Saturday Fulham Stuff (15/02/14)...

[WhiteJC]

 
England coach slams Meulensteen sacking

England coach Gary Neville has blasted Fulham for sacking head coach Rene Meulensteen after only three months at the helm.

The Cottagers decided to wield the axe tonight despite two encouraging performances which saw them earn a 2-2 draw at champions Manchester United and suffer an unfortunate 3-2 loss to title challengers Liverpool.

They have replaced him with former Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg manager Felix Magath – the third boss to occupy the hotseat at Craven Cottage this term, following Martin Jol and Meulensteen.

Ex-Manchester United defender Neville, now part of Roy Hodgson's Three Lions set-up, played under Meulensteen at Old Trafford when the Dutchman was one of Sir Alex Ferguson's first-team coaches.

He slammed the decision and cited United and Arsenal as prime examples of continuity in football.

Neville tweeted: "Oh Fulham! I will stick with the Uniteds and Arsenals! Longevity in this world is not failure! The rest can sack off!

"It's all a joke. He's had so few games!"


http://www.footballdirectnews.com/fulham-fc-transfer-news/40600-england-coach-slams-meulensteen-sacking.php#.Uv8-9v0dObA

[WhiteJC]

 
Bundesliga winner Felix Magath appointed Fulham coach
Felix Magath has been appointed coach of Fulham, becoming the first German to lead an English Premier League. It is also the three-time Bundesliga winner's first managerial role outside Germany.

Magath's appointment to the role of first-team coach was announced late on Friday, with Fulham understood be in the process of sacking manager Rene Meulensteen. The Dutchman had lasted just 75 days in the role, having only replaced former Hamburg coach Martin Jol in November.

Meulensteen had failed to guide London club Fulham out of the relegation zone, despite making several high-profile additions to his squad during January's transfer window.

The job of saving Fulham - rock bottom of the EPL - from the drop now belongs to Magath. The 60-year-old was last in charge of Wolfsburg, who he left via mutual consent in October 2012.

With a reputation as an authoritative figure famed for his tough training methods, Magath won the Bundesliga three times as coach - once with Wolfsburg and twice with Bayern Munich.

"Felix is an accomplished manager with multiple honors in the Bundesliga and a hunger to replicate his success with Fulham in the Premier League," Cottagers chairman Shahid Khan said

"I'm especially impressed with the reputation Felix has for coming into clubs at difficult times, often late in the season, and lifting them to their potential and beyond. Felix knows that is precisely the task awaiting him at Fulham, and he made it abundantly clear that he wants and is ready for the opportunity."

Familiar faces
Magath inherits a squad he may be rather familiar with. German right-back Sascha Riether played under Magath at Wolfsburg from 2007 to 2009, while Danish midfielder William Kvist is on-loan from Stuttgart.

Germany international Lewis Holtby is also a loanee, at the club from fellow London outfit Tottenham.

Magath had been linked with a return to besieged Bundesliga club Hamburg, but he took to Facebook on Thursday to state he would not be interested in replacing under-fire head coach Bert van Marwijk.

"Unfortunately, too many of the old guard still prevail and are not interested in an honest new start," he wrote. "... How can you successfully lead a team through a relegation battle in such conditions?"



http://www.dw.de/bundesliga-winner-felix-magath-appointed-fulham-coach/a-17434702?maca=en-rss-en-sports-1027-rdf

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League: Rene Meulensteen says Fulham have 'pushed panic button'


Rene Meulensteen: Says the club have hit the panic button

Sacked Fulham coach Rene Meulensteen believes the club's owners 'have panicked' by bringing in German Felix Magath as his replacement.

The Cottagers are propping up the Premier League table and are five points from safety with just a dozen matches remaining.

The west London club removed the Dutchman from his post on Friday, less than 11 weeks after being given the job.

Since then they have won just three times in the league, while collecting just a single point from the last six games.

And Meulensteen claims the club have "hit the panic button on emotion and fear."

Talking to Sky Sports News, Meulensteen said: "Chief executive Alistair Mackintosh rang me to break the news that they had brought in a new manager in Felix Magath."

The out-going boss also admitted he had no idea that he was in danger of losing his job and says he had held a fruitful chat with chairman Shahid Khan earlier in the week.

He added: "We had an extensive meeting on Monday afternoon as our meetings have been very good throughout.

"Good open dialogue and good discussions as I explained why Fulham were in this position.

"But it wasn't an easy starting point taking over from Martin Jol (who was dismissed in early December."

As for his time in charge at the Cottage, he went on: "We've had some really good performances but not results and it knocks confidence.

"We knew we had to put some new life into the team with some new players, more energy and quality, and we addressed that in the transfer window and got some new players in.

"But I've not been given enough time to finish the process. Everyone could see the difference in the performances against Manchester United and Liverpool - and what direction I was taking."

Regarding the club's decision to fire him, he stressed: "It doesn't make any sense. You'd have thought it would have happened three weeks earlier to give the new man the opportunity to bring his own players in.

"All the players coming in have come in on my recommendation. I felt the owners were on edge but I had a long-term plan in place and we were moving in the right direction.

"But it's a shame it's turned out like this. But I enjoyed my time at Fulham and the fans were good."

Former Fulham player and Sky Sports pundit Tony Gale said he felt "nothing but shock".

Gale, who was at Craven Cottage from 1977 to 1984, went on: "Felix has a history of being a hardliner. But he's only been given 12 games."

He also told Sky Sports News Radio: "They've found out that Rene is a good coach but probably not the management material that they thought he was.

"I thought it might have been the case that maybe Alan Curbishley took over but it's a bit of a gamble with Felix Magath. He's got that track record in the Bundesliga, but nothing in England.

"I can only assume that they've had a look at training and within the dressing room, with experienced people like Curbishley there helping out, they've thought that Meulensteen isn't the man for the job.

"Fulham have to do something because they need a bit of geeing-up to get out of where they are.

"If they do go down, which is looking likely, what experience has Felix Magath got in the Championship? I must admit it's a strange decision but I hope it's the right one because it's a wonderful club."


http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/9166839/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Magath profile: 'Torturer' to shake Fulham


Felix Magath: New Fulham manager

After Felix Magath was appointed as Fulham boss, TEAMtalk profiles the career of the man who has been dubbed 'Torturer' and 'Saddam'.

If the Fulham squad have any intention of enjoying the rest of the season, they should forget it. Right now.

One look at the nicknames should tell them all they need to know.

Their new boss Felix Magath is an ultra-disciplinarian and fitness fanatic who has been dubbed the 'Torturer' and 'Saddam' due to the brutality of his training regimes, which have reduced players to tears.

The 60-year-old could make Sir Alex Ferguson look soft.

Any player not prepared to live up to that old sporting cliche of giving 110 per cent would be advised to give the Cottagers' Motspur Park training ground a wide berth.

Magath has managed at the very top of the game in Germany, winning back-to-back league and cup doubles with Bayern Munich and the title with Wolfsburg.

The former West Germany international has managed eight current Bundesliga clubs, with this his first job outside his homeland.

But his dictatorial style has made him a divisive figure.

Germany's Bild newspaper revealed the incredible fine system he operated in his second spell at Wolfsburg, which reportedly ranged from 100 euros for every minute a player was late for training to 1,000 euros for an unnecessary backpass.

He has ordered dawn cross-country runs, held multiple training sessions daily and is even said to have assigned his players essays on their ambitions.

One run up a Swiss mountain while in charge of Wolfsburg reportedly ended with players in tears and striker Grafite collapsing and being carried down on a stretcher

In another tale Magath is alleged to have asked Hasan Salihamidzic to perform single-arm press-ups when he has suffered a fractured arm.

His two year-spell at Schalke ended amid player unrest, with striker Jefferson Farfan quoted as saying: "Magath's military methods are ugly. Their humanity is questionable."

Fulham's players have been warned.

Felix Magath factfile:

1953: Born July 26 in Aschaffenburg, West Germany.

1972: Begins playing career with local club Viktoria Aschaffenburg, later moving to second division side FC Saarbrucken.

1976: Transfers to Hamburg, where he spends the rest of his playing career.

1977: Makes international debut for West Germany. Goes on to score three goals in 43 games.

1980: Is part of the Germany squad that wins the European Championship.

1983: Scores the only goal as Hamburg beat Juventus to win the European Cup final.

1986: Retires from playing following an injury and becomes general manager at Hamburg, before going on to take a similar role at a number of other clubs.

1995: Is named Hamburg manager having been assistant under previous boss Benno Mohlmann.

1997: Sacked as Hamburg boss and goes on to have short stints at the helm of Nurnberg, Werder Bremen and Eintracht Frankfurt.

2001: Takes over at Stuttgart.

2003: Leads Stuttgart to second place in the Bundesliga.

2004: Becomes Bayern Munich boss.

2005: Leads Bayern to a domestic league and cup double, a feat he goes on to repeat the following season.

2007: January - Sacked as Bayern manager with club fourth in the Bundesliga.

June - Becomes Wolfsburg manager.

2009: Leads Wolfsburg to their first and, to date, only Bundesliga title - then moves to Schalke at the end of the season.

2010: Schalke finish as runners-up in Magath's first season, but he is sacked midway through the following season with the team in poor form.

2011: March - Returns to Wolfsburg just 24 hours after leaving Schalke, but cannot recreate his earlier success and leaves in October 2012.

2014: February 14 - Named manager of Fulham.



http://www.teamtalk.com/fulham/9166835/-?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham 'freaked out' - Meulensteen
Fulham have appointed Felix Magath as first-team manager - with Rene Meulensteen accusing owner Shahid Khan of "freaking out".

Fulham have taken drastic action in a bid to avoid relegation by appointing Felix Magath as first-team manager - a shock decision that saw the deposed Rene Meulensteen accuse owner Shahid Khan of "freaking out" and hitting the "panic button" too early.

This has been a tumultuous season on the banks of the Thames and one which will end in relegation as things stand, with the west Londoners bottom of the Barclays Premier League and four points adrift of safety.

There have been improvements of late but with just 12 matches remaining owner Khan has controversially made Magath the third man at the Craven Cottage helm in just 10 weeks.

Having sacked Martin Jol after a poor run of form, former Manchester United coach Meulensteen, appointed head coach under his countryman just weeks earlier, took control of first-team duties on December 1.

But, after just 75 days in charge, he too has been given the boot, with Magath handed the position as first-team manager on an 18-month deal.

It is a move that has shocked the football community as well as Meulensteen himself, especially given Fulham's impressive 2-2 draw at Manchester United and last-gasp 3-2 defeat to Liverpool this past week.

"I am very, very surprised, very disappointed, very frustrated as well, because the job that I stepped into was one that took me by surprise from the start, because that was not anticipated with Martin Jol leaving and obviously you then have to step into situation which is not the best," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"You need to try and make things better as soon as you can, but you're playing with a deck of cards that are not yours.

"I haven't really been given any time to make that work. I thought the performance against Manchester United and Liverpool were very, very good and it was unfortunate that we did not pick up the points that we deserved.

"Twelve games to go, plenty of points to play for and I'm sure we would have turned it around.

"I've not been told anything. I knew the owners were freaking out and panicking about the fact that Fulham could get relegated, but they've had that sort of attitude already 10 games back.

"They've hit the panic button on emotions of fear, but hey-ho, that's what happens in football. It's not always fair."

Meulensteen said the knee-jerk reaction is "the problem with owners who don't really understand the Premier League" and questioned the wisdom of backing him during the January window if his position was so precarious.

The Dutchman, who was not mentioned in the club statement announcing Magath's arrival, is unsure what will happen to assistant manager Ray Wilkins and first-team technical director Alan Curbishley, before confirming he had not spoken to Khan about the decision.

Meulensteen was told the news by chief executive Alistair Mackintosh, although Khan said in an official club statement that "action was required".

"Our club has shown promise in recent matches, but the fact is we have not won a league match since January 1," Khan, who bought out Mohamed Al Fayed last summer, said.

"Given our form, we can no longer merely hope that our fortunes will finally turn. And with 12 matches remaining and at least four points separating us from safety, we certainly can no longer post empty results. Action was required.

"Alistair Mackintosh did a wonderful job during the January transfer window to improve our club.

"This week, Alistair recommended Felix, with his history of producing results for clubs with similar challenges as ours, as the new manager of Fulham.

"Alistair's recommendation received my complete approval and Felix has my unequivocal support."

Magath led Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga in 2005 and 2006 before achieving the same feat with Wolfsburg in 2009.

The job is the 60-year-old's first in club management since leaving Wolfsburg in 2012 and comes at the end of a week in which he had been strongly linked with a return to former club Hamburg.

"Here we go again, I'm coming back into football," Magath said via his Facebook account. "I am manager of Fulham with immediate effect. It's a fantastic working environment for any coach and footballer.

"This amazing club, steeped in tradition, and its owner Shahid Khan have totally convinced me and given me the managerial responsibility."


http://sport.bt.com/sportfootball/football/fulham-freaked-out-meulensteen-S11363876242097?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham thrashing around, looking for an answer

Oh dear oh dear oh dear.

Too late to the first fire, too early to the second.  This is no way to run a... fire department.  (We're mixing our metaphors before we've even begun. Hold on tight.  This could get iffy).

Alright. So Martin Jol does bad things.  The club is in disarray. Rene Meulensteen comes in with various new ideas that he tries out in turn, as is his right (Roy did the same, remember? Eddie Johnson started against Everton in the run-in.)  He gets some things right, draws a line in the sand where 'flair' players are concerned, and makes a conscious effort to make the team younger.

Then, when the team finally looks like it might be his, when he's finally starting to win this observer over (honestly I didn't like him at all until Manchester United), when the team looks like it might be worth something next season (even in the Championship), this.

Meulensteen has done a lot right. It took time, but he realised that the Sidwell/Parker 'engine room' was a busted flush.  He slaughtered the sacred cow and banished Parker to the bench (sorry, I'm not even trying to self-edit here).  He has whopped another sacred cow on the head and dropped Brede Hangeland, which might or might not be reasonable but at least shows some guts.  He has entrusted young Dan Burn with a typically "experienced" role and Burn has done very well, more or less.   He has shown us a side to Kieron Richardson that we didn't know existed.  He has been very astute with his acquisitions: I love what I'm seeing in Ryan Tunnicliffe, who looks very mature for such a young player.  William Kvist is a dream for a fan like me. I love players like him.  EVEN DARREN BENT IS SHOWING SIGNS OF LIFE.

No, we are not on an upswing in the way you might normally describe an upswing but we appear to have left behind our "calamity Fulham" period and the future is something we are not afraid of.  That is Rene's doing (or Ray's and Alan's – how could we ever know?).

Wolfgang Felix Magath (seen here in his Villa days*).

*I know!

He's supposedly good at rescuing struggling teams.  He's supposedly all about fitness, hard work and discipline (really). He's supposedly extremely good.   Well, fabulous.  This is quite a coup.  A boon, even. But...

And, Meulensteen may apparently be staying as first team coach, which amounts to something of a dream team if it's true.   But...

It's like we're a moth, and OOOH, THE LIGHT IS ON, LET'S GO OVER THERE!!!!  OOOH ANOTHER LIGHT, OVER THERE!  And on and on and on.  We had a bad plan to start with (Jol), plan B was to help Jol with Meulensteen, then the Jol bit was dropped, then at some point the two horsemen of the Champsionship (tish-boom!) arrived (Wilkins and Curbishley), and that's either plan C, D or E, and now we think that no, despite Wilkins' fine record as a number 2, despite Curbishley's vast knowledge of managing in English football, regardless of Rene's previous work with Cristiano Ronaldo on the training ground, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH and now we have "F Plan", which may be the best idea anyone's ever had but there's bugger all time to find out now.  The team might adapt to Magath exceedingly quickly and coast through the remainder of the season, in which case I take everything back, but...

No, maybe that's right. Maybe desperate times do call for desperate measures.  They haven't done something really ridiculous, Magath is a good manager and as long as he doesn't break the youngsters this doesn't have to derail anything.  It's just so weird.  Fulham don't tend to do things like this.   I think that's it: this may very well be the right thing to do, but it's happening in a way that makes it look like the very wrong thing to do.  I think there's a story about a giant wildfire and the cleverest fireman's response was not to run away, but to start his own fire in the probable path of the incoming one.   It looked like utter madness but of course the deliberate fire burned all the things that could be burned and in so doing prevented the big fire from spreading.  Something like that.


http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2014/02/14/fulham-thrashing-around-looking-for-an-answer/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Honigstein: Magath's Fulham appointment 'smacks of desperation'

talkSPORT's German football expert Raphael Honigstein says Fulham's appointment of Felix Magath as manager "smacks of desperation".

The relegation threatened Cottagers shocked the football world by suddenly sacking Rene Meulensteen and installing the German as boss on an 18-month deal.

With Fulham rock bottom and four points off safety, Magath now has 12 games to save the club from the drop.

But Honigstein told Kick Off: "It smacks a little bit of desperation on Fulham's part. It suggests that they feel he's somebody who might keep them up but I don't see him as someone who sustainably works for the team."

The journalist did add that the former Bayern Munich coach built a reputation early on in his managerial career for saving clubs from relegation.


Read more at http://talksport.com/football/honigstein-magaths-fulham-appointment-smacks-desperation-14021479925#9Udz7uMbFcmUXIJX.99

[WhiteJC]

 
One way of looking at all of this

A second take, further to a good chat on Twitter with various leading minds.

Fulham are basically relegated. People are predicting this, the Dechtech predictor, which is usually quite good, has Norwich, Sunderland, Cardiff and Fulham as a fairly clear bottom four. Goal difference is more than a bit damning. William Hill has us 4/11 on (favourites) to go (http://sports.williamhill.com/bet/en-gb). We're in all kinds of trouble.

In that sense, what do we have to lose? Plan F or whatever we decided we were up to in the earlier post really hasn't shown the signs of progress that Crystal Palace's rescue remedy, or Sunderland's escape plan, had. If you are feeling generous, there is just about time for a new manager to come in and sort out this mess. Maybe in that sense Felix Magath is the right man at the right time. (If you want to go all gooey, in one sense we now have a former Bayern Munich manager and a former Manchester United first team coach).

The "why not?" is because it doesn't feel right; the "why?" is because a manager of real pedigree was up for this challenge.

In that sense it's a reasonable but bold move.

There's much to be said for not rocking the boat, and there may be fallout and unintended consequences here, but controlled risks are what success is all about (so I hear).  Maybe Fulham just saved their season.


http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2014/02/14/one-way-of-looking-at-all-of-this/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Holland chance for sacked Fulham boss

Rene Meulensteen, who has been sacked as head coach of Fulham, is in line for a return to Holland with Feyenoord, [football] direct news understands.

The former Manchester United coach, who was dismissed by the Cottagers and replaced with German Felix Magath, is thought to remain keen on managing a side rather than reverting back to an assistant role.

He spent only three months in the dug-out at Craven Cottage before being given his marching orders by the relegation-threatened outfit, who lost 3-2 at home to title-chasing Liverpool in midweek.

Dutch Eredivisie club Feyenoord have already announced that boss Ronald Koeman is to depart at the end of the current campaign.

They are thought to prefer the appointment of a Dutchman, with Meulensteen likely to compete with Patrick Kluivert and Danny Blind in the coming months.

Elsewhere in Holland, Phillip Cocu is under pressure at PSV, while Frank de Boer is one of the most coveted managers in Europe and could be poached in the summer.



http://www.footballdirectnews.com/fulham-fc-transfer-news/40601-holland-chance-for-sacked-fulham-boss.php#.Uv9D7v0dObA

[WhiteJC]

 
WEEK 24 EREDIVISIE REPORT: FULHAM LOANEE CLINCHES PSV WIN

PSV clinched their third win in succession to sit in fifth place on Friday night after a gritty 2-1 win over the plucky Heracles Almelo.

PSV 2-1 HERACLES

The Philips Stadion pitch was in a terrible state due to heavy rain all day on Friday which left passing across the pitch very difficult, but it was an entertaining game.

The visitors though they had taken the lead after just four minutes of play, after Moroccan midfielder Iliass Bel Hassani had floated a ball over the top of the PSV defence to play in striker Mark Uth. Unfortunately for the German, on-loan from Heerenveen, the PSV high-line had caught him out and as the 22-year-old striker was smashing the ball past Jeroen Zoet, the referees' assistant on his right had the flag up.

A minute later, the damp Eindhoven crowd were on their feet as their side took the lead. Memphis Depay latched onto a through ball from Jürgen Locadia and the young winger twisted and turned the Heracles defenders as he entered the box. After his first powerful attempt was parried by Remko Pasveer, Depay instinctively pounced on the rebound and coolly placed it into the corner out of the keeper's reach.

The next twenty minutes or so turned into 'The Memphis Depay Show'. Everything went through the twenty-year-old and although he is frustrating at times with his decision making, and easily annoys the PSV faithful, the player has clearly the skill and speed to go onto bigger things in the game.

After Depay tested the reactions of Pasveer a few more times, it was the turn of Zoet to be called into action on 23 minutes. The ball came out to Mike te Wierik on the right wing, and the defender whipped in a vicious looking ball towards the penalty spot. Awaiting the delivery was Uth again, he nodded a testing header towards goals, but Zoet came out on top and tipped over the bar.

Before half-time, the Heracles pressure paid off and Jan de Jonge saw his side level the score. The in-form Bryan Linssen was the goalscorer yet again, notching his seventh goal in his last seven appearances. After receiving the ball on the edge of the area, the midfielder spun onto his right foot, slipping the challenge of Jeffrey Bruma and lashing a right foot shot past the diving Zoet. The PSV 'keeper had no chance of stopping. Linssen, a summer signing from the relegated VVV Venlo, will certainly being observed by some of Holland's and Europe's top scouts in this sparkling form, and may be on the mover again this summer.

Just past the hour-mark, PSV regained the lead and it was the on-loan Bryan Ruiz scoring his first goal for the club. The always impressive Jetro Willems attacked down the left-wing and got his cross past Te Wierik. The ball took a slight deflection and fell perfectly for the arriving Fulham man at the back post to nod home with ease.

PSV started to control the play but in the dying moments of the game they needed to rely on Zoet to clinch all three points. With just a minute of normal time remaining, the young goalie needed to pull off a tremendous double save denying Moroccan substitute Oussama Tannane first then saving Uth's rebound with his legs.

Heracles should have gained a point in the final kick of the match when it was Zoet again to PSV's rescue. Veteran striker Berry Powel, brought on as a late substitute, nodded the ball down in the six-yard area for Uth, but the German failed to connect properly and Zoet dived on the ball to save the game for the hosts.

Philip Cocu will be pleased with his side's gritty performance and it is wins like this that may see them creep into the automatic European qualification places. PSV currently sit just six points off second place which is certainly not out of reach at this stage.

Heracles, on the other hand, sit in 11th place only seven points from the drop zone and will need to pick up some wins soon to steer themselves away from trouble.

TEAMS

PSV: Zoet, Arias, Bruma, Rekik, Willems, Schaars, Park (Hendrix 89), Hiljemark, Ruiz, Locadia (Narsingh 79), Depay (Jozefzoon 90).

SUBS NOT USED: Tyton, Zanka Jørgensen, Brenet, Maher.

GOALS: Depay 5, Ruiz 63.

BOOKINGS: None.

HERACLES: Pasveer, Te Wierik (Powel 85), Schenkeveld, Veldmate, Davidson, Hassani, Rienstra, Cziommer (Bruns 74), Rosheuvel, Uth, Linssen (Tannane 67).

SUBS NOT USED: Telgenkamp, Belterman, Quansah, Koenders.

GOALS: Linssen 42.

BOOKINGS: Te Wierik.


http://totaldutchfootball.com/2014/02/15/week-24-eredivisie-report-fulham-loanee-clinches-psv-win/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Rene Meulensteen linked with Feyenoord job

Rene Meulensteen could be in line for a return to management at Dutch club Feyenoord, according to a report.

The former Manchester United coach, who was replaced as Fulham manager by Felix Magath on Friday night, is reportedly keen on another management position.

That has created speculation that he could replace Ronald Koeman, who is set to leave Feyenoord at the end of the season, FootballDirectNews.com reports.

The club are apparently keen to appoint a Dutchman, and Meulensteen is likely to face competition from Patrick Kluivert and Danny Blind for the post.


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/news/meulensteen-linked-with-feyenoord-job_138152.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Cottagers to wait for striker


FC Twente striker Luc Castaignos (Reuters)

Fulham have put their potential £10million move for FC Twente hitman Luc Castaignos on hold, [football] direct news understands.

The relegation-threatened Cottagers have monitored the highly-rated forward's progress in recent years and were believed to be keen on a summer bid in the event that they manage to secure their Premier League status.

However, Twente have passed details to FIFA and the Dutch football federation as part of an investigation into claims that a Croatian negotiator tried to engineer a move for Castaignos to Tottenham Hotspur last year.

The 21-year-old's club believe chairman Joop Munsterman's signature was forged and are awaiting updates from the football authorities.

It is a saga which is likely to delay any transfer taking place, and Fulham could be forced to pursue other targets.

Fulham could be forced to intensify their efforts to sign a striker if ex-England forward Darren Bent leaves the club a the end of the campaign.

Last night's sacking of head coach Rene Meulensteen, who has been replaced by German Felix Magath, is also likely to have an impact on transfer policy.


http://www.footballdirectnews.com/fulham-fc-transfer-news/40592-cottagers-to-wait-for-striker.php#.Uv9FO_0dObA

[WhiteJC]

 
City v Fulham Ticket information

Manchester City v Fulham
Saturday 22nd March 2014
Kick off – 3pm

Tickets for this game are priced from:

£28 Adult

£24 18-21

£17 16-17

£13 Junior (Under 16)

£24 Over 65s

£24 Disabled (wheelchair & ambulant)

Tickets will be available online at www.mcfc.co.uk/tickets, by telephone on 0161 444 1894 (option 1, option 1, option 2)* and to personal callers at the Ticket Office above the City Store at the Etihad Stadium for supporters that meet the following criteria;



2013/14 Blue Members – Wednesday 19th February at 9am.**
General Sale, all outlets – Saturday 22nd February at 9am.


*Tickets purchased over the telephone will be subject to a £2.50 booking fee per ticket and phone lines are open 24-hours, 7 days a week. No booking fee payable on tickets purchased online.

**Disabled supporters are unable to purchase tickets online.  Those that meet the qualifying criteria and wish to purchase a ticket should contact Supporter Services on 0161 444 1894 (option 1, option 1, option 1).

Disabled supporters who do not have a Blue Membership are eligible to purchase over the phone from 9am on Saturday 22nd February.

For details and accessible information please click here. Should you have any further questions or need advice, please contact our Disabled Liaison Officer, on 0161 444 1894 (option 1, option 1, option 1) or email [email protected].   

For additional help or assistance use our online 'frequently asked questions' resource, #mcfchelp. You can also ask us a question and keep up to date via our official Supporter Services Twitter account, @MCFCHELP.

Club policy allows children under 5-years to enter the stadium without a ticket to sit with their parent/guardian. All children aged 5-years to 14-years must be accompanied by an adult (over 18-years).  Children aged over 14-years are able to enter the stadium unaccompanied.

10 loyalty points will be awarded for attending this fixture.

Please note: If a supporter number used is that of an adult, then only an adult ticket may be used. This also applies to under 16s and over 65s.

It is important that you have purchased, and are in possession of, the correct ticket and that it is activated to allow you access in to the stadium.

If the supporter who originally purchased the ticket is no longer able to attend the match, please contact the Supporter Services team on 0161 444 1894 (option 1, then option 3) to discuss, and where appropriate, upgrade your ticket. Failure to upgrade your ticket before you attempt to enter the ground may result in a stadium ban.

Be Blue

Consider becoming a Blue Member, with benefits including Match Ticket Priority and subscription to the Digital Matchday Publication, for the best chance to see all the big games. There is also our City Kicks Blue membership for under 16s, a must for all young City supporters.  Click here to find out more and buy online.


Hospitality is available for this match, from £150 plus VAT.  Whether you're looking to celebrate with family and friends, entertain clients or just treat yourself, we have the perfect package to suit you, and your budget.

And, for 2013/14 we welcome Jamie Oliver's creativity in the kitchen.  To book online or find out more about the facilities click here. Alternatively, please call 0161 444 1894 (option 1, option 2) or email: [email protected].


Ticket Exchange – Viagogo, the official Ticket Exchange of Manchester City FC

2013/14 Superbia & Platinum seasoncard holders who are unable to attend a Barclays Premier League home fixture now have the opportunity to place their match ticket for sale to other members on the Ticket Exchange website.

Whilst any adult member can buy tickets through Ticket Exchange, only Platinum and Superbia seasoncard holders can sell them.

Disabled Superbia & Platinum seasoncard holders are restricted from selling their tickets using the Exchange due to complexities around the allocation of specific seats / bays and assistant entitlements.

Disabled supporters who require a wheelchair space and walking ambulant supporters who require an assistant and wish to sell their seat, should contact Supporter Services on 0161 444 1894 (option 1, option 1, option 1).

Any Superbia & Platinum supporter, who qualifies as Walking Ambulant, without an associated assistant, can sell their ticket through the Ticket Exchange.

For full details, and terms and conditions, click here .

Official Match Ticket

Entry to the Stadium will be granted on the presentation of a valid ticket purchased from the Club or through the Viagogo Ticket Exchange only.

The Club excludes all liability to any supporter who is denied entry to the Stadium as a result of their ticket having been purchased through an unauthorised seller.

The unauthorised sale or disposal of tickets may also amount to a criminal offence and the Club will inform the police as soon as it becomes aware of any unauthorised sale or disposal of tickets.

Important Supporter Information

Visiting the Stadium

The stadium address for satellite navigation is:  Etihad Stadium, Manchester M11 3FF. If you have not visited the Etihad Stadium before, we want you to enjoy the whole experience, and that starts with how to get here and where to park. To find out more click here for the stadium plan.

Supporters requiring a taxi after the final whistle are advised to make their way to Ashton New Road where taxis are located.  Due to road closures immediately after the game, taxis are unable to enter the Etihad Campus for at least one hour after the final whistle. Those supporters wishing to travel in to Manchester City centre may board supporter buses which are also located on Ashton New Road opposite the South Stand.


Persistent Standing

To help continue improving the matchday experience for all supporters, we ask that you respect the club's request to avoid persistent standing at all games. This is one of our biggest sources of complaints from your fellow supporters in all sections of the stadium. We wish to make our matchdays as enjoyable an experience as possible for all of our fans and, as such, we request that you and fellow supporters remain in your seat for the majority of the match.

Fans who breach these requests may be ejected from the stadium, and in some cases may have their membership card withdrawn. Please help us to avoid such measures by co-operating with this request and help us to create an enjoyable experience for all of our fans. We thank you for your support in helping us ensure a visit to the Etihad Stadium is a great experience.


Respect the Badge www.mcfc.co.uk/The-Club/Respect-The-Badge

Manchester City Football Club prides itself on having the best fans in the country and we greatly appreciate your support in enforcing the code of conduct. You are purchasing tickets which are located in stands which seat home fans only.

We expect all supporters to behave in a manner appropriate to their surroundings. This code must be adhered to.  Failure to comply could result in you being asked to leave the Stadium. For high profile games, such as local derbies or cup games, a zero tolerance policy will be in operation.


Prohibited Items

The following items are not allowed to be brought in to the Etihad Stadium:

-          Pyrotechnics, flares and smoke bombs.

-          Golf umbrella or any article that may be used as a weapon and/or compromise public safety.

-          Professional recording equipment (audio and visual).

-          Bags larger than A4 size.


Smoking

Please note that the entire Etihad Campus, including roadways, car parks and concourses, is smoke free.  The use of electronic cigarettes is also prohibited. Manchester City Football Club operates a strict, no re-admission policy and there will not be an opportunity to leave and re-enter the Stadium.

The Ticket Office and Supporter Services are open Monday - Saturday, 9am to 5:30pm (closed Sunday & Bank Holiday. Both facilities will open on the day of all scheduled First Team home fixtures, and for this match will be open from 9am 5.30pm. Please call 0161 444 1894 (option 1, option 3).  You can also use our online 'frequently asked questions' resource, #mcfchelp or our official Supporter Services Twitter account, @MCFCHELP.

All tickets and hospitality are sold subject to availability and are issued subject to Manchester City Football Club Limited's 2013-14 home match terms and conditions of sale, 2013-14 Hospitality terms and conditions of sale and any applicable ground regulations .



http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Tickets-and-Travel/2014/February/City-v-Fulham-ticket-information?

[WhiteJC]

 
Five managers who lasted even less time in their job than Rene Meulensteen did at Fulham

Rene Meulensteen's 74-day reign at Fulham dramatically ended on Friday night as the west London club pressed the panic button once again and replaced him with Felix Magath.

But while the axe was shocking, Meulensteen can at least console himself that he isn't the only manager in history to depart after so little time in the job.

Here are five bosses who have been in and out the door quicker than the Dutchman – don't say we didn't warn you Felix.

Brian Clough – Leeds United (44 days, 1974)

Perhaps the most famous of short reigns, Clough's time at Leeds United was never going to go well.

The former Derby County manager despised much of what Leeds stood for and the feeling was certainly mutual from a squad who were still loyal to Don Revie.

Old Big Head was shown the door after just 44 days, but he went on to gain revenge of sorts as he turned Nottingham Forest into the best team in Europe.

Alex McLeish – Nottingham Forrest (40 days, 2012-13)

Alex McLeish walked out on Forest after just five weeks after claiming the club's owners had misled him over the amount of money that would be made available for transfers.

The final straw was apparently when the board pulled out of a deal to sign George Boyd on the final day of the January transfer window and five days later McLeish left the club.

Steve Coppell – Manchester City (33 days, 1996)

We'll never know if former Manchester United star Coppell would have been a success at Maine Road, but he didn't hang around long enough to find out.

Coppell walked out of the job after just six games and 33 days in charge claiming the stress of the job was too great.

Martin Ling – Cambridge United (9 days, 2009)

Having already lost one manager due to a 'personality clash', Cambridge chairman George Rolls made it an unfortunate double in 2009 when Martin Ling walked out on the club.

Ling had lasted just nine days in the job before citing 'irreconcilable differences' with the same man.

Ling eventually returned to the club when Rolls himself departed – presumably having fallen out with himself.

Leroy Rosenior – Torquay (10 minutes, 2007)

Rosenior was appointed Torquay manager just as the club were being taken over by a local consortium.

Papers signed, they wanted their own man in and Rosenior was gone in just 600 seconds.


http://metro.co.uk/2014/02/15/five-managers-who-lasted-even-less-time-in-their-job-than-rene-meulensteen-did-at-fulham-4305287/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham look more doomed than a Kardashian's sense of self-respect despite Magath appointment

Martin Jol didn't work.
Appointing Rene 'the real secret behind Alex Ferguson's success' Meulensteen didn't have much time to work.
Will Felix Magath do any better?

Adopting the 'third time lucky' strategy that may not actually prove to be lucky, Fulham owner Shahid Khan has turned to a stylish 60 year old German in a bid to keep the Cottagers from making a new home for themselves in the Championship. It's not looking too likely though as the club's survival looks as likely as a Kardashian saying 'no thanks, I have too much dignity and self-respect to do that' when offered a big bag of money to do something on camera.

He takes over a club four points and a decent chunk of goal difference away from safety. After putting up with the aerial bombardment at Old Trafford last Sunday to claim a point and putting it up to Liverpool during the week, it was surprising that Khan choose to weild the axe on Friday evening, but look at his moustache – clearly we are not dealing with a man who bows to society's norms.

Despite having an eye-catching CV featuring three Bundesliga titles (two as Bayern Munich manager, one in charge of Wolfsburg), Magath's appointment isn't really being seen as a shining beacon of hope by the club's fans and indifferent fans of other clubs. Fulham remain the hot 4/11 favourites to go down. They're 15/8 to somehow turn it around and avoid going down.

Magath's first game in charge is a biggie – not in the Sky Sports 'this is the most important match in history' way of over-hyping everything – more the 'absolutely crucial' way of facing your fellow relegation strugglers. It's against West Brom at the Hawthtorns next Saturday. A win would put them within a point of the Baggies and move the Cottagers to within touching distance of escaping the trap door. A defeat would leave them them at least five points clear of safety with 11 games to go.

It might work, it might not, but Magath will certainly bring one thing to the Premier League – a fantastic array of fashionable scarves.



- See more at: http://blog.paddypower.com/2014/02/15/fulham-remain-on-course-for-the-drop-despite-magath-appointment/?#sthash.fleE7EmS.dpuf