Sunday Fulham Stuff (27.03.11)

[White Noise]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6836263,00.html


Schwarzer set for 'huge game'


Cottagers keeper aware of how crucial Seasiders clash could be


By Chris Burton   



Last updated: 26th March 2011
   


Schwarzer: No room to relax

Mark Schwarzer is determined to help Fulham get back to winning ways and start looking up the table again.

The Cottagers stumbled into the international break, with a 2-1 defeat away at Everton coming as a major disappointment to all concerned.

The setback at Goodison Park was their first in six games, with results having improved dramatically since the turn of the year.

Mark Hughes' side are still looking anxiously over their shoulder, though, with just three points separating them from the Premier League relegation zone.

It is imperative they establish some breathing space as the 2010/11 campaign enters the final straight, starting with a home date against Blackpool on 3rd April.

Schwarzer is aware of the importance being placed on that game, with the Seasiders also desperate for points in their own battle to avoid the drop.

"It's a huge game, we know it's going to be a very difficult game," the Australia international goalkeeper told Fulham's official website.

Belief
"They've shown on their away trips that they're a very difficult team to play against.

"They've done tremendously well this season and we know we're in for a very tough game. But we believe, especially at home, that we should be picking up three points.

"No games are easy, if you look at any of our games throughout the whole season, none of our games have been easy.

"That's why it's imperative that we get results at home and also nick some points away from home - then we'll be looking up the table as opposed to down the table."

Fulham have seen their fixture list become fragmented of late, but Schwarzer believes international run-outs will be beneficial to those involved.

"We had a free weekend before the Everton game with the FA Cup weekend, now we've got another free weekend where a lot of us are on international duty," he said.

"At least there's some game time going on, and hopefully we'll get back and be able to put things right against Blackpool."

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[White Noise]

http://www.cleansheetsallround.co.uk/2011/03/liverpool-defender-to-end-anfield-nightmare


Liverpool defender to end Anfield nightmare

Published on March 27, 2011


by Rob Morris   Comments 55



Liverpool defender Paul Konchesky will end his nightmare spell at Anfield this summer, by returing to former club Fulham.

Konchesky, who is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest, was signed by then manager Roy Hodgson for around £4m and went on to make 15 appearances for the club before eventually being shipped-out after heavy fire from both pundits and fans alike.

It is believed that Reds boss Kenny Dalglish sees no future for the left-back on Merseyside

[White Noise]

http://www.people.co.uk/sport/football/news/2011/03/27/konchesky-set-for-fulham-return-after-liverpool-nightmare-102039-23018087/

Konchesky set for Fulham return after Liverpool nightmare

Mar 27 2011 by Dean Jones, The People



PAUL KONCHESKY is returning to Fulham at the end of the season – bringing an end to his Liverpool nightmare.

The full-back joined Roy Hodgson at Anfield last year in a bid to take his career to the next level, but it went horribly wrong.

Fans at Anfield never rated him, his performances were poor, and his mum made sure there was no way back when she posted anti-Scouse remarks on Facebook.

He is now on loan at Nottingham Forest but talks have taken place between Fulham and Liverpool and he is set to head back to Craven Cottage in June for around £1.5million.

It's a great bit of business by Fulham, as they sold him for just over £3m only seven months ago.

The switch is ideal for manager Mark Hughes, who will need a new left back as Carlos Salcido is hoping to return to Mexico after just one season in the Premier League.

Sparky is planning to find a new right back as well when the transfer window reopens as John Pantsil's contract will not be renewed.

Also looking set to leave Anfield is striker Dani Pacheco, a Spain Under-21 international on loan at Norwich. He said: "It's obvious that all the Spaniards are leaving Liverpool."

[White Noise]

http://www.people.co.uk/sport/2011/03/27/steve-sidwell-hopes-to-secure-permanent-deal-at-fulham-102039-23017813/


Steve Sidwell hopes to secure permanent deal at Fulham

Mar 27 2011 by Dean Jones, The People


STEVE SIDWELL is set to secure a three-year contract at Fulham.

The midfielder joined on an initial six-month deal but has already impressed boss Mark Hughes enough that the club are ready to draw up a firm offer and make the move permanent.

Sidwell will return to full training tomorrow following a knee injury he suffered on a winter training camp in Portugal and could face Blackpool on Sunday.

[White Noise]

http://www.people.co.uk/sport/2011/03/27/dalglish-to-beat-rivals-to-signing-of-wigan-star-james-mccarthy-102039-23017811/

Dalglish to beat rivals to signing of Wigan star James McCarthy

Mar 27 2011 by Alan Nixon, The People




Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish wants to beat Chelsea to the signing of Wigan star James McCarthy – the one who got away from Anfield.

Dalglish is determined to land Glasgow-born Ireland starlet McCarthy as part of a major summer overhaul.

And the legendary manager thinks that he can persuade McCarthy to pick Merseyside ahead of London for his next move, which looks increasingly likecoming at the end of the season.

Desperation

Chelsea wanted to land McCarthy in January and are still in the chase for him – although the exit of director of football Frank Arnesen leaves a ­question mark over their desperation for him.

Now Dalglish, poised to get theLiverpool job full-time, has decided to home in on McCarthy who was set to sign for former boss Rafa Benitez as a kid but opted to stay with Hamilton Accies.

McCarthy has already been to Liverpool's HQ and played in a training game – when he was just 16 – and Benitez was keen to take him only for the top prospect to decide that first-team football with Hamilton was better.

Dalglish does not want to miss out on McCarthy again and thinks he would be ideal for a new-look squad that would also include fellow Scot Charlie Adam from Blackpool. McCarthy signed for Wigan and has proved himself to be one of the best young all-round midfielders in the top flight. Chelsea are willing to pay up to £7million for him.

Liverpool will match and ­possibly better that if Dalglish gets the money to invest.

And he hopes the quiet lad will prefer to stay in the area rather than be drawn to the capital.

McCarthy has forged close friendships with some of the Latics team and may be happier to remain in the north west, which is also closer to his tight-knit family home in Glasgow. Wigan and Fulham have been watching Spanish ­striker Joaquin Alvarez, aka Quini.

Quini, 30, plays for Alcorcon in the Spanish Second Division where he leads the ­goalscoring charts with 17. The ­striker is ­valued around £650,000.

But the club's poor crowds and ­financial state means he could be available for around half that amount.

●DARLINGTON boss Mark Cooper is on Port Vale's radar as they search for Jim Gannon's ­replacement.

The former Peterborough chief is only on a one-year deal at the Arena and would jump at the chance.

[White Noise]

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/fulham-bolton-target-klose-prepares-bayern-munich-exit-1531721


Fulham, Bolton target Klose prepares for Bayern Munich exit


26.03.11 | tribalfootball.com


Bayern Munich veteran striker Miroslav Klose wants to play in the top-flight next season.

Klose, who has been linked with Fulham, Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United this season, is leaving Bayern in the summer.

"I can imagine playing for anybody at a high level," he told the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

"I am fit, football is no torture or drag for me and I don't just want to play out the end of my career in any old place.

"At the moment, I still want to play at a level which is higher than Kaiserslautern."

[White Noise]

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/adam-convinced-blackpool-spirit-will-see-them-safe-1532281

Adam convinced Blackpool spirit will see them safe

27.03.11 | tribalfootball.com


Blackpool ace Charlie Adam will be at Arsenal today to turn out for Scotland against Brazil.

The Seasiders skipper still has painful memories of his last trip to the venue – a hammering at the hands of Arsenal – and he doesn't want history to repeat itself.

"I remember the last trip to the Emirates only too well and I'm hoping it won't be the same scoreline," said the 25-year-old.

"That was our first away game in the Premier League and we were new to the level and not used to it.

"We had a man sent off and Arsenal outplayed us – the 6-0 scoreline says it all. But I think we have come a long way since as a team and you saw that at Blackburn.

"I thought the lads were terrific at Ewood from first minute to last. Conceding late on is one of those things that happens in football but we will dust ourselves down and get on with it, and we're already looking to Fulham.

"There were plenty of encouraging signs at Blackburn that we can take into the next eight games. OK we conceded two goals but we played well, moved the ball about and on another day we could easily have won.

"We think we can win any game, both home and away, and we will go to Fulham confident we can get three points."

[White Noise]

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/arsenal-hero-lukic-fulham-keeper-schwarzer-would-have-been-perfect-1532571


Arsenal hero Lukic: Fulham keeper Schwarzer would have been perfect

27.03.11 | tribalfootball.com


Former Arsenal goalkeeper John Lukic feels Fulham's Mark Schwarzer would have been an ideal signing in January.

Fulham resisted Arsenal's attempts to buy the 39 year-old Aussie.

Lukic told the Sunday Mirror: "It just goes to show that Mark Schwarzer would have been a great signing for ­Arsenal from Fulham last ­summer.

"Schwarzer would have kept things ­ticking over, and he would have paved the way for ­Szczesny to eventually make his way into the team."

[White Noise]

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3284/euro-2012/2011/03/26/2412995/republic-of-irelands-damien-duff-hails-massive-three-points

Republic of Ireland's Damien Duff hails 'massive' three points against Macedonia

Winger believes country can qualify for Euro 2012 after win, while goalkeeper Westwood celebrated first competitive appearance in place of injured Shay Given


By Patrick Devaney


26 Mar 2011 23:43:00


Republic of Ireland veteran Damien Duff was pleased at with his side's endeavours as they edged out Macedonia 2-1 on Saturday evening.

The midfielder has his eyes set on reaching the Euro 2012 finals in Ukraine and Poland as they top Group B jointly with Slovakia and Russia.

"I was cramping after an hour, showing what a shift we had to put in. There's no easy games in Europe anymore. Macedonia put up a great fight but it's a massive three points,'' the Fulham man told Sky Sports.

"We believe we can do it and it really was a massive result for us. We went close to the last World Cup and we're going to put in a big effort to get to Ukraine and Poland,'' he added positively.

Keiren Westwood also stressed the importance of the result and explained how hard the squad has worked to overcome adversity.

"We've got a lot of key players out but we worked hard and I thought we deserved it," the Coventry stopper said.

"I'm just happy to be involved. Sometimes you don't really want to touch the ball but I was delighted to make the save and happy to have contributed.

"Shay's been great to me since day one. I was only 23 when I got into the squad and he's been brilliant for me. He's dominated this position and he's a legend."

[Tom]

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/fulham-bolton-target-klose-prepares-bayern-munich-exit-1531721


Fulham, Bolton target Klose prepares for Bayern Munich exit


26.03.11 | tribalfootball.com


Bayern Munich veteran striker Miroslav Klose wants to play in the top-flight next season.

Klose, who has been linked with Fulham, Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United this season, is leaving Bayern in the summer.

"I can imagine playing for anybody at a high level," he told the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

"I am fit, football is no torture or drag for me and I don't just want to play out the end of my career in any old place.

"At the moment, I still want to play at a level which is higher than Kaiserslautern."

Oh hell yeah! I would take Klose in a heart beat.