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Wednesday Fulham Stuff (08.06.2011)

Started by Admin, June 08, 2011, 02:09:52 AM

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Admin

MARTIN JOL'S £20M FOR FULHAM BUILD

Martin Jol was appointed on a two-year deal yesterday

Wednesday June 8,2011
By Tony Banks

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MARTIN JOL will be handed £20million to mount another Europa League campaign and keep Fulham in the ­Premier League's top 10.

Martin Jol was appointed on a two-year deal yesterday – as the Daily Express revealed last Friday – with an option for another year.

Fulham have moved swiftly to replace Mark Hughes, who quit last Thursday after just a year in charge, during which he guided the club to eighth and a place in the Europa League.

Jol, who has been handed a contract worth £2m a year, was the man Fulham wanted last summer and there were prolonged negotiations before he changed his mind at the last minute when Ajax refused to release him. The club and Jol, 55, have kept in touch since then. He walked away from Ajax last December.

Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed will make available £20m in transfer funds this summer and Jol's first signing is set to be Morocco striker Mounir El Hamdaoui for £5m – from Ajax.

Martin Jol has been handed a contract worth £2m a year

Jol had signed him for Spurs in 2005 but he did not make a first-team appearance. Any extra funds will have to be brought in by sales, with striker Andy Johnson, midfielder Zoltan Gera and defender John Pantsil all possible departures this summer. USA forward Clint Dempsey has also hinted he may be on his way, but Jol is likely to fight to keep him. Jol has brought with him his former assistant at Ajax, Martin Lindeman, as head coach and his brother Cornelius as assistant.

Al Fayed said: "Martin understands my vision for Fulham and believes in what we are striving to achieve. I know he will dedicate himself to helping us move forward and is with us for the long term, to help us build and progress.

Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/football/view/251470/Martin-Jol-s-20m-for-Fulham-buildMartin-Jol-s-20m-for-Fulham-build#ixzz1OdtIIkcj

"We have enjoyed three incredibly successful years and my dreams are for that journey to continue. I know that, with his wealth of experience and success, Martin is the right man to help us do this."

Jol added: "Fulham is a wonderful, traditional club, with good, solid foundations and a great fan base.

"I am looking forward to being part of the Fulham family and thank the chairman for the trust he has shown in me. It would be ridiculous to say that I'm not happy with being in the Europa League. Fulham were the first and only club who had a lucrative income from it.

"It is my hope that we can build a squad that is strong enough to compete both in the Europa League and in the Premier League.

"Yesterday, I had a good conversation with the chairman about where we can try to strengthen and get one or two quality players."

Jol will find several players he worked with at Spurs when he arrives next week – Bobby Zamora, Simon Davies and Stephen Kelly.

Skipper Danny Murphy was sold by Jol after a falling-out between the two at White Hart Lane. But Jol will have to get down to business quickly; Fulham will report back for pre-season on June 23 and face a Europa League qualifier in less than four weeks.

He has long felt he has unfinished business in the Premier League after what many consider an unjust sacking by Tottenham in October 2007.

He was handed the top job at White Hart Lane when Jacques Santini left in November 2004 and achieved consecutive top-five finishes in his two full seasons at the club.

His sacking early in the following season was the worst-kept secret in football, as Spurs recruited Sevilla boss Juande Ramos after denials that they had been talking to him. Jol then took Hamburg to the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup before taking over at Ajax.

He won the Dutch Cup in 2010 and finished runners-up in the Eredivisie before quitting in December. Ajax chief executive Rick van den Boog said: "Martin has shown he gives talented young players a chance."

Former Fulham hero Tony Gale took a swipe at Hughes, saying: "These managers should not be feeling that Fulham are the lucky people. Anyone who manages Fulham is in charge of a really good club.

"I hope Martin is different because he has been given an opportunity at a club where everything is in place."

Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/football/view/251470/Martin-Jol-s-20m-for-Fulham-buildMartin-Jol-s-20m-for-Fulham-build#ixzz1OdtavIdG


Admin

Jol relishing fresh start

8 June 2011-PA Sport

New Fulham manager Martin Jol cannot wait for the chance to have another crack at the Premier League and will waste no time in adding to his squad at Craven Cottage.

The 55-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur boss has agreed an initial two-year contract with the option of a further 12 months and replaces Mark Hughes, who resigned last Thursday after just one season at the helm.

Jol saw his hopes of taking charge of Fulham after Roy Hodgson's departure a year ago blocked by Ajax, but having left the Dutch club in December, he is relishing a second opportunity in the English top flight.

"I am very happy to be back and especially at a club like Fulham," Jol told the club's official website, www.fulhamfc.com

"I remember coming here with Tottenham and I even think I played here when I was a player. Craven Cottage is a real football stadium, I loved going to Fulham.

"I could have gone to other countries, but I was waiting for the opportunity to come back to England."

Jol will already have an idea about some of the players he has inherited, but also revealed he had started looking at bringing players in in what will be a shortened northern summer break ahead of the UEFA Europa League qualifiers.

"There are a few players here I still know from my time at Tottenham, like Simon Davies, Danny Murphy and Stephen Kelly - they are all very good professionals," the former West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City midfielder added.

"I enjoy watching Fulham and I enjoy watching players like Moussa Dembele, who I have known for a while.

"Yesterday we had a good conversation about players and where we can try to strengthen and get one or two quality players."

Fulham had been linked with a £10 million ($15.34 million) move for Espanyol striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo, and chairman Mohamed Al Fayed would appear ready to back his new manager.

"I would like to welcome Martin Jol to Fulham. He understands my vision for the club, and believes in what we are striving to achieve here," Al Fayed said.

"I know that he will dedicate himself to helping us move forward, and is with us for the long term, to help us build and progress.

"We have enjoyed three incredibly successful years, and my hopes and dreams for this club are for that journey to continue.

"I know that with his wealth of experience and success, Martin is the right man to help us do this."

Jol, though, could face a battle to keep forward Clint Dempsey, with the American suggesting he was now eager for a taste of UEFA Champions League football, while out-of-contract midfielder Zoltan Gera has indicated he would be open to a return to former club West Brom.

The new Fulham manager will have to work quickly to get his squad in shape ahead of the start of its Europa League qualifying campaign at the end of the month. The west London club was awarded a place in the competition via the UEFA Fair Play standings.

A potential eight games stand between Fulham and a place in the group stages, which start in mid-September.

Despite the prospect of a shortened break, defender Philippe Senderos has no issue with the early return to business, having missed most of last season with an Achilles injury.

The Swiss centre-back said: "The end of the season came a bit too soon for me, but we are going to have a short summer.

"We come back on June 23, but that is fine for me as I was out for a while."

Admin

Flatterer Fayed gets his man at last as Jol takes over at Fulham

Owner's long courtship of Dutch manager shamefully sacked by Spurs bears fruit after exit of Mark Hughes

By Mark Fleming

Wednesday, 8 June 2011

Martin Jol said he was 'very happy' to have taken the Fulham job yesterday

Martin Jol said he was 'very happy' to have taken the Fulham job yesterday

For the Fulham owner Mohamed al-Fayed, the pieces of the jigsaw have fallen into place like a dream. His 11-month marriage of convenience to Mark Hughes ended without the club owing anyone a penny, and in the early hours of yesterday they finalised a two-year contract with Martin Jol, the manager Fayed had wanted all along.

Jol, 55, was last seen in English football in October 2007 when he heard of his sacking by Tottenham Hotspur in a text message midway through a Uefa Cup tie with Getafe. The Dutchman's return to the Premier League comes 11 months after he agreed terms to follow the departing Roy Hodgson as Fulham manager, only for Ajax to refuse to release him from his contract.

According to sources in the Netherlands, however, Fulham kept in close contact with Jol in recent months, particularly since he decided in December to resign as manager of Ajax after a run of bad results. Jol is understood to have told Fulham that he was keen on taking a break from the game, and he has spent the past few months at his home in the seaside town of Scheveningen, playing tennis and socialising.

Fayed was very taken with Jol when they spoke a year ago, when the former Tottenham manager verbally agreed a three-year-deal worth £1.7m a year. Nothing was ever signed, but the two sides kept in touch over the intervening 11 months, despite Hughes being appointed as manager last July.

Jol has told friends that he was puzzled but also flattered by Fulham's consistent interest in him, unsure quite what he had done to merit it. At any rate the club's persistence has had its reward, as Jol has turned down interest from Aston Villa and Wolfsburg to take up the reins at Fulham, where he will be given around £15m to invest on new players this summer.

Jol has agreed an initial two-year contract at Craven Cottage, worth around £2m a year, with the option of a further 12 months, and becomes the club's third manager in as many seasons. Fayed promised yesterday the appointment will herald a period of greater stability.

He said: "I would like to welcome Martin Jol to Fulham. He understands my vision for the club, and believes in what we are striving to achieve here. I know that he will dedicate himself to helping us move forward, and is with us for the long term, to help us build and progress. We have enjoyed three incredibly successful years, and my hopes and dreams for this club are for that journey to continue. I know with his wealth of experience and success, Martin is the right man to help us."

Jol arrives with an impressive, if not overwhelming, record in management. His playing career included three seasons in England with West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City, and he returned to this country in 2004 as assistant manager at Tottenham to the Frenchman Jacques Santini, after 13 years working as a coach in the Netherlands. Santini resigned in November that year and Jol took over, leading the club to a ninth-place finish, enough to earn him a new three-year contract.

In 2006 he led Tottenham to fifth place, missing out on a Champions League place when players were hit by food poisoning (from a lasagna) hours before the final game of the season. They finished fifth again the following campaign, but continued clashes with chairman Daniel Levy ate away at Jol's standing, and the club were caught red-handed negotiating with Juande Ramos behind his back. The much-liked Dutchman, whose successful signings included Gareth Bale and Dimitar Berbatov, was later shamefully sacked having been texted during the Getafe game by his nephew informing him of his fate.

He has since patched things up with Levy. The folly of the move was exposed when Ramos was axed a year later, with Tottenham bottom of the table.

Jol returned at Hamburg in 2008, where he finished fifth in the Bundesliga, before taking over a year later at Ajax, whom he led to the Dutch cup and second place in the Eredivisie, scoring 106 goals and conceding just 20. However that relationship soured when the Ajax legend Johan Cruyff was called in to overhaul the club and recommended recruiting more former players, leaving Jol's position untenable.

Jol is to bring with him as assistants his brother, Cock, and Martin Lindeman, while his former Tottenham sidekick Chris Hughton is being approached about a possible return. Jol is also believed to have drawn up a list of possible transfer targets, in the expectation that he might be offered the Fulham job.

He will have little time to get his feet under the table, with players due back for pre-season training on 23 June and facing a Europa League qualifier in less than four weeks' time. Jol will also have to make peace with Danny Murphy, Bobby Zamora and Simon Davies, three players he sold in his time at Spurs.

Jol said yesterday: "I'm very happy to be back and especially at a club like Fulham. I could have gone to other countries but I was waiting for the opportunity to come back to England. I enjoy watching Fulham and I enjoy watching players like [Moussa] Dembele who I have known for a while.

"There are a few players here I still know from my time at Tottenham, like Simon Davies, Danny Murphy and Stephen Kelly – they are all very good professionals. Yesterday we had a good conversation about players and where we can try to strengthen and get one or two quality players."

Jol's managerial record

Roda JC

1996-1998 Won Dutch Cup, the club's first trophy in 30 years.

RKC Waalwijk

1998-2004 Saved them from relegation and won several coaching awards.

Tottenham Hotspur

2004-07 Assistant to Jacques Santini but soon took over after poor start to the season. Led Spurs to two fifth-place finishes, the first in 2006 when lasagne-gate cost them a place in the Champions League. Harshly sacked in October 2007.

Hamburg

2008-09 Another fifth place, this time in the Bundesliga, and Uefa Cup semi-finalists.

Ajax

2009-10 Pipped to the Eredivisie title by Steve McClaren's Twente but won Dutch Cup. Resigned in December 2010.


Me-ate-Live, innit??

What a load of Bolax ........................
The Dazzler  was signed by Hoddle from Brighton,   and was then shipped (in the Defoe deal )to Spam by David Pleat in January 2004............................Martin Jol took over from Jacques Santini in November 2004
Their paths did not cross

HatterDon

One of the great advantages to being a proud member of the British Sporting Press is that you don't have to trouble yourself about such niceties as facts or accuracy.
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WhiteJC

 
Dempsey Scores His 20th In USA's Win
by JASON GATTIES on JUNE 8, 2011

Our boy Clint Dempsey netted his 20th international goal to help lead the United States to a 2-0 win over Canada in their opening match of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Deuce played 90 minutes and looked very active on the, for the lack of a better word, poo pitch in Detroit. By the way, just prior to Clint's sliding goal effort in the 62nd minute, Clint nearly scored in what can only be described as a "matrix back heel" effort that nearly found the back of the net. Trust me, search you tube for that, had it gone in, it would have made his chip shot vs Juve look routine.

Let's get back to Clint's goal in the 62nd. Following a nice build up, Jozy Altdore sent a cross right to left in front of the Canadian keeper and Clint knocked it home with a sliding effort. Jozy would actually put the U.S. up 1-0 in the 15th minute and much like Clint, had a fantastic game.

Speaking of highlights, while you're searching you tube for highlights, be sure to pay attention to Everton/USA keeper Tim Howard, who had a few beast-like saves late in the second half. I know I've spent much time highlighting Clint (for obvious reasons) but the entire squad bounced back nicely after their embarrassing loss to Spain over the weekend.

The United States will take on Panama on Saturday in Tampa, Florida. Panama slipped past Guadeloupe 3-2 in tonight's opening match.

*EDIT: I've been informed what Clint attempted was a rare "scorpion kick." Whatever it was, it's worth watching again.




http://hammyend.com/index.php/2011/06/dempsey-scores-his-20th-in-usas-win/?


WhiteJC

 
Cohen lauds Jol appointment
by DAN on JUNE 8, 2011


Former Fulham full back George Cohen says Martin Jol can keep the good times rolling down by the Thames.

The England World Cup winner, who made 459 appearances in thirteen years during his Fulham career, says that the Dutch manager has all the attributes to continue the steady progression that the Cottagers have made under Roy Hodgson and Mark Hughes in the past couple of years.

I think he is a good appointment. He did reasonably well with Tottenham and got them into the top five. He's been around, he knows what's going on, including in England, and he's an experienced man, which we do really need.

I understand he's a very personable man, enthusiastic, gets on with people – and that's what you've got to be able to do as a manager. If you get a team that wants to play for you, you're halfway there.

Cohen praised the Fulham board for their swift action after the sudden departure of Hughes, who resigned last Thursday. Jol, reportedly Fulham's first choice to replace Hodgson a year ago, signed a two-year contract yesterday and will now be in place to oversee the club's European campaign, which begins on June 30.

The board have acted very quickly; they've been very decisive. They've got it right on the last two occasions and there's no reason to suspect they haven't got it right here.

He's going to have to find out what kind of team he wants and who our best players are very, very quickly. He may need these games in Europe to sort out his league team.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2011/06/cohen-lauds-jol-appointment/?

WhiteJC

 
Spurs to use Keane as bait in bid for Dembele

Fulham have turned down an offer thought to be worth £10m from Tottenham for striker Moussa Dembele -- but a transfer could still be completed with a player-plus-cash deal involving Robbie Keane.

The rejection of the bid pre-dates the appointment of Martin Jol, although Dembele was the first player that the new Fulham manager mentioned yesterday when he spoke of his desire to work with the present squad.

"I know a lot about the squad I inherited," Jol said. "I enjoy watching players like Moussa Dembele, who I have known for a while."

Spurs failed in a deadline-day bid for Dembele in January and are understood to have increased substantially their offer for the 23-year-old Belgian international.

Dembele has made a big impact, despite injury setbacks, on the Premier League since he arrived from Dutch club AZ Alkmaar last summer for a fee believed to be just under £5m. Fulham snatched Dembele from under the noses of Birmingham City, who thought he was joining them.

Spurs are understood to have offered a straight cash deal for Dembele, with manager Harry Redknapp desperate to strengthen his striking options.

Given the good times that Ireland striker Keane had at Spurs under Jol, it may well be that the club will try to tempt Fulham again with a player-plus-cash deal.

But Fulham have shown little interest in Keane in the past -- having been offered the 30-year-old striker previously -- and Tottenham's demand for a £6m fee on top of the striker's £65,000-a-week wages will be prohibitive.

Spurs are closely tracking Espanyol striker Pablo Osvaldo, who was also a target for Fulham when Mark Hughes was manager. But the Spanish club's demands were thought to be too high for Fulham.

Spurs have also been strongly linked with Brazilian striker Leandro Damiao (21), who plays for Internacional, a club with whom there is an affiliation agreement, although it is thought an opening bid had been rejected. Midfielder Sandro arrived at Spurs from the Brazilian side.

At the same time Spurs, who want to sign midfielder Scott Parker from relegated West Ham, are hoping to sell the likes of Sebastien Bassong, Wilson Palacios, Alan Hutton and, above all, David Bentley.

Meanwhile, Sam Allardyce is hoping to make Kevin Nolan and DJ Campbell his first signings at West Ham.

Allardyce managed the goal-scoring midfielder at Bolton and made him his first signing at Newcastle back in 2007, while striker Campbell impressed with his goals for Blackpool last season. (© Daily Telegraph, London)

- Jason Burt




http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/spurs-to-use-keane-as-bait-in-bid-for-dembele-2668732.html

WhiteJC

 
Jol targets Hughton as first signing for Fulham


MARTIN JOL'S first task as the new manager of Fulham will be to try to persuade Chris Hughton to join the club as his assistant.

Jol signed a two-year deal, with an option for a further 12 months, to take over at Craven Cottage yesterday and immediately set about trying to get Hughton, who successfully worked as his No 2 at Tottenham Hotspur.

However, it is understood Hughton is reluctant to step back into being part of a back-room staff and wants to explore any opportunities he has to be a manager himself again before making a decision. The former Irish international has been strongly linked to the vacant post at Cardiff City.

It was Jol's close friendship with Hughton that led to the 55-year-old Dutchman ruling himself out of the running to become Newcastle United's manager at the end of last year. Hughton was harshly sacked at St James' Park and has been out of work since.

For Fulham owner Mohamed al-Fayed, the pieces of the jigsaw have fallen into place like a dream. His 11-month marriage of convenience to Mark Hughes has ended without the club owing anyone a penny and now he has the manager he had wanted when Roy Hodgson resigned last August.

Hughes was appointed only when Jol was unable to extricate himself from his contract at Ajax after agreeing a three-year deal to take over at Fulham.

According to sources in the Netherlands, the Cottagers' owner kept in close contact with Jol, particularly since he decided in December to resign as manager of Ajax after a run of bad results.

Jol is understood to have told Fulham that he was keen on taking a break from the game, and he has spent the past few months at his home in the seaside town of Scheveningen.

However, the club's persistence has had its reward as Jol has turned down interest from Aston Villa and Wolfsburg to take up the reins at Fulham, where he will be given around £15m to invest on new players.

Jol has agreed an initial two-year contract at Craven Cottage, worth around £2m a year, with the option of a further 12 months, and becomes the club's third manager in as many seasons.

The Dutchman will appoint his brother, Cock, as one of his assistants and will also hire Michael Lindeman, who worked with him at Hamburg and Ajax, as well as Ray Lewington, who is already at the club and was Hodgson's assistant.

Impressive

Jol (55) returns to England with an impressive, if not overwhelming, record in management.

After a playing career that included three seasons in England with West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City, he was appointed as assistant manager at Tottenham to Frenchman Jacques Santini in 2004, after 13 years working as a coach in the Netherlands.

Santini resigned in November that year and Jol took over, leading the club to a ninth-place finish -- enough to earn him a new three-year contract.

In 2006, he led Tottenham to fifth spot, missing out on a Champions League place when players were hit by food poisoning (from lasagne) hours before the final game of the season.

They finished fifth again the following campaign, but continued clashes with chairman Daniel Levy ate away at Jol's standing and the club were caught red-handed negotiating with Juande Ramos behind his back.

The much-liked Dutchman, whose successful signings included Gareth Bale and Dimitar Berbatov, was later shamefully sacked, having been texted during the club's UEFA Cup defeat to Getafe by his nephew informing him of his fate.

The folly of the move was exposed when Ramos was axed a year later, with Tottenham bottom of the table.

Jol returned to management at Hamburg in 2008, where he finished fifth in the Bundesliga, before taking over a year later at Ajax, whom he led to the Dutch Cup and second place in the Eredivisie, scoring 106 goals and conceding just 20.

However, that relationship soured when the Ajax legend Johan Cruyff was called in to overhaul the club and recommended recruiting more former players, leaving Jol's position untenable.

Yesterday, he intimated that he felt he had unfinished business in the Premier League.

"I could have gone to other countries to coach but I was waiting for the opportunity to come back to England," he said.

Al-Fayed paid tribute to Jol, declaring: "Martin knows my vision for the club and he believes in what we are striving to achieve. We have enjoyed three incredibly successful years, and my hopes and dreams for this club are for that journey to continue."

- Jason Burt



http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/jol-targets-hughton-as-first-signing-for-fulham-2668730.html


WhiteJC

 
Forest fancy Greening
by DAN on JUNE 8, 2011

Billy Davies will try and lure Jonathan Greening to Nottingham Forest by tabling a £1m offer for the Fulham midfielder.

Davies is desperate to try and reshape the Forest midfield after his side saw their promotion dreams die in a play-off defeat to Swansea last month. The Forest boss tried to bring Greening to the City Ground in January but his loan bid was rejected by then Fulham manager Mark Hughes. The former West Brom midfielder made just fourteen appearances for the Whites last season and has voiced his concerns about a lack of first-team football.

The 32 year-old did, however, enjoy a fine end to the season when Hughes employed him as a left winger in Fulham's final two games. He was outstanding in the 2-0 win at Birmingham and provided an excellent cross for Bobby Zamora's goal against Arsenal on the last day of the season. Davies will hope that Martin Jol decides that he can do without Greening, but the loss of his versatility would be a big blow ahead of Fulham's European campaign.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2011/06/forest-fancy-greening/?

WhiteJC

 
Jol: Cottage foundations strong

Martin Jol intends to quickly build a Fulham squad capable of sustaining a successful European and Premier League campaign.

The 55-year-old former Tottenham boss has agreed an initial two-year contract with the option of a further 12 months and replaces Mark Hughes, who resigned last Thursday after just one season at the helm.

Jol - whose hopes of taking charge of Fulham following Roy Hodgson's departure a year ago were blocked by Ajax - will have little time to settle into life at Craven Cottage as the west London club face the first of as many as eight Europa League qualifiers on June 30, after being awarded a place via the UEFA Fair Play standings.

The Dutchman, though, is ready to meet the challenge head on.

He told Fulham's official website: "It would be ridiculous to say that I am not happy with being in the Europa League.

"Let's not forget, though, that can hinder you in the season, the last time Fulham were in the Europa League they were 12th in the table - but it is my hope that we can build a squad that is strong enough to compete in all of these competitions.

"We have got over 30 players, we'll start with the younger pros as well - we've got a big group.

"Not everybody will be back, but hopefully most of the people will be back and there won't be a lot of difference to playing a game after six days of training or three days of training.

"It is a bit early, 30th June, so we have to work around it with good planning."

Jol feels he has some unfinished business in the Premier League.

"I could have gone to other counties, but I was waiting for the opportunity to come back to England," he said.

Fulham had been linked with a £10million move for Espanyol striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo.

Jol, though, could face a battle to keep forward Clint Dempsey, with the American suggesting he was now eager for a taste of Champions League football, while out-of-contract midfielder Zoltan Gera has indicated he would be open to a return to former club West Brom.



http://www.teamtalk.com/fulham/6970228/Jol-Cottage-foundations-strong?

WhiteJC

 
Jol to give Gera Fulham chance

MARTIN Jol is set to offer Zoltan Gera a Fulham lifeline.

The new Whites boss knows all about the wantaway winger, and tried to sign him during his spell in charge of Spurs, according to Gera's agent, Vladan Filipovic.

The 32-year-old has refused to sign a new deal at Craven Cottage, and looked set to leave when his contract expired at the end of the month, with West Brom boss Roy Hodgson keen to bring him back to the Hawthorns.

But Mark Hughes's exit has left Gera in limbo, and he could return to pre-season training in a fortnight's time for a chance to impress his new boss

Filipovic told Nemzeti Sport Online: "Martin Jol knows and likes Gera's style, because when he was the manager of Tottenham he wanted to sign Gera.

"He would probably like to work with him now too. But as long as Gera doesn't sign his new contract, anything can happen - even that he stays at Fulham."



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2011/06/08/jol-to-give-gera-fulham-chance-82029-28839716/?#ixzz1OfLLHyct


WhiteJC

 
Jol relishing fresh start at Fulham

New Fulham manager Martin Jol cannot wait for the chance to have another crack at the Barclays Premier League and will waste no time in adding to his squad at Craven Cottage.

The 55-year-old former Tottenham boss has agreed an initial two-year contract with the option of a further 12 months and replaces Mark Hughes, who resigned last Thursday after just one season at the helm.

Jol saw his hopes of taking charge of Fulham following Roy Hodgson's departure a year ago blocked by Ajax. "I am very happy to be back and especially at a club like Fulham," Jol told the club's official website, www.fulhamfc.com.

"I remember coming here with Tottenham and I even think I played here when I was a player. Craven Cottage is a real football stadium, I loved going to Fulham. I could have gone to other countries, but I was waiting for the opportunity to come back to England."

Jol will already have an idea about some of the players he has inherited, but also revealed he had started looking at bringing players in in what will be a shortened summer break ahead of the Europa League qualifiers.

"There are a few players here I still know from my time at Tottenham, like Simon Davies, Danny Murphy and Stephen Kelly - they are all very good professionals," the former West Brom and Coventry midfielder added.

"I enjoy watching Fulham and I enjoy watching players like Moussa Dembele, who I have known for a while. We had a good conversation about players and where we can try to strengthen and get one or two quality players."

Fulham had been linked with a £10million move for Espanyol striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo, and chairman Mohamed Al Fayed would appear ready to back his new manager.

"I would like to welcome Martin Jol to Fulham. He understands my vision for the club, and believes in what we are striving to achieve here," Al Fayed said. "I know that he will dedicate himself to helping us move forward, and is with us for the long term, to help us build and progress.

"We have enjoyed three incredibly successful years, and my hopes and dreams for this club are for that journey to continue. I know that with his wealth of experience and success, Martin is the right man to help us do this."



http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southport-news/uk-world-news/national-sport/2011/06/08/jol-relishing-fresh-start-at-fulham-101022-28840991/?

WhiteJC

 
West Brom: Zoltan Gera interest could be ended by Martin Jol

West Brom's hopes of signing Zoltan Gera could be dashed following Fulham's appointment of Martin Jol.

Ex-Baggies man Gera had made it clear that he would like to return to the Hawthorns this summer.

But Gera, who is out of contract, might now be kept on by Jol, who has been a long-standing admirer of the Hungarian midfielder.

Jol tried to sign Gera from Ferencvaros when he was boss of Spurs and his arrival at Craven Cottage might well change the landscape of the 32-year-old's future.

Gera's agent Vladan Filipovic told Hungarian newspaper Nemzeti Sport: "Martin Jol knows and likes Gera's style, because when he was the manager of Tottenham, he wanted to sign Gera, who played in Hungary at the time.

"He would probably like to work with him now too.

"Until Gera signs his new contract, anything can happen - it could even be that he stays at Fulham."

Meanwhile, Albion will resume their search for a striker after Danny Graham completed a £3.5million move to Swansea yesterday.

The Baggies had made a recent unsuccessful offer of around £2.5million for the Watford marksman.

They continued to monitor the situation after the Premier League new comers agreed a fee with the Hornets late last week.

The 25-year-old penned a four-year contract with the Welsh club yesterday.

Albion decided against matching Swansea's valuation, but it does mean that they will resume their search for a new forward.

The Baggies had considered Fulham's Andy Johnson initially but have since opted against pursuing the ex-Blues man.



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WhiteJC

 
Fulham Appoint Martin Jol Manager

Fulham have succeeded where they failed last summer in appointing Martin Jol as their manager. The move represents something of a coup in that the Dutchman has a reputation to match the size of his personality, after his positive work at Tottenham Hotspur, Hamburg and, most recently, Ajax. He arrives at Craven Cottage on a two-year contract, with the option of a third, and his capture is vindication for Fulham's persistence and foresight.

The west London club moved for Jol in the wake of Roy Hodgson's departure for Liverpool last July and they were so close to a deal that they had agreed personal terms in principle with him on a three-year contract. Ajax, his employers at the time, had other ideas. To them, it felt like a humiliation to lose their manager to a club of which some people in Amsterdam had barely heard and they refused to allow Jol to walk away.

Fulham turned their attentions to Mark Hughes and he led them to an encouraging eighth-placed Premier League finish and Europa League qualification via the fair play table before his shock resignation on Wednesday night.

Fulham maintained a channel of communication with Jol, who resigned from Ajax in December, and the personal touch flattered him; it even startled him a little. When Hughes activated the break clause in his Fulham contract to chase what he hopes will be a bigger job, Alistair Mackintosh, the club's chief executive, knew where to turn.

Jol arrived in London late on Monday night and concluded the negotiations with Mackintosh in the small hours of Tuesday. One of Jol's assistants at the club will be Michael Lindeman, who worked with him at Hamburg and Ajax, and another will be his brother Cock, who has acted as a personal adviser to him in the past.

Chris Hughton, Jol's No2 at Tottenham, could join him at Craven Cottage but he would prefer a managerial post. The former Newcastle United manager had let it be known that he was interested in the Fulham vacancy. Ray Lewington will remain at the club as the development squad manager but Mark Bowen, Eddie Niedzwiecki, Kevin Hitchcock and Glyn Hodges, who comprised Hughes's back-room staff, will leave. Fulham may have to reach a settlement with the quartet, as each one has a year of their contract to run.

Jol had been prominent on Aston Villa's shortlist, after the Midlands club parted company with Gérard Houllier on Wednesday night, which prefaced Hughes's resignation at Craven Cottage. But Jol has always favoured Fulham, with one of the attractions, on top of a lucrative personal contract, being the trust that the chairman, Mohamed Al Fayed, traditionally places in his managers, specifically in terms of their transfer dealings.

Fayed never allots a transfer budget; he merely works on a case-by-case basis and he has endeavoured to give his managers what they want. It feels inevitable that Robbie Keane, the Tottenham striker, with whom Jol enjoyed a strong relationship at White Hart Lane, will be linked to Fulham but the club did not want him last January or last summer, when he was available.

"Martin understands my vision for the club," Fayed said, "and he believes in what we are striving to achieve. I know that he will dedicate himself to helping us move forward and he is with us for the long term. We have enjoyed three incredibly successful years, and my hopes and dreams for this club are for that journey to continue."

Jol had been desperate to return to England, where he feels he has unfinished business. His three years at Tottenham were characterised by good football and significant strides yet they were pock-marked by near misses.

Jol's team lost three domestic cup quarter-finals and one semi-final, together with a Uefa Cup quarter-final in 2007, and he was irked by the accusation that he could not beat the big teams when it mattered the most. It has always been in his mind to return to prove that he is a manager who can not only improve players and a club, but also take the final and most difficult steps forward.

"I am very happy to join Fulham," Jol said. "I could have gone to other countries but I was waiting for the opportunity to come back to England. I know a lot about the squad I have inherited ... I enjoy watching players like Moussa Dembélé, who I have known for a while, and there are a few players here that I know from my time at Tottenham, like Simon Davies, Danny Murphy and Stephen Kelly. They are all very good professionals. We've had a good conversation about players, and where we can try to strengthen and get one or two quality players."

Jol will have little time to work with his new players before their season kicks off. Fulham play the first leg of their Europa League first qualifying round tie on 30 June, with the players scheduled to report for training on 23 June. Jol has taken off for a short holiday and his first day in the job will be 20 June.

This article was written by David Hytner, for guardian.co.uk on Tuesday 7th June 2011 08.56 Europe/London




http://life.hereisthecity.com/2011/06/08/fulham-appoint-martin-jol-as-manager/?


WhiteJC

 
Fulham manager Martin Jol's career in football management
New manager Martin Jol managed five clubs before joing Fulham.


Craven haven: Martin Jol has found a new home at Fulham Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Roda JC: 1996-1998
How did he do? The former West Brom defender, who cut his teeth with amateur teams ADO Den Haag and Scheveningen, helped Roda to their first trophy for 30 years, winning the 1997 Dutch Cup.
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RKC Waalwijk: 1998-2004
How did he do? Jol won a number of awards — the 2001 Football Writers' Manager of the Year and Players and Coaches Coach of the Year the next season — for turning RKC from relegation fodder into European contenders on a shoestring.
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Tottenham: 2004-2007
How did he do? Three impressive seasons (he almost secured Champions League football in 2006) after replacing Jacques Santini were of little help after a poor start to the 2007/2008 campaign, and Jol was eventually fired during a fixture against Getafe.
They said "Martin's departure is regrettable. Our greatest wish was to see results turn in our favour and for there to be no need of change" — Daniel Levy.
He said "I can understand the position of the club in light of the results. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here."
-------------------
Hamburg: 2008-2009
How did he do? An impressive season in Germany saw Jol take Hamburg to fifth in the Bundesliga and the semi-finals of both the German and Uefa Cups.
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Ajax: 2009-2010
How did he do? Ajax scored more goals and conceded fewer than any other team in his first campaign but missed out on the title by a single point, and a poor start to his second cost him his job.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/fulham/8562692/Fulham-manager-Martin-Jols-career-in-football-management.html?

WhiteJC

 
Fulham appoint ex-Spurs boss Martin Jol as manager at Craven Cottage

FORMER Tottenham Hotspur boss Martin Jol has sealed his return to the Premier League after being confirmed today as Fulham's new manager.

The 55-year-old has agreed an initial two-year contract at Craven Cottage with the option of a further 12 months, replacing Mark Hughes who resigned last Thursday after one season at the helm.

Jol, who was sacked by Spurs in 2007, was linked with the Fulham role last year but Ajax refused to release him from his post as head coach at the Amsterdam ArenA.

He has been out of work since quitting the Dutch club last December and has now spoken of his excitement at returning to the Barclays Premier League.

"I am very happy to join Fulham Football Club, a wonderful traditional club," he told the club's official website.

"It is a club with good, solid foundations and a great fan base.

"I am looking forward to being part of the Fulham family and thank the chairman for the trust he's shown in me."

Hughes stepped down from his role last week after guiding the club to an eighth-place finish in the Premier League and earning them a return to Europe via the Fair Play League.

He also built on a reputation initially forged at Blackburn and then Manchester City, where many felt he was unlucky to lose his job, but departed insisting he had had no contact with any other club.

The Welshman's decision left the Cottagers searching for a new manager for the second consecutive summer, after losing Roy Hodgson to Liverpool last year.

Jol will have little time to get his feet under the table, with the Fulham players due to report back for pre-season training on June 23 and facing a Europa League qualifier in less than four weeks' time.

A club statement confirmed: "Martin joins Fulham on an initial two-year contract with the club having an option to extend for a further year.

"He will arrive at our Motspur Park training ground in advance of the players return to training later this month."

Jol moved to Spurs in summer 2004, initially as an assistant to Jacques Santini, after having started his coaching career with stints at Roda JC and RKC Waalwijk in his homeland.

The Dutchman was handed the top job at White Hart Lane when the Frenchman left the following November and won many admirers for the attractive football played under him.

Following his dismissal in October 2007 - he was unceremoniously dumped following the UEFA Cup defeat to Getafe - he spent the 2008/09 campaign at Hamburg before succeeding Marco van Basten as Ajax coach in May 2009.

He helped the Amsterdammers to KNVB Beker glory in 2010 before stepping down last December with the club in fourth place in the Eredivisie standings in what turned out to be a title-winning campaign.



http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/england/2011/06/07/fulham-appoint-ex-spurs-boss-martin-jol-as-manager-at-craven-cottage-86908-23185506/

WhiteJC

 
Martin Jol set to release Fulham four

NEW Fulham boss Martin Jol has told John Pantsil there's no way back at Craven Cottage.

The Ghanaian full-back was set to be shown the door by former manager Mark Hughes when his contract expires at the end of the month, along with Diomansy Kamara, Eddie Johnson and Matthew Saunders.

And while Jol has offered a lifeline to wantaway winger Zoltan Gera, it's understood the rest of the names on Sparky's released list will stand.

The exits will free up cash for the Dutchman - appointed on a two-year deal yesterday – who has already been busy identifying transfer targets ahead of the new campaign.



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WhiteJC

 
Jol undaunted by Europa trip

New Fulham manager Martin Jol insists he is determined to compete on all fronts in the upcoming season.

The Cottagers earned a spot in the Europa League qualifiers via the UEFA Fair Play standings and will kick off their campaign on June 30.

The West London outfit could play up to eight qualifying games in Europe, adding to the players' workload, but Jol is confident he will be able to build a squad with the necessary depth to be competitive throughout the season.

He told the club's official website: "It would be ridiculous to say that I am not happy with being in the Europa League.

"Let's not forget, though, that can hinder you in the season, the last time Fulham were in the Europa League they were 12th in the table - but it is my hope that we can build a squad that is strong enough to compete in all of these competitions.

"We have got over 30 players, we'll start with the younger pros as well - we've got a big group.

"Not everybody will be back, but hopefully most of the people will be back and there won't be a lot of difference to playing a game after six days of training or three days of training.

"It is a bit early, 30th June, so we have to work around it with good planning."



http://www.football365.co.za/story/0,22162,14287_6970308,00.html?

WhiteJC

 
Waiting game pays off as Jol takes over at Fulham

New Fulham manager Martin Jol cannot wait for the chance to have another crack at the Barclays Premier League and will waste no time in adding to his squad at Craven Cottage.

The 55-year-old former Tottenham boss has agreed an initial two-year contract with the option of a further 12 months and replaces Mark Hughes, who resigned last Thursday after just one season at the helm.

Jol saw his hopes of taking charge of Fulham following Roy Hodgson's departure a year ago blocked by Ajax, but having left the Dutch club in December, he is relishing a second opportunity in the English top flight.

"I am very happy to be back and especially at a club like Fulham," Jol said.

"I remember coming here with Tottenham and I even think I played here when I was a player. Craven Cottage is a real football stadium, I loved going to Fulham.

"I could have gone to other countries, but I was waiting for the opportunity to come back to England."

Jol will already have an idea about some of the players he has inherited, but also revealed he had started looking at bringing players in during what will be a shortened summer break ahead of the Europa League qualifiers.

"There are a few players here I still know from my time at Tottenham, like Simon Davies, Danny Murphy and Stephen Kelly – they are all very good professionals," the former West Brom and Coventry midfielder added.

"I enjoy watching Fulham and I enjoy watching players like Moussa Dembele, who I have known for a while.

"(On Monday) we had a good conversation about players and where we can try to strengthen and get one or two quality players."

Fulham had been linked with a £10m move for Espanyol striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo, and chairman Mohamed Al Fayed would appear ready to back his new manager.

"I would like to welcome Martin Jol to Fulham. He understands my vision for the club, and believes in what we are striving to achieve here," Al Fayed said.

"I know that he will dedicate himself to helping us move forward, and is with us for the long term, to help us build and progress.

"We have enjoyed three incredibly successful years, and my hopes and dreams for this club are for that journey to continue.

"I know that with his wealth of experience and success, Martin is the right man to help us do this."

Jol, though, could face a battle to keep forward Clint Dempsey, with the American suggesting he was now eager for a taste of Champions League football, while out-of-contract midfielder Zoltan Gera has indicated he would be open to a return to former club West Bromwich Albion.

The new Fulham manager will have to work quickly to get his squad in shape ahead of the start of their Europa League qualifying campaign at the end of the month. The west London club were awarded a place in the competition via the UEFA Fair Play standings.

A potential eight games stand between Fulham and a place in the group stages, which start in mid-September.

Aston Villa are finalising their shortlist of candidates to replace Gerard Houllier with former Middlesbrough and England manager Steve McClaren among their targets.

The Midlands club are believed to have sounded out several contenders to see if they are available and interested in the post including McClaren, who is known to be keen to return to the Premier League.

Villa owner Randy Lerner and chief executive Paul Faulkner will draw up the final shortlist before starting interviews on a formal basis, probably at the end of this week.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is also understood to have impressed Lerner after helping the Latics avoid relegation and he has still to sign a new three-year contract.

Lerner would ideally like to have Houllier's successor in place by mid-June. That would give the new man time to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the current squad and potential transfer targets before Villa report back for pre-season training on July 7.

McClaren has been much derided for his 17-month spell in charge of England after the 2006 World Cup.

But he has a successful record at club level, winning the League Cup and reaching the UEFA Cup final with Middlesbrough.

After his unhappy England spell, McClaren returned to management with FC Twente and guided the Enschede outfit to the Dutch title although he then had an unhappy time with German club Wolfsburg and was sacked.




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