Monday Fulham Stuff (22/12/14)...

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Kit Symons: 'Ross McCormack is not for sale in Janaury'

Fulham manager Kit Symons has insisted that striker Ross McCormack will not leave the club in the January transfer window.

McCormack scored the opening goal in Fulham's 4-0 thrashing of Sheffield Wednesday, and has been linked with a winter move away, despite only joining the club in the summer.

Symons told reporters: "The chairman was over recently and he's very supportive of doing the right things for the football club- and that's keeping our best players.

"From a club point of view there's nothing from us about selling Ross and nor do we want to."

Fulham and McCormack, who cost the Cottagers £11m from Leeds United, travel to Bournemouth on Boxing Day.


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/transfer-talk/news/symons-mccormack-is-staying_194888.html

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Keen named number two

Kevin Keen has been confirmed as assistant manager at Reading after leaving his previous role at fellow Championship side Fulham.

The former West Ham United midfielder was in a youth coaching role with the Cottagers where he was the Under-18s boss, but he has now been appointed under Steve Clarke. Clarke was recently appointed as successor to Nigel Adkins and the 51-year-old has made Keen the first addition to his backroom staff, with the pair previously working together at Upton Park. The new assistant has spent the majority of his coaching career with West Ham although he did go on to coach at Liverpool, working under Kenny Dalglish before Brendan Rodgers' appointment. It is unknown whether Clarke will add more backroom staff members, but with Sal Bibbo (goalkeeping) and Neil Harvey (sport science) still at the club, there does not seem to be any need at the moment.


Read more at: https://www.clubcall.com/championship/keen-named-number-two-1751955.html?

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Capital Punishment

Two goals in each half from Fulham sealed an easy victory for Kit Symons' men as Wednesday gifted them the 3 points. Ross McCormack and Shaun Hutchinson put the Cottagers in complete control before half time. Lasse Vigen Christensen and Cauley Woodrow converted a stoppage time penalty to seal victory after the interval.

The win moved The Cottagers level with their Wednesday in the table after a second-successive win.

Both sides made 2 changes. Jose Semedo and Joe Mattock returned for Wednesday after suspension and injury.

The home side started brightly, forcing a succession of corners, with Hugo Rodallega and Hutchinson thwarted early doors.

Nikolay Bodurov nodded a McCormack delivery over and Chris Maguire had a speculative effort.

Tom Lees wasted a good opportunity for the visitors when he poked wide, but his defensive qualities were displayed moments later when his intervention denied Hugo Rodallega an open goal after Christensen had skilfully evaded Kieren Westwood.

Fulham's goalkeeper Bettinelli was thrusted into action when he dived to his right to keep out another Maguire drive, while Westwood saved well from Rodallega after uncharacteristic hesitation in Wednesday's back four.

Around the half hour mark, it looked as though Wednesday were finding their rhythm. Stevie May couldn't find enough power in his shot to beat Fulham's keeper after a flowing move. Lewis McGugan also went close, bending a free kick just the wrong side of the post.

However, it was Fulham took the lead, somewhat against the run of play on 34 minutes. Glenn Loovens was adjudged to have fouled Seko Fofana on the edge of the box, and McCormack all too predictably curled into the corner for 1-0.

Jezza Helan came close to a leveller when he shot wide, but the home side doubled their lead and effectively killed the game in the 45th minute. The Owls gave away another avoidable free-kick and Hutchinson headed home Bryan Ruiz's dangerous set-piece.

Wednesday head coach Stuart Gray reacted at half time by bringing on Atdhe Nuhiu and Royston Drenthe. The changes resulted in a good spell for Wednesday but there weren't any decent chances of note and Bettinelli had little to do, with Nuhiu heading over and Maguire shooting wide.

It was Christensen who put the game to bed in the 68th minute with a terrific breakaway goal. Fulham broke straight from an Owls corner, Rodallega fed the young Dane from the left hand edge of the box and Christensen jinked into the box and finished well off the post.

The remainder of the game was a stroll for the home side as the game had been over as a contest for a long time. Referee Andre Marriner waving away a penalty appeal for Fulham being the only relevant action.

However, young Woodrow got his name on the scoresheet in injury time from the spot after Claude Dielna's ridiculous challenge on Ross McCormack.

A massive let down for all the supporters who forked out hundreds of pounds to attend this game which was set up to be one of the best away days in recent years. Well done Wednesday.


https://owlsonline.com/?page=news&news_id=1320

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NO FEARS OVER SPURS AND ARSENAL INTEREST IN WONDERKID

Fulham manager Kit Symons has revealed that he has no fears over George Williams' future with the Championship club going forward.

The talented young winger broke into the first team earlier in the campaign.

He earned a place in the starting eleven after his excellent performances for the Cottagers during their FA Youth Cup run last season, which ended in a loss in the final to London rivals Chelsea.

However, Fulham might struggle to hold on to him.

The likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have both been credited with an interest in the 19 year old, and could carry out a raid on their London rivals.

Premier League sides Everton and West Ham both have an interest in signing him too, which means that there is clearly a queue of clubs who would like to capture him if the opportunity arises.

This could come as a blow to Fulham fans, but Symons believes there is no reason to be concerned about Williams' future.

He said: "I'm not surprised about there being rumours regarding our players because we've got some really good players.

"It's quite flattering to hear but rumours are exactly what they are, so we're certainly not getting too concerned about them.

"George is a great player, a bright young talent who will just get better and better in my opinion.

"I've know him for a long time from his academy days and my time working with him with Wales.

"Like all our young players we're looking at them to mature and improve as we go on."

Our verdict
Prodigious talents like Williams are always a target for Premier League sides, but top clubs like Arsenal and Spurs would probably want him to prove himself further before making a big bid. Fulham are under no obligation to sell, and are in a relatively good financial position after receiving parachute payments this season.


http://spoughts.co.uk/2014/12/20/no-fears-spurs-arsenal-interest-wonderkid/?

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Fulham 4 Sheffield Wednesday 0: Cottagers edge towards top half with thumping win

Fulham boosted their Sky Bet Championship play-off ambitions with an impressive 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday.

First-half goals from Ross McCormack and Shaun Hutchinson put the Cottagers in the driving seat before Lasse Vigen Christensen and Cauley Woodrow, who netted from the penalty spot, sealed victory after the break.

The win moved Kit Symons' side level with their opponents in the table after a second successive win.

Marcus Bettinelli and Scott Parker returned to the Fulham side, while the visitors also made two changes, with Joe Mattock and Jose Semedo coming in.

The home side flew out of the blocks and forced a flurry of corners, with Hugo Rodallega and Hutchinson denied early on.

Nikolay Bodurov headed a McCormack free-kick over, while at the other end, Chris Maguire tried his luck from distance.

Tom Lees squandered a good chance for the visitors when he stabbed wide, but he made amends for his miss moments later when his vital interception denied Rodallega an open goal after Christensen had rounded Kieren Westwood.

Bettinelli was called into action when he dived low to his right to keep out Maguire's well-struck drive, while Westwood did well to save from Rodallega after hesitation in the Wednesday defence.

The Owls grew into the game and Kostas Stafylidis was in the right place at the right time to scramble Stevie May's flick off the line, while Lewis McGugan's curling free-kick hit the side netting minutes later.

However, it was Fulham who broke the deadlock against the run of play on 34 minutes. Glenn Loovens was penalised for a foul on Seko Fofana at the edge of the box, and McCormack stepped up to curl a stunning free-kick into the top left-hand corner.

Jeremy Helan came close to an equaliser when he fired just wide, but the home side doubled their advantage in the 45th minute.

The visitors gave away another cheap free-kick and Hutchinson stooped to head home Bryan Ruiz's inswinging set-piece.

Wednesday boss Stuart Gray responded by bringing on Atdhe Nuhiu and Royston Drenthe at the beginning of the second half as they tried to salvage something from the game.

The visitors dominated but failed to force Bettinelli into a save with Nuhiu heading over and Maguire dragging a shot wide.

But Christensen put the game out of their reach in the 68th minute with a fine breakaway goal. Rodallega fed the young Dane, who shimmied his way through before slotting past Westwood with the aid of the post.

The clinical Cottagers took their foot off the gas after that but were denied the chance of a fourth when referee Andre Marriner waved away their penalty appeals after substitute Woodrow was brought down by Westwood.

However, Woodrow got his name on the scoresheet in stoppage-time from the spot after Calude Dielna scythed down McCormack.


http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-4-sheffield-wednesday-0-cottagers-edge-towards-top-half-with-thumping-win-9937908.html

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Fulham linked to interest in Matt Ritchie

The latest news from columnist Neil Fissler, at The Football League Paper, suggests that Fulham are ready to make a bid for the right winger in the January window. Ritchie is said to have a current market value of around £4, but AFCB are not exactly hard up for funds these days. Still the hardest part of the season could be just around the corner for Eddie Howe with the January transfer window soon to open. Keeping his squad of dazzling players together is perhaps helped by the fact that the Cherries are a point ahead at the top of the table, and that could be enough to keep key players like Matt Ritchie on the south coast for some time yet.

While it might be tempting for players at some clubs to be linked with moves come January I don't expect any of the AFCB players to be seeking a move out of this squad which is already creating history and is on the verge of something really special. Eddie Howe has a squad that believe in him and in the direction that the club is going and to attract players away from the Cherries will be hard enough for teams already in the Premier League let alone those in mid-table in the Championship.

Matt Ritchie still has two years left on his contract having signed for three and a half years in January 2013 when he moved from Swindon Town for a bargain £0.5m. Having won the League Two and League One player of the year trophies, Matt has started to impress in the Championship and it is no surprise if he does attract some interest. The value of Matt though has surely gone through the roof since teams have seen what he has been capable of with six goals this season. His link up play with Simon Francis is a shear delight to see and while Fulham might still have money to spend from their Premier League parachute payment it is unlikely that the Cherries would want to cash in on the talent of a man that is already helping them to sweep most sides aside in the Championship.

Fulham might just have to look elsewhere if they want to bolster their squad. On Boxing Day though they will at least get the chance to see the winger in action up close, but Fulham may find that they are undone by the sharp shooting of Ritchie, who has scored four of those goals in his last three games.


http://afcbchimes.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/fulham-linked-to-interest-in-matt.html?