Friday Fulham Stuff (28/03/14)...

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Ghana defender John Pantsil would welcome return to struggling English side Fulham

Ghana defender John Pantsil says he would welcome a return to Fulham, three years after leaving the Cottagers.

The 32-year-old spent three years at Fulham before joining Championship side Leicester City in the 2011-2012 season.

The experienced right back known for his solo lap of honour for the fans at Fulham, says he will welcome a move back to England with struggling Fulham his preferred destination.

"I will consider the option to back to Fulham. You know I was the fans' favourite and so will love to return to the side," Pantsil said

"I have been in touch with the fans since I left and so if the opportunity presents itself, I will take it.

"The club and the fans are in my heart and my prayers and thoughts are with them."

The Ghana international has been rejuvenated since he joined South African second-tier side Santos.

He is confident of fighting his way back  into the Black Stars ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup despite his slim chances.



http://www.ghanasoccernet.com/ghana-defender-john-pantsil-welcome-return-struggling-english-side-fulham/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Jack Back In SW6

Fulham have recalled young defender Jack Grimmer from his loan spell at Sky Bet League One outfit Port Vale.

The Whites exercised a clause in the loan agreement between the two clubs.

Grimmer joined Vale in January and went on to make 14 appearances, scoring once.

Vale boss Micky Adams said: "Jack has been a pleasure to work with and I'm sure if he continues to learn he will have a big future in the game and we wish him all the best on his return to Fulham."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/march/27/jack-back-in-sw6?

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Premier League flop Bryan Ruiz eyes Fulham return

Bryan Ruiz says that he could make a return to Fulham at the end of the season when his loan spell at PSV Eindhoven runs out.

Bryan Ruiz arrived in London in August 2011 with a big reputation. The Costa Rican had established his name during his two years with FC Twente, helping them win the Eredivisie in 2010 and finish runner-up a year later.

However, the 28-year-old attacker never really settled in the Premier League. A foot injury hampered his progress at Craven Cottage in 2011-12, although the next campaign he did find more playing time, picking up five goals and seven assists in 29 Premier League appearances.

As the current season began to unfold, Ruiz started to slip down the pecking order and was eventually allowed to return to the Netherlands in January, having scored just one goal in the Premier League in 2013-14.

Ruiz failed to convince then Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen to keep him in his plans for the second half of the campaign and left the club seeking regular first-team action to boost his World Cup ambitions.

"Martin Jol, the manager who signed me, was sacked and I asked his successor, Rene Meulensteen, if he still needed me," he told Het Nieuwsblad.

"I was thinking about the World Cup. I had to play, but Meulensteen made me feel as though I wasn't part of his plans.

"I thought I could still help the team, but he had other thoughts - although I still rate him as a manager.

"Was Fulham the wrong choice? No. My first year was difficult but I played well in my second season. This season the whole team was struggling."

Ruiz has since rediscovered his form in the Dutch top flight, scoring four goals and providing two assists in 10 league appearances for PSV so far during his loan spell.

On the other hand, Fulham have continued to struggle in the Premier League, replacing Meulensteen with Felix Magath but with little success, as the Cottagers remain at the foot of the table.

Ruiz's impressive form for the Dutch giants has helped them close on the gap on leaders Ajax to six points in the Eredivisie table and has flared up suggestions that his move to Phillip Cocu's side may be made permanent in the summer.

However, the former Gent player insists that he could make a comeback to the Premier League and prove that he is suitable in play in England.

"I still think I am a player built for the Premier League," he said. "I can't say that Fulham didn't play the football I prefer, but I can't say the opposite either.

"But if you are fighting against relegation, sometimes you forget to play football. Then you get typical English football, which suits me less.

"It was the right decision to join PSV. It is going well and after the World Cup I will weigh up my options.

"I don't exclude a return to Fulham, as they can still save themselves. London is a fantastic city."


http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/03/27/sm-bryan-ruiz-wants-fulham-return/

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Alexander Kacaniklic: 'Focus on Everton'

Fulham winger Alexander Kacaniklic has insisted that he and his teammates have quickly forgotten about the weekend's defeat to Manchester City and are now fully focused on Everton.

The Whites remain bottom of the Premier League table, but a win over Everton could see them move up to 18th and Kacaniklic hopes that home advantage will fire them to victory.

"We just need to move on and look to the game against Everton," he told the club's official website. "We have seven games left and we need to fight for every point. We played well against Newcastle so we want to put in a similar display on Sunday.

"Everton play well, they're a good team and they'll be eyeing fourth spot. They've got a good style under Roberto Martinez and they're having a great season so it's going to be difficult. But we're at home on Sunday and we need the three points. We need the fans to be with us and we need to perform."

Fulham have won just four of their 15 home games so far this season.


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/relegation-battle/news/kacaniklic-focus-on-everton_146651.html

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Ruiz believes he STILL has a future at Fulham

Fulham midfielder Bryan Ruiz is eyeing a return to the club after his loan spell at PSV ends in the summer.

The Costa Rica star was not wanted by Rene Meulensteen - who was replaced by Felix Magath after Ruiz's exit - and was not appreciated by Fulham fans who booed him when he was substituted a handful of times in the weeks before his move to Holland back in January.

"Martin Jol, the manager who signed me, was sacked and I asked his successor, Rene Meulensteen, if he still needed me," Ruiz told Het Nieuwsblad.

"I was thinking about the World Cup. I had to play, but Meulensteen made me feel as though I wasn't part of his plans.

"I thought I could still help the team, but he had other thoughts - although I still rate him as a manager."

Ruiz was the club's record signing when he joined for £12m from Twente in 2011 and he has failed to show his best form at the west London club, bur he insists he could still return to Craven Cottage.

"Was Fulham the wrong choice? No. My first year was difficult but I played well in my second season. This season the whole team was struggling," he said.

"I still think I am a player built for the Premier League. I can't say that Fulham didn't play the football I prefer, but I can't say the opposite either. But if you are fighting against relegation, sometimes you forget to play football. Then you get typical English football, which suits me less.

"It was the right decision to join PSV. It is going well and after the World Cup I will weigh up my options.

"I don't exclude a return to Fulham, as they can still save themselves. London is a fantastic city."


Read more at http://talksport.com/football/ruiz-believes-he-still-has-future-fulham-14032785156#KfUjZBTed8vyMOql.99

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Toffees Relishing Fulham Game

Midfielder Leon Osman is refusing to rule out Everton's chances of Champions League qualification after an impressive victory at Newcastle, The Toffees climbed to within six points of fourth-placed Arsenal after winning 3-0 at St James' Park on Tuesday er their shoulders.

The Gunners, who have played a game more than Everton, head for Goodison Park on April 6, and with Manchester pair United and City also due on the blue half of Merseyside before the campaign draws to a conclusion, their hosts could yet have a major say in who occupies the top four positions in May.

Osman told Everton Player:

We have got to play some of the big teams yet and we are certainly vying for it ourselves. We are the outsiders at the minute, but we are going to keep ticking along and see how close we can get.

We had back-to-back wins before last night and we were desperate to make it three on the run. It's important that we have started to pick up points away from home to get us in the direction we are going for."

Osman himself was hugely influential, as was young Spaniard Gerard Deulofeu.

However, it was England World Cup hopeful Ross Barkley who stole the headlines with an opening goal which left even the black and white faithful marvelling at his efforts.

The score was 0-0 with 22 minutes played when the 20-year-old accepted Deulofeu's chested lay-off and set off on a run which was to take him from deep inside his own half and then across the entire Newcastle defence before he smashed an unstoppable shot past helpless keeper Tim Krul.

Had Barkley's strike proved to be the game's only goal, it would have been worthy of the points, but Romelu Lukaku's 53rd-minute strike and a third from Osman three minutes from time wrapped up a comprehensive victory.

We have always felt we are capable of that, we have been scoring some decent goals this season. But to get three goals like that on the night was even more pleasing. It was a good performance

We came out of the blocks quickly, we took control of the game, passed it around quickly and got the goals at the right times on the night. It was very pleasing.

Everton travel to lowly Fulham on Sunday knowing all their good work on Tyneside will count for little if they do not repeat it at Craven Cottage. The 32-year-old Osman said:

It is important, but it's the next game, we have got to concentrate on the next game. We did that last night and it went well, and now we will concentrate on the next game."

Source : PA


http://threeandin.com/archives/37170?

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Jagielka In Squad For Fulham

Phil Jagielka is back fit and will be part of the squad travelling to Fulham.

Roberto Martinez confirmed the news at his Friday press conference, with the skipper having missed the last five games with a hamstring problem.

The manager said: "Phil Jagielka is fully fit and will be travelling with the squad.

"Everyone got through the Newcastle game, even though John Stones has eight stitches, but there's nothing new in terms of injuries."

Steven Pienaar will again be absent with a knee problem.

Darron Gibson and Arouna Kone [both knee], Bryan Oviedo [broken leg] and Lacina Traore [hamstring] will also miss out as they continue their recovery from long-term injuries.


http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/2014/03/28/jagielka-in-squad-for-fulham?

[WhiteJC]

 
A Different Approach

A model professional, William Kvist's steadfast approach can perhaps be aligned to his unrelenting pursuit to maximise his talent.

The Denmark international has been known to work with psychologists, dieticians, hypnotherapists and mental coaches. In fact, he has been working with the latter ever since he was 20, not long after he broke through at first club FC Copenhagen.

"I think I'm slightly unusual, it has been pointed out," he told Sunday's official matchday programme. "But I think that's where the future of the game is heading. For me, that's where football will evolve, there will be a greater shift towards the mental aspects of the sport.

"I've been working with my mental coach for nine years, that's longer than I've been with my wife! But it's helped with my concentration and motivation, and over the years it's helped with my relationships with teammates.

"It's something that I believe in, and I wouldn't be where I am today without that influence. I'm someone that wants to know exactly why I'm doing something - I have a lot of questions. I want to do all I can to develop both as a player and as a person.

"I'm a curious person and I don't necessarily look towards specialists in football, I work with experts from many different sports. For example, I've even had dance sessions, working on my coordination and movement. I'm up for breaking barriers, it's inspiring."

To read the full interview with Kvist, pick up an official matchday programme on Saturday.

Other key content in the only matchday magazine that matters - which is available to download digitally from 9am on Sunday - include: 

Felix Magath's programme notes
Lewis Holtby takes the Fulham 50 challenge
Tomasz Radzinski revisits a win over Everton in April 2005
Former Everton star Graham Stuart assesses the Cottage encounter
A Whites fan writes for the publication
And John Collins recalls his time at both Everton and Fulham
Priced £3.50, the 84-page publication is available from sellers on Stevenage Road from two hours before kick-off. Fans can also order copies directly from www.programmemaster.com

The programme is also available as an app with added video content from 9am on Sunday via Apple's Newsstand or Pocketmags. You can subscribe for the whole season for the digital edition or buy a single issue for £1.99.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/march/28/a-different-approach?

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League: Fulham v Everton match preview

A look ahead to Sunday's Premier League fixture at Craven Cottage

Rock bottom Fulham entertain a Champions League chasing Everton side this Sunday lunchtime and know full well that they must walk away with three points if they are to stand any chance of Premier League survival. Having only beaten the Toffees once in five Premier League years, Fulham boss Felix Magath will be hoping victory on Sunday can be the catalyst to their survival bid.

Fulham will have to rely heavily on home form if they are to beat the drop and will be hoping to make it back to back home wins at Craven Cottage for the first time this season after defeating Newcastle earlier this month. That win against the Tyneside club is however only their second in 2014 and the Cottagers will enter this fixture off the back of a 5-0 mauling against Manchester City last Saturday.

Everton's midweek victory at St James' Park ended a run of four straight away defeats and was their first win on the road since January. Roberto Martinez's side will see this as a perfect opportunity to edge closer to a coveted Champions League spot as rivals Arsenal entertain Manchester City on Saturday. In what has been a remarkable first season at Goodison Park for the Spaniard, Martinez will be looking to lead Everton to five straight league victories, something they haven't achieved for almost 12 years.

Fulham could hand a second debut to Mali international midfielder Mahamadou Diarra after he re-joined the club on a short term deal on Wednesday. They will however be without Venezuelan defender Fernando Amorebieta who is suspended after his red card at the Etihad last weekend.

Club captain Phil Jagielka was not risked against Newcastle in midweek despite rumours he was set to return from injury. It is most likely he was saved by Martinez for this weekend's fixture and if he does return it will be a welcome boost for the Toffees.

KICK-OFF: Sunday, 1.30pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS:

Everton 4 (Osman, Coleman, Barry, Mirallas) Fulham 1 (Berbatov), Premier League, December 2013

Fulham 2 (Berbatov, Bent) Everton 1 (Naismith), Capital One Cup, September 2013

Everton  1 (Pienaar) Fulham 0, Premier League, April 2013


STATS:

Everton are unbeaten in their last 8 league games against the Cottagers

Fulham have won eight of the previous 12 meetings between the two at Craven Cottage

Before the Newcastle win in midweek, Everton had lost four away games in a row, the first time this has happened in nine years.

ODDS:

Fulham to win: 2.2

Everton to win: 3.9

Draw: 3.35

TV: Live on Sky Sports One and Sky Sports One HD at 1.30pm, highlights on BBC One and BBC One HD at 10.25m.


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/premier-league-fulham-v-everton-match-preview-9221074.html

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LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Fulham v Everton (13:30 BST)

I think Fulham are down. I was at the game against Manchester City, which they lost 5-0. They were competitive and had a game plan, but it was only going to last until City scored. They contributed to their own downfall and collapsed after the opener.

The problem with Felix Magath is he's not been able to change any players in or out. And that's cost them dearly. A win might give them renewed hope, but not enough to stay up.

They've re-signed Mahamadou Diarra - he might be good for them, but they need a lot, lot more.

Everton are on a very good run. They can sniff the fact Arsenal are dropping points, and still have to face them at home.

They're playing well again. Four straight wins in the Premier League - why not go to Fulham and make it five? Lots of other teams have gone there and won. Fulham are conceding goals like there's no tomorrow.

Everton definitely have a chance of finishing fourth, no doubt about it. Arsenal have some tough fixtures and have injury problems.

Lawro's prediction: 1-2
Sam's prediction: 2-2


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26763492

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Boss Wary Of 'Galvanised' Fulham

Roberto Martinez says Everton will this weekend face a completely different Fulham side to the one they comfortably brushed aside 4-1 in the corresponding Goodison meeting earlier in the season.

Rene Meulensteen's team were in the midst of a dire run of form when they visited Merseyside in December and returned to the capital having suffered their seventh defeat in eight games.

The former Manchester United coach was axed in February and swiftly replaced by Felix Magath who has only overseen one victory from his five games in charge.

However, Martinez believes the German, a two-time Bundesliga winner with Bayern Munich in 2005 and 2006, has already had a noticeable influence on the Cottagers.

Martinez said: "Fulham are a team that are going to make it very difficult for us. They had a very good victory against Newcastle and have a group of players that will feel were unfortunate in a couple of results at home.

"Felix Magath took on a challenge of getting a big points average in a short period of time to stay in the Premier League.

"He brings an incredible amount of experience and he has had real success. He is very clear in the way that he gets his teams set up and I do feel that since he has been at Fulham they have been unfortunate in a couple of games.

"He will have found out a lot about his new players and I do feel this Fulham side is a completely different from the one that came to Goodison Park and that they can perform really strongly from now until the end of the season, especially at Craven Cottage." 

Everton have won their last four Premier League matches but Martinez admits the Blues' chances of extending that run have been made more difficult by the way Fulham have become 'galvanised' in their battle against relegation.

Martinez added: "When you are at the wrong end of the table, there is more pressure when playing at home because you feel you have to get the three points. But once you get to the last seven games of the season you get rid of that pressure.

"You want to be at home and the whole football club gets galvanised. I've experienced it many times and the final five games at home becomes a real advantage.

"I think Fulham are at that moment of trying to get a final push to achieve their aim."


http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/2014/03/28/boss-wary-of-galvanised-fulham?