Wednesday Fulham Stuff (14/08/13)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham and Real Sociedad tussling to sign QPR midfielder Granero on loan

Real Sociedad hope to beat Fulham to a loan deal for QPR midfielder Esteban Granero.

The 26-year-old was brought in by Mark Hughes last summer, but could move away from the west-London club since their relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.

Meanwhile, Anton Ferdinand has signed a three-year contract with Antalyaspor in Turkey. Ferdinand, 28, had been looking for a new club since leaving QPR at the end of last season.


Wanted man: Esteban Granero (right) tries to get away from Huddersfield's Adam Claytron


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2392338/Fulham-Real-Sociedad-want-Esteban-Granero-loan.html#ixzz2bvhpibT9
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

[WhiteJC]

 
Tottenham's Scott Parker is a transfer target for Fulham as well as QPR

Cottagers are able to offer the England midfielder Premier League rather than Championship football in a World Cup year

Harry Redknapp is hoping to do a deal for Scott Parker – but faces last-minute competition from Fulham.

Queens Park Rangers manager Redknapp wants to seal a £3.5million deal for the midfielder, who played for him and Spurs and who he believes can to lead them back to the Premier League.

But Fulham boss Martin Jol has also come in, and is hoping the lure of Premier League football with the Cottagers in World Cup year can ensure they see off their west London neighbours.

Parker would add some welcome steel to a Fulham team that could feature Dimitar Berbatov, Bryan Ruiz and on-loan QPR playmaker Adel Taarabt.

QPR are also in for Spurs' England striker Jermain Defoe, as Redknapp looks to do another cut-price deal with his former bosses at the White Hart Lane club.

Spurs have bought big at the expense of their English players, but Redknapp's biggest obstacle is persuading Defoe to drop down to the Championship when he also hopes to be part of next year's World Cup in Brazil.

QPR chairman Tony Fernandes is clearly backing his manager in the market as Redknapp looks to bring in extra quality after last season's relegation.

The clear-out also continues at Loftus Road, with former Real Madrid midfielder Esteban Granero set to join Real Sociedad on a season-long loan.



Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/tottenham-transfers-scott-parker-fulham-2162845#ixzz2bvicK7jm
Follow us: @DailyMirror on Twitter | DailyMirror on Facebook

[WhiteJC]

 
Sunderland v Fulham: the famous 'Who are You?' is back

Here we go again. Subject to finding a witty, warm or wise opposing supporter in each case, every Sunderland match will again be preceded here by the traditional "Who are You?" questionnaire.
As usual, prizes will be awarded at the end of the season for the responses judged by the Salut! Sunderland panel to have been the best.
Hands up those who can hardly wait for the season to open. The excitement is building, not least since few of us can have a firm idea of who will start for PDC after virtually a teamload of new signings in the close season. For a Fulham viewpoint, we asked Russ Goldman*, an American supporter who runs the Cottage Talk internet radio show, to get this season's series off to a grand start ...

Jake waits for the new phase of the PDC revolution
Salut! Sunderland: So goodbye to Mohamed al Fayed, hello Shahid Khan. He wanted the club badly enough to pay a reported £150-200m for it and seems to have pots of money left over. Good for the club and the future?
I think this is very good for the club. I did some research on Mr Khan after hearing about his potential takeover of Fulham, and what I have learned is pretty positive. As the Jaguars owner he has upgraded the facilities there, and has a plan for the future. He is beloved in Jacksonville and I found that very interesting since he has only owned them for 18 months.
When I interviewed him on Cottage Talk, he told us that he wants Fulham to be sustainable over the long term and to be able to push forward. He also is not a micro-manager and will let his staff do their jobs and give them the financial backings to succeed. I also get the impression that if they do not succeed, he will hold them accountable. That is all I can ask as a supporter.
What, if not answered above, is your verdict on the Fayed years?
Mr Al Fayed did not save Fulham, but he helped the club tremendously in getting them to the EPL and also be able to stay there for many seasons. Without his financial backing, I don't think Fulham are the club they have become. He deserves so much praise for what he did for Fulham Football Club.
Fulham is traditionally a small club surrounded in the capital by bigger fish. What can the new owner realistically hope to achieve?
Fulham play in Craven Cottage and with the re-development of the Riverside stand in the future eventually the capacity will be over 30,000 which is 5,000 more than they currently have. This will help a great deal, but against the bigger clubs, Fulham will still be at a disadvantage.
I think realistically he should hope to see Fulham be comfortable in the top ten on a consistent basis, and have the ability to compete for a Europa League spot. I think that is something that can be achieved.

Hamish McBardsley by Jake

Have eyebrows been raised among Fulham fans by reports linking you with players Paolo Di Canio doesn't want, eg Phil Bardsley (now injured – ed) and Lee Cattermole?
Eyebrows have been raised and I think many like me want other potential players linked to Fulham. Keiran Richardson was a signing last year that I liked, but he was hurt a good amount of the season, and I hope he can be a solid contributor to Fulham this season at left back.
Has anything happened or appears about to happen during the close season, especially with regard to transfers to excite – or worry – you?
Fulham have been linked to strikers and central midfielders and those are two needs for the club. I would really like to see them sign former Sunderland player Darren Bent (a Palace loan deal now looking more likely – ed), because the possibilities of him playing with Berbatov excite me.
The one major worry is the need for a creative central midfielder which they have not filled since Mousa Dembele left. If they do not fill that, Fulham could stay where they were last season which was between 10th-12th.

What did you make of our two games last season, which many of us saw as a relatively comfortable away win followed by barely deserved draw at home?
The first match was the negative turning point for the Fulham season. The red card for Brede Hangeland changed the game, and really affected Fulham for a long time. As fans many of us looked back at the match, and thought what could have been. The strange thing about that match is Fulham even though down a man played well for awhile, but eventually your quality took over and Sunderland would get all three points.
The second match, it was disappointing to let Sunderland back in the match because Fulham were in control, but to their credit, they battled back and in the end got the point. The credit there goes to Sunderland.
Were you surprised at how close we were to going down?
I was very surprised as Sunderland are too big to go down. There is still too much talent there, and I am glad you stayed up. I have always had much respect for Sunderland as I see our clubs basically on the same level.

Your Twitter profile lists Fulham among many sporting interests – from the New England Patriots to Derby County – and suggest that you're based in Boston, MA. How actively and avidly do you support FFC, and why?
Well, I think it is safe to say that I am extremely active Fulham supporter, and I really became a supporter when Clint Dempsey moved to the club. What really did it for me was the Great Escape. For Fulham to survive that and thrive afterwards is truly amazing. I first became the editor of Cottagers Confidential about four years ago but gave it up because honestly I was too active.
I then switched to doing Cottage Talk which is my internet radio show, and this September will start the third year of doing shows. This show has enabled me to stay closer to the club I love even though I live outside of Boston. I might live in the US but ask Fulham fans about my allegiance to the club. Something tells me they will tell you, I am really into it.
And is the feeling your side of the Pond that Jozy Altidore will do well on his return to the Premier?
I have my concerns about Altidore in general as I thought he would do well his first time in the EPL with Hull. However, he might have finally matured as a player and a person to be the player that I thought he would be. I will tell you that I am cautiously optimistic that he will do well.
He started scoring for the National team and that is the positive sign. I just want to see him do it consistently back in England. Sunderland have given him a second chance and I hope he succeeds.
What hat have been your own high and low points of following the club?
Well that is pretty easy.
The low would have to be right before the Great Escape when every expert thought they would go down. The high would have to be the run to get all the way to the Europa League Final. We might never have that opportunity again so that is what makes getting to the Final so special.
Johnny Haynes, George Cohen, Bobby Robson, Rodney Marsh and Alan Mullery are associated with the club's past, How important is the history to you and, though your knowledge may be handed down, how does the present squad compare?
I have to tell you that learning about the past is very important. When I first became a fan, I started learning and had a friend really teach me about the past. I still want to hear stories about the past, because I think it is important to pass it on. Fulham do a great job now of showing old videos and sharing stories about the players of the past. These players need to be remembered and I can tell you that they are.

Give me your predictions for the Premier League top four in order, the three clubs going down and, if not already mentioned, the finishing positions of Sunderland and Fulham.
The winner of the Barclays Premier League I feel is going to be Chelsea, followed by Manchester United, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur. The three going down will be Stoke City, Crystal Palace, and Hull City.
I am going to predict Sunderland for 10th and Fulham for 9th. I think we are both going to have improved seasons.

What single aspect of football most inspires you and what seriously annoys you?
You might laugh but when teams survive relegation like Sunderland and Aston Villa that inspires me. When the odds are coming up against you, and your club can find a way to survive, that inspires me.
A team that buys a title really annoys me. I have no respect for Manchester City as simply because of money, they are now in contention every year to win a title. I don't think there is really any plan there but to buy as many of the best players as possible. That club utterly disgusts me.
Does it surprise you that many English supporters put club a long way above country?
No it doesn't as I do the same for the US. Fulham are number one and the USMNT are a distance behind them. I want them to do well but Fulham come first so I understand the same for English supporters.
How will you follow the match and what will be the score?
I will watch it on one of the channels made available by NBC Sports as they are showing every single match. I am predicting 1-1 as this could be an ugly opening match of the season.


* Russ Goldman on himself:
I have been a supporter of Fulham since 2007 and Clint Dempsey is what brought me to Fulham. I was searching for a club for several years, and Dempsey was the one that brought me to Fulham Football Club.
Interview: Colin Randall



- See more at: http://salutsunderland.com/2013/08/sunderland-v-fulham-the-famous-who-are-you-is-back/?#sthash.Jaxi09aN.dpuf

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham set for new era

Last season's position: 12th  (W11 D10 L17 F50 A60)

Key man: Dimitar Berbatov

Predicted position: 11th


At a football club, changes of ownership are normally treated with a mixture of excitement and fear, with the club possibly leaping into a wealthier future but also running the risk of being terribly mismanaged, as history shows.

Fulham, however, find themselves in the enviable position of knowing that they're likely to have swapped stability for more stability, a luxury not many clubs can afford in this day and age.

Mohamed Al Fayed, the man who financed the club's arrival in the top-flight at the turn of the Millennium, has stepped aside having sold the West London outfit to to Shahid Khan in July, a decision Fulham fans will hope proves to be as astute as the many Al Fayed took during his time in charge (Michael Jackson's statue, obviously, doesn't feature on the list).

Under Al Fayed's ownership, the Cottagers established themselves as a regular presence in the Premier League, never good enough to seriously challenge for trophies, bar their impressive run in the Europa League in 2011, and yet comfortably too good to be find themselves dragged into the quicksand of the relegation zone.

Shahid Khan's financial muscles are even bigger than Al Fayed's, but Fulham's new owner is yet to flex them significantly this summer, as the Cottagers have conducted their business in typically understated, yet effective, fashion.

Soon after the season ended, Martin Jol secured Sascha Riether from Cologne for just over £1m. The German full-back had an impressive season on loan at Fulham last season, the defensive side of his game as impressive as his marauding runs forwards that saw him deliver the second-highest number of crosses for a Premier League full-back.

Fulham conceded 60 goals last season and Martin Jol has moved swiftly this summer to shore up his defence, with former Athletic Bilbao defender Fernando Amorebieta set to partner Brede Hangeland in the middle of the back four.

The Basque looks to be a smart addition, particularly considering he has European football experience, is comfortable with a ball at his feet and hasn't costed Fulham a penny.

Likewise, Maarten Stekelenburg should prove to be a reliable replacement for Mark Schwarzer, who moved up the Kings Road and joined Chelsea. The Dutch keeper lost his starting spot at Roma last season, but will be desperate to impress Dutch boss Louis Van Gaal in a World Cup year.

Further up the pitch, Fulham's capture of Derek Boateng from Ukranian outfit Dnipro could prove to be another shrewd piece of business but Martin Jol must bolster his midfield options, for Steve Sidwell can't do all the water carrying by himself, while Damien Duff and Giorgos Karagounis performed admirably last season, but neither is getting any younger.

Ashkan Dejagah, Alexander Kacaniklic and Kerim Frei are more than capable to provide entertainment in spades, but have so far lack the consistency required to deliver on a weekly basis.

Up-front, Fulham could do with some strengthening too, considering that apart from Dimitar Berbatov, the club's top scorer with 15 league goals last season, nobody apart from Mladen Petric netted more than five times last season and the Croatian was released this summer.

At the time of writing, Martin Jol's pursuit of Darren Bent is still ongoing and a proven goalscorer like the Villa frontman could prove to be crucial for the West Londoners, as they look to begin the Khan era in style.


http://blog.footballrascal.com/fulham-set-for-new-era/?