Friday Fulham Stuff (05/09/14)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Give him time! Manchester City striker is proof Fulham boss can 'create' world-class players

Quiet end to transfer window at the Cottage is nothing to worry about, says Hoogland


Trained by Magath: Edin Dzeko in action for Manchester City
The transfer window slammed shut this week and Fulham defender Tim Hoogland has told the club's supporters to trust Felix Magath's judgment in the market.

Fulham only made one deadline day signing in the form of Matt Smith from Leeds in a £500,000 deal in a surprisingly quiet end to their summer business.

Hoogaland, a summer signing himself, who scored in the 1-1 weekend stalemate at home to Cardiff City, worked with Magath in his native Germany at Schalke.

Nigeria's goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama makes a save on a shot by Bosnia's Edin Dzeko during the Group F World Cup match between Nigeria and Bosnia.


World Cup star: Dzeko in international action in Brazil
Fulham supporters have been concerned with the lack of experienced incomings at Craven Cottage as Magath has moved to freshen up his Whites squad.

Many ageing legs have departed, although Scott Parker remains as captain, and the likes of Pat Roberts and Chris David have been promoted to the first-team squad.

This is nothing new for Magath, who likes the energy and enthusiasm young players provide, and Hoogland cites Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko as one of Magath's success stories.


Martin Rickett/PA WireBack of the net: Dzeko celebrates another goal for City
"There are always young players who develop under him," Hoogland explained.

"Especially Dzeko [at Wolfsburg], no one knew Dzeko before. He created a really great player. He needs the time then everything will be right in the future."

Saturday's game with Cardiff may not have yielded the Whites' first three points of the Championship season, however some of the football on show in the first half was excellent and defender Hoogland believes the young players will benefit from the experience.

"Absolutely," came the response from Hoogland when asked whether the game will havea positive effect on the young guns.

"There was in the games before as well. The problem was we didn't have the result we deserved sometimes.

"Just speaking with them [will help them], saying they train good, play good and create chances and the luck is coming to us."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/give-him-time-manchester-city-7713329?

[WhiteJC]

 
AJ Still Going Strong
   
Somebody who saw his career at Craven Cottage somewhat derailed by injury has secured himself a contract with another Premier League club.

Andrew Johnson, a striker who always showed willing and who was full of endeavour left Craven Cottage to join Queens Park Rangers awhile ago but now he`s continued his journey around London and has ended up back where he started - Crystal Palace.

In his first spell at Selhurst Park, Johnson scored 85 goals before leaving to join Everton.

Talking about his return to his first stomping ground, thirty-three year-old Johnson is quoted as having remarked,

"I`m delighted to be coming back to a club that I love and have a real soft spot for."

"I would like to thank the gaffer and the chairman for giving me this chance."

"I am looking forward to helping the club have more success in the Premier League."

Ah! The Premier League, now those were the days...............


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=369553#ixzz3CN70mjpA

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss: Liverpool target will leave if he wants to

Felix Magath says the west London side are powerless to stop young talents like Patrick Roberts leaving the club if they no longer want to stay.

Fulham boss Felix Magath has offered a realistic appraisal of their battle to keep Patrick Roberts at the club in the long run.

The 17-year-old striker has attracted plenty of attention with some eye-catching performances this season.

So much so that Liverpool have reportedly registered an interest in bringing Roberts to Anfield.

He remains a Fulham player for now, of course, with the transfer deadline now having passed. But Magath admits it will be difficult to keep his best players if they A) don't want to stay and B) are the subject of interest from Champions League clubs.

"We want to develop young players and it depends how good they are and how good we are," Magath told reporters.

"If the young players have a future we can give them the level they are ready to play at - then I hope they will stay here.

"But if we are not at that level and the player is extraordinarily good and there is interest from Champions League clubs then you will never be able to hold them, especially if the player doesn't want to stay."

Liverpool currently sit fifth in the Premier League after three games, having won twice and lost once.

Fulham, meanwhile, are second-bottom in the Championship, with just one point to their name after five matches.


http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/09/04/tp-fulham-boss-liverpool-target-will-leave-if-he-wants-to/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Halilhodzic turned down the opportunity to sign Fulham striker Mitroglou

Vahid Halilhodzic turned down the opportunity to sign the Fulham striker Konstantinos Mitroglou according to LigTV.

The Bosnian manager decided against signing the Greek international due to his lack of pace and opted to sign Abdul Majeed Waris from Spartak Moscow instead.

The 26-year-old subsequently signed for his former club Olympiakos on a one-year loan deal.

Halilhodzic has brought in a total of 22 new players since his arrival.

Mitroglou still has four-years left on his contract with Fulham.


http://www.turkish-football.com/news_read.php?id=6492

[WhiteJC]

 
Hyndman's US Debut

Emerson Hyndman made his debut for the USMNT on Wednesday as they came away from Prague with a narrow 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic.

The youngster, who only made his first Fulham appearance less than a month ago, came on for Alejandro Bedoya – who in the first half scored what turned out to be the winner – in the 67th minute.

He's been an integral part of Felix Magath's midfield so far this season, showing a composure that belies his age, and it came as no shock to our Manager when he received the call-up from Jurgen Klinsmann.


"Emerson is getting games at a high level and he has shown he is prepared," Magath said. "I'm not surprised to see him with the senior US national team, and I think he will be a key player for them over the next few years.

"I came to the Club last February, and like I always have done wherever I have worked I looked at the youth team. One of the players I saw very early on was Emerson Hyndman.

"He has a wonderful range of passing, short or cross-field. He understands tactics, but at 18 years old he has a lot of time to develop and to get experience. I'm sure he will be a good player. His role could be similar to the one that Andrea Pirlo plays, responsible for the forward play of the team from deep."

From his three matches for the First Team in 2014/15, Hyndman can boast a pass accuracy of more than 90 per cent, providing a sense of reliability that Magath relishes.

"I have never seen a player of his age play like he does; he passes like an old professional," the Whites boss stated. "He is very responsible with the ball and tries to make things happen.

"He gives his teammates a lot of support, giving them the right direction to go on and play. He plays for the team, not for himself. He's an exciting talent, for sure.

"Emerson is very hard working and, as I said, the responsibility he shows is unusual to see in someone so young. He's working on his power, we know he needs to develop physically but that will come over the next few years.

"There's no doubt, though, that Emerson will be an important player for Fulham and the US national team."

In other international news, Lasse Vigen Christensen was on target twice as Denmark Under-21s guaranteed progression to the European Championship Play-Offs with a 4-2 victory over nearest rivals Russia.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/september/04/hyndmans-us-debut?

[WhiteJC]

 
Colorado Rapids rumored signing could be former Fulham, Bolton, Aston Villa CB Zat Knight

A tall, veteran center back is desperately needed in Colorado right now, and Knight would provide such a player.

It was announced by the Colorado Rapids -- I'd say 'leaked', but come on -- a couple of days ago that they were looking to add a late-season signing onto the team in the form of a veteran central defender, one with national team experience and plenty of time spent in their league's top division. Yesterday, it came out that the Rapids were interested in one Zat Knight, formerly of Fulham, Bolton Wanderers and Aston Villa.


Knight would add some much needed height and some much needed veteran leadership into a back-line that is currently destroyed due to injuries. The 6'6'' 34-year-old probably won't stick around past this season, and is likely going to represent nothing more than a stopgap solution for the reeling Rapids, but it's still good to see that they're trying something to patch up the dreadful defense that has been responsible for the majority of the awful August losing streak.


http://www.burgundywave.com/2014/9/4/6105473/zat-knight-colorado-rapids-transfer-rumors?

[WhiteJC]

 
What Matt Smith Brings to Fulham

On deadline day Fulham sealed a £500,000 deal to bring Leeds Striker Matt Smith to Craven Cottage. The 25-year-old, 6'6" forward has signed a three-year deal with the option for another 12 months.

Smith's arrival provides Fulham with another forward with experience playing in the Championship, adding to their depth at the position since Ross McCormack and Hugo Rodallega were previously the only veteran choices.

The striker played more than 40 times for Leeds last season and notched 13 goals, having previously made 62 appearances for League One's Oldham Athletic.

As a tall striker, the first thing Smith gives Fulham is an aerial presence they have been missing up front. Smith is a big, powerful forward who can latch onto crosses supplied by Fulham's young wingers.

Other forward options such as McCormack and Rodallega are both under 6 feet, and Bryan Ruiz, who has been desperate for a move away from Craven Cottage, has proven unable to cope with the physical demands of the English game.

Smith's physical ability up front will provide the midfield with a target man, while speedier forwards can run ahead for a ball flicked on. This allows Fulham some tactical versatility and the option of throwing the ball into the penalty area late in games, knowing that Smith can get his head to the ball.

The striker will also be extremely useful defending and attacking corners, providing a real threat when timing a late run at the ball, as evidenced by this late goal in the FA Cup against Everton.

Perhaps the greatest area in which Smith will boost Fulham's chances this season is in rekindling his blossoming partnership with Ross McCormack. While together at Leeds, the duo combined for 42 goals, a huge total considering that Leeds only scored 59 times in the League last season.

Fulham's £11 million star has struggled for form and fitness to start the season, although he has improved and scored his first goal for the club in the Capital One Cup. Manager Felix Magath will be hoping that Smith's arrival will bring the best out of his strike partner, helping McCormack replicate his sensational 29-goal tally from last year.

With McCormack's playmaking ability, running onto balls flicked on by Smith, Fulham gain a new dimension to their attacking play.

Smith told the club's website that he is looking forward to being paired with McCormack again: "We formed a good partnership with one another last season and hopefully we'll see that again at Craven Cottage. It's a partnership I hope will come to fruition again."

If nothing else, Smith is a cost-effective option for Fulham to add some depth and quality to their squad, something much-needed after the expensive flop of Kostas Mitroglou last season.

Fulham will hope to stabilise their season after a disastrous start. Dreams of an immediate return to the Premier League may be dashed already, but there is no reason to believe that Smith can grow with some of the young starlets in this Fulham squad as they look to gain promotion in the near future.

At just £500,000, Smith represents something of a bargain in this summer's market, one that has seen Fulham overpay for proven Championship quality in McCormack. Smith should prove a savvy signing for Fulham, and if he can help get the best out of his strike partner and halt the club's rapid descent down the table then he will prove well worth the money.


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2186912-fulham-what-matt-smith-brings-to-the-club?

[WhiteJC]

 
Culture Shock
by LYDIA on SEPTEMBER 4, 2014

After the feelings of frustration and hurt caused by relegation had started to fade I reckon that most Fulham fans believed that this season would bring some happier memories. The majority believed that we would be promoted at the first time of asking, a number believed that we would breeze this league. I knew that this league would be very tough and that would be unwise to underestimate the other 23 teams but I was still very confident that we would at the very least finish off in the play-off places. No one, even the most pessimistic of fans, would have expected that after five games we would be second from bottom with just 1 point. Apart from the Carling Cup match against Brentford and the match against Cardiff our performances have been dire. We have been shocked by the difficult culture of the Championship when really we should have been prepared for a real battle. The team has had no consistency and even the most loyal of fans were calling for Magath's head after the Derby game. I generally believe that sticking with the manager is the best way to do things but even I was in the #felixout team after the 5-1 defeat at Pride Park!

However after a cooling off period I considered a few things. We all knew that our squad has needed a complete revamp. Ever since the Hodgson era we have an aging squad and although it was exactly what we needed at the time, it should have been improved year after year but it unfortunately wasn't. Last season saw even more change with Khan taking over the club but he struggled to find the man he wanted at the helm of the squad and you could say that we had five different managers at the club last year in Jol, Meulensteen, Wilkins, Curbishley and then Magath. The inconsistencies were happening on the field as well as off when over the course of the season we used more players than any other team. Every game had a different selection and it just looked like a group of strangers were playing week in week out. A revamp was needed and Magath has given us exactly that. I haven't agreed with everything that Magath has done and the insane team selections have confused and frustrated us all but we have to realise that we aren't going to see immediate results. Our academy players have a great future ahead and it is a great incentive for them when they know that they are going to be given a chance. However, I think Magath has to be careful here as one of the worst thing for a young player is to have your confidence completely shot by being put into a game that you aren't ready for! I am all for players being given a chance but that has to come from training first, not from experimenting with the team every week. Although from after the Derby game, things have been better even though it has only been two games. I believe that after the international break things will continue to settle for the squad. We have made another addition in Matt Smith which should help us upfront. Magath seems to like playing McCormack as a winger but that only really works if you have a solid centre forward so Smith is a welcome addition. I like Woodrow, but he still has an awful lot to learn. He doesn't take enough of his chances yet so Smith will hopefully help out there. Although some of the signings have been strange (Fotheringham for example) some of them have been very positive. Eisfield and Stafylidis are quality young players while McCormack looked like a boss in the last two games! Our defence was shambolic in the first few games but since Dan Burn has been recalled and Bettinelli has had a chance we have looked far better. I have no doubt that things are going to improve if Magath stops changing the team around so much. We have the talent in the squad and we also have the passion, which is something that we sorely missed last year bar a couple of matches. The celebration when McCormack scored against Brentford shows that the players care and that is so good see.

Something that I Have respected about Magath is the open letters to the fans. He is speaking honestly in them and is calling for our support. I know it is hard when it looks like we are the laughing stock of the league but our young players in particular need our support. Another managerial change will only unsettle things more so we must acknowledge that a major squad revamp and using a lot of young players is going to take time to come good. I believe that the international break has come at a good time for our squad so hopefully the few weeks that they have had to work on things will show when the league starts back next Saturday. If we keep supporting the team and manager in the short term then I believe that the club will reap the rewards in the long-term.

In terms of our aims for this season, I think that if the performances start to match the talent that we have in the squad then promotion is still possible. This league is so unpredictable so the top 6 places won't be fully decided until the last day. Our squad is good enough to be there but it just depends how long we take to gel and how long it takes for Magath to STOP experimenting during matches (although I think he realised after the Derby that it had to stop). One thing is for sure though, we need to start getting results. Keep believing, folks.

Follow me twitter- @Lyds_campbell

COYW


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2014/09/culture-shock/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Longtime USMNT fixture Carlos Bocanegra announces retirement from soccer

Longtime United States national team regular and 2010 World Cup team captain Carlos Bocanegra announced Tuesday that he will retire at the end of the season, his 15th and final year in professional soccer.

Best known as a steady-headed defender on the backline for the USMNT for two consecutive World Cup cycles, Bocanegra sandwiched stints in Major League Soccer around nearly a decade spent abroad, mostly as a regular with English side Fulham.

He also played in France, Scotland and Spain before he returned to MLS and his native Southern California, where he's spent the past season and a half with Chivas USA. He started 18 of the team's first 19 matches to start this season, but he's battled concussion symptoms since mid-July and has not appeared in any of the team's past seven games.

"I'm still hungry for the game and I want to play, but unfortunately you can't play forever. I was thinking about this in the offseason, and it took me about six months to come to a final decision," said Bocanegra in a statement. "The timing is right for me. I've known for a little while now in my mind and in my heart. I'm happy with it, and I'm looking forward to the new challenges."

Bocanegra's 110 caps for the United States are tied for seventh all-time in the program's history. He made his debut in 2001 under head coach Bruce Arena – shortly after winning the MLS Rookie of the Year with the Chicago Fire in 2000 – and eventually started two of the team's three games of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

By the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Bocanegra was the captain under head coach Bob Bradley and one of the team's most experienced and vocal leaders. He switched between center back and left back for Bradley's squad and played every minute on the field in the tournament, one of six players to accomplish the feat.

"Carlos is a great friend and someone I have played with since I was 15 years old," USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard told US Soccer's website. "What is outstanding about Carlos is what a great captain he was for the national team. Along with his abilities and consistency, his leadership was brilliant. He was a great defender, one of the best the national team has seen."

He scored 14 goals and added eights assists in his career for the US, the most points scored by a defender in the program's history.

"Carlos has been an outstanding ambassador for US Soccer," said US Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati. "As a player, a captain and a leader, he has epitomized the best of what it means to be a member of the National Team throughout his career. We are all extremely proud of everything he has accomplished, and look forward to working with him in continuing to help grow the sport in the country."

Although Bocanegra figured heavily into the US team's 2012 qualification for the CONCACAF Hexagonal, he didn't play in any of the team's final 10 games on the road to Brazil. His last appearance came on Nov. 14, 2012 in a 2-2 draw against Russia in Krasnodar, when he wore the captain's armband under head coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

Originally from Alta Loma, Calif., and a collegiate standout at nearby UCLA, Bocanegra was an instant standout in MLS. He became the first player in league history to win the Defender of the Year twice (2002 and 2003), and he leveraged his success into a deal with Fulham in January 2004.

He spent five seasons at Craven Cottage, appearing in 116 matches and teaming with fellow USMNT regulars Brian McBride and Clint Dempsey to make Fulham one of the EPL's most-watched clubs among American fans.

"Carlos is one of the finest defenders that the United States has ever produced," Arena told US Soccer's website. "He is a tremendous competitor, a great leader and the type of person you always wanted on your team. His career and contributions to MLS, US Soccer and abroad are something to be respected."

Bocanegra eventually played with both Rennes and Saint-Étienne in France before he landed with Scottish power Rangers in 2011 with an eye on playing in the UEFA Champions League. That dream never materialized, however, and Bocanegra moved on to Spanish second division side Racing Santander for a one-year stint before he returned to MLS to close out his career.

Bocanegra becomes the fourth player on the 2010 World Cup team to announce his retirement this year, following Steve Cherundolo, Jay DeMerit and Landon Donovan.


http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/09/04/longtime-usmnt-fixture-carlos-bocanegra-announces-retirement-soccer?