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Thursday Fulham Stuff (18/10/12)...

Started by WhiteJC, October 18, 2012, 04:33:29 AM

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WhiteJC

 
Arsenal Away Tickets

Fulham make the short trip to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday 10th November. Tickets sold out for our recent away game at Southampton which ended 2-2 and our allocation for Reading away has also already sold out.

The Whites are expected to take another large away following to Arsenal so be sure to get your tickets as soon as possible.

All Season Ticket Holders now have access to tickets, as well as Members with 125+ Loyalty Points. All other Members will be able to buy from 9am on Thursday 18th October.

Only one ticket is available per person. Find out more and buy online today.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/october/17/arsenal-away-tickets?

WhiteJC

 
Schwarzer praises prolific Cahill

Australia great Mark Schwarzer says long-time team-mate Tim Cahill deserves to become the Socceroos' greatest ever goalscorer.

The former Everton player is only three goals away from Damian Mori's national record of 29 after his 80th-minute goal in Australia's 2-1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying win over Iraq in Doha.

The scoring charts for Australia have been skewed because of the number of goals coming against Oceania minnows with former NSL marksman Mori netting 23 times against such opposition.

Schwarzer backed the 32-year-old Cahill to capture the mark with such a record deserving to belong to one of the Socceroos' greatest contributors.

"He's been a phenomenal player for Australia and for whoever he's played for throughout his career, whether it be Millwall, Everton or now New York Red Bulls," Schwarzer said.

"He's a top lad to have around as well.

"His goalscoring record is a very good goalscoring record.

"Records are there to be broken and it would be very fitting if Timmy did break it and I'm sure he will."

Cahill had better keep on scoring with his good mate Archie Thompson hot on his tail.

The A-League player, who netted 13 times in the famous 31-0 win over American Samoa, improved his record to 24 goals in 41 internationals by nodding home the winner against Iraq at Grand Hamad Stadium.



http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1124882/Schwarzer-Cahill-deserves-record?

WhiteJC

 
Northern Ireland defender Aaron Hughes revels in heroics


PROUD: Aaron Hughes

AMID THE blustery rain, the 48,000 spectators, the carnival of Cristiano Ronaldo's 100th international cap and the emerging chance that Northern Ireland could make history, even the most astute of players sometimes miss the finer details.

Aaron Hughes, typified by his experience and intelligent ability to read the game, failed to register Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill's decision to stay faithful to his starting eleven against Portugal on Tuesday night.

"As it was, Michael saw fit to just keep the lads there – I didn't actually notice!," Hughes said.

"That just shows how hard the lads were working.

"When the game's that tight, no one's struggling, everyone's doing a good job, it's difficult to make substitutions, you maybe don't have to."

The night Northern Ireland – unsurprisingly as ever fielding a depleted side – managed to hold Portugal, rated the third best team in the world, away from home will never be forgotten.

The 1-1 result put a heavy dampener on Ronaldo's parade, while the Real Madrid ace was close to tearing his well-oiled hair out with frustration from being closed down at every turn.

"We had a little bit of luck," Fulham defender Hughes added.

"The next game is totally different again. After this expectations will be up again that we should beat Azerbaijan but they'll not be an easy team to beat. They were defending really well against Russia.

"But we're hoping that our home form will be good and we can pick up a few points and that'll take us into the back end of the group where we, if we're still in contention, that would be great."

Hughes has nailed it. Northern Ireland's upward curves, as rare as they may seem, tend to take very rapid, downhill turns when the hope of qualification for either a World Cup or a European Championship dwindles into nothing.

If such an encouraging can spin into momentum, Group F could become very entertaining.

"It's something to build on," Hughes said.

"We won't get carried away, certainly, but we've set a standard now that we know we can play to. It was important we got the goal rather than just soaking up pressure.

"It was a good counter-attack, Kyle [Lafferty] turned well, put a great ball into Niall [McGinn], who took a great first touch and then went through and finished it.

"When you've got something to hang onto it maybe makes you dig in that little bit more.

"We thoroughly deserved the point and we're a little bit disappointed we didn't get all three.

"A lot of pride in that we got the reward for our efforts. It was very similar to how we did out in Russia , except unfortunately we didn't get anything out there.

"There were a lot of the same things: hard work, guys doing their job for the team in that shape, keeping our discipline well.

"This time, rather than chasing the game, we got our noses in front and had something to hang onto. We kept in the game right until the end in Moscow too.

"Of course we are a little bit disappointed that we conceded but we've come away with a fantastic point."


http://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/football/irish-league/northern-ireland-defender-aaron-hughes-revels-in-heroics-1-4381533


WhiteJC

 
Fulham v Aston Villa: Cottagers will pour more away-day misery on Lambert
The Villans have lost three of four on the road this season and it looks a good bet at 3/4 that they continue that poor form against Martin Jol's side.

Paul Lambert has not quite made the start to life in the Midlands he perhaps envisaged when he decided to swap Carrow Road for Villa Park in the summer.

The former Norwich City boss left to try to take Aston Villa back up the table and away from the relegation fight they endured under Alex McLeish.

However, seven games in and Lambert finds his side fifth from bottom in the Premier League, though it may be of some consolation that they are still above the Canaries.

He faces a tricky tie this Saturday as he attempts to rectify the situation and he won't be thanking the fixture computer, which sends Villa on their fifth away trip in eight games.

Fulham have had a mixed start to the campaign, but crucially for this match, their best performances have come on home soil.

Martin Jol's men currently occupy ninth in the table and have won two of their three games at Craven Cottage, scoring nine and conceding just two.

Both those goals came in their only home defeat, but as that was against champions Manchester City, perhaps they can be forgiven.

A thumping 5-0 win over Norwich on the opening day and a 3-0 triumph over in-form West Brom have given the fans a lift at the Cottage.

However, it's not all doom and gloom for Villa. It should be noted that the Cottagers have only beaten their visitors this weekend on three occasions in their 22 Premier League meetings, with Villa victorious nine times.

In addition, Villa beat Fulham 1-0 in their last meeting thanks to a last-minute winner from Andreas Weimann at Villa Park in March, so the 7/2 on an away win could start to look tempting, especially if you think recent history is an important factor.

Having said that, I should also point out that ten of those 22 meetings have ended all square, pointing towards a near 50/50 chance that a draw could be on the horizon – in which case, the 13/5 on offer is an enticing price.

On the face of it, this is a tough one to predict. On the one hand, Fulham have made a far better start to the season and have home advantage, but on the other, Villa have a very good record against the London side and have drawn almost half of their top-flight meetings.

My inclination is to go for form, so I will back Jol and his boys to add to Villa's woes and pick up a win. Should you agree and wish to lump the free £20 bet you receive when registering with bwin on a 2-0 home victory, then £170 could be your reward.

But for the safer play, take the 3/4 that says Fulham will continue their impressive record at the Cottage by picking up a priceless three points on Saturday.

Top bet: Fulham to beat Aston Villa @ 3/4


http://bwinbetting.com/leagues/premier-league/fulham-pour-day-misery-aston-villa,27014.html?

WhiteJC

 
We've Won it One Time: Is Brede Hangeland on the wane?

International breaks. Who likes them? Nobody.

The removal of a week of Premier League football, and all the drama/goals/diving/controversy/fear/thrill/ nerves/stunners/shockers that it breaks, as well as the greatest feeling of them all: the indescribable, overarching joy at the seeing of the players of our club run out for another match, which, come win or loss, will give us another weekend to remember.

But International breaks happen. With them comes valuable experience for the younger member of the squads, as well as a significant platform to showcase their talents to other clubs, and a significant injury risk for the older member of the squads (Thanks Mali!), called up again to serve their country on the pitch.

This international break, Fulham players have got on reasonably well. Alexander Kačaniklić scored his first international goal, with practically his first touch from one Zlatan after coming on, whilst Bryan Ruiz and Karagounis both played unremarkable matches. Kasami impressed massively for the Swiss under 21s, providing an assist for a crucial away goal and to tie the match.

It was in Switzerland however, where two Fulham Nords combined to provide the equaliser: John Arne Riise's corner being headed in by Brede Hangeland.

And it is that final goal that leads me to the writing of this column this week: Brede Hangeland. What has happened? Once the battling, strong, goal-scoring Viking that was the rock at the back of Fulham's entire team, he has looked ineffective, out of sorts and disillusioned this season.

I point to you our last away game, against Southampton, where his distribution (just a 76% pass accuracy) and play combined to make one of his worst ever performances he has put in a Fulham shirt.

His last goal in a Fulham shirt came 2 seasons ago, one of his double against Birmingham. Why is that? Before last season, he had scored, at least once, in every season he'd played for Fulham.

Is it because he's been told not to make the runs he used to, instead trying to draw players away from other members of the team?

Is it because he has been marked as the man that when you mark at a corner, Fulham don't score?

I think it's a combination of factors: the marking on him seems to be tighter, but he also seems not to be making the runs he used to. Whether that is down to his role in the team, or more worryingly a natural deterioration in his skill as player, is something can be argued over in the stands. The facts remain: He hasn't scored for Fulham in over a year.

This season, going back to my earlier point, he just hasn't looked like the Brede Hangeland that Fulham fans have come to know, respect and eventually love. His marking has been haywire, notably at West Ham and for Van Persie's screamer at Old Trafford (yes, nobody could have saved that, but could he have got the shot if Hangeland was closer? I think not).

He's let people go more than often for him, and his distribution has been good, yes, but not the play-maker class that he showed so often last season. It is still there however, albeit in much rarer flashes: his lofted ball for Riether set up Richardson for the winner (oh wait, thanks Clattenburg).

Whatever has happened let me make one thing clear: I do not doubt for one moment his commitment to the cause. Throughout the season, he has given his all, and seems to be a fantastic captain off the pitch, as well as on it.

What I worry about here, is the greater, underpinning question: are we seeing the slow decline of Hangeland as a player, or he is he going through a bad patch of form?

That cannot be answered until the end of the season, but if this slump continues it would suggest to me that he has started to slowly decline, which might just herald the dignified transfer of Hangeland as a free agent in the summer.

Whatever happens, he will not be forgotten and his influential role in the transformation of the team from bottom of the league long ball stragglers to comfortable mid-table, Dutch, sexy football purveyors will be one that will forever live on in the cult hero (if not legend) category of our history.

Let's hope it's a bad run of form, and a new contract is signed, because, without doubt, he is one of the greatest defenders to ever play for Fulham.



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/we_ve_won_it_one_time_is_brede_hangeland_on_the_wane_1_1660467

WhiteJC

 
Preview: Fulham vs. Aston Villa

Fulham take on Aston Villa in the Premier League this Saturday with both sides looking for points following their failures to win before the international break.

Martin Jol's men will be hoping for some consistency this weekend due to their inability to string more than two victories together, while Paul Lambert's side will be eager to put right their 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Cottagers can edge nearer to the top six in the league table by snatching three points from their Midlands opponents, while Villa will be desperate to move away from the relegation zone as they currently sit two points from relegation.

Fulham are expected to welcome back striker Dimitar Berbatov from a thigh strain, while Stephen Ireland could be placed on the bench and Christian Benteke is likely to keep Darren Bent out of the starting lineup.

Recent form

Fulham: LWWLD
Aston Villa: DWLDL

Possible starting lineups:

Fulham: Schwarzer; Reither, Hughes, Hangeland, Riise; Ruiz, Baird, Sidwell, Duff, Rodallega; Berbatov

Aston Villa: Guzan; Bennett, Vlarr, Clark, Lowton; Holman, El Ahmadi, Delph, Albrighton; Agbonlahor, Benteke

Sports Mole says: 2-0



Read the full story on Sports Mole at: http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/preview/preview-fulham-vs-villa_50395.html


WhiteJC

 
Premier League preview: Fulham v Aston Villa

Aston Villa fans will be hopeful Christian Benteke can replicate his international form when he turns out in claret and blue against Fulham.

Villa bought Benteke from Belgian club Genk for seven million pounds in August and the 190-centimetre forward has scored one goal in four matches for the English Premier League side.

Benteke notched a goal in each of Belgium's World Cup qualifying victories during the international break, scoring the opener in the 3-0 win away to Serbia and 2-0 triumph at home against Scotland, which put his country at the top of Group A in UEFA's qualification process for Brazil 2014.

The 21-year-old will now be expected to help improve Villa's goal-scoring rate in the Premier League, which currently sits at six goals in seven games, plus he will most likely lead the line for the Birmingham-based club as they travel to London to take on Fulham on Sunday.

Fulham's forward set-up is less clear cut as manager Martin Jol should have Dimitar Berbatov and Mladen Petric back from injury, while Hugo Rodallega will also be in contention.

But Jol could be without Bryan Ruiz, after the 27-year-old winger injured his thigh in Costa Rica's 1-0 win over El Salvador last week.

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert hopes Stephen Ireland will be back for the trip to London after the midfielder missed his team's last two games with a cracked bone in his wrist.

Lambert's side head into their clash with Fulham having gone three league games without a win, including defeats to Tottenham and Southampton, although they did knock off Manchester City 4-2 in the League Cup during that period.

Villa are 16th on the Premier League table, just two points ahead of Reading, who are in the relegation zone.

Fulham drew 2-2 away to Southampton in their last game before the international week and are ninth on the table.

Jol's focus prior to the match versus Aston Villa will most likely be defensive concentration with his side having conceded late goals in their past three fixtures.

Fulham have let in one goal after 87 minutes against Wigan, Manchester City and Southampton, and while it did not cost them points in the first game, they would be seventh above Arsenal and West Ham if they had avoided late goals in the latter two matches.




http://uk.soccerway.com/news/2012/October/18/premier-league-preview-fulham-v-aston-villa/?

WhiteJC

 
The Ex-Files

Fulham have long been known to have a keen eye for a bargain and ability to strike a deal.

Looking back across the Club's long and illustrious history, there have been few shrewder moves than the one for Zat Knight in 1999.

Back then, the centre-back was a teenager plying his trade for non-League minnows Rushall Olympic. When he wasn't working part-time in a Birmingham office, he was bossing the Pics' back-line and did so with style.

Those performances saw him attract admiring advances from clubs higher up the football pyramid and eventually turned his hobby into a profession.

Unsuccessful trials at local clubs Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion came and went, before he jetted off to Portugal to spend some time with giants Benfica, then managed by Graeme Souness.

Knight impressed on the Iberian Peninsula but, despite that, a move did not materialise and he instead went onto spend a one-week trial with the Whites. Just two days in, Manager Kevin Keegan asked him to join the Club.

The move that followed has gone down in football folklore after Fulham gave Rushall Olympic 30 tracksuits as part of the deal. Well, so the myth goes.

"I'll be honest, I've only ever read that myself," he told fulhamfc.com with a chuckle. "I don't know how much of it's true! Rushall were non-League and I wasn't under contract with them. I was just playing week-to-week.

"I'm not sure whether it's true or not and people always ask me but I really don't know."

What is clear 13 years on is that – tracksuits or not – Fulham made one hell of a signing.

Having made his Premier League debut in a 0-0 draw at Leicester City back in September 2001, Knight established himself as an impressive top-flight performer.

He racked up a further 149 league appearances for the Whites and helped steer the Club to Intertoto Cup glory in what was our first dalliance with European football.

Not only that, but the defender made the transition from non-League to the England senior team, making two appearances in 2005 against the United States and Colombia.

It was a period that Knight, understandably, remembers fondly.

"When I look at my overall career, Fulham stands out," Knight said. "It's where I started and a lot of stuff happened to me when I was with the Club.

"I made my debut there, signed my first contract, played for England Under-21s and represented England at full international level. In the time I was there, I learned a lot and it was a great time in my life.

"Us getting into the Premier League stands out and we got some big results at the time. Coming from where we were coming from, beating the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea was amazing. We won the Intertoto Cup and all of these are little bits of history for the Club. It was a fantastic thing to be a part of.

"I saw the Club changing when I was there. It was nice to be part of it and create a bit of history for Fulham and play in the Premier League for them.

"Now I see the changes and progress from the outside, like getting into Europe, the development to the stadium and big names coming in. It's great to see."

Knight ended his stint in South-West London back in 2007 when he moved to pastures new, namely boyhood club Aston Villa – Saturday's visitors to Craven Cottage.

"It was a difficult decision to make," he admitted. "When I joined Fulham I was a kid and I was there for such a long time. It was unexpected as we had a game and Manager Lawrie Sanchez brought me in and said 'we've accepted an offer from Aston Villa'.

"With me supporting them as a kid, it was kind of a dream move for myself so it was a fantastic but I was sad to leave Fulham.

"Fulham will always be in my heart because that's where it all started for me. But to sign for Villa, to score on my debut, and for that to be against Fulham's rivals Chelsea was a dream for me."

He continued: "I enjoyed my time at Villa. I signed a three-year deal and was there for two seasons. Halfway through my second season I was kind of in and out of the team. Obviously I was getting older and wanted to play football and the chance came to join Bolton Wanderers.

"I wanted to play week in, week out, like any other player so I took that opportunity and moved further north, where I played a couple of seasons in the Premier League and then got relegated."

Knight, now 32, remains a key player for Bolton, who have endured a difficult start to life in the npower Championship and are currently managerless after Owen Coyle's departure.

Wanderers face Bristol City on Saturday looking for three points at the same time that Fulham and Villa kick-off – a result Knight will be sure to look out for.

"I think it'll be a score draw," Knight predicted. "I know Fulham are good at home but Villa performed well away at Tottenham Hotspur in their last game. It should be a great match."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/october/18/the-ex-files?

WhiteJC

 
Fulham fancied to see off Villa

Fulham v Aston Villa (1500)

Free-scoring Fulham are odds-on to beat an Aston Villa side whose solitary away point came in a scrappy draw at Newcastle. Otherwise, they've been beaten comfortably by Southampton and Spurs along with an opening-day defeat at West Ham, and with striker Darren Bent unhappy having been benched for the last two games, Paul Lambert is already under the gun. Indeed, this is Aston Villa's worst ever start to a Premier League season and pressure is mounting. In contrast, the signing of Dimitar Berbatov - who faces a late fitness test - was a great bit of business by Martin Jol and more than made up for his failure to secure Pavel Progrebnyak on a permanent deal, and his side are the division's second most prolific scorers behind Manchester United. Although beaten by Manchester City at Craven Cottage, the league champions had to come from behind and Fulham's other two games show eight goals scored and none conceded. As such, they're a very solid 5/6 punt and for those prepared to go the extra yard, there's the option to back them to win minus a goal at 12/5. Despite Villa's issues they do pose an attacking threat and that puts us off 9/4 about Fulham winning without conceding as they have done against West Brom and Norwich, and ultimately the best policy is a chunky bet at 5/6, a generous price. Villa have held the upper hand in recent meetings of the sides, but it's Fulham who are superior in every department right now.

Verdict: Fulham 3 Aston Villa 1


http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/321/8174806/fulham-fancied-to-see-off-villa?


WhiteJC

 
Women In Sport

Students from Fulham Cross Girls' School were invited to Craven Cottage earlier this month to take part in an Enterprise initiative run by the Fulham Football Club Foundation.

The event saw the pupils (aged between 12 and 15 and who have a keen interest in football) set an assignment by the Foundation's Education Manager, Danielle Richards, as part of the Club's 'Kick It Out' activities. The work of 'Kick It Out' has developed to encourage equality across all areas of football.

The pupils were given materials and set a task regarding possible marketing techniques that the Club could look to adopt in order to increase interest at Grade C fixtures. The students were then split into five groups and given an hour to prepare a presentation to a panel made up of high-profile female staff from the Club.

The event was organised to raise the profile of women working within both Fulham Football Club and the sports industry as a whole, encouraging those attending to get involved in a field of work which they enjoy.

The panel, consisting of Sarah Brookes, Communications & Digital Media Director, Sandra Coles, Ticket Office Manager, and Jennifer Christey, Football Secretary, gave the participants an insight into the types of jobs available at a Barclays Premier League Football Club. They also gave the pupils the chance to ask questions regarding the industry.

This included questions regarding Fulham's work in the community, the highlights of working in football and how the pupils could get involved.

Ideas that came from the session ranged from selective marketing - so targeting families with cheaper food options or ticket bundle offers, to loyalty cards and a specially decorated Fulham bus travelling to schools and groups in the local area, distributing leaflets on forthcoming fixtures.

As a thank you for their great work during the event, the pupils from Fulham Cross School have been invited to take part in today's 'Kick It Out' fixture as Mascots and Ball Girls.

Make sure you congratulate them on their hard work when you see them!



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/october/18/women-in-sport?

WhiteJC

 
Birmingham City: Paul Peschisolido calls for patience



Paul Peschisolido insists that it is far too early to judge Birmingham City this season, despite their poor start to the 2012-13 Championship campaign under new manager Lee Clark.

"We've not even got to Christmas yet," the Blues old boy told BBC WM.

"Everyone's got to be patient as it can still turn around. That's the beauty of the Championship and the lower leagues.

"Look at Wolves. You can't write anyone off. Three wins on the bounce and you're challenging for the play-offs."

Ahead of this Saturday's home date with high-flying Leicester City, Blues find themselves 21st in the Championship table, just three points above the relegation zone.

But Peschisolido, the husband of former Blues managing director Karren Brady, admits that the continuing saga of the club's off-field future may have had a distracting effect in the dressing room.

"There are a lot of rumblings about the club at boardroom level over the ownership and that can disrupt things," adds Peschisolido, who spent two seasons playing alongside Clark at Fulham.

"I don't know what the issues are there, other than to say that on the pitch it's not happening right now.

"It's not gone according to plan and I'm sure Clarky is as frustrated as anyone.

"There's always going to be expectancy in any team with players of Premier League quality. And sometimes that can get to the players.

"Added to which, the opposition will raise their game against any team with household names."

Peschisolido, still looking for a way back into football following the end of his three-year spell in charge of Burton Albion in March, also suggests that Blues are paying the price for doing so well to reach the play-offs under Chris Hughton last season .

"In a way, we've all underestimated the job Chris Hughton did last season. He probably over achieved in the year he was there.

"Clarky has relatively the same side, but the players are just finding it hard to adjust.

"They've got to become accustomed to playing the way he wants to play. But it's such a tight league and it really is early days."

Paul Peschisolido was talking to BBC WM's Daz Hale.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19990791?

WhiteJC

 
Birmingham City still waiting to finalise Papa Bouba Diop deal

Birmingham City are yet to finalise the paperwork on a deal for Lee Clark's ex-Fulham team-mate Papa Bouba Diop.

After passing his medical, the 34-year-old Senegal midfielder was due to sign a one-month contract, subject to a successful visa application.

But Blues manager Clark admitted the deal may not now be done in time for Saturday's home game against Leicester.

"He left last Thursday to go to Paris to sort out the paperwork and we've not seen him since," Clark told BBC WM.

"The best-case scenario for us now is Bouba being on the bench on Saturday, if that happens at all.

"I had hoped it would be sorted over the weekend, and by Monday at the latest, and then get him back with us to play in a development game on Tuesday to assess where his match fitness was, like I did with Paul Robinson.

"Paul's fitness levels were quite high up so he went straight in and he's proved that since he got in the team.

"But with Bouba, I couldn't afford to risk that. He's not played a competitive match since March. He got an injury at the end of last season for West Ham and wasn't in their starting line-up for the last 10 weeks."

Diop made his name in English football with Fulham after joining them from French side Lens in the summer of 2004.

He spent three seasons at Craven Cottage before moving to Portsmouth in 2008, where he won the FA Cup in his first season with the club.

Having lifted the 2011 Greek Cup during a year-long spell with AEK Athens, he returned to England last season with West Ham.

He played 16 times but rarely figured after Christmas in the Hammers' promotion run-in and was released in the summer.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19993244?


WhiteJC

 
Kacaniklic committed to Fulham - agent

RISING star Alex Kacaniklic is fully committed to Fulham, according to his agent.

The Sweden international earned rave reviews for his performance in Tuesday night's thrilling fightback against Germany, which has reportedly caught the attention of some of Serie A's top clubs.

Kacaniklic burst onto the scene last season following a loan spell at Watford and has established himself as a regular in the Fulham first-team this campaign.

And the 21-year-old, who signed a new deal in the summer that ties him to Craven Cottage until at least 2014, wants to stay in SW6.

His representative, Miroslav Jaganjac, told FotbollDirekt.se: "I don't want to comment on the speculation.

"What I can say is Alex is young, he is performing and good clubs want good players.

"Of course there's a bigger interest, but the only important thing right now is Fulham.

"His effort against a world class defender such as Boateng and the match against Germany, the major clubs watched that game for sure.

"But I point out that he is happy at Fulham and now he wants nothing more than to make it as good as possible and lift the team.

"It does not matter how long his contract is. Fulham have something good going on and their goal is to become a top team in the Premier League.

"Looking at last year and how they opened this season, they are on their way there."



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2012/10/18/82029-32058076/?#ixzz29f4Eth6T