Wednesday Fulham Stuff(27/03/13)...

[WhiteJC]

 
West Ham and Fulham to scrap over Ivory Coast strike star
London rivals will do battle over Eredivisie's top seasonal scorer



After scoring 26 goals in just 24 appearances for Vitesse Arnhem this season, Wilfried Bony was bound to attract attention from outside the Dutch top flight.

Sure enough, Premier League interest in the striker has become apparent, with West Ham and Fulham leading the chase for the 24-year-old, who is reportedly being monitored by six English clubs.

The Hammers have long been keen on the Ivory Coast international, but have thus far dallied in their efforts to sign him, something they are keen to rectify this summer.

And even after a club-record outlay of £11m on Matt Jarvis has proved anything but a shrewd investment, co-chairman David Sullivan is willing to pay more than that to secure Bony's services.

Indeed, Vitesse would ask for around £15m for the striker, and the Hammers are intent on meeting that asking price, regardless of whether or not Sam Allardyce remains at the helm next term.

As midfielder Kevin Nolan tops the club's scoring charts with six goals, Allardyce has long prioritised a move for a striker.

But it is believed that the pressing need for a forward hasn't gone unnoticed by the club hierarchy either, who will still try and push the move through even if Allardyce fails to extend his contract.

Fulham are also keen to bolster their attacking options though, and with no uncertainty surrounding Martin Jol's future, a move to a more settled Craven Cottage environment could tempt Bony.

The Cottagers' recent tendency to bring in players with Eredivisie experience also strengthens their position, amidst the arrivals of Moussa Dembele, Bryan Ruiz and Mahamadou Diarra over the past few years.

Jol is hopeful of landing a suitable foil for Dimitar Berbatov, and in the Ivorian, dubbed in some circles as the 'new Didier Drogba', he believes he has found it.

Such a player would also be ideal for a Hammers outfit set to lose Andy Carroll this summer however, and with the Upton Park outfit willing to break the bank to secure Bony's signature, they probably remain favourites to snap him up



http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/football/premier-league/west-ham-and-fulham-to-scrap-over-ivory-coast-strike-star_147098.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Musa Returns To Cottagers

Blue Square Bet Premier outfit Hereford United's on-loan midfielder James Musa has returned to Premier League club Fulham due to illness.

The New Zealand International joined the club from the Cottagers in January, making his debut in a 1-1 draw with Grimsby Town, ultimately making 15 appearances in the league for the Bulls.

After extending his loan deal for a third an final month on 1 March, the midfielder has now returned to Craven Cottage and Hereford boss Martin Foyle was pleased with Musa's performances during his time at Edgar Street.

He told Hereford's official website: "We threw James into the deep end a bit, but he's quietly got on and done his job."


http://www.bluesqfootball.com/story/0,20970,13040_8599618,00.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Interested in Bony?
   
Here at Craven Cottage we`re not renowned for splashing huge sums of cash around to bring players to the club.

We`ve always been prudent when it comes to our finances and tried, our hardest, to balance the books.

Therefore, I`m taking it with a pinch of salt when the Evening Standard reports that we`ve entered the race, along with West Ham United, to sign the Vitesse Arnhem striker Wilfried Bony.

Bony, an Ivory Coast international, has scored 26 goals in Holland this season and is the top scorer.

However, and this is where you`ll see I`m coming from, it is also being reported that he`ll command a fee of £15 million.

Although it is tempting to imagine Bony partnering Dimitar Berbatov, I fear the price is out of our league, how about you?


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=313912#ixzz2OioImAKx

[WhiteJC]

 
Gayle Force!
   
As we start to head towards the resumption of the Premier League campaign, following the international break, the Daily Grapevine is starting to pick up the gossip levels.

As well as our reputed interest in Wifried Bony, the gossip columns are also linking us with the latest striker Peterborough United have unearthed from non-league football.

Dwight Gayle has burst onto the scene netting 11 goals in the Championship in a mere 21 games.

At twenty-two years of age, Gayle appears to have a bright future in the game but it remains to see if that future is at Craven Cottage.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=313913#ixzz2OioTQRPi

[WhiteJC]

 
Green eyes Rangers recall for Fulham clash

ROB Green is hoping for a return to QPR's starting XI for Monday's west London derby with Fulham.

The former West Ham keeper helped Rangers to back-to-back wins against Southampton and Sunderland earlier this month after replacing the injured Julio Cesar.

However, the 33-year-old missed the defeat at Aston Villa through illness, with Cesar coming in for criticism for his part in the 3-2 loss that left their survival hopes hanging by a thread.

Green has made just nine Premier League starts for the Rs since his move to Loftus Road last summer, but is available again and hoping to get the nod to face the Whites at Craven Cottage.

He told the Chronicle: "Julio got injured and I came in and we won back-to-back games.

"Unfortunately I missed the Villa game through illness. My son was ill, then my wife, so I stayed in a hotel to try and avoid catching it.

"But I went down ill on the Friday night before the game and knew there was no way I could play.

"It was only a 24-hour thing, so I'm fit and raring to go again now.

"Hopefully I will get a chance against Fulham."



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-qpr/2013/03/26/82029-33065307/?#ixzz2Oioz2tgI

[WhiteJC]

 
Blowing the whistle on football's debt problem: Liverpool, Fulham, West Ham United backed by taxpayer rescued RBS and Lloyds
State-backed banks are funding some of the sport's most debt-ridden clubs – now critics say small businesses should start coming first

Britain's two state-backed banks are helping fund the Premier League's booming wages and transfer fees.

Both Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Lloyds act as bankers to debt-ridden football clubs in the top flight. And they confirmed to The Independent that they participate in lending to others.

While neither comes close to market-leader Barclays, which as sponsor of the Premier League could be expected to be heavily involved, or HSBC, the news is still set to cause controversy with campaigners.

That is because they are effectively using state funds to help finance the Premier League at a time when all banks are facing criticism for failing to do enough to lend to Britain's legion of credit-starved small businesses.

RBS, 81 per cent owned by the taxpayer, serves as banker to both Liverpool and Fulham FC. According to the most recent editor of Deloitte's football finance report, Liverpool had net cash listed at £9.6m but £202m of other debt bringing its total "net" debt to £192m.

The club, owned by former derivatives trader John Henry's Fenway Sports Group, which also owns the Boston Red Sox baseball team, made a pre tax profit of £5m in 2011 but lost £19m prior to that.

Fulham, according to the report, had bank loans and overdrafts of £20.3m and £24.6m of other debt making a total of £46m. It made a pre-tax loss of £5.4m.

The report's figures only go up to the end of 2011 because the current edition is still in preparation, with not all clubs having yet filed their 2012 accounts.

Meanwhile Lloyds Banking Group serves as banker to West Ham through its Bank of Scotland subsidiary acquired as part of the merger with HBoS.

Deloitte's report shows the East London club had bank loans and overdrafts listed at £37.6m plus £4m of other debt making a total of £41m. It made a pre tax loss of £18.6m in the 2011 financial year. Lloyds is 40 per cent owned by the taxpayer.

During the financial crisis RBS received £45bn of direct state aid and hundreds of billions of pounds in other support, including insuring its bad debt and "liquidity" support when funding markets were effectively closed. Lloyds received £20bn in addition to the indirect assistance.

Bankers privately say that lending to football clubs represents a highly risky activity, with some teams paying player wages that come close to or even exceed turnover before any other costs such as ground maintenance and transfer fees are taken into account.

"The problem is not just the risk," said one source. "You can face a serious problem with fans if you have to call in loans."

A banker involved in football finance told The Independent: "I'd rather we didn't lend to football clubs, but the higher-ups won't let me stop."

While both banks insisted that they were not the sole financiers of any of the three clubs' debt, they admitted to financing other clubs borrowings. They declined to say how many clubs or how much, despite their status as state-backed entities supported by taxpayer funds.

Lloyds released a statement saying: "We provide a range of facilities to sports clubs, including some football clubs. In making lending decisions we treat each one as an individual business, rather than adopting a broad brush approach to the sector as a whole. We cannot discuss the details of our exposure to the sector or to individual clubs."

An RBS source said the company lent to a "handful of clubs" but refused to give further details.

Sir Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, last week wrote to businessman Mike Benson to express his sympathy and frustration over Mr Benson's inability to secure finance for a new transit van for his business.

Simon Chouffot, spokesperson for the Robin Hood Tax campaign, said the banks should be concentrating on putting money into the economy to help it recover.

He said: "While football fans will thank banks for keeping their clubs afloat, everyone could celebrate if banks put the same effort into supporting the rest of the economy."



http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/blowing-the-whistle-on-footballs-debt-problem-liverpool-fulham-west-ham-united-backed-by-taxpayer-rescued-rbs-and-lloyds-8550695.html

[WhiteJC]

 
FIFA, citing technicality, rejects Costa Rica's request to replay World Cup qualifier vs. United States
World Cup regulations required Costa Rican captain Bryan Ruiz to 'immediately lodge a protest' with the referee if he believed the snow-covered field became unplayable. The U.S. went on to win, 1-0, on a Clint Dempsey goal.


DUSTIN BRADFORD/GETTY IMAGES

Geoff Cameron (l.) Bryan Oviedo grapple with each other and the inclement weather at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
ZURICH — FIFA has upheld the United States' 1-0 win over Costa Rica in a snowy World Cup qualifier last week, saying the protest by the visitors was not filed correctly.

The Ticos were angered by the decision of referee Joel Aguilar of El Salvador to allow the game in Commerce City, Colo., to be played on a snow-covered field.


DUSTIN BRADFORD/GETTY IMAGES

Grounds crew workers clear the snow as best as they can prior to kickoff.

World Cup regulations required Ticos captain Bryan Ruiz to "immediately lodge a protest" with the referee if he believed the field became unplayable, FIFA said. U.S. captain Clint Dempsey also needed to be present for the protest.


DUSTIN BRADFORD/GETTY IMAGES

Costa Rica waits too long to file a formal request to replay the United States in more weather-friendly conditions.

Protests also must be filed in writing to FIFA's administration "no later than two hours after the match," the regulations state. FIFA said it received the protest letter Sunday, two days after the game.

"The conditions established in the regulations for an official protest have not been met," FIFA said in a statement Tuesday.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/fifa-upholds-u-s-victory-costa-rica-article-1.1299636#ixzz2OipgMyBI

[WhiteJC]

 
Moss takes charge of Fulham derby

West Yorkshire official Jon Moss is the man in the middle this Bank Holiday Monday as QPR face a crucial Premier League game at near neighbours Fulham.


Referee >>> Jon Moss (West Yorkshire), his third QPR appointment of the season following earlier home draws with Everton and Norwich.

Assistants >>> Simon Long (Devon) and Ron Ganfield (Somerset)

Fourth Official >>> Chris Foy (Merseyside), refereeing Arsenal v Reading on Saturday before taking charge of our game at Craven Cottage.



http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/fb_news.php?storyid=31711

[WhiteJC]

 
COTTAGE CHANGES- THE JOHNNY HAYNES STAND

With Craven Cottage set to undergo some of the most significant renovations in its illustrious 117 year history this summer, Viva El Fulham brings you the full low-down on what exactly is happening to the four stands of the stadium. In the first of a four part series, VEF today looks at the Johnny Haynes Stand, the oldest of the four stands.


The "Grand Old Lady of Football Stands", as the Wikipedia page so eloquently puts it, The JH was built and designed by Archibald Leitch in 1905. It currently holds the record for the world's oldest football stand, and as Fulham fans well know, it holds almost 3,571 wooden Bennet seats, dating back to the day the stand was opened. Recognised by many to be one of the most charismatic football stands in English football, it is the JH Stand that gives the Fulham Ground its disitincive nostalgic charm. However, like all modern football stands, it has needed constant updating, the latest round of which was a complete roof re-tiling that occurred in Summer 2012. However, Fulham are back to update the stand: this time, a hospitality lounge is being put into the stand.

Now, like many of you reading today, VEF too asked the question "where the hell are they going to stick that?!". The lounge will be placed in the "undercroft" of the stand- that is bang underneath the roof. Fulham reckon that only the ground floor of the stand is being used for anything meaningful- the current space is currently used by supporters concourses that accommodate the bars and food outlets. But above those, in a space which currently contain service pipes, Fulham reckon they can fit in one large hospitality "lounge" and a smaller lounge reception- much like the current McBrides' bar that resides in the ground. The plans also include the implementation of a new servery and a new set of WCs, also in the space that reside above the ground floor.

The lounge will make use of the current windows that are seen along the Haynes's stand distinctive red brick front, and will upgrade and replace the windows, whilst still retaining the character that the current windows provide.


Proposed View of the new lounge. Picture Credit: Fulham FC

Now, the lounge doesn't actually provide any balcony view onto the pitch, as the new boxes in the Riverside Stand will, but the guests will be provided seats with prime viewing, presumably where the old press gantry was (the press are moving to a new dedicated section in the Riverside Stand). Interestingly, and rather sadly, the guests won't quite get the "authentic" Fulham feel- padded seat overlays will go onto the current wooden seats that make the Stand so famous. They will be removable however, and will have a design that meets English Heritage approval.


The hospitality lounge will not add any extra capacity to the stand, but with the hospitality boxes in both the Hammersmith and Putney ends set to migrate to purpose built boxes in the new Riverside stand, the lounge will offer the Fulham hospitality team another option in their range of services.

A further improvement to the stand, and an ingenious use of the tight space within the ground, it seems Fulham are keen to make the most of their quaint old ground. As a strong supporter of the "Back to the Cottage" campaign, I personally am delighted to see yet more examples of a club keen to stay at their historic and charismatic home. The addition of the lounge will help make it more viable, and make the most of what we have. The plans, with no set "pricing" on them, should go ahead this summer after being approved for planning permission in March 2012.

Find out more here: http://www.public-access.lbhf.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=MGBD3PBI0IE00



http://www.vivaelfulham.co.uk/news/cottage-changes-the-johnny-haynes-stand-13-108.html

[WhiteJC]

 
The Rufus Brevett Column

It's the big one on Easter Monday when Fulham host Queens Park Rangers in the West London derby.

It's a tough one for me – I had good times with both clubs so I'll be sitting on the fence a little bit for this game; I'll be supporting Fulham in the first half and QPR in the second!

I'm expecting a good game. Fulham are bang in form and QPR are fighting for their lives. It's live on Sky and under the Cottage floodlights so should be a cracking atmosphere too.

Fulham have got something to prove. I was at the 2-1 defeat at Loftus Road in December and that was probably the worst I've seen Fulham play for a long, long time. They were very disappointing and so they should feel the need to put that right on Monday.

QPR are currently seven points adrift of safety and it could be even more by the time they play on Monday. Harry Redknapp has targeted five wins out of the last eight games and it's a massive ask for them. The 3-2 defeat at Aston Villa was huge and a real sickener for them. If they'd won that game, or even got a point, you'd think they might have a chance. I hope I'm wrong but I think they've just got too much to do. You never know, it can be done, but they'll need results to go their way as well as picking up wins themselves.

It was a great result for Fulham last time out against Tottenham Hotspur. There was a bit of added spice with Martin Jol and Dimitar Berbatov going back there. I'm sure Martin got the lads up for it. Our away form hasn't been great so to come away with a result against Spurs, who are chasing third place in the league, was tremendous. I don't think many people saw it coming.

We kept Gareth Bale quiet as well which is no easy feat. He's playing at the top of his game right now but he didn't really get a sniff. They've got some firepower have Tottenham, so to win it and keep a clean sheet was a massive boost to our confidence.

Mark Schwarzer pulled off a great save from Jermain Defoe towards the end to keep us in front and that's three clean sheets in four now. Mark's had a great season but all the defence do their bit. The back four came in for some criticism earlier this season but they've obviously worked hard on the Training Ground and tweaked a few things and now they're seeing the benefits.

After the QPR game, we've got the long trip up to St James' Park to face Newcastle United. It's always a difficult place to go to but there's no reason why Fulham can't go there and get a result if they play like they have been recently. And if you look at the last remaining games for Fulham, it's not a bad set of fixtures. If they can put a decent run together, then they could even sneak eighth or ninth; no mean feat when you go back to earlier in the season when we couldn't get a win for love nor money and you thought we might get drawn into the scrap down the bottom. Thankfully, we're definitely looking up as the season enters the final furlong.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/march/26/the-rufus-brevett-column