Monday Fulham Stuff (15/07/13)...

[WhiteJC]

 
New Owner Jets Off to Costa Rica
   
Having taken control of Fulham Football Club, our new owner is going hands-on with a flight to Costa Rica.

The squad are in South America for a pre-season tour and Shahid Khan wants to meet up with Martin Jol for the first time.

Speaking about the forthcoming collusion, Khan is quoted as having remarked,

"I have not met him but I will meet him. I`m planning on going to Costa Rica this week."

"This transaction happened in the last day and the team had already left, so I haven`t had a chance."

"Everyone speaks very highly of him and his reputation precedes him. I would just like to understand. He knows a lot more about football than I do. I would just like to understand what the plan is."

It should, I believe, be an interesting conversation.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=324973#ixzz2Z57sHrG2

[WhiteJC]

 
Khan: I'll listen to the fans



The Pakistani-born American billionaire and new owner of the Cottagers, who also owns NFL franchise the Jacksonville Jaguars, has promised not to make any drastic changes

New Fulham owner Shahid Khan has promised not to make any knee-jerk decisions after taking the helm at the Premier League side.

The west London club are looking forward to a new era after Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed sold the club to Khan for a reported £150-200 million.

The 84-year-old Egyptian believes he has found the perfect heir in the form of Khan, and the Jacksonville Jaguars owner promised not to immediately alter the foundations laid by Al Fayed since 1997.

"I really don't have any plans, I want to listen to the fans," Khan said.

"I have been here 18 hours as the owner and it's not something you want to do... a knee-jerk reaction. So eventually you have to [do] the right thing.

"Our goal is obviously to elevate the club, but do it on a sustainable level.

"I think it is very, very important to invest in Craven Cottage, to have youth development, in community affairs and support the business plan the football team has.

"There is already a plan in place right now to expand the river side stand so our goal would be to really implement that and to increase the capacity."

Outgoing chairman Al Fayed said he was looking to spend more time with family, after his long stint controlling affairs at Fulham.

"I have four grandchildren and I just love to spend time with them. It is a hard decision but to find the right person who really can take over and look after the club and believe in the club," Al Fayed said.

"I have found Mr Khan and I am sure he is a great guy and will follow my policy and he will look after the players, look after the fans, he is a great guy.

"He owned another football club in the US and he is a person that cares. I would never pass the club to someone, to just anybody."

Al Fayed had faith Khan would not leave the fans in the lurch, and said if the supporters felt short changed, the Egyptian would make his successor know about it.

"Of course the fans having given me all their support over years, I would do anything for them," he said.

"I feel sorry but I will be attending all the matches to see them, to scream to them as usual and I am sure Mr Khan will look after them and I will follow him up because if he doesn't do it then he is in trouble with me."



http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2013/07/14/4115993/-?

[WhiteJC]

 
Dave Kidd on Fulham: Shahid Khan the latest billionaire investor in a world where money talks

Shahid Khan's arrival is great for Fulham fans but another example of Premier League football's reliance on big bucks, writes Dave Kidd


Yes We Khan! New Fulham chief also owns NFL team Jacksonville Jaguars
PA

For dramatic unpredictability and pure, unfettered glory, this has been a sporting week with few equals, writes The Sunday People's Dave Kidd.

The stuff which made us dream as kids and which makes kids of us as grown men.

That the British & Irish Lions should axe their talisman Brian O'Driscoll for a decisive Test in Australia, then win it in swashbuckling style.

That Britain should wait 77 years for a Wimbledon men's singles champion , then go through the emotional mincer of that eternal final game between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic.

And that after months of build-up to the greatest sporting rivalry of all, the unknown 19-year-old ­debutant Ashton Agar should turn the first Ashes Test on its head with an extraordinary innings of 98 while batting at No.11.

If only sport could always be like this, if only scripts could be shredded and money rendered irrelevant throughout the nine long months of a Premier League season and not merely during this blessed, sun-drenched period of respite.

Yet back in the world of cold, hard cash, Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed is selling up to the Pakistan-born American tycoon Shahid Khan, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL franchise.

And every Fulham supporter has been busily looking up the financial credentials of their new man, knowing that the arrival of any footballer – even the sublimely talented Dimitar Berbatov last summer – could not affect their club more than a fraction as much as this unknown businessman with a ­handlebar moustache.

So they pore over the Forbes rich list, as they once studied league tables in their youth.

They find that while Al Fayed is worth £1.3billion, Khan has £1.7billion to his name. Forbes say he is the 491st richest person on the planet. An elderly billionaire gives way to a younger, wealthier billionaire and Fulham's prospects rise.

Had Khan been a mere multi-millionaire, Fulham would have been nervously eyeing a relegation scrap.

Billions do not guarantee a club ­survives or thrives, as Mike Ashley, Tony Fernandes and the Venky's family have proved.


Looney Toon: Ashley's investment has not returned much for the Newcastle owner
Getty

But should Fulham's new owner be willing to sink a significant percentage of his wealth into buying players, the west London club will soon improve on last season's 12th-place finish. Al Fayed was the first in this wave of foreign owners in English football, ­buying Fulham when they were in the third flight and funding their rise to the Premier League.

And whereas many hard-headed businessmen lose their minds after entering football, the former Harrods owner is the 'madman' who turned sane at Craven Cottage – save for one daft statue of Michael Jackson.

Considered a dangerous eccentric when he arrived, the Egyptian has been a model owner for 16 years, with Fulham about to embark on a 13th ­successive Premier League season and having reached a European final.

Khan's dual sporting interest could turn Fulham, one of our most ­traditional clubs, into a 'franchise'. There has ­already been talk of commercial tie-ups with the Jaguars, the worst team in the NFL last season.

Yet his arrival is seen as a positive because, in general terms, the success of a football club is directly linked to the wealth of its owner. Just as surely as the performance of a Formula One driver is linked to the mechanics of his car.

For all the talk of the Premier League being the most exciting in the world, after 38 matches there is ­invariably a direct link between the finances of 20 clubs and their final standings.

Fulham would not be in the Premier League but for Al Fayed's £200million investment.


Mo money: Fulham wouldn't be in the Premier League without Al Fayed's £200m investment
Ian Walton

Manchester City would not have won the title last year had Sheikh Mansour not bought the club.

And Chelsea would not have won 11 major trophies in 10 years had Ken Bates, and not Roman Abramovich, been at the helm.

These men are the F1 constructors of the football world.

They may experience their share of sporting drama along the way, but they will never bring us such pure, ­glorious unpredictability as the sportsmen who are lighting up our summer.

Not like the cricketers and rugby men of these islands and of Australia.

Not like the greatest tennis players in the world, or the golfers who will assemble on the links of Muirfield on Thursday.

Not like the Olympians who ­illuminated last summer either.

And when it comes to football's only pure form, the international game, these foreign benefactors will only hinder England's progress at next ­summer's World Cup, should they make it to Brazil in the first place.



Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/dave-kidd-fulham-shahid-khan-2052943#ixzz2Z59AZXqR
Follow us: @DailyMirror on Twitter | DailyMirror on Facebook

[WhiteJC]

 
Remembering Mohamed Al-Fayed's Time At Fulham

Pak-American billionaire Shahid Khan has purchased Fulham Football Club from the long-serving owner Mohamed Al-Fayed and now controls 100% of the London-based club.

Shahid Khan was listed as the 491st wealthiest man in the world according to Forbes in 2012 and is worth $2.9 billion (£1.92 bn) as or March 2013 – more than twice as much as Al-Fayed.

After 16 years at Craven Cottage, the Egyptian is leaving the Cottagers behind after seeing them gain two promotions and reach the UEFA Europa League final under his ownership.

It all began in May 1997 for Mohamed Al-Fayed when he purchased Fulham Football Club in the summer of 1997 shortly after they gained promotion from the Third Division (fourth tier) as runners-up to Wigan Athletic.

The deal cost the successful Egyptian businessman £6.25m. It is reported that Al-Fayed has sold the club for somewhere between £150-200m.

Al-Fayed's first season as the owner of Fulham saw them finish sixth in the third tier – losing to Grimsby Town in the semi-finals. Micky Adams started the season as manager, Kevin Keegan ended it at the helm. Players included future manager Chris Coleman and other ex-Premier League players Maik Taylor, Alan Neilson, Ian Selley, Paul Bracewell, Paul Trollope and Paul Moody.

Kevin Keegan guided Fulham into the second tier of English football the following season – amassing a 14-point lead over runners-up Walsall as the Cottagers gained 101 points in 1998-99. Players include Philippe Albert (loan), Rufus Brevett, Steve Finnan, Kit Symons, Gus Uhlenbeek, John Salako, Peter Beardsley, Barry Hayles and Geoff Horsfield.

A top-half finish followed during their first season in Division One (now known as the Championship). With the investments Al-Fayed was making (Marcus Hahnemann, Andy Melville, Lee Clark, Bjarne Goldbæk, Karl-Heinz Riedle) and new manager Jean Tigana, this team had ambitions to reach the top.

In their second season in the second tier, Fulham achieved just that. Another 101 points were posted – this time finishing 10-points above runners-up Blackburn Rovers. Louis Saha had top-scored for the club whilst John Collins had also been acquired.

Fulham had flown through the lower leagues – three promotions in five seasons; two of these since Mohamed Al-Fayed had taken over and invested in the club.

Louis Saha was a big hit during his first season in the Premier League, scoring 8 goals, joint-top scorer with Barry Hayles and newly-signed Steed Malbranque. To sure things up at the back, Edwin van der Sar had been signed in a £7.1 million deal from Italian Serie A giants Juventus.

During their first two Premier League campaigns, Fulham would use Queens Park Rangers' Loftus Road as their home stadium whilst Craven Cottage underwent £8 million worth of refurbishment to bring the ground up to Premier League standards.

The 2013-14 season with be Fulham's thirteenth consecutive in the Premier League and their first without Mohamed Al-Fayed.  Their highest finish came in 2008-09 when they finished 7th under Roy Hodgson.  The following season, the future England national team manager guided them to the UEFA Europa League final, losing to Atlético Madrid.

Both van der Sar and Saha would go on to win Premier League titles with Manchester United, as would Chris Smalling more recently. Other exciting players to make a name for themselves at Fulham included Junichi Inamoto, Sylvain Legwinski, Papa Bouba Diop, Clint Dempsey and Mousa Dembélé.

And let's not forget Facundo Sava's goal celebration:





Read more at http://whatculture.com/sport/remembering-mohamed-al-fayeds-time-at-fulham.php#LqLYDFKRGsV2jVJL.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Transfer news: Four Premier League clubs keen on Peter Odemwingie


Peter Odemwingie: Still searching for the exit at West Brom

Sky Sports understands four Premier League clubs have expressed an interest in West Bromwich Albion striker Peter Odemwingie.

The 31-year-old forward has been looking for a route out of The Hawthorns for some time, with a deadline day fiasco in January seeing him fail to secure a switch to Queens Park Rangers.

With there little chance of him being offered a clean slate with the Baggies, it is expected that the Nigeria international will be on the move this summer.

As a proven goalscorer at the highest level, it comes as no surprise to find that numerous clubs are readying an approach for his services.

It is understood that West Ham United, Hull City, Sunderland and Fulham would all welcome Odemwingie into their ranks - joining Crystal Palace in the chase for his services.

He still has a year left to run on his contract at West Brom, but reports suggest that a bid of around £1.5million could be enough to lure the Baggies to the negotiating table.



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11695/8824227?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham and Michael Jackson - What Shahid Khan Got For His $300M

Beyond the bottomless bit of transfer rumors, there were two stories that gained traction over the past week in England.

It was a week of "if it wasn't for these dam foreigners." 

The first story was the lack of opportunities for young English players in the Barclays Premier League and it was followed later in the week by the takeover of Fulham by Shahid Khan a Pakistani-born American billionaire businessman. 

Khan bought the club from Egyptian businessman Mohamed Al Fayed so the number of clubs in the English top division under "English control" remains at eight of twenty but that didn't seem to have made much of a difference to the headline writers. 

The acquisition of another England club by an American brought the predictable responses of "they are taking our game over," "this needs to  stop," or my favorite "why is this happening."

A cursory look at the facts is enough to tell you "why it is happening."

Simply put the Premier League has shown itself to be recession proof through very tough economic times and with substantial revenue growth still possible.

Even some of the most cautious voices have changed their tune from "the escalation in TV rights fees cannot be sustained," to "maybe it can." It seemed at one point that domestic rights were peaking but the emergence of BT as a potential rival to Sky in the UK took domestic rights fees for the next three years to unprecedented levels.

At the same time other broadcasters around the world have been chomping at the bit to associate themselves with the Premier League. NBC's successful bid for US rights being a great example.

And it is not only rights fees but kit deals; naming rights and merchandise are all hitting new highs each cycle. Other major soccer leagues in Europe are growing but none of them can match the Premier League. (Based on 2011/12 revenues the Premier League generated revenues 50% higher than its nearest rival the Bundesliga.)

When you combine revenue growth with a worldwide profile and global customers (fans) who exhibit some of the characteristics of junkies it really is a no brainer for any well-heeled (and I mean well-heeled) businessman.

Where else could you pick up a 5% share of a global brand for just $300M?

Actually, the surprise is that there are any English owners left.

PURCHASE PROFILE – FULHAM F.C.

The club was founded in 1879 and plays at Craven Cottage which is situated on the River Thames and has been home to Fulham since 1896.

Fulham has only spent 24 seasons in England's top division with 13 of these coming since promotion to the Premier League in 2001.

Forbes reports that Shahid Khan has paid Mohamed Al Fayed $300M for Fulham F.C. Al Fayed bought the club in 1997 reportedly for $45M and since then it is estimated that he has invested $288M in loans that were converted mostly to equity last summer.

Outlook

Khan now owns a club based in London (location, location, location?) and becomes one of 20 shareholders in the Premier League – a worldwide brand that has grown immeasurably during tough economic times.

With new Premier League television deals kicking in next season Fulham can expect to receive an additional $30M to $35M should they finish in a similar position to this past season.

The increase in revenue combined with the first tentative steps taken by the Premier League in March to control costs offers Khan the opportunity to mitigate the level of losses incurred by Al Fayed over his 16 years in control. 

Even then, the average loss incurred by Al Fayed was "only" $20M per year which should be immaterial for a man whose net worth is $2.9B.

The one downside of owning a soccer team outside of North America is the constant specter of relegation to a lower division. At the end of each season the last three teams in the Premier League are demoted to the Championship and replaced with three teams coming the other way.

Although demoted teams are entitled to "parachute payments" to cushion the blow over four years should they fail to bounce back, the $90M they receive pales into insignificance compared to the riches that Premier League participation brings.

Stadium Development

The future of Craven Cottage as home to Fulham was a heated topic a decade ago when it discovered that Al Fayed had sold an option to build condominiums on the site to a property development company for $75M. After a messy court case no development took place.

This summer work will commence on an expansion to the Riverside stand that will add 4,300 seats to the stadium's capacity taking it to 30,000.

The present structure will be partially demolished and   a new upper tier added to create more seats, a new hospitality space and a new roof. The plan also includes partial demolition and rebuild of the Putney and Hammersmith stands (any viewers of the boat race will recognize these names!). The cost of redevelopment has been put as high as $45M.

2011/12

Turnover 2011/12: $119.3M (mid-table in Premier League revenue "table")

Gate and match day revenue: $16.6M

Wage bill: £93.6M (mid-table)

Loss before tax: $27M

2012/13

Premier League prize money (2012/13): $10.3M

TV and broadcasting revenue (2012/13): $58.6M

In combination Fulham was 12th in the Premier League prize money and TV revenue table last season.

Match Day Experience

Total home attendance (Premier League) – 482,486

Capacity – 25,700

Average attendance – 25,394

Largest crowd – 25,700

Smallest crowd – 24,087

Least expensive season ticket – $600 (19 home games)

Most expensive season ticket – $1,450

Least expensive match day ticket – $30

Most expensive match day ticket – $113M

Program cost – $5.25

% of home games won – 37%

Average number of goals scored by Fulham at home in Premier League – 1.47

Kit Deal

A new sponsor for Fulham's Adidas supplied kit was announced early last week with Marathonbet taking over from FxPro at the start of the 2013/14 season. The deal contains a one-year extension option beyond the conclusion of the 2014/15 season.

The deal was described as "lucrative" but no value has been given.

Honors

Fulham has never won a major trophy in its 134-year history. The closest the team has come was finishing as runners up to West Ham United in the 1975 FA Cup Final and losing to Atletico Madrid in the 2010 Europa League Final.

Premier League finishes since 2002 (20 team league) – 13th, 14th, 9th, 13th, 12th, 16th, 17th, 7th, 12th, 8th, 9th, 12th

Just seven current Premier League teams have enjoyed a longer consecutive spell but in 2008 Fulham's tenure came ever so close to ending. Fulham won four of their final five games to edge ahead of Reading by a goal difference of just three goals after both teams finished with 36 points. At one point during the run-in Fulham was losing 2-0 away to Manchester City before rallying to a 3-2 win. That result set the stage for one of the Premier League's great comebacks.   

Players, Managers and Personalities

For a team that has spent most of its existence outside of England's top division Fulham has a surprisingly strong connection with the England national team. Johnny Haynes captained England in the late 50s and early 60s and if it had not been for a terrible car crash Haynes might well have been a World Cup winner in 1966 alongside right back George Cohen.

Former England player and manager Bobby Robson played for Fulham and also spent an early part of his managerial career at Fulham.

Kevin Keegan helped Fulham rise through the leagues in the late 90s and left to become another ill-fated England manager. Current England Roy Hodgson traveled the same route albeit with stops at Liverpool and West Brom in between.

Other mangers who have managed Fulham and international sides include Chris Coleman and Mark Hughes (Wales) and Lawrie Sanchez (Northern Ireland).

Many clubs down the years have been described as a laughing stock but between 1959 and 1976 Fulham lived the label.

From 1959 to 1976 Fulham's Chairman was a cheeky-chappy comedian Tommy Trinder.   

Fulhamerica

For a number of years Fulham was a haven for players from the United States and understandably the club garnered a disproportionate amount of the support in North America. Goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann and Eddie Lewis joined Fulham prior to their ascent to the Premier League but it was the signing of Brian McBride that set a pattern of North American arrivals.

McBride became a Craven Cottage icon and captained the team during his time at Fulham from 2004 to 2008. A sports bar at Craven Cottage is named after him.

Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey, Kasey Keller and Eddie Johnson were to follow a path to the Cottage until Dempsey's move last summer to Tottenham Hotspur cut the USA eligibility connection to the Fulham starting eleven.

Jacko

For a reason that nobody except Al Fayed seems to understand, the former Fulham owner erected a $150,000 statue of Michael Jackson outside of Craven Cottage in 2011. It seems that Al Fayed expects the new owner to maintain his "legacy" although Shahid Khan sounded less than committed to maintaining perhaps the most inappropriate (and creepy) statue ever to be placed outside of a sporting arena.



http://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbymcmahon/2013/07/14/fulham-and-michael-jackson-what-shahid-khan-got-for-his-300m/?

[WhiteJC]

 
We learn from their mistakes... Owner Khan insists Fulham won't become the new QPR

Fulham's new owner Shahid Khan has assured fans he will not make the same mistakes as west London rivals QPR.

Supporters at Craven Cottage have bragging rights following Rangers' relegation to the Championship, after Tony Fernandes bought the Loftus Road club and went on a frivolous spending spree.

Now Martin Jol's side have fresh funds and impetus, after Mohamed Al Fayed sold up over the weekend, and Khan says errors will be avoided.


Hair today: Mohamed Al Fayed donned a comedy moustache in tribute as he handed over the Fulham ownership


Tunnel vision: Al Fayed believes he club he has handed the club over to a 'great guy' in Khan

'You can learn from history,' said the owner of NFL side Jacksonville Jaguars. 'Of course I have looked at it. I am not talking about anyone in particular, but you want to learn from other people's mistakes.

'Randy Lerner (Aston Villa owner) and I have met when he was in the NFL, but this week I have not spoken to him.

'Stan Kroenke? (Arsenal shareholder) I have spoken to him this week at length. And the Glazers (Manchester United) at length.'

Khan has flown out to Costa Rica where Fulham are on a pre-season tour to meet manager Jol and discuss plans for the upcoming season.


No mistakes: Khan is wary of the problems that spending over the odds can cause


Down: West London rivals QPR went on a frivolous spending spree, but ended up facing relegation



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2363572/Fulhams-new-owner-Shahid-Khan-assured-fans-wont-make-mistakes-QPR.html#ixzz2Z5BAc7Qj
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

[WhiteJC]

 
CS Cartagines 0 Fulham 3: Berbatov inspires Cottagers to easy win in Costa Rica

Dimitar Berbatov scored twice as Fulham ran out 3-0 winners against CS Cartagines as Martin Jol handed debuts to several new signings in Costa Rica.

The Bulgarian scored in quick succession in the first half as Jol's side were given a decent run out in South America.

Berbatov went close early on after forcing the Cartagines goalkeeper Wardy Alfaro into a decent save following John Arne Riise's delivery, but the hosts slowly came into the game with David Stockdale making a decent save from a drilled effort from Terencio de Oliveira.


Sliding in: Ricardo Duarte vies for the ball with Fulham youngster Boumesca Tue Na Bangna


On top: Pajtim Kasami carries the ball for Fulham during their friendly win in Costa Rica

Riise nearly scored his first ever Fulham goal, shooting wide after Pajtim Kasami's silky run, before the visitors finally took the lead in the 35th minute.

FULHAM STARTING XI
Starting XI: Stockdale; Riether, Hughes, Senderos, Riise; Duff, Sidewell, Karagounis, Mesca; Kasami; Berbatov

Irishman Damien Duff sprung a counter-attack deep in Fulham's half, freeing Kasami to square for Berbatov, who slotted home for the opening goal.

Four minutes later, Riise's determined run into the box was halted by a Cartagines defender, with the referee pointing to the spot. Berbatov made no mistake from 12 yards as Fulham doubled their lead, rolling the ball home after sending Alfaro the wrong way.


No training session: Midfielder Steve Sidwell battles for the ball with Cartagines' Dany Fonseca

New signing Maarten Stekelenburg produced a superb fingertip save to keep Fulham's lead intact, before Hugo Rodallega fed Bryan Ruiz to slam home from close range to make it 3-0 in the 73rd minute. The Costa Rican received a warm round of applause from the home fans.

Fulham's dominance continued as Rodallega spurned a decent chanced from close range in the latter stages.

 
Run out: Boumesca Tue Na Bangna (left) and Sidwell (right) got vital game time as pre-season progresses


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2363837/CS-Cartagines-0-Fulham-3-Dimitar-Berbatov-inspires-Cottagers-easy-win-Costa-Rica.html#ixzz2Z5BomGYp
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

[WhiteJC]

 
Berbatov brace sets up Fulham win
by DAN on JULY 15, 2013



A brace from Dimitar Berbatov and a fine finish from the homecoming hero Bryan Ruiz saw Fulham begin their pre-season tour of Costa Rica with a comfortable victory over C.S. Cartaginés in San José tonight.

Martin Jol married experience with experimentation by naming a starting line-up full of familiar names, such as Aaron Hughes, Damien Duff, Steve Sidwell and Berbatov, whilst offering opportunities to the returning David Stockdale and Pajtim Kasami, who both spent much of last season out on loan, as well as the promising winger Mesca, who saw much of his last campaign disrupted by injury. Fulham were on the front foot from the off with Berbatov coming close to opening the scoring inside the first five minutes but goalkeeper Alfaro did well to keep out the Bulgarian's goalbound header from a John Arne Riise cross.

Stockdale, expected to be the understudy to new signing Maarten Stekelenburg this season, had to be alert at the other end to keep out a low drive from Oliveria and, in some lively opening exchanges, Kasami made the most of his opportunity to catch Jol's eye. The Swiss midfielder's marauding run created the room for Riise to fire at goal, but the left back dragged his shot disappointingly wide. Stockdale produced a superb save to claw away a far-post header from Montero, before Fulham took the lead ten minutes before the break.

A quick counter-attack saw Duff intelligently release Kasami down the Fulham left flank. The former Palermo midfielder skipped past a would-be tackler and his accurate cross was clinically converted by Berbatov. It was a lead Fulham's expansive play merited and their adventure was further rewarded before the end of the first half. A typically robust run from Riise took the Norwegian defender into the Cartaginés penalty area and the referee had little option but to point to the spot when he was bundled over. Berbatov calmly converted the spot-kick with the minimum of fuss, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Jol made nine changes at half-time, giving Stekelenburg, Fernando Amorebieta and Derek Boateng their Fulham debuts, although the changes initially seemed to disrupt the visitors' rhythm. Two of the substitutes, Ruiz and Rodallega, combined cleverly to set up Alex Kacaniklic but the Swedish winger didn't connect properly with his shot, which flew wide. Amorebieta, famous for kicking Lionel Messi in the head during his time in Spain, drew blood from an opponent with a mistimed challenge on the edge of the box – but Stekelenburg produced a superb reflex save to tip over the fierce free-kick from Felix Montoya.

Jol then gave Chris David a taste of first-team football as the Dutch midfielder, signed from FC Twente last January, replaced Steve Sidwell with twenty minutes left. The youngster's cameo was impressive, with plenty of inventive passes, and he was unlucky not to mark his first Fulham appearance with a goal when his late snapshot was blocked at point-blank range by a defender. Fulham increased their lead through the most popular scorer of the evening, when Ruiz brilliantly controlled a deflected cross and swivelled to send a left-footed finish past the goalkeeper from close range.

Fulham might have had further goals as Hugo Rodallega screwed a shot into the side netting after a clever Kacaniklic pass left the Colombian with only the goalkeeper to beat, while Ashkan Dejagah, who looked lively on his first appearance since that untimely ankle injury against QPR, almost curled in an outstanding fourth from the edge of the box in the final minute.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Stockdale (Stekelenburg 45); Riether (Christensen 45), Riise (Richardson 45), Hughes (Amorebieta 45), Senderos (Hangeland 45); Karagounis (Boateng 45), Sidwell (David 70); Duff (Kacaniklic 45), Mesca (Dejagah 45), Kasami (Ruiz 45), Berbatov (Rodallega 45).

GOALS: Berbatov (35, pen 40), Ruiz (73).



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2013/07/berbatov-brace-sets-up-fulham-win/?

[F(f)CUK]

Most expensive match day ticket $113M!!! I think I'll stay in H6.

[WhiteJC]

 
Derek Boateng makes Fulham debut in pre-season win over Cartagines

Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng made his Fulham debut in their 3-0 win over CS Cartagines in the English club's first pre-season match on Sunday.

The 30-year-old signed for the Craven Cottage outfit as a free agent this summer to end a long-awaited arrival to the English Premier League.

The Ghana international made his Fulham debut when he came on as a second half substitute in the side's 3-0 thrashing of their Costa Rican opponents.

Boateng came on to replace Georgios Karagounis in the game that saw Dimitar Berbatove hit a brace with local boy Bryan Ruiz scoring the other.

The Cottagers controlled pretty much the entire match  played in the impressive Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica.

The English side will next face Alajuelense and Deportivo Saprissa before heading back to Europe to round of their pre-season activities.



http://www.ghanasoccernet.com/derek-boateng-makes-fulham-debut-in-pre-season-win-over-cartagines/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Martin Jol will be in charge of transfers, assures new Fulham owner

New Fulham owner Shahid Khan has told Martin Jol and chief executive Alistair Mackintosh that they will have the final say on transfers following his takeover.

Khan will fly to Costa Rica on Saturday for talks with Jol and is expected to tell the Fulham manager he has funds available to strengthen his squad this summer.

The 62-year-old Pakistani-born billionaire will also give assurances that he will not interfere with any transfer dealings.

"That will be up to Martin and Alistair," said Khan. "I am not a micro-manager and one of the lessons I have learned is finding the best people, empowering them, giving them the best resources and not micro-managing."

"Martin knows a lot more about football than I do. I would just like to understand what the plan is."

Jol has already signed three players this summer - Fernando Amorebieta, Maarten Stekelenburg and Derek Boateng - and will maintain control of first-team affairs.

He has reportedly been frustrated at a lack of backing in the transfer market during the last two windows but could now have the spending power to get his top targets.

Fulham have been linked with Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone, Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates and Aston Villa forward Darren Bent and potential signings will be discussed when Khan meets the squad on their pre-season tour of Central America.

Khan hopes Jol will remain in charge for the start of the new season but has shown a ruthless streak as owner of American football franchise the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Khan took over the Florida-based NFL team last year and sacked their general manager and head coach within 12 months following a poor season. It remains to be seen whether he will make similar sweeping changes at Fulham.


New man: Shahid Khan

"Everyone speaks very highly of him and his reputation proceeds him," said Khan of Jol, who has one year remaining on his contract at Craven Cottage. "He has accomplished a lot and I am very much looking forward to meeting him."

Khan approached Al Fayed about buying Fulham last month and spoke at length with Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke and Manchester United chiefs, the Glazer family, before completing his takeover for around £150million on Friday.

He claims he will not try to follow the example of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich by spending big and says he has learned from the mistakes made by clubs like Queens Park Rangers.

"You can learn from history," said Khan, who becomes the sixth American owner of a Premier League club. "I am not talking about anyone in particular but you want to learn from other people's mistakes. I do not have first-hand knowledge of what the plan is here but hopefully I will be learning that over the next few of days."

The Fulham Supporters' Trust have backed Khan's investment.

Spokesman Dan Crawford said: "There is a lot of excitement but the most important thing is for it not to be a flash in the pan. Everyone is wondering what the longevity of the project is.

"We need stability and it is important that Jol is given a chance to prove himself to the new owner. Jol deserves an opportunity to see if he can take us that step further.

"While we have been very well run, there has not been a large amount of transfer fees pumped into the team for the last few years. This is an opportunity for us to push into the top half and maybe further. That has to be exciting. Hopefully this is the start of good times at Fulham."

Khan is committed to redeveloping Craven Cottage and wants to press ahead with plans to increase its capacity to 30,000.

Fulham were last year granted planning permission to refurbish the Riverside Stand and the preferred contractors, Buckingham Group Contracting, hope work will start later this year.



http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/martin-jol-will-be-in-charge-of-transfers-assures-new-fulham-owner-8708592.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Manager Reaction

Fulham Manager Martin Jol was pleased that his players picked up a satisfying win against C.S. Cartaginés in our first pre-season friendly in Costa Rica on Sunday.

Jol used 22 players in the game, with very different sides on the pitch before and after half-time and, while the priority is to get the players match fit after a summer break, the Manager was delighted to get three goals as well.

"They had a good team, a good balance and a different system, so it was good for us to cope with it where the first half was a bit better probably than the second half," Jol said. "We had some good players that could make the difference, but I would say that they have four or five very good players as well.

"First priority is to get the players fit and to get their rhythm, another priority is not to lose because we don't want to lose, and of course tactically you always work to try to get your own shape and your own system. That is what we did - first half was okay and in the second half they had two or three chances which forced a good save from our 'keeper.

"They had some quality as well and left some good players on the bench to bring on in the second half. I think they are a good team, they only conceded 18 goals, somebody told me, last year and we scored three against them so that is very satisfying."

Asked about our Costa Rica international, Bryan Ruiz, who got on the scoresheet while wearing his new number 10 shirt, Jol added: "Bryan wore number 11 last year because someone else had the number 10 but I think he is a typical number 10. He can play as a midfield player and he can play as a second striker. I have to say in one of our games at the end of last season he scored two goals and then I played him on the right and he played in Holland of course in a different system on the right. Bryan Ruiz is an offensive quality player who can play in three or four positions."

Overall the Manager was pleased with our first trip to the National Stadium and is looking forward to playing the next games.

"I think it was a very good atmosphere and we enjoyed that," he said. "People were friendly and the pitch was good so I thought that it was a very good evening for us, and for them as well because they have a good team. We used 22 players so we won't do that in the next game."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/july/15/manager-reaction?

[WhiteJC]

 
Ready for 2013/14

The Whites ran out 3-0 winners in their first pre-season game of 2013/14 against C.S. Cartaginés and the preparations will continue as we approach the start of the Barclays Premier League season.

Are you ready for the 2013/14 season? Match tickets will go on sale for our first two matches against Arsenal and West Brom to Season Ticket Holders and Members from 10am on Wednesday 17th July.

If you're yet to secure your Season Ticket, there's still time: prices start from £449 adults and £220 juniors, that's less £24 per game for adults and less than £12 per game for juniors.

Your Season Ticket will secure your seat at all 19 of our home games in the Barclays Premier League as well as offering you a range of other great benefits across the season. Find out more and buy today at fulhamfc.com/seasontickets.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/july/15/ready-for-201314?

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League: Could next season be a Thriller for Fulham fans?

Fulham have become the sixth Premier League club under American ownership after the end of the Mohamed Al Fayed era. Ralph Ellis looks at what the new owners might bring to Craven Cottage

Some things at Fulham won't change. According to Mohamed Al Fayed the statue of Michael Jackson outside Craven Cottage will remain in place once the new regime of American billionaire Shahid Khan has taken charge.

But if the weird tribute to the equally bizarre Jacko isn't going to be moved, it seems a lot of other things will benefit from the arrival of new investment - and the most important of all will be Martin Jol's transfer budget.

Khan officially unveiled his new regime on Saturday morning, before immediately flying to Costa Rica to meet up with Jol on the club's pre-season training tour. It must have been a good start, as he arrived to see them win 3-0 in their first friendly against CS Cartagines, with Dimitar Berbatov scoring twice.

Jol has had a frustrating summer in the transfer market so far, with just £2m spent on three players - Dutch goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg plus Venezuelan central defender Fernando Amorebieta and Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng. What he's needed is the cash to pursue attacking targets, and Khan's arrival looks like giving him that.

Khan has said most of the right things at the start of his tenure, including making the promise not to follow Queens Park Rangers' hapless owner Tony Fernandes by spending huge money on players without knowing who or why. The difference, however, is that while QPR needed better players all over their team after scrapping their way out of the Championship, Fulham have already got a decent squad that simply requires some additions.

Jol's priority will be somebody else apart from Berbatov to score. The big Bulgarian is much maligned for his languid and sometimes lazy style, but he's always a threat and weighed in with 15 Premier League goals last season. Jol, who first introduced him to English football at Spurs, knows how to get the best from him - and one of the ways is to make sure he doesn't carry all the burden of being the only goalscorer, as he was last season.

It means Fulham will almost certainly begin bidding against Newcastle to sign Darren Bent, who Jol signed when Spurs manager. Aston Villa have signalled that they'll take a huge loss on the club record £24m they spent to buy the former England striker who clearly has no place in Paul Lambert's plans. At around £6m he'd be comfortably in Fulham's new budget, giving scope to do a deal on the remaining three years of his Villa contract. From there his career record guarantees you a goal every two games - exactly the sort of player Jol needs.

Bent is as long as 100.0 in the betting to be Premier League top scorer this season, and 12.5 to be among the top four goalscorers. A move to a decent side that can make chances for him would make either of those a bargain bet.

As for Khan's new club, well they finished 12th last season, and only failed to go higher because a few players downed tools after reaching the safety line of 40 points, losing five games in a row. So it won't take a lot to improve, making the current price of between 2.8 and 3.4 look value for a top ten finish.

New owners bring new impetus and that could be good for Fulham. As Jacko sang: "Wanna be starting somethin..."



http://betting.betfair.com/football/premier-league/premier-league-2014-could-it-be-a-thriller-for-fulham-fans-150713-201.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
The Sale of Fulham: Letting Go and Embracing Change

This sure did come out of nowhere.

With fans left little time to mentally prepare for the end of 16 spectacular years of ownership, the Mohamed Al Fayed era is over.

It's tough to let go of such a successful core, the heart of Fulham's Premier League status.  It's tough to even fathom that the generous, kind, and passionate man who led the troops out of the darkness and into the international picture no longer has any say.

On first reaction, it feels like the fixing of something that isn't broken.  Stability is slipping away.  All the trenches and foxholes that Fulham dug to protect their hard-earned status are being unearthed.

However, like so many other times that Al Fayed has served the fans by setting an example, we should follow his lead one last time – by letting go.

The sale of Fulham from Al Fayed to Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan represents a handing off from the club's tribal leader to one who is meant to usher in a methodical climb into the next echelon of the Premier League ladder.

The Egyptian had earned the whole and absolute trust of the fans, and that alone should be an indication that better things are to come.

With the General of Craven Cottage reaching 84 years old, he's given all he can give to the fans.  So he placed the club's most valuable asset – us – in the hands of Khan, and that alone should be reason for excitement.

It's time to let go the days of the rapid promotions, the successful relegation battles, and the Europa League final.  Remember them fondly, but let go.  Embrace the new change that blindsided the Fulham faithful, because every sign points towards progress.

Al Fayed trusts Khan.  That on its own should be the all-stop of Khan's defense, but there's more.  He's worth almost twice Al Fayed.  He's working on a long-term plan for the Jaguars for NFL stability, something that's a lot harder than many think.  And he respects the history and tradition that comes along with his purchase.

Will Khan take Fulham alongside the Evertons and Tottenhams and continue to work towards not just financial but football stability?  Nobody can predict the future.  There's massive risk with any sale.

What we do know is that Mohamed Al Fayed led us this far.  Why should we doubt him when he finally chooses the next in line?

It's time to usher in a new era.  That phrase is used all too often, but here it absolutely applies.  Al Fayed built the foundation – a wonderful, exciting, and flat out fun foundation – it's Khan's job to build the castle.



http://fulhamsfinest.com/2013/07/15/the-sale-of-fulham-letting-go-and-embracing-change/?