Thursday Fulham Stuff (23/06/11)

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FULHAM PLAN SWOOP FOR CARLOS KAMENI

FULHAM boss Martin Jol is planning a £3m swoop for Espanyol's Cameroon keeper Carlos Kameni.

23rd June 2011
By Daily Star reporter

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Fulham target keen on Premier League switch



By talkSPORT
Wednesday, June 22

Fulham have moved a step closer to signing Espanyol keeper Carlos Kameni after the Cameroon international revealed he would love the chance to play in the Premier League.

Martin Jol is looking to strengthen his squad and could make the experienced keeper his first major signing since he took charge at Craven Cottage.

Kameni, 27, has a wealth of experience and is regarded as one of the best keepers in La Liga.

He has opened the door for Fulham to make a £2m move for his signature and feels he is ready to show his quality in England.

Kameni said: "I would love to play there. It is a fantastic league and a competitive league for keepers.

"I want to experience another league and I have some contacts in the Premier League.

"Nothing is done yet, but things can move quickly in football."

The arrival of the Cameroon international would cast a big doubt over the future of Mark Schwarzer who has been Fulham's first-choice keeper

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Midfield Intrigue

by Lork on June 22, 2011

New man, and thus new ideas. Our midfield (well, squad in general) has been pretty consisent over the last 3 seasons although if we had a new manager in place earlier last summer we might have seen more of an overhaul. But since Bullard left it has almost exclusively been:

Dempsey – Murphy – Etuhu (now under heavy competition from Sidwell) – Duff/Davies

A narrow midfield 4 of disciplined, intelligent and generally very technically competent (Etuhu and Sidwell to a degree are the exceptions) players sometimes with support from a deeper forward. It's worked well and I don't expect a massive overhaul of players in the midfield, they are conducive to technical football which Jol will like to play. However, there are two issues with our midfield which might mean they aren't as compatible with Jol as they were with the last two managers, age and width (I drafted up this article a few days ago before his press conference where he explicitly mentioned he wants to play with width which has changed my perception of some players a bit so, had to re evaluate some of the midfield) so let's see how our midfield might match up...

Firstly is the main man of the midfield Danny Murphy. We seem to say the same thing every season -, 'his legs are gonna go sooner rather than later', 'we need to look for a successor', 'how can he last 38 games consistently' – and yet 10/11 was probably his best since he came here as he controlled the play of Hughes' more attacking game and impressively ending up with the most touches of the ball in the Premier League. With Jol's more adventurous approach you might think that Murphy wouldn't have as big a part to play but Jol has already stated that he will remain captain and part of the team.

What is interesting is that comparisons can be drawn with Carrick; something Jol mentioned in his press conference yesterday. He was a massive fan of Carrick while he was at Spurs and beyond, defending him fairly strongly with words like 'only me and Sir Alex in England acknowledge his qualities' (paraphrasing) and specifically pointing out 'Michael (Carrick)'s biggest quality was to move play from defence to attack and win the ball. Because of him, other players played better.' and this is the sort of role I envisage Murphy playing. He shares many of the same qualities (good range of passing, reading of the game) as Carrick does and while he's not so effective defensively perhaps, in terms of tackling and getting around the pitch, his ability to see what's happening does much of his defensive work for him. Under Roy and Hughes he's played deep like Carrick so has shown that he can function very well in that role. This makes me think that Murphy will still have a key part to play in our midfielder next season under Jol despite not necessarily fitting what might be a stereotypical Jol central midfielder.

However, it is clear that Jol prefers attacking football and seeing as Murphy is utterly one paced whoever plays alongside him in the middle needs to have legs and be able to get around the pitch. Now, what will be interesting is how many Jol decides to play in the middle. He has no favoured formation really. Of course, he is well versed in the 4-3-3, the traditional Dutch formation, usually with a wide man tucked in a bit more narrow (examples are Keane at Spurs and Suarez at Ajax) but also likes to play a 4-4-2 with wingers (although at Spurs again a wide man was tucked in sometimes, like Malbranque for instance). Infact like under Roy a lot of width was also provided by full backs (remember Bale in 2007 bombing down the left and scoring in the 3-3 Sanchez game?  The Hutton deal was lined up while Jol was in charge too). It's worth considering that Hughes' preferred formation was 4-3-3 but played 4-4-1-1 almost exclusively while he was here, whether that's down to a pre-season of one week or not I don't know. If El Hamdaoui or another striker comes in for a few million though I think we can bank on a 4-4-2, since Zamora is clearly our best attacking player. What is quite a change from the last two regimes, is that tactically Jol is not as disciplined, players are left a lot to their own creative devises (although his 20 goals conceded in 34 games in Ajax may indicate that his approach has changed) and so players will be more exposed to individual mistakes.

Murphy will probably be most effective in a midfield three where another two players can offer protection. Carrick could operate (and still does) in a standard 4 man midfield but I think that his better physical qualities means that players around him can take more liberties. The protection offered by the whole of the front 6 in the last few years has been outstanding and no doubt key to our ability to function well as a team. Jol will surely keep some aspects of that play but take more risks in going forward, much like Hughes did. However, our three top central midfielders at the club are Murphy, Sidwell and Etuhu but as a three in the centre of midfield I can't see that offering much balance (Murphy and Etuhu would get in each other's way I feel) compared to just Murphy and Sidwell or Murphy and Etuhu. Not only that but at the club we have just Sidwell who can get around the pitch from the centre of midfield, Greening and Murphy are not quick by any stretch of the imagination, nor do they burst forward from midfield anyway, and Etuhu's movement is fairly cumbersome. Add the fact that the average age of our four main central midfielders is 30 odd and I can definitely see Jol making moves in the transfer market for that area of the pitch which rumours seem to indicate, a player such as Jenas (I wouldn't want him here now, but he's an example of that sort of high energy central midfielder who can get forward and defend pretty quickly). Someone I'd like to see from his time at Ajax is Enoh, a good, fairly defensive player but might be able to offer the solidity compared to a more attacking one that will enable us to keep our 'traditional' defensive balance I suppose. A Murphy-Enoh midfield or equivalent would be reminiscent of the Carrick-Davids partnership at Spurs.

On the issue of Etuhu actually I can't see him getting any sort of favour with Jol over Sidwell, he just isn't technically good enough and I don't trust him tactically without the sort of help that he might have previously gotten. His form in the first half of the season was fairly poor, although since Sidwell has come in Etuhu has been quite impressive when he's played so maybe that's the push that he needed. Even still, I wouldn't be surprised to see him move on.

Now comes the issue of wide men. Whether Jol decides to go with a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 I don't think that the wide players will change that much, after all our remaining 'out and out' frontmen of Zamora and Johnson are not as effective out wide (Johnson played there at Everton and played well but he is not a brilliant crosser, passer or dribbler. His advantages come in his work rate and, in particular, movement which is more beneficial when playing in his central striker role). So we are left with Dempsey, Duff, Dembele and Davies, none of whom are 'out and out' wingers. Well, not any more, Duff does not have the pace. Dembele played out wide for AZ but that was as a front three, the role is slightly different in a 4-4-2 (Dan wrote about Dembele's role in the team recently, good read, check it here). Really though he's the only player in the squad who can reliably beat a man comfortably and offer a genuine outlet down the flanks to stretch the game in a way that Duff, Davies and Dempsey cannot, and going off the number of times Jol name dropped Dembele in the conference yesterday he is going to be a guaranteed starter, so if it's not upfront it's going to be on the wing. He is not exceptionally direct though compared to a player like Lennon which would mean a subtle change of tempo if he was to be our main wide outlet.

Based on players at the club already, Dempsey is probably the prime candidate for the other flank. We already know he can play a wide midfield role well despite naturally being a more forward player perhaps and will relish expressing his flair more freely under Jol. Whilst he's barely played as a wide right man he did play there for the last two or three games last season when Greening played on the left (an option I won't really discuss, I can't see it happening with Jol). And in the same way Jol sometimes has an 'inverted' winger Dempsey can play more narrow in with the midfield but slightly more further forward. This would require however an adventurous right full back otherwise we would be limited extremely in terms of width down that side and it seems a bit like shoehorning Dempsey in for a role because he's Dempsey when another player might be more effective. Out wide is another area where Jol will likely target in the transfer window. It's a shame we've missed out on Trochowski who's just joined Sevilla from Hamburg on a free no less, but maybe a player like Sinclair or Albrighton, two young, exciting, direct wide men who can play on either flank for further utility, would fit the bill of what Jol is looking for.

So our midfield next season is certainly going to be an interesting proposition. A couple of additions are going to be needed most likely, but already we have gifted players who will be able to fit into Jol's philosophy of football and that core should only be added to, not disrupted with an influx of attacking flair. While a new approach is always fresh it can't happen suddenly.

[WhiteJC]

 
Dempsey's goal lifts U.S. over Panama, into Gold Cup final
U.S. will play Mexico

HOUSTON — Clint Dempsey struck again to give the United States a 1-0 win over Panama and a place in its fourth straight Gold Cup final.

Fulham forward Dempsey scored in the 77th minute, set up by Landon Donovan, as the Americans avenged a shock loss to Panama in the group stage, and set up a final against Mexico, which beat Honduras 2-0 in the other semifinal later Wednesday.

The United States has not conceded a goal in the three games since the surprise group loss to to Panama, which was its first ever win over the Americans and inflicted the United States' first ever loss in the group stage of a Gold Cup.

Dempsey, who also scored in the Americans' 2-0 win over Jamaica in the quarterfinals, said the team proved its resolve in the hard-fought rematch.

"We showed our quality in being able to grind out a result even though it wasn't our best game," Dempsey said.

Freddy Adu made a long-awaited return to the American team in the second half, and set up the winning goal with a long, slanting pass to Donovan, who threaded a pass through the Panama defense to Dempsey who slid in to knock the ball into the corner of the net.

"It was a great ball from Freddy to open up Landon," Dempsey said. "All I had to do was put my foot on it."

Donovan began on the bench for the second straight game, and joined the action in the second half to play his 27th straight Gold Cup match, extending the record he already held.

Panama lost to the Americans in the knockout stage for the fourth straight time. Coach Julio Dely Valdes said his team surprised the Americans in their match 11 days ago, and the U.S. was more focused this time.

"It was a very intense game, very few chances for both teams," Dely Valdes said. "I'm pleased with my team's performance, they fought until the very end."

Both teams were missing top players in the semifinal. Panama forward Blas Perez was sent off in the quarterfinal win over El Salvador, and U.S. forward Jozy Altidore was ruled out for the rest of the tournament with a strained hamstring. Altidore had scored two of the Americans' six goals in the tournament.

Adu, the one-time teenage phenomenon who turned 22 last month, drew cheers when he trotted onto the field in the 66th minute. His career has never taken off as anticipated, and he has bounced around a few clubs on loan deals from Portugese giants Benfica. He was playing with Caykur Rizespor in the Turkish second tier when he got the call to join the American squad.

Adu struggled early in training for the tournament, but coach Bob Bradley said he steadily regained his form.

"From the start of this camp, Freddy's made progress," Bradley said. "The opportunity (Wednesday) was earned on his part. You could see him getting sharper, his confidence coming back. He was a nice part of the play that led to the goal. It's important for him, he earned this opportunity and everybody on this team feels good about that."

Dely Valdes was encouraged that his team pushed the Americans throughout.

"The gap between the great teams and the up-and-comers has shrunk significantly," he said. "Panama showed a very competitive level."



http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jun/22/dempseys-goal-lifts-us-over-panama-gold-cup-final/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Three thoughts on U.S.-Panama

HOUSTON -- Three thoughts after the U.S.' 1-0 victory against Panama put the Yanks into Saturday's Gold Cup final:

• Landon Donovan responded to his coach's message in the best way a player can. In a surprise move, U.S. coach Bob Bradley left Donovan, his best-known player, on the bench for the second straight game. But Donovan fired back on the field with his actions, entering to start the second half and sending the decisive pass to Clint Dempsey, who scored the game-winner in the 77th minute of a tight game. Donovan's benching suggested that it had less to do with his trip to his sister's wedding last weekend than with his ineffective form of late in a U.S. uniform. And while he wasn't dominant in his 45 minutes, his speed and vision on the game's biggest play ended up making the difference. There was a reason that Dempsey pointed at Donovan as the U.S. players celebrated their goal. It was a sign of solidarity and support among the team's two best players.

• Freddy Adu's Gold Cup debut was a good one. Bradley also had another surprise up his sleeve, inserting Adu into his first game of this tournament in the 66th minute for Juan Agudelo (who had been effective as an active lone forward). It was Adu whose long pass from the central midfield found Donovan on the break on the U.S.'s goal sequence. A lot of people have written off the 22-year-old Adu as he has descended through the ranks of European soccer -- he played on loan last season in the Turkish second division -- but Bradley rewarded him with a call-up for this tournament and showed confidence in Adu by bringing him into a 0-0 game. Adu, in turn, proved that he still has some confidence of his own these days. Let's not overreact and say Adu has finally "made it," but give the kid some credit on a big night for him.

Steve Davis: U.S. player ratings against Panama
• The U.S. still has room for improvement. This was a hard game against a Panamanian team that punched above its weight the entire tournament. But the U.S. still needs to sharpen up if it's going to have a chance of winning Saturday's final. I expect Donovan will start in place of Sacha Kljestan, who started against Panama and had an ineffective performance, losing several balls before being replaced at halftime. As a lone forward, Agudelo probably brings more to the table these days than Jozy Altidore did in that spot, not least because Agudelo is extremely active moving side-to-side and putting himself in dangerous spots on the field. His finishing (and the rest of the team's) can get better, though. Everyone expected the U.S. to make the final. Now that the Yanks are there, they'll have to play their best game of the tournament to raise the trophy.



Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/grant_wahl/06/22/3thoughts.usa.panama/index.html#ixzz1Q4yolJqw

[WhiteJC]

 
USA reach Gold Cup final

The United States have reached their fourth consecutive CONCACAF Gold Cup final as Clint Dempsey scored in the 77th minute to give them a 1-0 victory over Panama on Wednesday.

Dempsey scored off a cross from Landon Donovan to avenge the Americans 2-1 loss to Panama earlier in the group stage of the tournament. Freddy Adu, 22, helped set up the winning goal with a long pass up the field to a streaking Donovan.

Donovan then made a perfect pass across the Panama goal to Dempsey, who redirected the ball into the open side of the net.

The Americans next play the winner of the Honduras-Mexico semi-final in the championship at the Rose Bowl stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday.



http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=1458371.html?cid=rssfeed&att=

[WhiteJC]

 
U.S. finds redemption in win over Panama

HOUSTON - Clint Dempsey struck again, and the United States is in the Gold Cup final for the fourth straight time.

Dempsey scored in the 77th minute off an assist from Landon Donovan, and the Americans earned a 1-0 victory over Panama in the semifinals Wednesday night, avenging a stunning loss in group play.

The U.S. will face Mexico, a 2-0 winner over Honduras, in the championship match Saturday at the Rose Bowl.

The United States has shut out its last three opponents since the 2-1 loss to Panama on June 11. The U.S. had never lost in the group stage of the tournament, or to Panama in international play, until the shocking defeat.

Dempsey, who also scored in the Americans' 2-0 win over Jamaica in the quarterfinals, said the team proved its resolve in the hard-fought rematch with Panama.

"I think we showed our quality in being able to grind out a result," Dempsey said, "even though it wasn't our best game."

Freddy Adu made a long-awaited return to American soccer in the second half, and set up the winning play with a long, slanting pass to Donovan, who played in his 27th consecutive Gold Cup match to extend his own record.

Donovan was benched at the start for the second straight game, and joined the action in the second half. He tracked down Adu's cross, then threaded a pinpoint pass through the Panama defense to Dempsey, who slid as he redirected the ball into the low corner of the net.

"It was a great ball from Freddy to open up Landon," Dempsey said. "All I had to do was put my foot on it."
Panama lost to the Americans in the knockout stage for the fourth straight time. Coach Julio Dely Valdes said his team surprised the Americans in their match 11 days ago, and the U.S. team was more focused this time.

"It was a very intense game, very few chances for both teams," Dely Valdes said. "I'm pleased with my team's performance, they fought until the very end."

Mexico 2, Honduras 0, OT

Aldo de Nigris and Javier "El Chicharito" Hernandez scored off corner kicks early in overtime and Mexico defeated Honduras to set up a championship rematch with the United States.

Mexico and the U.S. have won nine of the 10 Gold Cups contested since the biennial tournament took its current form in 1991. The United States beat El Tri 2-1 in 2007, and Mexico won 5-0 in the 2009 final.



http://www.dailybulletin.com/sports/ci_18335496?

[WhiteJC]

 
£5m Bert can be a Blues loan star

CHELSEA have put a £5million price on their England Under-21 defender Ryan Bertrand.

But they may allow him to go out on a season-long loan with West Brom, Wolves, Bolton, Fulham and Nottingham Forest interested.



Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3653409/Chelsea-slap-5million-price-tag-on-defender-Ryan-Bertrand.html#ixzz1Q50VrOCr

[WhiteJC]

 
Soccer: Captain America scores, U.S. advances

HOUSTON — Clint Dempsey struck again, and the United States is back in the Gold Cup final for the fourth straight time.

Dempsey scored in the 77th minute off an assist from Landon Donovan, and the Americans earned a 1-0 victory over Panama in the semifinals Wednesday night, avenging a stunning loss in group play.

The U.S. will play Mexico in Saturday's championship match at the Rose Bowl. The Mexicans defeated Honduras 2-0 in the second semifinal.

The United States has shut out its last three opponents since the 2-1 loss to Panama on June 11. The U.S. had never lost in the group stage of the tournament, or to Panama in international play until the shocking defeat.

Dempsey, who also scored in the Americans' 2-0 win over Jamaica in the quarterfinals, said the team proved its resolve in the hard-fought rematch with Panama.

"I think we showed our quality in being able to grind out a result," Dempsey said, "even though it wasn't our best game."

Freddy Adu made a long-awaited return to American soccer in the second half, and set up the winning play with a long, slanting pass to Donovan, who played in his 27th consecutive Gold Cup match to extend his own record.

Donovan was benched at the start for the second straight game, and joined the action in the second half. He tracked down Adu's cross, then threaded a pinpoint pass through the Panama defense to Dempsey, who slid as he redirected the ball into the low corner of the net.

"It was a great ball from Freddy to open up Landon," Dempsey said. "All I had to do was put my foot on it."

Panama lost to the Americans in the knockout stage for the fourth straight time. Coach Julio Dely Valdes said his team surprised the Americans in their match 11 days ago, and the U.S. team was more focused this time.




http://www.registerguard.com/web/sports/26439034-41/dempsey-panama-americans-donovan-landon.html.csp?

[WhiteJC]

 
Defender lifts the lid on Fulham nightmare

IAN Pearce has broken his silence on his Fulham hell.

The former defender who uttered not a single word to the media during a three-year stint with the Whites admits his time at Craven Cottage was the worst of his career.

Pearce made the switch to SW6 in 2004 after playing at West Ham and winning the tile with Blackburn.

But Fulham did not see the best of him, he admits.

"I don't really know why that was," he said. "I started badly and didn't really recover the form I'd had before at Blackburn and West Ham.

"I picked up injuries and it always seemed to be stop-start. It just didn't happen for me and although I loved the club, I have to admit it was the worst spell of my career.

"I wasn't a great communicator," said the central defender, who made four appearances for Chelsea at the start of his career before a move to Blackburn in 1993.

"Things are different now because I'm trying to get into media work, but I didn't speak to the press then and that maybe didn't help my cause."

He added: "The thing is that at Blackburn and West Ham, my performances were OK and spoke for themselves, but that wasn't the case here."

Pearce played the last of his 62 games for Fulham in a Carling Cup tie at Shrewsbury in August 2007.

He moved out to Southampton on loan in 2008 before switching to Lincoln City and then non-league Kingstonian.



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2011/06/23/defender-lifts-the-lid-on-fulham-nightmare-82029-28928962/?#ixzz1Q5wZB3L1

[WhiteJC]

 
Modelo Especial Teams Up With International Soccer Star Clint Dempsey to Bring Fans a VIP Soccer Experience

Five Winners and Their Guests Will be Selected to Win the Soccer Trip of a Lifetime

CHICAGO, June 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Modelo Especial, one of the fastest growing import beer brands, has teamed up with Sports Illustrated and international soccer star Clint Dempsey to invite fans to enter Modelo Especial's VIP Soccer Sweepstakes, which will award five grand prize winners a trip for two to attend an international soccer match of their choosing.

From now until July 31st, fans 21 and older can go to stores to find Modelo Especial displays for information on how to enter to win one of five trips to a regular season international soccer match including hotel, airfare and match tickets for two. Consumers can also enter by visiting www.SI.com/Shootout, which houses the Modelo Especial Shootout with Clint Dempsey, a one-on-one virtual soccer shootout game where fans can test their soccer skills against Dempsey.

"Modelo Especial is offering fans a prize that every soccer fan dreams about," said Dempsey, U.S. Men's National Team forward and Fulham's top scorer in the English Premier League. "Having played on pitches all over the world, I know first-hand how exciting it will be to experience a trip like this."

At retail, shoppers who locate Modelo Especial displays can scan a unique QR code to unlock exclusive Sports Illustrated content about the top 11 soccer players in the world at www.SI.com/Shootout.

"Modelo Especial's VIP Soccer Sweepstakes combines a world-class beer with a world-class sport," said Jim Sabia, chief marketing officer of Crown Imports. "We are thrilled to offer Modelo Especial drinkers this unique opportunity as part of the brand's first-ever national promotion."

Residents of California can earn the unique shot at becoming the official Modelo Especial Futbol blogger, who will win a trip to Europe to interview Dempsey, attend one of the English Premier League matches and blog about the experience on the Sports Illustrated website.

For more information on the Modelo Especial's summer soccer sweepstakes or Modelo Especial, visit www.SI.com/Shootout



http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/modelo-especial-teams-up-with-international-soccer-star-clint-dempsey-to-bring-fans-a-vip-soccer-experience-124414093.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Is Martin Jol the man to give Fulham some continuity?

Fulham ultimately paid the price for success a year ago, as Liverpool poached Roy Hodgson following the Cottager's Europa League fairytale, and more recently Mark Hughes walked out after spending less than 11 months as manager.

In the final third of last season the latter seemed to have re-discovered his predecessor's touch, essentially making them resolute. However, just 11 days after their final game of the season - a 2-2 draw with Arsenal - the Welshman, who cited 'personal ambition' resigned from his post - and was heavily touted at the time to take over the vacant Aston Villa hot seat. Just five days later the west Londoners announced ex-Tottenham manager Martin Jol had been hired on a two-year deal.

Fulham fans experienced a false dawn under Hughes, but now conversely, they must be content with a replacement who boasts plenty of experience of both playing and managing in England. Mohamed Al-Fayed eventually got his man after the same deal for Jol fell through 12 months ago and now the Craven Cottage faithful are entitled to feel buoyed about the club's new era. In his first full season with Ajax, Jol's side scored an average of three goals per game and his methods are directed by expansive football. If he can replicate this aesthetic in west London he will be embraced immediately. The importance of appointing a tried and tested Premier League manager should not be underestimated, as he will not have the luxury of a settling in period. Qualifying for the Europa League implies a season beginning on June 30, 2011 against the Faroe Islands' NSI Runavik.

As well as priming his new side for the premature start, he will need to assess the tools at his disposal. Question marks instantly surround the future of captain Danny Murphy, as their previous working relationship at White Hart Lane floundered, and Zoltán Gera also confirmed he will leave the club as a free agent. Jol can also ill-afford to lose the likes of Brede Hangeland who is incessantly linked with Arsenal, and Clint Dempsey who recently announced his natural ambition to play in the Champions League.

If any progression is made into Europe then a gruelling season lies in wait, further emphasis is then placed on him bolstering his assembly. Particular attention is needed up front as the absence of Bobby Zamora last campaign ultimately proved an Achilles heel for Hughes. Whilst players of Robbie Keane's ilk have been linked, Jol is insistent he wants his squad to offer longevity, and signing ageing players with big wage demands, is not the path he wants his new venture to take.

He is a likeable character and this breeds a strong man-manager, so as well as attempting to produce a side who are more affluent in front of goal, he will install a strong team ethic. Jol likes to keep things simple whilst attempting to play liberal football and, in that respect, Fulham have a manager who can steady their recently turbulent ship.



http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_1_8079_is-martin-jol-the-man-to-give-fulham-some-continuity.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Making a Difference

With the team settling back into pre-season training at Motspur Park under the management of Martin Jol, the new Fulham Manager outlined a core part of his footballing philosophy.

Most of the squad reported back to Motspur Park on Thursday, with extra rest time being given to those who took part in international action over the summer.

The coming days will give Jol and his management team the opportunity to run the rule over his new charges first hand, ahead of the UEFA Europa League qualification match against NSI Runavik next week.

"The team is the most important thing but, for me, the players who can make the difference are probably telling you how strong you are," he explained. "I mentioned the example of Dembele, he only scored three goals [in the league] last season but he could be an exciting player.

"Fulham last year conceded less goals than most other teams, so defensively it was sound but they needed another side, some quality to make the difference. Bobby Zamora, for example, can do that and hopefully we can develop something where we can get one or two players who have extra quality.

"I think this team did marvellous, they play in a certain style. I would always try to do something on the flanks and try to play nice attacking football for the crowds because you play for the supporters.

"I like the team as it is, they are capable of playing good football. You will see in the next couple of months what we will try to change."



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/June/JolMakingaDifference.aspx?#ixzz1Q7CWU2w8

[WhiteJC]

 
Europa Travel Update

Following confirmation of the location for our 2nd leg Europa League Qualifying fixture against NSI Runavik, the Club has been investigating options for chartered fan travel.

Unfortunately due to the availability and price of aircraft and a shortage of local hotel accommodation, regrettably it will not be possible to operate an official charter to the Faroe Islands.

Our colleagues at TMG Sport have provided the following information to assist fans who are interested in travelling to Toftir:

Flights

Atlantic Airways operate direct flights from Stansted Airport. Indirect flights operate via Copenhagen.

View flight information



Flight & Ferry

Ferry from Hirtshals, Denmark. Closest airport to Hirtshals is Aalborg (55km away).  No direct flights operate from to UK to Aalborg. Your connection is via Copenhagen.

View flight and ferry information

Accommodation

As it is currently the summer season, accommodation on the Faroe Islands is extremely limited. We strongly advise that you finalise accommodation & investigate local transport connections prior to booking international travel. More information can be found at the Faroe Islands tourist board website.

Information on away match tickets will be published shortly at fulhamfc.com Please purchase your match tickets prior to booking travel or accommodation.

Potential 2nd Round Fixture

Due to the very short turnaround time between qualifying stages, the Club has also been investigating potential options for the 2nd Round.

In the event that we qualify, the Club are intending to offer chartered coach travel to Belfast, priced between £99 - £125 (inclusive of ferry crossing / excluding match ticket). Please note that we will only look to confirm this should the Club be successful in the 1st Qualifying Round fixture against NSI Runavik, and subject to demand.

You can register your interest in potential coach travel to Belfast below:



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/June/EuropaTravelUpdate.aspx?#ixzz1Q7Cw89bb

[WhiteJC]

 
Clint Nets USA Winner. "Possible" Battle v Salcido Looms
by JASON GATTIES on JUNE 23, 2011

Once again, Clint Dempsey comes up with a big goal at a crucial time in a must win match. Seems like a broken record, but it's the truth. Clint's goal in the 77th minute was the cherry on top of a sundae built by Freddy Adu & Landon Donovan which gave the United States a 1-0 victory over Panama and thus punching their ticket to the final.

Freddy found Landon, who found space & eventually...a sliding Deuce for the winner. Once again, not the best U.S. performance ever, but we've reached yet another CONCACAF Gold Cup final versus Mexico. Wait, doesn't another Fulham player suit up for "El Tri?"


I haven't mentioned Carlos Salcido at all during this tournament. Why? Well, as much as I like Salcido when he suits up for Fulham, he's my mortal enemy when he puts on that ugly ass green kit. Plus, at the beginning of the tournament, I felt there was a chance Carlos would be sold to another club, which hasn't happened yet. Carlos has started every Mexico match I believe during this tournament, which means this should set up a meeting between two Fulham players in the final. But there is a bit of a catch.

Carlos was one of two Mexican players forced out of action during their 2-0 extra time victory over Honduras. He walked off the pitch a bit hobbled, so nobody is real sure if he suffered an injury which would keep him out of the final or not. For his sake, I'm hoping he'll be ready to go on Sunday. As for me, I wouldn't shed a tear if he missed the final. I'm not going to be all emotional over a potential Clint vs Carlos match up.

The final takes place this Saturday night at a sold out Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Ca. Anytime there is a "Border War" the atmosphere is absolutely electric. Mexico has won the last two meetings (both in 2009), so you know the Yanks will be up for this one.

By the way, is it me or does Clint & Carlos look like they are about to make out in that picture?



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2011/06/clint-nets-usa-winner-possible-battle-v-salcido-looms/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Sweet goal, even better assist


Clint Dempsey scored the US national team's game-winning goal yesterday in the 76th minute against Panama, a 1-0 win to advance the US to the Gold Cup final.

While Dempsey will get the glory for the goal, teammate Landon Donovan deserves just as much, if not more, credit.

Donovan's perfect placement in front of the net for Dempsey's love tap makes his assist one of the better setups we've seen in the Gold Cup. Check out the video above of the game's highlight play.




http://www.boston.com/sports/blogs/thebuzz/2011/06/sweet_goal_even.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Clint Dempsey: Star Spangled Sharp Shooter


For a man who stands at 185.5cm tall and is a dangerous physical presence on the football pitch, Clint Dempsey has gone somewhat quietly about his business in the four years he's been playing on the banks of the river Thames.

As aside from the Fulham fans who've watched the forward in action week in week out, football betting punters may not be aware of the supreme effectiveness and value the American has brought to Craven Cottage.

With 12 league goals to his name last term, Dempsey became the club's all time Premier League top scorer with 33, moving one ahead of Steed Malbranque and fellow American Brian McBride.

And while fans looking to bet on football may argue it's not a huge return for a player who has a lethal eye for goal, it's an unquestionably high scoring rate for a man who spends the majority of his time on the flanks.

Often picked in a deeper lying right-sided position for his club as opposed to up front, Dempsey is usually available at rather attractive opening scorer odds given it is Bobby Zamora and Moussa Dembele who are expected to strike first.

Sharp-eyed betting football fans will have picked up on this no doubt, and will have been rewarded with hefty pay-days several times over.

Dempsey will be in action for his country on Sunday night however, in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final against Mexico. And the first goal betting prices may well be lower than usual for the former New England Revolution man with Dempsey expected to play in an advanced role.



http://www.givemefootball.com/sportingbet/clint-dempsey-star-spangled-sharp-shooter?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham - Kameni Update
For the second time in a week we`re linked with the Espanyol goalkeeper, Carlos Kameni.

Apparently, well according to the gossip columns, we`re preparing to pay a sum of £3 million for the twenty-seven year old keeper who has, in his own words, expressed a desire to play in the Premier League, commenting,

"Nothing is done yet but things can move quickly in football. I`d love to play in the Premier League."

"It is a fantastic league and very competitive for keepers."

Like we said before, why would we be interested, surely Stockdale is our man if Schwarzer were to leave this summer!



Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=245188#ixzz1Q7Ucybml

[WhiteJC]

 
Stoke aim to beat Liverpool and Fulham in race for Palace youngster



Stoke are keen on Crystal Palace striker Wilfried Zaha.

Eagles boss Dougie Freedman will be reluctant to lose the highly-rated 18-year–old, who only made his professional debut last season, but will consider selling for the right price.

However, the Potters could face competition from Fulham and Liverpool, who have also being tracking the youngster's progress.

Zaha was born in the Ivory Coast but also qualifies for England and made his debut for the Under-19s in February against Germany.



http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/8539/4/stoke-aim-beat-liverpool-and-fulham-race-palace-youngster?

[WhiteJC]

 
Agent cools Stoke's Diarra link
Mahamadou Diarra's agent has denied reports the former Real Madrid midfielder is in talks with Stoke City.



The 30-year-old combatitve midfielder has just been released by Monaco and Stoke and Fulham are believed to be tracking him.

However, his agent, Frederic Guerra, told The Sentinel: "I have not been contacted by Stoke City."

Sources at the Britannia Stadium have also made clear the club is not in negotiations with the Mali international.

Meanwhile, West Ham United are reportedly considering a move for Thomas Sorensen, 35, as a replacement for Rob Green.

Stoke's back-up keeper has a year left on his contract, but has hinted he would prefer first-team football away from the Britannia Stadium if he can't renegotiate his Stoke contract.



http://www.football365.com/fulham/7002380/Agent-cools-Stoke-s-Diarra-link?