Sunday Fulham Stuff (24/03/13)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Rumour Mill: Aston Villa amongst clubs linked with defender

Fulham stopper could be a target for Aston Villa


Brede Hangeland: Also 31, Hangeland is an imposing 6ft 6 presence in defence and the current Fulham skipper

Aston Villa are rumoured to be interested in signing Fulham defender Brede Hangeland, according to Sky Sports.

Hangeland's current deal expires this summer and he is yet to agree a new deal at Craven Cottage.

so far Fulham haven't been able to secure him to a new deal.

The players agent, Rune Hauge said: "We are still negotiating. But the longer it takes to reach an agreement, the chance that he will stay is decreasing."

At 31, and at 6ft 6 hehas made nearly 250 appearances for Fulham and has a solid reputation.

Everton and Liverpool are also said to be interested.



http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rumour-mill-aston-villa-amongst-1944300?

[WhiteJC]

 
Is Fulham's awful away record a thing of the past?


Richard Heathcote

After last Sunday's victory over Tottenham, you can sense a tactical change in direction from Martin Jol that could spell a promising future.

Have Fulham finally turned that elusive corner?

That corner that has proved so troublesome and sharp in recent years that we have been nothing short of laughing stocks when away from Craven Cottage.

That corner that has proved so eerily difficult to navigate that bringing a point back to South West London, seemingly no matter where we have gone, was seen as a feat rather than a failure.

That unremitting corner that has formed a barrier between mid-table mediocrity and upper-echelon elegance.

For Fulham have been awful away from home for the best part of six years. Travails outside of SW6 have invariably brought bitter disappointment to a travelling faithful who have deserved far, far better.

But on Sunday, when we defeated Tottenham Hotspur 1-0, there was a strange perfection to our performance. A German efficiency if you will - and not just in the hands of Sascha Riether.

We had a plan - an airtight plan - to contain Spurs, a top-four team of the highest credentials and pedigree. We coped with their overwhelming pace with unnerving ease, in spite of our ageing back line.

Gareth Bale, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Kyle Naughton - they caused us no problems at all. Bale was quietened by a mixture of steadfast tactical enforcement and some good-old-fashioned grit and determination while Assou-Ekotto and Naughton could not use their blistering pace to any sort of useful effect.

And while our method of containment was working a treat, there was a small, yet still noticeable, sense of adventure to the way we set up.

We weren't afraid to push Tottenham, safe in the knowledge that their fatigued eleven could falter at any moment. Bryan Ruiz was influential, Dimitar Berbatov characteristically sublime.

I was asked, once, if Berbatov was a luxury we couldn't afford away from the Cottage and my retort was plain and simple - he's a luxury we can't afford to leave out.

Yes, a part of our game is dedicated to carrying him, dedicated to his style, but when you're on the back foot, perhaps soaking up pressure, what is better than having a player that can turn a game on its head in one marvellous, swift moment? Nothing.

When we lauded Bobby Zamora for the role he used to play in our escapades outside of Fulham, were we lauding him because of his technical superiority? His crucial goals? Rarely. He was the hold up man; the guy who could offer our defence a chance to breathe and re-shape.

But with Berbatov, there is that inevitable element of threat and Martin Jol has finally found a way to exploit him for what he is worth. And it's a credit to us that we have taken this step in the right direction, beyond our former, 'a draw will do' style of play.

Because Fulham, as the away team, set up perfectly against Spurs last Sunday. The balance was pinpoint, the execution faultless.

And if Jol can continue to shape the team with such success, our away day blues may be beyond us.

But, as with everything Fulham, we can only hope it will be that simple.



http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2013/3/23/4139680/fulhams-awful-away-record-thing-past-tottenham?

[WhiteJC]

 
MARTIN JOL DENIES DANNY MURPHY RUMOURS

FULHAM boss Martin Jol has rubbished rumours that former skipper Danny Murphy is about to return as one of his coaches.

Murphy's career at Blackburn has nosedived and he looks set to leave Ewood Park.
But Jol says there has been no contact with Murphy, 36.

He said: "We haven't thought about it and we haven't spoken about it. I don't even know what he wants. He is at Blackburn. So maybe he will be a coach there."




http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/305290/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Hangeland's agent admits likelihood of new Fulham deal is 'decreasing'

The Fulham skipper's contract is set to expire in the summer and his representative concedes that the chances of the Norwegian defender remaining at Craven Cottage are receding

Brede Hangeland's agent has played down Fulham manager Martin Jol's suggestion that the defender is close to signing a new deal at the club, insisting the two parties are still negotiating.

The Fulham skipper, who arrived at Craven Cottage in 2008, has a been a key player for the west London club. But now the Cottagers fear the 31-year-old will not sign a new deal, which means they could risk losing their captain on a free transfer.

Whilst Hangeland's agent admits that negotiations are still ongoing, he believes that the longer it takes for a deal to be struck, the likelihood of the captain's departure increases.

Rune Hauge told Norwegian reporters: "We are still negotiating. We will see in one or three months.
"But the longer it takes to reach an agreement, the chance that he will stay is decreasing."



http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2013/03/23/3847360/hangelands-agent-admits-the-likelihood-of-a-deal-is

[WhiteJC]

 
International Round-Up

Bryan Ruiz and Costa Rica went down to a 1-0 defeat to the United States in Group Four of the North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup qualifying section in Colorado. In snowy conditions, former Fulham man Clint Dempsey got the only goal of the game in the 16th minute. Costa Rica host Jamaica in San José on Tuesday.

In Europe, Brede Hangeland and John Arne Riise both started as Norway went down to a shock 1-0 Group E defeat to Albania in Oslo on Friday. Hamdi Salihi scored the only goal of the game in the 67th minute. The result sees Norway slip down the table to fourth.

Alexander Kačaniklić, currently on loan at Burnley, played the full match as Sweden drew 0-0 at home to the Republic of Ireland in Group C on Friday. The Swedes, who are in second place in the group and five points adrift of Germany, face Slovakia in a friendly on Tuesday.

Giorgos Karagounis played the full 90 minutes but Greece went down to a 3-1 defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday night. The win saw Safet Sušić's team move three points clear of their opponents at the Group G summit after a commanding display that featured two goals from Edin Džeko.

There was no match action for Aaron Hughes and Northern Ireland on Friday after their clash with Group F leaders Russia was postponed due to snow. Under FIFA rules, the Irish Football Association had to make another attempt to stage the fixture on Saturday. Volunteers helped clear snow off the pitch in Belfast but their efforts were in vain and the game was postponed for a second time. It is now likely to be staged in June.

Northern Ireland will be hoping the weather improves by Tuesday when they host Israel, a game Chris Baird will be suspended for following the postponement of the Russia match.

Mladen Petrić was an unused substitute as Croatia defeated Serbia 2-0 in Group A on Friday. First-half goals from Mario Mandžukić and Ivica Olić earned Croatia the victory in the first-ever meeting between the sides. Croatia face Chris Coleman's Wales at the Liberty Stadium on Tuesday.

Stanislav Manolev was also left on the bench as Bulgaria thumped Malta 6-0 on Friday in Group B. Alexandar Tonev hit a hat-trick, with Ivelin Popov, Emil Gargorov and Ivan Ivanov also on target. The win takes Bulgaria to within a point of leaders Italy. Bulgaria head to Denmark on Tuesday.

Young goalkeeper Jesse Joronen was on the bench as Finland earned a superb 1-1 draw against Spain in Gijon on Friday in Group I. Joronen will now meet up with the Under-21 side for their friendly in Hungary on Tuesday.

Kerim Frei wasn't in the matchday squad as Turkey won 2-0 in Andorra. Turkey, who are fifth in Group D, welcome Hungary to Istanbul on Tuesday.

Sean Kavanagh was introduced from the bench as Republic of Ireland Under-19s won 1-0 in a friendly against Gibraltar in Malaga. Luke Gallagher scored the only goal, with Gibraltar seeing an injury-time penalty saved.

On Thursday, Lasse Vigen Christensen played as Sweden's Under-19s drew 1-1 with France.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/march/23/international-round-up