Tuesday Fulham Stuff (03/12/13)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Transfers: 5 Players Rene Meulensteen Should Sign To Avoid Relegation

Martin Jol has become the third managerial casualty of the season after being sacked by Fulham on Sunday.

The former Tottenham Hotspur boss was axed off the back of five consecutive Premier League defeats that leave the Cottagers in the relegation zone and three points from safety.

Chairman Shahid Khan's decision to pull the trigger came as an abject Fulham failed to register a single shot on target in their 3-0 defeat to West Ham, a result which proved to be the final straw.

Rene Meulensteen, who was appointed head coach at Craven Cottage to work alongside Jol last month, has taken over as manager and the former Manchester United first-team coach says his new side need to spend to stay up.

Fulham haven't won a league game since October 21 and are already facing a real battle just to stay in the topflight following a catastrophic run of form.

This month, they face Tottenham, Everton and Manchester City, and it is perhaps difficult to see light at the end of the tunnel at present given their unkind Christmas fixture list.

However, with the January transfer window on the horizon, there is still hope for Fulham, and here, we take a look at 5 Players Rene Meulensteen Should Sign To Avoid Relegation.

5. Phil Bardsley

According to reports, Fulham are keeping tabs on Phil Bardsley, of fellow strugglers Sunderland.

Bardsley was frozen out of the first team under former manager Paolo di Canio but, since the sacking of the controversial Italian, has gone on to become a key player under new boss Gus Poyet at the Stadium of Light.

The 28-year-old helped marshal his side to an impressive draw against Aston Villa on Saturday, keeping a clean sheet, and his defensive capabilities have not gone unchecked by Fulham.

Meulensteen is believed to be a long term admirer of Bardsley, and could make a January bid to shore up a defence that has kept just two clean sheets all season and have conceded the joint-most goals in the Premier League.

4. Anderson
Given Rene Meulensteen ties with Manchester United, it isn't inconceivable that Fulham could land one or two of their fringe players in January.

Relations between Fulham and the Premier League champions have just warmed up significantly, given Meulensteen spent 12 years working at Old Trafford, and the Dutchman could use his old contacts to sign a Red Devil or two.

One of them could be Anderson, who is on the fringes at the Theatre of Dreams and is looking for a move to revive any hope he has of featuring at next summer's World Cup in his native Brazil.

The Express claim the unsettled midfielder could be set for a loan move to Craven Cottage, having made just two Premier League starts all season.

Anderson has struggled to make an impact in the six seasons he has spent at United so far, and David Moyes's side are unlikely to block a January exit.

3. Clint Dempsey
Could Fulham be about to re-sign former star Clint Dempsey?

Dempsey spent five years at Craven Cottage between 2007-12, scoring 60 goals in 225 appearances for the club, before being sold to Tottenham for £6 million last summer.

However, his first season at Tottenham wasn't a successful one, and he was sold less than 12 months later to MLS side Seattle Sounders having failed to make much of an impact at White Hart Lane.

The American could be set for a return to England though as an agreement stipulated in his contract with the US side says he can move on loan in the off-season.

Spurs have first refusal but are unlikely to take up the offer given they have a packed midfield, meaning Fulham could re-sign their former star, though will have to do battle with Everton and Aston Villa, who are also interested.

Dempsey was a key player for Fulham during his time at the club, with his performances alerting the likes of Liverpool at the time, and he was twice-named Fulham Player of the Season, in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

2. Wilfried Zaha
Given Meulensteen's aforementioned connections with Manchester United, Fulham could also land exciting young prospect Wilfried Zaha on loan in January.

Since signing from Crystal Palace, Zaha has found himself way down the pecking order under David Moyes, and hasn't played a single minute of Premier League football all season.

It would be good for his development therefore if he were to go out on loan in the New Year, and the Ivory Coast-born England international is on the Cottager's wishlist.

Everton and Newcastle are also keen, but both are believed to want the youngster permanently, and Moyes is only willing to listen to loan offers, apparently giving Fulham the edge on their domestic rivals.

United's good relationship with Meulensteen could help the West London club land Zaha until next summer, which would be something of a coup for the relegation battlers.

1. Emmanuel Adebayor
Fulham could be on the lookout for a new striker in January.

And that's not just because they've only scored 11 times this season, the joint-third lowest tally in the Premier League, but also because Dimitar Berbatov has been linked with a move to Trabzonspor.

The Turkish outfit are keen on the former Manchester United star and will try to lure him away from Craven Cottage in the New Year, which would leave Fulham considerably light on firepower.

Should said eventuality unfold, the Londoners could revive their interest in Tottenham's out-of-sorts Emmanuel Adebayor.

Fulham were keen on the 29-year-old during his Manchester City days in 2011 under Mark Hughes's tenure, but he ended up going to Real Madrid instead.

Now at Tottenham, Adebayor has found himself on the fringes at White Hart Lane, having played only 45 minutes of Premier League football all season, and a move to Fulham, where he would be the main man up front, might appeal.



Read more at http://whatculture.com/sport/fulham-transfers-5-players-rene-meulensteen-sign-avoid-relegation.php#6szhQXtMP4UK6Ayb.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Coaching Staff Update

Fulham Football Club would like to welcome Jonathan Hill, appointed as First Team Coach to work with Rene Meulensteen.

Jonathan Hill worked at Manchester United for 10 years as Academy Youth Coach prior to joining the Jordanian Football Association as Technical Director of Football in 2009 where he was responsible for all of the National Youth Teams from Under-8s to Under-20s. More recently, Jonathan has coached at both Manchester City and Tromso FC.

The Club can also confirm that Development Team Manager Kit Symons will also be assisting with First Team training, alongside his responsibilities for the Under-21 Team.

Michael Lindeman, Billy McKinlay and Cornelis Jol have left the Club and we would like to thank them for their service and wish them well for the future.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/december/02/coaching-staff-update?

[WhiteJC]

 
Ex-United youth coach Hill replaces sacked McKinlay as Fulham reshape backroom staff

Fulham first-team coach Billy McKinlay has been sacked by the club on the day after Martin Jol's departure as head coach.

New coach Rene Meulensteen has revamped the back-room staff at Fulham with Jonathan Hill taking McKinlay's place as first team coach.

McKinlay, who joined the club in 2004 and has become one of the Premier League's most highly-rated young coaches, won 29 senior caps for Scotland before turning to coaching.

Hill worked at Manchester United for a decade as Academy Youth Coach before he joined the Jordanian Football Association as Technical Director of Football in 2009 where he was responsible for all of the National Youth Teams from Under-8s to Under-20s.

More recently, he has also spent time coaching at both Manchester City and Tromso FC.

In their club statement, Fulham also announced; 'Development Team Manager Kit Symons will also be assisting with First Team training, alongside his responsibilities for the Under-21 Team.

Michael Lindeman, Billy McKinlay and Cornelis Jol have left the Club and we would like to thank them for their service and wish them well for the future.'

On Sunday, Jol was finally sacked after the club's dismal start to the season.

The Dutchman was summoned to a crisis meeting by chief executive Alistair Mackintosh at the club's Motspur Park training HQ, when Jol's two-and-a-half-year spell at Craven Cottage was brought to an end.

The final straw was Fulham's limp 3-0 surrender to West Ham on Saturday.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2516876/Jonathan-Hill-replaces-Billy-McKinlay-Fulham-team-coach.html#ixzz2mNvhBYs9
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[WhiteJC]

 
Jonathan Hill joins Fulham as a first-team coach while Kit Symons is promoted

Jonathan Hill has joined Fulham as a first-team coach following the appointment of Rene Meulensteen as boss.

Hill arrives at Craven Cottage following recent spells working at Manchester City and Tromso.

He started his coaching career with Manchester United and moved on to work for the Jordanian Football Association.

Fulham have also confirmed Kit Symons will be assisting Meulensteen, after working with the club's development squad.

Meulensteen replaced Martin Jol on Sunday, when his Dutch compatriot departed Fulham by mutual consent after the weekend's defeat at West Ham left the team in the bottom three of the Premier League.

"Fulham Football Club would like to welcome Jonathan Hill, appointed as first-team coach to work with Rene Meulensteen," a statement from Fulham read.

"Jonathan Hill worked at Manchester United for 10 years as academy youth coach prior to joining the Jordanian Football Association as technical director of football in 2009 where he was responsible for all of the national youth teams from Under-8s to Under-20s.

"More recently, Jonathan has coached at both Manchester City and Tromso FC.

"The club can also confirm that development team manager Kit Symons will also be assisting with first-team training, alongside his responsibilities for the Under-21 team.

"Michael Lindeman, Billy McKinlay and Cornelis Jol have left the club and we would like to thank them for their service and wish them well for the future."

Meanwhile, Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick, who played under Jol at Tottenham, sympathised with his former boss on social network Twitter.

"Shame to see Martin Jol leaving Fulham, played a big part in my career in a short time. A chance for Meulensteen now. All the best Rene," Carrick said.


http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11681/9053964?

[WhiteJC]

 
René Meulensteen says he can keep Fulham up
Former assistant to Alex Ferguson says Cottagers must 'close ranks and start winning again'

New manager René Meulensteen is confident he can keep Fulham in the Premier League.

Martin Jol paid the price for six consecutive defeats on Sunday afternoon when he was fired after two-and-a-half years at the club.

Meulensteen had two spells on Alex Ferguson's backroom staff and the Scot described the 49-year-old as a "magnificent coach" in his autobiography.

Meulensteen's previous experience as a number one is very limited, however. He lasted just 17 days at Anzhi Makhachkala and his previous management roles came at Brondby and Qatari teams Al-Gharafa and Al-Sadd.

Former Brondby player Per Nielsen criticised Meulensteen in his recently published autobiography, claiming the Dutchman alienated some players with his tactics and training routines.

Meulensteen, who is understood to have a contract until the end of the current season, concedes being in charge of a struggling team like Fulham will be difficult after spending 12 years at Manchester United, but he insists he is up to the challenge.

"I am confident because of the sort of experiences I've had for so many years at Manchester United," Meulensteen told Sky Sports News. "I know what is required at the top end of the Premier League.

"This is a different challenge with different pressure. This is making sure you realise the need to keep three teams below you. Don't even speak about getting into the top six, top 10, whatever it is.

"You need to make sure you close your ranks, and you make sure you start winning again."

The sorry performance that Fulham delivered during Jol's final game in charge summed up just how big a task Meulensteen has ahead of him.

The Cottagers were static at the back, they were slow in midfield and lacked any kind of attacking conviction in what was a truly demoralising 3-0 defeat at West Ham.

They sit three points from safety and have a tricky home fixture against Tottenham coming up on Wednesday.

"It's a massive challenge," Meulensteen added. "But when you're faced with a challenge like this it comes down to making sure you get the basic things right.

"You need to stay mentally strong and make sure the fans are getting behind the team. We need to make sure the players are mentally strong and believe."

Jol and Meulensteen have spoken since Fulham owner Shahid Khan dismissed the former Tottenham and Ajax boss.

"I rang him straightaway," Meulensteen said. "I said to Martin, 'Listen, I don't know if this is anything to do with me, but in the time I worked 12 years with Manchester United, and for five to six years with Sir Alex Ferguson, I had no problem, but I go to Anzhi and Guus Hiddink departs after two weeks, and Martin does the same'.

"I don't know if was anything to do with me, but it was definitely not something I was anticipating. We wanted to turn this corner together."

Fulham forward Bryan Ruiz used his official website to thank Jol for bringing him to Craven Cottage while throwing his support behind the new boss.

"I am very grateful to Martin because he was responsible for bringing me to Fulham, I learned a lot from him," Ruiz said. "He came to my defence. I always tried to do my best to back him."

On Meulensteen's appointment, he added: "It's a change that we hope will help the team. We as players are going to give our best."



http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/rené-meulensteen-says-he-can-keep-fulham-up-1.1614418?

[WhiteJC]

 
Man Utd: Fulham step up midfielder chase

Fulham will step up their interest in Manchester United midfielder Anderson in January, having appointed Rene Meulensteen as their new boss.

Martin Jol was axed by the Cottagers on Sunday and was immediately replaced by the former United coach.

With the club languishing in 18th-place in the Premier League, Meulensteen is well aware of the need to strengthen the squad he has inherited and has already set his sights on a number of targets.

Now SportsDirect News can reveal the Brazilian – who has fallen out of favour at Old Trafford – is atop his shortlist.

A source said: "Rene may have just taken over permanently but he has been talking Anderson up since he came in alongside Martin.
"Now he's in the dugout he can make his move."

The 25-year-old, who joined United in 2007, has made just three top-flight appearances this term and has played just 11 minutes of Champions League football.

As such, the star would be open to a departure – either on loan or permanently – and Meulensteen remains convinced the player can help guide his new charges to safety, despite his relative lack of match action.

David Moyes is unlikely to stand in Anderson's way should an offer be tabled, while Wilfried Zaha, on loan, and Fabio Da Silva are also likely to be allowed to leave in January.


http://www.sportsdirectnews.com/premier-league-news/36729-man-utd-fulham-step-up-midfielder-chase.php#.Up1mgqUcKbA

[WhiteJC]

 
Cottage old boy expresses new boss doubts

Former Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy feels the club have taken a big gamble by installing Rene Meulensteen as Martin Jol's successor.

The former Manchester United coach was recently drafted in to work alongside Jol at Craven Cottage following the side's disappointing start to the Premier League campaign. However, following Saturday's 3-0 defeat at West Ham - a sixth successive defeat for the Cottagers - Jol was given his march orders on Sunday evening with owner Shahid Khan opting to put Meulensteen in charge. The Dutchman has plenty of experience of working in the Premier League with Sir Alex Ferguson, but it is his first job as a manager in his own right. And, with Fulham struggling in the relegation places, Murphy wonders if the club should have brought in a manager with more experience of dealing with the club's current plight. He told Talksport: "The way they are playing at the moment, they are looking in real trouble. I just hope he has the capability because it doesn't matter how good a coach you are, when you have to manage players it is a different ball game. "There are plenty of candidates out there with more experience than him, so I'm not sure. He will have learnt a lot from Sir Alex Ferguson, how can you not? But you are talking about dealing with different players. "You're not talking about training with some of the best players in Europe day in, day out. You're talking about trying to motivate players that aren't playing so well. It's a different job."



Read more at: http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/cottage-old-boy-expresses-new-boss-doubts-1673274.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham v Tottenham: Spurs to build on positive United display

Tottenham head to Fulham on Wednesday night in good spirits after an encouraging performance against Manchester United and Spurs blogger Chris Miller is hopeful of three points, despite the potential of 'new manager bounce' at the Cottage...

Fulham v Tottenham
Wednesday 20:00

This London derby is intriguing for a number of reasons. Not only will it be interesting to see how Fulham react to Martin Jol's sacking, Rene Meulensteen's appointment, and their 3-0 defeat at West Ham, but eyes will also be on Tottenham's forwards, as we all look for proof that they have overcome their issues with finding the net.

Sunday's 2-2 draw against Manchester United showed that Spurs are capable of scoring goals, and yet doubts still remain. Not only was this match slightly different to the majority of our matches so far this season - not least because our opponents had more of the ball (60% v 40%) - but both goals were speculative long-range efforts; a Kyle Walker free-kick, and a Sandro thunderbolt.

While Roberto Soldado and Aaron Lennon both missed presentable chances from inside the penalty area, there are still question marks over whether we are creating enough clear goalscoring opportunities.

Christian Eriksen's ongoing injury clearly won't help Tottenham's cause. While the Dane has made a largely inauspicious start to his Spurs career - unable to maintain a consistent level of performance - he did play an incredible nine key passes against Newcastle United, which was his last appearance. His replacements in the advanced central midfield role - Lewis Holtby v Manchester City and Paulinho v Manchester United - played just one each in those matches.

That said, with goals an issue, we could hardly have chosen this week's opponents better: Fulham are struggling to plug defensive gaps, and are conceding freely. In fact, since the Crystal Palace match in which Brede Hangeland was withdrawn at half-time with a back injury, Fulham have conceded 18 goals in six matches, compared to seven in the six prior to that game.

Much, then, seems to depend on whether Hangeland's back recovers in time for this one. Should he prove his fitness, Under 2.5 goals at 2.0 might be worth a look. But should he be missing once again, Fulham will be relying on the appointment of Meulensteen to provide some much-needed solidity.

The former United coach has called for his players to take more responsibility, particularly with their work-rate and discipline. Workmanlike performances - where a team gets bodies behind the ball, sits deep and absorbs pressure - are typically what Spurs have struggled against this season. We have had huge difficulties breaking down organised teams who restrict space in the final third and leave no room for our attacking players to move into.

The confidence gained in a strong performance against Manchester United will stand Tottenham in good stead though, and an away win at 1.7 seems a good bet.

If you're looking for a bigger price, Paulinho is well overdue a league goal. And, if he is to play the same role as he did against United, he is a decent shout for first goalscorer at 9.8 or to score at any time at 3.953/1.

Recommended Bets
Tottenham to win at 1.7
Under 2.5 Goals at 2.0 (if Hangeland doesn't play)
Paulinho to score at 3.95



http://betting.betfair.com/football/premier-league/fulham-v-tottenham-spurs-to-build-on-positive-united-display-021213-580.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham's Bryan Ruiz thanks Martin Jol after Dutchman's departure

Jol was sacked by the Cottagers after they slumped to a fifth successive league defeat at West Ham on Saturday


Grateful: The Costa Rican international says he learned a lot during his time under Jol
Clive Rose
Fulham forward Bryan Ruiz thanked Martin Jol for bringing him to the club following news of his sacking yesterday.

The Dutchman was given the boot following a nightmare run of six-straight losses, culminating in a 3-0 defeat at West Ham, with owner Shahid Khan putting head coach Rene Meulensteen in charge of first-team affairs.

But Ruiz remains indebted to Jol for giving him his chance in England and sticking by him through tough times.

He said: "I am very grateful to Martin because he was responsible for bringing me to Fulham, I learned a lot from him.

"He came to my defence. I always tried to do my best to back him."

Meulensteen has ordered the Cottagers to get back to basics in a bid to address their alarming run of results that has left them in the bottom three.

And Ruiz added: "It's a change that we hope will help the team. We as players are going to give our best."

Fulham face a London derby with Spurs on Wednesday before taking on Aston Villa at the weekend.



Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulhams-bryan-ruiz-thanks-martin-2875722#ixzz2mNxlZB5T
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[WhiteJC]

 
LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Fulham v Tottenham (20:00 GMT)

I feel sorry for Martin Jol, who was sacked as Fulham boss on Sunday. Yes, he is responsible for results, performances and picking the team but there was not enough fight from some of his players in what turned out to be his final game, against West Ham on Saturday.

Jol's other problem was that once the Cottagers appointed Rene Meulensteen as head coach last month, they were basically hanging Jol out to dry because of the message that sent to the players.

This is a big job for Meulensteen because he is unproven as a manager. All the Manchester United players who played under him when he coached there say what a good coach he is, and we are about to find out.

The good news for Meulensteen is that I do not believe for a minute that Fulham are one of the three worst teams in the division.

They might have been in the last month when they have lost five league games on the trot but I think the players they have got are better than that, and he will be given money to spend in the January transfer window too.

His first job will be to make them difficult to beat again, but I think Meulensteen's biggest challenge is getting the dressing room sorted - he needs to get everyone pulling in the same direction and giving it their all.

If he gets that, and freshens his side up with a few new faces, I think Fulham will be OK.

I would expect to see an improvement from Fulham in Meulensteen's first game in charge but I think Tottenham are still a bit sore after losing 6-0 to Manchester City last week and they will be desperate to end their four-game run without a league win.

Lawro's prediction: 1-2
Gaz's prediction: 1-3



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25157313

[WhiteJC]

 
Know Your Opponent: Fulham F.C.

Managerial changes! Relegation battles! Michael Jackson statues! My interview with Cottagers Confidential has it all.

What's better than a Sunday match vs. Manchester United? A trip to Craven Cottage the following Wednesday. After an encouraging, though far from perfect, match against the Red Devils, Tottenham turns around and heads down the road to take on Fulham with very little turn-around.  I was able to have a nice exchange with Andrew Beck of Cottagers Confidential about Martin Jol, René Meulensteen, Wednesday's match, and the present state of Fulhamerica.  And I answered a few questions for him as well.

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Uncle Menno: Breaking news this afternoon:  Martin Jol is out, René Meulensteen is in.  What's your take on it? Did Jol deserve more time?  How do you feel about the Meulensteen appointment?  Was there another choice you would have preferred?

Andrew Beck:  I'm high on Meulensteen as a coach, but unsure of how he's going to do as a manager. All the time with Alex Ferguson couldn't have hurt, and the likes of players like Robin Van Persie saying you are the best coach they've ever worked with is high praise; but he wasn't that successful at Brøndby when he was the manager in charge of everything. My hope is that if he's the permanent manager, he's given the head coach role and a strong technical director is brought in to work beside him. Ideally I'd like a situation like you have at Tottenham with Franco Baldini and AVB working together. Damien Comolli and Frank Arnesen are both currently available, and I think would add a lot to the club. Jol always seemed like a nice guy, but he was out of ideas at Fulham. I had hoped he could move into that technical director position, but the last two losses made it impossible for him to stay.

UM: Fulham have had a rough go of it the past few years, losing some of their best players (including a couple to us... sorry) and being in a constant state of rebuilding. But on paper this year you've got a decent looking side. What's gone wrong thus far?

AB:  The club is still struggling to replace Moussa Dembele. They just haven't been very good consistently since he left. They have struggled to get the ball from defense to attack without him. And the players they have brought in are all either attackers (Dimitar Berbatov, Adel Taarabt, Darren Bent) or midfielders that don't do the same kind of job (Scott Parker and Derek Boateng). To make matters worse, the defense has been in shambles this year. With Brede Hangeland out injured (and slowed by injury when he has played), the defense has been a sieve. Finally, Jol was never able to figure out how to get the players to work together. Bryan Ruiz, Berbatov, Alex Kacaniklic, Pajtim Kasami, Ashkan Dejagah, and Taarabt are all very similar players. Trying to use them all at once has just not worked.

UM: Let's say you're the Fulham manager and Shahid Khan has opened his wallet and promised a January transfer kitty of £30m.  What players would you target that would improve the side and most importantly would be willing to come to Fulham?

AB:  My number one fix would be defense. It's quite possible that Hangeland isn't going to be able to come back strong from this injury at his age.In a money's no object world, I'd say buy Neven Subotic. More realistic options are Mike Gonzalez (Real Sociedad), Mikel San Jose (Athletic Bilbao), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Wes Morgan (Leicester City), Grant Hanley (Blackburn), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord), and Xabier Etxeita (Athletic Bilbao). If Hangeland looks like he might be back to his old self, you could grab one of the younger ones on that list. If not, I'd go with a more veteran player and hope that someone from the academy (Dan Burn on loan at Birmingham City) is ready for next year.

The next big problem is central midfield. Again if money were no object I'd just buy Moussa Dembele back. If that doesn't work, I'd overpay Roma for Michael Bradley. As that's probably unlikely as well, I'd try to get someone like Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord) or Lerin Duarte (Ajax) to pair with Scott Parker in the midfield. I'd make Parker play the more holding of the two and have the other be the more creative box to box type. Of course, it's quite possible that player is already on the Fulham squad in Pajtim Kasami. He hasn't played that role for Fulham, but he has a lot of the same attributes that Dembele did. Until I know what Meulensteen thinks of the players and their roles, it's hard to be definitive.

Finally, I might start giving some of the Academy kids a shot. Jol was very reluctant to play any of the young players. Which is surprising when you consider how strong the academy has become in recent years. With players like Moussa Dembele (yes we have another one, and no you can't have him too) and Chris David tearing things up at a younger level, you might as well give them a run out.

UM: Let's talk about the match. How do you expect Fulham to approach the game?  Park the bus? Play centrally?  What are the key match-ups to watch, and who does Fulham need to neutralize to get a result?

AB:  I have no idea how Fulham will approach this match. I don't even know what formation they're going to line up in, much less who they are going to play. Jol seemed pretty married to his 4-2-3-1 / 4-4-1-1. Against Swansea (the first game with Meulensteen on staff), it was more of a 4-4-2 diamond or a christmas tree formation. The first 20 minutes or so of that game I though Fulham played quite well, so it wouldn't surprise me to see it rolled out again.

I expect you to torch us down our left hand side repeatedly. Kieran Richardson is not a natural left back and can be beat by trickey/pacey players. He has the speed to recover against most players, but when up against someone as fast as him, he struggles. Expect Kyle Walker and either Andros Townsend or Aaron Lennon to go crazy.

UM: Normally I ask every rival blogger the following question: "Why is your team getting relegated this season?  Please be thorough." But somehow, this seems both redundant and somewhat cruel. So instead, isn't this just the cutest freakin' kitten you've ever seen in your entire life?

AB:  If I had to give one reason why we'd get relegated it would be the sale of the club. When Fulham sold Dembele and Dempsey last year, everyone knew it would be a struggle. They were sold too late to really re-invest the money, and it took some January loans to hold things together. This summer would have been the proper time to invest and re-group. Unfortunately with Al Fayed selling the club right in the transfer window, I don't feel the outgoing group wanted to spend any money; and the incoming group wasn't sure how much or where to spend. Hopefully there is enough investment to keep the club up in January. I imagine Kahn knows how much value the club he just bought loses if it goes down. If he can stay up, the strong academy and redeveloped Riverside stand will allow the team to be a fixture in the top 10 for years to come.

UM:  Let's get you on record:  a score prediction for Wednesday's match, and why.

AB: I'd like to say this is the game Fulham gets off the snide. But I can't go so far as to predict a win. I'm thinking it's a 1-1 draw with Tottenham dominating most of the game, but unable to finish.

UM:  Your view on Michael Jackson statues:  "You Rock My World" or "Wanna Be Startin' Something"?

AB: Personally, I'd say "Rock With You". I just don't think you can make much of an argument against that song. However the kindergartner who loved "Thriller" still lurks inside me. He's probably still wearing his red leather jacket and glitter glove and socks. He might be mad if I picked anything else.



http://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/2013/12/2/5165894/know-your-opponent-fulham-interview?

[WhiteJC]

 
Is Rene Meulensteen the man to save Fulham's season?

The deed has been done. It only took a year of truly dreadful football and consistently declining results, but Martin Jol has finally left Fulham Football Club.

Rene Meulensteen is his natural successor, though the club have, predictably, left no official line on his permanence. Is he merely a stop gap or is the former Manchester United coach being entrusted with the unenviable job of pulling this dishonourable bunch out of the relegation zone and into somewhere more fitting of our recent history?

There are arguments to hope for either, though the luxury of choosing his own coaching setup – Jonathan Hill has been brought into to assist him, while Kit Symons has been rewarded for his terrific work leading the Under-21s with a promotion – suggests Shahid Khan is in fact looking at Meulensteen with an eye to the long term.

That's fair enough; his track record is admirable, even if very, very little of it comes from the more traditional, managerial role he will be fulfilling now. His endorsers include some of football's finest, including Robin van Persie, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sir Alex Ferguson.

Such compliments won't cover up his inexperience, though, which we can only hope will prove an asset rather than a hindrance. Many fans called for an 'up-and-coming' manager to come in as Jol's reign continued to falter and, though hardly young – Meulensteen is 49 – he very much fits that bill.

The duties in his more familiar, First Team Coach role will invariably overlap with what will be expected of him now, but the more intricate parts of his new job – match tactics, his relationship with the players – will prove more difficult.

He does have history as a manager, with an unsuccessful spell at Brondby blemishing his CV somewhat, but you still get a sense that this Fulham role will prove to be a baptism of fire for someone who has previously preferred the sanctity and security of work behind the scenes.

Here, though, his work – both his successes and his failures – will be on show for all to see. We can only hope that, under the limelight, things go well and Meulensteen turns out to be an astute appointment.

Either that or, quite simply, we'll be a Premier League club no more.



http://metro.co.uk/2013/12/02/is-rene-meulensteen-the-man-to-save-fulhams-season-4210354/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Why Jol Had to Go
   
If anyone wasn`t too sure that Martin Jol had to go, then perhaps they should take a peep at the following statistics.

1 - In the last 21 Premier League games under Jol, Fulham have won just 4

2 - In the last 5 Premier League games under Martin Jol, we`ve scored just 2 goals, I`ll let you work out how many we`ve conceded.

3 - Out of the last 30 points available to us in fixtures at Craven Cottage, we`ve amassed just 4 points.

4 - Jol, before his axing, had presided over 2 dire runs of 5 defeats on the trot.

It`s a sad fact of life that Martin Jol`s time was up and it was time for him to go!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=340621#ixzz2mNzCqaDi

[WhiteJC]

 
Khan Had No Option
   
When you`ve only owned the club for a short period of time, the one thing you don`t want to do is invoke major upheaval.

However, after taking over the ownership of the club, Shahid Khan felt he had no option to axe Martin Jol.

Khan, an astute businessman, was obviously fearful that the loss of our Premier League status would hit us dearly and felt he had no option, remarking to the media,

"There is no question Martin is an excellent football man and he has my utmost respect for the commitment he made to our club."

"However, our poor form and results this season are undeniable, and Fulham supporters deserve better."

"With more than half the season still ahead, an immediate change was necessary."

A tough but bold decision, although it would appear that he does have faith in the new man in charge, Rene Meulensteen, with Shahid Khan remarking,

"I have great confidence in Rene and high expectations for our squad to respond."

Starting with the home fixture against Spurs this Wednesday evening I hope!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=340623#ixzz2mNzMl7Pk

[WhiteJC]

 
Adel Taarabt: 'Blame us for Martin Jol sacking'

Fulham midfielder Adel Taarabt believes that the players should be held accountable for the dismissal of Martin Jol on Sunday..

The Dutchman parted company with the Cottagers one day after the club's 3-0 defeat to West Ham United at Upton Park on Saturday - their fifth straight defeat in the Premier League.

However, the 24-year-old - whom Jol signed on loan from QPR earlier in the season - says that his teammates are equally culpable for the club's run of form as the recently departed manager.

Speaking to The Fulham Chronicle, Taarabt said: "What went wrong? I don't know. The manager was a great guy; always positive but at the moment it is not happening.

"If you don't win four or five or five games, the manager gets the blame - but I think the players should have this blame too.

"If we're not doing what we should on the pitch, then the players should be asked the same questions as he was asked."

Rene Meulensteen, who worked at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, has since been appointed as manager at the West London outfit after initially joining the club as head coach.

Fulham, who sit 18th in the Premier League table, three points adrift of Cardiff City, host Tottenham at Craven Cottage on Wednesday.


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/news/taarabt-blame-us-for-jol-sacking_121626.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Rene Meulensteen remembered at Brondby, but not for the right reasons
Fulham's new manager caused confusion at the Danish club when he told his players to imagine themselves as animals before a Uefa Cup game against Eintracht Frankfurt

The Brondby dressing room, Frankfurt Stadion, 14 September 2006. Rene Meulensteen is about to deliver an intriguing team-talk before a Uefa Cup first-leg match against Eintracht Frankfurt.

To the captain, Per Nielsen, he says: "OK, Per, what animal are you today?"

Nielsen: "Erm, a snake."

Meulensteen: "No. Snakes are slow."

Nielsen: "Then a tiger."

Meulensteen: "Good. Tigers are brave, fast and strong. That is what we need from a captain."

Soren Sorgenfri Frederiksen, the co-author of 4 Per Nielsen – Brondby for evigt? (Brondby for ever?), takes up the story at the point at which foxes, giraffes, a whole zoo have been nominated.

"When Rene has asked all 11 players, he says: 'OK we have pretty good cover – we have tigers, lions: we are clever, we have muscle, we are strong, and so on. We cannot lose today,'" Frederiksen adds. "Then Rene left the dressing room and all the players sat there looking at each other and started laughing, saying: 'poo. What the hell is this guy all about?" And then they went out and lost 4-0 and got two red cards."

A fly on the wall would be intrigued to see how Dimitar Berbatov, Brede Hangeland, Damian Duff, Steve Sidwell, Aaron Hughes, Adel Taarabt, Darren Bent and company may respond if asked to inhabit their alter egos to take on Tottenham.

Meulensteen had signed a three-year contract at Brondby but left after half a season when he abruptly rejoined Manchester United to become assistant manager in January 2007.

The Dutchman had to leave to care for his ill wife, though he subsequently revealed to a newspaper in his homeland the "disease of Brondby" that was, he claimed, because of the domination of a clique of senior players headed by Nielsen and which also included Marcus Lantz, Thomas Rytter and Thomas Rasmussen.

André Villas-Boas, the manager in the opposing dugout on Wednesday discovered that his attempt to ease the influence of senior players at Chelsea damaged his own status.

The failed power-grab may show up a naivety and inexperience, and Meulensteen was considered a failure in Denmark when he departed a club who had been champions only two seasons before under Michael Laudrup. Yet his assessment that Brondby were a "sick patient" came to be viewed by some as a prescient diagnosis.

A view formed that Per Bjerrergaard, the director who announced his son, Anders, as director of football at the same press conference as Meulensteen's unveiling, was an all-powerful figure who refused the manager's demand to remove Nielsen, Lantz, Rytter and Rasmussen despite asking for his proposals on how to revamp Brondby. Anders Bjerrergaard did not respond to calls from the Guardian on Monday.

If the Fulham fan wants further clues regarding how Meulensteen may fare in the attempt to save the club from relegation, a glance at his CV shows vast experience at junior level or as an assistant but little at the sharp end of football.

There were three seasons as head of NEC Nijmegen's youth set-up in the Netherlands from 1990 to 1993, before he took charge of the Qatar Under-18s for six years. Then, after a season each at Al-Ittihad and Al-Sadd, came 11 years at United – broken only by the six months at Brondby – during which Meulensteen oversaw the club's youth and reserve sides until 2006 before returning the following January as Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant.

Meulensteen's only other spell as a manager came last summer when he was given 16 days by Anzhi Makhachkala before being sacked. Precisely why his removal came so quickly has never been explained, the departure coming as the chairman, Konstantin Remchukov, stated the club's budget should be markedly reduced.

All of this makes his time at Brondby the longest Meulensteen has survived in charge at a European club, so he may well draw on that when facing up to a Fulham squad that has serially underperformed and which ultimately cost Martin Jol his job.

During that 4-0 defeat at Frankfurt one of the Brondby players sent off was Mark Howard, who alongside his fellow defender Adam Eckersely had been recruited by Meulensteen from United.

The fall-out from Howard's sending-off offers further insight into the 49-year-old's management style at the time. Frederiksen says: "Thomas Rasmussen told the media straight after the game that Howard let the team down with a stupid red card. So later Thomas got the Meulensteen hairdryer treatment: he sat him on a chair in front of the squad, and told him he was disloyal and a bad colleague even though it was Howard who had let the entire team down."

At United Meulensteen's methods were respected enough for David Moyes to want to retain his services when appointing a new backroom staff. He was heralded for being innovative by the senior players. Frederiksen offers an illustration of this approach when at Brondby. "He would jump in front of players and shout "Boo" because he wanted them used to playing in front of 10,000 fans," he said, with Meulensteen possibly unaware that there were hardened international footballers in his new squad.

Now, Fulham host Tottenham as the Premier League's 18th-placed club. Meulensteen, whose long-term future is yet to be clarified as he continues as head coach rather than manager, looks at the table and sees a side with 10 points and a goal difference of minus 13, having scored just 11 times in 13 games.

But as Fulham are only three points from safety Meulensteen has a chance to show he could guide them to survival and convince the chairman, Shahid Khan, to give him the job permanently. How much Meulensteen has soaked up from working alongside Sir Alex Ferguson, British football's most successful manager, is about to be revealed.



http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/dec/02/rene-meulensteen-brondby-fulham?

[WhiteJC]

 
Rene Meulensteen expects cash to help keep Fulham in Premier League
• Meulensteen tells club owner, Shahid Khan, 'we must invest'
• Dutchman spoke at length to Martin Jol after he was sacked

Rene Meulensteen expects to be granted funding by the Fulham owner, Shahid Khan, in January to try to avoid relegation as the Dutchman sets about making a success of his first managerial role in English football.

Meulensteen, who was initially recruited as head coach last month, was given sole responsibility for the first-team following the departure of his compatriot, Martin Jol. Meulensteen , has spoken at length with the chief executive, Alistair Mackintosh, and has made no secret of his desire to recruit to bolster a side who have suffered five successive league defeats to drop below the cut-off.

There is an acceptance within the hierarchy at Craven Cottage that additions will have to be made to fire the team's survival attempt, with the implications of relegation to the Championship all too obvious. Jol had operated within a relatively tight budget over the tail-end of Mohamed al-Fayed's stewardship before Khan's takeover last summer, and his net spend over his two-and-a-half-year spell, a period encompassing five transfer windows, had been only around £4m.

While Bryan Ruiz had cost £10.6m from FC Twente, and Dimitar Berbatov had been recruited from Manchester United, Jol's outlay in the summer was limited to the arrival of Sascha Riether, Scott Parker and Elsad Zverotic on permanent deals, while Adel Taarabt and Darren Bent joined on loan.

"Everyone needs to realise we must invest," Meulensteen, 49, told the BBC. "We need to look how we can strengthen this squad to ensure Fulham stay in the Premier League."

The Dutchman, who had spoken at length on the telephone with the departing Jol after the axe fell, oversaw the first-team's training session at Motspur Park on Monday ahead of the visit of Tottenham Hotspur to Craven on Wednesday having already re-jigged his technical staff following his promotion. Jonathan Hill, a former academy youth coach at Manchester United, has been appointed first-team coach.

Hill has since enjoyed a period as technical director with the Jordanian Football Association, overseeing youth teams from under-8s to under-20s, before recent spells at Manchester City and Tromso. Kit Symons, formerly the under-21s development team manager, will also be assisting Meulensteen with the senior coaching alongside his duties with the second-string. Billy McKinlay, Michael Lindeman and the former manager's brother, Cornelis Jol, have all departed the club as part of the shake-up.

Meulensteen will be challenged in his new role regardless of the level of funding he receives in January given his relative lack of managerial experience at the top level, with his appointment greeted with skepticism in some quarters.

"The way they are playing at the moment, they are looking in real trouble," said the former Fulham captain, Danny Murphy, speaking on talkSPORT. "I just hope he has the capability because it doesn't matter how good a coach you are: when you have to manage players it is a different ball game.

"There are plenty of candidates out there with more experience than him, so I'm not sure. He will have learnt a lot from Sir Alex Ferguson, how can you not? But you are talking about dealing with different players. You're not talking about training with some of the best players in Europe day in, day out. You're talking about trying to motivate players that aren't playing so well. It's a different job."

The division's bottom club, Crystal Palace, have confirmed that their captain, Mile Jedinak, has signed a new contract with the club that will extend the Australia international's stay at Selhurst Park to 2017. The new Palace manager, Tony Pulis, had been keen to recruit the 29-year-old midfielder for Stoke City last season having impressed in an FA Cup third round tie between the clubs, but will now work with Australia's player of the year for the foreseeable future in south London.


http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/dec/02/fulham-rene-meulensteen-premier-league

[Hong Kong Fulham fan]

Great updates, thanks.

[ScalleysDad]

I wish more journo's and pundits would pick up on the 4 wins in 21 games stat. All I have seen is an element of sympathy for Jol regarding the timing and the last five games being quoted. Only this morning have I seen the "limp display at West Ham" being hailed as "the final straw."
Personally I still cannot believe I brought two season tickets after the shambles we were watching from last Christmas but I suppose wallets never ruled our hearts. 

[RaySmith]

Who would  be a long term fan of Fulham if they thought of the money spent re the pay back in seeing success, entertaining football, happiness, contentment,  mental-health etc, etc , etc!

But we love Fulham despite ourselves - and , as Brian Ferry sang -'love is a drug, and i need to score'.