Saturday Fulham Stuff (26/04/14)...

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Magath plots Sidwell stay bid

Felix Magath has confirmed that he would like to keep Steve Sidwell at Fulham beyond the end of this current season.

The Cottagers chief has been impressed with the 31-year-old midfielder since he took charge of first-team affairs at Craven Cottage in February and the player notched his eight goal of the campaign to move top of their scoring charts in last Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Tottenham. However, Sidwell is due to fall out of contract in the summer and previously rejected the offer of a 12-month extension back in November. But, if the club can achieve their aim of avoiding relegation in their final three matches - starting with a win Saturday's visit of Hull - Magath revealed that he would love to keep hold of the former Reading, Chelsea and Aston Villa man. When quizzed if he would like to keep Sidwell, the German tactician said: "Yeah sure, there is no doubt about that. Steve is a good player for us and I would be glad if he were signed for another season after this year."



Read more at: http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/magath-plots-sidwell-stay-bid-1723032.html?

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Felix Magath: 'Home wins should be enough'

Fulham manager Felix Magath has insisted that if his side manage to win their remaining two home games the six points should be enough to keep them in the Premier League next season.

Magath said that getting something from next week's trip to Stoke City would be a bonus, and revealed that several players were back in contention against Hull City apart from Kostas Mitroglou, although the Greek has returned to training.

"I'm convinced we will stay up if we win our home games," he said in his pre-Hull City press conference. "We don't only have home games, we have to try and win the away game too.

"We have no problems with injuries. [Kieran Richardson, Sascha Riether and Mahamadou Diarra are] all available, but Mitroglou plays no role this weekend."

Fulham could move out of the bottom three with a win over Hull on Saturday.


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/relegation-battle/news/magath-home-wins-should-be-enough_151704.html

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Magath's Hull Preview

Felix Magath remains confident that his Fulham side have enough about them to secure their Premier League safety, and insists they will be targeting nine points from their remaining three matches.

Saturday's visit of Hull City is followed up by a trip to the Britannia Stadium, before the curtain comes down on an eventful campaign when we welcome Crystal Palace to the Cottage on May 11th.

Magath stated: "I'm convinced we will stay up if we win our home games, but we have another game next week away at Stoke and there's always a chance to win three points. We will not only try to win our home games, we try to win every game."

Scott Parker told fulhamfc.com this week that there was a bit of a nervous energy around Motspur Park because of what is at stake.

And while his Manager agrees that there is pressure on the Club, he believes it will be worse for our relegation rivals due to the fact that they tend to be the only team to support in their respective regions.

"In my opinion I think the atmosphere at Norwich or Sunderland or Cardiff will be more nervous than here," he explained. "We are under pressure but not as under pressure as these clubs from the small towns where the whole town is behind the club."

Hull arrive in London on the back of a successful season that has seen them reach the Final of the FA Cup with Budweiser, in tandem with a respectable Barclays Premier League campaign.

Some have suggested that their current points tally of 36 leaves them looking over their shoulder ahead of the season's climax, but Magath insists that sort of total will be sufficient for sides to stay up.

"Hull are six points ahead so they will be fine," he said. "The manager of Hull [Steve Bruce], he is a very experienced and good manager, and he will be telling everybody that they have to make points because they are not safe.

"But six points ahead is a lot going into the last three games so I think the teams with 37 points should not be afraid of relegation."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/april/25/magaths-hull-preview?

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LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Fulham v Hull

This is a huge game for Fulham, who are banking on winning this one and their final home match, against Crystal Palace on 11 May, to stay up.

The Cottagers were competitive at Tottenham last time out, despite their eventual defeat, and they are nothing like as bad a team as they were three or four months ago.

Hull were rolled over very easily by Arsenal last week and they have their FA Cup final against the Gunners on the horizon, too.

With 36 points, the Tigers are not mathematically safe from relegation yet, and a defeat here might set the alarm bells off.

To be honest, I think Hull will stay up with what they have got because I cannot see three of the bottom four teams reaching 36 points, but one win in their last four games would obviously cement their survival.

As soon as they do that, then they really will have their minds on Wembley.

Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Zac's prediction: 1-1


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27133256

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Palace may be eager to bring in Villa striker over summer

Crystal Palace look set to renew their interest in a Villa striker over the summer.

Crystal Palace are apparently not content simply stealing Aston Villa's planned lineups any more. Now they're going for players who would never be in those lineups, if new rumours are to be believed. Apparently Tony Pulis' club is set to renew their interest in Darren Bent over the summer despite the striker's woeful campaign at Fulham this year.

This could certainly be the case of standard football rumours: it had some truth once, so let's repeat it over and over until we literally cannot be believed any longer. (See: Joleon Lescott to Aston Villa) But it also makes a fair amount of sense. Palace have been desperate to score more goals this year. Even though they've been on a fantastic run of form lately, it's a bit tenuous considering that many of their wins could have turned into lost points simply by allowing one goal. A little more firepower up front could provide the squad with a bit of cushion and actually turn them into a very solid team. (The question, of course, is whether or not Bent has that bit of firepower left. Six league goals in two seasons suggest that he doesn't, but please don't tell Palace that.)

And given the situation, it would make sense for Villa to sell Bent and his wages for whatever price they could get. Even in the absence of Christian Benteke, Paul Lambert has made clear that Bent has no place in the Villa squad. If he won't be used, the club might as well get something for him. The linked article above suggests £4 million as a price Villa would take, but if they get offered even £2 million, they should take it and run.


http://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2014/4/25/5652456/aston-villa-crystal-palace-transfer-rumour-darren-bent?

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Record signing to miss out yet again when Fulham face Hull

Fulham club-record signing Kostas Mitroglou has returned to training following a knee injury, but will not be in the squad to face Hull on Saturday.

Mahamadou Diarra (knee), Kieran Richardson (hamstring) and Sascha Riether (illness) are all available for Felix Magath's side having missed the defeat at Tottenham.

Midfielder Lewis Holtby can also feature having been ineligible to play against his parent club last weekend.

Provisional Squad: Stockdale, Heitinga, Hangeland, Amorebieta, Riise, Sidwell, Parker, Dejagah, Kvist, Kacaniklic, Rodallega, Stekelenburg, Zverotic, Karagounis, Kasami, Bent, Diarra, Richardson, Riether, Holtby.



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/record_signing_to_miss_out_yet_again_when_fulham_face_hull_1_3573620

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Fulham boss Felix Magath confirms record signing Kostas Mitroglou is STILL not fit ahead of Hull clash

The Greek striker has only played twice for the Cottagers since arriving but Magath is focused on the task at hand and believes two more wins will keep his side afloat


Ed Sykes / Action Images
Not ready: Mitroglou has featured just twice for Fulham since signing in January
Kostas Mitroglou is still not fit to return for Fulham tomorrow.

Manager Felix Magath reckons two homes wins will be enough for the Cottagers to stay up - and he thinks opponents Hull are already safe on 36 points.

But £12m striker Mitroglou, who has only made two appearances since joining in January, is not included in the squad despite returning to training.

And with only two more games left, it is now doubtful whether the Greek will now play any part this season.

"It's too early for him to join us but the rest of the team is fit," said Magath.

"He was injured and came back to training this week. He plays no role this weekend. Now I have to care for Hull City. He will not be in the squad."

Fulham are on 30 points and their German manager reckons six more points will be enough for survival. After Hull, they travel to Stoke and then host Crystal Palace.

"Yes - I think if we win our last two home games, we will stay up," Magath said.

"I'm convinced we stay up if we win our home games, but we have another game away at Stoke so there's another game to win three points so we will try every game to win."

Magath ruled out FA Cup finalists Hull from the relegation scrap.

"I think there are four teams still fighting, still involved - Hull City will be fine," he said.

"If I was the manager of Hull, he is sure and tells everybody they have to make points because they are not safe but six points are a lot. The teams with 37 points have not to be afraid of relegation."

And the former Bayern Munich coach reckoned the task of fellow strugglers Norwich will be even harder at Old Trafford now Ryan Giggs has replaced David Moyes.

"That's the way the business goes," he said.

"If you get a new manager the players are forced to show that it was the right decision. Be sure it's now more difficult to win against Manchester United than last week."



http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulham-boss-felix-magath-confirms-3456543#ixzz2zyFOoRKW
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United plans to play Fulham in Florida

*D.C. United is in the process of agreeing to a July 26 friendly against Fulham at Jacksonville's EverBank Field, home of the NFL's Jaguars. Shahid Khan owns both Fulham and the Jaguars. The friendly would serve as one of the first events after the completion of stadium upgrades, which include one of the world's largest video boards, cabana-style seating and wading pools.

With three Premier League matches remaining, the Cottagers (9-23-3) are in danger of relegation to the English Championship division.

United does not have a league match scheduled on the July 26-27 weekend. The club will host Chivas USA on July 20 and Toronto FC on July 30. Ben Olsen would likely mix regulars and reserves for the friendly. Presumably, the club will have expenses covered by the Jaguars and collect an appearance fee.

Jacksonville is also staging the U.S. national team's friendly against Nigeria on June 7, the Americans' final major tuneup before the World Cup in Brazil.

*Those rumors flying around the interwebs about United chasing Italian legend Alessandro del Piero? News to United's staff. Del Piero, riding into the sunset in Australia, will turn 40 this year.

*Sometime today, I'll post a link to my profile of Argentine forward Fabian Espindola. There are references to a piglet, waterfalls, a back-flip gone wrong, Maradona, a scuffle, "wonderful arrogance" and "plays angry."

*I am expecting goalkeeper Bill Hamid to return to the lineup Saturday night against league-best FC Dallas at RFK Stadium after missing three matches with a toe injury. Andrew Dykstra performed well in his absence, conceding one goal, but Hamid is the clear first-choice keeper and, if not for the injury, would have retained the starting job. In other words, it's not as if he were benched after a series of poor performances. Barring a late setback for Hamid, Dykstra will return to the No. 2 role.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2014/04/25/united-plans-to-play-fulham-in-florida/?

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Bruce wants Hull to secure safety at Fulham

Hull City boss Steve Bruce wants his team to secure Premier League safety this weekend with a win over Fulham, reports the Hull Daily Mail.

A victory at Craven Cottage tomorrow afternoon and defeat for Norwich City at Manchester United will mean that Hull will secure a place in the top flight for another season.

Having already beaten Fulham in the reverse fixture at the end of last year, Bruce believes victory over the Cottagers would be a 'fitting finale' to their campaign.

He said: "We need to go there and get a result. It's a big game for everyone. We know what we have to do.

"The players have worked incredibly hard this season to come this far and just need to get over the line. We've not been lower than 14th all season and that's a reflection of how well we've done as a newly-promoted team.

"They've been a terrific bunch of lads and a pleasure to work with. All it needs now is one more result and we want that to come at Fulham."

The last meeting between the teams saw a 6-0 thumping of Fulham at the KC Stadium last December.

But with Hull looking to tie up safety, a win for Fulham will see them move out of the relegation zone depending on other results elsewhere.


http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_0_24760_-.html#.U1tQ3sYcKbA

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That Magath Confidence Shines Through
   
As the squad prepares to face Hull City tomorrow (Saturday), in a fixture they dare not lose, Felix Magath has again showed just how the power of positivity is being utilized.

Talking about the on-going relegation battle, Felix remains convinced that Fulham will remain in the top flight believing those teams around us are feeling the pressure much more, with the German remarking ahead of the clash with Steve Bruce`s outfit,

'In my opinion I think the atmosphere at Norwich or Sunderland or Cardiff will be more nervous than here.'

'We are under pressure, but not so as under pressure as these clubs from the small towns where the whole town is behind the club."

'I am convinced we will stay up if we win our home games, but we have another game next week away at Stoke and there is always a chance to win three points. We will not only try to win at our home games, we try to win every game.'

I`d suggest that by this time tomorrow the relegation picture will be a lot clearer, let`s hope the muddied waters appear a lot clearer as far as Fulham Football Club are concerned.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=357161#ixzz2zyGctLiM

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Fulham FC, D.C. United to play match at EverBank Field

Jacksonville Jaguars and SMG will host the friendly on July 26.

Fulham Football Club and D.C. United are scheduled to play a friendly soccer match at Jacksonville's EverBank Field on Saturday, July 26. The match will be part of preseason preparations for Fulham in advance of their 2014 season, while it will be a midseason friendly for D.C. United. The Jacksonville Jaguars and SMG are hosting the event.

"We're looking forward to staging this match for fans of both types of football and introducing Fulham not only to Jacksonville, but to fans throughout the state and nation," said Shahid Khan, owner of Fulham and the Jaguars. "There is great passion in the Jacksonville area for soccer, and this will be a rare opportunity to see our Fulham team play in Jacksonville, and against one of the premier professional franchises in American soccer."

Fulham FC, which was purchased by Khan last year, plays in the Barclays Premier League. D.C. United plays in Major League Soccer (MLS) and is a four-time league champion. Ticket information for this match will be provided at a later date, along with starting time and further details. There will be more major announcements to follow.

About Fulham Football Club

Fulham Football Club was formed in 1879 as a local boys' church side, Fulham St Andrew's. The oldest of London's first class clubs, Fulham FC has a long and colorful history spanning over 130 years. Fulham's Chairman, Shahid Khan, assumed 100 per cent ownership of the Club in July 2013 after buying it from businessman Mohamed Al Fayed, who had been in charge for 16 years. The Club achieved its highest ever position in the top-flight of English football, having finished the 2008-2009 season in seventh place. The following season, Fulham reached the final of the inaugural UEFA Europa League competition. The 2013-14 campaign is Fulham FC's 13th consecutive season in the Barclays Premier League; English football's top-flight division. More information is available at www.fulhamfc.com.

About D.C. United

Headquartered in Washington, D.C. and playing home matches at RFK Stadium, D.C. United is the most successful professional soccer organization in the history of the United States.  United is a four-time MLS Cup Champion (1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004) and winners of the 1996, 2008 and 2013 U.S. Open Cup, the 1998 CONCACAF Champions Cup, the 1998 InterAmerican Cup and the 1997, 1999, 2006 and 2007 MLS Supporters' Shield.  For the latest headlines and official information on the Black-and-Red, log on to www.dcunited.com.


http://www.jaguars.com/news/article-JaguarsNews/Fulham-FC-DC-United-to-play-match-at-EverBank-Field/d5c06f8c-15ba-4cd7-96e5-2ee6e56d3cec?

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Felix Magath feels Fulham are at a disadvantage as Cottagers don't have the motivation of representing a one-club town

Felix Magath believes it will be harder for Fulham to stay in the Barclays Premier League because his side do not have the added motivation of representing a one-club town.

The German believes the fight for survival is now a straight shoot-out between Fulham, Norwich, Sunderland and Cardiff and thinks his club are at a disadvantage being one of six London teams in the top flight.

Magath quipped more people are bothered about seeing the Queen than whether Fulham stay up but has invited fans to the club's training ground for lunch to try and improve the 'bond' between his squad and their supporters.


Disadvantage: Felix Magath admits Fulham don't have the added motivation of representing a one-club town

The Fulham boss remains optimistic he will preserve his record of never taking a club down if his side can win their two remaining home games against Hull City on Saturday and Crystal Palace, but has had to impress on his players the seriousness of their situation.

Magath said: 'For Sunderland, Norwich and Cardiff it might be easier for them because the whole city will put pressure on the team and the players and they will support them.

'Here in London you have too many big teams so the pressure does not come from outside. The atmosphere here is more relaxed than Sunderland so I have to do more to make the players sensitive to the situation.

'If you are playing for Sunderland and live there then every day you meet people and they say, "We cross our fingers for Saturday" and "We will push you" and the players hear it every day a lot of times.


Tough going: Elsad Zverotic and Giorgios Karagounis look dejected following last week's defeat to Spurs

Optimistic: Steve Sidwell (centre) is congratulated by Hugo Rodallega and William Kvist after scoring against Tottenham at White Hart Lane in Fulham's 3-1 defeat last Saturday

'Here in London if you go out they say: "Where's the Queen?"

'I am living in Battersea so there are some Fulham fans but it is another situation if the whole town has expectations and the grocery or the bakery; if everywhere you go the situation will be mentioned.

'Here (in London) there is too many different things you have to care about, not only Fulham.

'But the atmosphere at Norwich or Sunderland or Cardiff will be more nervous than here.

'We are under pressure but not so under pressure as these clubs from small towns where the whole town is behind the club.

'It will be much more interesting for the likes of Sunderland and Norwich than here in London.'


Still waiting: Kostas Mitroglou will play no part against Hull but has returned to Fulham training

Kieran Richardson, Mahamadou Diarra and Sascha Riether have all recovered from the late knocks that ruled them out of last week's 3-1 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur, but record signing Kostas Mitroglou will play no part on Saturday.

The Greece striker is finally back in training after recovering from a knee injury, having played just 120 minutes for Fulham since joining the club in January, but is still lacking the match fitness to form part of Magath's squad.

The Fulham manager added: 'Maybe he will join us next week (for the match away against Stoke City). We will see how he works now and he has to get used to training and we will see whether the injury will react.'



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2613467/Felix-Magath-feels-Fulham-disadvantage-Cottagers-dont-motivation-representing-one-club-town.html#ixzz2zyHuoiq7
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Fulham boss Felix Magath: We aren't under as much pressure as our relegation rivals
FELIX MAGATH will receive the freedom of the Fulham Palace Road if he lives up to his reputation as the King of avoiding relegation.

But the veteran German boss admits punters in London are more interested in the Queen than Fulham's fight for Premier League survival.

Magath has never been relegated in his 19-year managerial career after saving six clubs from the drop in the Bundesliga.

Capital city outfit Fulham are fighting it out against passionate provincial sides Sunderland, Norwich and Cardiff to ensure their status in the top-flight.

And Magath, whose side take on Hull today, insists he has been forced to become the club's chief cheerleader in a bid to turn up the heat on his players and create a more intense atmosphere.

Magath said: "For Sunderland, Norwich and Cardiff it might be easier for them because the whole city will put pressure on the team and the players and they will support them.

"If you live in Sunderland, the players every day meet the fans and they say, 'We cross our fingers for Saturday' and 'We will push you'.

"I have told my players that it is a bit more difficult for us because there's nobody who gives us the pressure.

"Here in London you have too many big teams to care about, not only Fulham, so the pressure does not come from outside. If you go out, they say, 'Where is the Queen?'

"The atmosphere here is more relaxed than Sunderland so I have to do more to make the players sensitive to the situation. We have to do it ourselves because we don't have the emotions of the city.

"I had to do that for the whole week with the players and I'm sure we will have the right attitude for the game. We have to stick together."

Magath kept German sides Hamburg, FC Nurnberg, Werder Bremen, Eintracht Frankfurt, VfB Stuttgart and Wolfsburg in the top-flight and the 60-year-old does not intend to add a relegation to his impressive CV.

Magath, who took over from Rene Meulensteen in February, added: "I came here and took this job and I'm sure we will avoid relegation.

"We have three games now and things develop not as fast as Crystal Palace but they are developing.

"I know it is always difficult to take over a club when there was no transfer window. You have no chance to react, only the chance to work with the current players.

"There is always a risk you can manage it or not, you never know. Things have developed. Maybe they are developing not so fast as we want to.

'But if we win our last two home games, I think we will stay up. I'm convinced we stay up if we win our home games."

While Magath believes 36 points will be enough to retain Fulham in the Premier League for an admirable 14th successive season, the ex-Bayern Munich manager believes Steve Bruce's FA Cup finalists are already safe.

Magath said: "'I think there are four teams still fighting, still involved. Hull City will be fine. If I was the manager of Hull, he is sure and tells everybody they have to make points because they are not safe but six points are a lot. The teams with 36 or 37 points have not to be afraid of relegation."



http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/376117/Fulham-boss-Felix-Magath-We-aren-t-under-as-much-pressure-as-our-relegation-rivals

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No margin for error

Tension will fill the West London air again Saturday afternoon as Fulham take on Hull City in their penultimate home game at Craven Cottage.

Once the latest round of fixtures had all been completed the Whites found themselves back below Cardiff among the bottom three, and Sunderland, who two weeks ago I had written off, are breathing right down Fulham's necks after taking four points in a week from games with Man City and Chelsea. Who saw that coming?

Even the one big result to go in the Londoners' favour, home defeat for Norwich at the hands of Liverpool, saw the Canaries give it a real go against the new favourites for the title. Getting through these last three games of a torrid season is real torture for fans of every struggling club -- and followers are losing sleep across all corners of the land.

In a results-driven business, one has only to consider the madness at Manchester United this past week, where David Moyes is not even given a one-season period of grace to reshape and rejuvenate the ageing team left him by Sir Alex. The 7 million banked by Moyes for his brief tenure will be small recompense for the stain on his CV and the humiliation suffered to his reputation.

Felix Magath also boasts an impressive track record in football, both as player and coach. His owlish countenance has changed little from the day he first surfaced in SW6 wrapped in his pristine new black-and-white scarf for the cameras. He said then, and has maintained since, that Fulham would beat the drop. Their chances of doing so are stretched as thin as the skin on a bat's wing. One slip-up against Hull on Saturday and surely it's curtains for the Whites.

Though last week's trip to Spurs proved a downer, defeat was not exactly unexpected, and only served to highlight how stretched are the club's resources. With money on the table from a new owner in January, the current dearth of quality in depth among the first-team squad is a shameful indictment of shambolic work behind the scenes. Magath, I now suspect, wrote the game off at Spurs in advance.

A week on and reports say Sascha Riether, Kieran Richardson and Mahamadou Diarra are all fit to return. Fulham fans will pray they are. Magath needs his strongest 11 out there for this and the last two games of the season, at Stoke and then home to Crystal Palace.

But then the boss, I'm certain, was telling the fans that record signing Kostas Mitroglou would be in the frame this week, yet the Greek is still not ready for first-team duty. Can Fulham pull off a third home win in a row and keep the flame alive for another seven days?

The game plan is a simple one. The Whites have to go for the win. High-energy football, but hopefully wedded to some rigorous defending and controlled football rather than the headless chickens we saw in that crushing 6-0 defeat at Hull in the late December fixture -- truly the nadir of Fulham's miserable season to date.

Steve Bruce's side are no mugs, but their season is effectively over, with only the Cup to play for. The Tigers were too easily turned over by Arsenal last week, maybe, but they won't be relegated. Their away form is almost as bad as Fulham's, it is true, but with the imperative of home wins needed here and against Palace for Magath to deliver on his promise, I am taking Fulham to find the win they need to climb out of the bottom three.

Now if I keep repeating that perhaps I'll get a good night's sleep. COYW!


http://www.espnfc.com/blog/_/name/fulham/id/2080?&cc=5739