Thursday Fulham Stuff (19/09/13)...

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Burn's Burnley Blues

Birmingham City's winless run in the Sky Bet Championship continued on Tuesday evening as they left Burnley with a 3-0 defeat.

Dan Burn played for the full 90 minutes but it was a night to forget for Blues, with manager Lee Clark describing it as their "worst performance of the season by a million miles" after the game.

The tone for the match was set as early as the third minute when Clarets striker Danny Ings latched onto Sam Vokes' pass before firing beyond Darren Randolph.

City fought for a way back into the match and almost equalised through Burn's defensive partner Kyle Bartley, but instead found themselves two down just seconds after the restart when Scott Arfield headed in.

Ings got his second goal eight minutes later to compound the Midlands outfit's misery, with Sheffield Wednesday at home on Saturday the first opportunity for Blues to improve on their 21st placing in the table.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/september/18/burns-burnley-blues?

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Pensioner misses out on £1MILLION payout after 92nd minute West Brom equaliser... then says 'I don't even follow football!'

West Bromwich Albion's injury-time equaliser on Saturday against Fulham prevented a pensioner from winning a guaranteed £1million from just a £1 bet with bookmaker Coral.

The pensioner from Surrey accurately predicted the results of fourteen of the fifteen football matches in Coral's Football Jackpot accumulator - Britain's only £1million acca - with Liverpool's draw with Swansea the final leg, and still netted £30,841.60 payout for his efforts.


Last minute: McAuley celebrates after heading home the equaliser for West Brom on Saturday


Consolation: he goal meant this Coral customer lost out on £1million, but still received £30,000 for his efforts

The betting shop regular, who wishes to remain anonymous, is a keen horse racing punter, but never usually bets on football and doesn't even follow the sport.

However, he decided to place the bet after he read about the bet in a Racing Club newsletter.

He said 'When I read about the Football jackpot I thought why not have a go. I mean a £1 is nothing these days, you can't even get a pint of milk for a pound!'

The customer knew that on Monday before Swansea's 2-2 draw with Liverpool that he needed a draw in the final leg of the 15-match  bet, but couldn't watch the game with it being on Sky Sports.

'I never bet on football, I don't even watch it, so I didn't watch the Swansea v Liverpool match last night and went to bed not knowing the result.


One up: Fulham's Steve Sidwell had put the Cottagers ahead in the first half

'I was on my way to the newsagent to get the paper when I bumped into Lee, the Coral shop manager, and he told me I'd won the £30,000 pounds which was fantastic.'

When asked what the £30,000 pound win would do for him, he said: 'I can now enjoy the good life.

'I'm going to buy a car and go on a holiday with my wife, probably a coach trip to Yorkshire or the Lake District.'

Simon, Clare, Coral PR Director, said: 'In the end this delightful man was just an injury time goal away from being a millionaire, but he is thrilled to have won £30,000 and it is brilliant that a customer with no interest in football, trusted lady luck for his selections, and was dealt a winning hand that will make life more comfortable for him and his wife. That is what it's all about!'
West Brom salvaged a point late on when Gareth McAuley climbed highest to head home from a Chris Brunt corner.

McAuley, who is in good goalscoring form after netting against Luxembourg and Portugal during the international break, leapt above the Fulham defence to direct a powerful header beyond David Stockdale.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2424290/Pensioner-loses-1million-92nd-minute-West-Brom-equaliser.html#ixzz2fJx4zX9t
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

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Amorebieta ready to make impact

MARTIN Jol has promised there's more to come from defender Fernando Amorebieta.

The summer signing from Athletic Bilabo made his Fulham debut as a second-half substitute in Saturday's 1-1 draw with West Brom.

With Aaron Hughes injured, Philippe Senderos pipped Amorebieta to partner skipper Brede Hangeland in the heart of defence.

But boss Jol hopes to be able to pair the duo together in the future.

He said: "I thought Senderos was good, he came in and did well.

"If I'd have played Fernando, Brede would have played for the first time on right side [of central defence] and I couldn't take that risk.

"I had to keep it as it was before with Philippe and Hangeland, but we have to start somewhere with Fernando because he is a very good player.

"Hopefully we will get the time and resources to try that and give him his chance."



Read more: Fulham Chronicle http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2013/09/18/82029-33857089/?#ixzz2fJxeIIhp

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Transfer news: Fulham to look at sending youngsters on loan to foreign clubs

Martin Jol admits he may be forced to look outside of Britain for clubs willing to take his Fulham youngsters on loan.

The Cottagers are keen to get as many of their young professionals playing regular first team football as possible.

A number of U21 stars have been allowed to link up with lower league sides - with Dan Burn, Marcello Trotta, Marcus Bettinelli, Ryan Williams and Cauley Woodrow all heading out of Craven Cottage.

Jol would, however, like to give a few more players the kind of experience Pajtim Kasami got at Swiss outfit Lucerne last season and Omri Altman is getting in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv.

He said in the Fulham Chronicle: "My philosophy is it's always necessary for them to get games under their belts and to go on loan.

"We've got a lot of players in our U21s who could do well for lower league clubs - the only thing is I have to find the right clubs for them.

"Hopefully other managers in these leagues will know them and see them.

"They all want experience, so sometimes we have to go abroad."



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8928112/?

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Jol boosted by Ruiz scan news

Fulham boss Martin Jol has been handed a boost after scans showed Bryan Ruiz's ankle injury isn't as bad as first feared.

The Costa Rica international was carried off towards the end of Saturday's 1-1 draw with West Brom after going down under the challenge of Baggies defender Liam Ridgewell. Fulham sent Ruiz for a scan on Monday to assess the full extent of the problem, which showed he had suffered ligament damage. A statement on the Fulham website said: "The early signs suggest that the injury is better than first feared, although a recovery time cannot be estimated until the swelling has reduced." However, reports are claiming that Ruiz will be out for up to four weeks with the problem, which would rule him out of the Premier League matches against Chelsea and Cardiff, plus the visit of Everton in the Capital One Cup. He would be touch and go for the match with Stoke just before the international break and more likely to return after that when Fulham travel to Crystal Palace.



Read more at: http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/jol-boosted-by-ruiz-scan-news-1634695.html?

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Top 10: SW6 Stars

Ahead of Saturday's SW6 derby, we take a look at 10 players who have adorned both blue and white in South West London, making almost 3,000 appearances for Fulham and Chelsea between them.

Roy Bentley (Chelsea 1948-56, Fulham 1956-60)

After beginning his career as an inside-forward, Bentley was converted to a more central role – to great effect – when he made the move to Stamford Bridge from Newcastle United in early 1948. Having scored for fun in the Chelsea team (his Blues record reads 367 games played, 150 goals scored) he ended up captaining the side to their first ever league title in 1955. He moved to Fulham a year later and, after hitting 14 goals in his debut campaign, found his position changed twice in two years: firstly to right-half, and then to centre-half. He excelled in both positions and helped the Whites to the FA Cup Semi-Final in 1958, before appearing 35 times the following season as we gained promotion to the top flight.

John Dempsey (Fulham 1965-69, Chelsea 1969-78)

A virtual ever-present in the Fulham team (he didn't miss a game from September 1965 to April 1968), central defender Dempsey was one of the younger players in a side that boasted the likes of Johnny Haynes, Les Barrett and George Cohen. On occasion, he was trialled as a striker by Manager Vic Buckingham, most notably when he hit a hat-trick in a 5-0 victory over Northampton Town in the League Cup. Sold to our local rivals for £70,000 in January 1969, Dempsey went on to make more than 200 appearances for Chelsea in a trophy-laden spell that saw him collect an FA Cup winner's medal and lift the UEFA European Cup Winners' Cup, in which he scored in the Final against Real Madrid.


Clive Walker (Chelsea 1976-84, Fulham 1987-90)

An exciting and dangerous winger, Walker often found himself to be a shining light in mediocre Chelsea sides of the 70s and 80s. A scorer of often spectacular goals, his most important for the club came in the penultimate match of the 1982/83 season when he hit the winner against Bolton Wanderers which ultimately saved the Blues from relegation to the Third Division. After a spell with Sunderland, Walker returned to West London for a season at Queens Park Rangers, before joining Fulham in October 1987. He made a superb start to his Whites career with a brace on his debut in a 3-1 win over York City and was a regular in the team during his three seasons at Craven Cottage. After finishing his final campaign as top scorer, he departed for Brighton & Hove Albion in 1990 with 31 goals and 121 Fulham appearances to his name.

Ray Lewington (Chelsea 1974-79, Fulham 1980-85 & 1986-90)

While Lewington famously occupied what seemed like every role going at Fulham at one point or another, it was actually with our neighbours where he began his career, making the best part of 100 appearances for the Blues during his five-year stay at the Bridge. Spells in Canada and at Wimbledon followed before he joined the club where he'd go on to become a legend. The hard-working midfielder scored 24 times in his 276 appearances over two spells at Fulham, with his finest moment coming in 1982 when he helped his side win promotion to Division Two. He later managed Fulham in a variety of roles and is now assistant to England boss Roy Hodgson, having worked under him at Craven Cottage.


Teddy Maybank (Chelsea 1975-76, Fulham 1976-77 & 1979-80)

After making his debut as a teenager for Chelsea, Maybank was only a regular for one season at the club, when he grabbed five goals in 1975/76. He initially joined the Whites on loan in November 1976 and his three goals in four games impressed sufficiently to prompt a permanent transfer the following March. A popular man with the Fulham crowd, he formed a strong partnership up front with John Mitchell and his good form saw him move on to Brighton & Hove Albion in November 1977 for a £237,000 fee – a £172,000 profit for the Whites. He won promotion with the Seagulls but was back at the Cottage shortly after. However, this time he could only manage three goals in 19 appearances as we were relegated to Division Three.

Gordon Davies (Fulham 1977-84 & 1986-91, Chelsea 1984-85)

After setting the Cottage alight with 127 goals in little over six seasons, Davies was handed the opportunity to test himself in the top flight when Chelsea took advantage of stalling contract talks to nab the striker for a cut-price £90,000 fee. Competing with Kerry Dixon and David Speedie for a place in the side, Ivor found first-team football hard to come by at the Bridge, although he departed with a respectable record of six goals from his 15 appearances. After a brief stint in the blue side of Manchester, Davies returned home to continue his goalscoring exploits by the river, notching a further 51 times before joining Wrexham in 1991. He played 450 times in total for the Whites.


Paul Parker (Fulham 1981-87 & 1997, Chelsea 1997)

Having made his debut for Fulham just weeks after his 17th birthday, Parker went on to become one of the most exciting young defenders in the country. He gradually nailed down more appearances for the first team, before making the number two shirt his own at the start of the 1983/84 campaign. An athletic right-back, Fulham managed to retain his services until 1987 when he left for First Division Queens Park Rangers. He enjoyed success with England as they reached the Semi-Finals of Italia '90, before winning the league with Manchester United following a multi-million pound transfer. He returned to the Cottage for a very brief spell in 1997 (taking his appearance total for the Whites to 186 in the process) before jumping up three divisions to make a handful of run-outs for Chelsea.

Bjarne Goldbaek (Chelsea 1998-00, Fulham 2000-03)

An old fashioned right-winger, Denmark international Goldbaek arrived at Chelsea less than a month after scoring against them at Stamford Bridge for Copenhagen in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. He went on to play more than 30 times in his debut campaign, scoring five times, although he struggled to secure a starting berth the following season and subsequently joined Fulham in January 2000. He settled quickly and became a regular in the side as we won promotion to the Premiership the following season. Goldbaek was used more as squad player during our time in the top flight and departed the Club in 2003 with more than 100 appearances to his name.


Damien Duff (Chelsea 2003-06, Fulham 2009-Present)

One of the first signings of the Roman Abramovich era, Duff enjoyed phenomenal success at Chelsea following his £17m transfer from Blackburn Rovers. The winger played 37 times and scored six goals (including a winner against Fulham) in his debut campaign as the Blues finished second in the league. Jose Mourinho was then appointed in the summer of 2004, with the new manager opting to play Duff in a front three alongside new signings Didier Drogba and Arjen Robben. The trio were in devastating form as Chelsea won the Premier League title for the first time, in addition to the League Cup. Duff picked up a second title winner's medal before departing for Newcastle United in 2006, with a move to Fulham emanating following the Magpies' relegation in 2009. His first campaign was arguably Fulham's most successful ever as we reached the UEFA Europa League Final, with Duff playing in 14 of our 19 matches in the competition. Still going strong at the age of 34, the Irishman made his 150th appearance for the Club last season.

Steve Sidwell (Chelsea 2007-08, Fulham 2011-Present)

After impressing at the heart of Reading's midfield for a number of years, Sidwell made the move to Chelsea on a free transfer following the expiry of his Royals contract. Competing with the likes of Frank Lampard, Michael Essien and Michael Ballack for a first team berth, Sidwell still accumulated 25 appearances for the Blues in his solitary season at the club, including a run-out in the Champions League against Valencia. However, he was sold to Aston Villa in the summer of 2008, before arriving at Fulham – initially on loan – two and a half years later. He quickly became an integral part of the Whites engine room, although a serious injury midway through the 2011/12 campaign curtailed his progress. He showed a great mentality to recover, though, and now boasts a record of 10 goals from 76 Fulham games.

Cheer on the Whites in the South-West London derby! Tickets are on sale to all supporters with a Booking History, (max. 2 per person).



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/september/18/top-10-sw6-stars?

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Kasami is 'key' for Fulham



PAJTIM Kasami has established himself a key player for Fulham.

So says boss Martin Jol, who was considering sending the Swiss midfielder on loan again earlier this summer.

However, the talented 21-year-old forced his way into Jol's plans with the winning goal in the Premier League opener at Sunderland and has featured in four of their five games so far.

Jol wants to loan out more of his young guns, but insists Kasami is staying at Craven Cottage.

He said: "Kasami was on the fringes. He was another one who wanted to play. He played for Lucerne and made big steps.

"He scored his first goals for the Under-21s last week and played for us against Sunderland.

"He's better than he was before; stronger and one of our key players this season."



Read more: Fulham Chronicle http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2013/09/18/82029-33859840/?#ixzz2fJyru4l8

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Junior Membership

This season we've built specific Membership packages for our young supporters; Fulhamites for 0-10 year olds, and Formation for our 11-15 year olds. Each of the packages are available for just £5 – find out more below!



Fulhamites (0-10 years)

Join Billy the Badger's team of Fulhamites this season, and show your support for the Whites!
The exclusive Membership for 0-10 years, as a Fulhamite Member you'll enjoy a range of benefits including a Welcome Gift Pack, access to match tickets at the same time as Season Ticket Holders, and a host of exclusive offers across the campaign!

What's more, Fulhamites will be invited to a number of Member-only events over the season and are also able to enter regular competitions where they can win money can't buy experiences!
Join Today


Formation (11-15 years)

4-4-You. It's time to get in line with the Fulham Formation – the exclusive Membership for our Whites supporters aged 11-15 years, with Scott Parker as the Official Formation Ambassador!
As a Member you'll receive a great Welcome Gift Pack, containing a personal Membership Card, and exclusive Formation gifts.

Members will be able to enter competitions and will receive regular updates that keep you informed with what's going on at Craven Cottage, and much more besides. You'll be the first to know what's happening with the Whites.

Join Scott and the Formation today!
Join Today



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/september/18/junior-membership?

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Killer who stabbed Fulham FC fan 54 times in frenzied attack is jailed for 20 years

A KILLER who stabbed his victim 54 times during a frenzied attack at a flat in Talgarth Road has been sentenced to 20 years in jail.

Thomas Kearney, 39, went berserk with a knife and murdered Fulham fan and father-of-two David Remmer, 35, at the hostel at which they both lived in December last year, before he fled with £3,000 his victim was meant to take on holiday.

Mr Remmer, who was a regular at Craven Cottage and worked for a removal company, was knifed in the torso, back and head and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Old Bailey heard Mr Remmer had been planning to go on holiday to Thailand to visit his uncle and was due to fly from Heathrow on the evening of December 6.

But after spending that afternoon drinking in the pub because he was nervous of flying, he was refused boarding because he was drunk and returned to the hostel at about 1am the following day.

CCTV footage shows he had trouble getting back into the building as he did not have his keys and ended up trying to force a door.

Kearney, who lived in the top floor bedsit, came downstairs to investigate the noise, and the two men then went out, returning to the building at about 3.30am. Mr Remmer was never seen alive again.

The victims's sister raised the alarm after he didn't arrive in Thailand, and his body was discovered by hostel staff.

A large blood-covered kitchen knife was found at the scene, along with shoes Kearney had been seen wearing, also covered in Mr Remmer's blood.

Kearney had left the address at 6am and fled to Ireland, having stolen £3,000 in cash that Mr Remmer had planned to take with him to Thailand.

He was tracked down and extradited back to the Britain on January 24 and charged with murder.

Investigating officer Detective Inspector Liz Baker, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "We don't know what went on inside Kearney's flat but it's clear both men were both extremely intoxicated. Either an argument started or Kearney realised that David Remmer had a large amount of cash on him ready for his holiday and saw an opportunity to make some easy cash."



Read more: Fulham Chronicle http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/local-fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2013/09/18/82029-33860117/?#ixzz2fJzPxJAv

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Ruiz - Good News
   
There were a few anxious faces in the Craven Cottage stands when Bryan Ruiz was carried off on Saturday, against West Brom.

At the time it looked as if the injury he had suffered was a serious one with it first being feared that the 28 year-old had suffered a fractured ankle.

Thankfully, that isn`t the case with it being leaked to the press that the ankle was only badly bruised with a club source quoted as having remarked,

"The early signs suggest the injury to Bryan is better than first feared."

Ruiz is now expected to be available for selection when we visit Stamford Bridge this Saturday.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=332695#ixzz2fJzbo0Nz

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Berbatov Update
   
On Saturday, in the draw against West Brom, Dimitar Berbatov managed to net twice from offside positions.

Now some may say his inclusion in the side doesn`t promote a hard working ethic but I`m from the camp that believes his inclusion brings us something extra, something that we need to open up sides who are resilient in defence.

Therefore, when he limped off against West Brom I feared that he may be absent for a couple of weeks thereby depriving of us of that little spark.

Thankfully, that isn`t to be the case with Berbatov now being inferred as being fit for the weekend clash with Martin Jol remarking about the Bulgarian`s fitness,

"I don`t think it is serious."

"Hopefully Dimitar came off just in time for him to be okay."

I hope so because he may just be the spark we need to cause an upset over at Stamford Bridge.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=332696#ixzz2fJzl0U3q

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Fulham's wacko Jacko statue is history with Al Fayed set to remove Cottage eyesore

The ridiculed Michael Jackson statue at Craven Cottage is set to be removed by former owner Mohamed Al Fayed.

When Al Fayed put up the statue in 2011, he told fans they could 'go to hell' if they did not appreciate it.

Now it appears that Fayed — who sold the club to Shahid Khan, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL, for £150m this summer — wants to take the garish Jackson statue to another of his many properties.


Bad? Mohamed Al Fayed shows off his statue of Michael Jackson at its unveiling in April 2011

 
Fayed had joked with Khan that there would be 'big trouble' if the sculpture disappeared.

The club's new owners, who have no desire to keep it, are expecting the arrival of Fayed's removal team.

A Fulham spokesperson said: 'The statue is not part of the Riverside development of the stadium and will be returned to the former chairman in due course.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2424724/Fulhams-Michael-Jackson-statue-history-Mohamed-Al-Fayed-set-remove-Craven-Cottage-eyesore.html#ixzz2fK05Pb21
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Iceman Josh: The story of the on-loan Fulham youngster who is braving the cold in Tromso... and now he's ready to face Spurs!

Not one to sit and complain about how homegrown  talent has been frozen out of the  Barclays Premier League, Josh Pritchard packed his thermals and headed for the Arctic.

There he found sub-zero temperatures, snowstorms, the midnight sun and herds of reindeer on the kind of life-affirming Euro trek that is sure to build character for anyone at the dawn of their career.

From the relative comfort of Fulham reserves, Pritchard accepted an offer to join Tromso on loan in northern Norway. He didn't only get on his bicycle in search of opportunity, he got on his icicle.


Out in the cold: Josh Pritchard left Fulham to join Tromso on a loan deal

Today comes the reward as the 20-year-old prepares to play at White Hart Lane in the Europa League against Tottenham.

'All the young English players want to do is play football in the Premier League,' said Pritchard. 'They need to open their minds, go abroad and discover there's life outside England. There are chances wherever you go.

'I was the same: dead set on playing in the Premier League for Fulham, but there are so many other places with good leagues where you can develop your game.'


Settling in: Pritchard has impressed so far in Norway



Pritchard has been propelled from the banks of the Thames to the top of the world. Tromso is the second largest city inside the Arctic Circle, set on an island amid the fjords and mountains. He arrived on January 8 to find his new home under six feet of snow with darkness around the clock.

'I had been warned, but I wasn't expecting it to be quite so bad,' he said. 'I remember pulling on about four layers of clothes to walk 10 yards to the training ground.

'It was minus six when I arrived, then it dropped to minus 10. When it got really bad, we'd train indoors, but light snow here is not the same as light snow in London.

'One week the snow came down so fast that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. I'm not kidding — the snowflakes were as big as golf balls. I was shocked but it seemed quite normal to everyone else and the game just  carried on. Everyone just deals with it.

'There are polar bears further up north, but I was out driving in the summer when I came across a herd of reindeer  walking down the middle of the road. It's not exactly what you're used to when you've been living in London.'


Chilly: Tromso's a little bit different to London!





Pritchard has been called up for the Wales Under 21 squad but has yet to make his debut.

He spent a decade playing at right back in Manchester United youth teams before he was released four years ago.

He chose a move to Fulham, where he was converted into a central midfielder and  graduated to the reserves before hitting the ceiling which is the subject of such debate.

Jon Hill, one of his coaches at United, had been appointed assistant manager of Tromso and persuaded him to follow.

Pritchard describes the standard as 'lower Championship or upper League One.'



Unbelieveable: Pritchard, who was surprised to make the group stages, scored one of the goals against Besiktas



'Jon told me that I'd be playing first-team football and in the Europa League,' said Pritchard. 'I knew him and trusted him but it's gone much better than I hoped. I've played in central midfield, centre back, right back and left back and a couple of times in a more attacking midfield role.'

Tromso have played eight games to reach the Europa League group stages — and have already been knocked out once, 3-2 on aggregate by Besiktas. Pritchard scored the winner in the first game but by the time the second leg came around it was clear the Turks were about to be expelled from the competition, even though the game had to go ahead.

Tromso were on the runway about to leave Istanbul when news of their glamour draw filtered through. 'There were fans on the plane and everyone was going crazy,' said Pritchard. 'I never expected to play in the group stages.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2424638/Josh-Pritchard-ready-face-Tottenham-Hotspur-Tromso.html#ixzz2fK0mhvFv
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Martin Jol keen to land Rene Meulensteen as Fulham's assistant manager
FULHAM want to make ex-Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen their assistant manager.


Fulham want Rene Meulensteen as their assistant manager

Under-fire boss Martin Jol hopes to recruit his fellow Dutchman after the 49-year-old was sacked by Anzhi Makhachkala.

Meulensteen (right) spent 12 years working under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford before being dismissed after the arrival of David Moyes.

He became Anzhi's head coach during the summer but the Russian club axed him after just 16 days as part of cost-cutting plans.


Martin Jol hopes to recruit his fellow Dutchman after the 49-year-old was sacked by Anzhi Makhachkala [GETTY]

Meulensteen's agent Fons van den Brande said: "Clubs in the Middle East are interested in him, but there are also a few clubs in Germany – and one big club in London.

"The London team want him as a coach alongside the manager. He has to make the right decision after his time in Russia."

UAE champions Al Ain are also keen on Meulensteen, who spent eight years coaching in Qatar before moving to Old Trafford in 2001.

Hailed by Robin van Persie as "truly one of the best in the world", the 49-year-old has already talked to several clubs.

But it is thought a return to the Premier League with the Cottagers would appeal to him.



http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/339578/Martin-Jol-keen-to-land-Rene-Meulensteen-as-Fulham-s-assistant-manager

[WhiteJC]

 
Beat It: Fulham's Jackson statue 'to be removed'

The Michael Jackson statue outside Fulham's Craven Cottage stadium is set to be removed and returned to former owner Mohamed Al Fayed, according to The Daily Mail.


The Michael Jackson statue outside Craven Cottage is reportedly set to be removed.
Credit: Adam Davy/EMPICS Sport

Al Fayed told fans shortly after the monument was erected in 2011 that they could "go to hell" if they did not like it.

He also joked that Fulham's new owner Shahid Khan would be in "big trouble" if the sculpture was removed.

However, it now appears that Al Fayed will take the statue to another one of his properties.

A Fulham spokesperson told the newspaper: "The statue is not part of the Riverside development of the stadium and will be returned to the former chairman in due course."



http://www.itv.com/news/update/2013-09-19/beat-it-fulhams-michael-jackson-statue-to-be-removed/?

[WhiteJC]

 
What Is Happening At Fulham? Jol under pressure?

Fulham have become part of the Premier League furniture over the last decade. They are rarely in relegation trouble but they are a consistent mid table side. Strangely, they are surrounded by uncertainty after a stuttering start to the season, with Martin Jol emerging as an early favourite to be the first Premier League manager to be sacked. The Dutchman has tried to change the image of the club, from an efficient mid table unit to an entertaining side full of mavericks. It has yet to pay dividends and unless the team starts to get results, it's a change that could cost him his job.



The summer may have created an exciting feeling around the club with the possibility of Bryan Ruiz, Dimitar Berbatov and Adel Taarabt playing behind Darren Bent. If they are played correctly, it is a front four which is filled with goals and creativity. Sadly Fulham don't have the defensive personnel to accommodate all four into the starting eleven. Scott Parker was an inspired signing which has been proven already, with a 100% tackle success rate and a pass completion rate of 88.39%. He needs a midfield partner who can run with the ball, to get it from the defence and to the front four. Parker can then focus on winning the ball and retaining it. With Steve Sidwell next to him, Parker will be expected to take on the responsibility of feeding the front four and that simply isn't his strength.

It's difficult to see any real shape to the Fulham side with some players wandering around at will. During the away match against Newcastle, Berbatov was playing a central midfield role for the majority of the game, which is ridiculous as the Bulgarian is most dangerous in the final third. This may have been a result of Fulham's incredibly negative away tactics, as the team has only managed three shots on target in their opening two away games. They were very lucky to take three points against Sunderland and it was foolish of Jol to expect a similar result at Newcastle, with the same negative style of play. Jol is also tinkering with the starting eleven each week, which is only going to confuse the players as to which system the manager is trying to implement and this really shows on the field.

The side dropped points at home on Saturday, this is rare for Fulham, especially against a bottom half club like West Brom. They only had two shots on target, which again shows that Jol is struggling to create a side that allows their attacking mavericks to flourish. This makes it look like Jol has signed some of these players without even thinking about how he will get the best out of them. Their attacking issue is highlighted by the fact that two of Fulham's three goals this season came from set pieces, emphasising their problems with creating chances in open play.

On a brighter note, Fulham do look solid defensively which gives them something to build on going forward. They have been unfortunate in the last two games that they have conceded two late goals (85 minutes+), which may show that the back four loses focus towards the end of match. The midfield duo of Sidwell and Parker gives the defence more cover, so Fulham are even harder to break down, as sides have found so far this season. If Fulham find a link between their solid defence and their exciting attacking players, they will be a side to be reckoned with. Without this, they will continue to struggle to score in open play.

They will also continue to struggle if Jol continues to tinker with his array of attacking talent. He needs to choose a formation which best suits his squad and brings out the best in Berbatov, who is without doubt their best player. At the moment the Bulgarian is hindered by the tactical ineptness shown by Jol. As Fulham lack a central midfielder who can link the defence and the attack to play alongside Parker, Fulham need to go back to their 4-4-1-1 formation. They have hard working wingers in Damien Duff and Alexander Kačaniklić, who would allow Fulham to return to their effective style of football. Then he can pick between Ruiz and Taarabt to play behind Berbatov.

Martin Jol certainly has an impending crisis on his hands if things don't pick up over the next couple of weeks. It is how he tries to stop the slide which will determine whether he stays in a job or not.



http://eplindex.com/40389/what-is-happening-fulham-jol-under-pressure.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol praises impact of Kasami

Fulham manager Martin Jol has hailed the impact of 21-year-old midfielder Pajtim Kasami following the youngster's return to the club.

The Swiss international spent last season on loan at Lucerne in his native country, but since returning to London, Kasami has featured on three of Fulham's four Premier League games.

The central midfielder even managed to get himself on the scoresheet on the opening day of the season, and Jol now sees the youngster as a vital cog in his Fulham side.

"Kasami was on the fringes [last season]," Jol told the Fulham Chronicle. "He was another one who wanted to play. He played for Lucerne and made big steps.

"He scored his first goals for the Under-21s last week and played for us against Sunderland.

"He's better than he was before; stronger and one of our key players this season."

Kasami arrived at Fulham from the Italian side Palermo two years ago.



http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/news/jol-kasami-is-a-key-player_105706.html

[Mike the White]

How come the list of players who were with both Chelsea and Fulham didn't include Barry Lloyd. He was considered good enough to be club captain. Hope it just a memory lapse

[cmg]

It'll be interesting to see Josh Pritchard playing tonight.

The Mail article and SS News mentions that he was 'a decade' at Manchester United before coming to us four years ago, which is what our own website says. Is it possible that he joined Manchester United at the age of six?

[bill taylors apprentice]

How come the list of players who were with both Chelsea and Fulham didn't include Barry Lloyd. He was considered good enough to be club captain. Hope it just a memory lapse

Probably because the people who concoct these kind of lists have no real understanding of the clubs past and just pull names out of somewhere because the seem right.