Sunday Fulham Stuff (11/05/14)...

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ladies and gentlemen thank you for kind words  :dft001:

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VIEW FROM CRAVEN COTTAGE

We welcome back Fulham fan Chris Simpson to the site following his early season review that you can read here. Chris has kindly agreed to take on our Q&A ahead of our final game of the season this weekend. We thank Chris for his time and wish him and Fulham well next season.





Q – With Fulham's fate confirmed ahead of our game, what do you consider the main contributing factors to the team's demise this season?

The factors around our demise are numerous. It would be hard to single out one particular reason but off the top of my head any of the following can be considered. The change in ownership of the club, a lack of investment in the playing squad over the last few seasons, having the oldest squad in the league, monthly managerial and backroom staff changes, the leakiest defence in the league and having Steve Sidwell finish the season as top goalscorer with seven goals.



Q – What needs to be done if you are to return at the first attempt?

The club need to take this opportunity to remove all of the dead wood from an ageing squad. A balance of seasoned pro's willing to put in the graft in a tough league and the emerging talent from our youth team should in theory make us a force next season. It needs to be established quickly who does and doesn't want to stay at the club.



Q – Most Palace fans will think that we dodged a bullet with Darren Bent. What are your views on the striker that chose Fulham over Palace?

I think it would be fair to say that the majority of Fulham fans would not tolerate another season of Bent even in the Championship. I was sceptical at the time of signing but remained convinced he was a 'natural goalscorer'. While the service he received this season was poor, he failed to take the chances that did fall and overall showed less movement than Berbatov on one of his lazier day.



Q – What positions and players do you think the club should look at focusing on in the summer?

The club need to assess who will be with us next term. A lot of the FA youth cup final team will be in contention but it all depends on who we sell. We lack a proven striker and while Rodallega may well excel in the Championship I would expect to see another come in over the summer.



Q – Who is your player of the season and who has disappointed you the most?

There have been few stand out performers for us. Sidwell finishing top goalscorer is an obvious choice but still comes in for criticism. Dejagah on the off chance he was picked also performed well but wasn't there week in week out. Hangeland has seriously declined this season and Riise needed replacing back in August.



Q – Name one player from each team that you think will have an impact at Craven Cottage on Sunday?

I would suspect that Magath may well give some of the younger players a run on Sunday and perhaps the likes of Dembele, Woodrow and Roberts will be able to display why they are ready for the first team next season. I have been really impressed by Bolasie & Puncheon for Palace and would expect them to cause us trouble.



Q – What is your view of the season that Palace have had from a neutral perspective?

The job that Tony Pulis has done with the club since joining has been nothing short of exceptional. The belief and work ethic he has installed has been fantastic and has achieved it on a small budget. It is a squad that lacks a high profile name but in a good way. Pulis has got the best from his squad and were it not for Brendan Rodgers should probably walk away as manager of the season.



Q – Your prediction for this one?

Fulham 2-2 Crystal Palace



Q – Are you looking forward to World Cup this summer? Who do you think will win the trophy and who is your tip to be the surprise team?

As a Fulham fan I have been looking forward to the World Cup since November! Given the location I fancy some of the South American teams to flourish. In particular Uruguay, Columbia and Chile could all surprise us. As an overall winner I don't think you can look past Brazil on their home turf.



Q – And finally, tell us about anything that you would like to promote.

I am currently doing a lot of writing for Shoot magazine which many of you will remember as kids. It is now online only but we always welcome readers new and old. If you want to feel better about yourselves next season and would like an update on the Championship for Fulham then please follow me on Twitter here.




http://theeaglesbeak.com/2014/05/view-from-craven-cottage/?

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Where It All Went Wrong!
   
As we survey the wreckage of what has been a season that`ll go down in the history books as one we`ll remember for all the wrong reasons, Felix Magath believes that the month of January should figure prominently.

It was the month when the realisation hit home that we were destined for a relegation struggle and a month in which Rene Meulensteen chose to bolster the squad.

Numerous players arrived in January, players such as:-

• Kostas Mitroglou
• Lewis Holtby
• Johnny Heitinga
• Ryan Tunnicliffe
• Larnell Cole
• William Kvist
• Clint Dempsey

Several of which have made little or no worthy contribution to ensuring we maintained our status as a Premier League club.

Magath, speaking about the mess he inherited, had this to say,

"The biggest problem we had was the decision to bring in seven or eight new players in January."

"The situation was already difficult and then you had foreign players, young players coming in."

"That was on top of a new owner, then two managers this season. It was all too much for the club - and I knew when I came here it would be a problem."

Can we bounce straight back from the catastrophe of this season, that remains to be seen!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=358658#ixzz31OGCqMGT

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Fulham vs Crystal Palace Preview

Fulham - Crystal Palace Preview: Hosts end 13-year stay in Premier League

A 4-1 defeat to Stoke City last time out ended the Cottagers' hopes of avoiding relegation, while the Eagles will look to cap off a fine second half of the season in style

Fulham bring the curtain down on 13 seasons of Premier League football when they welcome London rivals Crystal Palace to Craven Cottage.

Having battled relegation for the vast majority of a campaign that has seen the departures of Martin Jol and Rene Meulensteen, Fulham's fate was finally sealed by a lacklustre 4-1 defeat at Stoke City last weekend.

Current boss Felix Magath was crestfallen after the capital club were consigned to the drop, but the Craven Cottage outfit have since confirmed that the German will keep his job.

The former Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg coach Magath is likely to work with a vastly different squad in the Championship.

Sunday is, therefore, a potential farewell for the likes of John Heitinga. Giorgos Karagounis, Mahamadou Diarra and John Arne Riise, who are all out of contract, while knee-injury victim Damien Duff has already confirmed he will move on.

Record signing Kostas Mitroglou featured from the bench at the Britannia Stadium last weekend - only his third appearance owing to fitness issues - and the £11.5 million striker could also conclude his disappointing short stay with Fulham.

Magath has pledged to turn to homegrown talent next term and the likes Dan Burn, Cauley Woodrow and Patrick Roberts - the star of Fulham's FA Youth Cup final side - are all in contention to feature on Sunday,

The mood at Palace could scarcely be further removed from the misery engulfing their hosts.

A 4-1 defeat to Fulham at Selhurst Park in November left Palace with three points from eight games - five points adrift from safety - and resulted in Ian Holloway ending his tenure as manager.

Since appointing Tony Pulis as Holloway's successor, the turnaround in fortunes from a team seemingly doomed to relegation to a one finishing the season in mid-table comfort has been remarkable.

It took leaders Manchester City to end a club record-equalling run of five matches without defeat last month, but Palace made their presence felt in the title race on Monday.

From 3-0 down against Liverpool, they rallied with three goals in the final 11 minutes to secure a dramatic 3-3 draw by demonstrating the battling qualities synonymous with the Pulis era.

Dwight Gayle came off the bench to net Palace's second and third goals against Brendan Rodgers' men and could be handed a start on the final day, although Cameron Jerome is expected to recover from illness to give Pulis a full-strength squad.

Julian Speroni was named as the club's player of the year this week, but the popular Argentine goalkeeper could play last game for Palace on Sunday as he is out of contract this summer.

The 34-year-old told the club's official website: "It's been a very emotional week for me and it's always nice to be rewarded, but this is a special award for me."


http://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/109630/fulham-vs-crystal-palace/preview

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Magath ready to reshape Fulham

Magath was unable to steer the club away from relegation Photo: PA

Felix Magath will put faith in Fulham's exciting crop of youngsters to fire the Cottagers back into the Barclays Premier League next season.

Relegation from the top flight was confirmed last weekend with a 4-1 defeat at Stoke and Magath's team could finish bottom of the table if they fail to beat Crystal Palace on Sunday.

There was some room for optimism on Monday night however, as Fulham's Under-18s put on an impressive performance in the FA Youth Cup final, losing 7-6 on aggregate to Chelsea.

Magath, who watched both legs of the final, wants the the club's young talent to form the backbone of his new side in the Championship next season.

"The key is to come back to the Premier League - now we can make a change to make our younger players the basis of the future," Magath said.

"We will give our youth academy more opportunities than we have in the last few years and there will be some players who will join us in the first team.

"We are starting again and that is the good thing from the situation - we are now able to change the things we want to."

Of the eleven Fulham players to start against Stoke, seven were aged 30 or older and only two were younger than 28.

One of those was 22-year-old Dan Burn who has been given a chance to impress in defence this year while the likes of Patrick Roberts and Moussa Dembele are also considered to have bright futures.

"There is excitement," Magath said. "Because that is what I stand for and what I like - building a team, working with young players.

"That is what I have discussed with our owner - trying to make Fulham a club that can play a big role in the Premier League rather than just in the relegation fight.

"It's a nice challenge."

Scott Parker is one of a number of players that is expected to leave the club this summer Credit: PA

Some of the club's veterans such as Scott Parker, Steve Sidwell and John Arne Riise may be moved aside to make way for fresh blood coming through.

Magath, however, insisted it is too soon to make decisions on who will be leaving the club and believes it will be important to maintain a degree of experience in the new set-up.

"I take care of the younger players but if you want to build a team you can't only have young players, you need some experience too even if it is based on young players," Magath said.

"For me, [players' futures] was not on the agenda until last weekend because it was more important to think about the end of the season.

"Now we have to speak to the players who want to stay and have contracts.

"We have to find out which ones will be here and which ones will leave us and we will start that in the next few days."

Magath arrived in February and despite failing to keep Fulham in the Premier League, his position as manager next season was confirmed earlier this week.

The German believes the club is in desperate need of stability after a campaign that saw three managers in charge at Craven Cottage, a new owner and seven players signed in January.

"When I stepped in here I was realistic and knew relegation was a possibility but I was disappointed that it happened," Magath said.

"For me, the biggest problem we had here was the decision to bring in so many new players in January.

"It is a difficult situation to merge foreign players with young players - that was very difficult here for everybody.

"There was too much upheaval. In one season there has been a new owner, new managers, new players and it was too much."

He added: "I was prepared to build a new team here - that was my idea coming to Fulham and that is what I would like to do."



http://www.itv.com/sport/football/article/2014-05-10/magath-ready-to-reshape-fulham/?

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Felix Magath's wrath for Lewis Holtby 'the saviour'

LEWIS HOLTBY will return to Spurs this week accused of not doing enough to help save Fulham's Premier League status as devastated manager Felix Magath rounded on his fallen stars.

Lewis Holtby did not have the impact Felix Magath was hoping for[GETTY]

The no nonsense German claimed that Holtby, hailed as a would-be saviour when Fulham signed him on loan in January, had failed to put up a fight when the going got too tough.

And in a damning indictment of his fellow countryman who played for him before in Germany he said: "Lewis is a very skilful and nice player, but he is not a fighter so I think it was not the right move for him.

"He came here for a chance to go to the World Cup, but after a few weeks it was clear it wasn't working. It was not the right decision for him.

"Against Hull it was not him who was playing and against Stoke it was even worse, so I don't know."

But Holtby was not alone in facing the wrath of Magath. Most of his other players were branded a bunch of wimps by the German as well.

Magath, who had never suffered relegation in his life as a coach before, accused them of virtually throwing in the towel.

Felix Magath took a swipe at the majority of his under-performing team [GETTY]

He said: "The players told me they cannot fight, I don't know why they cannot fight.

"They haven't learned it.

"Maybe I was too soft on them, but at the end you can't find one reason and blame that. It doesn't work.

"I didn't take on something that was well with only a little mistake. We were bottom of the table and we messed up."

Magath revealed that he had been so hurt by relegation that after the last match at Stoke he went out for dinner with his wife and coaches and hit the bottle so he would be able to sleep afterwards.

"For sure this has taken a toll on me," he admitted. "It costs a lot of nerves and you are always under pressure in that situation.

"Sometimes I needed a glass of red wine " but not so much. I have only drunk alcohol two times since I arrived here; once when my wife arrived arrived to visit me on her birthday and last Saturday, that's all. It was not too much."

Now, however, he is planning a holiday with his family to try to get over the disappointment.

But he added: "I will still be thinking and working to build a team for next year."


http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/475131/Felix-Magath-s-wrath-for-Lewis-Holtby-the-saviour?

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Fulham v Crystal Palace: Cottagers are shell-shocked by relegation, but Eagles must beware the man who moves like Dejagah

DANGERMAN: Askan Dejagah has scored some vital goals this season for Fulham

WE caught up with Lyall Thomas, the Fulham reporter for West London Sport, to take a look at Sunday's final game of the season...

Thirteen years in the top flight has come to an end. It's certainly been an enjoyable journey in Fulham's history?

There's definitely plenty of memories for Fulham supporters to look back on but I'm sure most of them would swap it all to stay in the Premier League. It's been a tumultuous season that has ended in disaster and heartbreak. I'm not sure how philosophical one can be about Fulham's relegation and their previous 13-year stay in the division when there have been a number of questionable decisions made by the club over the course of the season that have arguably contributed to their downfall.

Looking back at the previous meeting in October, you must be impressed with Palace's turnaround? The turnaround says much about the chasm in Premier League experience between Ian Holloway and Tony Pulis. The latter, for me, was unlucky to be sacked by Stoke – seemingly let go based on a style-of-play issue – and so his ability to organise and inspire players to pick up points and win games in the Premier League is invaluable, as we've all seen.

Should Tony Pulis be given the manager of the year award?

He's certainly a candidate, in my opinion. If you look through the list of managers in the Premier League, there aren't that many you can say have done a fantastic job this year. In the limited time Pulis has been in charge, you can safely say he has made a real difference and really improved Crystal Palace, and for that reason he is definitely in the top-three along with Brendan Rodgers and Steve Bruce.

Is Pajtim Kasami's strike at Selhurst Park your Fulham goal of the season pick?

Possibly, although Ashkan Dejagah has scored a couple of scorchers within the last month or so which have arguably taken place at much more crucial and high-pressure times of the season.

Which player(s) should Palace look out for on Sunday?

Dejagah is an attacking threat, while Lewis Holtby has creative quality, and if Hugo Rodallega has recovered from the illness that kept him out of the defeat at Stoke, then he will hope to pick up his recent good form.

And finally, a score prediction?

Fulham have been left shell-shocked by their relegation. I'm going for a 2-0 Palace victory.



Read more: http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/undefined-headline/story-21075371-detail/story.html?#ixzz31OIl88u7
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Drawing On Experience

Felix Magath intends to draw on his experiences managing in his homeland as he prepares to embark on a new chapter with Fulham.

It was put to him in his pre-Crystal Palace press conference whether or not he had what it takes to get the Whites back out of the second tier, to which he cited an example where he did just that a number of years ago.

"In 1998 I took over Nurnberg and in September they were at the bottom of the second league in Germany," he recalled. "I took over and we got into the Bundesliga at the end of the season. I know how to do it so I will do it here.

"We had no money and so we were not able to buy many players – I only bought a goalkeeper and one striker, that was all. We had to do a lot of work."

A major part of Magath's rebuilding project at Fulham will involve the transition to the First Team for a number of the Club's youngsters.

He admitted that the standard of the Academy proved a factor in his joining the Whites in the first place, and again provided an example of how he hopes to replicate success that he enjoyed earlier in his career.

"I had known that there is a good youth academy [at Fulham]," he said. "I had known that they were doing well and that was one of the reasons I came here because I have done it several times in Germany.

"In Stuttgart I took the young players from the U23 team and we came into the Champions League, but it was not the season that I stepped in.

"I stepped in at Stuttgart for the same situation as here, to avoid relegation, and we did that before the last game. Then the next season we changed, we took the young players from the U23 team. Besides [the youngsters] there were very experienced players like [Krasimir] Balakov and [Zvonimir] Soldo but this was building a team, and in the Champions League."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/may/10/drawing-on-experience?

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Fulham's Roadmap to Regeneration: Part I – The Future of the Boardroom
by CHRIS GILBERTSON on MAY 11, 2014

This was originally intended to be one article detailing four key steps Fulham must take this summer to commence the journey to return to the Premier League. However, after writing the first two points and ending up at thesis length, it seemed evidently obvious that such issues require proper discussion and not just sound bites within a puff piece on Fulham's demise.

Also, I must state that there are obviously many more than four steps on the path to our redemption. This series of four articles serves merely to bring up for debate 4 key areas that must dictate and shape our off-season.

Part I – The Future of the Boardroom

The first area that must be resolved is that of who is making the decisions. Before any decisive action can be taken to overhaul our troubled squad, there must be a clear system and personnel in place to oversee such a process.

It is not coincidence that our worst year on the field in the Premier League has happened in a year when there was consistent volatility off it. With such inadequate systems in place and so many lingering question marks following Shahid Khan's takeover, is it really any wonder that the team and staff put in place were not up to the job?

Meeting as I did with several senior members of the FFC hierarchy a month ago as a delegate of the Fulham Supporters Trust, there was a palpable tension in the room from members of Fulham's Management Board. The impression given was one that the conclusion of this season would bring about a final denouement to our yearlong off-field state of flux one way or another. Now relegation is confirmed it remains to be seen whether that means a changing of personnel.

With efforts and minds at the club solely focused on attempts to remain in the Premier League over recent months and weeks, the question must be asked what next? There has seemed a reluctance to accept relegation as a possibility, hoping it would simply go away and be brushed under the carpet if it was ignored. In a year when there was barely ever any reason to believe, it has seemed at times a blind mantra spouted by the in-house communication team.

For a club of Fulham's stature you can only hope that appearances are deceiving. Planning for relegation must surely have been at hand since it first became an evident possibility. On-field planning matters are key to a side chasing their ultimate goal of promotion, more so than in the money spinning world of the Premier League, where efforts in off-field activities can seem equally paramount to a club's success.

However, before any on-field decisions can be made, Shahid Khan must make those tough decisions needed to repair our off-field hierarchy. In layman's terms, the first decision must be whether or not to retain the services of Chief Executive Alistair Mackintosh. Khan's rhetoric has been consistent about holding those responsible to account.


It was all smiles when Khan took over last summer It was all smiles when Khan took over last summer


This is not a straightforward decision, and one that may have more long-term bearing on the future of our club than any other. There are arguments for both sides and this is not going to be an article calling for anyone's head. Along with most others, I did quite enough of that during the dog days of Martin Jol's tenure.

First and foremost, Mackintosh must hold his hands up and accept some level of responsibility for the catalogue of disastrous decisions that followed one after the other over the last ten months.

It is not for anyone to say whose fault they were in their entirety, even though they would on the face of it appear to fall at Mackintosh's door.

Was Martin Jol retained for far too long because it was Mackintosh's will or Khan's? Were the ill-thought out transfers that plagued last summer on the behest of Mackinstosh, Jol or anyone else? The budget that framed the summer of under-spending was doubtlessly a result of one owner cutting costs prior to the sale of the club and then another man hesitant to blow vast sums of money before he'd even got his toes wet.

The managerial situation has been a farce. Rene Meulensteen was a target at first team coach from almost the moment David Moyes released him from Manchester United. That he arrived when he did months later was down to whose leadership? The subsequent departure of Jol and the frankly comical and embarrassing developments leading to us having "3 managers" in Meulensteen, Wilkins and Curbishley must fall on someone's head.

January saw much needed transfer dealings incomprehensibly wait until the last minute. Some will argue that deals in January are impossible until the last few days, but team's like Hull got their business done early and have subsequently reaped the rewards. Decisions such as ridding us of Dimitar Berbatov without a replacement, terminating the loan of Adel Taarabt yet keeping Darren Bent and scattergunning yet more loan and short-term signings look troubled with the benefit of hindsight. Only John Heitinga has really proved a prudent addition, as even the pedigreed Lewis Holtby has been limited to only marginal contributions despite his obvious talent. Indeed Felix Magath has said this weekend that Holtby has lacked the fight we so desperately needed.

Yet it is with sad obviousness, that the entirety of the above pales into insignificance when compared to the debacle that has been the Kostas Mitroglou saga. Signed for a record amount as the great hope of our survival. His name was genuinely marquee, and our eggs were most definitely thrown into his basket. Yet he arrived injured and unfit. Ready not to fight for survival and months later he is still not ready. If I were an owner who had just seen my money wasted, this would be the straw that broke the camel's back. A failed deadline day move for Icelandic striker Alfred Finnbogason suggests knowledge of Mitroglou's medical status might have been more known than was publicised.

Shahid Khan, convinced enough to provide significant transfer funds, has been let down by his staff when it came to the execution. Money was obviously there. That it was spent so badly is not the fault of our owner.

Yet in moving stealthily to appoint Felix Magath under the radar on Valentine's Day, Mackintosh may have just saved himself his P45. It was a move that gave us a chance, and that he recognised the faults in the management structure he appointed and moved to arrange the attempted solution must be acknowledged.

Mackintosh's successes must be remembered as well. It was, after all, he by appointing Malcolm Elias and Huw Jennings who put in place the academy system that currently sits as our great white hope for the future.


Khan is no longer smiling Khan is no longer smiling


So then, where does the blame lie? More importantly, what can be done to fix it and move on?

Foremost, our board structure must change. That the story of our season falls seemingly on our CEO's head is testament to our inadequate executive management structure. Our Board of Directors currently sits as a group of four. Two of whom, Shahid Khan and Mark Lamping, are based in the USA and bring little by way of background knowledge of the sport to the table. The other two, the aforementioned Alistair Mackintosh and Finance Director Sean O'Laughlin, sit on the board as representatives of the club's day to day management. In effect, there is nobody in place whose job it is to challenge Mackintosh or Khan. There is no one who can question if decisions are right.

My point here is not to single out any one individual for perceived failings. With the structure we have in place there is simply not enough in the way of checks and balances.

Under the Al-Fayed regime the Board had Dennis Turner, Michael Cole and Mark Collins supporting the Chairman at Board level. While each had a different prerogative, Turner as fan and Collins as Al-Fayed confident for example, each brought gravitas, real world experience and knowledge as a football fan to the table.

In a successful company the CEO is there to execute the strategy he and his Board have carefully planned; Fulham have asked Mackintosh to both singularly run the business, shape the strategy and execute the footballing plan, all in constantly changing circumstances with a Chairman who simply cannot give the club his undivided attention.

Whist Mackintosh is an easy fall guy for the calamitous decisions of this season; we are as a club more reliant than ever on the whims of our owner-chairman. Before a line can be drawn under this past season, Shahid Khan must decide how he sees the club being run going forward. In stark similarity to the position he inherited at Jacksonville, will the front office be cleaned out like it was there after a disastrous first season? These decisions must be made early in the summer so Felix Magath can commence preparations for next season.

Fans quick to dismiss the current management hierarchy will be well placed to consider Mackintosh is one of the few remaining links to our heritage in our hierarchy. The next few months are about next season, but beyond that there is a club whose strategy needs shaping and a future to protect. The Riverside Stand is likely at least 12 months away from breaking ground, but any CEO, incumbent or otherwise, will have that on his plate as well as managing the on-field matters.

If, as it appears, Felix Magath is staying as manager, he will demand authority over transfer business. Moving the transfer buck may not be a bad thing. Recourse will be necessary, as more time wasted on whom to blame if transfers go wrong helps nobody. That being said, it is imperative the club maintains its scouting network and plans for the future. We do not want to be left in a situation where the manager signs yes men for players then leaves a mess for others to clean up. We are in that situation at the moment.

Regardless of the outcome, who stays, who goes and who comes in. It is crucial that a system is decided upon and put in place. Only then will the football management be in the position to make the un-wavering decisions necessary to regenerate our fatigued playing staff.

Hopefully this afternoon's match against Crystal Palace will be the start of a new era at Fulham Football Club.

COYW


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2014/05/fulhams-roadmap-to-regeneration-part-i-the-future-of-the-boardroom/?

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Jose Mourinho pays tribute to Damien Duff as Irishman prepares for new chapter

Jose Mourinho paid tribute to former Chelsea player Damien Duff, now at Fulham, who is calling time on his Premier League career.

While the Irishman won't feature in the Whites final game of a relegation season against Crystal Palace he will be waving goodbye to Fulham and English football.

Mourinho paid tribute to the winger and recalled the day when he was sold to Newcastle was a sad one for player, manager and club.

"I remember that he was one of the guys that left Cobham crying and left the people here crying," Mourinho said.

"He didn't want to go but he wants to play every game and he wants to enjoy his football and Chelsea at that time was Duff, [Arjen] Robben, Joe Cole. We had so much.

"The offer from Newcastle came. He wanted to accept but he didn't want to.

"It was one of the guys that left Cobham crying and left people crying here. He had a big influence in our style of play.

"I don't remember more times for that to play with two left footed players, both together on the wings, changing a lot during the game, creating different kind of problems.

"They were similar but different. They were fantastic players and he's a player that we have good memories [of].


http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/jose_mourinho_pays_tribute_to_damien_duff_as_irishman_prepares_for_new_chapter_1_3594762

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Mourinho's son signs student terms with Fulham

The Insider: Jose junior has received international clearance to register with the Cottagers' youth side while Manchester City are set to recall young defender Karim Rekik

Jose Mourinho's teenage son has signed student terms with Fulham after receiving international clearance from Fifa, The Insider can reveal.

Jose junior has been playing for Fulham Under-14s all season but was unable to officially join the London club until he had cleared a red-tape hurdle.

Under Fifa rules, clubs must provide evidence to the world governing body that a youngster from overseas is recruited for 'non footballing reasons'.

Mourinho's son had previously been playing for Real Madrid's Canillas team while his father was manager at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Jose junior impressed during a five-week trial with Fulham at the start of the season but did not sign until the club satisfied Fifa last month that the schoolboy moved to England solely because of his famous father's job.

The teenage goalkeeper has now penned student terms, which entails three training sessions during the week and a weekend match.

His father is understood to be a regular visitor to Fulham's Motspur Park headquarters to watch his son in action for the Under-14s.

Mourinho approached the academy of Chelsea's west London rivals last summer about giving an opportunity to Jose junior because he wanted his son close to the family home in London while avoiding accusations of nepotism had he joined the Stamford Bridge youth set-up.


http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/2014/05/11/4809820/-?

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PALACE PREVIEW – FULHAM

In what has been an historic season for Crystal Palace, the South London club face their final game of the season.

Tony Pulis' men are guaranteed an eleventh place finish which is the clubs highest ever finish in the Premier League.

After what was an astounding comeback at Selhurst Park in a six goal thriller, goals from Damien Delaney and a brace from substitute Dwight Gayle saw Palace come from 3-0 down to draw three all in the last home game of the season.

An early header from Joe Allen and two quick fire goals from Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge looked to have secured all three points for Brendan Rodgers side who needed a win to keep their title dream alive. But eleven minutes of brilliance from Palace saw Liverpool's title charge derailed.

Fulham's relegation to the Championship was confirmed last week after a 4-1 drubbing away at Stoke City. That result accompanied by a fantastic win for Sunderland at Old Trafford condemned Felix Magath's side to the drop.

The Fulham boss may opt to experiment with his side in Sundays fixture as he looks toward his goal of promotion in their championship campaign next season. Damien Duff will miss the game through a knee injury however record signing Kostas Mitrgolou should be available after recovering from a knee injury.

The Eagles should be able to welcome back Cameron Jerome after he missed Monday nights game against Liverpool through illness. The Stoke City loanee is the only injury concern For Palace in what could be his last appearance for the club.



All the stats you need to know courtesy of Who Scored;

Last six games between the two teams it is one win for Palace and five for Fulham
Three of those six games were at Selhurst with Palace winning one and Fulham two
The aggregate score from the six games is Palace 5-13 Fulham
Form guide – Palace WWWWLD – Fulham LWWLDL
Form players – Jedinak (7.57), Sidwell (7.04)
Top scorers – Puncheon (7), Sidwell (7)
Top assists – Bolasie (4), Duff (3)
Appearances – Jedinak (37), Speroni (37), Sidwell (35)
Bookings – Delaney (9), Parker (6)
Shots per game – Puncheon (2.3), Kasami (1.9)
Pass success – Parker (86.0), Ledley (81.7%)
Aeriel duels won – Chamakh (5), Amorebieta ((3)
Popular prediction – Fulham 1-2 Crystal Palace


Last Time Out

Monday October 21st 2014 – Selhurst Park
Crystal Palace 1-4 Fulham

Crystal Palace XI
01 Speroni
02 Ward
21 Moxey
15 Jedinak
03 Mariappa
27 Delaney
12 O'Keefe
06 Campaña (Thomas 45′)
16 Gayle (Phillips 69′)
13 Puncheon(Chamakh 56′)
07 Bolasie

Fulham XI
01 Stekelenburg
27 Riether
15 Richardson
07 Sidwell
04 Senderos
05 Hangeland(Amorebieta 45′)
10 Ruiz
28 Parker
39 Bent (Duff 77′)
09 Berbatov (Rodallega 90′)
08 Kasami


http://theeaglesbeak.com/2014/05/palace-preview-fulham/?

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Ex-Fulham boss Rene Meulensteen considered for shock Manchester United return

RENE MEULENSTEEN could be brought out of the cold and make a shock return to Manchester United as part of Louis van Gaal's coaching staff.

Meulensteen was sacked by Fulham after a disastrous sequence of results and the club ended up getting relegated.

The 50-year-old Dutchman was an instrumental figure during Sir Alex Ferguson's trophy laden years in charge of the Red Devils and despite his ill-fated time in charge of Fulham, he is still a highly respected No.2.

According to reports, Meulensteen is thought to be under consideration to be part of Van Gaal's coaching team and it is thought his return would be welcomed by Ferguson, now a United director.

Though Patrick Kluivert had been in the frame to become the No.2, it is expected he will now be overlooked for the job.

Ryan Giggs' future is yet to be decided, although he is expected to be handed an important role in the coaching set-up.

United are expected to make an announcement on the appointment of Moyes' successor by Tuesday or Wednesday.

Giggs' final match as caretaker manager will be away at Southampton this afternoon (3pm).



http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/475227/Ex-Fulham-boss-Rene-Meulensteen-considered-for-shock-Manchester-United-return?

[WhiteJC]

 
Youth is the Way Forward
   
As we prepare to play our final game in the Premier League, as we look forward (if that`s the word) to life in the Championship, Felix Magath has given an indication of the way forward.

Our German boss appears to be ready to jettison the old guard, some of whom have let the club down badly this season, in favour of bringing in several of our exciting and talented youth players.

Reflecting on what the club needs to be moved forward, Magath is quoted as having remarked,

"We have to change our philosophy, bring in young players and build a team."

"I knew there was a great academy here - that was one of the reasons I came here."

"But it`s a big risk. You cannot promise that you will come back up next year."

"If you work with young players you build up a team, you don`t know how fast they will develop."

"But I did it at Stuttgart - and we ended up in the Champions League."

Woah! Slow down, a return to the Premier League will do me for starters!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=358730#ixzz31PKwLZxn