Thursday Fulham Stuff (04/09/14)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Great signing: Fulham purchase Matt Smith from Leeds Utd

I like the Matt Smith signing. I remember watching him a couple of times when he was at Oldham. They played Liverpool and Everton in the cup and for some reason I had access to the TV.

What struck me about Smith was that he had this transcendental power. Power that – if harnessed – any team will struggle to defend.

High balls into the area are a great leveller. Sam Allardyce understands this and so does Tony Pulis. I don't care if you're Ferdinand and Vidic or Puyols and Pique, if the ball's crossed with some accuracy, technical ability goes out of the window. If you want to defend it you have to compete physically. This is partly how Graham Taylor was able to get Watford promoted from division four to division one in short order in the 80s.

While researching my book on Roy Hodgson I talked to Richard Latham, a reporter in Bristol, who remembered briefings with Roy and Bob Houghton:

"He and Bob both spoke the language football wise, both very technical, very committed, and Bob had the press in with a blackboard explaining how Bristol City were supposed to be playing. I do remember something had just emerged, the POMO zone. Bob reasoned that every time the ball went into the POMO zone it was a chance, somebody should really have got on the end of it. He'd come out of games saying how many chances they'd had, but the goalkeeper hadn't had to make a save. His reasoning was that the ball was in an area where they should've got to it, but nobody did. So I'll always remember the POMO zone and I imagine Roy was into that sort of thing too. They were very technical coaches and sang from the same hymn sheet, but very different personalities."

The point of all this was, simply, to get the ball into the danger area, to cause chaos, and to take advantage when the ball fell to the right man. (the background to all this was some dodgy but detailed analysis by Wing Commander Charles Reep, which Charles Hughes took on and made a central part of the FA coaching programme at the time. The analysis might have been suspect, but the long ball game it encouraged did work to a degree).

Now, this may not be what the puritans of SW6 want for their club, but it's a legitimate approach and one that, dare we say it, has its uses in the Championship where as best we can tell, pretty football doesn't seem to prevail as we might hope.

And Matt Smith seems to be the real deal if this is an option you want to take. He's huge, but that alone doesn't help if you can't use this size, if you can't compete, if you can't put the fear of god into defenders every time the ball's in the area. As best I can tell, Smith has all this in his locker. It's too easy to write him off as a big lump: that won't do in today's game. The Championship is still a remarkably strong league. If Smith was just a big man up front he wouldn't have stuck at Leeds, wouldn't have scored the goals he has.

It raises other questions, not least how we're going to provide the kind of wing play he'll need, but on the surface this feels like a smashing signing to me.

(And dare we say it: if Magath was the embodiment of evil, wouldn't Ross McCormack have warned Smith off?)


http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/great-signing-fulham-purchase-matt-smith-from-leeds-utd/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Smith relishing Ross reunion

Matt Smith is out to reprise his prolific partnership with Ross McCormack at Fulham.

Striker Smith, 25, moved to Craven Cottage from Leeds on deadline day and has been reunited with his former United team-mate McCormack, who made the B£11million switch to west London earlier this summer. The deadly duo hit 42 goals between them last season and Smith is confident they can repeat the trick and kick-start struggling Fulham's season. "Obviously Ross is a player I know very well," he told the club website. "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. "We've both come in and it's up to us to prove our worth. There are a lot of good players in the squad, and I'm looking forward to working with them all. "I scored a decent amount of goals last season, and hopefully I can continue that here at Fulham."



Read more at: https://www.clubcall.com/fulham/smith-relishing-ross-reunion-1738949.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Brentford loanee not in Fulham's immediate plans

Bees promotion star has to sit and sweat with Whites


Left out: Trotta
Marcello Trotta is going to have to bide his time before he gets in Fulham's first team.

The striker played a pivotal role in Brentford's campaign last season making 37 appearance and scoring 12 goals as the Bees soared to the Championship.

But the arrival of Matt Smith from Leeds on the last day of the transfer window currently makes Craven Cottage a crowded house and further shuts door on his chances, as Whites boss Felix Magath confirmed.

"Trotta was injured for four or five weeks," the manager explained.


Last game of Brentford's promotion winning season: Marcello Trotta holds trophy on a lap of honour
"As for the first team, maybe later, but not at the moment; I rely now on the (first-team) players.

"I also have Woodrow, Dembele, Rodallega, Ross McCormack and Adam Taggart, who is injured. Trotta is talented for sure, but he is not now in the squad."

The Italy U21 forward was heavily linked with a permanent move to Griffin Park in the summer, and the Whites may look at a loan move once that window re-opens to further develop his career.       


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/brentford-loanee-not-fulhams-immediate-7707604?

[WhiteJC]

 
Former Chelsea, Fulham coach Ray Wilkins appointed as Jordan boss


Ray Wilkins has also worked as a pundit on Sky Sports.

Ray Wilkins, who most recently worked as assistant head coach at Fulham last season under Rene Meulensteen, has been appointed as the new coach of Jordan.

Wilkins, 57, will be assisted by former Arsenal and Republic of Ireland forward Frank Stapleton and the pair will lead the team at the AFC Asian Cup in Australia in January where they have been drawn in a group with Japan, Iraq and Palestine.

The Jordan Football Association (JFA), which announced the appointment on its official website, said Wilkins would take charge of the team after their friendlies against Uzbekistan on Thursday and China five days later.

Wilkins' first match in charge will be against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur on October 11 and the former England international says he is relishing the opportunity to test his credentials at international level.

"I am relocating, Frank and I will be moving out in the middle of next week, so we will be putting a lot of time and effort into the job," Wilkins told Sky Sports News.

"It's only for five months, it's not a long term thing, it's just until we get the Asian Cup over with. They've reached the quarter-finals on the last two occasions, so let's hope we can go a couple better.

"We are going to go down there (to Australia) in January and attempt to achieve something with them. I saw the guys train, they look a very lively bunch, so we're looking forward to getting stuck in.

"I won't be seeking any advice, we'll just get out there and we're going to crack on. We're going to train the guys to try and get to a little bit of a better fitness level."

And Wilkins admitted a successful Asian Cup campaign could persuade him to continue in the role and lead the team into the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.

"If we were to be successful -- and please God we are -- then I would certainly have to look at it, but I would certainly have to look at my family situation as well,'' he added.

Jordan are ranked 56th in the world by FIFA, sandwiched between Finland and South Korea and 10 places above the Republic of Ireland.

The Asian nation have never qualified for the World Cup, but only missed out on a place in Brazil this summer by losing a play-off to Uruguay, 5-0 on aggregate.

Wilkins, who won 84 caps for England and has also coached at Chelsea, joined the Fulham staff last December, but lasted less than two months before leaving when Felix Magath came in as manager in February.

There have been other British managers who have tried their luck abroad. Here are five:

JOE KINNEAR: Kinnear was appointed coach of India in 1984, before moving on to Nepal for two years in 1987. "We trained at the foot of Mount Everest,'' recalled Kinnear. "You could see it as you looked outside your window.'' Kinnear would go on to give himself an even bigger mountain to climb at Newcastle.

DON REVIE: Revie caused controversy by resigning as England boss in 1977 to take up a 340,000-pounds-per-year tax-free post with the United Arab Emirates. Having compounded the situation by selling his story to the Daily Mail, Revie was suspended from football for 10 years by an enraged Football Association.

JOHN TOSHACK: Toshack's shock appointment as Macedonia coach in 2011 lasted less than a year. The former Wales boss won just one of his eight games in charge then was sacked after failing to comply with a request to relocate full-time to the Balkan nation from his home in Spain.

MICK WADSWORTH: Much-travelled Wadsworth -- who would later take charge of St Kitts & Nevis -- landed up as head coach of Congo in 2003. "I'd done my homework, and I knew I was letting myself in for a culture shock,'' said Wadsworth, who led the team to the African Cup of Nations finals in Tunisia where they lost all three games.

TERRY YORATH: The former Wales boss enjoyed a mutually beneficial couple of years in Lebanon in the mid-1990s. The Lebanese national team rose more than 50 places in the FIFA rankings while Yorath conceded: "I'm much more patient than I ever was before in my life. And I've learned how to make a smashing stew.''


http://www.espnfc.co.uk/jordan/story/2017873/former-chelsea-fulham-coach-ray-wilkins-appointed-as-new-jordan-manager?

[WhiteJC]

 
Transfer Round-Up

Following the closure of one of Fulham's busiest transfer windows, we run the rule over the 14 new faces in the Whites squad.


First through the door in mid-June was Shaun Hutchinson on a free transfer, with the centre-back penning an initial two-year deal (with the option of an additional 12 months). The Newcastle-born youngster had forged a reputation in Scotland as a no-nonsense defender during a successful five-year spell with Motherwell. "Once I learned of Fulham's interest, it was a no brainer for me and I couldn't wait to get down and get signed," he told the official website after putting pen to paper. "Obviously we all know the size of club that Fulham is and I couldn't wait to come and have a look at it. There's no hiding the fact that going from the SPL to the Championship is a step up, but it's one that I believe I'm ready for and I can't wait to get started."

Just over a week later, the Club confirmed the signing of Adam Taggart. At the time, the 21-year-old striker was in Brazil having been part of the Australia squad competing at the World Cup, where he featured in their defeats by the Netherlands and Spain. An untimely injury disrupted the start of his Fulham career, with the young Socceroo still awaiting his debut.

The new arrivals were unrelenting and 24 hours later the signing of Tim Hoogland was announced. A man Felix Magath knew well from their time at Schalke 04 together, the former Germany youth international agreed a one-year deal at Craven Cottage. Hoogland has since gone on to be an ever-present in the Fulham side in our six games to date, showing his versatility having operated at both right-back and holding midfield, while he has also contributed in an attacking sense with two goals to his name.


Fans had to wait seven more days until the next new face, and it turned out to be a rival for Hoogland's right-back role. Kay Voser penned a two-year contract with the option for an additional 12 months, having enjoyed a trophy-laden spell in his native Switzerland with FC Basel. An attack-minded full-back who can operate on the right or left, Voser made eight appearances in the UEFA Champions League last season, including victories home and away against our local rivals Chelsea.

Arguably our most high-profile transfer of the summer came in the form of Ross McCormack. There had been plenty of speculation that the striker was set to join from Leeds United, and his arrival for an undisclosed fee was announced on Tuesday 8th July. Last season's top scorer in the Championship with 28 goals, McCormack's arrival certainly signalled Fulham's intent to get back to the top flight. Manager Magath was delighted to secure his signature, stating: "I'm glad for our fans that we've signed an experienced and exciting player, a Scotland international, with a great attitude and presence who can be a leader that our young and ambitious squad can learn from."

The following day the squad was bolstered further with a new left-back; Konstantinos Stafylidis. The heavily-inked 20-year-old arrived on a season-long loan from Bayer Leverkusen, with the Club holding an option to make the move permanent at the end of the deal. Another who fits Magath's philosophy of getting forward from the full-back position, Stafylidis has quickly won the support of the Fulham faithful courtesy of his passionate nature and committed displays. He's also shown his versatility by operating in a more offensive starting position against both Wolverhampton Wanderers and Derby County.


It was a fortnight before anyone else joined the Fulham ranks, but it was worth the wait as exciting Arsenal youngster Thomas Eisfeld made the short trip from North to South-West London. Having started out in the Borussia Dortmund academy in his native Germany, he was highly rated by Arsene Wenger during his time with the Gunners. Competition for places at the Emirates meant he only made two appearances, but he still managed to find the back of the net on his full debut away to West Bromwich Albion in the Capital One Cup. His arrival was immediately followed up on the same day by Adil Chihi, a free agent who had been on trial over the summer. The winger made his Whites debut in the weekend's draw with Cardiff City.

While the team was on tour in Austria, Nikolay Bodurov added to the defensive options when he signed prior to the friendly fixture against Caykur Rizespor – in which he ended up playing 90 minutes. After signing, Bodurov told fulhamfc.com from their hotel base: "It's a dream of mine. I see a good team here – the training camp has been good so far. Everything is very professional here and I think that we have everything we need to have a very successful season."   

Our 10th signing of the summer was Mark Fotheringham when the much-travelled midfield player agreed a one-year deal – he's since gone on to make two appearances for his new club. And a week later another central midfielder joined on a free, when Dino Fazlic signed a contract of the same length.


With the season well under way, Magath continued to look for players who could strengthen his squad, and he pulled off something of a coup when Tiago Casasola put pen to paper. The 19-year-old defender had been scouted by many clubs, yet decided his future lay in SW6, telling the official website upon signing: "It's a great Club and I'm very happy to be here. I know the Club has great fans and I also know it has a long history." A debut was postponed as Fulham awaited international clearance, but he is now eligible to feature for his new side.

Going into the 2014/15 campaign, Marcus Bettinelli was the Club's oldest goalkeeper at just 22 years of age. Therefore, veteran stopper Gabor Kiraly was added to the ranks on a one-year deal. It's a move that Magath hopes will be beneficial for the development of both Bettinelli and fellow Academy graduate Jesse Joronen. "I was searching now for an older goalkeeper whose career is at the end and he should join us and both young goalkeepers to teach them and help them to develop," the Fulham boss said.

The final incoming player joined moments before the closure of the transfer window when Matt Smith signed a three-year deal with the option for a further 12 months. The imposing frontman arrived from Leeds where he'd formed a deadly understanding with McCormack last term – banging in 13 goals in all competitions. It's a rapport he hopes to replicate now that the pair are linking up once again: "Obviously Ross is a player I know very well," Smith told fulhamfc.com. "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."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/september/03/transfer-round-up?

[WhiteJC]

 
Where Is He Now?
   
One interesting little piece of gossip that almost sneaked under the radar during the final day of the transfer window being open, related to a player we once had at Craven Cottage on loan.

Fulham borrowed, from Arsenal, the midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong.

Once his loan spell was up, Frimpong returned to Arsenal and was then subsequently picked up by the Yorkshire club, Barnsley.

Released by Barnsley, Frimpong, still only 22 years of age has now joined the Russian Premier League side, FC Ufa.

Here at Vital Fulham we wish him luck, we have a feeling he might need it!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=369495#ixzz3CKjU9vBq

[WhiteJC]

 
Crystal Palace re-sign Andrew Johnson on a free

Crystal Palace have today confirmed that Andrew Johnson has rejoined the club on a free transfer. The 33-year-old striker scored 74 goals in his first spell at the Eagles.


Andrew Johnson (AJ) was once an English forward with great promise and between 2002-2006 he made his name for Crystal Palace with some excellent displays. In the 2004/05 season Palace were in the Premier League and in 37 games, AJ netted 21 times. That followed on from the previous season where he scored 27 to help gain promotion. However, his goals couldn't prevent the Eagles' relegation and after another season at the club, the top flight beckoned.

In May 2006, Everton paid £8.6m to bring him to Goodison Park but he would only score 17 Premier League goals in his next 61 appearances before being sold to Fulham. He had an even more torrid time of it at Craven Cottage where injuries almost ended his career and limited him to 86 games and 13 goals in four seasons. After spending the last two seasons with QPR it is now time for Johnson to return to Selhurt Park on a free transfer.

Andrew Johnson told the club website: "I am 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 opportunity and I am looking forward to helping this football club have continued success in the Premier League." It has also been announced that AJ will take up a coaching role too working with the Crystal Palace academy.


http://www.brandish.tv/2014/09/03/crystal-palace-re-sign-andrew-johnson-free.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Felix Magath philosophy behind Fulham's Championship struggles

Felix Magath has a fine pedigree, but is learning a harsh lesson at Fulham.

Sometimes more is less. Fulham have used more than 50 players in Felix Magath's brief reign and have won only three league games. The club appointed a man with six Bundesliga titles -- split equally between his playing and managerial careers -- to keep them in the Premier League and, as they face their first season in the second tier since 2000-01, they have procured only one point this season (a 1-1 draw with Cardiff coming after four straight league defeats that amounts to their worst start to a campaign for 58 years).

This summer, the club spent 11 million pounds -- the highest fee ever paid in the Championship -- on Leeds striker Ross McCormack. But after five games, they achieved less than everyone except Blackpool in the division. And, as Blackpool had only eight players a couple of weeks before the season began, that should be no cause for celebration.

After all, five years ago Magath was a Bundesliga champion with Wolfsburg, and Fulham were role models to the Premier League's aspirational middle class. Aided by intelligent recruitment and clear thinking, they finished seventh under Roy Hodgson and were beginning a run that took them to the UEFA Cup final that ended in defeat to Atletico Madrid, but remains one of the seminal moments in the club's history.

Now they are a basket case of a club. Implausible as it sounds, things have become stranger at Craven Cottage after the statue of Michael Jackson was removed. The choice of a manager nicknamed by former players as "Saddam" (for his rigorous training methods) scarcely suggested Fulham wanted quiet continuity but, thus far, Magath has proved a dismal appointment, taking a wrecking ball to their squad and their prospects of bouncing back to the top flight alike.


http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/2017840/felix-magath-philosophy-behind-fulhams-championship-struggles?

[WhiteJC]

 
FA appoint Sean O'Driscoll as new England U19s Head Coach

THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION has appointed Sean O'Driscoll as the new England U19s National Head Coach.

Sean O'Driscoll has been given a new coaching role by the FA[GETTY]

O'Driscoll will report into England Under-21s Head Coach Gareth Southgate and The FA's Director of Elite Development Dan Ashworth, after taking up the role with immediate effect.

The U19s squad fly out to Dusseldorf on Sunday, where they will face recently crowned European Champions Germany on Monday evening.

John Peacock will be in charge for that game, with O'Driscoll assisting before taking over for the European Championship First Qualifying Round games in October.

Speaking about his appointment, O'Driscoll said:

"I am delighted to join The FA as national coach of the U19s team. It gives me a fantastic opportunity to help develop players in this country and I can't wait to get started.

"The approach now being undertaken is exciting and the ongoing work to put in place a strong England culture and identity in which both players and coaches can learn, develop and be successful.

"Britain's most successful sports are those that have invested the time and effort into creating cultures of excellence and supportive yet challenging environments, where success is a result of everybody working towards the same vision.

"The vision is to produce intelligent, committed England teams that entertain, play without fear and are brave with the ball, all with the continuing aim of achieving sustained international success.

"The development of players requires patience and careful nurturing and hopefully I can bring my experience and input this into England's future philosophy.

"I am delighted to have the opportunity to contribute at this pivotal time for English football."

Southgate added: "We are delighted with Sean's appointment, as we think he is somebody whose values and philosophy match what we are trying to embed.

"He's got great experience in youth development and in the senior game. His teams have always reflected a style of play which is something we would like to implement and he's a developer of players.

"I think the role will really suit him and he is joining us at a time when his ideas will have the chance to impact on, not just the age group he will be working with, but the group of national coaches.

"It's an exciting opportunity and we are really looking forward to working with him."

The 57-year-old joins The FA after starting his coaching career at Bournemouth in 2000. After spending six years with the south coast club, he took over at Doncaster Rovers where he led the Yorkshire club to promotion to the Championship in 2008 before having management spells at Crawley Town, Nottingham Forest and most recently Bristol City in 2013.

As a player, Wolverhampton-born O'Driscoll played for Fulham and made over 400 appearances for Bournemouth and represented the Republic of Ireland three times at international level.


http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/506531/FA-appoint-Sean-O-Driscoll-as-new-England-U19s-Head-Coach