Wednesday Fulham Stuff (15/05/11)...

[WhiteJC]

http://www.teamtalk.com/sunderland/6950338/Report-DJ-available-for-1.25m?

Report: DJ available for £1.25m

Fulham and Sunderland target DJ Campbell has a release clause allowing him to leave Blackpool for £1.25million, according to reports.

Campbell has been one of the Seasiders' stand-out performers this season after scoring 13 goals in the club's ultimately unsuccessful bid to stay in the Premier League.

The 29-year-old has been tipped for an England call-up due to his prowess for Ian Holloway's side and could also be offered the chance to remain in the top flight next season.

He joined Blackpool on a two-year contract from Leicester City last August after playing a key role in the club winning promotion from the Championship.

However, it is understood that he can now leave Bloomfield Road for a set fee following their relegation, and Sunderland and Fulham are keeping tabs on the situation.

Sunderland, in particular, will spend the summer desperately trying to improve their attacking options and manager Steve Bruce is keen to sign three new strikers.

Bruce has previously worked with Campbell after signing the forward for Birmingham City from Brentford back in January 2006.

Fulham are also expected to be in the market for a new frontman in the summer, with doubts over Andrew Johnson's future at Craven Cottage.

[WhiteJC]

Loving the new away kit!
Thank the all mighty heavens that the club have stepped back to black for the away kit for next season!

It`s head to toe hardcore BLACK!!!

I`m loving it!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=242726#ixzz1NLAYIhY8

[WhiteJC]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_6950553,00.html?

Green replaces Stockdale
Hammers goalkeeper brought into England squad

Goalkeeper Rob Green is to replace David Stockdale in the England squad for the Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland at Wembley.

The West Ham shot-stopper was initially overlooked for the clash on 4th June after asking not to be selected by manager Fabio Capello.
Green, who has slipped down the pecking order following his World Cup blunder against the USA, did not want to be involved as his partner was due to give birth at the end of May.

Fulham's Stockdale and Scott Carson were selected in Capello's party as back-up to established No.1 Joe Hart, but the Cottagers man is getting married the day before England are due to tackle the Swiss.

And with Green's partner having given birth earlier than expected, the Upton Park goalkeeper has now been brought back into the fold to replace Stockdale.

Unless Hart suffers an untimely injury, it seems unlikely that Green will be required for anything other than bench duties next month.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2011/5/24/2188044/a-smooth-season-for-fulham?

A Smooth Season for Fulham

A wise advert once suggested that being in the middle is unsurpassed. 'It's not skinny marge, and it's not full fat butter.'

Of course, things don't work with quite the same alignment in football, where a ton of lard is all but the equivalent to a ton of trophies.

However, Fulham FC do, whether you deem it relishable or not, occupy the very place in the market of football as Clover do in the market of affordable spread. The Cottagers can't boast the finest talents or flaunt the biggest cheques, but we've departed the times of relegation woes, financial obscurity and prosaic play.

And, this indecisive self-identification is perfectly exemplified in a 2010/11 season without blemishes but without flourishes. Craven Cottage has witnessed displays of the finest endeavour, followed meekly by performances of dire intention; without intuition and without confidence.



A self-confessed drubbing at home to the dishevelled West Ham United all but epitomised an early season that added fuel to the claims that this West London side of such recent stardom were reaching the head of spiral downwards that only a miracle would halt.

The fans were dismayed as the men on the pitch struggled to grasp a newly inherited style of play and, despite the man's paralleled failures at Anfield, many were pining for the hero of SW6 that is Roy Hodgson to return to the banks of the Thames.

A heroic rebound that would have, at the time, been more popular than a retreat from Charlie Sheen in his threat to quit Two and A Half Men, never materialised though. Nor was one necessary.

Mark Hughes, under ever more pressure, took his Fulham side by the scruff of the neck and finally delivered on a promise that there is more than just Hodgson to this new Fulham era. There's progression to be made and such forecasts were gratefully displayed in a second half of the season fought with such great aptitude that, were it not for the white shirts, a neutral could have been fooled into thinking the Cottage was actually Old Trafford.

The later part of the season wasn't without its disappointments, though. An F.A Cup run that showed enormous promise and provoked such longing musings from the Fulham faithful was, eventually, shot down with little in the way of any determination or retaliation from a side that had given England the evidence that we weren't to be messed with, after beating Spurs 4-0; barely losing out breaths.

Draws were still omnipresent and goals weren't wholly forthcoming until the team set its inhibitions free after breaking the 40-point barrier. Still, though, the team provided a brand of football throughout the season that was comforting and self-gratifying, which not only brought us victories, but fans.

And, far from me to undermine the standing of our great club, but eighth is a very respectable position for a club of our size and, given an injury list that would touch the floor, even if Brede Hangeland were holding it, a top 10 finish at all is an achievement worth noting.

Admittedly, 2010/11 hasn't been the most exhilarating of terms. It hasn't brought us once-in-a-lifetime finals and our almost annual humiliation of Manchester United hasn't materialised, yet, taking all things into consideration, Fulham FC have taken a giant leap in the right direction.

Player of the Season: Clint Dempsey. A midfielder by trade, but a striker by credentials. The Texas-born star has been a breath of fresh air and it was genuinely warming to see a Fulham player appear in the top-scorers chart week-by-week in my daily newspaper. It's not his favourite position but he has performed admirably in the role, using his feet as exquisitely as ever but even more potently, his head. The aerial threat he's provided over the year may even rival Bobby Zamora.

Signing of the Season: Moussa Dembele. No contest here. The Belgian has been a brilliant piece of business for Mark Hughes and while it's painful to think it, it's palpable that it won't be long before this inhumanely skilful striker will ply his trade at one of the best clubs around. Even in his days of lesser fitness, the innate flair in him has caused so many problems for opposition defences that I expect a few have had nightmares.

Game of the Season: Fulham 4-0 Tottenham Hotspur. Retrospectively, this game had little effect in the end, but at the time, this victory seemed to not only solidify Mark Hughes in our hearts, but it gave us hope of another infamous cup run. It didn't come but that should't detract from what was a memorising performance.

Season Rating: 7/10. No silverware but no relegation. Add to that our second best finish in the Premiership and its difficult to look negatively on what has been a fantastic first year for Mark Hughes as Fulham boss.

[WhiteJC]

Gera - I could stay at Fulham

ZOLTAN Gera has refused to rule out staying at Fulham after talks with Mark Hughes.

We revealed on Sunday that the Whites boss made a last-ditch attempt to keep the wantaway winger at Craven Cottage before Sunday's draw with Arsenal.

Gera had previously stated he intention to quit the club when his contract expires in the summer because of a lack of game time.

However, the Hungarian admits he could still stay in SW6.

"I can't rule out that I stay but it's not too likely," Gera told origo.hu. "I want more than this.

"I talked to our manager after our last training session and he said he wanted me to stay.

"I replied by stating my problems - I hardly play, many times I'm not even on the bench and because of this reason I can't concentrate well when I get the chance.

"I said at the moment I don't want to extend my contract but we agreed that we'll talk about it in the future again."

Meanwhile, the 32-year-old has denied claims that he got himself sent-off on purpose against the Gunners, which threatens to wreck Fulham's Europa League bid.

He added: "I didn't do that tackle in order to take revenge because I only got good things from the club and from the players.

"So I'm very sorry about what happened."



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2011/05/24/gera-i-could-stay-at-fulham-82029-28754651/#ixzz1NLBzR49v

[WhiteJC]

Green answers Capello SOS after husband-to-be Stockdale withdraws from England squad

England's goalkeeping situation descended into further farce when Robert Green answered an SOS from Fabio Capello after David Stockdale withdrew from the squad to face Switzerland — because he is getting married.

The Fulham keeper was named on Monday as an understudy to Joe Hart but told Capello he is due to tie the knot with fiancee Katie the day before the Euro 2012 qualifier at Wembley on June 4.

Sportsmail understands the 25-year-old was willing to link up with Capello's squad after his special day or even change the date.

However, England decided it made little sense to ask him to abandon his new wife and return to the fold when he would have been sitting in the stands, in all likelihood, as third choice behind Hart and West Bromwich Albion's Scott Carson.

Instead, England's goalkeeping complement will be brought up to strength by Green, who has spent the last two months weighing up whether to continue his international career.

The West Ham No 1 has not played for Capello since his gaffe in England's opening World Cup draw against the United States last summer, when he allowed Clint Dempsey's long-range shot to squirm under his body.

Green, 31, was unhappy at being overlooked for a run-out in March's friendly against Ghana — a game in which the manager made wholesale changes.

Capello and assistant Franco Baldini are understood to be trying to persuade him not to announce his international retirement.

England contacted Green over the weekend seeking clarification about his plans and the goalkeeper, who became a father last week, said he would get back to them after speaking to his family.

But there was no further contact between the two parties before Capello named his 23-man squad for the Switzerland game, as England decided Green would benefit from the break after becoming a dad and following West Ham's relegation.

That plan quickly changed when Stockdale, who was an unused substitute during the 2-1 victory in Denmark in February, contacted England to inform them of his impending nuptials.

Birmingham goalkeeper Ben Foster, another to be relegated from the top flight this season, decided this month to take a sabbatical from international football, citing a succession of nagging injuries as the reason why he put club before country.

Capello will be concerned at the lack of options he has in the event of Hart getting injured.

Leeds-born Stockdale's first team chances at Fulham have been limited by Mark Schwarzer and doubts surround Carson's future at the Hawthorns after manager Roy Hodgson looked to tempt Brad Friedel into a move.

Friedel, 40, is out of contract at Aston Villa and Liverpool are favourites to head off interest from Tottenham and take him back to Anfield.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1390573/Robert-Green-answers-Fabio-Capello-SOS-David-Stockdale-withdraws-England-squad.html#ixzz1NLFWSiCR

[WhiteJC]

Former Fulham midfielder Elrich charged with gun and drugs offences in Australia

Former Fulham midfielder Ahmad Elrich has been charged with multiple gun and drugs offenses, and refused bail.

The 29-year-old, who played for Fulham in the 2005-06 season, is remanded in custody and will reappear at Parramatta Local Court on June 17.

Elrich was stopped by police for having a faulty tail light while riding a motorcycle in western Sydney last Thursday.

Police say they found two pistols loaded with ammunition and a drug for which Elrich did not have a prescription.

He was charged with 11 offenses, including two counts of possessing an unauthorized pistol.

Elrich also played for A-League clubs Wellington Phoenix and the Central Coast Mariners.

He represented Australia at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. In 2006, he suffered a serious knee injury whilst playing for Australia in an Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1390625/Former-Fulham-midfielder-Elrich-charged-gun-drugs-offences-Australia.html#ixzz1NLrLHPb6

[WhiteJC]

Danny's Desire

Over the past four seasons, the Fulham starting XI has adopted varying shapes and systems. Players have come and gone, while others have occupied a selection of roles. However, in the heart of our midfield one thing has remained constant – the presence of our captain and chief orchestrator.

At 34, Danny Murphy, veteran of the pitch and dressing room, continues to drive the Whites forward. Calculated, commanding and bold, he still stands as one of the Premier League's most cultured performers.

Having completed his 18th season as a professional last weekend, our midfield talisman still holds the same enthusiasm for the game as he did when he first broke through as a 16-year-old hopeful at Crewe Alexandra.

His CV has since been updated by time spent at Liverpool, Charlton and Tottenham, and decorated by nine England caps and a sum of trophies including the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup. But, it is perhaps his four years at Craven Cottage that serve as his most rewarding, with Murphy playing a significant role in the Club's recent transformation.

From Fratton Park to Hamburg's HSH Nordbank Arena, his influence has stretched far and wide. And the good news is, he holds no thoughts of letting up any time soon.

"There's no reason why I can't go on for a couple more years," states Danny. "Of course, time will tell, but I'm hopeful. I'm in a good place and don't feel any different to how I did this time last season. I'm playing games, the Manager is happy, and I'm desperate to keep that going.

"To captain the team to another successful season has been a great honour for me, and looking back on what we have achieved as a team over the past couple of years fills me with a lot of pride. It has been a very satisfying period for me."

Predictably, some had expected Murphy's impact to wane, and his time on the pitch to lessen. But with progress maintained and the team settled, his tenacity, experience and direction have been as vital as ever.

Occupying a more reserved central position, he has undoubtedly thrived – featuring in all but one of our league games and appearing in all of our cup encounters. By the end of last month he had touched the ball more than any other player in the league.

"It has been a very pleasing season in many senses," he explains. "On a personal level, I think one of the biggest things has been the fact that I have managed to avoid injury, which has been a result partly of luck, but also hard work on my part.

"I do have a lot to thank the medical and fitness team for though, because the work they do behind the scenes to keep us out there every week is immense. And believe me, when you get that little bit older you need that more and more.

"The only disappointment for me has been the fact that I haven't scored that many. I've always enjoyed contributing on that front, but I suppose the way that we now play, with either Dickson or Steve Sidwell pushing forward that bit more and myself sitting back, that was always going to be the case.

"But if it means the team benefits, then that is fine. As long as results are going our way and we are playing well, that's all that matters. Playing deeper suits me perfectly though, and will probably mean that I can play for a bit longer too."

Fulham's eighth place finish in the Barclays Premier League was a major achievement considering it was Mark Hughes' first season in charge and as Murphy explains, the second half of the season saw everything come together on the pitch for Fulham.

"In many ways it has also been a difficult season," admits Danny. "Particularly early on, when the injuries to our front players were mounting up – that was a real struggle. Going into the Christmas period we had drawn too many games, and after that disappointing defeat against West Ham on Boxing Day, we found ourselves in the bottom three.

"At that point I did sense a tiny bit of panic, although not so much amongst the players because we all knew that things would unfold for the better, it was just a case of being patient.

"Fortunately, our fortunes turned around after that win at Stoke and this calendar year has been a really consistent phase for us. There have been a few blips along the way, but we've finished the second half of the season very strongly – which is what you want.

"In a lot of ways, it is a shame that the campaign has come to an end because we were certainly one of the in-form teams. But on the flipside, we finished the season on a high and in confidence. That will run on into pre-season and, in turn, help us start next year in a similar vein.

"The last thing you want is to be struggling at the end of the season and being thankful that it has come to an end – we've been there before and it's not nice. We're already looking forward to getting going again because everyone is desperate to do well and impress."

As is often the case during the summer months, players will inevitably come and go. Competition for a starting spot is already high, particularly in the Fulham midfield, but Murphy looks well prepared. In what will be Mark Hughes' first summer transfer window, he predicts an intriguing run up to the new season.

"I'm very aware of the fact that, more than ever, this summer is going to be one in which I have to look after myself in terms of coming back even fitter and sharper," he levels. "Things move on, teams improve and opponents get stronger.

"I can't drop my standards, but thankfully I have a lot of inspiration around me. I tend to look at the likes of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, and Gary Speed before them – players that have that desire to do well and keep going - I am no different.

"This is the strongest the squad has been in my time at the Club and everywhere you look there is competition in every position. That's something that we haven't perhaps had in the past, and that strength has certainly come as a benefit to the team because performance levels have risen as a result.

"The Manager had a really tricky start, let's be honest. Anyone that joins a club as late as he did will always be playing catch up to a certain extent. It took us a little while to take onboard the new ideas and approach.

"But I think people have seen the team evolve. The Manager and his staff can be proud of the job they have done in their first season here. He always maintained that once we had everyone fighting fit that we would challenge for a place in the top 10 and that has happened.

"They [the coaching staff] have a full pre-season with us now, and I'm sure they will bring players in and make us that bit stronger. I think it could be an interesting summer, although if I'm honest, I don't believe that too many changes are needed. I'm a believer in the old saying 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'."

Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/May/DannyMurphyInterview.aspx?#ixzz1NMmOBDmf

[WhiteJC]

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/05/25/2502654/mark-hughes-in-advanced-talks-about-signing-new-two-year?

Mark Hughes in advanced talks about signing new two-year contract with Fulham
After impressing owner Mohammad Al-Fayed and chief executive Alistair Mackintosh by guiding the club to eighth, the Welshman is set to agree a more 'watertight' deal

Mark Hughes is in advanced talks with Fulham about signing a new two-year contract on improved terms, Goal.com can reveal.

Hughes has indicated in negotiations with the club over the last 48 hours that he is happy to sign a fresh deal and pledge his future to the west Londoners.

Sources have told Goal.com that the new agreement will be more "watertight" than the two-year contract he signed last summer, which had a 12-month break clause that effectively allows him to leave Craven Cottage as a free agent next month.

It will end Aston Villa's hopes of securing the Fulham boss, as the immediate future of Gerard Houllier remains up in the air. Hughes has been approached by third parties ascertaining his interest should Houllier not return as manager next season.
However, the former Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers boss has settled in well in west London and maintained Fulham's startling progress over the last three seasons by taking the club to eighth in the Premier League, one place ahead of Villa.

Hughes' methodical, modernistic style – which is a departure from the agitated figure seen in the dugout on matchday – has impressed owner Mohammad Al-Fayed and chief executive Alistair Mackintosh.

The Fulham supporters have also welcomed a more dynamic brand of football than under previous boss Roy Hodgson, who had a greater focus on defensive stability.

Hughes has also got the best out of one of the lowest-paid squads in the league and there is talk that he may be given a £20 million budget this summer to re-shape the team.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulhamweb.co.uk/news/UEFA-Fair-Play-League-assessment-criteria.aspx

UEFA FAIR PLAY LEAGUE ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Here is a full description of how the points are awarded.

Interestingly conduct that was punished by a red or yellow card should not be "double counted" in the other sections. With this in mind, there is no reason to believe that the average calculations outlined here - Fulham claim Europa League spot should be that far off.



Red and yellow cards: max 10 points
Deduction from a maximum of 10 points: yellow card = 1 point, red card = 3 points. Two times yellow equals red, but yellow + direct red = 4 points deduction. The total of this aspect may become negative.

Positive play: minimum 1 point, maximum 10 points
Positive aspects: attacking tactics, acceleration of the game, efforts to gain time, and continued pursuit of goals. Negative aspects: deceleration of the game, time-wasting, tactics based on foul-play, play-acting, etc. In general terms positive play correlates with the numer of goal-scoring chances created and the number of goals scored.

Respect of the opponent: minimum 1 point, maximum 5 points
Assessement should be based on positive attitudes (e.g. helping an injured opponent) rather than infringements. Double counting against the item "red and yellow cards" should be avoided. Blameless behaviour, but without any particularly positive attitude, should be assessed with a mark 4 rather than 5.

Respect of the referee: minimum 1 point, maximum 5 points
A positive attitude towards the referee (and assistant referees), including the acceptance of doubtful decisions without protest, should be rewarded. Double counting against the item "red and yellow cards" should be avoided. Normal behaviour, but without any particularly positive attitude, should be assessed with a mark 4 rather than 5.

Behaviour of team officials: minimum 1 point, maximum 5 points
Postive and negative aspects of the behaviour of team officials should be assessed. E.g. whether they calm or provoke angry players or fans, how they accept the referee's decisions, etc. Co-operation with the media should also be considered as a factor. Blameless behaviour, but without any particularly positive attitude, should be assessed with a mark 4 rather than 5.

Behaviour of the crowd: minimum 1 point, maximum 5 points
Encouragement of teams by shouting, singing, etc. may have a positive influence on the atmosphere. The spectators are, however, expected to respect the opposing team and the referee. The should appreciate the performance of the opposition even if they emerge as the winners. The must in no way intimidate or frighten the opposing team, the referee, or opposing supporters. This item is applicable only if a substantial number of fans of the team concerned are present.



Source www.xs4all.nl

[WhiteJC]

http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/open-up/?

Open up
Filed under: Analysis — rich

This year there were 918 shots in games Fulham played, 24 per game.

Last year there were 826, 22 per game.

In 2010/11 home encounters with Man Utd, City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal there were 30, 20, 35, 26, 22 shots (133 in total). Away to these teams we saw 28, 25, 24, 23 and 26 (126).

Last year 26, 24, 16, 16 and 32 at home (114), 41 (33 to 8 for Utd! Ow), 31 , 21, 20, 21 away (134).

Does this show us anything?

Probably not, but I'll be interested to see where it takes us next year.  If you look at the results under Hodgson and Hughes a position could be taken that under Hodgson we were better against the big teams but not as good against the bad ones.  Under Hughes we have struggled against better teams than us, but beaten those inferior to us.

It's not hard to take a guess at why this might be.  By closing a game there are fewer chances, fewer opportunities for the best teams to prove their superiority. Think about it: if Fulham play Manchester United in a game lasting two minutes they have a very good chance of getting something from the game. If Fulham play United in a game lasting for five hours then the chances are United will prevail. Equally, if each team has two penalty kicks the weaker has a good chance of taking something; if each team has 500 penalties you'd expect the stronger side to prevail easily.

You can achieve the same effect in a 90 minute game by either playing an open or closed game. Blackpool played a massively open game this year, the effect being (beyond that of surprise) that they were challenging opponents head on: in these games the best team is likely to prevail because there are more goal chances to prove this (had Blackpool stayed up this year I'm convinced they'd have gone down by a spectacular margin next).  In closed games the opposite is true: if there are few chances, the weaker side has a better chance of coming out on top.

It was a frustration under Hodgson that we didn't open up against weaker sides and give ourselves a better chance of beating them, especially away from home, and I think this has been a big improvement under Hughes. Against that, the open approach against the bigger clubs seems to be ceding the Hodgson advantage, leaving us more or less where we started.

The numbers above don't necessarily bear out the above as happening, but I think it is, to a degree.