Sunday Fulham Stuff (16/02/14)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Midfielder unsure over future

Spurs midfielder Lewis Holtby is putting talk of his future at White Hart Lane to the back of his mind until the summer.

The German international has seen his chances of regular football come to an end with Spurs when former boss Andre Villas-Boas, the man who bought him to the club from Hamburg, was axed. Current head coach Tim Sherwood has different ideas and Holtby has been allowed to join Fulham's fight against the drop and that is where his concentration will lie until the summer. "First of all I just think about Fulham and I just want to stay up," he said. "I want to have a really good 13 games left and I want to show what I can do. "I am very happy to show the PL what my abilities are and I am really happy that I am connecting. "I am looking forward to the next games."



Read more at: http://www.clubcall.com/tottenham-hotspur/midfielder-unsure-over-future-1710911.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham decision to replace Meulensteen with Magath surprising but could save season


Felix Magath has been appointed as the new Fulham manager.
(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Fulham's decision to replace Rene Meulensteen with Felix Magath was a surprising one but it could save their season, according to Supporters' Trust member Dan Crawford.

Magath was appointed on Friday night, with Meulensteen's departure not confirmed until the Dutchman himself announced he had be relieved of his duties.

The Whites currently sit bottom of the Barclays Premier League and are four points from safety with 12 games remaining.

Crawford admits he was not expecting the change at the top but feels Magath could bring something new to the club's survival bid.

"I was very surprised," he said.

"We had all read that he might have two games to save his job but you just assumed that the performances and fight they showed would have been enough.

"We have got a week's break now before a massive game against West Brom so it was the last time we could make a change.

"Magath has never managed outside the Bundesliga so getting him to come in to a team in this position is a bit of a coup and we have a £12million striker [Kostas Mitroglou] who is yet to play.

"You always need something or someone special and, in Magath, it looks as though the club have brought in an experienced fire-fighter."

Magath has won three Bundesliga titles during his managerial career but now faces a different challenge after being tasked with keeping Fulham in the top flight.

Crawford is hopeful Fulham will see a response to the appointment, something that never occurred when owner Shahid Khan decided Meulensteen was the man to replace Martin Jol in December.

"We haven't won a league game since January 1, we are out of FA Cup, bottom of the league and running out of time," he added.

"You have to look at the season we have had - usually you get a bounce off a new manager and that is something we haven't had.

"The defending has been abysmal for most of the season, you hope that someone who is a disciplinarian will come in and get things right, he won't take any prisoners and has virtually no margin for error.

"We are in the last chance saloon and everyone recognises that, it slaps a little bit of desperation but that is par for the course given the situation we are in."


http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_decision_to_replace_meulensteen_with_magath_surprising_but_could_save_season_1_3322769

[WhiteJC]

 
Do ex-Manchester United pair regret their Fulham move already?

Ryan Tunnicliffe and Larnell Cole left Manchester United for Fulham in January to reunite with Rene Meulensteen.

Many managers are given considerable funds only to be shown the exit shortly after spending them. Such is football.

But what of the players who join a club under one manager only to quickly see him replaced by another? How much of their decision is based on the man they expect to play under, and how much on the club they are joining?

In the case of Larnell Cole and Ryan Tunnicliffe, the two players joined Fulham to reunite with Rene Meulensteen – a man who they had known at Manchester United during his 12 year spell at Old Trafford.

But now, just over two weeks after the duo arrived at Craven Cottage, it is Felix Magath who will be calling the shots and picking the team.

At 20 and 21 respectively, Cole and Tunnicliffe would have believed themselves ready for first-team action. Indeed Tunnicliffe has paid his dues in terms of loan spells and possesses the talent to succeed in the top flight.

Cole is a slightly different story, having enjoyed an excellent season for United's under-21s last year, and a loan spell would have surely been his best option – until the pull of Meulensteen of course.

The moves made sense. The former United coach knew these players and they knew him. He obviously had faith in their talents. In essence, there was no risk involved from either party.

As Tunnicliffe told Sky Sports after the move, "I've known Rene since I was nine and there was talk when he took over that he was interested in me, so it's just picked up steam this week really and I'm here now and glad to sign

"Rene didn't have to sell Fulham to me, for a start they're in the Premier League and I want to play at the highest level. I know René and I know he's a great coach so I'm just excited to work for him."

But that excitement was temporary, with the Dutchman no longer in charge. And while both players still have the chance to make a difference at the club and build long and successful careers in London, you wonder what they are thinking now, and if they would have made the same decision had they known what was to come.


http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/02/15/does-ex-manchester-united-duo-regret-their-fulham-move-already/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League Relegation Betting: Taskmaster Magath has the tools to save Fulham

Fulham are on to their third manager of the season after the Cottagers replaced Rene Meulensteen with experienced German coach Felix Magath. Our Bundesliga columnist Kevin Hatchard takes a look at Magath's highs and lows.

Earlier this week Felix Magath was bidding to take charge of crisis club Hamburg, the team he helped win the European Cup as a player in 1983. Just hours after revealing that the Hamburg board had blocked his appointment, he was installed as the new Fulham boss on an 18-month contract after the brutal dismissal of Rene Meulensteen. The Cottagers have hired a proven winner with a glittering CV as a player and a manager, but his methods are far from universally popular, and he has some recent failures against his name.

Magath, who is the first German to take a manager's role in the Premier League, was an attacking midfielder of some distinction in his playing days. He was a key player in a glorious period for Hamburg, as they won three Bundesliga titles, became European champions, and won the European Cup Winners' Cup. He also won 43 caps for West Germany, before a knee injury ended his career in 1986.

As a manager, Magath has had plenty of success. He did the league and cup double with Bayern Munich in both 2005 and 2006, but in 2007 his relationship with his squad became strained. His unwavering focus on punishing fitness drills and his aloof and unapproachable attitude alienated his players, and results suffered. Amidst accusations that he had lost the plot both in terms of tactics and man-management, Magath was sacked.

To his immense credit, Magath then went on to eclipse his "double-double" at Bayern with an even greater achievement. He took over a Wolfsburg team that was 15th in the Bundesliga, and turned them into champions within two years, with Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko providing the attacking thrust alongside Brazilian strike partner Grafite. While Magath's obsession with fitness had been derided towards the end of his Bayern reign, it paid off at Wolfsburg. Their title success was built on a ten-match winning streak in the second half of the season, and all those runs up and down the artificial hill at the training ground (dubbed "Mount Magath") had borne fruit.

Having delivered Wolfsburg's first major trophy in 64 years, Magath promptly jumped ship and joined Schalke. Fans of the Royal Blues were hoping Magath could whip their unruly players into shape. Although he led Schalke to second in his first season in charge, a familiar pattern soon emerged. He gradually lost the dressing room (the imposition of arbitrary fines for small errors in games didn't help), and the team's form imploded. Magath had favourites who were spared punishment and criticism, but some players were treated exceptionally harshly, including a trio who had been left to rot in the reserves for three months by the time Magath was replaced. Jefferson Farfan, who was fined 100,000 euros for arriving late to training after the winter break, summed up Magath's methods as "ugly", and stated his treatment of players "destroyed the group."

Schalke sacked Magath in March 2011, and his second spell at Wolfsburg was also a failure. Magath is unusual in German football in the respect that he demands total control of transfers, and he embarked on a dizzying merry-go-round of arrivals and departures. In one transfer window, he brought in eight players, four of whom were left-wingers. Constant chopping and changing gave the team no rhythm or cohesion, and Magath left with the side bottom of the Bundesliga.

The former Norway striker Jan Aage Fjortoft, who played under "Medicine Ball Magath" at Eintracht Frankfurt, has some tremendous anecdotes about the manager's erratic behaviour on his Twitter feed (I won't spoil it for you here). Tellingly, when it was suggested that Magath sounded like the worst manager in the world, Fjortoft disagreed and said he rates him highly. That's the key point when considering Magath - he always gets results in the short-term, even though his methods are corrosive in the long-term.

The 60-year-old takes charge of a Fulham side that is bottom of the table, trading at 1.44 in the Relegation market and 2.32 in the Rock Bottom market. With Magath in charge and £11million striker Kostas Mitroglou added to the Cottagers attack, I expect there to be an upturn in fortunes at Craven Cottage, at least in the short-term. After that, who knows what havoc the erratic Magath will cause?

Recommended Bet
Lay Fulham in the Relegation market at 1.44


http://betting.betfair.com/football/premier-league/taskmaster-magath-has-the-tools-to-save-fulham-150214-140.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Chaos Reigns at Craven Cottage
   
I`m in shock this morning!

I`d heard the rumours doing the rounds that Rene Meulensteen`s position, in charge of the first team, was in danger but I didn`t really believe, after encouraging performances against Manchester United and Liverpool that he`d be kind of axed.

I say kind of axed because Rene is still employed by the club but will be working under our new manager Felix Magath, the former Bayern Munich boss.

Now quite whether that is acceptable to the Dutchman or not remains to be seen, I suspect that he`ll be pushed towards the door sometime in the next 72 hours.

But whilst accepting that results suggest a second change, this season, was needed I`m stunned at the timing of it.

Magath takes charge, having been given an eighteen month contract, knowing he is expected to keep the club in the Premier League but with a squad of players he cannot change, courtesy of the transfer window being shut, would it not have been better to orchestrate the change earlier?

Further confusion reigns with the insinuation that Fulham were always intent on employing a new manager, even when Rene was give the role but without the grand title, which beggars belief that it took so long to do so.

Chaos is the word that springs to mind and the whole situation, in my opinion, makes Fulham Football Club look amateurish!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=349735#ixzz2tTNaleGF

[WhiteJC]

 
Meulensteen - An Act of Fear!
   
Rene Meulensteen`s reign as being the person in charge of the first team lasted a mere 75 days.

His record, of 10 points from 13 games is, strangely enough, identical to that of his predecessor, Martin Jol`s spell this season.

In being axed by Fulham, at a critical stage of our season, Meulensteen becomes the third shortest tenure of a Premier League manager, nestling in behind Alan Shearer who spent 59 days in charge of Newcastle and Les Reed who spent 40days in charge of Charlton.

Speaking about his axing, Meulensteen revealed,

"I knew the owners were freaking out a little bit that there was the possibility of the club going down."

"The way forward we have discussed with the club was about longevity and in this case it is clearly an act of fear."

There is speculation in the media today that Meulensteen could beset to join Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, at Cardiff, if so we`d like to wish him well and hope that his time in charge hasn`t dented his enthusiasm to become a top manager.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=349737#ixzz2tTNnRMvx

[WhiteJC]

 
A Warm Welcome to Felix Magath
   
With Meulensteen shoved to one side, it is now down to Felix Magath to steer us away from the relegation zone.

Magath, the first German to manage in the Premier League is keen to get started in his new role remarking after his appointment,

"Here we go again, I`m coming back into football."

"It`s a fantastic working environment for any coach and footballer."

"This amazing club and it`s amazing owner Shahid Khan have totally convinced me and given me the managerial responsibility."

"I`m looking forward to the football and, even more so, to the work."

The German certainly has the pedigree for the job having previously worked at;-

• Hamburg (1995-97)
• Nurnberg (1997-98)
• WerderBremen (1998-99)
• Eintracht Frankfurt (1999-01)
• VfB Stuttgart (2001-04)
• Bayern Munich (2004-07)
• Wolfsburg (2007-09)
• Schalke (2009-11)
• Wolfsburg (2011-12)

As for managerial honours the sixty year old has won:

• Bayern Munich - Bundesliga - 2004-05 and 2005-06
• Wolfsburg - Bundesliga - 2008-09

But some might say keeping Fulham Football Club in the Premier League will top all of the above!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=349738#ixzz2tTNzYwhi

[WhiteJC]

 
Where Does This Leave Curbishley and Wilkins
   
The sudden and very dramatic appointment of Felix Magath as the new Fulham manager leaves the futures of Alan Curbishley and Ray Wilkins in doubt.

Brought in by Rene Meulensteen to try and halt the plunge through the relegation trap-door, it remains debatable whether one, both, or neither will be wanted by Felix Magath.

According to the media, no immediate decision has been made on either of their futures but it is being suggested by the tabloid press that Fulham Football Club will review their positions in the coming days.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=349740#ixzz2tTOCEVJ2

[WhiteJC]

 
Why Meulensteen Had to Go!
   
For those who are a little unsure why Fulham Football Club had a sudden and very dramatic change in managerial status last night, our owner, Shahid Khan, offered a brief explanation.

This is what our owner had to say,

"With 12 matches remaining, we can no longer post empty results. Action was required."

It remains to be seen whether the action carried out was the correct action.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=349741#ixzz2tTOLIYmV

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham fans surprised by Meulensteen sacking

Fulham's decision to replace Rene Meulensteen with Felix Magath was a surprising one but it could save their season, according to Supporters' Trust member Dan Crawford.

Magath was appointed on Friday night, with Meulensteen's departure not confirmed until the Dutchman himself announced he had be relieved of his duties.

The Whites currently sit bottom of the Barclays Premier League and are four points from safety with 12 games remaining.

Crawford admits he was not expecting the change at the top but feels Magath could bring something new to the club's survival bid.

"I was very surprised," he told Press Association Sport.

"We had all read that he might have two games to save his job but you just assumed that the performances and fight they showed would have been enough.

"We have got a week's break now before a massive game against West Brom so it was the last time we could make a change.

"Magath has never managed outside the Bundesliga so getting him to come in to a team in this position is a bit of a coup and we have a £12million striker [Kostas Mitroglu] who is yet to play.

"You always need something or someone special and, in Magath, it looks as though the club have brought in an experienced fire-fighter."

Magath has won three Bundesliga titles during his managerial career but now faces a different challenge after being tasked with keeping Fulham in the top flight.

Crawford is hopeful Fulham will see a response to the appointment, something that never occurred when owner Shahid Khan decided Meulensteen was the man to replace Martin Jol in December.

"We haven't won a league game since January 1, we are out of FA Cup, bottom of the league and running out of time," he added.

"You have to look at the season we have had - usually you get a bounce off a new manager and that is something we haven't had.

"The defending has been abysmal for most of the season, you hope that someone who is a disciplinarian will come in and get things right, he won't take any prisoners and has virtually no margin for error.

"We are in the last chance saloon and everyone recognises that, it slaps a little bit of desperation but that is par for the course given the situation we are in."



http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/fulham-fans-surprised-by-meulensteen-sacking-30012958.html

[WhiteJC]

 
A blagger's guide to new Fulham manager Felix Magath
The Cottagers are unlikely to want for fitness and discipline, but there's far more to their new boss.

While the shock axing of Rene Meulensteen may be unseemly, the news that he will be replaced by Felix Magath should Fulham fans rejoicing.

Whether that will be a sentiment shared by the playing staff that occupy the Premier League's bottom rung is up for debate, with the German mostly known as feared disciplinarian.

One thing's for sure, Magath is in possession of enough managerial smarts to have steered Bayern Munchen to successive league and cup doubles.

"Big whoop" you say? Fair enough, but he repeated the trick in 2008/09 with Wolfsburg, a far less fashionable outfit, having previously laid the groundwork for Stuttgart's Bundesliga victory in 2007.

Fulham can be backed to defy 9/25 favouritism in bwin's Premier League relegation betting at a 39/20 that looks twice as nice a price since Magath's appointment.

The German boss reached the highest peaks in his playing days, notching the winner in the 1980 European Cup final for Hamburg and reaching successive World Cup finals with Die Mannschaft.

As a manager he has been attributed various nicknames, 'The Torturer' and 'Saddam' among them, due to his Spartan training regimes.

Lengthy runs in which players were not allowed so much as a drop of water and another jag up a Swiss mountain that saw Wolfsburg striker Grafite carried down on a stretcher, exhausted, are just some of the tales that emanate from his legend.

However, there is much more to the son of a Puerto Rican soldier and a German mother than fear and retribution.

While in the long run his methods may begin to grow irksome to his charges they have had a fantastic knack of bringing the best out of sides in the short term.

Magath inspired Wolfsburg to their only ever Bundesliga title and Schalke to a second-place finish in just his second season at both clubs.

Earlier in his career he took over a Stuttgart side battling relegation.

Through the astute promotion of young talents such as Mario Gomez, Kevin Kuranyi and Phillipe Lahm turned them into a Champions League side capable of seeing off Manchester United.
In a similar situation at Craven Cottage his track record of forging a winning blend of innocence and experience will be vital.

His tactical default, which won him the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg is a particular brand of 4-4-2 that some observers have likened to a diamond formation.

However, while it may look so on paper, the central-midfield retains two holding players while the supposed wide men are also quite narrow, with width provided by the full-backs.

Playmaking responsibilities are shared out between all the members of the middle band while up front the line leader and number ten are encouraged to interchange.

With the Cottagers having employed a 4-4-2 variant in 15 of their 26 league games to date Magath's staple setup should be easy for Fulham to adopt.

Fulham to stay up @ 39/20

- See more at: http://bwinbetting.com/leagues/premier-league/blaggers-guide-fulham-manager-felix-magath,51986.html?#sthash.BukXGuVI.dpuf

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham firm favourites to be relegated despite appointing Felix Magath

Rene Meulensteen has been replaced as Fulham manager by former Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath.
The Dutchman, who succeeded the sacked Martin Jol in December, told BBC Sport that he had been fired but he remains under contract at Fulham.

Meulensteen, who won four of 17 games in charge, told BBC Sport: "They have hit the panic button on emotion and fear - but hey ho, that's football."

He was not mentioned in a club statement  announcing Magath's arrival.

Fulham chairman Shahid Khan said: "With 12 matches remaining, we certainly can no longer post empty results. Action was required."

Magath, 60, has signed an 18-month contract at Fulham, who are bottom of the Premier League. He has won the Bundesliga three times as a manager, most recently with Wolfsburg in 2009, and is the first German to manage in the Premier League.

The experts have not been impressed and Fulham remain firm favourites with the bookies to get relegated. They are a best priced 4/11 for the drop and sit foot of the table and four points from safety.

Joe Ross of betting website www.footyinsider.co.uk said:

'When will new owners learn, changing managers like your underpants never works. Three managerial changes, three styles of play, three different dressing room styles in only two thirds of a season and you can't see Fulham recovering. They look as certain as any side in recent seasons to drop down to the Championship unless Magath is a miracle worker.'

FD



http://www.footballtradedirectory.com/news/2014/february/fulham-firm-favourites-to-be-relegated.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Exclusive – Collins: Fulham situation is a 'shambles'

Former Fulham star John Collins has labelled the club's situation a 'shambles', after the Cottagers sacked Rene Meulensteen after just 75 days in charge last night.

Owner Shahid Khan was quick to replace him with former Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg boss Felix Magath, who has joined on an 18-month deal, but Collins believes the decision to appoint a third manager this season is baffling.

"It's a shambles, it's really strange," he told the Weekend Sports Breakfast.

"Over the last couple of results things look like they could be turning a corner and then all of a sudden you hear this news last night.

"When you sign players, you think a manager will be given time. Hopefully the new manager will come in and have an impact, but it's a tough job and they're in a difficult position."

The timing of the decision to replace Meulensteen has confused many, including Collins, who admitted that he feels sorry for the five players who arrived in January.

"You have to wonder what these new players are thinking when they are hearing that a manager who has persuaded them to come to this club, told them his plan, his vision and what he's looking from them. Now they'll be thinking 'what kind of football club have I joined?'"

Collins, who enjoyed three seasons at Craven Cottage, including helping Fulham gain promotion to the Premier League in 2001 conceded that the Cottagers have simply not been good enough this year, and reluctantly tipped them for relegation.

"This season it's been poor from start to finish and they're in a really difficult position. If I was a betting man then Fulham will be big favourites to go down. Fingers crossed they can stay up, but it's going to be difficult."


Read more at http://talksport.com/football/exclusive-collins-fulham-situation-shambles-14021579937#YFfsPhaL2YvXzxde.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Brevett: Fulham players will be shocked

Former Fulham captain Rufus Brevett believes the current squad will be shocked at the decision to replace head coach Rene Meulensteen with ex-Bayern Munich boss Felix Magath.

The Whites currently sit bottom of the Barclays Premier League and have not won a league fixture since a 2-1 victory over West Ham on New Year's Day.

Meulensteen was appointed as Martin Jol's successor in December but, having been unable to steer Fulham out of the relegation zone, he also lost the faith of owner Shahid Khan.

Brevett, who currently manages Southern League Premier Division side Arlesey Town, reckons the players will struggle to once again adapt to new ideas.

"The players will be shocked," he told Press Association Sport.

"Some are players that Meulensteen brought in in January and they just won't know what has happened.

"As players you have got to get on with it, it is your job. They have to take responsibility but it is true, you do also need continuity in what you're being told is expected of you.

"Just as they are getting used to Meulensteen's methods and the things that he wants, he is gone and another manager comes in - it will be very difficult for him with 12 games to go, it doesn't happen over night."

Magath, who has won three Bundesliga titles during his managerial career, now has 12 games to turn things around at Craven Cottage after becoming Fulham's third manager of the season.

Brevett feels a relegation battle requires a different approach and also did not rule out Khan making another change in the summer if Magath fails to keep the club in the top flight.

"He owns the club and will do what he thinks is best," added Brevett.

"He has brought a new manager in with 12 games to go, if Magath doesn't keep them up is he going to bring in another manager to get them out of the Championship? How much does Magath know about that division?

"Sometimes when a new manager comes in you get a new kick and hopefully if they do that they might have a chance.

"The confidence is low and it is going to take a completely different mindset, there are a lot of differences between fighting to win things and trying to stay in the league. We will have to wait and see what he comes up with.


http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/brevett-fulham-players-will-be-shocked-30013109.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Rene Meulensteen sacked: What Fulham should be prepared for under Felix 'the torturer' Magath


The 60-year-old German is known as an unltra-disciplinarian and fitness fanatic

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.

PA


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/rene-meulensteen-sacked-what-fulham-should-be-prepared-for-under-felix-the-torturer-magath-9130671.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Team News: No Dimitar Berbatov for Monaco

Dimitar Berbatov remains on the bench for Monaco against Bastia in Ligue 1, despite scoring an extra-time winner against Nice in the Coupe de France on Wednesday.

Nicolas Isimat-Mirin and Geoffrey Kondogbia come in for Eric Abidal and Lucas Ocampos.

Bastia, meanwhile, have named an unchanged team to the one that beat 10-man Toulouse on Tuesday.

Former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse starts up front for the hosts.

Bastia: Leca; Modesto, Squillaci, Harek, Diakité; Palmieri, Cahuzac, Romaric, Yatabaré; Ilan, Cissé

Monaco: Subasic; Fabinho, Kurzawa, Carvalho, Abidal; Moutinho, Toulalan, Kondogbia; Rodriguez, Germain, Riviere


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/bastia/team-news/team-news-no-dimitar-berbatov-for-monaco_138323.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Magath relishing Fulham task

Felix Magath has welcomed the challenge of keeping Fulham in the Premier League as he expressed his delight at being appointed their new manager.

Magath replaced Rene Meulensteen late on Friday night and the former Schalke boss is relishing the challenge ahead.

Reports have claimed that Fulham want Meulensteen to remain as assistant to Magath, but with the former Manchester United coach claiming he was sacked it remains to be seen if he will take up the role.

Magath, who signed an 18-month contract, has been charged with keeping the Cottagers in the Premier League.

"Here we go again, I'm coming back into football," said Magath. It's a fantastic working environment for any coach and footballer.

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

"I'm looking forward to the football and, even more so, to the work," continued the former Bayern Munich manager.

Fulham's decision to replace Meulensteen with Magath has shocked many fans and pundits, but Supporters' Trust member Dan Crawford believes it could save their season.

"We have got a week's break now before a massive game against West Brom so it was the last time we could make a change," said Crawford.

"Magath has never managed outside the Bundesliga so getting him to come in to a team in this position is a bit of a coup and we have a £12million striker [Kostas Mitroglu] who is yet to play.

"You always need something or someone special and, in Magath, it looks as though the club have brought in an experienced fire-fighter."


http://www.setanta.com/ie/magath-relishing-fulham-task/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Can Meulensteen return?

News broke yesterday that Rene Meulensteen has been replaced at Fulham as manager by Felix Magath, the German manager who won the league with Wolfsburg a few years ago.

"We had an extensive meeting on Monday afternoon as our meetings have been very good throughout," Meulensteen told Sky Sports about his relationship with the chief exec. "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. 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."

Meulensteen hasn't actually been sacked, contrary to early reports, with the club rating his ability as a coach but doubting his authority to hold a managerial position. Still, he will be leaving the club in the next few days when the terms of his departure have been finalised, with his position having been made untenable.

Since leaving United last summer, Meulensteen has had two posts as manager. The first was at Anzhi in Russia and lasted just 16 days. His stint at Fulham lasted 75 days. Both have mitigating circumstances and shouldn't be used as a stick to beat him with, but it hasn't been the greatest of starts.

Does his future lie in management though? In Sir Alex Ferguson's autobiography he talked about the people he had worked with who he believed at the time clearly had a future in management. Steve McClaren was someone he singled out, as well as referring to Carlos Queiroz as "the closest you could be to being the Manchester United manager without actually holding the title". There was no mention of Meulensteen though.

The Dutchman left the club on good terms after being offered a position at United by David Moyes. Meulensteen's hands on approach to training suited Ferguson, who was happy to take a step back, whilst it clashes with Moyes' training methods. Moyes likes to get his hands dirty and so there wouldn't be room for Meulensteen to continue with the same responsibility that he enjoyed under Ferguson.

Meulensteen may feel like he hasn't been given a fair crack of the whip where management is concerned, and may be keen to make it third time lucky with a different club. But there's always the possibility that he might be starting to realise that management isn't for him. Robin van Persie referred to Meulensteen as one of the best coaches in the world, and maybe that's where he real strength lies and where he should remain.

Would there be a position for him at United still? A week ago there probably would have been, but not now.

Following United's 2-2 draw with Fulham, Meulensteen was very smug in his post-match interview about how easy it had been to defend against United's tactics. It was an unnecessary dig at Moyes. Meulensteen could have easily focussed on the strength of his own approach to the game without saying that our tactics were "straightforward" and "easy" to defend against. He then went as far as making suggestions on what United needed to do in future, saying: "You need a little bit of creativity and a bit of variety at times to open teams up. But it's not for me to talk about Manchester United and what's gone wrong."

Maybe he is bitter about the fact he couldn't continue on at the club, even if that was a decision of his own making. Maybe he does believe that Moyes isn't a good enough manager and he is frustrated to see "his" players employed in such an unimaginative way. But these remarks have made any return to United impossible, as it would totally undermine Moyes.

I have great memories of Meulensteen at Old Trafford from the days when the Premier League trophy was lifted in front of the home fans. He would be going round the pitch with the players, geeing up the supporters and thoroughly enjoying himself. I think it was dreadful for the club that he left, given what a significant role he had played in our success over recent years, but it was something that couldn't be avoided. I do wish Meulensteen the best of luck wherever he goes, even though a return to United is off, but I imagine he'll think twice before giving a smug interview next time around.


http://therepublikofmancunia.com/can-meulensteen-return/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=can-meulensteen-return

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham claim that Rene Meulensteen has not been sacked
Club refute the Dutchman's comments that he has been "released" by Alistair Mackintosh, the chief executive, from his contract

The confusion at Fulham continued on Saturday with the club insisting that Rene Meulensteen had not been sacked despite Felix Magath being brought in as the "first-team manager" over his head.

The future of Alan Curbishley, the recently appointed technical director, is also in serious doubt after it emerged that he had not been consulted in the abrupt decision to replace Meulensteen, after just 75 days in charge, with Magath.

Fulham dispute that Meulensteen has been sacked with the club refuting the Dutchman's claim, made live on radio on Friday evening, that he had been "released" by Alistair Mackintosh, the chief executive, to make way for Magath, who has signed an 18-month contract and takes over on Sunday.

Magath, who has won three German titles, is due to meet Fulham's backroom staff at the club's Motspur Park training ground. In theory, therefore, Meulensteen would be expected to report for duty but that is highly unlikely to happen unless he has a change of heart.

Ray Wilkins, who was appointed Meulensteen's assistant in December, has admitted that he is "completely in the dark" over his own future at the club which sits bottom of the Premier League with just 12 matches to go.

Meulensteen, who held the title of head coach, is understood to now be seeking clarification from Fulham as to what is happening but does not expect to return to work at the club.

A source close to him said yesterday that the "reality is he has been terminated" from his job and that negotiations are expected to now take place over his severance package. "Rene will be calling for clarification – but as far as he is concerned his job has gone," the source said.

Meulensteen is said to be clear that he was given responsibility for the first-team when he succeeded Martin Jol and so has effectively been dismissed with Magath now handed those duties. It remains to be seen whether Fulham dispute this.

The 49-year-old has been under increasing pressure in recent weeks having collected just 10 points from 13 games. But the timing of his removal is, nevertheless, bizarre given the backing he received in the January transfer window - with Fulham spending more than £15 million – and he has overseen an huge improvement in the last two performances in drawing with Manchester United and losing narrowly to Liverpool.

Magath's first game will be the vital away match against fellow strugglers West Bromwich Albion with Fulham's players due to meet their new manager on Monday.

Fulham had insisted they would back Meulensteen for the "long haul" and also last week dismissed suggestions that Curbishley would take over unless results improve. The former West Ham United and Charlton Athletic manager was employed as a 'mentor' to help the relatively inexperienced Meulensteen.

However, it does seem that Meulensteen is correct in stating that Shahid Khan, the Fulham owner, has hit the "panic button" because of the club's plight and the prospect that they will be relegated after 13 years in the top flight.

Employing Meulensteen was always a gamble although now turning to Magath, who becomes the first German to manage in the Premier League, represents a desperate last throw of the dice.

In a statement following the decision to hire Magath Khan stated the former Bayern Munich coach – who had been expected to return to Hamburg – had been brought in on the recommendation of Mackintosh. However it is understood it was the American billionaire, whose representatives were at the club last week, who insisted that a change was made as Fulham head towards relegation.

Curbishley was not aware that the change was about to be made and although Fulham may want to keep him in place it is difficult to envisage the role he will take alongside such an experienced – and headstrong – manager as Magath.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/fulham/10640943/Fulham-claim-that-Rene-Meulensteen-has-not-been-sacked.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Why Fulham's decision to sack Rene Meulensteen is beyond ludicrous

You go through a range of emotions as a Fulham fan – mostly disappointment, sometimes jealousy, jubilation on occasion. But rarely anger.

Rarely has this humble club riled its own fans, and never to such a distasteful extent as when Rene Meulensteen was given the boot, to be replaced by the dictatorial Felix Magath. The fury was palpable.

It was a decision that came largely out of the blue, following an impressive upturn in form that coincided with Meulensteen's overhaul of this previously lifeless squad.

What Meulensteen had done, and it was no mean feat, was inject some energy into this team. He had inherited a squad of non-believers who seemed quite content in their free-fall towards relegation under Martin Jol.

He changed it around; pandered to our hopes and wishes that a team of average 30 somethings could be changed into a group of lively, talented players.

Meulensteen encouraged youth, handing no fewer than eight under 21s their first team Fulham debuts in his brief stint at Craven Cottage.

Simply, the Dutchman made us believe that, no matter our short term fate, there was a future for this club and that that future would be bright.


Former Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath has been charged with keeping Fulham up (Picture: AP Photo)
Now, though, the clubs is in a shambles. Sacking two managers in one season is a PR nightmare and though that shouldn't really matter, our status as a popular, loved, unpretentious club is being slowly eroded by a series of decisions that, politely, can only be described as astonishing.

Jol's tenure was flawed and he should have left months before he did but even his departure was handled with the utmost incivility. And now Meulensteen is the one that must bear the brunt of our newly acquired, non-committal hire-and-fire system.

But before this turns into a tirade of disapproval from a man who is both ashamed and embarrassed by the actions of his club, let's at least find some positivity.

Magath does, after all, come with pedigree. His record, though hardly unblemished, is sound; in particular his ability to pull clubs like ours out of the mires.

It could also be said that Meulensteen, in the short term at least, was indeed failing in South West London, possessing a points tally that was no more complimentary than that of Jol's.

For that, perhaps the decision is understandable, and perhaps the decision will save our season.

But for everything else, for what this club is becoming and what it is leaving behind in the process, it is an abomination.


http://metro.co.uk/2014/02/15/why-fulhams-decision-to-sack-rene-meulensteen-is-beyond-ludicrous-4305805/?