Wednesday Fulham Stuff (10/08/11)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Gecov relishing Premier test

Fulham new boy Marcel Gecov has vowed to meet the physical challenge of the Premier League head on.

The 23-year-old Czech arrived on a two-year deal from Slovan Liberec for an undisclosed fee - and comes with a reputation for aggression.

Gecov said: "The Premier League was always my goal - it suits my style and I turned down clubs in Germany and Holland to come here.

"I'm a hard worker and I like a fast game, and yes I like to tackle - to get stuck in - as you say.

"In my country, they say the red ants always attack the black ants, so maybe there's some truth in the idea of special one-haired players being aggressive."

Gecov, who began his career at Slavia Prague, was named in the team of the tournament at the European Under-21 Championships this summer.



http://www.teamtalk.com/fulham/7091252/Gecov-relishing-Premier-test?

[WhiteJC]

 
Funny old game

It feels a little strange writing a light-hearted blog about football when all around me London has been burning, sound-tracked by wailing sirens and breaking glass.

There's an uneasy tension in the air where I live near Tottenham. Those shops that haven't already been burned down or looted are shuttered up.

In fact, the only place defying police advice on Monday night was the local kebab shop – and trust me you wouldn't want to mess with the guys who run that place, pleasant as they are when you're ordering your post-pub nosh-up.

But write a light-hearted blog about football I must, and at troubled times like these I find myself doing what any other self-respecting citizen would do – finding out what Joey Barton has to say on the matter.

The Newcastle midfielder has kept us entertained these past few weeks, quoting Orwell, Nietzsche and Morrissey as he gives us a voyeuristic vantage point into his life, picking up followers along the way like Twitter's very own version of the Pied Piper.

His thoughts on the riots were a little less poetic, offering us pearls of wisdom like "send in the tanks" and "declare a curfew time – anybody out after that gets filled in, fair game for the riot squad", before resorting back to Morrissey with: "Shoplifters of the world unite".

Barton was also telling anyone who would listen that he deserves another shot at an England call-up, although clearly Fabio Capello didn't hear him.

Meanwhile, Phil Jones and Tom Cleverley, who didn't get a sniff while at Blackburn and Wigan respectively, were straight in for the Holland fixture after one half-decent game for Manchester United in the Community Shield classic.

In the event, of course, it didn't matter because the match at Wembley was a victim of the unrest, possibly to the relief of Premier League managers across the country.

As for Frank Lampard, you suspect the throat infection that would have kept him out of the Dutch game suddenly felt a whole lot better on Tuesday morning when news of the cancellation came through.

Lampard, who has spent the last few weeks telling journalists he is not past it at 33, while discreetly hiding the Werther's Originals and Andrew's liver salts behind his back, scored in the recent drubbing of that formidable outfit the Thailand Allstars XI.

Even more impressive was Chelsea's win over Aston Villa to lift the Asia Trophy in Hong Kong, when Fernando Torres actually got on the scoresheet. Word is the game will be commemorated with a new chant at Stamford Bridge for the coming season: "2-0 – and even Torres scored!"

El Nino has now taken his Blues goals tally to two – or £25m a pop – but fans will be heartened to see that is hair is finally growing back towards shoulder-length.

I'm convinced that, like Samson, Torres lost his power when his locks were shorn. Now he's only a couple of centimetres and some tacky blond highlights away from being the world's top finisher once again.


Neighbours Fulham open their Premier League account against Aston Villa but must feel like taking a break after their summer vacation turned into a busman's holiday, travelling the globe in a quest for a Europa League place.

They qualified for the qualifiers via the Fair Play League, so expect a few rash challenges on Saturday as they desperately try to get themselves to the wrong end of that particular table.

QPR end their 15-year Premier League hiatus by entertaining Bolton at Loftus Road on Saturday after an eventful pre-season which saw manager Neil Warnock slapped down by the board for suggesting he hadn't got a proverbial pot to pee in.

Since then he has lashed out a reported £1.25m on DJ Campbell (wonder why Dudley Junior prefers to be known by his initials?) while  F1 boss Tony Fernandes – not to be confused with Steve Coogan alter-ego Tony Ferrino - is said to have bought a 20% stake in the club.

Meanwhile, QPR legend Rodney Marsh tweeted that he'd been banned from Loftus Road after saying of the owners: "Somewhere a village is missing two idiots."

The club insisted Marsh was still welcome any time and I broke the news to a clearly delighted Rod during a live link-up on the QPR Podcast, where he also insisted Adel Taarabt wasn't fit to lace Stan Bowles' boots, although was obviously far too modest to make any comparisons with his good self.

Brentford were the only West London team in league action last weekend, as Uwe Rosler's reign got off to the perfect start with a 2-0 defeat of Yeovil, thanks to goals from Shaleum Logan and Gary Alexander.

On Bees forum Griffin Park Grapevine, most punters agreed the highlight of the match was when the referee fell over – never fails to raise a titter – while 'GlasgowBee' reported Rosler's words of wisdom from the touchline were: "Just pass them to death!"

Opposite number Terry Skiverton  groaned: "I think everyone who was here today got caught up in the Uwe Rosler show."

I've got a soft spot for Skiverton after he came out with one of my favourite quotes of the year when the two sides met in January: "All I can say is that those fans are really buying into it, aren't they? We're talking about the boat and the ship and everything. The only thing we didn't do was to all jump in and start giving it the old thing on the dance floor."

And then there was Leroy Rosenior on the BBC's Football League Show last season, marvelling at the number of loan players the Yeovil boss had brought in, reasoning: "Terry Skiverton must live in his car."

Right, that's it folks. I realise in the grand scheme of things these irrelevant musings are exactly that but I hope they have provided a little break from the mayhem.

As Shaw Taylor used to stay on Police Five – keep 'em peeled.



http://www.westlondonsport.com/features-comment/funny-old-game/

[WhiteJC]

 
Coming of Age

Four years on from making his Fulham First Team debut Matthew Briggs finally feels like a professional footballer.

As one of the country's brightest prospects and the Premier League's youngest ever player, the weight of expectation had long rested on his shoulders, but after impressing in a handful of appearances last season, the Wandsworth-born defender had seemingly come of age.

And the 20-year-old England youth international has started the current campaign in similar fashion, catching the eye with a series of mature performances.

His first appearance for the Club has been well documented. Since, his path to the First Team may not have been as smooth as he would have hoped, but in recent months Briggs has re-emerged as a serious contender.

"It's true, things probably haven't gone as I thought they would," admits Matthew. "As a result, there were times when I didn't really feel part of things. Although I was in and around the senior squad, it's not until you get a regular run of games that you fully understand what it is like.

"But I do feel part of the set-up now – I feel like a professional footballer. Every player wants to be out there wearing the shirt of his team and I'm no different. It did feel like something was missing and having been given the chance of late, I'm determined to make the most of it and take the opportunity.

"I love the buzz in the changing room ahead of kick-off, and although I still get butterflies, I feel a lot more confident walking out onto that pitch - it's an incredible feeling."

Cautious of not dwelling too much on the past, the youngster is now focused on the present having put a testing couple of seasons behind him. With a number of injury fears now quashed, he has had to bide his time and be patient. The wait finally appears to be over.

"It has been frustrating, but I can't think about that now," he insists. "I'd rather just concentrate on playing football and the situation that I currently find myself in. I've always wanted to play football for a living and if I am to make that dream come true then I have to keep working.

"I could have let my head drop, but the moment you allow that to happen is the moment the dream can slip away. I've just got on with it and tried to improve as much as I can, working on every aspect of my game. I do feel like I have come a long way, but that said, there's still a lot more that I need to do and I will continue to chase that dream."

For the first time in a while, Briggs entered this pre-season in peak condition, and having already doubled his senior appearance total this season, it is fair to say that the 2011/12 campaign looks set to be his breakthrough – the season that he really establishes himself in the white of Fulham.

"I'm feeling very positive right now and, touch wood, things continue that way," he says. "I've certainly had my fair share of injuries and after starting last season on the treatment table it took a while for me to get going again.

"It's nice to start the season fresh because the summer months are an important time for a player, it's the period when you find your momentum. This is a competitive game, and when you start a new campaign injured you're already at a disadvantage.

"Fortunately I got my chance and although last season was very rewarding, I am hopeful that I can make even more of a statement this year. Martin Jol has come in and thankfully he's continued to show the faith in me – now I want to repay him and the Club by doing well."

In Jol, Briggs is now working with his fourth Fulham Manager and while every player has something to prove to the new man in charge, the likes of Danny Murphy, Simon Davies and Clint Dempsey have years of experience to draw upon. For the youngsters eager to make an impression, it can be a time of uncertainty.

But the Manager has seemingly been taken by what he has seen and has, in fact, laid down a marker for the likeable youngster by declaring that he's "not just a talented boy anymore". It is a challenge Briggs is determined to meet.

"I'm 20 years of age now," he explains. "And although that is still young, I've been training with the First Team for a while now. I like to think that I have the talent, and now it's up to me to turn my potential into the real thing.

"I'm getting the experience now and it looks like I'm in the Manager's thoughts, which is very pleasing. He's raised the bar and hopefully I can make the jump. He's certainly given the younger players a lift and the chance is there for us.

"To be working with my fourth Manager is hard because it's been a case of building myself up again and starting from scratch. The last Manager brought me into the team and when he left I didn't know if the opportunity would come again.

"But when I heard that Martin Jol was arriving I was really excited because I had been told that he liked giving young players an opportunity – and that seems to be the case."

Primarily a left-back, Briggs boasts desirable attributes at both ends of the pitch. Sure, he can defend, but he's also extremely comfortable on the ball, not lacking in pace, can pass, is athletic and can get up and down the pitch.

His effortless glide even moved one member of the Fulham Academy to describe him as a "Rolls-Royce player" – in many ways he is the modern day defender.

"I'm a bit different in the sense that I'm bigger than most full-backs," explains Matthew. "They tend to be smaller and quite agile. But I like to think that I've got more to my game and that it's a positive that I'm strong and athletic.

"I'm happy with the ball at my feet which isn't always the case for defenders, but that's probably because I first started out as a left winger. As I got older I moved further down the pitch, so it's funny how the Manager has moved me forward more recently.

"Playing on the left of midfield was a bit strange at first, but I'm enjoying it. In a lot of ways you're more involved, for a start I'm constantly looking around rather than just ahead as you tend to do as a full-back.

"It's all part of the learning process though and something that will only make me a better player."

Fulham Academy Director – Huw Jennings

"Matthew would have first come to supporters' attention when he made his debut as one of the youngest players ever to play in the Premier League – away to Middlesbrough as a 16-year-old. In Matthew's case he's had to wait a long time for his chance to establish himself.

"There's been a combination of circumstances for that. He's had difficulty with injuries, players have got ahead of him, he's had to deal with the demands of progressing as a young player. The line graph is variable in terms of progress; it's not straight by any stretch of the imagination.

"He's always had the talent and had always the potential but he's got to put that into practice. Now it's hopefully coming together for Matthew.

"He's started to play a slightly more offensive role. So he's demonstrating that side of his game and that's certainly positive."



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/August/BriggsComingofAge.aspx?#ixzz1UciyqUTn

[WhiteJC]

 
Schwarzer snubs Oz return
Fulham 'keeper wants to stay in the Premier League

Mark Schwarzer has ruled out ever returning to Australia to play in the A-League after the roughshod treatment received by former Socceroos stars.

Many Australian players who once played with distinction in Europe have opted to wind down their careers in their homeland.

But the Fulham goalkeeper cites the example of John Aloisi of a returning hero who did not enjoy the best fortune with Sydney FC when he went back home.

And as former Leeds and Liverpool winger Harry Kewell mulls over whether to return the A-League to end his career, Schwarzer states it is an option he will not be considering.

Option

"I have seen too many players go back home and it has not worked out," Schwarzer told Football+magazine.

"The biggest example is John Aloisi, and how he was treated so badly by people. You are up there to be shot down very, very quickly.

"I don't want to give anyone the opportunity to do that to me."

Assumed

At 39, most people would have assumed finishing his career in Australia would appeal to 89-cap international Schwarzer.

But for him that would signal a step down in quality and he believes he can still operate at the top level for some time yet.

"The truth is returning from Europe is a step down, and I don't want to be in that situation," he added.



http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_7091330,00.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Seatwave Partnership

Seatwave.com has renewed its exclusive partnership with Fulham Football Club, to offer fans the chance to sell unused season ticket seats to other Fulham supporters on the Seatwave powered marketplace.

This two-year deal will maintain Seatwave and Fulham's great relationship and bring the partnership to its fifth consecutive year, ensuring Craven Cottage remains filled with fans eager to see some of the biggest names in the Barclays Premier League.

Joe Cohen, CEO and founder of Seatwave said:

"Fulham Football Club season ticket holders have told us they love having the flexibility of being able to resell unused tickets on the Seatwave marketplace."

"With Seatwave now offering tickets to Fulham matches, football fans from around the world now have the ability to see great Barclays Premier League matches when they visit London."

In announcing their new partnership with Fulham Football Club, Seatwave is offering one lucky Season Ticket holder the chance to win two tickets to any UK event listed on Seatwave.com. The lucky winner can take their pick from Rihanna, Bruno Mars, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and many more concerts, theatre or sporting events now available on the exchange.

To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, all Fulham Season Ticket Holders have to do is attend Fulham's first match of the 2011/12 Barclays Premier League at Craven Cottage on Saturday 13th of August when they face Aston Villa.



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/August/Seatwave.aspx?#ixzz1Ud4tjAcU

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham season preview - Established squad looking for dependable management

Fulham gear up for another season with it all change at the top once again. Martin Jol joins the club less than a year after his predecessor, Mark Hughes, first arrived, and will certainly have his own ideas on how to take the club forward. The players will again be forced to learn a fresh tactical approach, after last season's swift, direct style and the 2009/10 season's defence-first, slow build-up approach.

The Whites' season began long before any other Premier League side, with the UEFA Fair Play League success throwing Fulham into action on June 30, barely a month after the end of the previous term. While this quick introduction into competitive fixtures is likely to give Jol's men an early fitness advantage over their rivals, the effects of the Europa League - which, should Fulham reach the final as they did in 2009, means an extra 23 games, including qualifying - could take its toll on the squad without major reinforcements.

The manager has so far been shrewd in the transfer market, spending a small amount on John Arne Riise - expected to be a starter - a back-up goalkeeper in Hungarian Csaba Somogyi and two young midfielders, Marcel Gecov and Pajtim Kasami, although neither of these are expected to yet press for a first-team slot. They will, however, help improve the strength of a squad depleted by the free-transfers of two fringe players from last term in John Pantsil and Zoltan Gera, and Nottingham Forest's capture of Jonathan Greening.

With the slim squad size and the possibility of two games per week for almost the entire season, Jol will no doubt be looking to further strengthen his numbers and especially hold on to his existing, key, players in the face of persistent rumours regarding player departures, including Clint Dempsey and Andy Johnson. Despite the need for reinforcements in a few areas, Jol has recognised the same thing his predecessor did before him¬ - that there is a solid base of professional and well-drilled players who are in need of tweaking as opposed to needing wholesale changes. His team selections in the important qualifiers so far reflects this notion, with a recognisable starting XI taking to the field against RNK Split - the exception being slight experimentation at right-back and central defence.

Fans will be dreaming of a similar Europa League fairytale that was achieved under Roy Hodgson in 2009/10, but success in both Europe and the Premier League cannot come without strong performances from squad players - just as Gera, Chris Smalling, Stephen Kelly and the like managed in that incredible run - as well as a strong element of luck. That luck must stretch to injuries, too. Last term, the loss of Bobby Zamora and niggles to Moussa Dembélé hurt the club for a big part of the season, but with the talent at Jol's disposal there is no reason why Fulham cannot again achieve a top half Premier League position and give a good account of themselves in at least one cup.

Manager - Martin Jol: Jol becomes the third manager in three seasons, but inherits a squad that is established in the Premier League, even if it is in need of revitalising. While the money will not be as readily available as at some clubs, Jol will be able to spend where required and has a solid base of professionals on which to introduce his more attacking style.

Key signing - John Arne Riise: Riise joins his younger brother, Bjorn Helge, in a club that appreciates hard-working players, of which he is certainly one. Likely to take the place of the talented but disappointing Carlos Salcido at left-back, Riise will be expected to be the wide attacking outlet Jol looks for in his full-backs.

Key departure - Zoltan Gera: While Pantsil will be missed for his cult status, Gera's dynamism and performances in the 2009/10 season in the Europa League will hurt the club more. Despite probably only being a squad player again had he stayed, Gera's ability to change games with moments of class will need to be replaced by a new or existing midfielder.

Possible XI:

Schwarzer

Baird - Hughes - Hangeland - Riise

Duff - Murphy - Sidwell - Dempsey

Johnson - Zamora

http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_1_8858_fulham-season-preview-established-squad-looking-for-dependable-management.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Everton, Aston Villa and Fulham all chasing Real Madrid winger



Everton, Aston Villa and Fulham are locked in a battle to sign Real Madrid winger Pedro Leon after he turned down a move to Getafe.

Leon has failed to secure a regular first-team place under Jose Mourinho and is set to leave the Bernabeu during the summer.

Everton boss David Moyes is keen to strengthen his squad and has been tracking the progress of the 24-year-old winger.
But he faces stiff competition from Aston Villa and Fulham who have also been linked with a move for the Spanish midfielder.

Reports in Spain suggest that Leon will hold talks with Real Madrid to discuss his long-term future but he is set to make a move into the Premier League.




http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/9746/4/everton-aston-villa-and-fulham-all-chasing-real-madrid-winger?

[WhiteJC]

 
Newcastle Away Fixture

Supporters should note that Fulham's away fixture against Newcastle United will now be played on Sunday 28th August at 1pm.



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/August/NewcastleAwayFixture.aspx?#ixzz1UdFCY1hG

[WhiteJC]

 
Ecclestone: Calling off Premier League matches would send out 'a terrible message to the world'

QPR chief Bernie Ecclestone has warned the Premier League against scrapping this weekend's opening matches after the riots.

Several top-flight games are under threat after this week's events across the country.

QPR, Spurs and Fulham are all at home in Premier League curtain-raisers and could be forced to postpone their matches. Games in Manchester and Birmingham are also under threat.


Chaos: There have been menacing scenes around the country

However, Ecclestone insists the show must go despite the ongoing fear of further violence and looting.

Telling the BBC it would send 'a terrible message to the rest of the world', he added: 'Would we want to take a risk? It's a difficult decision to make.

'The Premier League is watched everywhere I travel. I always see Manchester United on the TV wherever I am.

'So it's a very bad message for England, and we're going to have the Olympics soon. You imagine if this happened when the Olympic Games started. It would be terrible.'

Wednesday's Carling Cup match between Bristol Rovers and Watford is the latest fixture to fall victim to the riot, with England v Holland the highest-profile match to be axed so far.


Confident: Bernie Ecclestone

QPR face Bolton at Loftus Road on Saturday in their first Premier League match since 1996 but there are fears that may now be put on hold.

However, Ecclestone is confident it will go ahead, saying: 'I've been told no. I don't think there'll be a threat to QPR. I've spoken to people at the club who seemed quite confident it will go ahead.

'The police seem to have managed to contain the things that have been going on. But there's not much stuff that people can loot at a match so it won't attract the kind of people that have been active in the last few days.'

Meanwhile, Football League chairman Greg Clarke has warned matches will be postponed this weekend if police resources are needed elsewhere to combat the riots.

The game was postponed on the request of police and becomes the fifth cup game to have been postponed in the wake of the disorder that has been ongoing for four nights.

Clarke told Sky Sports News: 'The police have to make these calls. If they feel they have more important things to do than send officers to football grounds, we will support that decision.

'Our priority is to make sure the police are out there dealing with unrest on the streets. We want to keep our games going ahead but that is a secondary priority.

'We have to support the police and the government in making the streets safe, then after that we can think about "let's get our football games going ahead". If they need to move police away from football games, we will cancel those football games.'

Clarke expects any disruption to the league programme to be short-lived, adding: 'We don't believe the situation will go on much longer, history tells us these things tend to peter out and we will make sure football games can go ahead as and when.


Raring to go: QPR will host Premier League football again

'We will make those decisions as and when and will have conversations with the police on a case-by-case basis. If there is civil disobedience in an area and there are football matches scheduled in that area, we will review the situation minute-by-minute with the police.

'I wouldn't over-emphasise the number of games we could potentially lose. I don't want to talk up the sense of hysteria.

'I don't know, none of us do, what will happen tonight and the night after that and the night after that. These things tend to peter out and we hope that when they do we can go back to normal.

'Our priorities have to be ensuring safety on our streets and when that is ensured - in the short term, as I'm sure it will be - football will carry on.'




Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2024509/Bernie-Ecclestone-Premier-League-matches-ahead.html#ixzz1UdLjPJIp