Wednesday Fulham Stuff (09/07/14)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Michael Owen comments on Ross McCormack's Fulham move

Former Liverpool and Manchester United striker Michael Owen has his say on Ross McCormack's transfer from Leeds United to Fulham.

Fulham may have suffered relegation from the Premier League last season, but they are not shying away from spending big.

On Tuesday, the Cottagers announced that they have signed striker Ross McCormack from Leeds United.

The 27-year-old has been given a four-year contract with the option of a further 12 months, but the transfer fee paid to Leeds has not been officially declared.

However, it has been reported that Fulham had to part with no less than £11 million for the Scotland international.

It is quite a hefty fee for a Championship side, especially after failing to survive in the English top-flight just weeks earlier, but Michael Owen believes that this shows how much the London outfit are determined to regain their Premier League status.

'Signal of intent from Fulham', the former Liverpool and Manchester United striker wrote on Sportlobster.com. 'In The Championship yet spending 11m on a player'.

McCormack is a genuine Championship star and there are many who believe that he has enough quality to play in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old scored 28 goals in the second tier of English football last season, but failed to prevent Leeds from ending up any higher than 15th in the league table.

The former Rangers and Cardiff City striker becomes Fulham manager Felix Magath's fifth signing of the summer, after Tim Hoogland, Adam Taggart, Kay Voser and Shaun Hutchinson.

Have Fulham overpaid for McCormack? Given that this is a transfer between two Championship clubs, it does appear so, but if the striker can lead the Cottagers to Premier League promotion, then it will be money well spent.


http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/07/08/michael-owen-comments-on-ross-mccormacks-fulham-move/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Why Ross McCormack's transfer to Fulham is great news for Watford

Following the Leeds United captains £11 million transfer to Fulham, Watford must be confident about keeping star striker Troy Deeney at Vicarage Road.

McCormack agreed a deal away from Elland Road in the early hours of this morning, with a fee of around £11 million believed to have been exchanged between Fulham and Leeds for the acquisition of his services.

Whilst the fee is astronomical for a deal between two Championship club, the immense goalscoring ability of McCormack may be the difference between the Cottagers achieving an immediate return to the Premier League, rather than having to linger in the second division for longer than they intend to.

The Scottish international netted 28 goals in 46 league games last season, and, although Leeds only ended the season in 15th place, they can be grateful that McCormack's goals were enough to pull them out of a possible relegation battle. He scored 47% of the Whites goals last season, single-handedly winning games by himself.

Leeds will be thankful for the fee they have received for their former star striker, although, whilst they can now start to rebuild a squad capable of challenging for promotion, they have also got to replace the 28-goal striker they have let go.

Whilst the pre-season at Elland Road will be concerned with filling the void left by McCormack, Leeds' Championship rivals Watford will be delighted with the completion of the deal - knowing that it reduces the chance of Troy Deeney moving away from Vicarage Road.

Deeney also hit the 20-goal mark last season, netting 24 times in 44 games - just four goals fewer than £11 million man McCormack.

A move away from the Hornets has been rumoured, with a host of lower table Premier League clubs interested in securing the powerful strikers services - including newly promoted Burnley, who have had a formal bid rejected by Watford officials.

With the departure of McCormack, Watford management now have a benchmarked value for their star striker - who has scored eight more goals that McCormack is the past two seasons. If McCormack - who will be 28 when the season starts - can be worth £11 million, Watford will be holding out for a fee of roughly the same value - or potentially even more - for Deeney - who is two years younger that his former Yorkshire-based rival.

The £11 million fee was also accepted with McCormack lobbying for a move away from Elland Road, meaning the club had to accept a cut price fee for the player. With Deeney apparently happy at Vicarage Road - where the Hornets faithful adore him - there is no chance of him forcing a move away - unless a top Premier League club come in for him.

Whilst Leeds will be delighted with the large fee they received for their star, there is no hiding the fact that replacing McCormack will be an incredibly hard job. Meanwhile, it appears as if Deeney will be staying at Watford. Lower table Premier League clubs will be unwilling to splash out upwards of £10 million for a forward untested in the top flight, and the player himself would be unwilling to make a sideways move to another Championship clubs.

Keeping hold of Deeney will be one of the best pieces of transfer business the Hornets could complete this transfer window, and, with the reinforcements already brought in, it promises to be a exciting season for the Hertfordshire club.


http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/07/08/ross-mccormack-fulham-troy-deeney-watford/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham closing in on capture of Bayer Leverkusen star

Magath dips back into German market to sign Greek full-back Kostas Stafylidis


Set to sign: Greece's Konstantinos Stafylidis looks to be joining Fulham
Fulham are closing in on the capture of Greek defender Kostas Stafylidis from Bayer Leverkusen.

Whites boss Felix Magath knows the German market well and has already raided his homeland for Tim Hoogland following his release by Schalke this summer.

And he has returned to the Bundesliga to sign Stafylidis with the full-back understood to be undergoing a medical at the Craven Cottage club this afternoon.

Greek sources are indicating the move could be an initial loan deal.

Stafylidis started his career at PAOK and made his debut at the tender age of just 17, claiming an assist in his first appearance.

He moved to Leverkusen in 2012 and has one international cap to his name.


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/fulham-closing-capture-bayer-leverkusen-7391415?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham set to add Kostas Stafylidis to their ranks after £9.5million signing of Ross McCormack

The Cottagers have landed last season's Championship top scorer and are set to add the young Greek full-back as they seek an immediate Premier League return


New signing: Stafylidis last trip to English soil was disastrous - sent off against Spurs in 2012-13

Fulham are poised to add Bayer Leverkusen defender Kostas Stafylidis to their capture of £9.5million striker Ross McCormack.

Mirror Sport understands Stafylidis, 20, is a left-back who will join the club on a one-year loan deal.

The Greek starlet is understood to have undergone a medical with the west Londoners on Tuesday afternoon.

His deal includes an option for Fulham to buy him permanently next summer.

Stafylidis comes in with countryman Giorgos Karagounis having been released at the end of last season. Another Greek star, Kostas Mitroglou, is set to be loaned out after proving a disaster following his £11million mid-season acquisition

The arrival of Stafylidis, however, also sees Fulham boss Felix Magath step up his revamp of the team relegated from the Premier League in May.

McCormack has arrived on a four-year deal but club sources have indicated that the former Leeds marksman has been signed for £9.5m and not the £11million widely reported.



http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/fulham-set-add-kostas-stafylidis-3828788#ixzz36txWV9St
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[WhiteJC]

 
Middlesbrough could have signed £11m Scot for as little as £250,000

Middlesbrough could have signed Fulham's new £11m striker Ross McCormack for a fee of £250,000, according to reports.

McCormack became the eighth most expensive British striker of all time when he signed for the Craven Cottage outfit, but ex-Boro boss Gareth Southgate could have signed the player for a fraction of that fee six years ago.

"Reports from North of the Border claim that Boro are likely to sign Motherwell winger Ross McCormack for £250,000," The Gazette reported in January 2008.

The north east club were busy trying to wrap up a deal for Alfonso Alves at the time, while also considering a move for fellow Brazilian Fred.

"Ross McCormack is a player we have been watching," Southgate is quoted as saying, "we've been in contact with Motherwell to let them know we have an interest."

Current Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka will start the new Championship campaign at home, with Birmingham City the guests.


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/middlesbrough/transfer-talk/news/boro-nearly-had-mccormack-for-gbp250000_164126.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Stop Smirking Fulham Have Pulled Off A Coup Here

Having been relegated to he Championship last season, Fulham fans will be hoping to reverse the situation immediately, which is no easy feat.

The purchase of Ross McCormack, then, appears to be adept work by the club. People may baulk at the £11M fee – certainly a high price for a player with no Premier League experience – but in the greater context of chasing promotion this could be shrewd work.

28 goals last season is proof enough of his great goal-scoring ability, and his experience in the Championship can surely only be positive for the Cottagers. Squawka rated him as the best player in his team in 12 different matches last season, which is hugely impressive.

His form will not have gone unnoticed, and one may have imagined he would be plying his trade in the Premier League next season, due to the reputation he has created for himself.

It may seem a little surprising that he would leave Leeds for another Championship club, but Fulham are clearly showing the necessary ambition to take the Irishman where he would like to be.

If they continue to look to players like McCormack, who have proven themselves in the battle royale that is English football's second tier,Fulham will certainly have a good chance of appearing in what is arguably the best league in the world, within a year.


http://threeandin.com/archives/42254?

[CincyFulham1]

5 – DIOMANSY KAMARA

What is it with Fulham and expensive foreign strikers? Kamara is another Fulham flop as his return of 12 goals in 59 games suggests. However, the Craven Cottage faithful should not have been surprised they were buying another duff (and not Damian Duff) as the Senegalese frontman had only registered 25 in 85 for Portsmouth and then West Brom before his move to the West End. Perhaps the Baggies saw Fulham coming as they gleefully snapped their hands off when they were offered £6 million for his services, thus making themselves a cool £5 million profit.

And during his time with West Brom, he once scored a penalty against Plymouth Argyle...


His goals against Man City were worth 6 million.

[General]

Stop Smirking Fulham Have Pulled Off A Coup Here

Having been relegated to he Championship last season, Fulham fans will be hoping to reverse the situation immediately, which is no easy feat.

The purchase of Ross McCormack, then, appears to be adept work by the club. People may baulk at the £11M fee – certainly a high price for a player with no Premier League experience – but in the greater context of chasing promotion this could be shrewd work.

28 goals last season is proof enough of his great goal-scoring ability, and his experience in the Championship can surely only be positive for the Cottagers. Squawka rated him as the best player in his team in 12 different matches last season, which is hugely impressive.

His form will not have gone unnoticed, and one may have imagined he would be plying his trade in the Premier League next season, due to the reputation he has created for himself.

It may seem a little surprising that he would leave Leeds for another Championship club, but Fulham are clearly showing the necessary ambition to take the Irishman where he would like to be.

If they continue to look to players like McCormack, who have proven themselves in the battle royale that is English football's second tier,Fulham will certainly have a good chance of appearing in what is arguably the best league in the world, within a year.


http://threeandin.com/archives/42254?

How do you as a professional sports writer manage to get the guys nationality wrong. Ridiculous. All you have to do is type in his name to google and it's the first thing that comes up, either via images or things written about him and being Scottish. Shockingly bad journalism.

[General]

5 – DIOMANSY KAMARA

What is it with Fulham and expensive foreign strikers? Kamara is another Fulham flop as his return of 12 goals in 59 games suggests. However, the Craven Cottage faithful should not have been surprised they were buying another duff (and not Damian Duff) as the Senegalese frontman had only registered 25 in 85 for Portsmouth and then West Brom before his move to the West End. Perhaps the Baggies saw Fulham coming as they gleefully snapped their hands off when they were offered £6 million for his services, thus making themselves a cool £5 million profit.

And during his time with West Brom, he once scored a penalty against Plymouth Argyle...


His goals against Man City were worth 6 million.

And the one he set up/or was it scored against Newcastle which secured us European football the season before we got to the final... He also scored one or two decisive goals on the way to the final. I think diomansy shouldn't be on that list.

[JBH]

5 – DIOMANSY KAMARA

What is it with Fulham and expensive foreign strikers? Kamara is another Fulham flop as his return of 12 goals in 59 games suggests. However, the Craven Cottage faithful should not have been surprised they were buying another duff (and not Damian Duff) as the Senegalese frontman had only registered 25 in 85 for Portsmouth and then West Brom before his move to the West End. Perhaps the Baggies saw Fulham coming as they gleefully snapped their hands off when they were offered £6 million for his services, thus making themselves a cool £5 million profit.

And during his time with West Brom, he once scored a penalty against Plymouth Argyle...


His goals against Man City were worth 6 million.

Agree he did a good job for us when called upon  :54:

[BishopsParkFantastic]

5 – DIOMANSY KAMARA

What is it with Fulham and expensive foreign strikers? Kamara is another Fulham flop as his return of 12 goals in 59 games suggests. However, the Craven Cottage faithful should not have been surprised they were buying another duff (and not Damian Duff) as the Senegalese frontman had only registered 25 in 85 for Portsmouth and then West Brom before his move to the West End. Perhaps the Baggies saw Fulham coming as they gleefully snapped their hands off when they were offered £6 million for his services, thus making themselves a cool £5 million profit.

And during his time with West Brom, he once scored a penalty against Plymouth Argyle...


His goals against Man City were worth 6 million.

Agree he did a good job for us when called upon  :54:

I will never forget the massive contribution Kamara played in scoring such important goals

[the nutflush]

Its shameful that Kamara should be on that list.  I would have so many others on that list ahead of him.  Seol stands out for me. 

[cookieg]

5 – DIOMANSY KAMARA

What is it with Fulham and expensive foreign strikers? Kamara is another Fulham flop as his return of 12 goals in 59 games suggests. However, the Craven Cottage faithful should not have been surprised they were buying another duff (and not Damian Duff) as the Senegalese frontman had only registered 25 in 85 for Portsmouth and then West Brom before his move to the West End. Perhaps the Baggies saw Fulham coming as they gleefully snapped their hands off when they were offered £6 million for his services, thus making themselves a cool £5 million profit.

And during his time with West Brom, he once scored a penalty against Plymouth Argyle...


His goals against Man City were worth 6 million.

Absolutely worth every penny for that game alone.

[Delboy]

Kamara also scored the equaliser in Sofia on our long trek to Hamburg.

[WhiteJC]

 
What Ross McCormack's arrival means
by DAN on JULY 8, 2014

Plenty has already been written about Ross McCormack swapping Leeds for Fulham in a big-money move since the transfer was confirmed this morning. Much of it is remarkably conventional: how Fulham, recently relegated, have paid way over the odds for a striker who – with the exception of last season – has proved pretty inconsistent, why McCormack's hefty transfer fee proves that there's a British premium in the modern transfer market and how the much mocked Massimo Cellino has proved his business credentials.

Shahid Khan isn't known for great sporting success. His American football franchise the Jacksonville Jaguars haven't pulled up any trees in the NFL and the less said about his debut season as Fulham's 'custodian' as he described himself after completing his takeover from Mohamed Al-Fayed the better. Alistair Mackintosh came out of a bruising season with brickbats accompanying his every move. Many remain surprised that he is still in a job, but this transfer represents a huge statement of intent for the pair. Signing the Championship's top scorer – and holding off Premier League interest in the process – shows that Khan isn't scarred by January's big-money move for Kostas Mitroglou and that Fulham, even the wake of relegation, can still attract talented players.

It might signal the end of Fulham's approach to signings in recent seasons. With the exception of Mitroglou and Ruiz, Fulham's recruitment largely centred on bringing in experienced players at the cheaper end of the market, with little re-sale. While that policy unearthed a few gems (Schwarzer, Murphy, Gera, Zamora), its ultimate result was an ageing squad that had none of the energy and pace to elevate a struggling side to safety. As the penny-pinching inched Fulham into profit and sustainability (something that seemed unthinkable in the early Al-Fayed era), the club quietly slipped out of the top flight.

McCormack joins a underwhelming list of Fulham big-money signings who struggled to live up to the hype. Steve Marlet, whose transfer ultimately saw the breakdown of Jean Tigana's previously profitable relationship with Al-Fayed, struggled to adapt to the pace and power of the Premiership, quickly shuttling back to France just when he seemed to be ready to make his mark. Andy Johnson – the subject of similar summer transfer intrigue – never really recovered from being 'literally banjoed' against Amkar Perm as he appeared on the cusp of rediscovering the promise of his partnership with Bobby Zamora, whilst Bryan Ruiz's silky skills recently on show in Brazil with Costa Rica, rarely lit up English football.

Time will tell if McCormack can repeat the heroics of last season with Leeds. His 26 goals did an awful lot to ensure one of England's most illustrious clubs avoided relegation and show that he knows how to find a net in a league that requires far more than finesse. In a squad that doesn't currently possess a natural goalscorer, McCormack ticks that most crucial of boxes. With Felix Magath set to a shape a new Fulham side, the Scot's leadership qualities shouldn't be underestimated. A popular figure with his team-mates at Elland Road, he was a success as a skipper and, with Fulham having released a number of seasoned professionals over the summer, his arrival is a timely one.

There are plenty of question marks ahead of a new season in a new division: one that has changed markedly since Tigana's team stormed to success with a short, slick passing game. But, after McCormack's move this morning, nobody can question Fulham's ambition. There are plenty of pieces of the jigsaw still missing but, for me at least, this is a promising start.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2014/07/what-ross-mccormacks-arrival-means/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Five facts about reported Fulham target Kostas Stafylidis​

The Greek defender is reportedly on the verge of signing for Fulham from Bayer Leverkusen.

According to GetWestLondon, Felix Magath is close to signing a loan deal for Kostas Stafylidis in a bid to exploit his knowledge of the Bundesliga transfer market.

Here are five facts about the full-back:

1) Stafylidis was involved in a Europa League tie that saw PAOK Thessaloniki beat Tottenham Hotspur. However, his contribution saw him sent off after he was adjudged to have cleared the ball off the line using his hand.

2) The 20-year-old fared better on his Superleague debut for PAOK, aged just 17, when he provided an assist after covering for his side's first-choice left-backs, who were both injured. His career has taken off ever since.

3) In the summer of 2012, Stafylidis starred during the U-19 European Championships, coming up against the likes of Jese Rodriguez. Those performances earned him a move to Bayer Leverkusen (although he was loaned back to PAOK for a season).

4) The full-back is a tough tackler. On his leg, he has a a tattoo of a bright yellow warning triangle containing a player slide tackling another.

On his defensive approach, he says: "I always want to give 100 per cent. And you have to go in hard sometimes."

5) Despite only being 20 years of age, Stafylidis has been capped by Greece's senior team - in a friendly against the Republic of Ireland.

That completed a full set for the defender, who has also appeared for his country at U-17, U-19, U-20 and U-21 levels.


http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/07/08/tp-tattoos-debuts-red-cards-five-facts-about-fulham-target-kosta/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Ross McCormack joins Fulham as Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino fumes at 'disrespect'
Scotland international joins for an initial £7 million as Leeds owner insists it was not possible to keep striker


London calling: Ross McCormack has joined Fulham Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Fulham have agreed to pay an initial £7 million to sign striker Ross McCormack from Leeds United. Although the deal was initially quoted at £11 million, it is believed that the final figure can only hit that level if a series of add-ons are achieved.

The size of the McCormack transfer fee is still a surprise, however, and represents a significant outlay by Fulham after their relegation from the Premier League last season.

Just over a week ago Fulham announced a voluntary redundancy scheme aimed at cutting 30 jobs within Craven Cottage to save money in the Championship. The cutbacks, however, are clearly not affecting Fulham's ability to take risks in the transfer market.

McCormack's arrival will only strengthen Fulham's resolve to try to find a buyer for Kostas Mitroglou, who signed for the club for £12 million in January.

Massimo Cellino, the Leeds owner, claimed that he was forced to sell McCormack to Fulham because Leeds's leading goalscorer had "disrespected" him.

McCormack joined Leeds in August 2010 and signed a new four-year deal with the club last summer, but the Scotland international did not to travel with the squad to their summer training camp in Italy last week following a disagreement with Cellino.

"I like to be in control of situations, but it felt like he wasn't my player," Cellino said. "I was disrespected, he was aggressive with me. He didn't turn up for the tour and all the time he wanted to go from here.

"It wasn't in my mind to sell McCormack, it wasn't my plan, but I had no choice. He's a bloody good player and I'm not going to pretend that he isn't, but he didn't respect me and it wasn't possible to keep him."

McCormack, who was the Championship's leading scorer last season with 28 goals, has signed a four-year contract with Fulham and has the option of a further year.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/fulham/10955332/Ross-McCormack-joins-Fulham-as-Leeds-United-owner-Massimo-Cellino-fumes-at-disrespect.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Is McCormack sale any different?

And so after much speculation Ross McCormack has finally completed his transfer to Fulham, signing a four year deal with the west London club. The deal is said to be worth around £11 million which is a significantly more than the £300,000 Leeds paid Cardiff for McCormack back in 2010. Although McCormack is proven at Championship level, averaging a goal every three games, he has been hot and cold. One decent season at Cardiff and one very good season at Leeds does not really add up to such a staggering fee. You can certainly say one things for Cellino in this deal, he drives a hard bargain. With early bids in the region of £5 million he seems to have squeezed the maximum amount possible from Fulham. Cellino is adamant though that he did not want to sell McCormack telling the Yorkshire Evening Post;

"I like to be in control of situations but it felt like he wasn't my player. I was disrespected, he was aggressive with me. He didn't turn up for the tour and all the time he wanted to go from here. It wasn't in my mind to sell McCormack, it wasn't my plan, but I had no choice. He's a bloody good player and I'm not going to pretend that he isn't but he didn't respect me and it wasn't possible to keep him."

We have grown used to selling the family jewels over the years; Schmeichel, Gradel, Howson, Snodgrass and Becchino have all left in recent seasons. All for a combined fee less than this deal it is worth pointing out. But is this time different? Cellino seems fairly insistent that he did not want or need to sell the player but realising that it would be impossible to keep hold of him has ensured the club got the maximum value. Previous sales have reeked of desperation with players being sold for low fees to ensure we did not lose out when contracts expired and players who did not want to leave the club sold to balance the books.

This time, if what Cellino says is true, there is no requirement to sell players simply to balance the books. Despite the recent financial difficulties at the club it may be that we are in a position to reinvest a large proportion of the fee received for McCormack in new players. If Cellinos summer spending had already been budgeted for it may even provide a significant contribution to the re-purchase of Elland Road and Thorp Arch. Cellino will not or should not be judged on his words though, only his actions will tell us what the real situation I behind the scenes and if we can expect this money to be reinvested.

The club has been surrounded in the fog of the transfer embargo but shortly after the McCormack sale was confirmed Cellino announced the signings of goalkeeper Marco Silvestri and midfielder Tommaso Bianchi. They are the second and third new additions to the squad following on from the signing of goalkeeper Stuart Taylor last week. They are hardly big name signings though and many fans will believe we are still nowhere near being in a position to compete next year.

But what does McCormack move say about the club? Is it coincidence that his supposed transfer request was made the day after Hockaday was named head coach? Many would question McCormacks move to Fulham as lacking ambition, a move to another Championship club with small crowds would hardly seem to be the next step up for last years Championship top scorer. Perhaps McCormack is disillusioned with the situation at Leeds. With the sacking of a manger he clearly had a strong bond with and fought hard to keep at the club only to be replaced by a non-league manager maybe McCormack felt it was Leeds, not him that lacked ambition. His only comment so far on the move has been via Instagram;

"New start. Thanks for the good wishes. Devastated to leave Leeds under a cloud after 4 thoroughly enjoyable years. Will always be a fan."

At the moment I can't help feel that it is Leeds that are lacking the ambition. Cellino talks about respect a lot, as has Hockaday, but so far neither of them has earned my respect. Cellino appears to have shown little respect to his former manager, staff at Elland Road, certain players and the fans. The fans are what make this club and if Cellino wants us to respect him then he needs to act on his words. If McCormack did not have to be sold then we need to see the money reinvested. We need to see intent and ambition. So far hiring a non-league coach, selling your best player and buying mainly second tier Italian players does not feel that ambitious.



http://www.motforum.com/article.php?page=30498

[cmg]

"I have, this day, been treated with NO RESPECT".

Blimey, now we're in trouble. Watch out for those helicopter gunships.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nGwckLM5X8