Friday Fulham Stuff (16/08/13)...

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Darren Bent loan move to Fulham moves closer as Aston Villa striker undergoes medial
Paul Lambert, the Aston Villa manager, has confirmed that his striker Darren Bent is undergoing a medical at Fulham and that he is close to securing a season-long loan deal with the London club.

Crystal Palace had seemingly been on the verge of signing the 29-year-old until Eagles manager Ian Holloway announced on Wednesday morning that Bent had chosen Craven Cottage over Selhurst Park.

Fulham boss Martin Jol was reticent to comment in detail during his afternoon briefing, but Lambert confirmed a deal – with the intention of it becoming permanent next summer – is close.

"He's just away down to Fulham," said the Villa boss. "I think it's well-documented now that he's down there having a medical and that's the last I've heard."

Jol had earlier issued a cautious response to the suggestion that Fulham had signed Bent.

"I don't know what's happening. Darren's probably doing his own thing. We're not sure about it," he said.

"We don't speculate on players and can only give an answer when a deal is finalised. We'll see in the next day or two."

Bent swapped Sunderland for Villa for £24 million in 2011, but fell out of favour with Lambert last season following the emergence of Christian Benteke.

"We need quality up front and we're trying to get someone in that position in the next week. We need some pace up front," Jol said.

Meanwhile the Dutchman would be happy to keep Norway fullback John Arne Riise, who has fallen behind Kieran Richardson in the pecking order, if he fails to secure a move away from Craven Cottage.

"John is a fantastic player and deserves to play and that was the only conversation we had," Jol said. "If he's the second choice at this club, I'm not sure he'll be a happy customer.

"But if he stays I'll be happy because if something happens to Kieran Richardson then I have another fantastic left back."

And Jol failed to rule out further signings. "The new owner wants us to go places and that's our intention as well," he added.

"We don't expect new owners to come in and spend a lot of money because you have to be self-sufficient. That's what we're trying to do. We won't spend 10, 15, 20 million pounds on players.

"The new owner's not interfering with anything. The only thing he said was try to create a nice sausage.

"He knows that we like sausages here. As long as it's a nice sausage he'll be happy."

(Edited by Oliver Pickup)



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/fulham/10245496/Darren-Bent-loan-move-to-Fulham-moves-closer-as-Aston-Villa-striker-undergoes-medial.html

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Stephane Sessegnon v Bryan Ruiz: Head-to-head analysis ahead of the clash between Sunderland and Fulham
Check out all the vital statistics concerning the two sides' attacking midfielders ahead of this weekend's Premier League meeting at the Stadium of Light



Ahead of this weekend's Premier League meeting, between Sunderland and Fulham, see how the sides' midfielders Stephane Sessegnon and Bryan Ruiz compare.



http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/stephane-sessegnon-v-bryan-ruiz-headtohead-analysis-ahead-of-the-clash-between-sunderland-and-fulham-8763918.html

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Sunderland v Fulham preview: Team strengths, tactics and stats
Check out all the vital statistics ahead of this weekend's Premier League meeting at the Stadium of Light



Ahead of this weekend's Premier League meeting, between Sunderland and Fulham, see how the sides compare on possession, pass accuracy, tactics and much more.



http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/sunderland-v-fulham-preview-team-strengths-tactics-and-stats-8763994.html

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Bent Arrival Imminent
   
It would appear that Fulham have stepped in to snap up Darren Bent just as it looked as if he was joining Crystal Palace.

Ian Holloway, in charge at Palace, is quoted as having remarked about losing the player,

"Fulham could wait longer than we could so we`ve had to try and force it. They`ve stepped in, took our deal."

"I was told last night he was coming to us. I was told this morning he was coming to us. It`s life."

The word on the street is that his signing will be announced later today, possibly this evening!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=328750#ixzz2c6KwdQ3r

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Preview: Sunderland vs. Fulham

Sunderland begin their Premier League campaign at the Stadium of Light when they welcome Martin Jol's Fulham side on Saturday.

The Black Cats, now under the stewardship of Paolo Di Canio, have added no fewer than nine new signings to their squad this summer, while the Italian has also released a number of bit-part players from the previous season.

Fulham have also been busy in the transfer market thus far, but Jol has also been linked with a move for Aston Villa forward Darren Bent ahead of the opening game of the season.

The corresponding fixture between these two sides ended in a 2-2 draw in March, but Sunderland were 3-1 winners at Craven Cottage in November 2012.

Sunderland could welcome Wes Brown back into the centre of their defence, while there are also expected to be starts for summer signings Emanuele Giaccherini and Jozy Altidore.

Top scorer from last season Steven Fletcher has stepped up his recovery for the home side, but the Scot is not expected to be fit until at least September following ankle ligament damage.

Alex Kacaniklic will not be fit to take part for Fulham, meanwhile, but Adel Taarabt is expected to make his debut in an advanced position.

The London outfit should also have a number of new signings in their first XI, meanwhile, with Maarten Stekelenburg and Fernando Amorebieta coming into the side.

Possible lineups:

Sunderland: Mannone; O'Shea, Celustka, Brown, Bardsley; Giaccherini, Colback, Larsson, Johnson; Sessegnon, Altidore

Fulham: Stekelenburg; Riether, Amorebieta, Hangeland, Riise; Sidwell, Dejagah, Boateng; Taarabt, Berbatov, Ruiz

Sports Mole says: 2-1


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/sunderland/preview/preview-sunderland-vs-fulham_98832.html

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Southampton agree fee with Roma for Tottenham and Fulham target Pablo Osvaldo
SOUTHAMPTON have agreed an €18m fee with Roma for Tottenham and Fulham target Pablo Osvaldo.

The Italians are looking to offload the 27-year-old in the hope of funding a move for Manchester United winger Nani.

According to reports in Italy a fee has now been agreed with the south-coast club, who have offered Osvaldo a four-year contract at St. Mary's.

Osvaldo is yet to decide on a move to Southampton, which may open the door for other interested clubs to swoop for his services.

The forward has attracted the interest of Inter Milan, Benfica and Premier League sides Tottenham and Fulham over the summer.

However Fulham have now cooled their interest in the Italian international, with Aston Villa's Darren Bent on the verge of joining the Cottagers on a season-long loan.

Tottenham are monitoring the situation as manager Andre Villas-Boas looks to add more attacking options to his side.

Roberto Soldado has arrived from Valencia in a £26m club record deal, but doubts remain over the futures of Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor.

A move for Osvaldo would see Spurs take their summer spending to over £60m after the arrivals of Soldado, Paulinho, Nacer Chadli and Etienne Capoue.



http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/332672/Southampton-agree-fee-with-Roma-for-Tottenham-and-Fulham-target-Pablo-Osvaldo

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EPL preview: 5 things to know about Fulham


Dimitar Berbatov (AAP file)

By Jack Bazants
Five things to know about Fulham going into the 2013-14 English Premier League season:

PLAYERS IN
Manager Martin Jol has been busy during the offseason, signing five players to strengthen his first-team squad. Goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg arrived from Roma, replacing Mark Schwarzer, who signed for London rival Chelsea. Sascha Reither's season-long loan from Wolfsburg became a permanent transfer and defender Fernando Amorebieta signed from Athletic Bilbao. Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng joined on a free transfer from Ukrainian club Dnipro, and Adel Taarabt made the switch to Fulham from second-tier Queens Park Rangers on a one-season loan. Reports in the English media also suggest Fulham could sign striker Darren Bent from Aston Villa before its first game of the season away to Sunderland.

PLAYERS OUT
Aside from goalkeeper Schwarzer's exit after five years, Jol also decided not renew the contract of four other players who featured for the first team. Chris Baird, Simon Davies, Mahamadou Diarra and Mladen Petric all left as Jol made space for the players he had targeted to bring into the team.

NEW OWNERS, NEW ERA
Mohamed Al Fayed's 16-year ownership of Fulham ended in July when he sold the club to Shad Kahn, owner of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars in the United States. Khan has taken 100 percent ownership of the club, which is debt-free. Al Fayed's tenure as owner saw Fulham establish itself comfortably in the Premier League. It also reached the final of the Europa League under current England manager Roy Hodgson in 2010, losing to Atletico Madrid in extra time.

KEY PLAYER: DIMITAR BERBATOV
Berbatov scored 15 goals for Fulham last season and was voted its player of the season by the club's supporters. He was the focal point for Fulham's attack and scored one of the goals of the season in its 1-0 win against Stoke against Craven Cottage. A partnership with new arrival Adel Taarabt, an attacking midfielder, has potential to excite the Fulham fans. Taarabt's performances for Queens Park Rangers were inconsistent last season but at times he reached a very high level. If he and Berbatov can combine on a regular basis they could pose problems for any defence in the league.

SURPRISE STARTERS?
Fulham could surprise a few people with a fast start to its 2013-14 season. In its opening nine games, it only plays Arsenal and Chelsea out of the teams expected to compete for European places in the league. If Jol can create a winning mentality in the early stages of the season and his best players stay free from injury, Fulham might fancy its chances of competing for a top-seven finish and earning a spot in the Europa League.

AP


Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/EPL-preview-5-things-to-know-about-Fulham/tabid/415/articleID/309264/Default.aspx#ixzz2c6MMQJIF

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'I can't wait for our home win against Chelsea' – a Fulham fan's Premier League season preview
As the big kick-off approaches, Standard Sport speaks to fan bloggers to find out their aspirations for the campaign ahead

DAVID LLOYD (TOOFIF)

Your hopes for your team this season...

That the team clicks and plays to its capabilities, whoever's selected. Even though we had an unbalanced squad that was shorn of midfield creativity and dynamism last season, we were too often below par. First target is that magic 40-points mark – and then to press on, not switch off!

Summer signing that excites you...

Maarten Stekelenburg. If the Dutch international keeper proves anywhere as good as compatriot Edwin van der Sar we'll be delighted.


Player that needs to deliver....

Kieran Richardson, Hugo Rodellega, Pajtim Kasami, Bryan Ruiz...


Costa Rican Bryan Ruiz needs to deliver the goods, says LLoyd

Young player to watch....

Buomesca Tue Na Bangna (we know him as Mesca) and, before long, a young lad named Moussa Dembele (yes, really)

Your team's most important player this season will be...

Has to be the exceptionally gifted Berbatov, right? If he's delivering the goods and looking hungry for more, that'll be a decent marker that the rest of the side are also doing the business. What we really want is a concerted team effort and effective tactics, please...


Can Dimitar Berbatov play to his potential this season?

Fixture you are looking forward to the most...

Our home win over Chelsea.

Opposition player who will get booed...

John Terry might get a cheery wave, and Luis Suarez is another obvious target; but what about QPR's Adel Taarabt who, unbelievably, was booed by a moronic few on making his Fulham bow against Parma.

If you could have any other Premier League player in your team it would be...

Juan Mata, to provide some much-needed guile, or Gareth Bale for an injection of pace. A fully fit Louis Saha from his FFC prime would be a brilliant returnee – happy retirement Louis.

David LLoyd writes for There's Only One F in Fulham fanzine www.toofif.co.uk



http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/comment/i-cant-wait-for-our-home-win-against-chelsea--a-fulham-fans-premier-league-season-preview-8761723.html

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Di Canio urges his Sunderland men to keep their heads in Fulham opener

NEW-LOOK Sunderland must keep their heads at an expectant Stadium of Light tomorrow, says Paolo Di Canio.

Head coach Di Canio could hand debuts to as many as nine summer signings against Fulham, as the Black Cats begin a first full season under the Italian's stewardship.

Inevitably, that will prompt a rowdy atmosphere for the Premier League curtain raiser, as more than 40,000 Sunderland supporters get a first glimpse in the flesh of Di Canio's recruits.

But while Di Canio hopes that environment can inspire his players, he insists they must still keep their composure and put into practice their pre-season work.

"It is obvious the real test of our pre-season will be tomorrow, an official match, with pressure and over 40,000 people watching," said Di Canio.

"That should help us, but, sometimes, a euphoric situation can let you run everywhere and make you forget everything you have worked on.

"We have to make sure that we know how to deliver that clear identity."

Di Canio does think it is an advantage to start the season at the Stadium of Light though, particularly with such an overhauled squad.

"It is good to be at home," he added.

"We would have accepted it no problem if we'd been away.

"But if something goes wrong, that environment can help us to not lose.

"That's the problem if you start away from home and you go 2-0 down, then you don't have support.

"It's not because we're mentally weak, but it's the first game and there's many changes so it's a real test.

"We don't know whether we are going to win or lose, but from a psychological aspect it's important."


http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/sunderland-afc/di-canio-urges-his-sunderland-men-to-keep-their-heads-in-fulham-opener-1-5958447

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Skipper Raring To Go

Fulham Captain Brede Hangeland says he is ready and excited for the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season to begin.

The Whites have had a busy pre-season campaign with a tour to Costa Rica, a trip to an alpine resort in Austria and some European friendlies against Werder Bremen, Real Betis and Parma. But now the time has come to focus on domestic matters as Sunderland await as our first game of the season on Saturday.

"It will be great to be back playing in the Barclays Premier League," Brede told the official website. "That is why we have been running around all summer, to get fit and ready for the new season and I feel like there has been enough friendlies and enough training, so we are all raring to go."

Our northern opposition have brought in a number of new faces over the summer, with new manager Paolo Di Canio trying to make his mark and Hangeland says that Fulham will be keen to take advantage of any uncertainty in the Sunderland defence early on to make sure we start the season on a positive note.

"Sunderland will be a tough game for us, but it will be a tough game for them as well," he added. "It's a very competitive league and will be a totally different type of game to the friendlies we have been playing over the summer. I'm expecting everything to be much quicker, more competitive and hopefully we have the quality to get some points on the board early on.

"Obviously we try and improve every year and that is important because the teams around us are strengthening all the time. The league is becoming more competitive every year and we need to try and take a step forward to ensure that we can do better. I am certainly confident that we can do that."

When asked what his expectations for the coming campaign are, our skipper remained modest but insisted that the side would be looking to better our 12th placed finish from the previous season.

"In terms of ambitions, I am very modest," he said. "I know how hard the Premier League is so the day we have 40 points on the board will make me very happy, and we will be looking to get that done as early as possible in the season then hopefully we can push for a higher finish.

"I don't really scream and shout, as that's not my style, but I try and do my best on the pitch and lead by example. I hope to inspire my teammates by doing that and I hope we can look back at the end of the season and say that we have all done our jobs and been successful."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/august/16/skipper-raring-to-go?

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Head-To-Head

The Barclays Premier League season is upon us again as we start our 2013/14 campaign with a trip up north to Sunderland on Saturday 17th August (3pm).

After a pre-season training regime which has included a gruelling tour of Costa Rica, an alpine retreat in Austria and three friendlies against European opposition (Werder Bremen, Real Betis and Parma), the Whites are fully fit and raring to start the new season.

Having finished in 12th place in the table last campaign, Manager Martin Jol and his side will be targeting a higher finish after an exciting summer at the Cottage which has seen new signings Derek Boateng, Fernando Amorebieta, Adel Taarabt, Maarten Stekelenburg and Darren Bent arrive, along with a new Chairman: Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan. First on the list in the league is the long trip to Sunderland where we lost a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 last season.

Our recent record at the Stadium of Light is good as we have lost just one of our last six games there. Sunderland, however, has the slight edge on the historical record as the Black Cats won 23 of our contests, while we have picked up 17 victories, with 18 draws. In 2012/13, an early penalty from Dimitar Berbatov and a goal from Sascha Riether after a wonderful team move gave us the advantage before Craig Gardner and Stephane Sessegnon hit back to level the scores. Sunderland enjoyed better luck at the Cottage the previous November as they won 3-1 after Brede Hangeland was sent off in the first half, so the Whites will have plenty of motivation this time around.

Thankfully, our pre-season campaign has heralded very few injury concerns and Alexander Kačaniklić is a concern as he suffered a hamstring strain in the Bremen friendly and will be assessed ahead of the game. David Stockdale has a thumb injury so may miss out but Darren Bent is eligible and may travel.

Sunderland has signed 10 new players since July 1st, including United States international Jozy Altidore, Italian Emanuele Giaccherini and former Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone, and has only a few concerns on the injury front. Wes Brown, Phil Bardsley and Steven Fletcher will all miss the game and Lee Cattermole remains a major doubt, while Craig Gardner and David Vaughan are suspended.

The opposition

The Black Cats squad has seen a lot of changes this summer with new coach Paolo Di Canio putting them through a tough regime of physical training to get them fit. After a poor campaign which saw the club finish in 17th place, just three points above relegated Wigan, Sunderland will be looking to Di Canio to provide a fresh approach in the coming season.

The Italian arrived from Swindon Town at the end of March and succeeded in his task of keeping the club in the top flight following Martin O'Neill's departure. The pre-season campaign included a 12 day trip to Italy and a tour of Hong Kong for the Asia Trophy in which they beat Tottenham Hotspur and only narrowly lost to Manchester City. They ended their summer friendlies with a 1-0 win over FC Midtjylland in Denmark and hopes are high as they adapt to what is being called a 'revolution' up north.

Veteran defender John O'Shea insisted this week that we are likely to see a new tactical shape from the side: "We're wanting to play a lot more from the back. Hopefully there'll be a lot more for the fans to enjoy, a lot more fluid movement and interchanging between our wide players and our attacking talent," he said. "The manager's very ambitious, very hungry. I've seen his appetite for the training sessions and the preparation he puts in, and the detail he goes into."

Last time out

Sunderland 2-2 Fulham – 02.03.2013

After a win over Stoke City seven days previous, the Club were on a high going up to Sunderland. Able to name a strong, unchanged side, the Manager had former Black Cat Kieran Richardson on the bench after his recovery from injury and had high hopes of coming home with three points.

After a heart-stopping moment when John O'Shea's early header fell just wide, inside 16 minutes we were ahead and the signs were looking good. Ashkan Dejagah tricked his way past Craig Gardner in the box and the Sunderland man kicked out to concede a penalty, which was coolly converted into the bottom corner by Dimitar Berbatov.

We doubled our lead on the 34th minute, but this time as a result of some fabulous counter-attacking play. From a Sunderland corner, Berbatov headed out to Dejagah on the edge of our own area and the Iran international burst forward with four others in support. Placing the ball at the feet of Bryan Ruiz, Dejagah continued his run and overlapped brilliantly to find space down the right. Receiving the ball back, he hammered a low effort into the six-yard box which was palmed away by goalkeeper Simon Mignolet straight into Riether's path and the German made no mistake to open his account for the Club.

Our two-goal lead was short-lived though as Philippe Senderos was adjudged to have tugged back Danny Graham in the box on 37 minutes and Gardner made amends for his earlier error with a powerful penalty into the roof of the net.

In the second half, we were unable to add to our score and were punished after a wonderful move from Berbatov and Ruiz ended with the Bulgarian's effort being stopped by Mignolet. Quickly moving the ball up field from the rebound, Sessegnon fed it out wide and then picked up the deflected return to slot home from just inside the box to level the scores. Forced to settle for a point, we could at least take comfort from a fine attacking performance.


Players to watch

Adam Johnson: Towards the end of the O'Neill regime, Johnson struggled to assert himself and looked a shadow of his former self. All that changed with the arrival of Di Canio and the flying winger is back to near his best – putting in plenty of crosses and mazy dribbles, and also scoring the only goal in Denmark. Our widemen will have to track back to deal with his threat throughout the game.

Emanuele Giaccherini: Having arrived from Juventus, the Italian midfielder has plenty of talent at his disposal and has the versatility to play out on the wing, or more centrally, so will afford Di Canio plenty of options. Impressing in pre-season, Giaccherini will be a key player for the club this season and will surely be a focal point for a lot of their attacking play.

Keiren Westwood: With Simon Mignolet leaving for Liverpool this summer the No.1 goalkeeping spot is up for grabs as Vito Mannone has arrived to challenge. Westwood is a fine stopper on his day and will be looking to push his claims to keep his place if given the chance early on - a good performance wouldn't hurt his hopes of staying top of the Republic of Ireland tree as well.
Magic numbers

7 - Just seven teams have had a longer spell in the Barclays Premier League than Fulham (13 seasons) without being relegated.

11 – The number of defeats suffered by Sunderland from their 19 home games in the 2012/13 season.

12 – The number of goals scored by Sunderland in the last 15 minutes of the first half. More than twice the number scored in the last 15 minutes of the second.

15 – Dimitar Berbatov's goal haul for Fulham in the 2012/13 season.

29 – How many minutes per chance that Adel Taarabt created for Queens Park Rangers last season.

51 – Hangeland's red card against Sunderland at the Cottage in November was the Club's first for 51 games, the last coming on 22nd May 2011 against Arsenal.

59 – Stephane Sessegnon managed 59 shots in the league last season, although only 22 were on target.

40,544 – The average attendance at the Stadium of Light in 2012/13



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/august/16/head-to-head?

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Shahid Khan: Exciting times for Fulham

Fulham's new American billionaire owner tells Standard Sport he won't be chasing dreams that are too unrealistic.

This week marks a month since you completed your takeover of Fulham. How have you spent your first month at the club?

It has been very busy. What was unique about the transaction was that it happened so quickly. I had not met Martin Jol or the team  and had never been to the training ground so I have used my time to do all of that. I went to the game against Real Betis at Craven Cottage. I have also looked at what we are doing to strengthen the squad and, more importantly, have sustainability as an organisation moving forward.

Why Fulham?

There are a number of different reasons. They are a London club, the history of the place, they have been in the Premier League for a long time and have had good management and leadership with Martin and [chief executive] Alistair Mackintosh. When you combine all of those elements and the opportunity presented itself, the more I looked at it I thought it was the perfect club at the perfect time. We also made the commitment with the Jacksonville Jaguars to be in London for the next four years, with a game each season, so it all made sense.

You purchased NFL franchise the Jaguars in 2011. Had you ever considered taking over a Premier League club before buying Fulham from Mohamed Fayed?

No. I had looked at the economics, know some of the Premier League owners and had gone to various games over the years to experience it but I had not looked at it seriously.

You are the sixth American owner of a Premier League club. What is the attraction to investors from across the Atlantic?

The Premier League  has a great business platform and international fan base. It is a great sport and has superb leadership with Richard Scudamore. I think the attractions are obvious.

You spoke at length with Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke and Manchester United's owners the Glazer family before completing your takeover. What did they tell you about the Premier League?

They were very bullish about it and wish they had  got in even earlier. They are so enthusiastic about it and think Fulham are a great club. They were very encouraging.

Tomorrow's away game against Sunderland will be the start of Fulham's 13th-successive season in the Premier League. What are your ambitions for the club?

Like everything in life, you want to get better. But you do not want to fall into the temptation of having bold or unrealistic ambitions that are counter-productive. As you are getting better, you want to be sustainable for the long haul. We finished 12th last season and I would like for us to finish better than that this time.

Fulham reached the Europa League Final three years ago  but have not played in that competition since 2011. Is returning to Europe something you are targeting?

That is definitely an aspiration for us but there is a very sobering aspect to the Premier League. That is a number of clubs  are not nearly what they used to be after having been at a very high  level. We want to get back to the level they were at two or three years ago but want to be able to do that on a solid basis.

You flew to Costa Rica to meet Martin Jol and the team on their pre-season tour of Central America. What were your first impressions of the manager?

I was really impressed. He is obviously an experienced guy. He is a rational and logical person. I saw him interact with the players and he is a good leader. The players want to play for him — his experience and talent really showed.

Fulham have signed five players so far this summer. Can we expect to see any more new faces before the end of the transfer window?

Even before I came to the club they had signed some players. More have been brought in since then and with there still being a couple of weeks to go in the transfer window, there might be more arrivals .

You have said that Alistair and Martin will have the final say on transfers. Will you interfere with the football side of things?

No, I am going to leave that to them. I am focused on what they need to get better. Which, like anything else, are money and resources. But you want to invest in a way that will make the club self-sustainable over time.

You have said that you want to press ahead with plans to redevelop the Riverside Stand and increase capacity, so will Fulham be staying at Craven Cottage?

The ground is part of Fulham's magic. There are limitations but we want to invest to overcome those and turn them into advantages. It is definitely part of the plan but it has got to be in a sensible way.


http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/shahid-khan-exciting-times-for-fulham-8769952.html

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Sunderland v Fulham: All trends point to a Wearside stalemate
Previous two years' corresponding fixtures ended level and a repeat looks likely

Sunderland host Fulham on the opening day of the season and will start as favourites at 6/5. They are still unbeaten at home under new manager Paolo Di Canio and will be looking to extend this run from the last campaign to four games.

But Sunderland will have to improve their overall home form from last year, which saw them pick up just five wins at the Stadium of Light.

This together with Fulham's poor away record, which saw them record a mere four wins, suggests a draw at 9/4 could represent the best value.

The two sides drew 2-2 last season and the same result is available at 16/1 while a score draw can be backed at 31/10.

In terms of the individual scorers market, Sunderland forward Stephane Sessegnon appeals at 5/2 having netted against Fulham twice last season.

Fulham's top scorer Dimitar Berbatov can be backed at 7/4 to bag a goal, but his new teammate Adel Taarabt may prove the better bet. The mercurial talent who scored five Premier League goals last season, has a tendency to shine on the big stage and can be backed to score on his debut at 4/1.

However, Sunderland will start against Fulham without last season's top scorer Steven Fletcher. The injured forward will be a huge loss for a side who scored just 41 goals last year.

With Fulham managing just 22 goals away from home last year, goals could be hard to come by here and with four out of their last 10 games ending goalless, a repeat result looks tempting at 7/1.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.



http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/football/premier-league/sunderland-v-fulham-all-trends-point-to-a-wearside-stalemate_168010.html

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Newcastle fail with late bid for Darren Bent

Newcastle United FC have failed in the bid to get former Sunderland AFC striker Darren Bent to join them

Newcastle United failed in a last-gasp bid to persuade Darren Bent to join them over Fulham, the Journal understands.

The former Sunderland striker will be announced as a Fulham player this morning after undergoing a medical last night – but The Journal understands United made contact yesterday morning in an attempt to revive their interest.

By then it was too late for Bent to renege on a move to Fulham on a season-long loan, and the decision was made to proceed with a switch to Craven Cottage.

United had the chance to do a deal for Bent earlier in the transfer window but stalled over terms and a fee with Aston Villa. The striker's representatives are understood to have held informal talks with United but Bent was frustrated by a delay in following up the delay, which was down to Newcastle pursuing Lyon's Bafetimbi Gomis.

Bent (pictured right) was then the subject of interest from Crystal Palace and Fulham, which will come to fruition with a season-long loan this morning.

Newcastle's last-ditch bid for Bent further underlines how desperate they are to bring in forward reinforcements, with Joe Kinnear in Brussels on Wednesday to run the rule over Belgium's friendly draw with France.

The primary aim of the scouting mission appears to have been watching Newcastle's French internationals although none played, with Mathieu Debuchy and Moussa Sissoko both on the bench for the game. Lyon's Bafetimbi Gomis – a priority target earlier in the window – has told friends he is unlikely to join United and there is now talk in France of him signing a new contract. It leaves Newcastle desperate for new arrivals.

Despite that Newcastle agreed to loan prospect Adam Campbell to Carlisle on a month's loan yesterday.

He will be allowed to move until January if United manage to bring in the forward they are desperate to land.

While that situation continues to dismay Newcastle fans, the team remain quietly confident about

surprising the Premier League. United start at Manchester City on Monday and Vurnon Anita – one of the players handed minutes in Tuesday's behind-closed-doors clash with Liverpool – believes that Newcastle should be aiming to replicate their top-five finish in 2012.

He said: "This year is different. We have no Europa League and so everybody will be well rested and let's go for the top five. Why should we not look at making it into the top five again?

"We have good players and we should not worry about the rest of the league. The squad is good and we all feel confident so European football should the aim again for us."

United continue to be linked with a series of overseas players, and the latest round of speculation suggested interest in Ajax's Toby Alderweireld and Besiktas' former Everton midfielder Manuel Fernandes. Neither player is understood to be on Newcastle's radar, with the club's overriding priority landing the striker who has eluded them all summer. Pardew is also keen to bring in another wide man, and had expressed an interest in Stewart Downing – who left for West Ham this week.

The prospect of Newcastle not bringing in another forward is a worrying one, especially given that Remy could now miss several more weeks with a calf problem.

"Remy is still on the road to recovery. Man City will come too soon and so might Fulham and West Ham," he said.

"It is becoming increasingly likely he will be unavailable. He has not kicked a ball yet and has only been running."



http://www.thejournal.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/bent-blow-united-kinnear-jets-5739499?

[WhiteJC]

 
Ex Men: Fulham



safc.com profile three players to play for both clubs.

Steed Malbranque
Steed Malbranque made 112 appearances for the Black Cats in a three-year stay on Wearside between 2008 and 2011.
The Belgian-born midfielder was key part of Steve Bruce's side that finished tenth in the Barclays Premier League, Sunderland's highest finish since 2001.
Steed joined Fulham in 2001 in his first venture into English football and he became a fans' favorite at Craven Cottage making 211 appearances and scoring 44 goals.

Kevin Ball
Former Sunderland captain Kevin Ball made 388 appearances for the Black Cats in a spell that spanned nine years.
He won two Division One titles in his time on Wearside as well as being part of the squad that reached the 1992 FA Cup Final.
Now, Senior Professional Development Coach at Sunderland, Ball is 12th on the all-time appearance list for the Black Cats.
Ball won the Black Cats' Player of the Season award in the 1996-97 season before moving on to a brief spell at Fulham, where he made 18 appearances, towards the end of his career.

Louis Saha
Saha joined Fulham from Metz in 2000 and went on to become one of the best players to play for the Cottagers in the modern era.
In his four years at Craven Cottage the Frenchman made 142 appearances and scored 63 goals before he sealed a move to Manchester United.
After starring for the Red Devils, Everton and Spurs, Saha joined Sunderland ahead of the 2012-13 campaign and made 14 appearances before leaving for Lazio in January.
Saha announced his retirement in August after making three appearances in his time in Italy.



http://www.safc.com/news/team-news/2013/august/ex-men-fulham?

[WhiteJC]

 
Will short-term Fulham transfer policy kill them off after Darren Bent loan deal?

At the time of writing this, Darren Bent is about to be announced as Fulham's latest summer signing.

All well and good I hear you say. Yet, it's another loan deal – reportedly with no permanent option. Add that to the temporary signing of Adel Taarabt and suddenly our summer transfers don't seem that inventive at all.

Martin Jol is still talking about being 'creative' in the window – something he's been saying for some time now. It infers a lack of funds, somewhat hard to believe given Shahid Khan's new ownership of the club.

Jol, though, isn't one to mince his words so something isn't ticking behind the scenes.

Instead, we're eyeing up the short term, hosting players like Aaron Hughes, 33, John Arne Riise, 32, Brede Hangeland, 32, Giorgos Karagounis, 36, and Damien Duff, 34. These are by no means bad players, but few of them will be retained beyond 2014.

Meanwhile, the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Steve Sidwell, Alex Kacaniklic, Taarabt and, if he signs, Bent all have contracts that will expire at the end of the campaign.

Where is the plan here?

Perhaps, it's been pointed out by certain perceptive fans, Khan is investing a pittance now in order to shape his own team next year.

Every year seems to be a consolidation year, though, and this shouldn't be another one. It's our time to shine.

Others have suggested that Jol and his superiors are putting significant faith in a youth team that, recently at least, has been firing on all cylinders. A multiple-title-winning Under-18s side is feeding a burgeoning Under-21s side.

It's fair to believe that our development system will be churning out talent in a year's time but enough to fill the potential holes highlighted above? I'm not so sure.

Maybe we shouldn't panic, though. Khan is a shrewd businessman, even if he's new to football. He most likely has an idea of where the club is headed and he will want the best for his new purchase.

But a slightly longer-term strategy would certainly calm the nerves right now because, at this rate, we'll have a whole new club this time next year.



http://metro.co.uk/2013/08/16/will-short-term-fulham-transfer-policy-kill-them-off-after-darren-bent-loan-deal-3925558/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Bent Signs For Fulham

Fulham Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Darren Bent from Aston Villa, on a season long loan.

The 29-year-old striker signed for Aston Villa from Sunderland in January 2011. Whilst on Wearside, he scored 36 goals in 63 appearances.

He is reunited with Martin Jol, who signed the England international from Charlton Athletic in 2007 whilst manager of Tottenham Hotspur. He has scored four goals in 13 appearances for England, his first for his country in 2010 against Switzerland away in a Euro 2012 Qualifying match.

Bent started his senior career at Ipswich Town in 2001 and spent four seasons at Portman Road, scoring 56 goals before moving to Charlton Athletic in 2005.

He has scored over 100 Premier League goals since 2005, playing for Charlton Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland and Aston Villa.

Fulham Manager Martin Jol said: "Darren Bent is a striker I have always admired. He has shown in the Barclays Premier League that he is composed and clinical in front of goal but, even if he is not scoring, he is involved in some good link-up play, creating opportunities for his teammates. I'm delighted that he has joined us, he gives us pace up front and I am confident that he will add to our goals scored tally this season."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/august/16/bent-signs-for-fulham?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham star doubtful for Sunderland clash as QPR loanee set for bench role

Fulham midfielder Alexander Kacaniklic is a doubt for tomorrow's Premier League clash with Sunderland because of a hamstring injury.

Goalkeeper David Stockdale is struggling with a thumb problem, but new signing Maarten Stekelenburg is the club's number one choice in the position.

Adel Taarabt, a loan signing from QPR, is short of match fitness but will be included in the squad.

Provisional squad: Stekelenburg, Stockdale, Etheridge, Riise, Senderos, Hangeland, Briggs, Hughes, Riether, Amorebieta, Sidwell, Kasami, Kacaniklic, Karagounis, Richardson, Duff, Taarabt, Frei, Boateng, Dejagah, Berbatov, Ruiz, Rodallega, Trotta.



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_star_doubtful_for_sunderland_clash_as_qpr_loanee_set_for_bench_role_1_2339685

[WhiteJC]

 
Kinnear's Pathetic Efforts Leave Toon Fans Gobsmacked!

Having pulled the piss out Aston Villa with a bid of £2m for Darren Bent, the old duffer made a last ditch bid to bring the former Mackem to SJP ... and FAILED!
The former Sunderland striker will be announced as a Fulham player this morning after undergoing a medical last night – but The Journal reports United made contact yesterday morning in an attempt to revive their interest.

By then it was too late for Bent to renege on a move to Fulham on a season-long loan, and the decision was made to proceed with a switch to Craven Cottage.

United had the chance to do a deal for Bent earlier in the transfer window but made ridiculous offers for a player Villa paid £18m for.
The striker's representatives are understood to have held informal talks with Kinnear but Bent was frustrated bydelay fter delay.


http://www.newcastleunited-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/kinnears_pathetic_efforts_leave_toon_fans_gobsmacked_803234/index.shtml?

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League: Sunderland v Fulham match preview
A look ahead to this weekend's Premier League fixture at The Stadium of Light

Sunderland manager Paulo Di Canio begins his first full season in charge at The Stadium of Light and will be hoping that his ten new signings settle quickly into the side. Sunderland fans will be looking to see their side improve on last season's 17th place and will be hoping to see £6.5m midfield signing Emanuele Giaccherini play a part at some point in tomorrow's match.

Fulham begin the season under new ownership after Mohamed Al Fayed ended his 16 year stint by selling the club to Shahid Khan. On the pitch, Fulham fans will again look to Dimitar Berbatov to pose an attacking threat; The Bulgarian scored 15 Premiership goals last season (Fulham's only player in double figures) which proved crucial in them reaching 12th position.

KICK-OFF: Tomorrow, 3pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS:

Sunderland 2 (Gardner, Sessegnon) Fulham 2 (Berbatov, Riether), Premier League, March 2013

Fulham 1 (Petric) Sunderland 3 (Fletcher, Cuellar, Sessegnon), Premier League, November 2012

Fulham 2 (Dempsey, Dembele) Sunderland 1 (Bardsley), Premier League, May 2012

STATS...

Sunderland lead the head-to-head with 21 wins to Fulham's 16 in the Premiership. There have been 17 draws between the sides.

Sunderland manager, Paulo Di Canio, has so far brought in 10 new signings in the transfer window.

Steven Fletcher was the only Sunderland player in double figures last season scoring 11 goals.  Fulham only had one player in double figures too; Dimitar Berbatov with 15 Premier League goals.

ODDS...

Sunderland to win: 1.2

Fulham to win: 2.25

Draw: 2.3

TV: highlights on BBC1 at 10.30pm.



http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/premier-league-sunderland-v-fulham-match-preview-8770903.html