Friday Fulham Stuff (07/09/12)...

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Hangeland avoiding predictions

Norway captain Brede Hangeland is reluctant to pick any favourites to advance from World Cup qualifying Group E but is confident he and his team-mates have what it takes to reach Brazil 2014.

Egil Olsen's side opens its qualifying campaign on Friday evening (Saturday morning AEST) away against Iceland in a group that also features Albania, Cyprus, Slovenia and Switzerland.

The latter pair in particular will fancy their chances of making it through to the finals but Hangeland does not want to start making predictions.

However, the Fulham defender is sure that if Norway plays to its potential, it is good enough to emerge from the group and compete in what would be its first major tournament for 14 years.

Asked about who the favourites are in Group E, Hangeland told fotball.no: "Switzerland has been mentioned, but I find it difficult to answer.

"We might have trouble naming many of the Slovenian players, but they probably have a very good team. All matches will be difficult.

"This is a very even group. We should be happy that we avoided the top nations, but there are no easy opponents in the pot.

"It is not impossible - if we play at our best, we are good enough. We need to focus."

Hangeland expects a testing assignment for the team in Reykjavik.

"The most important thing for us in this qualification campaign is that we have maximum winning mentality, which will be very important in the first match against Iceland," Hangeland said.

"It will be a very tough game, a game for men."

After the Iceland game, Norway faces Slovenia at home on Tuesday and then both Switzerland and Cyprus away in a double-header in October.

Speaking about his hopes and expectations for his side, head coach Olsen said: "It's a tough opening for us, and six points can be good, although it depends on how we get them.

"A win against Slovenia and drawing the other three games would be a good start, but if we lose against Slovenia, that is not good.

"The most important thing is what we do at home. We will be in trouble if we give away too many points at the Ullevaal Stadion."

Tomorrow's other Group E games see Slovenia host Switzerland and Albania entertain Cyprus.



http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1119581/Hangeland-avoiding-predictions?

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Former Fulham winger agrees Spanish move



Former Millwall and Fulham winger Hamer Bouazza has signed a one-year deal with Spanish side Racing Santander.

Bouazza, who has also turned out for five other English clubs including Watford and Birmingham, was released by Millwall earlier this summer.

He promptly joined Omonia Nicosia in July, but he lasted less than four weeks at the Cypriot side after seeing his contract cancelled by mutual consent before the start of August.

The Algeria international has now agreed to a move to Racing, and the 27-year-old will be looking to help his side push for promotion this year after they suffered relegation from La Liga last term.



Read more at http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/120906/former-fulham-winger-agrees-spanish-move-180402?#IXqvIIg53klwCHr4.99

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Fulham man praises former Liverpool star

Matthew Briggs says he has learnt a lot from Fulham team-mate John Arne Riise.

The 21-year-old defender deputised for ex-Liverpool and Roma man Riise in the Cottagers' last two games against Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday.

The Norwegian is now expected to take back his place in the team but Briggs is bearing no grudges.

"John is such a professional," he told Fulham's official website.

"He's always one of the first to arrive for training in the morning and one of the last to leave.

"I've learnt a lot from him and he's always telling me things I can do to improve my game."



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_man_praises_former_liverpool_star_1_1507840?

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Midfielder Linked
   
Although the transfer window may very well be closed, it hasn`t stopped the red-top publications from further speculating as to who might be heading to Craven Cottage.

The latest name to be linked to Craven Cottage is the Bordeaux midfielder Yoann Gourcoff

It seems that the 26 year-old becomes a free agent next May and that Martin Jol has more than just a passing design in luring him to Craven Cottage, although with the rules as they are, we don`t believe that anything concrete will happen until January 2013.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=292724#ixzz25kh9I2NP

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Fulham midfielder made available for loan


Pajtim Kasami

MARTIN Jol plans to send youngster Pajtim Kasami out on loan to get regular first-team football.

The Swiss starlet has failed to cement a midfield spot since his move to Craven Cottage last summer, making just three Premier League starts.

Kasami came off the bench in the opening day drubbing of Norwich, but failed to take his chance when handed an opportunity in the Capital One Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday last week.

And Fulham boss Jol believes the 20-year-old would benefit from a spell away from SW6 to get some game time under his belt.

He told the Chronicle: "Kasami is a youngster and if everyone is sound and well he won't start, he knows that.

"That's a bit of a problem with him because he wants to play all the time.

"I feel he should do a bit better and push for a starting place but he's not there yet. I think he could benefit from a loan spell."



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2012/09/06/82029-31784653/?#ixzz25nA8mmYr

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Revealed: How Liverpool's pursuit of Dempsey prompted his unprecedented exile from Fulham's HQ
The USA international was targeted by the Anfield outfit throughout the summer transfer window before completing a dramatic deadline day move to Tottenham

SPECIAL REPORT
By Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent

When Tottenham provided Clint Dempsey with a timely exit from Fulham on deadline day, it did more than lay bare the power struggle between Brendan Rodgers and the Liverpool hierarchy.

It also provided a full stop to a fraught final chapter of Dempsey's five-and-a-half years in west London, one which threatened to derail not just his early season but his professional career.

Goal.com can reveal in detail the depth of the hostility between the US international and his employers during a fraught two-month period, featuring bust-ups with his manager, an exile from the club, an official Premier League complaint and a strong-armed intervention from a millionaire owner.

Liverpool had laid down a marker by expressing their interest in buying Dempsey at the end of last season, even before Brendan Rodgers was appointed manager on June 1.

There was nothing official or 'concrete', in the parlance of football executives, but it was clear to Fulham over early summer that the Merseysiders were on the trail of the scorer of 23 goals last season.

So convinced was Dempsey - regarded as a human dynamo for his capacity to play in every game for club and country - that he was joining Liverpool that there was a seismic shift in his attitude to the club he joined in January 2007.

Fulham were informed he would be reporting late for pre-season training, which began in the first week of July. In the event, he was four days later than originally scheduled.

This breach of contract was reluctantly accepted by the club and manager Martin Jol, partly because they assumed a formal bid for the player from Liverpool was imminent.

It was not. There were informal discussions with the Merseysiders about a player-exchange for Dempsey – with Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing among the names that cropped up – but no offer, the first hint that the Anfield purse strings were being tightly squeezed.

Fulham, knowing how difficult it would be to replace Dempsey's goals and impact in the final third, held out an olive branch by offering the attacking midfielder an improved three-year contract with the option of a fourth year. It was immediately rejected by the player who, at 29 and on the back of the best season of his professional career, felt it was the last opportunity he would get to sign for a Champions League calibre club.

The saga was brought into the public domain following an embarrassing error on July 18 by a website belonging to Fenway Sports Group, which published a link claiming that Dempsey was a Liverpool player.   

The story was hastily removed but Rodgers addressed the subject in an interview the same day.

"Clint is a player we've inquired about, it is as simple as that," Rodgers said. "Ian Ayre, our managing director, has spoken with the club to see what the position is. That is where we're at. He's a very talented player but we don't like to talk about other clubs' players."

Rodgers assumed he was smoothing over a delicate situation but it prompted an angry response from Fulham. As revealed by Goal.com last month, the Londoners made an official complaint to the Premier League, claiming that Rodgers had broken the governing body's rules by effectively 'tapping up' the American.

Meanwhile, the discord behind the scenes was growing. Three days before Fulham were due to fly to Switzerland for a week-long pre-season training camp that began on July 30, a confrontation occured between Dempsey and Jol at Fulham's Motspur Park headquarters which ended up with the midfielder not going on the trip.

Jol claimed Dempsey refused to play, while the player told friends his manager told him he would not be travelling. What is not disputed is that, as explained by Goal.com, the pair exchanged strong words. In the words of one observer, they even "squared up" at one stage.

Dempsey made it clear that he wanted to quit the club for Liverpool and would do whatever was necessary to force a move. In turn, the Dutchman said the attacking midfielder would not be sold unless Fulham's valuation was met.

While Fulham's first-team squad was being put through their paces at an Alpine resort, Dempsey trained with the youth team. It proved to be only a temporary sticking plaster to what was becoming a gaping wound.

Wary that Dempsey's unhappiness would spread to impressionable youngsters who looked up to him, the player was ordered to train on his own away from both the senior and development squads.

With the new Premier League season on the horizon, still no bid arrived from Anfield. However, there was no prospect of Dempsey being involved in the curtain-raiser against Norwich City on August 18.

Jol made this abundantly clear at his pre-match press conference by going public with Fulham's side of the story for the first time.

In language that went beyond even Andre Villas-Boas' simultaneous strongly-worded bulletins on Luka Modric's Tottenham exit strategy, Jol said of Dempsey: "He is not committed to the club. He wants to leave. I would like to keep him, but I think it's impossible. It's a sad and an almost embarrassing situation. Clint himself told everyone he was going to Liverpool so we really thought there was quite a firm interest in him."

Dempsey responded by using his Twitter account to make clear his dissatisfaction at Jol's comments.  "There are two sides to the story," Dempsey wrote. "The truth will come out soon." The relationship between player and club was now almost irreparable.

By this time, Aston Villa and Everton had also made enquiries about the American but Liverpool, who were still trying to get Andy Carroll off the Anfield wage bill, had not followed up their own interest with a formal bid.

It is understood this prompted a series of "emotional" responses from Dempsey towards senior Fulham figures as his dream move stagnated, although the player was aware that other clubs were on his trail.

Recognising the unrest he was creating, Fulham acted decisively. It can be revealed that 10 days before the end of the window the club went to the extreme measure of banning Dempsey from the training ground and ordering him to train on his own at a local sports ground.

Mohamed Al-Fayed is generally a 'hands-off' owner and chairman, leaving the day-to-day running of the club to chief executive Alistair Mackintosh.

But he felt that Dempsey was treating the club with disdain, behaviour that he took personally. Al-Fayed vowed that the American would not be granted a simple passage out of the club, even if it meant Fulham failing to off-load an unhappy player who could leave for nothing when his contract expired in 2013. 

Conversations with Liverpool over a player-exchange for Dempsey continued in the middle of last week. Jordan Henderson and a number of junior Anfield squad players were discussed but an agreement could not be reached.

Villa sensed a late opportunity to end the rift between Dempsey and Fulham by making a bid less than 24 hours before the end of the window.

The offer, believed to be a £5m down payment supplemented by £2m in add-ons, was accepted by the Cottagers. Dempsey, however, rejected the move.

Positions were entrenched. With space on the wage bill freed up by Carroll's loan to West Ham, Liverpool finally made a formal bid for Dempsey last Friday afternoon but offered an initial instalment of only £3m.

As the clock ticked down, Fulham refused to budge on their valuation for Dempsey. As far as the club was concerned, there was no route back to the first team for the club's most prolific player.

There was even talk of an autumn loan to a Championship club. In the words of one insider: "the chairman wanted to teach him a lesson".

With Dempsey on the brink and Liverpool and Fulham locked in stalemate, Tottenham came to the rescue just as the sun was beginning to set on deadline day.

Spurs' hopes of replacing Rafael van der Vaart with Joao Moutinho were hanging by a thread and Daniel Levy made his now customary eleventh hour move to beef up the squad.

Levy matched Villa's offer, Dempsey leapt at the opportunity to join a Champions League calibre club and a car was dispatched to take him to Spurs Lodge and put pen to paper.

Finally, the summer's longest transfer saga was over. Tottenham had found a solution to their midfield hole, Fulham's tough stance had been financially vindicated and Dempsey had finally got a move, albeit not to his first choice club. For Liverpool, however, the problems were only beginning.



http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/09/07/3356326/-?

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100 Not Out

Mark Schwarzer won his 100th cap for the national team on Thursday in Australia's friendly victory over Lebanon in Beirut.

Schwarzer kept a clean sheet as goals from Tim Cahill, Matt McKay and Archie Thompson secured a 3-0 triumph for the Socceroos as they set themselves up perfectly for next week's important 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Jordan.

No player has ever reached a century of caps for the Australian national side before, and Schwarzer's 100th came little more than 19 years after making his debut.

Socceroos goalkeeping coach Tony Franken was quick to praise Schwarzer's contributions after the game:

"I'd like to think that Mark's not only an ambassador for football, but for sport in general," said Franken. "He's very humble, he's achieved massive amounts in his career, but he's generally a good bloke."

Mark, professional as ever, was pleased after reaching the milestone but immediately turned his thoughts to the team's next game.

"I think it's one of those accomplishments that I'll look back on later on in life with probably a bit more acknowledgement," Schwarzer said. "Now it's about getting back down to business and hopefully getting the result we need against Jordan."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/07/100-not-out?

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Fulham FC celebrates Berbatov signing with outdoor ads



Fulham Football Club is to celebrate the signing of Dimitar Berbatov from Manchester United with an outdoor digital billboard campaign.

The ads will appear on Ocean Outdoor's Two Towers West site which is within half a mile of Craven Cottage in the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.

The dynamic copy, created by branding agency Heavenly, changes to mark the footballer's tranfer from M16 to SW6, wearing the number 9 shirt.

The ads will go live ahead of Berbatov's first game for the Cottagers, which is likely to be the September 15 clash with West Brom.


Read more at http://www.thedrum.com/news/2012/09/07/fulham-fc-celebrates-berbatov-signing-outdoor-ads#6FZpxLRBZol3B0Dy.99

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Fulham Focus - Who can Jol call upon to replace Dembele?

The international break is upon us and Martin Jol will be having as tough a time as any club manager. Following Fulham's promising start to the season, the Cottagers have collapsed in recent weeks and have lost talismen Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey late in the transfer window. As important as Dempsey's goals were, it is Dembele that will provide the biggest miss. His absence was keenly felt at Upton Park last Saturday, where Fulham missed the Belgian's midfield presence.



But with the transfer window now closed, Jol has to find a replacement within his current options. So who at Fulham could fill Dembele's shoes alongside Mahamadou Diarra until January?

Steve Sidwell: The ex-Chelsea and Aston Villa man took Dembele's place at Upton Park and it is fair to say he struggled somewhat, though he did not see much of the ball admittedly as West Ham constantly searched long for Andy Carroll. Does not possess the creative class of Dembele but is an experienced campaigner and could ensure some stability until Jol can go into the transfer market again.

Pajtim Kasami: Arrived from Palermo last summer with high expectations but appeared a little lightweight and underwhelmed in his outings in the playmaker role. However, has time on his side and featured well in pre-season. Should perhaps not be rushed in too quickly but Dembele's departure could be the opportunity he has needed.

Kieran Richardson: Has played before in central midfield for his previous clubs and would provide a pacey option with a modicum of creativity but without the presence that Dembele brought. However, looks to be far more suited to the wider positions and took up a position on the left against West Ham, although to little effect.

Damien Duff: Nominally plays on the wing but with his pace declining and new wide players arriving in the form of Richardson and Ashkan Dejagah, could play a role in central midfield. Will undoubtedly lack the physical presence in the tackle but in home games, possesses the talent and vision to pick passes, as well as get forward and score goals. Would obviously not be a long-term solution at the age of 33 but could be an option for Jol.

Simon Davies: A somewhat forgotten man at Craven Cottage. Was a key member of Roy Hodgson's squad but has struggled with injuries of late. Much like Duff, is ageing and is suited to the wider roles but without a true replacement for Dembele, could perhaps provide some experience and nous in the middle of the park.

Chris Baird: Versatile, Baird can play central midfield if Jol wishes to be more defensive-minded but as a Dutchman, would surely prefer more attacking thrust.

So, we can see how Jol is not entirely laden with options when looking to replace his star man. It looked a risk to eagerly jettison the likes of Dickson Etuhu and particularly Danny Murphy in the summer and with Dembele's departure, those fears have now come to fruition.



http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_1_16588_fulham-focus-who-can-jol-call-upon-to-replace-dembele.html

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Tough Competition

The strikeforce at Fulham has a completely new look from the men who led the line a year ago, with Martin Jol adding impressive firepower to his ranks in the forms of Dimitar Berbatov, Mladen Petric and Hugo Rodallega.

In fact, such is the transition our frontline has undergone, that the longest serving out-and-out striker currently in the First Team is 19-year-old Marcello Trotta.

The Italian youth international made his debut for the Whites at the start of the year and added to his appearances with a run-out at Bolton Wanderers and, most recently, in our disappointing Capital One Cup exit to Sheffield Wednesday.

"That was a disappointing result," Marcello said of the 1-0 defeat. "We didn't play our best. We didn't create too many chances. We were unlucky with the penalty but as a Barclays Premier League club you have to do better.

"I hope to be involved as much as possible this season. We have four good strikers and there is a lot of competition so I will have to work hard for my chance.

"I'm young and I'm still learning so we will see what goes on this year. The Manager wants me to learn from the other three players. There are aspects of my game I need to improve on. I want to get hold of the ball better, make more runs and mix up my game."

There is undoubtedly plenty that he can learn from the three strikers currently ahead of him in the pecking order, and Marcello admits he was delighted with our latest addition to the Fulham frontmen.

"Dimitar Berbatov is of course an amazing player," he said. "He's played at a top club like Manchester United so to learn from him will be very good. Training with him every day will only benefit me.

"When I was growing up, I looked more to Serie A players like [Christian] Vieri and Adriano, but when I came to England I started to watch players like Berbatov."

After a productive 2011/12 campaign, Marcello celebrated his breakthrough season by signing a new contract at the Club in the summer and the forward told fulhamfc.com that he is still loving his time down by the banks of the Thames.

"I'm very happy here," Trotta stated. "I love London. I've been here for four years and it's great. It was hard when I first came over and was away from my family – it's still hard now – but you have to keep going when you have an opportunity like this."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/07/tough-competition?

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Fulham midfielder Mahamadou Diarra is happy to return to the international scene with Mali


Mahamadou Diarra: Enjoying being back on the international scene with Mali

Fulham midfielder Mahamadou Diarra is delighted to be back in the national team set-up with Mali after a long spell away from international football.

Diarra returns after a year's absence to lead his country in their African Nations Cup qualifier against Botswana in Bamako on Saturday.

The 31-year-old has not played for Mali since June 2011, after which he was not selected because he did not have a club and was not playing regular football following his exit from Monaco.
But after recovering from injuries which hindered a large chunk of his last campaign, Diarra has returned to regular action with the Cottagers, putting him on the radar of new Mali coach Patrick Carteron.

He told Sky Sports: "I am definitely happy to be back playing on a big stage. To be in the national team is a dream come true.

"Bostwana are a good team and we will try to get an advantage in the first game."

Asked about reclaiming the captain's armband for his country the midfielder, who has 64 caps, said: "To be honest I am just happy to be back playing.

"(It's not about) coming and taking the captain's armband. I am here to play for my people; people who have loved me and supported me throughout my career.

"The armband is not the most important thing. I have to defend and play for my country and try to qualify with them."



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11681/8059015?

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Mark Schwarzer is first Aussie to hit a century in football

Mark Schwarzer last night became the first Australian to win 100 caps when he kept a clean sheet in their 3‑0 victory over Lebanon.

The 39-year-old Fulham goalkeeper made his Australia debut in 1994 and played at both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.

"His contribution has been extraordinary," said Australia coach Holger Osieck. "It is no surprise he is the first to get to the 100-caps mark because he is the role model of the professional and a great personality."

Fernando Torres is 11 years younger than Schwarzer but will also reach a century of international appearances when Spain face Saudi Arabia in a friendly tonight. The Chelsea striker has scored 31 goals in 99 appearances and is expected to start in Pontevedra.

Meanwhile, new Arsenal signing Olivier Giroud has been ruled out of France's Group I opener against Finland tonight because of a muscle injury.

Coach Dider Deschamps expects the 25-year-old, who moved from Montpellier in the summer, to return for Tuesday's qualifier against Belarus.



http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/mark-schwarzer-is-first-aussie-to-hit-a-century-in-football-8117372.html

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Fulham make move to sign free agent Karagounis
The London club are ready to offer the unattached veteran midfielder a contract after being made aware of his interest in a transfer to the Premier League



EXCLUSIVE
By Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent

Fulham have lined up a move to sign Greece icon Giorgis Karagounis, Goal.com can reveal.

The London club are ready to offer the veteran midfielder, who is currently a free agent, a contract after he failed to reach agreement with Panathinaikos over a new deal.

Manager Martin Jol believes the 35-year-old has the pedigree to strengthen the Fulham squad following the departures of Mousa Dembele and Clint Dempsey.

Karagounis captained the Greece team that qualified against the odds for the Euro 2012 quarter-finals.

He scored the only goal in Greece's shock 1-0 win over Russia that sent the underdogs into the knockout stage on the night he earned a national record-equalling 120th cap but then missed the 4-2 last-eight defeat to Germany through suspension.

Jol has lined up Karagounis after being made aware of the attacking midfielder's interest in moving to the Premier League following the end of his second five-year spell at Panathinaikos.

The former Inter and Benfica player could not agree fresh terms with the cash-strapped Greek giants.

Premier League rules state that clubs can sign unattached players outside of the transfer window provided there is a space available in the 25-man squad submitted to the ruling body.

The application must be ratified by the League's board, who deal with each request on a case-by-case basis.


http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/09/07/3359878/-?