Wednesday Fulham Stuff (05/03/14)...

[WhiteJC]

 
West Ham United drop complaint to Premier League over Fulham's attempt to sign Ravel Morrison
Fulham were initially accused of tapping up Ravel Morrison but West Ham have dropped their complaint to the Premier League

West Ham have dropped their complaint to the Premier League over Fulham's attempt to sign Ravel Morrison.

The Hammers reported Fulham on Jan 15, effectively accusing the Cottagers of tapping up midfielder Morrison after rejecting a bid of around £4million.

West Ham officials were upset former Fulham head coach Rene Meulensteen publicly claimed Morrison wanted to move to Craven Cottage.

Despite Meulensteen's comments, Fulham had been confident of proving they did not act against the rules, believing they had enough evidence to show Morrison had been made available for transfer.

The fact Morrison has subsequently joined Championship club Queens Park Rangers on loan would support suggestions the 21-year-old was free to leave Upton Park.

Under Premier League rules, a club can only be sanctioned if they approach a player who has not got the prior written consent of the club he is contracted to.

Perhaps realising their case against Fulham was likely to be unsuccessful, West Ham have now informed the Premier League they no longer want to pursue the complaint and that the matter is dropped.

West Ham claim they are happy with the fact they have received an apology from Fulham over the Morrison row and stress the two clubs remain on good terms.

Although West Ham have ended their feud with Fulham over Morrison, the former Manchester United youngster is still expected to leave Upton Park permanently at the end of the season if manager Sam Allardyce remains in charge.

Morrison's performances and attitude at QPR have been hailed by Jermaine Jenas, who said: "All we can do is base our thoughts on what he is doing at QPR and he's been exceptional on the training ground. He's professional and has a positive attitude.

"He was at Man United and he had to leave, he was at West Ham and he had to leave, but those reasons are beyond us. All we can do is try to get the best out of Ravel."


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/west-ham/10674860/West-Ham-United-drop-complaint-to-Premier-League-over-Fulhams-attempt-to-sign-Ravel-Morrison.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Man City Away Now On Sale

Tickets for our trip to the Etihad Stadium are now on sale to Season Ticket Holders who can buy up to six tickets each.

Members will have access to buy from 10am on Friday 7th March, with any remaining tickets going on sale to supporters with a Booking History from 10am on Tuesday 11th March.

We've had some memorable matches with Manchester City down the years. Indeed, earlier this season the Whites fought back from 2-0 down to level the scores only to eventually go down to a 4-2 defeat at home to title-chasing City.

We also won 3-1 at City in 2009 and who can forget the season before that when the Whites came back from 2-0 down to secure an incredible 3-2 victory – three points which kick-started our famous 'Great Escape'.

Tickets for this season's trip are priced at £37 for Adults, £31 for Over-65s and £23 for Under-16s, with tickets for Junior Season Ticket Holders and Junior Members FREE of charge. Buy yours today at fulhamfc.com/tickets or by calling 0843 208 1234.

The Club is also providing free travel for ticket purchasers on a first come, first served basis. Read more here.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/march/04/man-city-tickets?

[WhiteJC]

 
McMahon On Arthurworrey

"He's Learning Fast"

John McMahon says he has seen improvements in Stephen Arthurworrey since he joined the Club.

The centre back joined Tranmere on loan from Fulham at the start of the year and has made ten appearances in a Rovers shirt.
He extended his loan for another month yesterday.

McMahon told Tranmere Player: "He's signed for another month which is a bonus for us.

"He's shown good signs of progression and development and he's getting confidence. He's a big player for the team now.

"He's settled in more and more. He's a quiet lad naturally and I think he's learning the social side of his game which is important in the dressing room.

"I think he's learning fast in different aspects of the game.

"I think [Arthurworrey and Taylor as a partnership] are getting better. There's still lots of work to be done with them but they are starting to get to know each other's game.

"It's not just those two, it's the full backs as well who need to marry it all together. I thought certain aspects of the defensive performance need tweaking which we will do on the training ground this week."

John McMahon on Stephen Arthurworrey


Read more at http://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/news/article/mcmahon-040314-1397060.aspx?#z80vtCeMSt30XkFW.99

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Defender eyes goals

Cardiff centre-half Ben Turner is urging the side to get amongst the goals against Fulham by any means possible.

The Bluebirds sit second bottom of the table and they take on basement club Fulham at the weekend in a vital match for both sides, but Cardiff have a problem scoring and it is 400 minutes since they last found the back of the net. Turner's defensive partner Steven Caulker hit the woodwork twice against Spurs at the weekend and Turner believes that a goal against Fulham could just about kick-start their season. "We need something to light us up," the Daily Star quotes the 26-year-old as saying. "If that is a one-yard tap-in from a knock-down, then so be it. We have to make it happen. "Everyone has to try and make it happen, whether that be defenders going up for free-kicks. Someone has to get on the end of something to spark us off."



Read more at: http://www.clubcall.com/cardiff-city/defender-eyes-goals-1715851.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss Magath has fitness concerns with Hangeland ahead of Cardiff clash

Fulham manager Felix Magath is sweating on the fitness of key defender Brede Hangeland for the relegation showdown against Cardiff.

The Norwegian was taken to hospital on Saturday following a nasty clash of heads with team-mate Kieran Richardson.


Off you go: Brede Hangeland is taken off with a head injury

Treatment time: Hangeland is attended to before being taken off

No pressure: Hangeland could miss the game against Cardiff
The blow made Hangeland a doubt for Norway's friendly against the Czech Republic on Wednesday, but having been given the all-clear by hospital staff the defender has reported for international duty after consulting with Fulham.

Magath was given the final decision on the 32-year-old and gave him the green light, nevertheless the German manager will be keeping his fingers crossed that Hangeland does not suffer another blow against the Czechs.


Work to do: Felix Magath's Fulham are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table
Fulham can climb above Cardiff and off the bottom of the Barclays Premier League with victory over Ole Gunnar Solksjaer's men this weekend.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2572796/Brede-Hangeland-doubt-Fulham-ahead-Cardiff-clash.html#ixzz2v4m1GtVl
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

[WhiteJC]

 
'Unfit' Mitroglou set to play for Greece


Kostas cutter: Magath and Mitroglou

The confusion surrounding Kostas Mitroglou is set to deepen tomorrow with Fulham's record signing expected to play for Greece — despite being left out of Felix Magath's squad to face Chelsea on Saturday because of concerns over his fitness.

Mitroglou, who has made just one 29-minute substitute appearance since joining Fulham for £12million in January, has been called up for a friendly against South Korea.

The 25-year-old forward is likely to feature in the game in Athens, adding to the uncertainty about why he was absent from the Fulham squad against Chelsea.

Magath struggled to clarify his decision to leave Mitroglou out at the weekend, with the Fulham manager first saying the forward was not fit enough before going back on those comments by claiming he was not ready for the intensity of the Premier League.

"He is not fit enough to play 90 minutes," said Magath last Friday, and then caused more confusion by not naming Mitroglou on the substitutes' bench at Craven Cottage despite admitting he was "fit enough to play for half an hour".

Mitroglou joined Fulham with a minor knee injury but appeared to be on his way to full fitness when he made his debut as a substitute against West Brom last month. Magath hopes he will be fit to face Cardiff on Saturday. Mitroglou is likely to return from international duty on Thursday and will then be assessed by Magath and the club's medical staff before the trip to Wales.

Mitroglou, who was in Athens on Sunday night for the derby between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos, is an integral part of the Greece team and coach Fernando Santos will use the South Korea friendly to continue his preparations for the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Fulham midfielder Pajtim Kasami is targeting a place in Brazil this summer with Switzerland. Kasami has made just one Premier League start this year and has been dropped by Switzerland for the upcoming international friendlies.

Kasami said: "My goal is keep Fulham up but the World Cup is important. I need to play every week to impress."



http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/unfit-mitroglou-set-to-play-for-greece-9168232.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Order of the Felix: Fulham Struggling for Survival

Article by e-Fulham Correspondent Barnaby Mollett

The Cottagers lie bottom of the Premier League pile, without a win since the first day of 2014 and form more erratic than the stunningly varied results of my home-baking career. It looks like it will take a footballing miracle to keep Fulham in the Premier League, and the appointment of apparent 'militant tough guy' manager Felix Magath may not be enough to provide this. However, a sense of optimism I've gained from finding a £2 coin behind the back of the sofa today has persuaded me to look in some detail at Magath's credentials, and the great Fulham relegation Houdini of 2007/08, in order to assess the chances of pulling off another escape act.

Magath's Previous Experience

Okay, so he's a three-time Bundesliga winner, with Bayern Munich (twice) and Wolfsburg. Pulling off the latter was something equivalent of Everton or Southampton winning the Premier League, and is impressive by any standards. However, Magath seems to be a manager with strong credentials in the short term, before managing to isolate himself from players, chairmen and fans over the long haul.

You may argue – and you would be right – that Fulham need a short-term solution most pressingly. And, hey presto, Felix Magath has been credited as being a relegation specialist in much of the fanfare relating to his appointment, having saved Wolfsburg from the drop in a second stint at the club in 2010/11. Here's the lowdown: with eight games remaining of the season, Wolfsburg had dropped to seventeenth (out of eighteen) in the Bundesliga. Magath's team ended up winning three, drawing three, and losing two, surviving by 4 points. The table below shows us the statistics:

Compared to Fulham's current position – and run in – Wolfsburg's rescue was a relative walk in the park. They played just one team who was in the top half of the table at the time of kick off, and they were only ever one point from safety, and St. Pauli and Eintracht Frankfurt who ended up getting relegated were in form worse than a BLT without bacon. Comparing this to Fulham's run in below gives some perspective:

By contrast, Fulham have four of their remaining fixtures against teams in the top eight. The average position of teams to be faced is 11th, relative to 12th (out of a smaller league of 18) for Wolfsburg. However, there is a crumb of comfort that can be drawn for the Cottagers: under Magath, Wolfsburg got 1.5 points per game during their run in. The same for Fulham would take them to 36 points. Would this be enough to stay up? Ask me in the evening of 11th May.

Fulham's Previous Experience

It's not like Fulham haven't been aboard HMS Flirting With Disaster before. At the beginning of each season, even the most optimistic of Fulham fans have a quick glance at the last game of the fixture list, to 'prepare for the worst'. A number of seasons have required the Whites to pick up some important late points, none more so than the 'great escape' of 2007/08 under Roy Hodgson.

Amazingly, after 28 games of that season, Fulham had 19 points – 2 fewer than in this season current. And yet, this current season seems as dismal as a grey January day in Milton Keynes. Certainly, the power of hindsight gives a decidedly rosy afterglow to the Hodgson era, and an escape as theatrically enduring as Luke Skywalker flying into the Death Star in an X-Wing , just to come out unscathed on the other side. Nonetheless, although it's now six years on, I don't remember that team being turned over quite as easily as the current squad. The statistics back my thoughts up; despite the lower points tally, in 2007/08 after 28 games, Fulham had lost 15 games with a goal difference of -23, whereas this season the Cottagers have lost 19 games and a substantially worse goal difference of -34.

The Verdict

So, Felix Magath has his work cut out. But, as Roy's boys proved, escaping from a mathematically worse situation was possible. Although this squad has been through more transformations than Optimus Prime, there are still some players that could – and need to – lead by example. Fulham need a 2014 Brian McBride, a 2014 Jimmy Bullard, and a 2014 Erik Nevland. I'd like to throw Parker and Holtby in for nominations for the first two, and have my fingers crossed that somebody can step into the heroic-last-stand goalscoring void Nevland filled in 2008. It needs to happen, and quickly, if Fulham stand any chance of not playing Brentford away next season.

© e-Football 2014 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Football


http://efootballnet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/order-of-felix-fulham-struggling-for.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Clint Dempsey Interview: Star Talks to B/R About Fulham, MLS and the World Cup

As soon as the United States had officially clinched their place at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Clint Dempsey knew where he wanted to begin his preparations.

After his return to Major League Soccer with the Seattle Sounders was interrupted by a couple of frustrating injuries, Dempsey did not want to spend the offseason resting. He wanted to be playing, and at the highest level possible.

For Dempsey, that meant returning to the Premier League and, more specifically, Fulham, where he first made his name in European football with a club that still feels like "home."

Home might have had something of a remodel since Dempsey left in 2012—changing owner (once) and manager (twice)—but Dempsey was still eager to return, despite the club also being embroiled in a relegation battle.

"I'm grateful to Fulham for allowing me to come back on loan, where it all kind of started for me in Europe," Dempsey tells Bleacher Report. "There were other clubs that I had options to go to, but Fulham has always kind of been like home to me."

With the club at the bottom of the league and even replacing head coach Rene Meulensteen with German disciplinarian Felix Magath while Dempsey was at the club, the 30-year-old (he turns 31 on Sunday) got a little lost in the turmoil, completing just three matches (two of them FA Cup ties) during his tenure without managing to get on the scoresheet.

Nevertheless, he does not regret the decision.

"I knew they were down toward the bottom of the table and it was going to be a difficult situation that I was going into," he adds. "I wanted to come back and get back to playing with some of the best competition, work on my fitness and form and try to help the team as much as I could.

"The most important thing is making sure that we survive because Fulham deserves to be in the Premier League—it's a great club with a lot of history."

Dempsey has three years remaining on his deal with the Sounders, but the temporary loan is something that is unlikely to be repeated, with the Texan admitting it has been "tough" being away from his family.

This year's move was a one-time deal, specifically written into his contract to ramp up his preparations for his third and, quite possibly, final World Cup appearance.

In 2006, he made a late run to be included in the squad and, ultimately, the starting XI. In 2010, he was a key player—famously allowing Robert Green to embarrass himself as the national team drew with England and subsequently reached the knockout stages.

In 2014, all being well, Dempsey will be his country's captain for the first group game against Ghana on June 16.

"It'll definitely be up there," Dempsey says, when asked where that will rank on his list of career achievements. "The travel aspect [having returned to the MLS, travel seems to be one of his biggest preoccupations] of all those games is going to be different but also playing against three really good teams.

"When I saw the draw I knew it was going to be difficult, but at the same time you go to the World Cup to play against some of the best teams in the world.

"We get the chance to play against Germany, Portugal and Ghana, so it's exciting and [I'm] looking forward to the challenge."

When the draw was made in December, few gave the United States a hope of progressing. Germany are considered a favourite to win the competition, Portugal are blessed with the brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo, and Ghana, who knocked the USMNT out of the tournament four years ago, are hoping to repeat their quarter-final run in South Africa.

Dempsey, though, is adamant the pundits, the critics and the doubters can be wrong.

"I think if we play our best ball we can advance out of the group," he says, with conviction rather than hope. "That's the mentality you need to have if you are going to be successful."

The opening game is set to be the cornerstone of that assault.

"My meetings with Ghana have been bittersweet," he notes. "I've scored a goal in one, and helped to win a penalty that led us to get the equalising goal and go into overtime in the other...but we lost both of those games. So it is something we don't want to happen three times.

"We are going to do everything we can to make sure we get points out of that game, and we know it's important to do that if we want to advance out of the group."

Dempsey believes progressing from Group G will do big things for the growth of the game back home, but even if that is not the case, he has already done his bit in that regard.

If David Beckham's arrival in Los Angeles pushed professional soccer toward a wider American audience, then Dempsey's move to Seattle seemed to take that a step further—increasing the league's appearance of prestige and professionalism.

Since his multimillion-pound move, Dempsey has been joined by Michael Bradley, who returned from AS Roma to become part of Toronto FC's ambitious project. It turned heads around the sport; here were two established American internationals, having forged respectable careers in Europe, returning to their domestic league at (or near) their primes.

With the likes of England international Jermain Defoe and Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar also making the switch, the league seems to be slowly but surely moving away from its entrenched image as a retirement home for the former superstar and toward being perceived as a competition that can attract players of all backgrounds and situations.

Beckham is now preparing to start his own franchise in Miami, while Manchester City are behind New York City FC and a further franchise is in the pipeline for Orlando. The expansion of the league, and the profile of those involved, only seems likely to continue.

"It is exciting; it shows the league is growing and it does have ambition and that there is a demand for more franchises, for more soccer-specific stadiums and more talent," Dempsey says.

"I think it's good that you're getting quality players back during the prime of their career, or during parts of their career where they still have a lot of time left to play good football."

Dempsey thinks that the example he and Bradley have set, so to speak, could also be important in inspiring the next generation of young homegrown players to consider football as a viable career.

Suddenly their sizeable salaries (Dempsey earns $8 million a year) can perhaps persuade talented teenagers with a number of possible sporting paths ahead of them that they can choose soccer and still enjoy a lucrative career.

"For American players it's great, because we're seeing more American players get better deals," he notes. "For me, growing up, that wasn't always the case, it was more international or foreign players getting the deals.

"It's good for some of the younger players growing up, showing that they can make a living in playing the game that they love, and they can do it domestically."

The most persistent complaint about the MLS is the standard of play, but it's not an argument that Dempsey thinks holds up.

"It's a difficult league, because it's a very athletic league, a very physical league," he points out. "I'm excited about starting the season fresh with everyone else in March and trying to make the most of it.

"I have three years [on my contract], and in that time I want to have won an MLS Cup."

Not that Dempsey is advocating for his younger countrymen to snub offers from abroad, should they arise: "I'm not trying to discourage anyone from going over to Europe. You've got to do what's best for you and what you want to accomplish in your career."


Degree Men
Clint Dempsey is fully focused on the World Cup

Many of Dempsey's current international team-mates do play in Europe: Jozy Altidore, Geoff Cameron and Brad Guzan in the Premier League; Sacha Kljestan in Belgium; Jermaine Jones in Turkey, to pick just a few.

But many more still play in the U.S., some earning a fraction of what their more vaunted team-mates make. Dempsey, as captain, will have to lead that potentially disparate group in Brazil. Captains are often expected to be the loudest voice in the dressing room, but in person, his style seems more understated.

Will he be more vocal once he puts that armband on?

"I'm not someone that talks a lot in that type of way," Dempsey acknowledges. "When Jurgen [Klinsmann] appointed me to be captain, I was honoured and also nervous. I had a conversation with him, to make sure that he knew that the [understated] way I am is the way I want to lead, because I'm not someone who pretends to be I'm something that I'm not.

"But his reassurance that he picked me to be captain because of the way that I was, that gave me confidence to just go into that role and be myself and lead in the way that I do."

The feeling appears to be reciprocated, with Klinsmann's style getting his captain's full backing. Experienced as a player at the highest level and having managed Germany at a home World Cup in 2006, Klinsmann immediately commands respect among the squad.

He's also an effective motivator. If Dempsey is leading by example on the pitch, then Klinsmann will be the one cajoling from the sidelines.

The combination alone might not be enough to get the United States into the last 16 of the World Cup, but it might not be far off.

"Having a manager that's played at the highest level and has that experience does bring confidence into the team," Dempsey enthuses. "He also brings a lot of energy into the group. He's someone who is always looking at ways to improve the team."

After last year saw the U.S. secure their World Cup berth (winning two of their last three qualifiers without conceding a goal), the early part of 2014 is about building on those performances—starting with Wednesday's off-again, on-again friendly against Ukraine.

"I think if you look at our record in 2013 it was one of the best years that we've had as a national side, and hopefully we can continue that in 2014," Dempsey concludes.

"The most important thing for us is representing the country well and making sure we do everything we can to advance out of the group because that will help continue the growth of the game in the States, and that's the most important thing.

"We're excited about the challenge and look forward to it."



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1962047-clint-dempsey-interview-star-talks-to-br-about-fulham-mls-and-the-world-cup?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham's biggest day

This weekend's match away in Cardiff is a pivotal fixture in our season and perhaps one of the biggest in the history of London's oldest club. If we do lose again then the slim chances we are clinging on to another great escape can materialise will certainly be in pieces and no doubt another new manager will be beckoned in post haste.

Some will point out that the 1975 FA Cup final was the most significant game in Fulham's history, and others that fateful day in Hamburg, but while both offered much greater accolades in victory, neither would have left the club in such a dire state of affairs that defeat to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men would do this weekend.

Of course we have been here before, and back in the 2007-2008 season there were a few games that held similar significance, most notably our famous 1-0 win at Fratton Park on the last day of the season, and the Joe Kamara inspired come back at Man City a few weeks before that. This time it seems different though and while we did have managerial changes that season, Roy Hodgson ending the forgettable Lawrie Sanchez reign in December, it is nothing compared to the shambles that has been the comings and goings down at Craven Cottage this term, so much so that many of us now feel rather detached from the club we once knew and loved. While I remain fully behind the players and will sing till the end, that feeling of "we are all in it together" just doesn't seem as strong as it was in 2008.

Significantly there is as much instability off the pitch as there is on it at present, and while I have no doubt that a relegated Fulham in 2008 would by no means have come straight back up, I do believe that we would have been in a much better position to at least stabilise under Mohamed Al-Fayed than perhaps a new owner, who could consider cutting his loses given little in the way of an emotional attachment.

Shahid Khan could yet prove me wrong, even in the event of relegation, but given the evidence we have in front of us it is hard to currently hold him in any higher regard than the chairman of our opposition this weekend. Whether he is accountable for the poor appointments following the dismissal of Martin Jol, whether he allowed him to stay in charge for too long in the first place or if he is just guilty of giving a little too much leeway for Alistair Mackintosh to go about running the club as he sees fit remains inconclusive, but if he does want to adhere himself to the fans then turning up at The Cardiff City Stadium this Saturday would be a good way to go about it.

We lose and we are down, we win and the dream of another miraculous escape remains alive. COYW!


http://www.shoot.co.uk/fulhams-biggest-day/

[WhiteJC]

 
Stephen Arthurworrey: Tranmere to keep Fulham defender on loan

Tranmere have extended the loan spell of Fulham defender Stephen Arthurworrey for a third month.

The 19-year-old initially joined Rovers at the beginning of January, and after his loan was extended in February, he has so far featured 10 times.

"He's only a young lad and this is his first league experience, but he is developing quickly," said assistant manager John McMahon.

"He's a great lad who has a lot of passion for the football club."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26439161

[WhiteJC]

 
World Cup At Craven Cottage

With today marking 100 days until this summer's 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals kicks off, why not make Craven Cottage your viewing destination.

We have several luxurious suites and lounges perfect for enjoying the tournament, whilst you can take advantage of our delightful Riverside location, providing an idyllic setting.

Craven Cottage can accommodate a wide range of requirements to suit you and all of your guests, including private event packages, so join us and experience the FIFA World Cup Finals at London's original Football Club.

For more information, call our events team on (+44) 020 8336 7555, 9am to 5.30pm, Mon-Fri, or email [email protected]. Alternatively, fill in the form below, and one of the team will be in touch.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/march/04/world-cup-at-the-cottage?

[WhiteJC]

 
Villa Sold Out

The Club can confirm that the entire ticket allocation for next month's trip to Aston Villa has now been sold.

That means there will be just under 3,000 travelling fans at Villa Park to cheer on Felix Magath and his team.

As always, many thanks for your support.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/march/04/villa-sold-out?

[WhiteJC]

 
Keeper Search On Hold

Gaffer could wait for Etheridge to regain fitness

Crewe Alexandra boss Steve Davis says he is in no great hurry to bring in another goalkeeper following the unfortunate injury to his on-loan goalkeeper Neil Etheridge. The Fulham goalkeeper remains our player after returning on loan for the remainder of his 93 days but the 24-year-old unfortunately suffered a slight recurrence of his thigh strain – the same injury that cut short his previous loan spell with us back in November.

Davis selected Etheridge for our away trip to Stevenage, but following his injury quickly recalled young Ben Garratt for the visit of Swindon on Saturday.

Steve told crewealex.net: "I am still in contact with Neil and he is training again without really kicking the ball and putting unwanted stress on the thigh. He has suffered a couple of set-backs with it now and everyone is being cautious with him.

"It could be two to three weeks and we just don't want it to blow up again for his sake. He has told me the thigh has really settled down and that is a real positive. He hasn't torn it and it is just some scar tissue there.

"Everyone will take their time with him and of course by the time he is back then it will be the majority of the 28-day period. When that is up Fulham can recall him.

"We could go out and get another goalkeeper in but I am happy with Ben and Steve (Phillips). I am just concerned if one of them got injured and we had to go with one goalkeeper.

He added: "If one of them was to be injured then we would really be short and if we were to get another one in then they would expect to play because they would be sitting on the bench at their parent club anyway. So it is a difficult one."


Read more at http://www.crewealex.net/news/article/keeper-search-on-hold-1397700.aspx?#m6VOKZchuRIMX0w3.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Diarra closing in on Fulham return

Fulham manager Felix Magath is considering bringing midfielder Mahamadou Diarra back to Craven Cottage, according to the Mirror.

The Mali international left Fulham at the end of last season after having trouble with his knee, and the club are looking into bringing him back to help them in their bid for Premier League safety.

The 32 year old former Real Madrid man is currently training with Magath's side, who side at the bottom of the Premier League, four points behind seventeenth place West Bromwich Albion, who have a game in hand.

Diarra made nineteen appearances for the Cottagers in one-and-a-half seasons, scoring his only goal in a 3-0 victory at Bolton Wanders in April 2012.

Fulham continue their battle for survival against fellow strugglers Cardiff City next weekend, and can be backed at 2/1 to secure what would be their first league victory since the New Year's Day win over West Ham United.


http://www.soccernews.com/diarra-closing-fulham-return/139717/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Must Be A Forward Step
   
Ben Turner has said that the entire camp are focused on the Fulham game because they know it's a great opportunity for us to take a proper step forward in our hopes of Premiership survival this season.

Following on from our recent results and defeats, Turner told the Official Site that there can be no hiding by the players when it comes to the challenge that we face this season and it's plainly obvious to everyone that we need to keep more clean sheets and score goals.

Hopefully he hopes this will happen this weekend.

'Hopefully one can go in and from that more goals will follow. A goal can light up a team, especially a team that's struggling for goals. We'll keep working on it in training to be more of an attacking threat. There's no getting away from the fact that it'll take hard hours and a lot of belief. We need to believe that we're going to score when the ball is in the box.'

Turner goes on to say that Saturday's game against Fulham can't be described as anything else now other than the 'biggest game' for us, and if there was ever the proverbial 'must win six pointer' it is this game as with ten left we need to close that gap and quickly so we are in the mix to capitalise on a few others making mistakes.

One thing that's unquestionable. If we fail to win the games we need to, we are down, so it's in our hands and we need to see that kind of reaction.

Following on from the Spurs performance, despite it being another loss, he does admit that we'll go into the game having taken the positives and we'll be looking to turn those positives into points now, and within the team there is the belief that we need to win at least five or our remaining ten matches to have any hope of survival now this season.

Even that would make it tight, but 15 points more on the board should definitely give us a shot. The sooner we can get them the better.


Read more: http://www.cardiff.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=351643#ixzz2v4q3gTmi

[WhiteJC]

 
Tony Gale: 'Fulham must beat Cardiff City'

Former Fulham defender Tony Gale has claimed that the team must beat Cardiff City on Saturday if they want to stay in the Premier League.

The Cottagers, who are currently four points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table, make the trip to South Wales to face their fellow strugglers.

"Cardiff is a match I think we've got to win because the games are running away from us now," Gale told Fulham's official website. "We probably need five wins and two draws out of the last 10 games.

"This is one where not only have we got to win it, but they've got to win it as well. That's a good thing because they'll have to come at us and I've seen enough of them to think that we can go and win this game."

Fulham head to Cardiff looking to end an eight-match winless run.



http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/relegation-battle/news/gale-fulham-must-beat-cardiff_142476.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Hope for Hangeland
   
Fears that Brede Hangeland may miss the crucial Premier League fixture against Cardiff, this weekend; might have eased considerably!

The Norwegian centre-back, who suffered a sickening clash of heads with Kieran Richardson in the early stages of our defeat to near-neighbours Chelsea, left the pitch concussed.

However, the concussion hasn`t stopped Brede from reporting for international duty with Norway thereby giving hope that he will be marshalling the defence when we travel to the Cardiff City Stadium.

The way things are we need all the help we can get.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=351657#ixzz2v4qdZPSM

[WhiteJC]

 
Diarra After Short Term Contract
   
I`ve lost track of the number of times the subject of Mahamadou Diarra has been covered by the press.

It seems to be that the player veers between the treatment room and getting a new contract.

Today, in one tabloid publication, the inference is that Diarra is back training with the team and hoping to secure a short-term deal.

With Felix Magath having already trimmed down the squad so that he can work with a smaller group of players to stave of that looming relegation threat I can`t see, but I may be wrong, Diarra getting what he wishes.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=351660#ixzz2v4qrFv56

[WhiteJC]

 
Think Positive!
   
This weekend we face a fellow relegation threatened side in the shape of Cardiff City.

Like us the side from South Wales has changed their manager, recently, with Ole Gunnar Solksjaer taking over.

But, unlike us, they`re remaining upbeat and believe they can stave off relegation with thr defender Ben Turner being quoted as having remarked,

"Of course it is possible to beat the drop."

"We have had a few games at home recently which have been must wins."

"That mean sour game with Fulham is whatever is more than a must-win."

"There are teams who have come back from worse positions than we are in. We just need a win for a springboard."

Now perhaps that`s the spirit Vital Fulham should be adopting!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=351661#ixzz2v4r0BCLc

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham midfielder to retire after World Cup


Karagounis told reporters he will retire from international duty after World Cup

Fulham midfielder and Greece captain Giorgos Karagounis claims he is retiring from international football after the World Cup in Brazil this summer.

The veteran has made 131 appearances for his country but believes the World Cup will be his final send off in Greece's colours.

The midfielder made his debut way back in 1999 and went on to play an integral role in his side's famous Euro 2004 triumph in Portugal.

Speaking to Greek journalists at Nike's presentation of their World Cup kit, Karagounis said: "After Brazil I'm stopping from the national team."

Overhearing the comments was Celtic striker Giorgos Samaras who intervened, a little optimistically placing a wager that that his teammate would stay on for two more years: "There's no way. We're going to Euro 2016 together, I'm telling you. He won't stop, I'll bet you."

Karagounis laughed off Samaras' comments and adamantly replied, "After Brazil that's it. This will be the last Greece shirt I'll wear."

It remains to be seen who will win the bet but in the meantime, Karagounis will lead his side out in Piraeus on Wednesday as the Greeks continue their preparation ahead of the World Cup with a friendly against South Korea.



http://www.footballdirectnews.com/premier-league-news/42134-fulham-midfielder-to-retire-after-world-cup.php#.UxboZFwdObA