Today couldn't have gone any worse

[BedsFFC]

Almost certainly repeating stuff from earlier but from selection, performance, result and team morale, things today, couldn't have been planned worse.

Martin Jol killed this club. In 18 months, He ruined what we had built in ten years. Today felt like Jol's brother had taken over and was getting one back and being spiteful against the previous regime.

The only thing missing was Diddy being forced to do a big announcement after 10 players had come on the pitch, cue dry ice....give a Big Fulham welcome back to....Dimitar Berbatov.

What I saw today didn't just bode badly for this season, it also will have a big knock on for next.

What a sorry state.

We are now coming down to Cardiff. We are 70% down. Win and play well and we are 60:40, lose and it's 80:20.

On a separate note. Goodbye Clint Dempsey. Thanks very much for the memories

[Blanco]

I don't think you can only blame Martin Jol. For me, most of the blame is down to the people running the club. We have been too comfortable in the Premier League for years now and finally we are being punished for it. We haven't been good with managers, we haven't invested properly, etc... I honestly would rather go down and rebuild than go year after year doing what we've been doing.

[mangoputney]

I don't think you can only blame Martin Jol. For me, most of the blame is down to the people running the club. We have been too comfortable in the Premier League for years now and finally we are being punished for it. We haven't been good with managers, we haven't invested properly, etc... I honestly would rather go down and rebuild than go year after year doing what we've been doing.

+1 Jols football / training was turd but you hit the nail on the head for me

Season cannot end soon enough. It is not going to be turned round. Dire

[St Eve]

First of all it wasn't Jol. It was upper management who would not let him invest. Secondly going down is not an option. It took 40 years to get back last time and I don't have 40 years!

[Lighthouse]

When Jol took over we had a good but ageing side. Hughes left because of the lack pf investment. Jol took a good team and made it dull and unattractive. We played the odd half that was good but otherwise he ruined the side.

Then Al wanted to sell the club, something he was planning for some time I believe, hence Hughes leaving. No money was put into the team after Jol bought Ruiz. Then we sold Dembele and Dempsey and never replaced them.

Jol was kept on far too long. When Rene took over we showed flair and promise but no results.

Under Felix we look to be going back to Jols side.

Too many mistakes by those incharge. We were on the point, with investment of being a good top half side. That never came and the guts were torn out of the team.

Our club has been badly let down by so many people. We deserve to go down and frankly never return. The heart of Fulham, all that effort and money in becoming a Prem side was squandered on the alter of sustainability. Those in charge should be ashamed. Rene should still be manager and we would have gone down fighting. But Felix and his Dads Army do not look capable of winning against any team this season.

[john dempsey]

re. lighthouse post . spot on but since m.a,f. left. loony McIntosh has undone 15 years of hard work in 6 months lets hope khan see's the light and get's shot of him .awful,awful decisions made this season.

[Moussa Dembele the 3rd]

When Jol took over we had a good but ageing side. Hughes left because of the lack pf investment. Jol took a good team and made it dull and unattractive. We played the odd half that was good but otherwise he ruined the side.

Then Al wanted to sell the club, something he was planning for some time I believe, hence Hughes leaving. No money was put into the team after Jol bought Ruiz. Then we sold Dembele and Dempsey and never replaced them.

Jol was kept on far too long. When Rene took over we showed flair and promise but no results.

Under Felix we look to be going back to Jols side.

Too many mistakes by those incharge. We were on the point, with investment of being a good top half side. That never came and the guts were torn out of the team.

Our club has been badly let down by so many people. We deserve to go down and frankly never return. The heart of Fulham, all that effort and money in becoming a Prem side was squandered on the alter of sustainability. Those in charge should be ashamed. Rene should still be manager and we would have gone down fighting. But Felix and his Dads Army do not look capable of winning against any team this season.

I enjoyed Jol's first year more than the Hughes year (we were abominable for most of that season). I actually was quite happy with Jol (falling out of Europa was tough, but more unfortunate than anything else) until the Dempsey and Dembele sales at which point it appeared like he became massively depressed and started to lose the plot.

[WayneKerrins]

First of all it wasn't Jol. It was upper management who would not let him invest. Secondly going down is not an option. It took 40 years to get back last time and I don't have 40

Jol was wrong for us on day 1 and a few of us knew it. Cheque book manager with only a plan a) that needs classy technical players. Once they aged and or were sold he had nothing else. On a list of criteria to judge any top level manager on his performances on most was utter fails.

Fayeds desire to squeeze money out from transfers pre sale started the decline Jol's mismanagement coupled by Mac (? Khans) giving him 2 months too long was the coup de grace. Jol was one of the gang that killed us.

By the way mate were down. There's nothing to hang your hat on with this squad that could justify any sensible hope we could go on a run. I've never said that before since we first came up because a) I never thought it and b) I hate defeatism but mate the denial has to end.

We have got exactly what we deserved. And the only thing that can make it feel less worse is Ally Mac being summarily dismissed at the end of season 'party'.

[HatterDon]

re. lighthouse post . spot on but since m.a,f. left. loony McIntosh has undone 15 years of hard work in 6 months lets hope khan see's the light and get's shot of him .awful,awful decisions made this season.

You're right about McIntosh, but your time is off. We started going downhill when we pushed Hughes out the door to hire Jol. All this didn't happen just this season. We've been falling apart since December 2012.

[The Old Count]

re. lighthouse post . spot on but since m.a,f. left. loony McIntosh has undone 15 years of hard work in 6 months lets hope khan see's the light and get's shot of him .awful,awful decisions made this season.

You're right about McIntosh, but your time is off. We started going downhill when we pushed Hughes out the door to hire Jol. All this didn't happen just this season. We've been falling apart since December 2012.

Hate to say it but Hughes was right.  MAF wanted his money back more than he wanted us to progress.  That stagnation led to the situation we are in.  Jol made things worse but was not helped by the financial restraints.  At least Al Fayed left the place better than he found it.  For that I'm grateful.

We will get relegated this year, barring a miracle.  I believe Khan has the dynamism and the desire to get us back up.

[alfie]

re. lighthouse post . spot on but since m.a,f. left. loony McIntosh has undone 15 years of hard work in 6 months lets hope khan see's the light and get's shot of him .awful,awful decisions made this season.

You're right about McIntosh, but your time is off. We started going downhill when we pushed Hughes out the door to hire Jol. All this didn't happen just this season. We've been falling apart since December 2012.

Hate to say it but Hughes was right.  MAF wanted his money back more than he wanted us to progress.  That stagnation led to the situation we are in.  Jol made things worse but was not helped by the financial restraints.  At least Al Fayed left the place better than he found it.  For that I'm grateful.

We will get relegated this year, barring a miracle.  I believe Khan has the dynamism and the desire to get us back up.

Please correct me if i am wrong but when Jol went we were not bottom of the league, how many goals did we let in with Rene at the helm, when he was replaced we were bottom, is this correct?

[SG]

We are going down for a multitude of reasons. It started with failing to invest after finishing 7th and the Europa final and then losing Roy. We regressed further with the failure to invest when that team aged under Hughes but still came a creditable 8th. Jol came in and the first season was more of the same with little investment but again our league position masked some of the obvious team weaknesses. I think the club became complacent and believed that they were established in the PL. Then we lost the 2 Ds which ripped the heart out of the team and they were never adequately replaced. Last season it was obvious to most that Jol's team had lost it and the results and more importantly the performances in that second half of the season should have seen him sacked in the close season. I can only assume that he wasn't because with the change of ownership they wanted some continuity. Jol should have gone and a new manager brought in for the start of the season. Whether he would have done better with loan signings and ageing players is something we can debate all day. I just don't know. Nor do I know whether Rene would have kept us up but there were some diabolical performance under him. We now have Magath and we are not really in a position to comment with just 2 games gone. BUT for the life of me when I heard Dempsey in the team in place of Holtby I did wonder what games/training sessions he is watching. The only comment I can make is based on 90 minutes yesterday and that was like watching Jol's team earlier in the season. Clueless for much of the time, chasing the opposition and just huff and puff in attack with little threat on their goal, although reluctantly we have to accept that this was the League leaders.
It really is sad to see the club in the state it is in given those heady days and trips to Hamburg etc. Total mismanagement from top to bottom in the senior club over a number of years whilst at the same time we have seen the academy thrive. That is our hope for next season. It seems to me that this is the only hope left. Clear out about a dozen ageing and expensive players whether we stay up or go down, retain a few for experience and blood these good youngsters. In the meantime, let's get down to the Cottage for the Youth Cup game and see a home victory - that will make a pleasant change.

[Me-ate-Live, innit??]

re. lighthouse post . spot on but since m.a,f. left. loony McIntosh has undone 15 years of hard work in 6 months lets hope khan see's the light and get's shot of him .awful,awful decisions made this season.

You do realise that  Alister Macintosh has been at Fulham since  2008 ????


Alistair Mackintosh has joined Fulham FC as the New CEO, leaving Manchester City and Thaksin Shinawatra behind . He takes over from David McNally who left the club earlier in the year. He brings with him some great experience with city and has overseen some big changes. Alistair Mackintosh is credited with seeing Manchester City  rise to the top 20 international revenue earners, and Mohamed Al Fayed obviously feels that this is the dynamo that could get Fulham going financially.  Mackintosh also instituted a wages based on performance system at Man City. Could he be thinking of having the system at the cottage? Maybe this would help along some of the 'coasters' that have been in the squad over the years. He has also been congratulated with managing the club's debt and securing it without unnecessary risk. Maybe this is what caught MAF's eye? Anyway, he obviously wasn't comfortable working for Thaskin at City, (or vice versa) and felt a move was the sensible way to go.  Well we can hope that the much ignored state of club finances will grow stronger with some fresh blood. Watch this space for better marketing of the club!
http://www.thefootballnetwork.net/main/s623/st130590.htm

[alfie]

We are going down for a multitude of reasons. It started with failing to invest after finishing 7th and the Europa final and then losing Roy. We regressed further with the failure to invest when that team aged under Hughes but still came a creditable 8th. Jol came in and the first season was more of the same with little investment but again our league position masked some of the obvious team weaknesses. I think the club became complacent and believed that they were established in the PL. Then we lost the 2 Ds which ripped the heart out of the team and they were never adequately replaced. Last season it was obvious to most that Jol's team had lost it and the results and more importantly the performances in that second half of the season should have seen him sacked in the close season. I can only assume that he wasn't because with the change of ownership they wanted some continuity. Jol should have gone and a new manager brought in for the start of the season. Whether he would have done better with loan signings and ageing players is something we can debate all day. I just don't know. Nor do I know whether Rene would have kept us up but there were some diabolical performance under him. We now have Magath and we are not really in a position to comment with just 2 games gone. BUT for the life of me when I heard Dempsey in the team in place of Holtby I did wonder what games/training sessions he is watching. The only comment I can make is based on 90 minutes yesterday and that was like watching Jol's team earlier in the season. Clueless for much of the time, chasing the opposition and just huff and puff in attack with little threat on their goal, although reluctantly we have to accept that this was the League leaders.
It really is sad to see the club in the state it is in given those heady days and trips to Hamburg etc. Total mismanagement from top to bottom in the senior club over a number of years whilst at the same time we have seen the academy thrive. That is our hope for next season. It seems to me that this is the only hope left. Clear out about a dozen ageing and expensive players whether we stay up or go down, retain a few for experience and blood these good youngsters. In the meantime, let's get down to the Cottage for the Youth Cup game and see a home victory - that will make a pleasant change.

i agree with a lot of this but "I did wonder what games/training sessions he is watching"  thats the point though he can only really go by what he sees at training, as we are not there we don't know.

[epsomraver]

We are going down for a multitude of reasons. It started with failing to invest after finishing 7th and the Europa final and then losing Roy. We regressed further with the failure to invest when that team aged under Hughes but still came a creditable 8th. Jol came in and the first season was more of the same with little investment but again our league position masked some of the obvious team weaknesses. I think the club became complacent and believed that they were established in the PL. Then we lost the 2 Ds which ripped the heart out of the team and they were never adequately replaced. Last season it was obvious to most that Jol's team had lost it and the results and more importantly the performances in that second half of the season should have seen him sacked in the close season. I can only assume that he wasn't because with the change of ownership they wanted some continuity. Jol should have gone and a new manager brought in for the start of the season. Whether he would have done better with loan signings and ageing players is something we can debate all day. I just don't know. Nor do I know whether Rene would have kept us up but there were some diabolical performance under him. We now have Magath and we are not really in a position to comment with just 2 games gone. BUT for the life of me when I heard Dempsey in the team in place of Holtby I did wonder what games/training sessions he is watching. The only comment I can make is based on 90 minutes yesterday and that was like watching Jol's team earlier in the season. Clueless for much of the time, chasing the opposition and just huff and puff in attack with little threat on their goal, although reluctantly we have to accept that this was the League leaders.
It really is sad to see the club in the state it is in given those heady days and trips to Hamburg etc. Total mismanagement from top to bottom in the senior club over a number of years whilst at the same time we have seen the academy thrive. That is our hope for next season. It seems to me that this is the only hope left. Clear out about a dozen ageing and expensive players whether we stay up or go down, retain a few for experience and blood these good youngsters. In the meantime, let's get down to the Cottage for the Youth Cup game and see a home victory - that will make a pleasant change.

i agree with a lot of this but "I did wonder what games/training sessions he is watching"  thats the point though he can only really go by what he sees at training, as we are not there we don't know.

"It worked in training!" now where have i heard that said before?

[epsomraver]

We are going down for a multitude of reasons. It started with failing to invest after finishing 7th and the Europa final and then losing Roy. We regressed further with the failure to invest when that team aged under Hughes but still came a creditable 8th. Jol came in and the first season was more of the same with little investment but again our league position masked some of the obvious team weaknesses. I think the club became complacent and believed that they were established in the PL. Then we lost the 2 Ds which ripped the heart out of the team and they were never adequately replaced. Last season it was obvious to most that Jol's team had lost it and the results and more importantly the performances in that second half of the season should have seen him sacked in the close season. I can only assume that he wasn't because with the change of ownership they wanted some continuity. Jol should have gone and a new manager brought in for the start of the season. Whether he would have done better with loan signings and ageing players is something we can debate all day. I just don't know. Nor do I know whether Rene would have kept us up but there were some diabolical performance under him. We now have Magath and we are not really in a position to comment with just 2 games gone. BUT for the life of me when I heard Dempsey in the team in place of Holtby I did wonder what games/training sessions he is watching. The only comment I can make is based on 90 minutes yesterday and that was like watching Jol's team earlier in the season. Clueless for much of the time, chasing the opposition and just huff and puff in attack with little threat on their goal, although reluctantly we have to accept that this was the League leaders.
It really is sad to see the club in the state it is in given those heady days and trips to Hamburg etc. Total mismanagement from top to bottom in the senior club over a number of years whilst at the same time we have seen the academy thrive. That is our hope for next season. It seems to me that this is the only hope left. Clear out about a dozen ageing and expensive players whether we stay up or go down, retain a few for experience and blood these good youngsters. In the meantime, let's get down to the Cottage for the Youth Cup game and see a home victory - that will make a pleasant change.

:plus one: 0001.jpeg

[SG]

We are going down for a multitude of reasons. It started with failing to invest after finishing 7th and the Europa final and then losing Roy. We regressed further with the failure to invest when that team aged under Hughes but still came a creditable 8th. Jol came in and the first season was more of the same with little investment but again our league position masked some of the obvious team weaknesses. I think the club became complacent and believed that they were established in the PL. Then we lost the 2 Ds which ripped the heart out of the team and they were never adequately replaced. Last season it was obvious to most that Jol's team had lost it and the results and more importantly the performances in that second half of the season should have seen him sacked in the close season. I can only assume that he wasn't because with the change of ownership they wanted some continuity. Jol should have gone and a new manager brought in for the start of the season. Whether he would have done better with loan signings and ageing players is something we can debate all day. I just don't know. Nor do I know whether Rene would have kept us up but there were some diabolical performance under him. We now have Magath and we are not really in a position to comment with just 2 games gone. BUT for the life of me when I heard Dempsey in the team in place of Holtby I did wonder what games/training sessions he is watching. The only comment I can make is based on 90 minutes yesterday and that was like watching Jol's team earlier in the season. Clueless for much of the time, chasing the opposition and just huff and puff in attack with little threat on their goal, although reluctantly we have to accept that this was the League leaders.
It really is sad to see the club in the state it is in given those heady days and trips to Hamburg etc. Total mismanagement from top to bottom in the senior club over a number of years whilst at the same time we have seen the academy thrive. That is our hope for next season. It seems to me that this is the only hope left. Clear out about a dozen ageing and expensive players whether we stay up or go down, retain a few for experience and blood these good youngsters. In the meantime, let's get down to the Cottage for the Youth Cup game and see a home victory - that will make a pleasant change.

i agree with a lot of this but "I did wonder what games/training sessions he is watching"  thats the point though he can only really go by what he sees at training, as we are not there we don't know.

But why would you play a player who is now off back to the States - unless it was a Messi who could win the game on his own. Selecting Dempsey really was a baffling decision

[epsomraver]

 Quote  "But why would you play a player who is now off back to the States - unless it was a Messi who could win the game on his own. Selecting Dempsey really was a baffling decision"
Totally agree, perhaps our American owner wanted it? no other logical explanation really. One of Magath's more bizzare statements is that the experienced players make fewer mistakes, WRONG,  all player make mistakes our younger players seem to make less than some of the elder statesman

[TonyGilroy]

When I saw that team selection I realised that things won't improve under Magrath.

[callumc513]

When I saw that team selection I realised that things won't improve under Magrath.

I was feeling fairly optimistic (but not expectant) an hour before the game, but when the teamsheet was read out it seemed like the entire atmosphere dropped.