Friday Fulham Stuff (02/07/10)...

[WhiteJC]

http://www.sport.co.uk/news/Football/40137/Race_for_King_hots_up.aspx?
Race for King hots up

Fulham today released Ghanaian midfielder King Osei Gyan with a host of the Premier Leagues top clubs tracking the player as the race for 21-year-old midfielder's signature commences. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and Manchester United chief Sir Alex Ferguson are interested in the player, while Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City have also been linked with the free agent today.

The 21-year-old has been out on loan at Belgian club Germinal Beerschot since 2007 in order to gain EU citizenship, however surprisingly Fulham have decided not to renew the highly regarded star's contract, prompting interest from Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, and Chelsea.

King, who was spotted at the highly reputable Right to Dream Academy in Accra by Fulham, has already been tipped to be a future Black Stars international and recently expressed his desire to force himself into the international reckoning. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has instructed the Gunner's legal team to look into the complexities of the youngsters work permit situation, as the Cottagers reportedly pulled out of renewing King's deal because of pending work permit issues. Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have been added to the list of admirers, while newly instated Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson could move to sign his former starlet for nothing.

The strong and combative midfielder is also being watched by Belgian club Anderlecht; however Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is ahead in the race to sign King after giving the go ahead to Gunner's officials to look into the transfer with the Frenchman expected to have a closer look at the player in pre-season. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has close links with the Right to Dream academy, and ironically missed out on signing King in 2007. Chelsea and Manchester City have been added to the list of potential suitors according to sources out of Ghana and Belgium, while it is unknown at this point in time whether King's former manager Roy Hodgson will swoop for the youngster.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2010/07/02/2005312/glenn-hoddle-in-contention-for-fulham-managers-job-as-club?
Glenn Hoddle in contention for Fulham manager's job as club target replacement in same mould as Roy Hodgson
Ex-England boss joins shortlist of Curbishley, Eriksson, Hughes & Mowbray

Glenn Hoddle is in the frame to take over as manager at Fulham as the club target a training ground-style coach in the mould of ex-boss Roy Hodgson, Goal.com UK can reveal.

Alan Curbishley, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Mark Hughes are on the board's radar but there is also strong support for a manager who will not disrupt the coaching structure already in place at Craven Cottage.

Goal.com UK understands that former England boss Hoddle and ex-Celtic and West Brom manager Tony Mowbray are considered to fit the bill as high calibre tacticians who can minimise the changes for players used to a coaching-oriented culture.

Hoddle, who was also considered for the West Ham post after Gianfranco Zola was dismissed, is believed to be interested despite his commitments to his own football academy in southern Spain.

The 52-year-old former Tottenham boss has not returned to management since stepping down as Wolverhampton Wanderers boss in July 2006 but he is still regarded as an original thinker with a strong coaching reputation.

Despite being sacked at Celtic, Mowbray is also well regarded at Craven Cottage for his managerial spells at Hibernian and West Bromwich Albion.

Former Charlton and West Ham manager Curbishley, who has been out of work since his acrimonious departure at Upton Park in September 2008, has a strong connection to Fulham as his erstwhile No2 Mervyn Day is now part of the club's scouting team.

Eriksson, who has stepped down as Ivory Coast manager, remains a strong contender but support is dwindling for Hughes.

It is believed that hiring the Welshman would require too dramatic a change to the club's coaching set-up because Hughes would want his close-knit backroom staff of Mark Bowen, Eddie Niedzwiecki, Kevin Hitchcock and Glyn  Hodges to join him.

Fulham chief executive Alistair Macintosh has been charged with identifying Hodgson's successor. He will whittle down the shortlist before presenting the names to chairman and owner Mohamed Al Fayed.

Although the non-World Cup players return to pre-season training next Tuesday, club sources say they are in no rush and a more realistic timeframe is to have the new manager in place by the time the first-team squad set off for their pre-season tour to Sweden.

Fulham will strongly resist any move by Hodgson to return to Craven Cottage and buy some of the leading players.

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy is considered a more viable target for Hodgson than defender Brede Hangeland, who signed a new four-year contract last November and is valued at £10m by the club.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/west-bromwich-albion-fc/west-bromwich-albion-fc-news/2010/07/02/west-brom-won-t-get-windfall-from-new-jonathan-greening-deal-97319-26772616/?
West Brom won't get windfall from new Jonathan Greening deal

One player definitely not coming back to Albion is former skipper Jonathan Greening who has signed a two-year contract at Fulham after a season-long loan at Craven Cottage.

The midfielder became an important part of the London club's squad during the 2009/10 campaign, which saw Fulham reach the Europa League final.

The Cottagers have now confirmed the agreement for the 31-year-old, on the day that former boss Roy Hodgson was unveiled as the new manager of Liverpool.

Greening did have one year remaining on his contract at Albion and has now signed a two year deal at Fulham.

His move last summer was a binding loan agreement which turned into a £5.5 million permanent transfer with no option of a return - identical in essence to that which saw Tomasz Kuszczak move to Manchester United and Paul Robinson to Bolton.

But anyone hoping for a cash windfall to drop into Robert Di Matteo's coffers will be disappointed as Albion revealed some time back that the money had already been accounted for.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3284/euro-2012/2010/07/02/2005770/fulham-striker-bobby-zamora-hoping-to-justify-england-boss-fabio-?
Fulham striker Bobby Zamora hoping to justify England boss Fabio Capello's faith in him
Cottagers' hitman not keen on following Hodgson to Liverpool

Fulham forward Bobby Zamora insists that he would like to prove England manager Fabio Capello right by putting in strong performances to justify the faith that the gaffer has now shown in him.

The Three Lions boss - amidst much criticism - recently revealed following the World Cup debacle that he intends to rebuild the squad with the likes of the former West Ham United striker and Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor.

And the hitman is consequently thrilled to have his name mentioned, while paying no attention to the criticism that has been thrown the Italian's way.

"People can read into that what they want, I just let that sort of reaction wash over me," Zamora told The Sun.

"It is flattering to hear the England manager single me out.

"It's nice to be linked with that and it's a big target for me once I'm 100 per cent fit again."

The 29-year-old maintained that it had been a great source of encouragement, having his name mentioned by Capello himself.

"I'm the sort of player who wouldn't even give a thought to being in the squad until I actually got a phone call from Fabio Capello," he said.

"But the other day the words were straight out of his mouth, so that was good."

He added: "There's always speculation about who might be in the squads but I'd rather hear it from the manager himself.

"Joe Bloggs might be laughing about the thought of me in the next World Cup but listen, that's four years away, and there's another big tournament before that."

In the meantime, there has been some speculation that the ex-Tottenham Hotspur man could follow Roy Hodgson to Liverpool, after the 62-year-old was appointed as the man with the plan at Anfield.

However, the striker has poured cold water on any such speculation, and insists that he intends to do well Craven Cottage.

He said: "I've got two years on my contract and my concern now is to get back to full fitness and help the club stay in the top division again."

[WhiteJC]

http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/celtic/185229-kamara-fulham-plea-dont-price-me-out-of-dream-return-to-celtic/?
Kamara Fulham plea: Don't price me out of dream return to Celtic
Fulham striker Diomansy Kamara desperate to be part of Neil Lennon's Celtic revolution at Parkhead

Fulham striker Diomansy Kamara wants to return to Paradise-this time on a  permanent basis.

The 29 year –old striker spent six months on loan at the Hoops last season and new Celtic boss Neil Lennon is said to be keen to retain his services.

But the £3m buy out clause in his Fulham contract is proving a stumbling block and the striker is hopeful a knock down fee can be agreed.

Kamara who scored two goals during his loan deal told reporters: "Celtic have an option to buy me for around £3m but they don't want to pay such a sum for player who only has one year left on his contract.

"Discussions are continuing and, honestly, my priority is to stay at Celtic. I know the manager, there is a preliminary round of the Champions League to play in and the atmosphere in the stadium is incredible.

"My directors are asking a lot of money to let me go but can't afford to be too greedy.

"If the worst comes to the worst it won't cause me any problem to play one more year at Fulham to leave on a free.

"But I'm going to speak to the directors and if we can come to an agreement I think clubs could be interested in getting me for less money."

Fulham signed Kamara from West Brom for £6m in 2007. The Craven Cottage club would be loathe to see him leave for free next season and could be willing to do business with Celtic, especially now boss Roy Hodgson has moved on to Liverpool.

If Kamara's dream move to Celtic doesn't materialise the player revealed he will look to move to France with Paris St Germain his ideal choice. 

[WhiteJC]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23851976-fulham-need-to-keep-spirit-of-roy-hodgsons-love-affair-alive.do?
Fulham need to keep spirit of Roy Hodgson's love affair alive

When Fulham reached last season's Europa League Final in Hamburg, a most unlikely port of call for the footballing journeymen, there was talk on fan websites of starting a campaign for a statue of Roy Hodgson to be erected alongside that of club legend Johnny Haynes outside Craven Cottage.

With Hodgson departed to Liverpool, it is an honour that will now never be bestowed. But the gap left where a bronze of the 62-year-old might have stood is nothing compared to void he leaves at a club where he worked one of the game's great miracles.

When Hodgson arrived at Fulham just after the Christmas of 2007, the long ball football promoted by Lawrie Sanchez had the club bound for relegation from the Premier League. That prospect seemed unlikely to change when the new manager picked up just nine points from his first 13 games.

But if the alarm bells were sounding elsewhere around the Cottage and at Fulham's training complex down the A3 in Surrey, all was peace and calm in Hodgson's office.

He knew from his experience of managing in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Switzerland and at Blackburn that it would take time for his players to accept that passing the ball along the ground might bring better results.

It is a style that has been embraced by Fulham supporters, especially as it not only secured Premier League survival but pushed the club on to a record seventh-place finish and that roller-coaster adventure in Europe highlighted by the greatest victory witnessed at the Cottage — the 4-1 thumping of Juventus.

But it was not only the fans who loved the lisping "Woy". Hodgson's knack for spotting cheap talent, both untapped and experienced, clearly appealed to club owner Mohamed Fayed who has always kept a firm grip on the purse strings.

Bringing goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer to Fulham was inspired, as was the signing of centre-half Brede Hangeland who is now worth seven times the £2million Hodgson paid for him.

The squad loved him, too. Talk to players such as Bobby Zamora, John Pantsil and captain Danny Murphy, and they will all testify that Hodgson's hands-on approach to training helped transform their careers.

Where will Fayed and his chief executive Alistair Macintosh find a replacement even half as good as Hodgson? They are said to be looking in the direction of Sven-Goran Eriksson and Alan Curbishley.

Murphy said: "I've worked with both of them (with England and at Charlton). I've also heard Mark Hughes's name mentioned, and one or two others.

"I spoke to the chief executive a couple of weeks ago and told him that if he needed a player's opinion, or wanted to get a feeling from the lads, then he's free to call me anytime.

"As of yet he hasn't done that. Hopefully, he will because I think it's important the chief executive gets a vibe. That's not to say that he should be dictated to, far from it. But I think it is sensible to get an opinion from the players that are at the club already."

Some supporters believe Murphy, who is taking his coaching badges, is already qualified to succeed Hodgson because he shares the same footballing passions and beliefs.

However, Murphy also possesses a passion for Liverpool, where he won six honours in seven years, and it would be no surprise if he was lured to Anfield as a player/coach.

The midfielder holds Hodgson in the highest regard. Murphy said: "Roy is someone who is able to organise a team to get success on the pitch, and is also very good at dealing with issues off the pitch.

"He's an articulate man, he's good at dealing with the press, he says the right things, he's humble, he's not flamboyant or flash, he's not going to create problems off the pitch.

"The word stability' is what everybody is using to sum-up what Liverpool needs, and if you want to call Roy anything he is stable and he is calm."

Liverpool, it seems, have got the right man.

Their gain is Fulham's loss, and one that could take a lot of replacing.

[FatFreddysCat]

http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/dempsey_dream_reds_move_being_lined_up_534447/index.shtml
Dempsey Dream Reds Move Being Lined Up

Clint Dempsey is being lined up for a dream move to Liverpool.

The Sun report that USA World Cup star Dempsey is rated at around £7m.

New Reds boss Roy Hodgson is a huge fan of the attacking midfielder's work ethic and professionalism.

Dempsey is already being flooded by sponsorship and endorsement offers in the 'States after the USA's successful World Cup campaign and a move to Liverpool will only add to his growing status in his home country.

Would that be the same Dempsey, that Roy had sitting on the bench for quite a few games for little ole Fulham.