here the procedural problems preventing justice were exposed again.

Any form Mark was sent would have contained two questions, the first part would say 'Did you see the incident, the coming together of players?' Mark couldn't lie. He'd not seen the elbow but he'd seen a coming together, because he awarded a free kick. On these emails, there's an attachment saying that if you haven't seen the incident, go to the second part. That has a video clip and you have to re-referee the clip. But Mark was powerless. He'd been honest and said he'd seen the incident. Having seen the incident again on TV, he knew it was a red card by Rooney but he couldn't do anything." Mark Clattenburg did everything right in the moment of the coming together by seeking evidence quickly from Wayne "I didn't do nuffin' mate" Rooney and James McCarthey who to his credit simply said "I don't know what's gone on." One of Clattenburg's colleagues then informed him via his headset that 'it was just a coming together'. After not seeing the off the ball incident, all of the evidence suggested just a free-kick should be awarded with no further action required. Mark Clattenburg could do no more. He is the one being punished when he has not done anything wrong, but his honesty is to be admired as he told the FA he had seen the incident and had dealt with it. It is a shame that Wayne Rooney seems to be avoiding any blame whilst being completely dishonest. That's the modern footballer unfortunately.

That brings us to this weekend. Mark Clattenburg awarded a penalty in the last minute of Fulham v Blackburn and was right to award it, but is still under scrutiny long after the match had finished. Blackburn's Grant Hanley had wrestled Aaron Hughes out of the way as the cross came in and it was Hanley who cleared it. Clattenburg had a great view of the incident and had no other choice but to award the penalty to Fulham. What's interesting to note is that Grant Hanley did not protest the decision, instead leaving that to Samba who perhaps felt it was he who was judged to have committed the foul after a nothing push on Zamora. It was great to see Bobby Zamora back after a six month lay-off with a broken leg and score the winner – it is a shame the tabloids couldn't have made that their headline. As soon as Mark Clattenburg had blown for full time, Blackburn's Gäel Givet ran on to the pitch without his boots on – he must've known he wouldn't need them for a while as he was promptly sent off for his aggressive protest.

Once again, Hanley looked on as others protested his innocence and I respect him for accepting he was in the wrong. Jason Roberts did his best to calm the Blackburn players and deserves a mention as he has always been such a gentleman of the game and knew the referee had got it spot-on. After the match Blackburn's manager Steve Kean, said: "He felt there was enough there to give a penalty but I felt it was not as aggressive or powerful because Aaron Hughes never went to ground. "I respect his decision, it is technically a penalty but there were 10 of them in that game. If you give one, you have to give the rest." These sentiments were echoed by the pretentious Alan Shearer on Match of the Day, who said "If you're gonna give a penalty for that you're gonna have 7 or 8 a game". Wrong. I continued to watch MOTD and made a note of the corners shown throughout all the matches, including the ones that lead to Gary Cahill's brace and Scharner's header from what looked like an impossible angle.

There were 9 corners shown overall on MOTD and in none of the other examples were there any situations where a referee should have awarded a penalty, let alone 7 or 8. The reason being that when the ball is dead for a corner there will be the inevitable pushing and pulling, but when the ball comes into play that all stops for fear of committing a foul. Unfortunately for Blackburn, Hanley continued to wrestle Hughes once the corner had been taken, giving Mark Clattenburg no other option but to award a penalty.

It annoys me that the best referee this country has to offer is under constant scrutiny for every decision, right or wrong. Gary Lineker chipped in with one of his pathetic, patronising comments on MOTD when he said "and he gave a yellow card but it was nothing like an elbow". Mark Clattenburg probably makes in a year what a lot of the top Premiership players earn in a week yet continues to have his life intruded and criticised for getting decisions right. He is a big football fan and it would be such an injustice if this man were to be forced out of the game that he loves so much.

[White Noise]

Fulham set to sign Israeli kid Altman after midfielder's trials with Liverpool and Arsenal


By Sportsmail Reporter


Last updated at 9:18 PM on 7th March 2011


Fulham look set to win the battle for Israeli midfielder Omri Altman.

The 16-year-old from Maccabi Tel Aviv had trials with Liverpool and Arsenal last year.

Meanwhile Millwall have signed Tottenham winger Andros Townsend, 19, on loan for the rest of the season, while Crystal Palace are to sign midfielder Kemy Agustien from Swansea on loan.


Coup: Fulham manager Mark Hughes is set to sign Omri Altman


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1363952/Fulham-set-sign-Omri-Altman-trials-Liverpool-Arsenal.html#ixzz1FxAYIzo7