Tuesday Fulham Stuff (01/10/13)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol confident of survival

Martin Jol feels he can keep Fulham in the Premier League but admits the jeers from the crowd will not help the situation.

Fulham have not won in the Premier League since April and with just four points from their opening six games, the Cottagers find themselves third from bottom in the table.

Saturday's 2-1 loss to Cardiff has done little to ease the pressure on the Dutchman, but he remains confident that he can guide the club to safety.

"The devil was playing with us. If you concede goals that late, it's awful," Jol said. "We are very close. It's not easy to win games.

"I can appreciate fans are getting a bit nervous, or other people. If they invest money in the club, they would like to be in the top 10.

"The only risk I can see is that we will still be near the bottom at the end of the season. I never did that (took part in a relegation battle). I feel I can keep them up, but it's not about me."

Supporters are growing frustrated with the situation and have made their feels clear in recent weeks, something Jol is unhappy with.

"That is a problem. It's not helpful. That is what always worries me," Jol explained.

"It's bad, it's not good for your health. I've got a thick skin. I could easily say 'b***** off', but I won't do that. It's the reality of the Premier League.

"I can understand the criticism but they should realise that we are 20th in the table in spending money."



http://www.setanta.com/ie/jol-confident-of-survival/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Sharing the blame around

One question I imagine Martin Jol is asking himself a lot is "why have my players stopped defending?"

It's all well and good everyone going "Jol out" all day every day but as per the post-sacking player interview cliche, there's an element of the players having let him down, too.

One by one:

Stockdale is an inexperienced top flight goalkeeper, so no blame to him here.

Sascha Riether is, if you listen to the message boards, the second coming of Cafu, so he can't be to blame.

Amorebietta (can a song to the tune of De La Soul's "Eye Know" be worked in here at some point?) was an important player for the fabulous Athletic Bilbao.

Brede Hangeland was Sir Roy's main man at the back.

John-Arne Riise has been an important player for Liverpool and Roma. Kieron Richardson played for United and Sunderland and was generally well thought of along the way.

Then before them you have players like Scott Parker, England's player of the year quite recently and every club's dream combination of effort and ability.

Steve Sidwell is not everyone's cup of tea but he's had a good track record and our dive only started when he got suspended last year. Georgios Karagounis is old but experienced.

You would think that whatever training or tactical brain farts the coaching team is wafting their way, these players with their collective know how would still have the experience and ability to defend. Bad coaching or man management can't single handedly destroy the intellectual faculties of all these people.

So what's happened to these people? Have they all got too old at the same time? Is the team structure really ruining their competence? I don't buy it completely. Hangeland was in a back four under Roy Hodgson that would've seen how to shut down the best. He is a bright man; he would know the difference between now and then. He could use this knowledge to work with teammates to make things better. Parker's seen it all and done it all. He can recognise a team struggling and a team doing well. Can't he diagnose this team's shortcomings and personally decide to help out at the back or something?

Or are they all just running around like headless chickens because they haven't got a precise framework to work with?



http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2013/09/30/sharing-the-blame-around/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Two major departures at Fulham ?



Just a few days after having to come to terms with the loss of that Michael Jackson statue, Fulham fans are now preparing for a departure of a much more serious kind - their manager Martin Jol.

Fulham currently sit in the Premier League relegation places, with just 4 points from 6 games. They have not won in the league since the opening day of the season, when they defeated fellow strugglers Sunderland by the odd goal.

Billionaire Shahid Khan acquired Fulham in July, and has only given Jol qualified support ever since.

Khan has already given one main man the boot since his arrival at Fulham - last week arranging for the controversial Michael Jackson statue to be removed from its place behind the Hammersmith Stand (where it's been since April 2011) and returned to former club owner Mohammed al Fayed.

Among the favourites to replace Jol as Fulham manager are thought to be former Stoke boss Tony Pulis and former Manchester United assistant coach Rene Meulensteen.



http://hereisthecity.com/2013/09/30/two-major-departures-at-fulham/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Is lack of money a good excuse for a manager?

Managers under pressure usually have a big book of excuses to hand.   Martin Jol at Fulham is being criticised by fans after the club's poor start to the season.   He has pointed out that the club is 20th in the spending league and that is bound to constrain their performance.

However, fans have a broader critique of Jol.  They consider that his methods are dated and that he is too reliant on ageing players.

It is now open season on managers.   The mercurial and eccentric Paolo di Canio has gone at Sunderland.  He has his defenders who believe that was just penalised for showing passion, but a manager is meant to be more than a passionate fan.

Nigel Clough, the longest-serving manager in the Championship has gone after the defeat to Nottingham Forest.   But did Clough have enough resources to achieve more?   Forest next play Charlton, where Chris Powell is under pressure after three defeats in a row.  He remains popular with most fans who point to a lack of resources for strengthening the squad in the summer transfer window.

When I was talking to football author Chris Anderson last week he noted how incredibly short-term football is.   Fans often have a 'goldfish' mentality, focusing on the last match.   Building a team and getting them to play well together often takes more time than managers have. 

'League tables' for schools, universities and hospitals have become more common, but they are beset by data limitations and issues of interpretation.   In football it is said that 'the table doesn't lie'. Over a season that may be so, but does it apply in September?



http://www.footballeconomy.com/content/lack-money-good-excuse-manager?

[WhiteJC]

 
Cancelled press interviews intimate Jol may be on last Fulham legs
Martin Jol is now odds-on to be the second Premier League boss to lose their job this season

Rumours of press interviews being cancelled at Fulham have done little to extinguish speculation over the future of Martin Jol and the Fulham boss is now odds-on to be the next Premier League manager to leave.

Fulham's results took a massive nosedive towards the end of the last campaign, as one point from a possible 21 sent them spiralling down the standings, until an away win at an uninterested Swansea on the final day was a rare positive highlight.

There was speculation that he may depart and be replaced by Gus Poyet over the summer, but Jol remained.

However, this season hasn't started much better than the last ended, with four defeats in their opening six league encounters, which includes one point from a possible nine at Craven Cottage.

They also had the last two at home as good as won, conceding late goals in each to throw away four points.

The next two fixtures could prove exceedingly critical later in the campaign, as they entertain Stoke, before travelling to Crystal Palace.

Jol remains convinced that Fulham will not be relegated under his guidance, but whether he has the opportunity to prove this remains to be seen, as he is now 4/6 to be the next Premier League manager to lose their job.

The good news for Jol is that he does seem to have retained the backing of the players, but the booing heard around Craven Cottage after the Cardiff defeat indicates he does not have the full backing of the supporters.

Meanwhile, Jol's body language after Jordan Mutch's late winner did have an air about it that he was resigned to his fate, while his decision to employ a new formation for the fixture suggested he was looking for any sort of lifeline to reap rewards.

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



http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/football/premier-league/cancelled-press-interviews-intimate-jol-may-be-on-last-fulham-legs_173396.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Ex-Hatters starlet Woodrow is set to have his Southend loan extended

Former Hatters starlet Cauley Woodrow is set to have his loan spell at League Two Southend United extended by Fulham.

The 18-year-old was initially on loan at Roots Hall for a month, and boss Phil Brown said: "Cauley's has performed sufficiently well to warrant an extension to his contract.

"This first month he's had has flown by because transfer deadline day was on a Monday and we had to get him in before then.

"I think Cauley's a player of real promise and if he gets a start tonight or comes off the bench and gets a goal then his career will really be up and running."

Woodrow has made two starts and to substitute appearances while with the Shrimpers but has yet to hit the back of the net in that time.



http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/luton-town/ex-hatters-starlet-woodrow-is-set-to-have-his-southend-loan-extended-1-5541018

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham in freefall - but sacking Jol is not the answer
Martin Jol was facing baying Fulham fans after the club's 2-1 home defeat against Premier League new-boys Cardiff City

Despite accepting that he "can't criticise" the Fulham fans, boss Martin Jol was being painfully honest when he said that the Craven Cottage faithful should realise that "we are 20th in the table in spending money."

And after grabbing a last-minute win over Fulham on Saturday, Cardiff manager Malky Mackay backed up the Dutchman's concern over lack of spending: "I felt we needed a certain amount of investment to live in this league."

Cardiff most certainly invested, breaking their transfer record to capture Steven Caulker from Tottenham Hotspur. Fraizer Campbell and Peter Odemwingie were two other notable signings.

Whether or not Jol's statement was a veiled criticism of new owner Shahid Khan or just a general statement about the spending of weaker teams in the Premier League, it remains unclear.

It could be argued that the fans' criticism of their Dutch manager is justified. After all, they have two proven goalscorers in Darren Bent and Dimitar Berbatov who are yet to form a real striking partnership.

Scott Parker - the once irreplaceable Spurs midfielder - can provide a real midfield presence. Hugo Rodallega and Adel Taarabt have also shown their own flashes of brilliance. Perhaps the main problem is that the team are not creating chances for their strikers effectively.

The other problem - pointed out by Jonathan Liew in the Telegraph - is that Jol played "the classic 4-4-2 system" that is "debunked" and "discredited". As a result, their midfield was exposed.

Indeed, the most successful teams now have creative players in the hole to provide a link between midfield and goalscorers. Jol defended his chosen formation by effectively arguing that 4-4-2 was the only way to fit both Bent and Berbatov - their only two real goalscorers - into the team. He definitely has a point.

Despite the two ageing strikers, there are few consistent goalscorers and creators in Fulham's squad. This is perhaps why Jol was bemoaning the lack of investment in the summer transfer window.

Lack of creativity was evident in that Bent and Berbatov did not manage a single shot at goal between them in the first half; this was partly because of a lack of provision from midfield.

The feeling persists that real, consistent improvement will only come with new faces in the squad. Yet bringing real talent to Fulham may be difficult - they are not a top six side and young players from around Europe want to be playing in European competition.

Jol is most certainly in danger of losing his job, but that might not be the nub of the issue.

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http://www.givemesport.com/385697-fulham-in-freefall-but-sacking-jol-is-not-the-answer?autoplay=on

[WhiteJC]

 
Martin Jol's Time Is Up

It's time for Martin Jol to go. After nearly 18 months of rank underperformance, the Dutchman is a dead man walking.
Passionless, tactically inept on the field and tediously repetitive with his blame-game tactics off it, Jol is remarkably lucky to still have a job. That needs to change right now.

When he took over this Fulham side, we were in a very good state; Europa League football, top 10 finishes and a home record that was the envy of the rest of the league. We now sit in the relegation zone, European football a far-fetched dream and without a home league win since the start of April. Regression seems too generous and sugar-coated a description.

Jol claims it is not his fault because his hands have been tied in the transfer market and Fulham is one of the lowest spenders in the Premier League. Who is he kidding? Of the side he inherited from Mark Hughes, only Steve Sidwell, Brede Hangeland and Damien Duff remain as first-team regulars; this is his team. He complains about lack of funds but at a conservative estimate, the board committed to around £25 million in wages over the duration of the contracts signed by new players this summer. That seems like backing to me.

When the increasingly dour-faced Dutchman arrived at the club, he expressed his desire to reduce the age of the squad. He has failed miserably. With one of the most celebrated and successful youth programmes in England, how many players have been promoted under Jol's tenure? Not enough. Alex Kacaniklic is the only one to have played in the first team on a regular basis. Instead, Jol has added old legs on big money; rather than hunger and energy we have got pension-pot fillers with creaking knees.

Tactically, Jol has shown himself to be monstrously limited. Seemingly unaware of any weaknesses in the set-up of his side – paceless wingers, isolated full backs, lack of dynamism in central midfield, inability to defend set-pieces, tactical shapelessness... I could go on – he prefers to point fingers at his bosses for their lack of financial support and complain about 'over-expectant' fans.

As supporters who pay hard-earned money to watch our team play, we have every right to expect a level of performance from a team made up of internationals, and from a manager who gets paid a huge amount of money to pick and set up a team. We have reached a point where the level of performance is no longer acceptable; the buck stops with Jol.

The gutless performance at the weekend was one too many. The season is still young and there is time to bounce back and stave off the now real threat of relegation. But to achieve that, we need to start afresh; we need to get a manager in place who is capable of galvanising and organising a squad that is by no means short of quality. We've had enough of the excuses; Jol needs to go.

Published by: Henry Hoare



Read more: http://pickourteam.com/premierleague/fulham/news/30-09-2013/martin-jols-time-is-up/849357?#ixzz2gRI6Sq5C

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League: Bryan Ruiz has backed under-fire Fulham boss Martin Jol

Fulham star Bryan Ruiz has given his full-backing to under-fire boss Martin Jol following the Cottagers' poor start to the campaign.

Jol's side are languishing in the Premier League drop zone after a return of just four points from their opening six games.

Ruiz scored a wonder goal in Fulham's latest loss - a last-gasp 2-1 home defeat against Cardiff City on Saturday - which led to calls by some fans for Jol to be sacked.

But the Costa Rican, who was brought to the club by Jol in 2011 from FC Twente, believes the Dutch tactician can turn things around and he is ready to battle for his boss.

Ruiz told the Fulham Chronicle: "We are all in it together. He's having a difficult time because everybody blames him for the results.

"But we're a team and we can and will change things.

"He means a lot to me because he gave me the opportunity to come here.

"He likes to talk to the players and to motivate us, especially when we have a difficult situation."

Next up is a home clash with Stoke and Ruiz admits it is a massive tie for the Cottagers.

He added: "It's a difficult situation but the season is still young.

"Hopefully we will get a good result next week.

"It's going to be a difficult game. We know we need to win."



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8950133/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Taarabt says sorry again and returns to Morocco squad

(Reuters) - Mercurial midfielder Adel Taarabt has won a recall to the Morocco national soccer team nine months after being asked to apologise for insulting the coach.

It is the second comeback in similar circumstances for the Fulham player, who was named on Monday in a 24-man man squad for a friendly against South Africa in Agadir on October 11.

In January, Morocco demanded an apology from Taarabt for insulting Rachid Taoussi who had left him out of the African Nations Cup finals, accusing the player of 'disrespecting' the coach in text messages and in the Moroccan media.

Taoussi dropped Taarabt, 24, after saying the player had refused to meet him or take any of his calls when the coach saw key players on a European tour late last year.

Taarabt, described by his former manager at Queens Park Rangers, Harry Redknapp, as a "bit of a fruitcake", had previously walked out on the Morocco side in mid-2011 when the then coach Eric Gerets benched him for a key Nations Cup qualifier.

He was allowed back within three months after apologising and had done so again to win another reprieve, the Moroccan press said.

Morocco are hosting the next African Nations Cup finals and open a new stadium in Agadir, built for the 2015 tournament, with next week's friendly.

(Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Tony Goodson)



http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/09/30/uk-soccer-morocco-taarabt-idUKBRE98T0MP20130930?rpc=401&feedType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews&rpc=401

[WhiteJC]

 
What About O`Neil?
   
With Gus Poyet being touted as a possible replacement for Martin Jol, if the board decides the Dutchman`s time is up, another name has gate-crashed proceedings.

The weekend tabloid press are inferring that Fulham could turn to 61 year-old Martin O`Neil with the Irishman, it being suggested, would like another chance at managing a Premier League club.

Out of the two, which would be your preference?

Poyet or O`Neil?


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=334096#ixzz2gRJ8ra6l

[WhiteJC]

 
Pajtim Kasami and Scott Patker are two positives for Fulham fans to cling to


Pajtim Kasami is one of few Fulham players who have impressed in the dismal period for the club.
(Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

There is an inevitability in football that when a team falters, the manager will shoulder the blame. Half the time it's a fair assumption but, often, the players take less stick than they deserve.

At Fulham, right now, a bit of both is going on. Martin Jol is rightly taking his percentage of the vitriol but the fans haven't been so short sighted as to spare the players' blushes. They are, after all, the ones on the pitch.

Brede Hangeland, for example, received the wrath of many after a dismal display against Cardiff City. His marking was terrible, his positioning was poor and he severely lacked maneuverability at times. Supporters, rightfully, labelled it his worst performance in the white of Fulham.

But it's not all bad. Among the turmoil and the finger pointing there are a few individuals who have excelled. Not many, admittedly, but enough to spark some enthusiasm at a time when all seems rather bleak.

Darren Bent has showed snippets of what he can achieve at Craven Cottage but those with the most talent seem to be those that are letting us down.

Scott Parker has impressed the most. He's brought with him, since signing from Tottenham Hotspur, a no-nonsense persona that has added steel and class to our midfield. The former England international distributes well but it's the tenacious side to his game that sets him apart. He tackles well and regularly, his tenacity often aiding a defence that would otherwise be even more porous than they already are.

Giorgos Karagounis, a rare starter given the 36 years on his clock, has proved reliable when called upon, too. Much like Parker, his athleticism and determination can see him through a game but it's his passing that we can be truly grateful for. It seems that, from our current crop, the Greek is the only one with both the vision and execution to take the team forward.

Also in midfield, but in a more offensive role, Pajtim Kasami has been righting a few wrongs of late as well. After initially impressing in 2011, then as a 19 year-old, the former Palermo youngster fell out of favour and it took a loan spell in his native country, Swtizerland, to get back to his level.

He's not as creative as his colleague, Bryan Ruiz, but what he lacks in technical ability he is making up for with his work rate. Away from home, such a factor could be hugely beneficial.

Beyond that threesome, there is little to be proud of. Darren Bent has showed snippets of what he can achieve at Craven Cottage but those with the most talent seem to be those that are letting us down. Dimitar Berbatov has been non-existent, Hangeland rusty. Even Sascha Riether hasn't been at his best.

Maybe a new manager would turn that around but we don't have hindsight on our side to make a judgement on that. All we can do is sit, wait, and see what happens.

In the meantime, though, we can at least try and look on the bright side.



http://metro.co.uk/2013/09/30/pajtim-kasami-and-scott-patker-are-two-positives-for-fulham-fans-to-cling-to-4128714/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Need Berbatov Boost

It would be fair comment to say that Fulham are at their best when Dimitar Berbatov is amongst the goals so, by looking at their tally of just four points from their opening six Premier League fixtures, it's obvious that the Bulgarian isn't enjoying his finest of seasons.


Even when one considers that the defeat at home against newly-promoted Cardiff City was only the second time that he has been paired up front with Darren Bent since the England international joined from Aston Villa, it has to be said that Fulham have looked nothing short of woeful in front of goal so far this term.

Having scored just four league goals since the side got their campaign underway against Sunderland in August, Martin Jol's Fulham need to find a way to get more from their attackers if they are to avoid being dragged into a relegation battle over the next seven months.

The side are already a precarious 47/18 for the drop in the football betting with Betfair, along with Hull, Sunderland, and Crystal Palace.

Having switched formation once again – against Malky Mackay's side, Fulham switched to 4-4-1-1 style with Berbatov pulling the strings behind Bent – the London club struggled to create clear openings, and only Bryan Ruiz's wonder strike made an impact on the scoreline.

Berbatov especially cut a forlorn figure, picking up only a yellow card and some bumps and bruises for his afternoon's endeavours.

His night – and maybe his season so far – could perhaps be summed-up by a spell of play in the 93rd minute when, in struggling to get a precious touch, his over-enthusiasm led to a foul on Steven Caulker.

Frustrated and bewildered, he could only look on as Marshall hoofed the resulting free kick down into the Fulham half and the left foot of Jordon Mulch, who curled a delicious injury-time winner into the top left-hand corner of the net.



http://www.thefalse9.com/2013/09/fulham-need-berbatov-boost.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheFalse9+%28The+False+9%29

[WhiteJC]

 
Martin Jol waiting for axe to fall as Dutchman fears for Fulham job

After gaining just one point in seven home matches, the former Spurs boss is aware how close he is to the precipice

Martin Jol fears he is a dead man walking at Fulham.

The Dutchman privately believes it is now just a matter of time before his two-year reign at Craven Cottage is terminated.

Fulham fans turned on Jol after Saturday's defeat by Cardiff and that left him fearing the worst. New owner Shahid Khan has been publicly supportive but there are growing concerns on the board about Jol.

Directors are worried he is unable to arrest a slump of just one point from seven home matches.

Former Sunderland and Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is among the names in the frame and one of his lieutenants Steve Walford saw the Cardiff game.

Ex-Brighton boss Gus Poyet and former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen are other contenders.



Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/martin-jol-fears-sack-fulham-2325266#ixzz2gRKIfQyT
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[bobby01]

Two major departures at Fulham ?



Just a few days after having to come to terms with the loss of that Michael Jackson statue, Fulham fans are now preparing for a departure of a much more serious kind - their manager Martin Jol.

Fulham currently sit in the Premier League relegation places, with just 4 points from 6 games. They have not won in the league since the opening day of the season, when they defeated fellow

strugglers Sunderland by the odd goal.

Billionaire Shahid Khan acquired Fulham in July, and has only given Jol qualified support ever since.

Khan has already given one main man the boot since his arrival at Fulham - last week arranging for the controversial Michael Jackson statue to be removed from its place behind the Hammersmith Stand (where it's been since April 2011) and returned to former club owner Mohammed al Fayed.

Among the favourites to replace Jol as Fulham manager are thought to be former Stoke boss Tony Pulis and former Manchester United assistant coach Rene Meulensteen.

That is a brilliant picture

http://hereisthecity.com/2013/09/30/two-major-departures-at-fulham/?