Monday Fulham Stuff (03/06/13)...

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Fulham's Summer Shopping List – Part I: Strikers
by CHRIS GILBERTSON on JUNE 2, 2013

Despite having a world class striker already at the club in Dimitar Berbatov, and a formation that usually allows for only one to be on the pitch at any one time, striker is the position which excites the imagination like no other. So here is a look at some of the front men that could or should be on Fulham's radar this summer:

Euromillions jackpot

Alvaro Negredo

With Spanish side Sevilla suffering significant financial woes, it is widely understood around Europe that their top stars are up for grabs this summer. A particular name of interest to Fulham will be striker Alvaro Negredo. The 27 year old Spaniard scored 21 goals in La Liga last season and has been brandished with a €25m price tag as a result. Out of Fulham's price range as it stands, Negredo is of particular interest having been a reported target back in 2009 prior to his move from Almeria to Sevilla. Should circumstances change and prices fall, chances are we could back an ambitious phone call to Spain.

Pablo Daniel Osvaldo

Another former Fulham target (a reported £10.5m bid was rejected by Espanyol prior to his move to Italy in 2011), Argentinian born Italian international Osvaldo has had something of a love hate relationship with his club Roma of late. Following a minimal substitute appearance in the Coppa Italia final loss to Lazio, Osvaldo tweeted his displeasure, telling coach Aurelio Andreazzoli to go and celebrate with the victorious archrivals, thus sealing his likely exit from the Italian capital. There will be bigger clubs than Fulham in for the striker who scored 16 Serie A goals this campaign, but with teammate Maarten Stekelenburg potentially coming to Craven Cottage stranger things have happened.



Roma's Osvaldo was a Fulham target 2 years ago


Wilfried Bony

If you haven't heard of Ivorian behemoth Wilfried Bony, get familiar. The 24 year old was this season's top scorer in the Eredivisie, banging in 31 goals at better than a goal a game for unheralded Vitesse Arnhem. Fulham have reportedly scouted Bony, along with half of Europe, this season, and the player himself has signalled his intention to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Didier Drogba and move to England. This issue with Bony is price. Figures in the region of £15m have been mentioned, and it is hard to see Martin Jol splashing what would surely be his entire transfer budget on one player in a summer when we need 6 or 7. With our Dutch connections though, you can be sure Bony's name has come up in conversation.



£15m man Bony was top scorer in Holland


Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Mentioning Aubameyang in this piece serves merely to acknowledge the fact he's alive and we'd be lucky to have him. That's where it ends. The 23 year old Gabonese forward would be the perfect fit for Martin Jol's expansive attacking line, able to slot happily up front or on either flank. Unfortunately, following a 19 goal Ligue 1 campaign for St Etienne, Aubameyang will be coveted by all corners of Europe, literally. Samuel Eto'o wants Anzhi Makhachkala to bring him to Dagestan, while the player himself admits talking to Bayer Leverkusen and Swansea, and also claims to be on Borussia Dortmund's list to replace Robert Lewandowski. He's also stated a desire to play in the Champions League.

Stefan Kie?ling

The Bundesliga has proven happy hunting ground for Martin Jol in his transfer dealings of late. It is not inconceivable that we'll be returning to Germany this summer. The first player I'd like to mention is Stefan Kie?ling, the Bayer Leverkusen German international, whose 25 goals earned him the Golden Boot in Germany's top division this season. At 29, he's no spring chicken, but that fits Fulham's age profile, and is still considerably younger than outgoing Bundesliga recruit from last summer Mladen Petric. His age is also likely to prove his downfall is looking for a move to a major side, who would usually baulk at signing someone so close to 30. With teammate Andre Schurrle seemingly on his way to Chelsea, they could bulk buy boxes for the move to West London.



Ginczek: Unwanted by Dortmund?


Daniel Ginczek

The second German on this list is a little more obscure. Daniel Ginczek, the Borussia Dortmund youngster, scored 18 goals from 31 appearances on loan at St Pauli in the German second division last season. At 22, he looks to be on his way out of Dortmund this summer, but has insisted his immediate future lies in Germany. Still, should Fulham be looking to get younger, as we hope they are, a striker who can learn from, and then replace, Berbatov would seem to be the order of the day, and Ginczek fits that bill nicely.

Collecting the Airmiles

Fulham need to get smarter in the transfer window. Instead of signing a player from an established league an inflated mark-up, it is high time our scouts started ensuring we skipped the middle man and sign players straight from source. In the youth ranks, this is already taking place, with youngsters from countries such as Israel, Scotland, Slovakia, France, Sweden and Denmark already lighting a path to senior football. One such league that could benefit Fulham at First Team level is the Danish SuperLiga. With strong rumours in January suggesting Fulham heavily scouted FC Nordsjaelland centre half Jores Okore, there is a decent chance our scouts have seen the following two players in action.

Simon Makienok

22 year old Brondby hitman Simon Makienok has taken Denmark by the scruff of the neck in recent months. Scoring 15 goals in 30 appearances with 4 assists, making up a whopping 38% of his team's goals, Makienok was one of the few bright sparks in a disappointing season for Brondby. Seemingly ready for a step up, Makienok could be worth a punt with a major outlay unlikely to be required to tempt him away from the western Copenhagen suburbs.



Brondby hitmat Simon Makienok


Andreas Cornelius

Slightly more heralded than Makienok, FC Copenhagen striker Andreas Cornelius is probably the hottest property in Scandinavia. Coming off a season where he scored 18 goals as the club from the capital regained the league crown, the 20 year old is likely to be a target for many of Europe's premier mid-table clubs. Similarly named Nicklas Helenius from Aalborg has reportedly been scouted by several English clubs, FFC amongst them, with 16 goals, from a role largely as a second striker, unlikely to have harmed his reputation. Elsewhere in Scandinavia, Zden?k Ondrášek, the former Czech Under-21 striker was last season's top scorer in Norway, where he plies his trade for Tromso, the team with which Fulham have a feeder club style agreement. Partizan Belgrade's Serbian starlet Lazar Markovic is another off radar talent; the £6m rated 19 year old is a reported target for Chelsea but is represented by the same agency as Fulham January almost signing Nikola Maksimovic, whose move from Red Star Belgrade fell through because of a work permit issue.

Home truths

Domestic transfers can often be as hit and miss as the as obscure, pluck from nowhere foreign import variety. Success elsewhere is no guarantee of replication. Experience of British football does however, provide for the benefit of minimal physical transition – for despite his lack of finishing ability, you cannot argue against Hugo Rodallega's physical ability and effort levels, which are unquestionably superb. Clint Dempsey on the other hand took a full year to develop the physical attributes to allow for his natural ability to show through. There are several strikers plying their trades on these fair shores, that I have no doubt will have crossed the radar of the men with the money at Motspur Park.



We should have signed Jordan Rhodes last summer


Jordan Rhodes

A player we should have signed last summer in my mind. The criminally high price offered by Blackburn's clueless owners Venky's annoyingly raised the bar for what Huddlesfield could demand for the Premiership calibre hitman. 28 goals in the Championship followed 39 in League One the previous season. The biggest hurdle to signing Rhodes will be Rovers' insistence on recouping their sizeable outlay from last summer. Rhodes deserves his shot at the Premier League, compared to some of the cheap imports that litter top flight squads, another season in the Championship would prove unjust for the best striker in English football outside the top division.

Adam Le Fondre

When I tweeted an idea of picking up ALF from relegated Reading following their unceremonious manhandling of us at the Cottage in April, I was met with a barrage of negative comments. Prejudice no doubt stemming from Le Fondre's years spent climbing the domestic footballing pyramid. 12 goals in the Premier League, 8 of which came off the bench, could lead to Le Fondre being just what Fulham need from a striker this summer – someone to come off the bench late to complement or replace Berbatov. We've also not had a proficient substitute counter attacker since Erik Nevland retired. Le Fondre's relatively cheap price tag would also free up major capital for the central midfielder we more urgently need.



Adam Le Fondre scored at Craven Cottage in April


Should relegated or almost relegated players be your cup of tea, we could do a lot worse than stealing Loic Remy from QPR, the Frenchman proving a rare bright spot in an otherwise catastrophic failure of a season at Loftus Road, or indeed long term press hang up Darren Bent, whose undeniable poaching ability would not go amiss.

Gary Hooper

The final profile on my list is that of Loughton born Hooper. At 25, he's entering his prime years stuck in exile at Celtic where he can collect league titles ad nauseam should he wish. My guess though, is that he isn't satisfied. Like several other Celtic players, he rebuffed offers to come south in January with the lure of Celtic's last 16 Champions League tie with Juventus too good to ignore. With dreams of Eurpoean glory long gone the way of competition in the SPL, it's time Hooper returned to England. As a back up for Berbatov, Hooper could provide the finisher we've lacked since Clint moved to Spurs. Elsewhere, Manchester City's forgotten wunderkind John Guidetti could well look to leave Eastlands following an injury hit spell for their Under 21s, but 20 goals in 23 appearances on loan at Feyenoord in 2012 indicate this youngster has what it takes.

There you have it. That's my take on the European striker market this summer. There are obviously a thousand and one names I haven't mentioned, but hopefully this gave you a flavour of what's out there.

COYW



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2013/06/fulhams-summer-shopping-list-part-i-strikers/?

[WhiteJC]

 
What Next For Pajtim Kasami?
by LRCN on JUNE 2, 2013



Kasami turns 21 today. Fulham's 'forgotten man' so to speak, scored yesterday in Luzern's 4-3 win, closing the curtain on the Swiss season and his loan spell out there in style. He returned to his native country during the winter transfer window – after a loan move to Italian outfit Pescara collapsed because of faulty WiFi at his agent's hotel (you couldn't make it up) – in what I think everyone is hoping will be what will finally kickstart his Fulham career.

Initially, it didn't look like Kasami's Fulham career would need any kickstarting whatsoever. Signed for £3.5m from Palermo as a 19 year old after having appeared 20 times for them the previous season (no mean feat, considering Javier Pastore was his competition), he came and immediately made an impression with a slew of impressive cameos, none moreso than when he came off the bench against Man City 2-0 down to replace Duff and provided the dynamism that we were so badly lacking until that point. He didn't seem to have any real limitations, having been blessed with both the frame of a real athlete and skilled feet in equal measure.

So, his time here was going oh so well until that incident against Chelsea. A quick reminder: Carling Cup away match, 0-0, both teams playing reserve sides effectively, Frei wins a penalty and instead of letting designated striker Orland Sa take it Kasami defies team orders and misses the spot kick. Kasami was fined a small amount for the incident and you would have hoped bygones would be bygones, but he has appeared to have been frozen out ever since.

It's a strange one. He hasn't looked nearly as clever in his appearances after January 2012 (let me remind you that during that transfer window Juventus declared their interest in the youngster, demonstrating how rated he is). When last season we were crying out for someone like Kasami to fill in in midfield, to pick up the ball and carry it in the middle, he didn't get a look in. I don't know why, I really do not. If it is because Jol hold's a grudge then I would be worried about our manager's pettiness, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt and assume the midfielder's form really has fallen off that badly.


It would be a great shame if Kasami didn't have a career with us. But, with all the bodies leaving this summer and our weakness in midfield, there is probably one final opportunity for him to be here. Kasami is Jol's player, and I don't doubt that Jol will want him to do well, but realistically a player like that, who has the attributes but not the experience, desperately needs exposure on the football pitch in order to develop as he should.

So, firstly, is there a place for Kasami at Fulham? Yes, definitely. There is no competition directly with Ruiz at the moment for that role behind Berbatov, but that is Kasami's natural place on the football pitch! Why sign (rumoured transfer target) Romain Amalifitano of Marseille, who is a (very) good player but was unremarkable last season, a man seven years Kasami's senior and plays in exactly the same positions, when we have a talented young player here already? How about instigating a Dembele-esque shift in position so Kasami is a central midfielder, and can use his terrific athleticism, flair and impressive passing range to inject some impetus into our midfield? Maybe Jol seems him as a right midfielder but Damien Duff, a fellow left footer, will be bowing out of his footballing career soon. Maybe Kasami can rise from his ashes.

Secondly, is there a place for Kasami under Jol? I'd say so. Clearly, there are some personality differences which Jol has referenced previously, insofar as Kasami thinks he is far better than he is. Whether that has lead to confrontation I do not know and there is nothing to suggest that, but the Swiss has definitely fallen out of favour. However, there are two things that remind me that this is not maybe as big an issue as it appears like its playing out to be: A) Dempsey was similarly big headed but that was, in the end, the secret to his success and B) despite being courted by Italian giant Juventus 18 months ago Kasami actively stated he wanted to stay here and fight for his place. So while there may be some mental flaws there to be ironed out, there's definitely a sense of determination.

Maybe there's a sense that the less we see of Kasami the better we think he is, like with Marcel Gecov, who we all thought was going to run our midfield before long but is now living out an undistinguished career in Eastern Europe. But I do like him. I think that, as I said before, he has very little weakness in his play overall, a vibrant attitude on the pitch and an endearing personality (I remember when, against Dynamo Kiev in the Europa League, he fell behind some advertising hoardings before popping just his eyes over to look back on the pitch, a funny moment). I also don't doubt that he had a crisis in confidence, and I hope that his regular play in Switzerland over the last few months has reignited his spark. I mean, say now we were offered a Swiss 21 year old for free with a high reputation but a shaky couple of years; we wouldn't say no and write them off, would we? Let's hope that this next step for Pajtim Kasami is not his final one at Fulham Football Club.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2013/06/what-next-for-pajtim-kasami/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Looking Towards Suffolk?
   
With Martin Jol, seemingly, scouring the bargain buckets for new talent, is he on the verge of bringing a young gem to Craven Cottage.

Reports in the East Anglia media infer that Jol is looking at bringing Jay Emmanuel-Thomas to West London.

Emmanuel-Thomas, a 22 year-old forward, has been put up for sale as Ipswich look to cut their wage bill.

However, the inference in the East Anglian Daily Times is that Jol is keen to take the player but not too keen to pay a fee, almost playing, it would seem; a hand of poker.

It`ll be interesting to see if his approach can lure the former Arsenal trainee to Craven Cottage.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=320935#ixzz2V7VtWh4N

[WhiteJC]

 
Cutting Out the Heart of the Matter - The Squad

While musing over my thoughts about Martin Jol's grade for the year I found myself needing to reference my opinion of how player x or y performed on the season so I decided to get my thoughts on how the players performed down on paper before trying to completely unravel my thoughts on Jol. After all, if a certain player performed well above or below my expectations for the season it is something that I want to take into account when grading Jol. Without further lingering I welcome you to my player pontification on the 2012-2013 Premier League season. Please keep in mind that the grades for me reflect a player's importance to Fulham on the season and in no way reflect how a player compared to any other player outside of Fulham.

B minus – In goal Mark Schwarzer proved to be one of the constants for Fulham during 2012-2013.Whether fans liked him or not we knew when match day arrived Schwarzer would be between the sticks and his play this season was just as constant as his presence. His distribution was as poor as it has ever been and he did flounder at times on aerial balls but his shot stopping abilities, especially on penalties, served Fulham well once again. His average goals conceded this season rose from 1.2 goals per match in 2011-2012 to 1.6 goals per match last season; however, his average saves per match increased as well over the prior season from 3.4 saves per match to 3.8 saves per match this season. In a year in which Fulham's goal mouth was exposed far more often than in the recent past Schwarzer seemed to save the squad more points than he cost them.

Incompletes – David Stockdale receives an incomplete grade for having limited starts.

Fulham's defense was more brittle this past season than prior years with very little remaining constant in terms of performance throughout the season.

A – Sascha Riether is the single exception to inconsistency in the defenders performance. Of the field players only Sascha and Brede logged thirty-five starts and Sascha's running of the right wing was a real bright spot for Fulham. Regardless of whom Sascha was paired with at the right wing he seemed to get the best out of his running mate while still performing well on the defensive end of the pitch. The Dejagah/Riether combination was a joy to watch before Dejagah's untimely injury at QPR. Statistically speaking Sascha was Fulham's third leading assist man with four on the season and his single goal for the year was the result of his willingness to burst forward and involve himself in the offense. Sascha was Fulham's player of the year in my opinion.

B minus – We have all grown used to Brede Hangeland being the foundation that Fulham's defense is built around and while that remained true we saw a few cracks in the foundation this season. Brede was once again the master of the aerial ball with 126 headers won and logged more minutes, blocks and interceptions than any other Fulham defender but he was caught out of position more than usual and failed to form a truly cohesive relationship with either Hughes or Senderos during the year. The fact that Brede led the defensive unit in headers, blocks and interceptions per ninety minutes shows he remains the fulcrum of Fulham's defense but errors in positioning due to what often seemed like a lack of communication significantly lowered Brede's mark for me. As captain it is imperative that Brede be able to communicate and offer on field leadership which was sorely lacking for much of this season.

Is there a grade between C minus and D plus? If there is that is the combined grade I would give to Aaron Hughes and Phillippe Senderos. Since there really is no in between grade I have to list both center backs at a D plus. Both showed consistent weaknesses in their play during the season and neither provided Brede with the partner that would cover his defensive errors on a regular basis. Hughes during the first half of the season was too easily knocked off the ball by bigger forwards and midfielders conceding goals where he would not have in prior seasons and Senderos regularly committed mistakes that cost Fulham goals or field position. Both had their unique strengths but neither grabbed hold of the position due to too many inconsistencies that cannot occur with the regularity that each displayed.

C minus - John Arne Riise proved to be the most difficult player for me to evaluate. Statistically speaking Riise was the only defender to participate in all eight of Fulham's clean sheets, he provided more headers, blocks, tackles and interceptions per ninety minutes played than his counterpart Sascha Riether and he did manage two assists on the season yet he all too often seemed to be the weak link in the back four and it seemed true that teams attacked more effectively, if not more often, down Riise's side than down Riether's. I do wonder if Riise received the same type of support on his wing as Riether did on the right but my gut tells me that Riise was a below average defender for Fulham this season who was caught sleeping more than he was unlucky. If pressed to whether it was more important to find Brede a new CB partner or replace Riise I would opt for the new CB so I am bumping Riise's performance on the year just above that of the Hughes/Senderos combination.

F – Kieran Richardson gets a failing grade for his inability to remain fit and to regularly feature. It doesn't matter to me how you play when you appear, even if in limited appearances, if you can't take the pitch for nearly two-thirds of the season for recurring fitness problems. In my opinion, Richardson's sporadic ability to take the field did cause Jol headaches when trying to pick a starting eleven and contributed to some of the inconsistency in Fulham's play this season.

Incompletes – Stanislav Manolev, Matty Briggs, Alex Smith and Stephan Kelly all receive incomplete grades for having limited starts. I will say that Manolev looked useful in his five appearances but four starts is too limited a body of work to judge from.

From an overall perspective I found Fulham's central midfield to be disjointed, ineffective and the major weakness in the team's performance during the recently expired season. My opinion of the individuals manning those positions reflects that viewpoint.

B minus - Steve Sidwell was easily the bright spot of Fulham's midfield this season in terms of results. Without the special one ninja patrolling the center of the pitch Fulham's midfield suffered and poor results were the norm. Sidwell started 24 of Fulham's 38 Premier League matches and contributed to 33 of Fulham's 43 points won. He was the only consistent offensive threat Fulham had to offer from the center of the pitch contributing 4 goals and 2 assists while averaging 1 shot per match played. Had he not rashly cost himself a chance for seven additional starts Fulham may not have finished the season with such a whimper. What would have been an A minus performance is marked down for rash on field judgment.

F – Sadly, even in his limited starts, Mahamadou Diarra was Fulham's most productive midfield point earner when not paired with Steve Sidwell. Diarra managed only seven starts this season which netted Fulham 6 points and to his credit 5 of those points were earned without Sidwell's assistance. His lack of appearances due to a non-Fulham related injury was a major factor for Fulham's turmoil in the midfield as I am sure Jol and company were relying on a much larger contribution from Diarra this season. His inability to take the field due to his choice of participating in the ACN leaves him with a failing mark for Fulham on the season.

C minus – Chris Baird fell out of favor with Martin Jol during the second half of the season and was essentially not seen or heard from after being pressed into out of position service as a starting central midfielder for most of the first half of the season. On the whole Baird's tenure as a CM was a bit of a rollercoaster ride with some very good matches and some matches in which he looked like a defender pressed into midfield service. Baird gets an average grade for what on the whole was fairly average service. He could pick the occasional pass to get the squad moving forward and his defensive presence was pretty steady if not overwhelming but he did not over achieve during his starts or force Martin Jol's hand to keep him in the starting eleven. I bumped Baird's mark up a bit for playing out of his normal position.

D – Girogios Karagounis stepped into Chris Baird's shoes as Sidwell's midfield partner and for me there was not a more disappointing performance this season from a Fulham player than from our ancient Greek. His play was frenetic but ineffective in terms of productivity. He had a bad habit of making accurate passes that played teammates into trouble and provided very little in terms of off the ball movement. A lot of Fulham fans loved him for his passionate play but passionate play in no way should offset a lack of productivity on the pitch and Girogios excelled in being ineffective. He was given six more starts than Chris Baird yet produced only one additional point, one less goal, only put one shot in four on goal compared to one in two for Baird and when not paired with Sidwell only produced two points in nine starts. Some would argue that Karagounis was Fulham's most effective passer in the squad this season yet he produced no assists and for my taste spent as much time time clogging the center of the pitch offensively as he did defensively. Karagounis did help stem the tide in the number of goals Fulham were conceding prior to him joining the starting eleven but he was also a major factor in stemming the number of goals Fulham scored as well.

Incompletes – Moussa Dembele, Emmanuel Frimpong and Pajtim Kasami all receive incomplete grades for having two or less starts and/or being traded. I would like to have graded Eyong Enoh but restrained myself due to the fact that for majority of his playing time he was paired with Karagounis who I found wholly ineffective. I did find it promising that in his lone match in which the majority of the minutes were not shared with Karagounis Fulham did manage a 3-0 win over Swansea.

Fulham's wingers provided a mixed bag of results on the season and for me none of the group had what I would categorize as an outstanding full season and there was nobody that performed poorly for the entire season either.

B – Perhaps a bit surprisingly my top performer on the wing for Fulham this season goes to Alex Kacaniklic and not Ashkan Dejagah. Both players featured in a similar number of matches but the step forward that Kacaniklic took this season is to be lauded. What Fulham lacked as a group overall both Dejagah and Kacaniklic provided in spades with a willingness to attack at pace and with flair. For me though Kacaniklic proved to be the more refined player when it came to the final pass and shot. Special K broke thorough with four goals and two assists while managing to put forty percent of his shots on goal and scoring on 16 percent of shots taken. Even with his appearances limited to 20 with 16 starts Kacaniklic finished tied for fourth in goals scored and only Berbatov, Rodallega, Ruiz, Sidwell, Petric and Riise managed to deliver more total shots on the season than Kacaniklic. In addition, Kacaniklic was one of three players who took more the eleven shots and put forty percent or better of their shots on goal. Kaca's influence on the season is somewhat marked down for only a little over a half a season in appearances and his tendency to go missing from time to time in a match.

C plus – Ashkan Dejagah's season was cut short by an unfortunate injury at QPR but in his twenty-one appearances he showed the type of pace and attacking flair that Fulham badly needs from him going forward. On the downside, he only provided one assist on the season with no goals while putting only two of his thirteen shots on goal. His ability to frighten the opposition defense will only increase if he can improve his end ball. Dejagah's mark for influence on the season is marked down for only a little over a half a season in appearances and a lack of refinement on the final ball. Had he been able to push on and play out the remaining season his grade quite likely would have been much higher.

C plus - Damien Duff provided consistent veteran leadership but his ability to impact a match deviated with whether he was played on the right or on the left. From the right side of the pitch, where he could cut inside and use his left foot, he was a menace and most if not all of his three goals and seven assists seemed to come from this side of the pitch. From the left side it seems he is no longer able to beat Premiership defenders to the end line to get in a cross and he is not the same menace when cutting inside to his right foot as he is on the other side of the pitch. He almost deserves a grade for his play from each side of the field where on the right he was a B player and on the left he was a C minus player.

Incompletes – Karim Frei receives an incomplete grade for having limited starts and Urby Emmanuelson receives an incomplete grade for having limited appearances which ranged across multiple positions.

That brings me to Fulham's oft maligned attacking unit. When taken as a whole there were frequent complaints that we played too slowly, that we didn't produce enough shots, that some players held the ball too long or were knocked off the ball too easily and that at least one player was too temperamental. All of which may be true but I do wonder how much of our lack of attacking style was due to the play of the attacking unit and how much of the problem stemmed from those behind the attacking unit. Fulham came out with all guns blazing to start the year but as it became evident that Fulham was going to be easy for opposing squads to break down the Fulham defense it appeared to me as if Jol reined in the offense to help stem the goals conceded issue. It is interesting to note that in the first half of the season which was essentially without Karagounis Fulham scored 29 and conceded 34 while in the second half of the season with Karagounis Fulham's only scored 21 while giving up only 26. When grading the attacking unit I am factoring in the assumption that the slower style of play in the second half of the season was instilled by Jol and carried out by the players to keep matches close.

A minus – Dimitar Berbatov did what strikers are supposed to do by scoring. Whatever you think of his work ethic or attitude there is no denying that Berbatov's fifteen goals were crucial to Fulham this season. I can only imagine what an offense that created more space and chances might do for Dimitar's goal scoring rate as his efficiency was top notch even in the current system. For the season Berbatov put just over 43% of his 81 shots on goal and scored on nearly 2 out of every 10 shots taken.

B – Bryan Ruiz was Fulham's joint leading assist man and joint second on goals scored while his efficiency in scoring was not bad either where he managed to put in one of every ten shots taken. Yet it is easily argued that Ruiz should be doing more and I do believe if he had a full season with wingers like Dejagah and Kacaniklic making runs into the box and more support from the center midfield positions that Ruiz would shine a bit brighter. All in all I think he had a solid season and is often over criticized due to the transfer fee paid for him.

D – I really had to revise my expectations for Mladen Petric after Berbatov was signed. Petric to me looked like a striker in need of starter's minutes and often looked rusty when he came on in a substitutes roll or spot starts. He did finish the season with 5 goals and put 37% of his shots on goal. Had he started all season I think we would have seen far better production. I doubt we will see him again next season as the subs bench does not seem to suit his need to allow the match to come to him during the course of a game and it is unlikely that Berbatov will be going anywhere.

C minus – Hugo Rodallega did pretty much what I expected of him when he took the pitch by stretching defenses and getting into good scoring positions but not scoring many goals. He did seem a bit unlucky this season and with a different bounce or two might have had a few more goals but the fact remains that a striker really should convert more than 5 percent of the shots they take and Hugo only managed 3 goals in 60 attempts while putting just 15% of his shots on goal. I really can't complain about his effort but I cannot get past the fact that quality form was not often on display with Hugo.

There you go, those are my thoughts on the 2012-2013 Fulham roster and their overall contribution to the seasons results. As I look back on the grades I handed out I don't think they turned out to badly in that if I were a teacher grading on a curve the bell looks pretty even with 2 A's, 5 B's, 5 C's, 4 D's and 2 F's. Take them for what you will of course because they are only my opinion on the season past but since they were meant to be a discussion point please pitch in your two cents worth when you have the time.



http://www.fulhamusa.com/index.php/news/item/180-cutting-out-the-heart-of-the-matter-the-squad?

[WhiteJC]

 
Scotland under 20 star Cameron Burgess: I'm benefiting from a healthier lifestyle since moving Down Under

BURGESS, starring for the Scots youngsters in Holland this weekend, moved to Australia from Aberdeen when he was 11 and reckons avoiding the infamous "burgers and Buckfast" culture has helped him develop as a footballer.


Cameron Burgess gets stuck in against Club Brugge
Aaron van Zandvoort/Pics - United

CAMERON Burgess admits emigrating to Australia ensured he escaped the "burgers and Buckfast"
culture SFA chief Mark Wotte infamously talked about.

The defender's move Down Under from Aberdeen helped him enjoy a far healthier lifestyle growing up.

And the 17-year-old reckons he has been rewarded with a dream move to Fulham and a Scotland Under-20s call-up.

Burgess landed his switch to Craven Cottage after impressing with youth side ECU Joondalup in Oz.

Now he's hoping the habits learned in his Aussie upbringing can put him on the fast-track to stardom.

Burgess said: "My mum works in procurement with oil and gas and we moved to Australia from Aberdeen.

"That's where I've grown up since I was 11. But my home is always going to be Scotland. We moved there for lifestyle reasons and I have a sister Kirsty as well.

"My mum and dad decided that would be the best place to bring us up.

"There is no doubt the lifestyle is a huge thing in Australia.

"As soon as the sun comes out at 6am you see loads of people out cycling, walking or jogging.

"It was such a massive change from Scotland and much of that comes down to the weather.

"Everyone out there is ready for action and wants to get involved in sport.

"There is a psychological factor too as Australians seems to have an extra bit of energy to go out and do some activity.

"If you aren't motivated then it's tough and there is a difference in motivation between the average Scot and Aussie.

"I doesn't take much to exercise or eat healthy food. I see a big difference in the amount of fast food joints as there are a lot in the UK.

"It's not good to see – in Australia there are a lot more healthier options."

Burgess has been involved with the Under-20s squad at the ADO Den Hagg Youth tournament in Holland and is adamant his dual nationality hasn't diluted his passion for Scotland.

Grandfather Campbell Forsyth won four Scots caps as a keeper in the 1960s and Burgess is thrilled to follow in his footsteps and pull on the famous dark blue jersey. He said: "I have an Australian
passport as I have been there for a while. That's what I consider myself to be.

"At the moment I'm just enjoying my football. I've always wanted to play for Scotland and I'm happy to be chosen.

"Until anything changes then I'm happy and I don't want to think about it too much. When I was a kid I went to just about every Scotland home game with my dad.

"I loved seeing all the great fans at Hampden and to be a part of that was amazing. We went to a few qualifiers and I remember watching James McFadden scoring that famous goal against France in Paris on TV.

"I had been to the Lithuania game before that with my cousin and I had the face paint on plus all the flags.

"I've only been involved once with Scotland and that was a couple of months ago with the Under-18s in Israel.

"It's all pretty new and it's a huge bonus to be involved. I'm buzzing about it. It's the end of the season but I'm not tired.

"I always look forward to playing games and this is a great tournament to be involved in."

After training with Celtic and Aberdeen as a child, Burgess continued his progress in his adopted homeland before being spotted by Fulham.

He said: "I was with Celtic when they started rolling out their training camps and making it regional. Then I was picked up by Aberdeen.

"When I moved out to Australia the football wasn't great. But I played a year ahead of myself and everyone in Australia is really fit. It helped my physicality and I improved that side of my game. I
progressed to the stage that pro teams showed an interest.

"I played in the state league when I was 16 and there were good players and coaches. There were a lot of guys from that scene who are now playing first-team football in the UK.

"I played a few games with Perth Glory but when the chance came to go on trial with Fulham I took it.

"I've been in the Fulham Under-18 side for most of the season and we won the league last Sunday which was a great experience.

"It has been a good season and I've progressed a lot. We lifted the Premier title by beating Reading in the final.

"I have just finished my first year and I have two years left on my deal. I've trained with the first team a few times and it's a great set-up.

"If you are training well then you will get the opportunity."

The Burgess family are steeped in the tradition of pro football with grandfather Forsyth turning out for St Mirren, Kilmarnock and Southampton as well as gaining international recognition.

Dad Stuart also played for Albion Rovers, East Fife, Falkirk and Kilmarnock and Burgess admits his old man has been a major influence on career.

He said: "It's great to have the knowledge from him especially as he played in the same position as me and he gives me a bit of coaching.

"Sometimes his advice is a bit tough to take on board as he's my dad but it's good having someone to go back to as a reference point.

"I also see my grandfather quite a lot and he's always asking how I'm getting on with my football.

"My dad tells me how proud he is of my involvement with Scotland and it's great to have that support."


http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/scotland-under-20-star-cameron-1927351?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham angling for Alexe loan
by DAN on JUNE 2, 2013



Reports from Romania claim that Fulham are interested in taking the Dinamo Bucharest forward Marius Alexe on a year's loan.

The 23 year-old caught the eye of a plethora of European scouts after an outstanding 2012/13 campaign, after scoring seventeen goals in 36 matches for Dinamo. Fulham would undoubtedly face competition from a number of clubs on the continent for Alexe's signature, with Bundesliga sides Werder Bremen and Borussia Monchengladbach also said to be tracking his progress. Alexe, who has won seven caps for the Romanian national side, was close to completing a move to Chelsea in 2005, but negotiations broke down over Dinamo's valuation of the player.

Alexe, who can play up front but has been deployed more recently by Dinamo as a left winger, has been lauded for his searing pace and dribbling ability, with his direct running a real feature of his success over the last few years. Reports from Romania suggest that Fulham have offered to pay €1m up front to facilitate the season-long loan, with a fee of €4m payable at the end of the loan should Martin Jol wish to make the loan permanent.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2013/06/fulham-angling-for-alexe-loan/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Schwarzer ignores Fulham distractions

He may need to find a new club next season, but the focus of Mark Schwarzer lies strictly on the Australia's crucial 2014 World Cup qualifier with Japan on Tuesday.

Seeking the guarantee of first-team football, Schwarzer, 40, appears destined to depart English Premier League club Fulham when his contract runs out at the end of June.

But the Socceroos' No.1 goalkeeper - set to play his 105th international on Tuesday - is not letting his focus stray past the challenge of the Samurai Blue in Saitama.

"I think we all are [up to the challenge of Japan]," Schwarzer said.

"I know everyone understands the importance of the game, everybody understands what's at stake.

"The training has been very intense and the guys have been fully focused on the job at hand."

The Socceroos sit third in Group B of qualifying - a distance seven points behind leaders Japan and a point and goal difference in arrears of second-placed Jordan.

But with a game in hand on all in the group bar Iraq, they can greatly bolster their qualification hopes with a result in Japan ahead of home matches against Jordan [June 11] and Iraq [June 18].

Back for the crucial match are Sasa Ognenovski and targetman Joshua Kennedy, with the former likely to partner captain Lucas Neill in defence.

Ognenovski described his return as a "great feeling", having impressed when the Socceroos eked out a determined draw against Japan in June, 2012.

"For myself, you can't really take anything for granted. I was called up to the national team on a regular basis and then, all of sudden, you're out," he said.

"It just gives you that feeling that you shouldn't take anything for granted and everything's earned. Hopefully I can do the job for the team."

Having regained fitness and form for J-League club Nagoya Grampus, Kennedy is hoping for his own start in Australia's XI. He may indeed be called upon, with midfielder Mile Jedinak struggling with an ankle injury and in doubt to face Japan.

"I've definitely put my hand up to the boss and let him know I want to start," he said.

"At the end of the day it's up to him and how he wants to play and what kind of tactics he wants to use."



http://www.sportal.com.au/football-news-display/schwarzer-ignores-fulham-distractions-237930

[WhiteJC]

 
Dortmund fancy Frei
by DAN on JUNE 2, 2013



Borussia Dortmund are reportedly keen on signing Fulham's teenage winger Kerim Frei.

Reports from Turkey claim that the Champions' League finalists have been tracking the 19 year-old winger's progress and could rival Galatasaray as potential suitors for Frei. The Turkish international struggled for both form and fitness during a frustrating season as he failed to reproduce the sparkling form of his first campaign in the Fulham first team, when he burst into the side following an eye-catching debut in the League Cup at Stamford Bridge.

Frei, whose season never really got going after he featured fleetingly during a loan spell with promoted Cardiff City that was designed to help him recover from a pelvic problem, has recently told Fulham's official website that he wants to put a disappointing year behind him. The teenager, who was an unused substitute during Turkey's 2-0 defeat by Slovenia on Friday night, is now hoping to make a positive impression during pre-season training and hopes to win his first-team place back. That will be easier said than done given the way Alex Kacaniklic finished the season and with the likes of Damien Duff and Ashkan Dejagah, who also enjoyed a fine spell in the side prior to his season-ending injury against QPR, offering stern competition for places.

Fulham have so far steadfastly resisted the temptation to sell Frei, having already rejected an enquiry from Galatasaray last year. Fatih Terim has made no secret of his desire to sign Frei, recently admitting that he has been receiving regular reports on the player's progress for a year, but – with the winger having two years to run on his contract at Craven Cottage – they would have to substantially improve their initial offer.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2013/06/dortmund-fancy-frei/?

[valdeingruo]

No Carlton Cole to Fulham? Thats a good sign

[WhiteJC]

 
Roma close on Benatia and Rafael

Roma don't have a new Coach, but they are active on the market with reports Mehdi Benatia and Rafael are on the way.

The Giallorossi are still looking for a replacement on the bench, as Interim Manager Aurelio Andreazzoli will not be confirmed after taking over from Zdenek Zeman in February.

Sky Sport Italia report they have surpassed Napoli in the race for Udinese defender Benatia, snapping up the Moroccan international for €10m.

Meanwhile, Roma are also said to be close to Santos goalkeeper Rafael, which frees Maarten Stekelenburg to join Fulham.

Dutch international Stekelenburg is expected to put pen to paper at Craven Cottage by Tuesday.



http://www.football-italia.net/34898/roma-close-benatia-and-rafael

[WhiteJC]

 
Salif reveals Sane reason why he snubbed Fulham and Swansea


Salif Sane, AS Nancy Lorraine. Picture: Neal Simpson/EMPICS

Hannover new boy Salif Sane has revealed that he turned down moves to Fulham and Swansea because they were too slow.

The 22-year-old moved from French side Nancy to the German outfit, despite interest from the Whites and the Swans.

"I am delighted to put pen on paper with Hannover, they showed me they are interested in me and I am very happy to sign for four years here," he said.

"There were teams in the Premier League interested in me but they were not willing to move as fast as them, so for me it was easy to make the choice to come to Germany."


http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/salif_reveals_sane_reason_why_he_snubbed_fulham_and_swansea_1_2219700

[WhiteJC]

 
50 Moments That Made Fulham



50. Fred Harrison Becomes First Paid Transfer - 1907

Joining the Club in November 1907, the prolific goalscorer was lauded across the land for his powerful shooting and strong aerial ability. As a youth, he began his football career at Southampton and once hit seven goals in a reserve match before Fulham picked him up for a princely sum of £1,000 – the first time we had ever handed over money for a player. Nicknamed 'Buzzy', the forward went on to net 61 in 138 appearances for Fulham before opting to move to West Ham United in 1911. He was badly gassed when serving in the First World War, but lived until the ripe old age of 89 and, 90 years after he joined, the Club's first-ever £1m signing arrived: Paul Peschisolido in 1997.

49. Fulham Football Club Badge Changes - 2001

The identity of a club always goes hand in hand with that of its badge, so it's no surprise that the Fulham crest has undergone some changes over the years. From the early days of two crossed swords in 1898, to the one you currently see today, every badge has a meaning to the Club. In 1931, one with a picture of the Cottage was used as the first to appear on the players' shirts and, after the Second World War, a copy of the coat of arms of the London Borough of Fulham appeared in its place. The 70s and 80s saw the badge change somewhat before a modern take on the 1945 version was created in 1995. Upon achieving promotion to the top flight in 2001, however, a new shield with an angled red FFC on a black and white striped background was the design chosen to take Fulham through into the next Millennium and it has stayed with us ever since.

48. Fulham Enter Professionalism – 1898

On 12th December 1898, Fulham finally joined the fast-growing ranks of the professional game and also made our first-ever professional signing the same day, J H Love from Trowbridge. A club which had begun life as a church side, St Andrew's of West Kensington, 19 years earlier was finally admitted to the Southern League's Second Division and adopted a kit of red and white in a rather flagrant attempt to copy Woolwich Arsenal – London's premier side. The Club's first result as a professional side was a 4-0 win over Harrow on 8th January 1898.

47. Sandra Coles joins the Club - 1973

If a club is defined by the people who work for it, then you can draw your own conclusions from the fact that Sandra Coles had been with Fulham for 40 years before her retirement from the Ticket Office at the end of this season. Sandra first joined the Club back in the Pools Office in the early 70s, was promoted to the Commercial Department and thenended up running the Ticket Office where she has been a part of the Fulham fabric ever since. She can now be found supporting from the stands in Block H4 - finally able to watch a match in its entirety - and her over-and-above attitude to helping supporters throughout her time in SW6 embodies the Club's values perfectly.

46. Under 19s Win The Dallas Cup – 2013

A commitment to youth is one of the key ambitions for a developing football club and Fulham's Academy has blazed a trail, even more so since it was given Category One status in July 2012 under the new Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP). The Under-18s have won back-to-back National titles and have topped their league table for the past three seasons, while the March success in America's prestigious Dr Pepper Dallas Cup – impressively beating Japanese side Kashiwa Reysol 5-0 in the Final - has cemented our status as one of the best places for young players in the country. "It was a journey that began 18 months ago when Kit [Symons] first won the league," Manager Steve Wigley said. "It's a real global competition and it was a fantastic achievement for the Club to come home with the trophy."

Be sure to check back on fulhamfc.com as numbers 45-41 are up next on Friday, 7th June.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/june/03/5046-moments-that-made-fulham?

[WhiteJC]

 
Stekelenburg set for Fulham

Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg could complete a move to Fulham by the end of Tuesday.

The Premiership club are interested in the Dutch international who is expected to leave the Stadio Olimpico this summer.

Fulham, who initially tried to sign the 30-year-old during the January transfer market, will cost around €3.5m.

The Gazzetta dello Sport claims that the deal could be done and dusted within the next 48 hours.

Stekelenburg joined Roma in the summer of 2011 from Ajax for a fee in the region of €6m. He played just 19 League games in 2012-13 after he was dropped by previous boss Zdenek Zeman.

Once Roma sell the custodian, they are then expected to make a move for Rafael Cabral – a 23-year-old 'keeper who currently plays for Santos.

Roma are also being linked with Emiliano Viviano given the uncertainty over whether Fiorentina will take up their option to sign him outright from Palermo.


http://www.football-italia.net/34915/stekelenburg-set-fulham?

[WhiteJC]

 
Enoh Involved

On-loan midfielder Eyong Enoh was called into action as Cameroon played out a 0-0 friendly against Ukraine in Kiev on Sunday night.

Enoh played the full 90 minutes in central midfield as the Indomitable Lions kept a clean sheet on the road which will boost their confidence ahead of next week's FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

Cameroon play their World Cup Qualifiers in Group I, against Togo and the Democratic Republic of Congo respectively, over the next two weeks and had two good chances in the game with Ukraine through Vincent Abubakar either side of half-time which were blocked by goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov.

Ukraine's best efforts came from Roman Zozulya late on, but he squandered them to leave the game goalless.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/june/03/enoh-involved?

[WhiteJC]

 
Kaca's Summer Hope

Alexander Kačaniklić was disappointed with the way Fulham ended the season but thinks the summer will be an exciting time for the Club.

The Sweden international midfielder scored in a 3-0 win over Swansea City on the final day of the Barclays Premier League campaign that saw us break a five-match losing streak and finish the term in 12th place.

And Kačaniklić believes there were certainly plenty of positives before the poor run to take into 2013/14 as the Club targets a top-half finish and possible European berth.

"We started very well, for the first five or six weeks we were high up the table," he said. "In fact, there were two times when we could say we were at the top! Okay, that was after the first game following the 5-0 defeat of Norwich City and for a very short period when we were beating Manchester United, but it was still nice to say that.

"At times I thought we could go on and finish in a very good position, but for whatever reason, it wasn't to be. We're a team that always tries to play good football, no matter what, and sometimes things just didn't work out or go our way.

"It was a disappointing way to end the season as, traditionally, we're a side that finishes campaigns strongly. It would have been nice to have done that again and got more points on the board. But that's something we will address over the summer, and work hard to start the 2013/14 season in good form."

Kačaniklić, who is part of the squad for Sweden's FIFA World Cup Qualifiers this month, is hoping the Club can improve on last season's performances after a summer which will see some more new faces arrive.

"Overall, we did alright, but we can't deny that with the players we have in the team that we should've done better," he added. "But football is a difficult and unpredictable game – and sometimes it doesn't always work out like that.

"The summer break is important as we have to keep fit, and pre-season will be the chance to work on a few things in preparation for the new season. It's an opportunity to move on and look towards a new challenge and enjoy a better campaign.

"The summer is an exciting time, we will see players coming in and it will be interesting to see who the Club signs. Of course, there will be a few players departing too, so it will be sad to see them move on."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/june/03/kacas-summer-hope?