Wednesday Fulham Stuff (04/09/13)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Besiktas in talks with Fulham winger Kerim Frei according to agent

Beşiktaş are in talks with Fulham winger Kerim Frei according to football agent Martin Wiesner.

Turkish Eurosport have reported that Wiesner has confirmed the Black Eagles have put forwards a deal for the 19-year-old winger however, that nothing has been signed between the clubs.

Frei has fallen down the pecking order at Fulham and has been told he is free to leave this season to continue his development.

Fulham manager Martin Jol said: "Kerim is part of our future but he is still developing.

"I want him to play games and continue to progress."

The Turkish international was reported to have reached an agreement-in-principle with the Eagle's which would see him sign a five-year deal if Beşiktaş and Fulham agree a transfer fee.

Beşiktaş are willing to offer €3 million for Frei however, Fulham have rejected all previous offers in the past.

Beşiktaş introduced a new policy under recently appointed club president Fikret Orman to play young players in the first team.

Former Arsenal youth Oğuzhan Özyakup played regularly last season and the Eagles signed former Chelsea academy player Gökhan Töre on loan earlier this week.



http://www.turkish-football.com/news_read.php?id=5124

[WhiteJC]

 
Cauley relishing Football League test

Cauley looking for happier times after tasting defeat on his last visit to Roots Hall with Luton Town
Young striker Cauley Woodrow is hoping to have happier memories of Roots Hall during his time on loan with Blues.

Cauley played at Roots Hall aged 15 for Luton Town in the FA Youth Cup, and was on the end of a 2-1 defeat.

Having joined on transfer deadline day on an initial one-month loan deal, Cauley is now hoping to enjoy a much more successful time at Roots Hall.

He said: "I came here when I was 15 with Luton Town in the FA Youth Cup and we lost the game 2-1.

"I remember I was in the corner and got absolutely clattered by a defender who got sent off. It wasn't the best day for me.

"Hopefully now I'm here playing for Southend I can have some happier times and can get some time out on the pitch and score some goals.

"This is my first taste of Football League action so I'm really looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead.

"I played in the first-team for Luton before I moved to Fulham but since then I've been playing the under-18's and reserve teams.

"When I heard of Southend's interest I was always keen to sign because I want to be in an environment where three points on a Saturday means something."

Cauley was able to settle into life with Blues on Monday rather easily, with the help of fellow 18-year-old Jack Payne, with whom Cauley was with at Tottenham when they were both younger.

The striker added: "I've know Jack for a long time. We were both at Tottenham before we went different ways. I didn't speak to him really before I came here, only on Friday night when I said I was going to watch the game at Wycombe.

"I've not actually seen Jack for a few years because he was here and I was at Fulham but it's great to be playing alongside him again.

"It's been great to have him here to help me settle in, but all the lads have been really welcoming which is a massive help."



Read more at http://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/article/030913-cauley-woodrow-1032859.aspx?#1kkS3riPJxKS2K3X.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Pessimism in the Fulham camp
by Sheepskin Junior

I'll start this entry by saying that I have never been a 'glass half-full' football supporter, but since the start of this season, I find myself finding a bright side more than most. Sometimes, more recently, I have felt as if I am the only one not calling for a new manager, or "Jol-outing". I think that, although it has been a slow start, we haven't been appalling. Every new team takes time to adjust. We need to remember that.

Jol has signed Stekelenburg, Amorebieta, Boateng, Taraabt, Bent, Parker and Zverotic this summer. They will take time to gel with the rest of the team. We will be playing with a new formation to accommodate Bent. We can't realistically expect everything to work the second it's tried. We know Ruiz isn't a winger, the only position he is even half decent in is behind a striker. However, that position is no longer available. This means one of two things: either he has to find a new place to play or he goes. To be honest, the latter looks the more likely and favourable to me. Ruiz is more of a playmaker, but does that mean Jol should suddenly drop Sidwell?

There is a lot to do, and I personally don't think the answer is for Shahid Khan to come in and make knee-jerk decisions based on a few games. We need to give the team time to work together. We have played 4 competitive games. Our best game was Arsenal. The only home game we've played. We've had poor performances and lucky wins against Sunderland and Burton Albion. Then, simply, a poor performance and deserving loss against Newcastle. This all seems very familiar to me; we are poor away from home. No manager has been able to change that. With a little time for our new signings to adjust, I think this team will work and get us a strong, stable, top-half place.



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=402

[WhiteJC]

 
Midfielder closes on Fulham return

MAHAMADOU Diarra has stepped up his recovery from a knee injury as he tries to prove his fitness to Fulham boss Martin Jol.

The out-of-contract midfielder hasn't appeared for the Whites since last December after having an operation to clear up the problem.

However, the former Real Madrid star is on the road to recovery and back training at Motspur Park.

And Craven Cottage chief Jol has revealed the 32-year-old is closing in on a return to fitness.

"Diarra is coming back, he's probably at 50 per cent," said the Dutchman.

"He's not really fit but if there's no contact like in possession games, then he can join us in training.

"He's not quite there where we want him to be yet."



Read more: Fulham Chronicle http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2013/09/03/82029-33803463/?#ixzz2dtLnoxVt

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Cup Date Confirmed

Capital One Cup tie to take place on Tuesday 24 September.



Everton's Capital One Cup third round tie at Fulham will take place on Tuesday 24 September with an 8pm kick off.

The Blues earned their trip to Craven Cottage with a 2-1 extra-time victory over Stevenage last Wednesday evening.

The previous day, Fulham needed a penalty shootout to squeeze past League Two Burton Albion after they were held to a 2-2 draw at the Pirelli Stadium.

Everton have received an allocation of 3,000 tickets for the tie with seats priced at £20 for adults, £10 for over-65s and under-21s, and £5 for under-16s.

Tickets will go on sale to 2013/14 Season Ticket Holders with six-plus away credits from Friday 6 September. For full ticket information click here.

If you can't make it to West London, free live commentary will be provided on evertonfc.com .


http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/2013/09/03/fulham-cup-date-confirmed?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham make quiet additions to their squad but is the quality enough for top-half?

Fulham sneaked a deadline day signing in almost under the radar as Elsad Zverotic joined on a two year deal.

The Whites were busy during the early stages of the window with the signings of Maarten Stekelenburg while Adel Taarabt and Darren Bent also moved to Craven Cottage on loan.

Ins: Sascha Riether (Cologne, undisclosed), Derek Boateng (Dnipro, free), Fernando Amorebieta (Athletic Bilbao, free), Maarten Stekelenburg (Roma, undisclosed), Ange-Freddy Plumain (Lens, free), Adel Taarabt (QPR, loan), Darren Bent (Aston Villa, loan), Scott Parker (Tottenham, undisclosed), Elsad Zverotic (Young Boys, undisclosed)

Outs: Chris Baird (released), Simon Davies (released), Mahamadou Diarra (released), Mladen Petric (released), Mark Schwarzer (Chelsea, free), Ryan Williams (Oxford, loan), Marcus Bettinelli (Accrington, loan), Alex Smith (Swindon, free), Danny Hoesen (Ajax, undisclosed), Richard Peniket (Tamworth, free), Dan Burn (Birmingham, loan)



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_make_quiet_additions_to_their_squad_but_is_the_quality_enough_for_top_half_1_2364593

[WhiteJC]

 
Not Too Hot For Trott To Return – But Marcello Opinion Is Divided

The return of Marcello Trotta to the Brentford squad certainly got tongues wagging yesterday – for those who have been living in a cave for the last six months, Marcello Trotta is the on-loan Fulham player who wrestled the ball from the Brentford captain Kevin O'Connor in the 94th minute of the final game of the season to take a penalty. Scoring that penalty would have promoted Brentford to the Championship. He missed.

Since the announcement, the Beesotted website and @beesotted Twitter timeline have been teetering on meltdown, with fans' opinions ranging from 'delighted' to 'not coming back to another game until he leaves'. Such a diversity of opinion is also split amongst the @beesotted crew, which shows how emotive a subject this is. With so many people asking us what our view are, we decided to throw them down on paper. And as you can see, and quite unusually in has to be said, we don't have a unified opinion.

I can see both sides
I'm surprised Uwe brought him back – although he did state at the start of the summer that Trotta was a target. The easy option was to cut adrift the single defining moment of last season, but Rosler has brought back an undoubtedly talented player that he clearly believes in.

The doubt for me over the striker has always been his application – his absolute desire to score goals, to put his body where it hurts for the sake of the team, to chase down that last man in the hope of an error. I remain to be convinced on that one. His finishing and first touch, however, are an asset to the squad.

Let's hope that this season is filled less with the "fucksaketrotta"s that passed my lips, often involuntarily, as he repeatedly and cheaply gave away possession . Of him half-heartedly jumping with disinterest towards a ball lofted in his general area by a team-mate under pressure. Of the dissapointment of his performance at Wembley so soon after he'd given his all against Swindon at Griffin Park.

Let's hope it's filled instead with the sense of euphoria that filled my body when he fired home from an acute angle against the Champions of Europe. Of the pride I felt in his redemption as he ran Swindon ragged both physically and technically. Of the togetherness I felt with other supporters as we bounced up and down with Marcello at our core on the pitch at Griffin Park.

Support Marcello I will. Forgive Marcello I will – I did that in May. But he needs to prove his worth to this team, perhaps more than any signing I can remember.
Condorman
@condorman

Trotta's Return Brings Bad Karma
Let's not beat about the bush, Marcello Trotta's re-appearance at Griffin Park was always going to divide the fans – the very word Trotta is engrained into our memory banks and has very negative connotations. For Uwe to bring him back took some nerve and I admire him for that bravery and his belief in making a tough decision. Whether that was borne out of confidence in the player and the knowledge that he is the right man, or desperation that his other transfer deadline irons in the fire had gone cold, only time will tell. The player himself is obviously clearly confident that he can come back 'and put things right', something that, if harnessed, could be a powerful and potent goal-scoring combination.

But whatever side of the Trotta divide you sit on, you can't tell me the news didn't come as a shock. A good shock or a bad shock depends on your outlook – Uwe must have been aware that passions still run deep over Trotta and he and the player are going to have to deal with that. Pro and anti Trotta rhetoric has been exchanged on all the Bees media outlets since the news broke, and the Beesotted.com server saw huge traffic.

To date, most debate has been very heated, but, once the dust has settled, I am sure most fans will become a little less entrenched, but either way, Uwe, at the end of a very eventful week for the Brentford manager, has really stirred the Bee hive with this one.
I am not going to sit on the fence, despite being rounded enough to respect both the 'get over it, he's a good player, get behind the team' and 'what the **** is Uwe playing at?' trains of thought – but I will say to those calmer, more understanding souls out there, the ones that had completely justifiably suggested that, as a club, and as human beings, we simply have to put that penalty behind us and turn the page... We had done! I've never known a more positive pre-season vibe wise. We had moved on I feel. We had forgiven the player. We had fully got behind the manager. We had turned the page. But old wounds have now been re-opened, fact. Which has made us to confront differences that were filed away last May. That's why I wouldn't have re-signed the lad.

Much has been made of the player's maturity in dealing with his penalty miss, but it should not be forgotten that the reaction of the fans towards Marecello Trotta in the play-off matches against Swindon, and at the Big Red Ball the very night after the 'Donny Disaster', was exceptional. He wasn't demonized or booed; there were cheers and even songs when his name was called out over the Tannoy. But, for all parties concerned, the best thing that could have happened was for him to return to Fulham and a lid put on the subject ahead of a whole new, fresh slate of a season

My fear is not that we have signed a poor player –Marcello is a very good player, more than good enough to play for Brentford Football club – he's not the finished article, of course not, but there are at least 'known unknowns' about his ability. My fear related to karma and disharmony. This move unsettles and divides at a time when we should be further underpinning and uniting as we push on towards promotion.

Who knows though, perhaps come May 2014 we will look back at this being an inspirational deadline-day coup – in the meantime however, the only certainty, inevitably, is that it has sparked a massive debate. For me, it's not about his ability, it's more about the vibe.
Dave Lane
@beesotted100

Thumbs up for Trotta
If I were Uwe and the world was my oyster, Marcello Trotta would not have been my first port of call for a striker. Not because of his playing ability. But because I would be looking at all the other options available to me.

But time isn't on our side. And sometimes I think as fans we forget the situation we are in and lose track of reality. We're a club who has invested heavily in playing staff over the past 12 months. Some more business-minded people would say over-invested if one takes into account the number of people coming through the gates each week.

Not even four weeks ago, Uwe was happy that he had all the players needed to spearhead a promotion-winning campaign. A horrible injury to the promising McAleney somehow scuppered his plans. But lets not forget, our squad is already bigger than last season's. And the reality is our lead strikers were always going to be Donaldson and Grigg, with McAleney playing a winger-type role. Farid and Hayes were clearly back-ups.

With the prospect of Hayes always leaving for pastures new (that's another story), Brentford were no doubt constantly keeping one eye out for another back-up striker to replace him. But the reality is, in our position unless we were prepared to throw loads of cash at him, we would only manage to lure an A-grade striker at this stage if we could pretty much guarantee him a place in the starting team. And that was only likely to happen if Donaldson were to leave. Maybe that's the reason why the deals we were looking at before the transfer window shut closed all fell through ... Who knows?

As a fan, it's extremely easy to get emotional about the Trotta situation. But lets remove emotion from the situation and look at the facts. Yes Trotta may have missed that penalty. Yes Trotta may play his football in a particular unenthusiastic-looking kind of way. Yes Trotta may come from Fulham (probably his biggest crime).

But he's a quality up-and-coming striker. He's got big-game experience. He's young. And most importantly, he knows our team, knows our players and knows the way we play.

The problem we have with bringing new players in is that they are always an unknown quantity. We expect big things from them immediately and get disappointed when they don't hit the ground running. Personally, I would much prefer bringing in someone who knows what Brentford is about, that the management know, and is prepared to fight for his place in the team.

Trotta could have walked away from Brentford for good. With Championship teams like Charlton apparently chasing him, he no doubt thought he would have a greater chance of gaining match-time in a team that he knows rather than sitting on the bench for some other team. And he obviously likes us ... enough to shoulder the wrath of Brentford fans baying for blood.

OK, the guy made a mistake. But I'd like to think he's learned from it. He's not a horrible bloke. In fact, meeting him at the end of season ball he seemed quite decent. And seeing the way that Will Grigg brings players into the game, I am actually excited about the prospect of him feeding the ball to Trotta who, when he actually gets chances in open play, certainly knows where the back of the net is.

And to use an old cliche, he's got a point to prove. I like that. Better than some journeyman striker coming down here to rinse more money from a team with a bit of cash that they know are desperate to add to their strike-force. No thank you. We're better off sticking with what we know. I trust Uwe Rosler to get the best out of young Marcello.

I've already had cocky Sheffield Utd fans on the phone this morning claiming that we're only warming Trotta up for them to nab him. Let them dream on. Coz Trotta is a Bee 'til Christmas and I'll back him to stay with us for the duration.

But it has to be said, if the fans do let him back in and give him that second chance ... And he does start banging the goals in ... and other clubs come sniffing ... he better remember when that transfer window opens in January that he owes us one big time ..... And I don't care if David Moyes is calling ..... he ain't going nowhere.
BillytheBee
@billythebee99



http://beesotted.co.uk/?p=9374

[WhiteJC]

 
TRANSFER WINDOW REVIEW: FULHAM

Five word review: (Too) slow and steady signings.

In: Maarten Stekelenburg (Roma, £4.76m), Sasha Riether (Cologne, £1.27m), Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur, £2m), Fernando Amorebieta (Athletic Bilbao, Free), Derek Boateng (Dnipro, Free), Ange-Freddy Plumain (Lens, Free), Elsad Zverotic (Young Boys, Free), Darren Bent (Aston Villa, Loan), Adel Taarabt (QPR, Loan).

Out: Corey Gamiero (Sydney, Free), Mark Schwarzer (Chelsea, Free), Richard Peniket (Tamworth, Free), Alex Smith (Swindon, Free), Dan Burn (Birmingham, Loan), Ryan Williams (Oxford United, Loan), Marcus Bettinelli (Accrington Stanley, Loan), Cauley Woodrow (Southend, Loan), Marcelo Trotta (Brentford, Loan).

Released: Chris Baird, Simon Davies, Mahamadou Diarra, Thomas Donegan, James Musa, Mladen Petric, Csaba Somogyi.

Pros:
- Thrifty strengthening throughout the squad.
- Proven goalscorer in Darren Bent to share Dimitar Berbatov's workload.

Cons:
- No big-name signing.
- Question marks hanging over many of the many arrivals – such as Bent and Taarabt – based on their time at previous clubs.

Grade: C


http://www.offthepost.info/blog/2013/09/transfer-window-review-fulham/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+offthepost%2FTLAa+%28Off+The+Post%29

[WhiteJC]

 
How Might Financial Fair Play Have Affected Fulham's Transfer Window?

I was reading an excellent article by Jake Cohen on We Ain't Got No History about Financial Fair Play. It got me thinking about Fulham's transfer window. I commented on a previous post about it, but I think it deserves to be fleshed out into a longer post of its own for discussion.

As you may be aware, The Premier League has adopted Financial Fair Play rules for all of the clubs competing in the competition. Though they aren't actually called FFP, they are the same thing just with another name. If you want to know more about the rules; Daniel Geey, a London based attorney, is much better than explaining them than I. They also are published starting on page 104 in the 2013-2014 Premier League Handbook. You may be thinking that the rules were designed to reign in big spenders like Chelsea and to stop another Portsmouth from happening, but in reality the rules effect a club like Fulham much more than they do someone like Chelsea.

If I understand the BPL FFP rules correctly, a team has a wage cap £52M, with a £4M increase each year. You may be asking, how can that be? Teams like Chelsea and Manchester City are way above that cap. That cap only counts for broadcast revenues. If your balance sheet shows that you are spending more, you have to back that up by showing match day and sponsorship revenues to match your expenditures. Chelsea (according to We Ain't got No History), had match day and commercial revenues of £148.2M. This gives them a theoretical wage cap of over £200M. They pay a lot of players, but I don't think even their wage bill is that high. For Fulham though, the calculus is a little more dire.

I can't find exact numbers, but Fulham seem to be either right up against their cap, or already past it. And that's with just the current squad. Bringing in new players would obviously push them even farther away from where they should be. The numbers I've found show that Fulham had a wage bill of £62M and match day plus commercial revenues of £26M for the 2011-2012 season. A more recent article from Forbes at the time the club was sold put things in a worse light. It reported a wage bill of £60.3M (I'm pretty sure that the wage bill should have been in dollars but was given in pounds) and match day revenues of £11M. They don't show the sponsorship and commercial revenue but it can be divined by looking at the other numbers. If you add the losses to the total revenue, subtract match day, broadcast, wages, and prize money you get £11M. This makes sense compared to £15M it was in 2011-2012. Fulham's sponsorship deals have gotten bigger, but they also don't have Europa League money and finished lower in the table. If those numbers are correct, Fulham shouldn't be paying more than £74M on wages, and they are nearly there. We don't know exactly what the current wage bill is, but it may be closer to that number than my numbers show (Parker, Bent, Stekelenburg, Taarabt and Amorbieta all aren't cheap). There is a loop hole that allows a club to overspend by £105M over the next three years, so long as the club's owner is willing to cover at least £90M of those losses. I'm not sure Khan wants, or we should expect him to shell out to cover all the possible losses. He's talked about sustainability a lot, and getting the salary structure in line is going to be a huge part of that.

You may be thinking to yourself right about now that these rules seem to affect Fulham much more than they do the big clubs. You would be right. The regulations affect teams that have high wage to revenue ratios. The clubs with the largest ratio of wages to revenue are: Aston Villa, Manchester City, Sunderland, Fulham, Everton, and West Brom. You might also notice four of those clubs voted "No" to the new rules. Aston Villa is working to get things in order by dumping high salary and going young. West Brom seems to be doing the same. Manchester City is jettisoning high priced players (Tevez, Ballotelli, Barry) and bringing in players who will be on lower wages. At the same time they are investing heavily into a youth academy. If I were a fan of a club like Sunderland or Southampton, I'd be extremely frightened of the rules. Those clubs are spending massively, but don't have the revenue to back it up.

These rules do a little bit to explain why their were so many rumors of Riise and Senderos being allowed to leave on free transfers. Just clearing their salaries would have give Fulham a lot of wiggle room to bring in new players. Having them on the book makes it harder to bring in new players. This also might explain the Fulham strategy of trying to clear salary going forward. Without being tied up in salary, and having a quite a few youth players on the squad, the team will be able to have much more financial flexibility under the rules. Were the rules the driving force behind Fulham's actions in the transfer window? Probably not, and since we have no way of knowing the real numbers, we can't say much of anything for sure. But we do know what the rules are going forward, and it's best to keep them in mind when looking at club decisions. Rather than just say that the club is cheap, it might very well be that they are just trying to stay within the financial rules laid out by the league.


http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2013/9/3/4690520/how-might-financial-fair-play-have-affected-fulhams-transfer-window?

[WhiteJC]

 
Not so Jol-ly a window?

Change has been necessary at Fulham for quite a while now, and this summer fans were expecting a wealth of investment into the squad.

However, many have been left frustrated by the lack of big name signings made by the board and Martin Jol, with replacements for Mousa Dembele and Clint Dempsey still yet to be catered for.

Following Fulham's below par performance at Newcastle last weekend, it was evident that additions were needed in specific positions, with a lack of creative spark all too familiar at St James' Park.

Strength

Being a Fulham fan on deadline day resembled going trick or treating on Halloween and being given an apple for all your efforts, in the form of Elsad Zverotic, whilst the other kids hit the jackpot with sweets galore.

Despite the disgruntled view amongst many, I feel it was the deadline day bug which hit the masses at Fulham, leading to such a negative outlook upon our dealings.

Admittedly we haven't exactly strengthened in every department, but in the grand scheme of things we have done quite well this summer.

Having previously found it tough to find another an outlet for goals other than through Dimitar Berbatov, we have finally attracted a man to help find the net with in Darren Bent, who is renowned for his goalscoring ability and tendency to stretch defences.

The need for another striker on top of Bent may have been necessary, particularly with the loaning out of Marcello Trotta to Brentford, but if we are to persist with one up top, then three attackers may be enough.

Defensively we encountered problems on more than one occasion last season, but we were relatively quick to rectify such problems during the off-season.

The permanent signing of right-back and undoubtedly our best player last season Sascha Riether was an absolute must, particularly after staving off stalker-esque interest from Bundesliga outfit Schalke who looked to turn his head.

Another astute signing was the capture of Atheltic Bilbao centre-back Fernando Amorebieta, who was pivotal in the Basque club's relentless run to the Europa League Final in 2012, which led to keen monitoring from Arsenal back in January.

Amorebieta is famed for his rather erratic disciplinary record, but considering we have been searching for a candidate to partner captain Brede Hangeland at the back following the disintegration of his partnership with Aaron Hughes, and I think we have found the right man.

Regret

One regret I would take from the window would be the failure to secure a first-choice left-back, with the decline of John Arne Riise evident and Kieran Richardson unable to set pace without calling for the team doctor.

This is the position I feel particularly uneasy about with Riise regularly being exposed this season to any winger with a sprint speed quicker than a father's race at sports day and Richardson being about as reliable with fitness as Hameur Bouazza.

Nevertheless, we now have adequate defensive cover, especially after the deadline day signing of Montenegrin Elsad Zverotic who is reportedly quite the Mr. Versatile.

We have also strengthened between the sticks, with many starting to see the wear and tear of veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.

Martin Jol couldn't of found many better 'keepers to replace the Aussie with than Maarten Stekelenburg who not so long ago was starting the 2010 World Cup Final for Holland.

At the age of 30 he still has a number of years left in his prime and will have a lot to prove as he aims to stamp his authority as the Netherlands' number one for the upcoming World Cup in Brazil.

The signing resembles that of a certain Edwin Van Der Sar and I for one hope that he can mirror the achievements of one of the best goalkeepers of the previous decade.

Replacement

The midfield has been a hot topic amongst fans since the sales of Clint Dempsey and particularly Mousa Dembele last summer with the need to replace them still ever present.

With that said, we have managed to recruit a number of players, with the tough tackling Derek Boateng, who I feel has the necessary attributes to compete in this league.

Despite his age, Scott Parker is a masterstroke in my eyes as he can dictate play and drive the ball from deep, of which he has showcased already in his two appearances for the club.

One man who I think has quite a future at the Cottage is Adel Taarabt. If we manage to deal with his supposed ego and troublesome antics we have quite a player on our hands.

He is a player we have been crying out for, a tricky customer who has quite a left foot on him and has the ability to make full-backs look like, well, John Arne Riise.

In light of popular belief, I feel we have strength in-depth in the middle of the park, on both the wings and in central midfield and it is most certainly an upgrade from last season.

Another creative midfielder would have been ideal for us but I am adamant that we have the sufficient options to keep us afloat at least for now.

Belief

From my point of view, we have started to panic way too early. Looking at our first three fixtures, they have been a tough test to say the least.

For once, I feel the international break could give us some valuable time to let our new squad and settle and gel together in preparation for the visit of West Bromwich Albion.

Last Saturday's performance was reminiscent of several away games we have encountered in the past, but I am confident that once this squad gels, we will be fine this season and we could witness a surprise or two.



http://www.touchlinetalk.com/not-so-jol-ly-a-window/64992/?

[Deanothefulhamfan]

Its a shame we couldnt get another club for Trotta, spoke to my Brentford mate about it yesterday. He said he is a real classy player, but would not be welcomed back by Brentford fans... I think this young player needs confidence and will not get it at a team where he gets booed every time he touches the ball...

[Barrie]

Its a shame we couldnt get another club for Trotta, spoke to my Brentford mate about it yesterday. He said he is a real classy player, but would not be welcomed back by Brentford fans... I think this young player needs confidence and will not get it at a team where he gets booed every time he touches the ball...

He's got everything to prove to the Bees fans, so it'll be a good test to see how much ticker he's got.  Could be a springboard for him if it goes well, and he really needs to kick on now.

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol hints at possible new Fulham deal for Mahamadou Diarra

The 32-year-old is trying to recover from the knee injury which ended his season last December, and the manager suggested improved fitness could see him offered fresh terms

Fulham boss Martin Jol has hinted at a possible new contract for Mahamadou Diarra, just three months after releasing him from his contract.

The 32-year-old joined the west London side in February 2012 after being unattached, but suffered a knee injury in December before being released by the club at the end of last season.

Diarra is still recovering from the injury, with Fulham allowing him to use their facilities to speed up the process, and Jol has suggested that a new deal could be in the offing depending on his progress.

"Diarra is coming back, he's probably at 50 per cent," Jol told the Daily Mail.

"He's not really fit but if there's no contact like in possession games, then he can join us in training. He's not quite there where we want him to be yet."

Diarra played for Fulham for just over a year before his release after signing on a free transfer in February 2012.

Diarra made 19 appearances during his first spell with Fulham, scoring one goal.


http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/2013/09/04/4236564/-?

[WhiteJC]

 
Top 10: Deadline Deals



This week's Top 10 feature recalls some of the Club's transfer deadline day signings over the years.

Mark Pembridge – August 2003

After a career that took in spells at Luton Town, Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday, Benfica and Everton, the Welsh midfielder chose to finish his career with Fulham at the end of the summer window. His four years at Craven Cottage saw him help to establish the Club as a force in the top flight and his retirement from international football in 2004 enabled him to focus on his domestic efforts. Now Under-15s and Under-16s Coordinator in the Fulham Academy, Pembridge remains a firm favourite in SW6.

Collins John – January 2004

When the Netherlands striker joined us at the end of January, he was highly rated and showed early signs of promise by netting four goals in two games to help us to a mid-table finish. The following campaign saw the youngster hit another four goals from 13 starts but he had his best season in 2005/06 when he bagged 11 from 16 (with another 19 appearances from the bench). His final season was less than impressive and he was sent out on loan before being allowed to join Belgian Pro League side Roeselare in 2009.

Michael Brown – January 2006

A veteran of the English league after spending time with Manchester City, Sheffield United and Tottenham Hotspur, the tough-tackling Brown added steel to our midfield midway through the 2005/06 season. It was enough to help us to a mid-table position and Brown's 34 appearances the following year ensured that we stayed in the top flight after a relegation campaign that saw the end of Chris Coleman's tenure. With new boss Lawrie Sanchez at the helm he left, but few players have shown a more committed attitude on the pitch in their time at the Club.

Danny Murphy – August 2007

Surely one of the best pieces of business in the Club's history on deadline day, Murphy arrived at Fulham alongside Shefki Kuqi and Seol Ki-Hyeon who didn't fare quite as well. With a host of experience having made his name at Crewe Alexandra and Liverpool - then Charlton Athletic and Tottenham Hotspur - and more than 300 appearances in the league under his belt, he became a focal point of the Fulham midfield and rose to Captain us in the 2008/09 season. His five-year spell took in some of the Club's greatest-ever moments and in his last season in 2011/12, he created more chances than any other top-flight player.

Alexander Kačaniklić – August 2010

In 2010, we managed to pull off an impressive piece of late business as we sold Paul Konchesky to Liverpool and picked up two young players - Swedish winger Kačaniklić and Finland's Lauri Dalla Valle - and some cash as well. While Dalla Valle has since moved on, Kačaniklić has elevated himself into the First Team and, after a productive loan spell at Burnley last season, is in contention for a place in the starting XI these days. He has also become first choice for Sweden and is certainly one to watch as his development continues.

Zdeněk Grygera – August 2011

Injury may have robbed Grygera the chance to showcase his full talent at the Club, but it's not every day that a player from Italian giants Juventus signs for Fulham. The Czech Republic defender was a veteran of almost 200 games for Ajax and the Turin giants before he chose to continue his career in SW6, but only managed to play five games before suffering cruciate ligament damage that ultimately saw him retire from football in 2012.

Bryan Ruiz – August 2011

Beginning his career in his native Costa Rica, Ruiz joined Belgian side Gent and Dutch team FC Twente before arriving in style along with Portugal striker Orlando Sa at the end of the summer window in 2011. With 24 goals for Twente in his final season in the Eredivisie causing the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur to take interest in the forward, it was something of a coup when we managed to persuade him to take the next step of his career at the Cottage and he remains a key First Team player for Manager Martin Jol.

Pavel Pogrebnyak – January 2012

When you sign a player in January, the first thing you hope is that they will be able to gel quickly into your side and make an immediate impact. With Russian striker Pogrebnyak, who arrived from VfB Stuttgart on a free, that was certainly the case as he netted on his debut, then the following match, then scored a hat-trick in his third game to make him the quickest player to reach five goals in Premier League history. Unfortunately he only managed one more as he suffered from injuries in his remaining time by the river and left that summer.

Dimitar Berbatov – August 2012

"It's probably the biggest signing in the history of Fulham," said Martin Jol as the former Manchester United striker arrived at the Cottage from Manchester United. Arguably, Berbatov was at the peak of his career as he joined Fulham, and there has been no doubting his obvious quality as he smashed in 15 goals in his first season to finish as our top scorer. Once Manchester United's record signing at £30.75m, he is arguably the biggest coup in the Club's transfer history and is the focal point of the Whites' attack, while he retired from international football with Bulgaria in 2010.

Ashkan Dejagah – August 2012

Probably suffering a little bit from Berbatov's arrival, the Iran international crept into the Cottage as the seconds ticked away on last year's deadline day. His time in Germany had seen him impress at Hertha Berlin and VfL Wolfsburg and the winger wasted little time in settling into the Premier League as he made 21 appearances. Just as he was beginning to find real form, an ankle injury against local rivals Queens Park Rangers in April cut his season short and he was forced to watch his Iran teammates seal progress to the 2014 World Cup from the sidelines.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/september/04/top-10-deadline-deals?

[WhiteJC]

 
Brede Hails Academy

Fulham Captain Brede Hangeland has praised the work of the Club's Academy following the emergence of a number of talented youngsters.

This summer, the likes of Chris David, Buomesca Tue Na Bangna, Muamer Tankovic, Lasse Vigen Christensen, Jesse Joronen and Jack Grimmer have all spent time in and around the First Team squad.

And, having watched them closely, the 32-year-old has backed them to make an impact at Craven Cottage.

"Those boys have come up over the summer, and they did very well," Brede told fulhamfc.com. "A few of them came away with the senior squad to Costa Rica, and more have trained with us throughout the summer and continue to do so.

"I've been impressed with them, they've conducted themselves very well and they all show a lot of promise. Alexander Kačaniklić, Matthew Briggs, Neil Etheridge, Kerim Frei and Marcello Trotta have already made the step up, and now we want to see a few more do the same.

"I watch the Under-21 and U18 games at Motspur Park when I can, and there are a lot of good players coming through. If you look at the U21 squad, a lot of those boys were part of the U18 side that won the national title for the past two years.

"For me, that shows that there's progression. Now they just have to make the next jump - which, as we know, is the hardest. But they have a great chance here and that's very exciting."

As a teenager, Hangeland dreamed of playing in the Barclays Premier League. The Norwegian centre-back now acknowledges that, at such a tender age, making the step into first team football is a demanding process.

"It's difficult, there's no doubt about that," he added. "There's so much riding on games at this level and there's a lot of pressure to perform. We've seen young players go out on loan, get their chance in a lower league and come back better for the experience.

"It's a chance to learn and develop – to get used to senior football. I'm sure we'll see a few more of the boys go out and do the same. At the moment Josh Pritchard is doing very well for Tromsø in my homeland. That's great to see.

"My advice for the younger players is to be patient. It's extremely hard to break into the First Team and they have to bide their time. But it's important that they work hard and continue to learn.

"But if they're good enough, which I think many of them will be, they will get the opportunity to show what they can do. The Club's Academy deserves a lot of credit, because we have one of the best youth set-ups in the country now.

"The Academy has enjoyed a lot of success in the last three years and let's hope that it continues. I'm sure it will, because the Academy has a lot of good people; people that are determined to get players up and into the First Team."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/september/04/brede-hails-academy?

[WhiteJC]

 
Hughes believes O'Neill can make World Cup finals dream a reality


Still time: Aaron Hughes feels the win over Russia acted as proof Northern Ireland can qualify for a major tournament

Northern Ireland's win over Russia last month has given Aaron Hughes renewed belief that the dream of qualification for a World Cup or European Championships can become a reality.

Manager Michael O'Neill talked the former international captain out of retirement when he took the job, with the opportunity to challenge for a place in next summer's global showpiece in Brazil the motivation.

Realistically, having won just once in six games, Northern Ireland are already out of the running in Group F, but that single victory, which came against Fabio Capello's team just three weeks ago, was enough to convince Hughes that the long wait to reach a major finals that goes back to Mexico 1986 can come to an end in the near future.

"We need to just keep building and the Russia game, that's the level of performance that we need to hit in every game," said Hughes.

"If we keep playing like that – maybe not this campaign, although we can have a say in it and go right to the end – but in the future if we can perform like that it's not inconceivable that we can get to a finals at some stage.

"It's a young squad that Michael is building; take myself and one or two others out of it.

"We add the experience to it, but there are a lot of young legs out there, lads with 10 or 12 years ahead of them.

"To come and play as well as they did against world class players like the did against Russia was a big statement. They showed their character, they also showed their quality."

O'Neill assembled his players yesterday for Friday night's qualifier against Portugal at Windsor Park and after beating Russia – the manager's first win in 10 attempts – there is a feelgood factor surrounding the squad again.

As with any win, the knock-on effect is that the expectation level rises in the aftermath.

What Northern Ireland fans must remember is that one of the top players in world football, Cristiano Ronaldo, will captain the Portuguese team, although the players will want to add him to the list of big names that have left Belfast beaten in recent times.

"We weren't lacking in confidence previously, but the win over Russia will give us a real boost," said Hughes.



http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/hughes-believes-oneill-can-make-world-cup-finals-dream-a-reality-29549523.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Frei Set to Leave
   
Although the transfer window has slammed firmly shut in this country, dealings can still be done over in Turkish football.

To that effect, rumours are in circulation that the Turkish club, Beziktas, are in talks to sign Kerim Frei

The 19 year-old winger has yet to feature for Fulham this season and with a figure of £2.5 million being mentioned, could a deal be done?


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=331258#ixzz2dwAvbmfY

[WhiteJC]

 
Baird Keeping Harry Waiting!
   
Deadline day may well be history but the master of deadline day dealings, Harry Redknapp, still hopes to bring another player in.

That player is none other than Chris Baird who being a free-agent, since being released by Fulham, has yet to commit to another club.

Although, as we`ve reported earlier, Chris has been training with Queens Park Rangers, he has yet to sign for our West London rivals with Harry Redknapp remarking about the situation,

"We made an offer and need an answer soon."

Patience Harry, patience my good man!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=331259#ixzz2dwB9ZS25

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham's Kit Donation



The Fulham brand was given a huge boost in both Colombia and the Seychelles over the summer, as the Club donated plenty of kit to organisations from each region.

Academy Under-12s coach Arthur Brammer flew to Cartagena in the South American country (see below video) to visit a local orphanage, armed with a plethora of shirts, shorts, socks and boots, while former Whites midfielder – and current youth team coach – Kevin Betsy was in the Seychelles with his foundation.

"The branding of Fulham in Cartagena is right up there with the top European clubs due to the interest that Hugo Rodallega has brought about," Arthur said. "Walking around the city in a Fulham top, I was constantly stopped and asked about Fulham by the locals.

"The orphanage has two homes - Calazans for boys aged 9-12 and Madrid for boys aged 12-18. There were 26 boys in total. Some were there due to not having ever had parents and some because their neighbourhood was too dangerous for them due to family involvement in gangs.

"One boy, Jeison, had been on the street for five years since he was seven years old. Who knows what he had gone through in that time but, luckily, the orphanage had a spot for him.

"Fulham also provided football boots that were invaluable. The surface they played on was terrible but the kids would play with bare feet or they would share shoes. What was worse was that opposite was a brand new five-star hotel that was being built, when these kids didn't even have toothbrushes or soap to wash themselves.

"They would be swapping their shoe laces from their school shoes to their running shoes, as they only had one pair of laces, so that they could play football.

"What was fantastic though was their love of life. They were constantly happy and so grateful for whatever they had. They were especially grateful to Fulham and all the support that was offered."

Meanwhile, Betsy – who made 20 appearances for the Whites during his time at the Club as a player, in addition to winning a handful of caps for the Seychelles having qualified to play for them through his grandparents – travelled to the island with his foundation to provide kit to children in local schools, as well as to The Seychelles Football Federation Academy.

"Many youngsters in schools and at The Seychelles Football Federation Academy will benefit greatly from this donation," Kevin said. "The picture went in national newspapers and on television after my visit to the local school.

"Fulham are certainly up there in the Seychelles with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea after this positive branding."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/september/04/fulhams-influence-grows?

[jmh]

Pessimism in the Fulham camp
by Sheepskin Junior

I'll start this entry by saying that I have never been a 'glass half-full' football supporter, but since the start of this season, I find myself finding a bright side more than most. Sometimes, more recently, I have felt as if I am the only one not calling for a new manager, or "Jol-outing". I think that, although it has been a slow start, we haven't been appalling. Every new team takes time to adjust. We need to remember that.

Jol has signed Stekelenburg, Amorebieta, Boateng, Taraabt, Bent, Parker and Zverotic this summer. They will take time to gel with the rest of the team. We will be playing with a new formation to accommodate Bent. We can't realistically expect everything to work the second it's tried. We know Ruiz isn't a winger, the only position he is even half decent in is behind a striker. However, that position is no longer available. This means one of two things: either he has to find a new place to play or he goes. To be honest, the latter looks the more likely and favourable to me. Ruiz is more of a playmaker, but does that mean Jol should suddenly drop Sidwell?

There is a lot to do, and I personally don't think the answer is for Shahid Khan to come in and make knee-jerk decisions based on a few games. We need to give the team time to work together. We have played 4 competitive games. Our best game was Arsenal. The only home game we've played. We've had poor performances and lucky wins against Sunderland and Burton Albion. Then, simply, a poor performance and deserving loss against Newcastle. This all seems very familiar to me; we are poor away from home. No manager has been able to change that. With a little time for our new signings to adjust, I think this team will work and get us a strong, stable, top-half place.



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=402

The article doesn't actually say anything about pessimism in the Fulham camp, just the author's own feelings.