Tuesday Fulham Stuff (30/12/14)...

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Smith Nets Twice for Robins
   
Out on loan at Bristol City, Matt Smith had a pretty decent day yesterday.

Playing against Gillingham, at Priestfield, Smith scored a brace as Bristol City emerged 3-1 winners.

Smith`s goals came in the 34th and 44th minutes and after the win the Bristol City manager, Steve Cotterill, had this to say about the striker,

"He has only just arrived and I`m delighted for him."

And so are we, although whether he has a future at Craven Cottage remains to be seen.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=381955#ixzz3NJhMjPLO

[WhiteJC]

 
Aston Villa Target Starlet Midfielder As Fabian Delph Replacement


Villans keen on Championship youngster.

Aston Villa are said to be weighing up a January raid for Fulham midfielder Lasse Vigen Christensen as they step up their search for a replacement for Fabian Delph, the Daily Mirror reports.

The 20-year-old Dane has been in impressive form at Craven Cottage this season and is seen by Villa boss Paul Lambert as a potential replacement for Fabian Delph.

Delph was dismissed during Sunday's clash with Sunderland for a late challenge of Jordi Gomez, and has been the subject of some intense speculation as Liverpool and Tottenham both hover.

Christiansen is also a long time target of fellow Premier League strugglers QPR, who have scouted him extensively. However, the Dane is under contract at Craven Cottage until 2017 and Fulham boss Kit Symons has identified him as one of his key players.

That would mean that Villa would have to eat into the majority of their transfer budget by making a £5m offer.

Villa are also hopeful of keeping hold of Delph by tying him down to a new contract.


http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/12/29/aston-villa-target-starlet-midfielder-as-fabian-delph-replacement/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Shahid Khan Welcomes Mike Rigg

Dear Fulham supporters:

As we continue to celebrate the holiday season, we also have news to share and celebrate ahead of tonight's match versus Brighton & Hove Albion – the appointment of Mike Rigg as Chief Football Officer of Fulham Football Club.

Mike comes to Fulham from the Football Association, where he served quietly but effectively as Head of Talent Identification. Over the past several weeks, Mike emerged as a strong contender to fill this important role and, after meeting him, I personally put him at the top of my list as I considered a number of worthy candidates. I am thrilled that Mike accepted the opportunity and challenge to join Fulham and trust you will welcome him warmly and enthusiastically!

Let me share with you some thoughts as to why Mike is with us today.

Several months ago, as you know, I commissioned a search committee to bring forth and screen candidates to earn the position of our First Team Manager. I appointed Kit Symons as a result of that effort and am very pleased with that decision. You must be as well.

Based on my experience over the past 17 months and through the most recent managerial search, it became clear to me that the new Fulham Manager – in fact, the entire football operation – would benefit from someone whose sole responsibility was to focus on the short, mid and long-term product on the pitch. And, in my mind, that called for a head of all football activities that would report directly to me but work collaboratively with Kit, our scouting group, the Academy, sports performance, medical and our analytics team. This wasn't a revelation, but rather the recognition that the challenges football clubs face today are more complex than ever and our ambition requires that we organise in the optimal way to achieve our goals.

But we were not interested in accelerating this organisational shift for Fulham until, or unless, we found the right person. And, we have in Mike Rigg.

Since 2001, when he led the academy at Sheffield Wednesday, Mike's ascension in the game of football has been noteworthy. Following four seasons at Wednesday, Mike earned the roles of chief scout at Blackburn Rovers, head of player acquisition at Manchester City and technical director at Queens Park Rangers before landing at the FA in 2013. As you can see, Mike will bring a very representative and well‑informed point of view to Fulham.

Huw Jennings' position as our Academy Director is not only unchanged, but his future and importance to us is as strong as ever. I've said in the past, but will repeat today, that player development will be at the core of our foundation at Fulham as we build a Club system that grooms youngsters while creating and stocking a pipeline of talent into our First Team operation under Kit. Mike will rely heavily on Huw, who is the best there is. With that, there's no doubt in my mind that the football side of the Club has never been stronger or will ever have more promise than we see today.

This reorganisation will also permit our CEO, Alistair Mackintosh, to train his efforts on matters that are immensely important to the present and future of Fulham Football Club. To be a sustainable club we must ensure that Craven Cottage and our training facilities are world class. The renovation and reinvention of the Riverside Stand is a signature and historic project for your Club, and it requires expert leadership to see it through. Alistair has my complete trust and confidence to oversee this initiative as well as other critically important endeavours, including the potential expansion of our Motspur Park training site. These projects along with growing the Fulham brand through our commercial efforts will support our goal to ensure that we remain – and always will be – a stable and successful Club.

Alistair, as well as Mike, are most deserving of their assignments and the support of everyone who loves Fulham Football Club. Please join me in congratulating Mike and Alistair, two men who share my vision for Fulham, both today and tomorrow. The best is definitely still to come.

Happy New Year to one and all. Now, let's get three points on Monday evening.

Come On You Whites!


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/december/29/shahid-khan-welcomes-mike-rigg?

[WhiteJC]

 
Mike Rigg to leave post at The FA for role with Fulham

Mike Rigg is moving to Craven Cottage to as Chief Football Officer

Mike Rigg, The FA's Head of Talent ID, is leaving his post to join Championship side Fulham.

Rigg, who joined The FA a year ago, will be moving back to the capital in the New Year to take up a position as Chief Football Officer at Craven Cottage.

Working alongside The FA's Director of Elite Development Dan Ashworth, Rigg has developed The FA's scouting and talent identification infrastructure and contributed to the recently launched England DNA document, detailing the future philosophy of all England teams.

Rigg said: "Over the last 12 months I have been fortunate to work with some of the most inspirational and talented people in football that I have experienced over the last 25 years.

"I believe and know that The FA – under Dan and Gareth Southgate's leadership – is on the right path with its plans and philosophy.

"I genuinely wish them and all of my friends at St. George's Park and Wembley the best of luck going forward. They can count on my support in my new role at Fulham."

Ashworth added: "We are really sorry to see Mike go but we totally understand his reasons.

"It was always likely he would move back into club football at some stage, as this type of role becomes increasingly common within the game.

"Mike has played a huge part in the transformation of the way in which we work in talent identification and helped build and shape a department that looks after both the male and female game.

"I would like to place on record my thanks for all of his hard work and support and wish him well in his new role at Fulham."


Read more at http://www.thefa.com//news/2014/dec/mike-rigg-leaves-fa-for-fulham?#e5RWqooFk5BhCHaK.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Hull City talking points: The fine line between a Fulham and a Leicester

It feels as if Hull City have taken one step forward and two steps back over Christmas, but Brad Rial says there were some signs of hope in defeat to Leicester.

At least we're creating chances!

A year to the day since Hull City put six goals past Fulham, they could have bagged a hat-full again on Sunday, but a lack of composure when it mattered most meant they slipped to a dispiriting defeat against Leicester.

The Tigers have now failed to score in three home games, but they created enough chances against Leicester to offer fans at least some comfort.

The main culprit was second-half substitute Hernandez, who could have had a hat-trick in his half-hour on the pitch.

He stung the palms of Ben Hamer with a decent left-foot volley, before heading against the post from the resulting corner.

While neither was a gilt-edged chance, his third opportunity really should have been dispatched. Following a goalmouth scramble, the ball fell to Hernandez five yards out and he somehow managed to scoop his shot way over the bar.

It goes without saying that better is required from a player who cost £10m.

Yesterday was one of those games when a side does everything but score. As long as City are creating chances, they can turn their season around. The doubts will start to grow if the chances dry up.

Stephen Quinn will be missed

A fairly tepid encounter turned feisty with around fifteen minutes to go, as each side had a man sent off.

Paul Konchesky – who was lucky to escape a booking for a lunge on Elmohamady in the first half – picked up two yellow cards in the second-half for silly challenges. Then, Stephen Quinn's deliberate handball earned him a straight red.

Justified the sending off may have been, but now Quinn will miss three games (including the FA Cup tie at Arsenal).

That will be a big blow to City because Quinn was an integral part of the side that triumphed at Sunderland and was one of the brighter players yesterday. It was Quinn who created City's best chance of the first half when his stunning cross from the left found Elmohamady, who really should have done better with his close-range effort.

With Tom Huddlestone serving the final game of his four-match ban against Everton, Quinn's absence will be greatly felt. There are few midfielders at City as technically astute as the Irishman.

It's a mighty shame that such a memorable 2014 for him personally (that included a Wembley goal and an excellent performance in the FA Cup final) ended on such a sour note.

One step forward, two steps back (again)

After the home defeat to Swansea nine days ago, fans felt City had taken two steps back after an encouraging performance at Chelsea the week before.

Yesterday had a similar feel. Despite the brilliant win at Sunderland, as the old adage goes, you're only as good as your last game. By that token, a home defeat to the division's bottom side should make City pretty terrible at present, but the stats would suggest otherwise.

City had 60 per cent possession against Leicester, their highest in a Premier League game all season. They also had 18 shots, again a season high.

The problem was, for large periods, City dallied in possession and it wasn't until Bruce went gung-ho, with Jelavic, Hernandez and Tom Ince, that chances were forced.

The quick turnaround means City have an immediate chance to put things right against Everton on New Year's Day, who themselves are in the middle of a rotten run.

Only QPR have conceded more goals than the Toffees this season and City will fancy themselves against a leaky defence. If they create the amount of opportunities as they did yesterday, they have every chance of returning to winning ways.



Read more: http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-City-talking-points-fine-line-Fulham/story-25778614-detail/story.html?#ixzz3NJjIIpVd
Follow us: @hulldailymail on Twitter | HullDailyMail on Facebook

[WhiteJC]

 
Mike Rigg to join Fulham as chief football officer after quitting role at FA
Mike Rigg leaves his role as head of talent identification at the FA
Rigg formerly worked as technical director at Manchester City and QPR
Rigg will report to Fulham owner Shahid Khan and work with Kit Symons
Dan Ashworth said he was sorry to see Rigg leave his role at the FA

Mike Rigg has quit the Football Association after one year to take up a new role as Fulham's Chief Football Officer.

Rigg left his role as the FA's head of talent identification to accept the job at Craven Cottage as chairman Shahid Khan continues to overhaul personnel at the club and build a structure to support new manager Kit Symons.

Khan said: 'Based on my experience over the past 17 months and through the most recent managerial search, it became clear to me that the new Fulham manager - in fact, the entire football operation - would benefit from someone whose sole responsibility was to focus on the short, mid and long-term product on the pitch.


Mike Rigg has quit his role as the FA's head of talent identification to join Fulham


Rigg, who formerly worked as technical director at Manchester City and QPR, was only at the FA for one year
'In my mind, that called for a head of all football activities that would report directly to me but work collaboratively with Kit, our scouting group, the Academy, sports performance medical and our analytics team.

'This wasn't a revelation, but rather the recognition that the challenges football clubs face today are more complex than ever and our ambition requires that we organise in the optimal way to achieve our goals.

'But we were not interested in accelerating this organisational shift for Fulham until, or unless, we found the right person. And we have in Mike Rigg.'

Khan stressed the position of Huw Jennings as academy director will remain unchanged and crucial to the future. 'Player development will be at the core of our foundation at Fulham,' said the chairman.


Fulham owner Shahid Khan said the club would benefit from someone whose sole responsibility was to focus on the short, mid and long-term product on the pitch
Chief executive Alistair Mackintosh will be asked to focus more on commercial matters and projects like the development of the Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage and the expansion of the training ground.

It is less than a month since Dan Ashworth, the FA's director of elite development, launched his document detailing the DNA of English football and hailed Rigg's role in the project.

'We are really sorry to see Mike go but we totally understand his reasons,' said Ashworth, in a statement released by the FA. 'It was always likely he would move back into club football at some stage, as this type of role becomes increasingly common within the game.

'Mike has played a huge part in the transformation of the way in which we work in talent identification and helped build and shape a department that looks after both the male and female game.


Newly appointed Rigg will work in collaboration with new manager Kit Symons
'I would like to place on record my thanks for all of his hard work and support and wish him well in his new role at Fulham.'

The return is quicker than anticipated for Rigg, who worked in various technical development and scouting roles for Sheffield Wednesday, Blackburn, Manchester City and QPR before joining the FA in 2013.

Rigg told the FA's website: 'Over the last 12 months I have been fortunate to work with some of the most inspirational and talented people in football that I have experienced over the last 25 years.

'I believe and know that The FA – under Dan and Gareth Southgate's leadership – is on the right path with its plans and philosophy.

'I genuinely wish them and all of my friends at St. George's Park and Wembley the best of luck going forward. They can count on my support in my new role at Fulham.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2890341/Mike-Rigg-join-Fulham-chief-football-officer-quitting-role-FA.html#ixzz3NJje0MFT
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[WhiteJC]

 
Wolves Tickets

Fulham's FA Cup adventure begins on Saturday when Wolverhampton Wanderers visit Craven Cottage in the Third Round.

Prices for the all-Championship encounter are priced at just £20 adults and £5 juniors in all areas of the ground.

Pick yours up now and save £5 on the matchday price!


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/december/29/wolves-tickets?

[WhiteJC]

 
Lacklustre Fulham beaten by Brighton

Fulham 0 Brighton 2

Fulham's turbulent year ended on a low note as a flat performance saw them beaten by their fellow strugglers at Craven Cottage.

Managerless Brighton looked the sharper of the two sides for most of the game and broke through on the hour mark when Adrian Colunga stroked home a penalty after Kostas Stafylidis' foul.

Substitute Sean Kavanagh and top scorer Hugo Rodallega had Fulham's only two shots on target, but they were both denied by superb saves from ex-Whites keeper David Stockdale.

And Brighton killed off the game late on when Solly March latched on to Joao Teixeria's cute pass and slipped the ball past Marcus Bettinelli.

Defeat leaves Fulham 17th in the Championship going into the new year, five points clear of the relegation zone and 12 adrift of west London rivals Brentford in the final play-off place.

Brighton, who secured their first victory since Sami Hyypia resigned as manager last Monday, shaded a low-key first half.

Bettinelli was easily the busiest of the two goalkeepers, parrying Colunga's eighth-minute drive and tipping behind an effort by Elliott Bennett.

Fulham's best opportunity of the half came shortly before the break when Rodallega was inches away from diverting home a Stafylidis shot.

Bettinelli kept Brighton at bay again early in the second half when he denied Bennett and Colunga clipped the post from the rebound.

The two were to combine for Albion's opening goal as Stafylidis brought down Bennett and the Spaniard coolly converted the penalty.

The introduction of Kavanagh added fresh impetus to Fulham's lacklustre midfield but his goalbound effort from 25 yards was clawed away by Stockdale, who also denied Rodallega.

And March guaranteed a vital three points for the Seagulls, who moved out of the relegation zone.

Fulham (4-3-3): Bettinelli; Grimmer, Hutchinson, Bodurov, Stafylidis (Roberts 87); Parker, Hyndman (Kavanagh 63); Fofana, McCormack, Williams (Woodrow 63); Rodallega.
Subs not used: Kiraly, Zverotić, Burn, Dembele.


http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/lacklustre-fulham-beaten-by-brighton?

[WhiteJC]

 
Manager Reaction

Kit Symons was downhearted after watching Fulham slip to a 2-0 defeat at home to Brighton & Hove Albion, but refused to make any excuses for his side's display.

Two second half goals did the damage and the Whites Manager was left frustrated as his men ended 2014 with consecutive defeats.

"I was very disappointed," he stated. "It was a poor first half. It took them to score the penalty to spur us into any sort of life at all really. We had a little bit of a spell but we just weren't good enough tonight, the quality wasn't there, so it was very disappointing.

"The preparation was good. We've had an extra day recovery compared to a lot of teams so the quality should have been there, so there's no excuses really.

"We had a few chances but not enough shots on target for me, but we had a few good opportunities. But overall we didn't play well enough tonight."

With Brighton struggling in the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone, hopes were high that Fulham could bounce back from the Boxing Day defeat at Bournemouth with a win, but it wasn't to be.

"That's the Championship – anyone can beat anyone else on any given day," Symons admitted. "I think that's been proven time and time again.

"That is the nature of it, without a doubt, but there's no excuses for being as poor as we were tonight. I can't put my finger on why, but there weren't many positives to take from tonight and it's very frustrating and disappointing.

"[Brighton] had a right go, and fair do to them, you'd expect nothing else from any team really. They're not in the greatest of positions themselves so they should be fighting and scrapping and that's what they did so full credit to them. I wouldn't take anything away from them at all but it's more disappointing with our performance than anything else."

Fulham were missing the creativity that is often provided by Lasse Vigen Christensen and Bryan Ruiz, and Symons revealed post-match that the pair had missed out through injury.

He stated: "Lasse came off against Bournemouth with a slight hamstring injury so it's not too bad but it was bad enough to keep him out of tonight's game unfortunately.

"[Bryan] had a late fitness test and wasn't quite right. We gave him a go just before at 6 o'clock tonight and unfortunately he wasn't quite right so he didn't start either."

And asked if they could feature at the weekend in the FA Cup, he stated: "Lasse would be very unlikely, I would say. Bryan, possibly, but we'd have to wait and see." 


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/december/29/manager-reaction

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham freeze while Brighton and Stockdale cash in

Cottage of despair for Whites against Seagulls

Fulham 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion

Former Fulham hero David Stockdale gave Hugo Rodallega a hug at the beginning - and then ruined the forward's night when he saved point blank for what would have been an equaliser in the last 10 minutes.

Instead, lowly Brighton stormed down the other end and doubled their lead when Solly March neatly slipped the ball past Marcus Bettinelli.

Kit Symons reckoned before kick-off he wasn't bothered Brighton had just lost a manager and might get a boost.

All he needed was his own side to turn up. They did, but didn't do much to make it nought points out of six over the Christmas period.

Albion belied their second-bottom berth, and took the game to the Whites from the off bellowed on by a massive 3,000 fans.

And the first half needed a tennis head as the action swung back and forth.

Bettinelli was the busier keeper and did well to parry a thundering left-foot shot from Adrian Colunga that had Fulham's number one scrambling to clear the rebound.

Likewise from distance, Elliott Bennett and Craig Mackail-Smith kept Bettinelli moving, while Ross McCormack also loaded up from 20 yards but watched his goalbound effort diverted by the heel of Greg Halford for a corner.

The Albion defender was lucky to see just yellow for what was close to a two-footed lunge on Hugo Rodallega just shy of 30 minutes.

But in the second half, the lowly Seagulls had three chances in the space of five seconds to open the scoring - and spurned the lot.

Bennett saw his first 10-yard effort blocked, his second parried by Bettinelli and the third from Colunga graze the foot of the post.

But the reprieve was short-lived. The bustling Bennett sped down the right, and when Kostas Stafylidis cleaned him out inside the box, it was a penalty this night and any other.

Colunga sent Bettinelli the wrong way with aplomb to send the away hordes into rapture.

In contrast, Fulham's first shot on target took 69 minutes to arrive. The returning Sean Kavanagh curled one from distance for David Stockdale to tip over, and then denied Rodallega to put the cap on a freezing and forlorn night.

Whites, 4-4-2: Bettinelli; Grimmer, Hutchinson, Bodurov, Stafylidis (Roberts 88); Hyndman (Kavanagh 63), Fofana, Parker, Williams (Woodrow 63); Rodallega, McCormack; subs not used: Kiraly, Zverotic, Dembele, Burn


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/fulham-freeze-brighton-stockdale-cash-8359265?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss lashes into shot-shy team as they succumb to lowly Brighton

Manager mystified by Whites no show against Seagulls

Kit Symons lost two on the bounce for the first time since he took the manager's reins - and was as mystified as anyone else in the 20,000 crowd why Fulham got beaten by the second-bottom side.

Brighton were good value for their 2-0 win in front of 3,000 travelling fans, and the honest Whites boss could only hold up his hands in apology to a bumper holiday crowd.

He said: "I can't put my finger on why. We never really got going and it started with a poor first half. It took them to score the penalty to spur us into any kind of action.

"The quality just wasn't there. The preparation was good, and we had an extra day's rest compared to other sides. So we've no excuses. It was just one of those nights. That's the Championship and anyone can beat anyone on any given day.

"There are not too many positives to take from the night. If we'd scored the first, we might have kicked on, and we had a few chances - but not enough shots on target for me. Full credit to them, but we were disappointing."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-boss-lashes-shot-shy-team-8359355?