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Monday Fulham Stuff (08.03.10)

Started by White Noise, March 07, 2010, 09:39:23 PM

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White Noise

Fulham 0 Tottenham 0: Am I a sexy boss? Ask the wife, says Spurs supremo Harry Redknapp

 
By Phil Gradwell


Last updated at 8:15 PM on 07th March 2010



He is one of the most respected bosses in the country but Harry Redknapp fears that, if he was a young British manager now, he would not be considered for a top-flight job because he lacks the 'sex factor'.

Redknapp, 63, is manager of a Tottenham side fourth in the Barclays Premier League and one game away from an FA Cup semi-final following this draw.

But he is worried that others will not be able to make the journey he has from the lower leagues to the top flight, and despairs of the way many foreign owners plump for big names, sometimes even appointing them because they were great players.

That leads Redknapp, who began his climb up the managerial ladder at Bournemouth, to believe that, despite there being 13 Britons managing in the top division, they are an endangered species likely to go the way of the dodo.

'A big club will always go for that big name, a sexy name,' he said. 'You'll have to ask my wife if I'm sexy, and she'll definitely say no.

'It needs people to give them the opportunity. There are some great British managers in the Championship but it needs someone to give them the chance.

'You're getting more foreign owners in now. They will bring in names. People they have heard of because they were great players.

'Mark Hughes was doing a terrific job at Man City but even though he was a great player in this country, they wanted someone else. That's the way it's going.

'I think every club will have a foreign owner eventually and that means more foreign coaches.

'They're all billionaires and don't understand why they can't win the league and so management will become like a revolving door.

'Daniel Levy is a local guy but Tottenham are a rare commodity. 'When you suddenly see Arsenal having Russian and American owners and a stadium called the Emirates, who would have believed you'd see that?'

It will no doubt have warmed Redknapp's heart to see fellow Englishmen Roy Hodgson in the opposing dugout. Both men love the FA Cup, another English institution that seems to have lost its appeal in recent years.

They both defended the famous old competition's honour after the match, but might want to hide the DVD of this game from the Cup's detractors.

There were few chances, with Heurelho Gomes's flying save from a Zoltan Gera header in the second half the pick of the action.

MATCH STATS FULHAM (4-4-1-1): Schwarzer 7; Baird 6, Hughes 7, Hangeland 7, Shorey 6; Duff 6, Greening 6, Etuhu 5, Davies 5 (Elm 73min, 6); Gera 6; Zamora 7.
Booked: Etuhu.

TOTTENHAM (4-4-2): Gomes 7; Corluka 6, Dawson 6, Bassong 6, Assou-Ekotto 6; Kranjcar 6, Palacios 8, Modric 6, Bale 8; Crouch 7, Pavlyuchenko 5 (Defoe 81).
Man of the match: Wilson Palacios.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg.

Fulham have played 45 games already and the last thing they could have done with was a replay, as they face games against Juventus (twice), Manchester United, Manchester City and Spurs in a little over two weeks.

But midfielder Simon Davies is not complaining. He said: 'Coming from nearly being relegated two years ago, I think if someone would have offered that run I think we'd have been jumping at it. It's great times.

'If I had to choose, we'd go further in the FA Cup. Fulham haven't won it, so it'd be fantastic if we could get to Wembley. Some silverware would be something we could all look back on.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1256173/Fulham-0-Tottenham-0-Am-I-sexy-boss-Ask-wife-says-Spurs-supremo-Harry-Redknapp.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0hWs7K1Nl

White Noise

FA Cup Semi-Final Draw

Sunday 7th March 2010


Fulham FC News

The draw for the Semi-Final of The FA Cup took place on Sunday evening. The winner of the replay between Fulham and Tottenham will face Portsmouth.

Draw in full
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Fulham or Tottenham v Portsmouth 

Ties to be played on the weekend of 10 and 11 April.


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/March/FACupSemi-FinalDraw.aspx#ixzz0hWtadUzz

White Noise

http://www.allactionnoplot.com/2010/03/fulham-0-0-spurs-tottenhams-going-to-do-it-again-820/

Fulham 0-0 Spurs: Tottenham's Going To Do It Again

Well I would have settled for a draw beforehand – that it was such a memorable, high-octane, pulsating spectacle of a game was a bonus. As against Bolton in the last round, the AANP view is that our opponents have blown their best chance of victory by failing to beat us on their own patch. Back at the Lane and under the floodlights I fancy us to come out on top, injuries permitting. Fulham at home and Pompey at Wembley in order to make the FA Cup Final? Now there's a thought...

A Good Day For Bullies

It's not big and it's not clever, but it appears that sometimes bullies finish first. Sergeant Wilson refused to let anyone have their way, and spent his 90 minutes ruining things for any Fulham player who came near him; while for the other lot, Bobby Zamora made himself a complete pain from start to finish. The well-behaved kids, like Modders, didn't stand a chance. Too nice by half, our Luka was given the opportunity to boss things from central midfield, but again gave reason to conclude that he is best deployed as a left midfielder, drifting infield and linking with an overlapping full-back.

A Nagging Worry

There remains a nagging frustration here at AANP Towers that the central midfield berth remains an area for improvement generally. I humbly suggest that Hudd needs to offer more than just his passing-range; and less humbly decree Jenas a lost cause; while as we saw yesterday Modders does not appear to have the requisite muscle and feistiness for the role. Until the end of the season we will have to plough on with the resources we have, but come the summer I fervently hope that we beg, steal or borrow a top-notch, attack-minded central midfielder. Admittedly there are precious few of them out there, and 'Arry will probably just persist with Hudd, but to become a Champions League-standard team we need a midfielder who can run the show.

Bale's Midfield Adventure

Back to yesterday's game, about which many a sage has ventured that a draw seemed about right. Our heroes started fairly well, but by golly the Fulham defence was well-organised, and within about fifteen minutes I had already started mentally clearing the diary for the replay date. The game became a little more stretched in the second half, with Fulham hitting upon the novel idea of trying to win the thing, and Gomes was called upon to go leaping around once or twice, but the closest thing to a goal was probably Corluka's coronary-inducing slashed clearance in the dying embers of the game, which drifted horrifyingly close to his own net.

As ever, all that was best from our lot came from the ever-wondrous size nines of Gareth Bale. Worries that his creative juices might be sapped by his new midfield role proved fairly unfounded, as he increasingly became our default attack option – the only man capable of getting behind the Fulham defence, frequently drawing two opponents towards him and occasionally also haring infield. I'm not sure too many women want him, or too many men want to be him, but I have a healthy dose of man-love for the guy, and sincerely hope that his every whim is indulged by those in authority at the Lane, to ensure he remains in lilywhite for years to come. Every now and then I allow myself to drift off and imagine how ruddy unstoppable we might be with Bale pelting down one flank and a fit-again Aaron Lennon on the other...

Elsewhere On The Pitch

Less impressive were our two full-backs. Assou-Ekotto was a little too casual at times, while not for the first time Corluka's distribution was rather wayward. Bassong however probably deserves a nod of approval, for sticking manfully to his Zamora-containment duties throughout, a blinking hard task by the look of it.

The Crouch-Pav pairing did not really have me slapping my thigh and ordering champagne. There was huffing and puffing a-plenty up-front, but not too many clear-cut chances amidst the suffocating line of Fulham defenders.

So a replay it will be. We may yet rue failure to capitalise upon the absence of Danny Murphy in the Fulham ranks, and there is also the very ominous possibility that injury or suspension might deplete our midfield further; but as things stand we are jolly well-placed to reach the FA Cup Final.


White Noise

http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/LatestNews/news/Pompey-Will-Face-Fulham-Or-Spurs-At-Wembley-707.aspx

Pompey Will Face Fulham Or Spurs At Wembley


by Neil Weld



Pompey will face Fulham or Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-finals of the FA Cup sponsored by E.ON.

The match will be played at Wembley on the weekend of April 10/11.

Pompey's Premier League trip to Wigan – scheduled to be played on Saturday, April 10 – will now be rearranged for a later date.

Fulham and Tottenham drew 0-0 in their quarter-final tie at Craven Cottage and will meet again at White Hart Lane on Wednesday, March 24.

Pompey booked their place in the last four with a 2-0 victory over Birmingham at Fratton Park. Frederic Piquionne scored both the goals.

The Blues have already seen off Coventry, Sunderland and Southampton en route to Wembley.

Roy Hodgson's Fulham have beaten Swindon, Accrington Stanley and Notts County, while Harry Redknapp's Tottenham have defeated Peterborough, Leeds and Bolton.

Pompey and Spurs last met in the FA Cup in the 1990/91 season when Mark Chamberlain's goal could not stop the Blues slipping to a 2-1 defeat.

In fact, Tottenham have won all three FA Cup clashes between the two sides.

Pompey have yet to lose to Fulham in the FA Cup. The Blues came out on top in the 1930/31 season and – after a replay – the 1967/68 season.


FA Cup sponsored by E.ON semi-final draw:

Aston Villa v Chelsea
Fulham or Tottenham Hotspur v POMPEY

White Noise

http://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premiership/chelsea/chelsea-captain-in-fulham-road-barney?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TransferTavern+%28The+Transfer+Tavern+Home+Page%29

Chelsea Captain In Fulham Road Barney


Date: 7th March 2010 at 5:54 pm | Filed under: Chelsea | Author: Escapini | Tags: Chelsea, John Terry

This in then from our roving Chelsea reporter in the time expired Hush Puppies and the Next To Nothing trousers.  Walking back towards the Durrell Arms public house, our man spots Mr. John Terry is spotted driving up the Fulham Road in his Range Rover.

The Chelsea Supremo,  instead of just driving past and ignoring it, pulls his car up to a halt, winds down his electric windows and starts trading four  letter word insults with all an sundry, sticks a one fingered salute and finally shouts, ' You're All W*nkers!!!"  before roaring off like a boy racer.

John, your performance against Egypt was good.

Your goal today was great. Shouting at people in the street isn't.

White Noise

http://hammyend.com/?p=5868

Chiellini to miss Fulham tie


by Dan on March 7, 2010

Juventus warmed up nicely enough for Thursday's Europa League first leg against Fulham with a 2-1 win over Fiorentina that lifted them to fourth in Serie A. A thunderbolt from Fabio Grossi secured the three points after Diego's early goal, which looked suspiciously offside, had been cancelled out by Marco Marchionni.

They won't have been too pleased with Giorgio Chiellini's thigh strain, though, which threatens to keep the Italian centre back for between a fortnight and a month, according to Gazetta. There are concerns that Chiellini might have aggrivated the injury by having to battle on in obvious discomfort to full time after Alberto Zaccheroni had made his allotted substitutions.

Goal also report that Paolo De Ceglie and the former Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko will also have scans on niggles they picked up at the Stadio Franchi.


White Noise

http://fulhamish.blogspot.com/2010/03/omens-and-viewpoints.html


Omens and viewpoints


It being a cup game I found myself in the Johnny Haynes stand yesterday for the F.A Cup quarter final against Spurs. I'd thought when booking the tickets it would be good to be closer to the action. We'd been in the Riverside for the Shakhtar match and enjoyed the change of scene. The old Stevenage Road stand is shallower and really we were too low to have a great view of the action, that combined with my own sense of foreboding and a tight and, at times, scrappy affair led to an uncomfortable 90 minutes. In fact I can't remember enjoying a game that we've not lost less. As the last few minutes ticked away I could visualise both the elation of a goal for us and the gut wrenching disappointment of a goal for Spurs.

During the week my Mini had reached the unusual landmark of 66,666.6 miles, something that I noticed approaching by chance and managed to capture on camera. Note to any Police officers reading this, I had pulled over and safely parked the car before taking the shot. It did take a bit of doing though to find somewhere suitable at the right moment. This felt like it might be an omen of some kind. You'll probably realise by now I'm quite superstitious.

The first half seemed to be all Spurs. They're no Shakthar Donestk, but they made more use of the ball going forward. Fulham struggled to find any rhythm but remained stoically organised and limited Tottenham to a weak header from Peter Crouch and a Kranjar shot from the edge of the box. Crouch, who was all elbows and whinging, may well have risen to my top five most disliked players in the premier league.

The second half was much better, as Fulham attacked with more purpose and the game opened up a little. We really missed the guile of Danny Murphy in midfield. Jonathan Greening can be a tidy player but I could count the number of forward passes he made on one hand and none of them had the direction or purpose that Murphy might have achieved. Our forward play therefore tended to be a bit repetitive and lacked any real drive or speed of thought. Too many times we'd break down the wing but then slow down the play until we had few options available or simply gave the ball away. I felt yesterday was an occasion when switching the wingers might have shaken things up a bit. Duff and Davies (though to be honest the Welsh wonder had a poor game) bombing down the wing and slinging a cross into the box might have created something our patient build up could not. Though, I guess, that's not really us.

Credit goes to Dickson who had a fine game in the middle and also Chris Baird who seemed to see a lot of the ball. On a positive note we're still in the hat and will at least know who we might face by the time of the replay. The initiative is definitely with Tottenham now but we've got nothing to lose. Maybe Murphy will be back and we'll have one more massive performance in us.

Posted by Chopper on Sunday, March 07, 2010

White Noise

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/tottenham/7393007/Harry-Redknapp-all-Premier-League-managers-will-eventually-be-foreign.html

Harry Redknapp: all Premier League managers will eventually be foreign

A meeting between the leading English managers in the land ended with Harry Redknapp fearing for the future of their home-grown ilk.

By Henry Winter


Published: 6:00AM GMT 08 Mar 2010


Although Redknapp's Spurs are chasing fourth place in the Premier League and a date at Wembley, while Roy Hodgson's Fulham eye Europa League glory as well as Wembley, Redknapp believes that the more foreign owners who come into English football, the more foreign coaches will follow.

"Every club will have a foreign owner eventually and you'll get less British managers,'' said Redknapp.

FA Cup final 2009: David Moyes good enough to manage Chelsea, says Harry Redknapp

Despite Arsene Wenger's fears clubs are adapting to new economic situation"Mark Hughes was doing a terrific job at Man City. But new owners want to bring in somebody they have heard of. There are some terrific managers in the Championship and below who just need the chance.

"But a big club will always go for that sexy name. I'm not really sexy. You'll have to ask my wife. She'll definitely say 'no'.

"The new owners are all billionaires and all want to win the league. They don't understand they can't all win the league. It will be like revolving doors for managers.

"Gone are the days of Bob Lord, the butcher from Burnley, or Mr Reg Pratt when I went to West Ham who had the wood yard up at Wanstead.

"Who would ever have believed Arsenal having Russian [Uzbeki] and American owners? Who'd have believed they'd have a stadium called The Emirates? Portsmouth was difficult for me, because I had an owner [Alexandre Gaydamak] I didn't know and never saw. Tottenham are a rare commodity.

"Daniel [Levy] is a local guy. I get on fine with Daniel. He has been good as gold for me and I've been as good as gold for him.''

Fulham's owner, Mohammed Fayed, hails from Egypt but has long been based in London.

"He keeps in the background and found a good manager in Roy,'' said Redknapp. "Roy has done a great job. He gets the best out of people like Bobby Zamora and Zoltan Gera, Damien Duff and Aaron Hughes.''

The Cup tie saw good chances wasted by Zamora and Gera, bringing a replay on March 24. Before then Fulham face Juventus, Manchester United and Manchester City.

"If you want to be successful, this is what happens,'' said Hodgson.

White Noise

http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/162153/Hodgson-race-on-for-Fulham/

HODGSON RACE ON FOR FULHAM 

Monday March 8,2010

By Gideon Brooks 


Fulham 0, Tottenham 0


FOR a team who might have been facing unseemly grapples with the likes of Doncaster had things gone differently just two years ago, a string of dates with the head turners of European football is a cross Roy Hodgson is more than happy to bear.

But after a goalless draw appended an FA Cup quarter-final replay against Tottenham to the end of an already packed programme, he will no doubt be rueing his side's inability to take their best chance of progress on Saturday.

These sides will do battle again for a ticket to Wembley in the last four at White Hart Lane on March 24.

And if Spurs were not favoured by venue alone, that game comes on the back of a run that could see Hodgson's men crawling to north London on their knees.

Fulham travel to Turin to face Juventus in the Europa League on Thursday and then to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Sunday.

Next week they entertain Juve in the second leg of that last-16 tie and then welcome Manchester City. Spurs, the following Wednesday, completes a run of five matches in just 16 days.

Hodgson told his weary troops that such rigours are the price of success if Fulham want to tread in the shadows of giants.

One positive, winger Simon Davies observed with a wry smile, is that training will be put on hold until after the run is completed. "If you want to be successful this is what happens," said Hodgson. "But sometimes it's dangerous to complain.

"When you complain someone might say, 'He doesn't enjoy the success so next year we'll give him 40 games – he can have his 38 games and go out in the first round of the cups and see how he likes that'."

Spurs will fancy their chances, having beaten Fulham 2-0 at home in January. A look at their opponents' record on the road will do nothing to knock that confidence as Fulham have beaten only Accrington Stanley away from home this year. Saturday was high on perspiration for all that a sharp chill enveloped Craven Cottage.

It was, however, low on inspiration even if Heurelho Gomes and Mark Schwarzer were called into action on occasion to keep the scoreboard asleep. The absence of Danny Murphy with a groin injury – he also misses Thursday's match with a ban – reduced Fulham's ability to probe the Spurs back line.

Tottenham, for all that their standout performer Gareth Bale shone in a left-wing role, could not break down Fulham. But that resolve will be tested over the coming fortnight, according to Davies. He said: "I'm sure the boss will use the squad and get everyone ready.

"But looking at this run of fixtures and having come from near-relegation two years ago, I think if someone had offered it we would have jumped at it. Juventus, Manchester United, Manchester City and the quarter-finals of the FA Cup...these are great times."

That is a point not lost on Spurs boss Harry Redknapp. "Roy has done a great job here," he said.

"Fulham came to Portsmouth two seasons ago a week before Pompey's FA Cup final, and had to win to stay up. They beat us 1-0. I was pleased Fulham stayed up, and Roy has taken them onwards and upwards."

But when these managers' paths cross again, it will be Redknapp who will be favourite to halt Fulham's progress.


White Noise

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Transfer-news-Tottenham-and-Fulham-in-fight-for-Rochdale-youngster-Craig-Dawson-article347685.html


Tottenham and Fulham in fight for Rochdale youngster

Published 23:00 07/03/10

By Alan Nixon


Tottenham and Fulham are battling for Rochdale's £1 million-rated centre half Craig Dawson - after sending their top spies to watch him in action.

Spurs chief Harry Redknapp sent Ian Bloomfield to Spotland at the weekend to run the rule over the defender who is likened to namesake Michael.

And Fulham chief Roy Hodgson also despatched his number one spy to see if Dawson could replace Manchester United-bound Chris Smalling.

Dawson has been receiving rave reviews since cracking the first team at table-topping Dale and Swansea have had a £750,000-rated offer turned down.

The youngster wants to carry on playing first-team football, so he is open to a move to the Swans - but both Spurs and Fulham could try to make him change his mind in the coming weeks.

White Noise

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/FA-Cup-Fulham-0-0-Tottenham-With-Juve-on-the-way-Fulham-fans-have-never-had-it-this-good-The-Daily-Mirror-match-report-article347983.html

Fulham 0-0 Tottenham: The Daily Mirror match report


Published 05:00 08/03/10


By Darren Lewis


A high-quality fixture pile-up means Fulham will face Juventus, Manchester United, Juventus again and then Manchester City before replaying this game at White Hart Lane.

Yet far from being a nightmare run, the glamour schedule underlines just how magnificent a job Roy Hodgson has done at Craven Cottage since arriving two and a half seasons ago.

Relegation fodder when he arrived, they are now in the business end of European competition.

It says much for Hodgson's impact that they went into this stalemate on the back of an eight-game unbeaten run which included victory against UEFA Cup holders Shakhtar Donetsk.

Little wonder then that his players have no fears about the hurdles to come.

Winger Simon Davies said: "I think if someone would have offered that run two years ago we'd have been jumping at it. Juventus, Man United, Man City, in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup – these are great times.

"We had a great run in February but it was a tough month and it'll be another tough month in March."

So how can little Fulham keep upsetting the odds?

"We're very organised and even in this game against Spurs, when we weren't at our best, we were very hard to beat," Davies explained.

"We know we can always fall back on that, and that's credit to the management and the work we do on the training field."

Had Fulham made the most of their chances on Saturday they would have already booked their place in the semi-final.

Zoltan Gera should have done far better with his point-blank header from Bobby Zamora's assist shortly after the break.

Ditto Dickson Etuhu from a Davies corner.

And although Bobby Zamora is one of the most-improved players in the Premier League under Hodgson, he failed late on to stick away the kind of opportunity that sets the top strikers apart from the good ones.

He won't be going to the World Cup.

In return Spurs winger Niko Kranjcar forced Mark Schwarzer into a fumble.

The Fulham keeper also needed to dive to his left to claw away Peter Crouch's header. But all in all this was a bit of a let-down.

The sides must now do it all again on March 24 and former Spurs winger Davies is under no illusions about the size of the task Fulham face against the club he quit five years ago.

He said: "When I was there they'd gone for quick fixes, and bought a lot of experienced players like Teddy Sheringham, Les Ferdinand and Tim Sherwood.

"But just when I was leaving they started to snap up the younger British players and you can see it now.

"Some of their players have been together a long time and they're all top-quality athletes. They are a top-quality side."

White Noise

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article7053063.ece

Harry Redknapp rues club sale trend

Fulham 0 Tottenham Hotspur 0


Tom Dart

Of the quarter-finalists in this season's FA Cup, only two were clubs with foreign managers. To Harry Redknapp, the only English manager to win the trophy since 1995, it would seem an old-fashioned sort of statistic.

"With more foreign owners you get fewer British managers," the Tottenham Hotspur manager said. "Every club will have a foreign owner eventually. That's the way the game is going. You will have more foreign coaches, the lifespan of a manager will get less and less."

Never shy to sign foreign players, Redknapp is more ambivalent about magnates from overseas. "The owners are all billionaires," he said. "They don't understand that they can't all win the league. 'Why are we sixth, seventh?' They don't understand. It will be like revolving doors for managers. I would like to see more lads get the opportunity.

"There are some terrific managers down in the Championship and below who never get the chance. A big club will always go for that big, sexy name."

Redknapp cited Manchester City's decision to replace Mark Hughes with Roberto Mancini last year as an example. On the other hand, it could be argued that Randy Lerner at Aston Villa and the Glazers at Manchester United do not seem impatient types.

Redknapp led Portsmouth to Cup success in 2008, although his relationship with Alexandre Gaydamak, the club's owner at the time, was clearly not close. "I had an owner I didn't know," Redknapp said. "I never saw him, so it was hard."

His ruminations were inspired by Tottenham's trip to Craven Cottage for an FA Cup quarter-final that proved an even but disappointing contest. Redknapp and Roy Hodgson, the Fulham manager, are the only English managers in the top half of the Barclays Premier League table.

The replay at White Hart Lane on March 24 adds to Fulham's already dense schedule. Saturday's was their 45th match of a season that started on July 30 with a Europa League qualifying match against Vetra, from Lithuania. They travel to Italy to face Juventus on Thursday, then go to Old Trafford three days later; after that, Juventus again, then Manchester City before the replay with Tottenham. Victory would bring Fulham a first trip to Wembley since the 1975 FA Cup Final.

"Coming from nearly being relegated two years ago, if someone would have offered that run two years ago, I think we'd have been jumping at it," Simon Davies, the winger, said.

Fulham (4-4-1-1): M Schwarzer 8, C Baird 7, B Hangeland 7, A Hughes 7, N Shorey 6, D Duff 6, D Etuhu 6, J Greening 5, S Davies 5, Z Gera 5, R Zamora 6. Substitute: D Elm (for Davies, 73min). Substitutes not used: P Zuberbühler, S Kelly, P Konchesky, S Okaka, B H Riise, C Smalling. Booked: Etuhu.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): H Gomes 8, V Corluka 5, M Dawson 7, S Bassong 7, B Assou-Ekotto 6, N Kranjcar 6, W Palacios 7, L Modric 4, G Bale 7, P Crouch 5, R Pavlyuchenko 5. Substitute: J Defoe (for Pavlyuchenko, 81min). Substitutes not used: B Alnwick, E Gudjohnsen, D Rose, J Livermore, D Dervite, A Townsend.

Referee: M Clattenburg. Attendance: 24,533


White Noise

Pav fears he'll be benched

Published: Today

ROMAN PAVLYUCHENKO says he is a different man since he started scoring - but he is still worried Harry Redknapp will drop him to the bench.

The Spurs striker has scored five times in his last four games and said: "I now keep touching wood hoping things won't turn around again."

He failed to net against Fulham in the FA Cup on Saturday and added: "Our attacking line is probably the strongest in the league.

"I must try to score in every game. If I do not, I'll have very little chance."

Lokomotiv Moscow are still keen on the hitman.



Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2882227/Pav-fears-hell-be-benched.html#ixzz0hZIYswdq

White Noise

Jamie's still Ful of hope

By MARK IRWIN

Published: Today

JAMIE O'HARA did not know whether to laugh or cry after last night's FA Cup draw handed Portsmouth a potential semi-final clash with Tottenham.

It has left the on-loan midfielder hoping that Fulham can win next week's quarter-final replay at White Hart Lane - and free him up to play at Wembley.

O'Hara is not permitted to face Spurs while on loan at Fratton Park and admitted: "Tottenham were the one team I wanted to dodge.

"I'll be absolutely gutted if I can't play in the semi-final.

"People keep talking about my Wembley jinx, after my two Carling Cup final disappointments with Spurs in the last two years.

"I haven't had too many good times there but, hopefully, I can go there in a Pompey shirt and have a much better day out.

"I've worked really hard to get this opportunity to go back to Wembley and I really do want to be involved in the semi-final.

"If it is Tottenham in the semi, I'll still be there as a fan - cheering on Portsmouth and hoping they can get through to the final.

"I'm still a Tottenham player and usually I want them to do well.

"But for as long as I'm on loan at Pompey, they are the team I want to win."

The draw may not be good news for O'Hara but it is for cash-strapped Pompey as they struggle to survive their present financial plight.

The struggling South Coast club, currently in administration, have already banked more than £1million from their Cup run in prize money and TV coverage.

They are guaranteed at least another £697,000 from turning out in their Wembley semi.

But they can make considerably more if they can take that one further step. An appearance in the final would net them a minimum of £1.1million, rising to £1.9m if they actually lift the trophy.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2882346/Jamies-still-Ful-of-hope.html#ixzz0hZJ2ncwm

White Noise

http://www.imscouting.com/global-news-article/Fulham-striker-Erik-Nevland-heading-back-to-Norway-at-end-of-the-season/6293/

Fulham striker Erik Nevland heading back to Norway at end of the season

March 08, 2010

 
Veteran Fulham striker Erik Nevland will leave Craven Cottage at the end of the season, according to widespread reports in Norway today.

Nevland has agreed to return to his former club Viking Stavanger in Norway with his contract up at Fulham at the end of the 2009/2010 campaign.

The 32-year-old striker made his professional breakthrough with Viking in 1995 and also returned there following his time at Manchester United.

In 2009/2010, Nevland has made 21 appearances for Fulham in the Premier League and Europa League, scoring two goals and providing four assists. He has also been sent off once and booked twice.


White Noise

http://www.thisisanfield.com/2010/03/08/exclusive-interview-lauri-dalla-valle/

Exclusive Interview: Lauri Dalla Valle  


We interview the Finnish youngster whom big things are expected of.

Written by This Is Anfield on March 8th, 2010


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Tipped as a 'name for the future' by his compatriot Sami Hyypia, Lauri Dalla Valle is a player with much potential and expectations. The Finnish attacking midfielder, 18, scored 20 goals for the under 18's last year and was the subject of speculation linking him with a move to Fulham in the summer. He was promoted to the reserves but has had an injury plagued season which has prevented him from making an appearance for the Reds' second string. He has though scored 3 goals in 3 appearances for the under 18's.

Piotr Czernicki-Sochal from the Polish Liverpool supporters site, LFC.pl, recently interviewed Lauri and has kindly translated the interview for us below.

Piotr: Fulham offered £3.5 million for you last summer. There was some gossip saying that you weren't happy at at Liverpool. What's the truth?

Lauri: I'm really happy here. I want to play for the first team one day.

You moved from the U-18 team to the reserves. How are you doing?

Training isn't too much different. It's a little more difficult obviously, because the players are older and more experienced. I cope fine with it, though.

Kenny Dalglish works in the Academy now, did you meet him?

Yes, I talked with Kenny before. He's a very nice man and it was an honour.

Before you joined Liverpool you trained with Inter Milan for a few months. Why didn't you stay there?

I was young and I didn't speak much of the language. England is a lot more like Finland, I love this country! Italy was different.

Let's sum this up: you trained with Inter, Chelsea wanted to buy you, you were tracked by Ajax, AC Milan and Barcelona and you play for Liverpool. That's pretty impressive for a 18-year old!

Do you want to achieve as much as Sami Hyypia at Anfield?

Yes! Sami Hyypia is someone I'm looking up to. Even though he's a defender, he was such an inspiration for the whole club and he played many games for the first team as well. I hope i'll do the same.

Liverpool scout Ian Barrigan once said that you were "the most natural finisher in the history of Academy". It looks like the biggest teams will fight for you again in a few years?

It's amazing to know that great teams may be interested in me. I work hard and I love playing football, but right now I want to do it only at Liverpool.

People say that your style of football is similiar to Fernando Torres' and Wayne Rooney's...

I've been compared to Fernando Torres before, but I've never heard about the Wayne Rooney one. They are both very talented and it's fantastic to be compared with them. I watch them on television and I hope to be as successfull as they are.

Liverpool is very popular in the Nordic countries. Who were you supporting in your childhood?

I watched a lot of Liverpool games when I was little. They are really famous in Finland. Liverpool have always been my favourite English football team and that's why I decided to join Academy.


Also see: Kop Star focus on Dalla Valle

Your father is Italian, you can still choose which national team will you play for.

I haven't made my decision yet, but probably I'm going to play for Finland.

I guess that Rafa doesn't ask you for transfer recommendations, but let's say you can point out one player. Who would it be?

David Villa! I've seen him playing alongside Fernando Torres and they were extremely good. I know that it's a big request, but him and Torres would be stunning up front. They're doing great in the national team and having them both at Liverpool would be amazing to watch.

Thanks to Lauri for answering the questions and Piotr for the interview.

White Noise

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_6010229,00.html


Questions For Jimmy Bullard...


Posted 08/03/10 14:18


Football 365 has been granted an audience with serial knee-injury victim, owner of the flowingest locks in football and all-round top man Mr Jimmy Bullard this week.

As you lot tend to have so much to say for yourselves, we thought we'd let you pose the questions.

Keep 'em clean but make 'em funny/interesting/weird, and we'll post the results at some point in the near future.

Send your questions to [email protected] with 'Jimmy Bullard' in the subject line, and who knows - yours might get picked.

White Noise

http://www.juventus.com/site/eng/NEWS_newsseriea_0F1C37BBC47445D48CF0C62B2664F4C9.asp?

Del Piero: «Let's go with Fulham»

A Saturday at rest, to look at his mates' victory in Florence and to recharge energy for next engagements. Now Alessandro Del Piero is ready to take the team by the hand once again. Starting with Tuesday Europa League match.

The captain spoke through his official web site www.alessandrodelpiero.com. «In Florence we played a difficult match, I saw it from the bench but I "lived" it anyway together with my team mates. We made another precious step, because competitors are tough and we cannot stand back».

A success, the one at Franchi Stadium, that restarted the series provisionally interrupted one week ago: «It was necessary to restart after the defeat vs. Palermo –Del Piero said – and continue on the pitch what expressed by words and thoughts after that defeat. We were all convinced that that wasn't the end of what we showed during the previous matches, from there we restarted to take three very important points home, also considering our opponent value».

Now let's go with another phase to live breathlessly. And Del Piero is ready. «A restless three weeks cycle of matches started in the right way. On like this and let's go with Fulham!»


White Noise

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/portsmouth/7392434/Henry-Winter-Portsmouth-and-Fulham-ties-show-FA-Cup-is-alive-and-kicking.html

Henry Winter: Portsmouth and Fulham ties show FA Cup is alive and kicking


It was shortly before the footballer's traditional call to arms, the knock on the door from the referee to signal time to gather in the tunnel.

By Henry Winter


Published: 7:30AM GMT 08 Mar 2010


It was in the away dressing room at Craven Cottage and Harry Redknapp had a simple message for his Tottenham Hotspur players. "We've got a chance to get to Wembley, to play in an FA Cup semi-final,'' Redknapp told them. "Let's not waste that chance.''

Five hours earlier at Portsmouth, the club Redknapp led to Wembley glory in 2008, Avram Grant was addressing his team, transmitting a similar message.

Saturday action Portsmouth's players hardly needed reminding; they could hear their wonderful fans outside, drumming up a storm, willing them to show the world that the club had not sunk into a sea of debt, that like the Mary Rose there was plenty to salvage. The dream of Wembley kept them going.

A flying visit on Saturday to Fratton Park and then Craven Cottage, two famous old grounds, both sold out, both raucous, found little evidence of the FA's bleak forecast about the Cup's future. Ian Watmore, the Football Association, chief executive, has raised the possibility of sidelining the Cup as a midweek event at a time when he should be talking the Cup up, not down.

Watmore should be celebrating the commitment levels at Fratton Park and Craven Cottage on the day that Manchester United took out newspaper advertisements to sell tickets for the Champions League visit of David Beckham and AC Milan. If football has a problem generally with overpriced tickets, enthusiasm still flowed unabated up the Solent and the Thames.

The fans were up for the Cup. So were the four managers with their full-strength teams. So were the players who gave everything.

Tal Ben Haim and Jamie O'Hara were pillars of defiance for Portsmouth in a famous win over Birmingham City, whose legitimate anger over the non-award of Liam Ridgewell's goal reflected their hunger for a Wembley date.

Up at Craven Cottage, Wilson Palacios and Gareth Bale were models of industry for Spurs while Bobby Zamora, a centre-forward revitalised by Roy Hodgson, delivered a masterclass in hold-up play, lacking only a goal.

"I don't think the Cup has lost anything,'' observed Hodgson after his neat, well-motivated Fulham side held Redknapp's men in a breathless, if goalless game.

"The atmosphere at Craven Cottage was fantastic, the game was played at a very high pace and played in a good spirit. Our players were desperate to give a good show and get to Wembley. It was a good advert for the FA Cup. If the Cup can fill Fratton Park and Craven Cottage there can't be too much wrong with it – and both games were live on TV.''

Hodgson acknowledged that the Cup had to "fight that little bit harder'' for attention nowadays. "The glory and glamour of the Cup will always remain but we must accept the Premier League takes more and more of people's interest and the Champions and Europa Leagues catch people's imagination,'' said Hodgson.

Emerging from the home dressing room, Simon Davies was asked which he would rather win, the Europa League or the FA Cup. "Personally, the FA Cup,'' said the midfielder. "There's more history to it. It'd be fantastic if we could get to Wembley for our supporters.''

Redknapp has been there, done it, got the champagne-soaked suit and the winner's medal. "Winning the Cup was lovely,'' said Redknapp of his 2008 success with Pompey. "I hear people say the Cup is not an important competition but it is. Winning the championship is beyond most teams. In all honesty you have a chance of winning one of the two cups, and the FA Cup is the main cup.

"I can't understand when people put weakened teams out when middle of the table. Have a go to get to Wembley. That's the greatest feeling in the world.

"It's easy to explain to the English lads who grew up with it but it can be harder to explain to the foreign lads. I said to Palacios, 'Do you want to go to Wembley? You'd love it'.'' The Honduran promptly gave one of his best displays.

A lot of foreign players actually relish the competition, being aware of its heritage. "When you come to England you feel the importance of the FA Cup, you know what it means to everyone,'' said Tottenham's Croatian midfielder, Niko Kranjcar. "It's different to other countries where there is no value to the cup.''

And yet Watmore considers shifting ties (after the third round). He argues that some of the "best games and FA Cup nights happen midweek and not at weekends'', rather ignoring this season's dramas of Manchester United 0 Leeds United 1 (Sunday, 1pm kick-off) and Portsmouth 2 Birmingham 0 (Saturday, 12.30).

Whether floodlit or in daylight, Cup ties have a different atmosphere, even all-Premier League affairs. Wembley dominates thoughts. The larger away allocation intensifies rivalry.

The problem with Watmore's midweek plan is that it implies the Cup is being suffocated by the Premier League and Europe.

Yet the Carling Cup is thriving, partly because of the Football League's more astute marketing. The FA can counter that the Carling Cup is a midweek competition, giving more credibility to Watmore's proposals, but nothing beats the build-up to a big FA Cup weekend.

One solution would be to separate the trophies, having the Carling Cup settled before Christmas, giving the Cup a clear run in the New Year. But the FA Cup is not dead, whatever the FA's fears.

When the final whistle went at Fratton Park, Redknapp immediately sent Grant a congratulatory text. He knows what the FA Cup means.

White Noise

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/08/fulham-tottenham-fa-cup

Fulham taken to replay by Tottenham's in-form Heurelho Gomes   

FA Cup Quarter-Final

Fulham 0 
Tottenham Hotspur 0 

David Lacey at Craven Cottage The Guardian, Monday 8 March 2010 Article history
Tottenham's goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes made several smart saves to take the FA Cup tie with Fulham to a replay. Photograph: Sang Tan/AP

Fulham have become such a power at home this season that on the face of it Tottenham should be grateful for a second chance in their FA Cup quarter-final following Saturday's scoreless encounter at Craven Cottage. Harry Redknapp, the Spurs manager, implied as much after the game but had the quality of his team's finishing matched the slickness of their build-ups they might already be in the last four instead of facing a replay which could clog up their aim of finishing in the Premier League's first four.

If the performance proved anything it was that while Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko might be in excellent form individually they are not yet an item as an attacking partnership. The predatory instincts of Jermain Defoe, whose contribution was restricted by a hamstring problem to the last nine minutes, were badly missed as the Anglo-Russian pair struggled to maintain a tenuous link near goal. "We kept possession well enough although we didn't create enough chances," Redknapp admitted.

Yet the opportunity to create chances was always there and often stemmed from Gareth Bale's consistency in outwitting Fulham's defence on the left. The young Welshman has rarely played better. Normally he advances from left-back but here he was used as a wide man in midfield, which meant that the threat to Fulham was more immediate and occurred more often.

The frequency with which Bale reached the byline and switched the ball into the goalmouth with crosses which were more like rifle shots – and in sharp contrast to Vedran Corluka's blunderbuss on the other flank – should have enabled Tottenham to achieve more scoring attempts than they did. And too many of those were off target.

In the end Spurs' Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes had a busier evening than Fulham's Mark Schwarzer, particularly at the start of the second half when Roy Hodgson's players managed to up their previously pedestrian tempo and get more people forward to support Bobby Zamora.

Gomes made a series of sharp saves, the best to keep out a goal-bound header from Zoltan Gera, and reaffirmed his status as a Premier League goalkeeper of genuine class. When he first arrived at White Hart Lane from PSV Eindhoven, Gomes appeared set on supporting the theory that in Brazil as in the playground the worst player goes in goal.

Redknapp's first defeat in charge of Tottenham was the consequence of a howler by Gomes at Fulham in November last season. Yet the goalkeeper had established a reliable reputation at PSV so maybe it was just a matter of getting used to being bombarded from on high in the English game.

Either way, Redknapp was pleased his first impressions had not been borne out. "Gomes looked different to the goalkeeper who came here in 2008 when I first arrived," he said. "He had a terrible time here but he's a different lad now; full of confidence who looks what he is, a top keeper."

For Fulham an FA Cup replay is equally unwelcome as they prepare to face Juventus over two legs in the Europa League, with the small matter of a visit to Manchester United in between.

Hodgson's squad has already been stretched by injuries to such regulars as Andrew Johnson, Clint Dempsey, Paul Konchesky and John Paintsil, and the absence of Danny Murphy from midfield on Saturday was noticeable as Jonathan Greening struggled to pick up the pace.

Fulham confirmed they are a power in the Europa League when they knocked out last season's Uefa Cup winners, Shakhtar Donetsk, and reaching the FA Cup semi-finals would further enhance Hodgson's standing as a manufacturer of silk purses from the ears of porcine females. Fulham, too, might already be there had Zamora, having finally escaped the stifling attentions of Sébastien Bassong, not dragged his shot wide five minutes from the end.