Friday Fulham Stuff (11/01/13)...

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Jol targets Australian youngster

Fulham have been linked with a move for Central Coast Mariners midfielder Tom Rogic but face strong competition from Celtic.

The Australian international has impressed in the A-League and seems set to secure a move to Europe in the near future.

Rogic is currently on trial with Celtic and the 20-year-old could even feature in the SPL side's friendly against Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday, according to Bhoys assistant manager Johan Mjallby.

Mjallby appears confident that Celtic can secure a deal for the highly-rated attacking midfielder, but reports in Australia claim Fulham will rival them for Rogic's services.

"There is no point in having him here if we can't sign him right now," Mjallby told the Daily Record.

"If he is good enough, why not go for it straight away?

"I don't know the figures or his contract situation but he could be a gem.

"I've heard very good reports and the sooner we see him the better."

The Mariners are currently the A-League leaders but are unlikely to stand in Rogic's way if a concrete offer is received from a European side.

Fulham boss Martin Jol is believed to be ready to make a move if Celtic fail in their bid to sign the Australian, while Premier League rivals Reading have also been credited with an interest.



http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/jol-targets-australian-youngster-1529463.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Team news for Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash between Fulham and Wigan.


Roger Espinoza: Has joined Wigan

Midfielder Roger Espinoza is set to make his Wigan debut in Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The Honduras international, signed from Sporting Kansas City, stayed on the bench in last weekend's FA Cup tie against Bournemouth having only arrived in the UK two days before, but now has a week's training under his belt.

Fellow new-boy Angelo Henriquez is pushing for a start after impressing as a substitute last weekend, but defenders Antolin Alcaraz (groin) and Adrian Lopez (hamstring) and midfielders Ben Watson (broken leg), Albert Crusat (knee) and Ryo Miyaichi (ankle) are all out.

Teams

Wigan (from): Al Habsi, Pollitt, Boyce, Caldwell, Ramis, Figueroa, Beausejour, Jones, Maloney, Espinoza, McCarthy, McArthur, Stam, McManaman, Di Santo, Henriquez, Boselli, Fyvie, Redmond, Mustoe, Orsula, Morris.



http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/match-preview/261774/espinoza-set-to-start?

[WhiteJC]

 
Aiming High

Having made a name for himself at Saturday's visitors Wigan Athletic, Hugo Rodallega is now determined to be a hit in SW6.

"I'm a player that will always give my best; it's the team that matters most," he tells the official matchday programme. "I don't think they have seen what I can do fully, but hopefully that will come in the coming weeks. I feel comfortable, and am happy to be part of such a good Club.

"As a striker, it's my job to score goals, and of course, I would have liked to have scored a few more. My role at Fulham is slightly different to the one I had at Wigan, though, and I agree that I have more to offer - I enjoy creating chances for my teammates and helping in the build-up to goals."

Elsewhere in the only matchday magazine that matters - which is available in both traditional print format and digitally - are exclusive interviews with Martin Jol, Csaba Somogyi, Jean Beausejour, Kevin Langley and Les Strong.

Jol pens his regular Manager's notes, Somogyi takes the Fulham 50 challenge and Strong admits he's not a fan of the January transfer window.

Wigan legend Langley gives his thoughts on the Cottage encounter, while current Latics star Beausejour assesses his side's season so far. Former Fulham ace Tosh Chamberlain is also the subject of our 'Cult Heroes' feature.

With all the usual news and views from in and around the Club, plus much more besides, the official Fulham programme really is the essential matchday accessory. Priced £3.50, the 84-page publication is available from various sellers on Stevenage Road from two hours before kick-off. Fans can also order copies online by heading here.

The digital edition of the programme is available from 9am on the day of the game. Click here for details on how to download your digital edition.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/january/11/aiming-high?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Focus - Just where should Jol strengthen during the transfer window?

We are approaching the mid-way point in the January transfer window and as Fulham prepare to take on Wigan, sitting in a comfortable but uninspiring 13th position in the Premier League table, Martin Jol has already been relatively active in the market.

Last week saw the announcement that 19-year-old Dutch midfielder Chris David would be joining from FC Twente, while the club reportedly remains in discussions with defensive midfielder Derek Boateng. However, should that be the only area the Cottagers should look to strengthen in this month?

Goalkeeper: Mark Schwarzer has been a fantastic servant to the club but in recent weeks it appears that age could finally be beginning to catch up with the Australian, with a few soft goals - by his own high standards - conceded.

Previously, it was thought that in David Stockdale the Cottagers possessed the perfect eventual replacement but his performances since coming into the side in Schwarzer's absence through injury have been decidedly shaky. Perhaps not a pressing issue when Schwarzer regains fitness, but Jol certainly has something to think about between the sticks in the summer.

Defence: While Fulham's Dimitar Berbatov-led attack has for the most part been entertaining so far this season, defensively the Cottagers have struggled all year long and indeed have one of the worst records in the entire Premier League. Captain Brede Hangeland remains a mainstay but seems to have let his form slip and with rumours of his impending departure at the end of the season continuing to rumble, perhaps it would not be the worst idea for Jol to consider a long-term replacement for the Norwegian.

Certainly, even if Hangeland does commit his future to the club, a new long-term partner is a necessary requirement and should be pursued this January. Aaron Hughes may be a versatile, excellent defender but at 33, his best days are behind him while Philippe Senderos has struggled for appearances, fitness and form this term.

Importantly, all three central-defenders mentioned lack pace and have been troubled by some of the attacking livewires the Premier League has to offer so far this season. Therefore, Jol should certainly be targeting a younger, quicker centre-back at least to compliment Hangeland and, eventually, replace him.

Midfield: As already mentioned, Jol appears to be making moves to solve the midfield problems that have dogged the Cottagers so far this season since the sudden departures of Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey. What the Cottagers desperately need is a creative midfielder and one would hope that the arrival of David is a step in the right direction on that front because certainly, for all of Steve Sidwell and Chris Baird's abilities, inspirational midfield fulcrums they are not.

Attack: The one area where Fulham are perhaps well-stocked. Berbatov has been a sensation while when fit, Bryan Ruiz has been equally impressive. Elsewhere, Mladen Petric has proved a sharp substitute capable of scoring goals while Hugo Rodallega appears to just be recovering from his extremely slow start to life at Craven Cottage.



http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_0_18252_-.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Stephen Kelly heading out but Martin Jol has other issues on his mind

Fulham right-back Stephen Kelly was having a medical today ahead of a move to Reading.

The 29-year-old was a key player for Fulham last season but, having lost his place in the side to Sascha Riether, is leaving to secure regular first-team football. Kelly joined Fulham in 2009 and made 79 appearances for the club.

Martin Jol does not expect the business to be one way this month and said: "We will try to get one or two players in."

Meanwhile, Jol knows his side must sharpen up their act in front of goal if they are to arrest a worrying slide down the table.

The manager has ordered his players to start exploiting their opportunities as Fulham take on struggling Wigan tomorrow at Craven Cottage. With just two wins from their last 13 Premier Leagues games, Fulham need a victory to ease relegation concerns.

Last Saturday's game, albeit against Championship side Blackpool in the FA Cup, offered evidence of where it is going wrong for Fulham.

"I think we had 25 crosses," said Jol. "But 80 per cent of those were not good enough, or the movement wasn't good enough."



http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/stephen-kelly-heading-out-but-martin-jol-has-other-issues-on-his-mind-8447483.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Hangeland Doesn't Deserve New Fulham Contract

The Brede Hangeland contract saga rumbles on. For Fulham fans, such umming and ahhing comes with the territory. The club is famously slow at sitting down with players to discuss their contracts, and even slower to come to an agreement when finally seated.

Hangeland is our captain, one of our longest-serving players (only Chris Baird, Aaron Hughes and Simon Davies have been at the club longer) and has been an excellent player for the club during his almost five years at the Cottage. However, with the 'will he/won't he' game showing little sign of coming to a conclusion, maybe it's time to question whether indeed the Texan-born Scandinavian deserves a new contract.

One would think, certainly if Mark Viduka is anything to go by, that a player will up his game as he comes to the end of a contract in order to secure another raft of dizzying monthly paydays, but that really hasn't been the case with Hangeland. Indeed, it is not being unfair to say that this season he has played his worst football in the white shirt; he has been cumbersome, ungainly, indecisive and a shadow of the defensive giant who took to the Premier League like a pig to poo. Furthermore, his distribution, once an outstanding quality, has been little short of atrocious.

It's all good and well blaming his poor form on our midfield weakness, indeed, in previous months I have, but his error-count this season can't be ignored. The number of times he has played himself and the team into trouble is too high. As club captain, where was the leadership that the team so craved during the woeful form of the past few months? Nowhere to be seen.

He'll be 32 this summer, and with evidence aplenty that his powers are on the wane, should we really be signing him up for the next couple of years? If he returns to form then he can certainly make a contribution but, frankly, if our only back-up wasn't a zero-paced Swiss roll, he'd have been out of the team in October. As things stand, he doesn't deserve a new contract, and he certainly shouldn't be toying with the club; he's bloody lucky they want him to stay.

My message to Hangeland: Get back on the pitch, start contributing to the team and prove that you deserve to extend your stay in SW6.


http://pickourteam.com/premierleague/fulham/news/11-01-2013/hangeland-doesnt-deserve-new-fulham-contract?

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Home comforts should see faltering Fulham snatch win over Wigan
Martin Jol's men are generally strong at Craven Cottage and look great value to win a game of three or more goals at 37/20.

Having both struggled against lower-division opposition in the FA Cup last weekend, Fulham and Wigan Athletic will be looking to get their equally faltering league campaigns back on track when they meet on Saturday.

The two teams have only won four matches between them in the last 25, so respective bosses Martin Jol and Roberto Martinez will be desperate to pick up the three points.

Their combined lack of form makes it a difficult game to call, but the bwin bookies have the home side as odds-on 9/10 favourites in their 3Way football betting market, while the Latics are 3/1 and the draw is 12/5.

Jol's team are given such a short price largely as a result of their always-excellent form at Craven Cottage, where they have won more than 30 times in the past three seasons.

So even if their last home victory was on December 10th, Jol will send his side out to attack from the off and they are 13/20 to open the scoring, but with 69% of their strikes coming after half-time it may be best to bet on that being a second-half opener at 19/20.

With Wigan having conceded just one first-half goal in their last four games on the road, there's good value in odds of 11/5 for the score to be 0-0 after 45 minutes and 6/5 for there to be more second-half than first-half goals.

In fact, it's been tight in all 15 of Fulham and Wigan's Premier League encounters, with two goals the largest margin of victory, while both of last season's fixtures ended 2-1 to the Cottagers.

New customers using the free £20 bet they receive when registering with bwin to back a repeat scoreline would stand to win £180 if Fulham pick up another 2-1 win.

Key to the Cottagers securing another win over Wigan will, as ever, be star man Dimitar Berbatov, who will surely continue to reap the benefits of the return to fitness of Bryan Ruiz behind him in the hole.

The Bulgarian talisman is 9/2 to open the scoring and 7/1 to get his tenth Premier League brace, while those looking for a longer-odds option should definitely take a punt on 26/1 for a 2-1 Fulham behind a Berbatov opener.

But for a sounder shout, I'm sticking with a Fulham win in a game of over 2.5 goals at 37/20.

Top bet: Fulham to win a game of over 2.5 goals @ 37/20


http://bwinbetting.com/leagues/premier-league/faltering-fulham-find-snatch-win-wigan,35298.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham v Wigan


By Steve Bower
BBC Match of the Day commentator

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Craven Cottage Date: Saturday, 12 January

TEAM NEWS

Fulham's Mahamadou Diarra (knee) and Kerim Frei (pelvis) are both unavailable because of injury.

But Mladen Petric, Damien Duff, Mark Schwarzer and John Arne Riise should all return after missing last weekend's 1-1 FA Cup draw with Blackpool.

Roger Espinoza awaits his Wigan debut, and Angelo Henriquez could start as Arouna Kone is on international duty.

The quintet of Antolin Alcaraz, Adrian Lopez, Ben Watson, Albert Crusat and Ryo Miyaichi remain sidelined.

MATCH PREVIEW

This match provides Fulham with an opportunity to build on an encouraging start to the year and record back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time since September.

I watched their victory at West Brom on New Year's Day, which was both deserved and much needed. Once again you left with the conclusion that if Dimitar Berbatov is in the mood then Fulham are a handful.

The Bulgarian has so much quality and seems to inspire others around him. He has a manager who has worked with him before and knows how to bring the best out of him.

A team with Berbatov playing regularly should not have relegation concerns, but before that victory at the Hawthorns their run of just one win in 12 league games had left them only four points above the drop zone. Now they need to push on again and will be desperate to record a league double against Wigan given they face both Manchester in the coming weeks.

Traditionally, Craven Cottage has been a difficult place for visiting teams to pick up points but Fulham's home form has dipped slightly in the current campaign. They have already been beaten four times on their own turf, matching their tally of defeats last season.

I witnessed their win at the DW stadium back in September but Wigan are often more dangerous on their travels. Teams seem to attack them more at home, meaning the Latics tend to create more opportunities as the visiting team.

They've already won more games on the road than at the DW this season, just as they did in the last campaign when six away victories were the foundation of another 'Great Escape'.

They do have more of a goal threat this season, but they have to tighten up at the back and stop conceding the opening goal. Form would point to Fulham but with Wigan you just never know.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
Wigan won two of their first three Premier League games against Fulham but since then they have gone 12 matches without a win against the Whites (D6, L6).

Fulham have won five of their last six games against Wigan.

Fulham
The win at West Brom on New Year's Day means Fulham have the chance to record back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since September 2012. Coincidentally, those two victories came against West Brom and then Wigan.
Martin Jol's men have kept one clean sheet in their last 14 league and cup games.
Jol has never lost a Premier League match as manager against Wigan (W5, D2). The only team he has has recorded more victories against is Manchester City (6).
Dimitar Berbatov has scored eight goals in 11 Premier League games against Wigan. The only club he has netted more against is Blackburn (nine).
Fulham's substitutes have contributed eight league goals this term, more than any other top-flight side.

Wigan Athletic
The Latics have won more league games away from home (three) than at the DW Stadium (two) this season.
Wigan have conceded the opening goal in 14 Premier League games this season, losing 13 of those matches.
They have lost six of their last eight league games.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20919269?

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Aguero back for Fulham clash

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini hopes to have striker Sergio Aguero back in his side for next week's clash with Fulham.

The Argentinian remains on the sidelines for this weekend's trip to Arsenal after tearing a hamstring in the New Year's Day win over Stoke at the Etihad Stadium.

There has been speculation the 24-year-old forward could be out for several weeks but the club have not put a firm date on his potential comeback.

Mancini said: "Sergio is not available for Sunday. We don't want to take a risk.

"He continues to have treatment this week. I hope he can play against Fulham next game. If Arsenal was the last game (of the season), okay, but like this it is impossible."

Aguero, top scorer with 30 goals last season, made a slow start to the current campaign after suffering a knee injury in the opening game against Southampton.

But he looked back to his best as he took his tally for the season to 10 with goals in his last two appearances before limping off against the Potters.

Mancini expects the likes of Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli to fill the void left by Aguero without having to make specific changes to compensate for his loss.

He said: "Sergio is out for one game but this doesn't change (anything) because we have another three strikers. We can change our system any moment, not because we are missing Sergio or other players."

Aguero has also given an update on his condition, tweeting in Spanish to say he needs another week of recuperation.

He added in English: "I need to start in recovery for one more week. Wish I could be there v. Arsenal. I'll be off-pitch rooting for @MCFC."


http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/premierleague/story/man-city-striker-sergio-aguero-expected-to-return-for-fulham-clash-011113?

[WhiteJC]

 
Vic's Germany Update

Fulham Under-18s' participation in the Sparkasse & VGH Cup began on Thursday as they kicked their tournament off with two comprehensive wins.

Academy goalkeeping coach Vic Bettinelli is in Germany with the boys and he caught up with fulhamfc.com to discuss how the trip is going following victories over local sides JSG Hebebshausen/Werra and JSG Bollensen/Schoningen.

"The first game we won 6-1," he said. "And although it sounds as though it was quite an easy game, it was quite tight up until the last three or four minutes where our fitness told against the part-time team.

"The big thing was to get through the day with no injuries, which we did. The other big thing for us was to give the boys the experience of playing in this environment so that will hold us in good stead go into the next two games.

"It's been a really good learning experience for the boys. It's an environment that we're not used to playing in – the indoor tournaments are big in Germany because of the winter break but we don't have a winter break in England and we rarely play indoor tournaments at Academy level.

"So, for us, it is a new experience. Some of the boys came last year and you could see the ones that have been here before and were used to the environment. For the new ones it was an eye opener, but that's what we want.

"That's one of the reasons we bring the boys to these tournaments, because it's a different learning experience to what we have back in England. The two results went our way but we know from experience that we will need to do better once we come up against the big Bundesliga clubs."

Hamburger SV are next up for the young Whites and Vic is expecting a tough test against a side that Fulham know well.

"We played Hamburg last year in the tournament," Bettinelli explained. "It will be a tight game. They're used to playing this type of football so it will be a real test to see how far we've come in 24 hours. But we know we've got bright players who quite often can adapt.

"They're not only just good football players, they're good learners and I think the game is the teacher. I think here you've got to look at the game, look what the opposition do and try and steal some ideas from them. We've seen the way that some of the other teams have played and it's up to us to incorporate things that we think they do well.

"We're trying to use this experience to give every boy game time but, at the end of the day, once you come up against the big boys and it becomes a tournament we want to try and win it."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/january/11/vics-germany-update?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham F.C. v Wigan Athletic: Match preview

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has warned suitors hoping to tempt his prize assets away that the club will not be selling during this transfer window.

Striker Franco Di Santo, defender Maynor Figueroa and midfielder James McCarthy have all been linked with other Premier League clubs, with attention particularly focused on the latter.

The Republic of Ireland international is reportedly in the sights of Arsenal and Everton but Martinez insisted there have been no enquiries and any that do arrive will be met with a firm response.

"I've always said it's a real compliment when you've got teams looking at our players," said the Latics manager.

"It doesn't surprise me at all. I think we've got players who could attract anyone's interest.

"That's not going to bring anything negative to our squad, it's the opposite.

"Everything is about Wigan Athletic at this point and individual situations will always be resolved in the best interests of the football club.

"We haven't got the financial power that other football clubs have but probably we are in one of the strongest positions. Our accounts are well balanced and we're making a profit.

"If we lose any players, it's going to be for the good of the football club. We're not in a position where we're going to sell our best performers or our best assets. That's never happened before.

"Whenever we lost players, it's been at the right price and at the right time and I don't think January is the right time to lose any of our important players when we're right in the middle of the fight."

Wigan have already moved to increase their squad this month, bringing in versatile midfielder Roger Espinoza from Sporting Kansas City and young striker Angelo Henter United.

Martinez would like to add one more new face before the window closes at the end of January but is keeping his targets close to his chest.

Score prediction: Fulham F.C. 1-2 Wigan Athletic



http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/wigan_athletic/s/1597955_fulham-fc-v-wigan-athletic-match-preview

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham set to sell Kelly to Reading

Fulham defender Stephen Kelly is set to leave Craven Cottage and sign for Reading.

The Republic of Ireland international is due to undergo a medical today after the two clubs agreed a deal.

Kelly, 29 has made only 44 league appearances for Fulham since joining them from Birmingham City in July 2009.

This season his opportunities have been further restricted by the excellent form of summer signing Sascha Riether.

Reading have been looking to bring in a right-back for some time and previously made enquiries about QPR's Luke Young.



http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-set-to-sell-kelly-to-reading?

[WhiteJC]

 
Martinez eyes end to Fulham jinx

Roberto Martinez is hoping a change of fortune will help Wigan end their dreadful run against Fulham on Saturday.

The Latics' last win over the Cottagers came at Craven Cottage in 2006, since when they have met 12 times, with Wigan picking up only six points.

They have lost their last three games against Martin Jol's side, most recently a 2-1 home defeat in September.

Wigan go into the match in the relegation zone and, asked if it is a must-win game, boss Martinez said with a smile: "It you look at our previous record at Craven Cottage, I think it will be very difficult to see how.

"But I do feel the last three games we've played against Fulham we've been very unfortunate. It's hard to explain how we lost the previous two games at the DW Stadium.

"The last game we had at Craven Cottage it was a very late deadball situation, and after getting ourselves in front we couldn't get a positive result.

"The approach is very clear. We need to be playing well enough and work hard enough to make sure we become a lucky team on Saturday."

A run of only one point from six games during November and December, which coincided with an injury crisis, saw Wigan drop into the bottom three.

And, although they got back to winning ways with an impressive 3-0 victory at Aston Villa on December 29, a heavy home defeat by Manchester United last time out dropped them back into the relegation zone, albeit only on goal difference from Southampton.

Martinez can see plenty of positive signs, though, and said: "It's not frustrating, it's a challenge. We know why we're there.

"The important step now to take is how we're going to change that situation and how we're going to make sure we can carry on performing in the manner we have in the majority of games this season.

"Our performances have improved in terms of the consistency we've shown from last season. It's true we need to affect both boxes better, we cannot keep conceding two goals in a game when teams have only three shots on target.

"Those small aspects are reflected in the scorelines and that's the next piece of work for the second half of the season. But I do feel every day we're stronger, we're getting bodies back, and we're really excited to look forward to the rest of the season."

The good news for Martinez is the injury situation is easing all the time, and his squad has been bolstered by the January additions of Roger Espinoza and Angelo Henriquez.

Teenage striker Henriquez, a loan signing from Manchester United, impressed as a substitute in the FA Cup third-round tie against Bournemouth last weekend, while Espinoza should play some part tomorrow.

The Honduras international, signed from Sporting Kansas City, stayed on the bench for the 1-1 draw with the Cherries having only arrived in the UK two days before but now has a week's training under his belt.

Martinez said: "I've been very impressed with Roger's fitness levels.

"He was involved in the cup because I wanted him to be ready to enjoy the match experience and get used to the environment of the DW Stadium but I knew I couldn't use him because he'd just arrived on the Thursday night and he'd only had one training session. It would have been a stupid risk.

"It's going to take a little bit for him to get up to the needs of playing in this league but he's growing quickly and he's someone that's going to have an important say this season."

Defender Adrian Lopez (hamstring) and midfielders Ben Watson (broken leg), Albert Crusat (knee) and Ryo Miyaichi (ankle) are all some way away but centre-back Antolin Alcaraz is back to full fitness after a long-term groin injury and close to a comeback.



http://www.teamtalk.com/wigan-athletic/8390486/Martinez-eyes-end-to-Fulham-jinx?

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Fulham defender Stephen Kelly is undergoing a medical at Reading

Fulham right-back Stephen Kelly is having a medical at Reading ahead of a permanent move, manager Martin Jol has revealed.

The 29-year-old was a key player for the Cottagers last season but has lost his starting berth to Sascha Riether this term.

Kelly is set to leave the west Londoners in search of first-team football, with a permanent move to Reading close to completion.

Reading have struggled defensively this season and Brian McDermott is keen to bolster his defensive options

If Kelly secures his switch to the Madejski Stadium he will become McDermott's third signing of this month's transfer window following the arrivals of Daniel Carrico and Hope Akpan."We will try to get one or two players in," Jol said of his January transfer plans.

"One example is right-back as Stephen Kelly, who went for a medical at Reading today. It is close to completion.

"I expect him to join Reading permanently."

Republic of Ireland international Kelly has been at Craven Cottage since 2009, making 71 appearances in all competitions.



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11673/8390594?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham midfielder to miss Wigan clash

Mahamadou Diarra and Kerim Frei are both unavailable for Fulham's match against West Brom tomorrow, although manager Martin Jol can welcome back a number of players.

Mladen Petric, Damien Duff, Mark Schwarzer and John Arne Riise all return after missing last weekend's 1-1 FA Cup third round draw with Blackpool.

Diarra (knee) and Frei (pelvis) are out, though, while right-back Stephen Kelly is set to join Reading.

Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Somogyi, Etheridge, Riether, Hangeland, Hughes, Senderos, Riise, Briggs, Dejagah, Baird, Sidwell, Karagounis, Kacaniklic, Duff, Richardson, Kasami, Ruiz, Rodallega, Berbatov, Petric.


http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_midfielder_to_miss_wigan_clash_1_1789769