Wednesday Fulham Stuff (07/07/10)...

[WhiteJC]

http://www.tribalfootball.com/celtic-must-beat-psg-sign-fulham-striker-kamara-955001?
Celtic must beat PSG to sign Fulham striker Kamara

Celtic face competition for Fulham striker Diomansy Kamara.

Kamara spent the second-half of last season on-loan at Celtic and new manager Neil Lennon is keen to sign him permanently.

However, Kamara is also interesting French giants Paris St Germain.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=203904
Fulham - Will it be All Change at the Cottage?
The movement of a manager from one club to another often heralds a situation where several key members of the playing staff follow him.

Now Gentleman Roy Hodgson has already said that he`d not be returning to Fulham to snaffle our best players and it`s something we admire about Roy.

But, when he gets to Anfield and sees what he`s inherited could he be tempted to change his mind and snap up the likes of Hangeland, Zamora or A.N Other!

Al Billy; obviously has his reservations having supplied us with a poll that thought along those very same lines. He wanted to know if you thought Roy`s exit could see a mass exodus of players!

Now this might not be players leaving to join Roy but players who might be surplus to requirements when the new man inherits Roy`s throne.

So how did the poll turn out, should we be worried or is it all much ado about nothing?

Well the results seem to err towards the latter with 47% believing there will be a significant change in the playing staff at Craven Cottage with slightly less, 38%, reckoning life will carry on much the same.

Now if only the 15% who opted for the not sure option hadn`t been so undecided we might have got a much clearer picture.

Personally I think we`ll see three move on and five or six come in!

What are your thoughts?


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=203904#ixzz0sydfKOFn

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=203896
Fulham - Two Fixtures Moved For Sky Sports!
Sky Sports, this morning, announced their first batch of Premier League football to be televised live.

With the return of Monday night football I was fearful that we`d be lumbered with some of the slots they have.

Thankfully, as far as Sky Sports are concerned, we`ve emerged pretty much unscathed with Sky having selected two of our home games, up to the end of November, to be shown live.

First up is a visit from Manchester United on August 22nd and their rivals, Manchester City, visit us on November 21st. Both games have 16:00 hour kick-offs.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=203896#ixzz0sydylObd

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2010/07/06/fulham-set-to-name-new-boss-82029-26795878/?
Fulham set to name new boss

FULHAM hope to name Roy Hodgson's successor by the end of the week.

The Whites are believed to be interviewing candidates in the next few days about the vacant managerial position at Craven Cottage, with Alan Curbishley and Sven-Goran Eriksson favourites for the post.

With Fulham's first pre-season friendly a little over a week away and a training camp in Sweden on the horizon, chief executive Alistair Mackintosh is keen to move quickly to get a manager in place.

Meanwhile, midfielder Dickson Etuhu has urged the club to name a replacement ASAP to ward off interest in their star players.

He said: "A few of the players at the club have got one year left on their contracts – Simon Davies, Bobby Zamora has got a couple of years left and he's got clubs sniffing all over him."

[WhiteJC]

http://www.premiershiptalk.com/2010/07/06/ac-milan-could-sign-a-second-american-star/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PremiershipTalk+%28Premiership+Talk%29
AC Milan could sign a second American star

Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Italian Serie A giants AC Milan are interested in signing another American to join forces with defender Oguchi Onyewu. The Rossoneri are reportedly interested in signing Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey, who impressed for the United States once again during this summer's World Cup in South Africa.

Dempsey has been linked with a move to a bigger club all summer, with many reports suggesting Roy Hodgson would even try to lure him to Anfield. Dempsey has enjoyed a great spell at Craven Cottage since making the move from Major League Soccer's New England Revolution, and it culminated this past season with a run to the Europa League final.

Yahoo! Sports quotes a source in Italy as saying: "[Dempsey] brings a lot of action and energy but he can be creative too. There are some options on hte table but Dempsey is a realistic one. A bid is very possible, and soon."

Dempsey scored the goal that gave the United States a pivotal point against England as his shot from outside the box trickled through Robert Green's hands and into the net. The midfielder is good with his feet and has a knack for getting on the scoresheet, largely due to his strong shot and good ability in the air.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=203937
Fulham - Manager By the End of the Week?
The word in the local rags is that Fulham will be in a position to name there new manager by the end of the week.

Apparently, the interview process has started with our chief executive, Alistair Mackintosh, keen to have somebody in place before the first of the pre-season friendly fixtures which is not more than a week away.

The local rags also seem to believe that the two favourites for the job are Alan Curbishley and Sven Goran Eriksson.

We`ll feed you any further snippets we stumble across!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=203937#ixzz0syfByqXD

[WhiteJC]

http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2010/07/06/whos-next/?
Who's next?
Filed under: General — weltmeisterclaude @ 8:38 pm
Further to Chopper's excellent work, the field is thinning out and we seem to be left with a shortlist of Sven, Slaven Bilic and Mark Hughes.

Sven, as I've said elsewhere, would be the continuity choice.  He learned the game in Sweden at a time when Roy and Bob Houghton were very influential.   Sven took their methods and used them to make Gothenberg successful.  He has, more or less, adhered to the same kinds of approach ever since, staying true to defensive solidity at the expense of attacking fireworks (look at Ivory Coast 2010 and England 2006 for evidence of this).   There are parallels with Roy's situation pre-Fulham (success, financially inspired wilderness, Fulham), so if his wages aren't an issue, and if he can convince the board that he is serious about Fulham, he'd be a good choice.   Sven's career win percentage as a manager is 52%, bolstered by some devastating teams at Benfica (77% and 68%!).   At City he won 42% of his games.  (Roy's winning percentage at Fulham was 39%, by way of a benchmark, accepting of course that different quality players affect these things).

Mark Hughes is another good option in that he has a decent track record at Wales, Blackburn and Man City, and his playing career at United, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and even Chelsea would command respect.   His career win percentage as a manager is 42%, 46% at Man City (although he was starting to 'benefit' from the Arab billions here).

Slaven Bilic is the other candidate, and my favourite.   Here are some quotes from when Croatia beat England:

"Wake up. You didn't lose the game because of the tactics. I admire your team but we're simply a better team."

"I read in your papers that no Croatian would start in the England team – that's ridiculous, wake up."

And he was right (he then went on to say that "there are good players in small countries too").

This honesty is refreshing.  It's not overblown "look at me" tubthumping, but an honest (and correct) reaction to a game in which he felt his players had not received the credit they deserved.   Bilic knows English football, is an intelligent man (good chapter on him in Jonathan Wilson's "Behind the Curtain" book), and has that something about him.   While Roy was brilliant in his post-match interviews, Mark Hughes is a blamer, and I don't like that.  Sven is the master of the non-statement, beaming vacantly and saying absolutely nothing ("Weeeell..").   Bilic would be different, a good ambassador for the club, and if his record as a club manager is untested (relative to Sven's), he has shown enough gumption to suggest that he is worth a crack.  I think MAF might see something he likes in the slightly "out there" Bilic, while Sven might seem somehow unsubstantial and Mark Hughes somehow... well I don't know.

If it's all about Premiership survival then Hughes would appear to be the most solid choice.   If it's about building on what Roy has achieved, going to a 'next level' then we need MAF's Harrods money and Sven.   Otherwise, Bilic intrigues me and I'd like him to have a go.

[White Noise]

LEE CLARK has been mentioned in despatches as a candidate to fill the  managerial void left by Roy Hodgson at Fulham.

Against the experience of other contenders such as Alan Curbishley, Sven Goran  Eriksson and Mark Hughes, it looks as if the vacancy has come a little too soon  for the 37-year-old Geordie.

Fulham made the Europa League final last season and owner Mohamed Fayed appears  to have new funds to spare after selling Harrods.

Clark's post-playing experience is as an assistant manager with Glenn Roeder at  Newcastle and  Norwichand boss at League One Huddersfield, so taking charge of  Fulham would be a bit of a jump.
But not the giant leap that other ex-players have taken and the man who graced  the Craven Cottage midfield as a player has shown all the signs that he will  make it in management.

Clark has done well at Huddersfield, guiding them into the play-offs last  season, and has always thought intelligently about the game.

He has a good temperament too: fiery but not instantly combustible, and he has  played at the top.

Fulham have good coaching staff too. Former manager Ray Lewington is there and  Hodgson's right-hand man Mike Kelly may even stay.

With that sort of experience and in an era when the paucity of good English  managers is causing so much concern, giving Clarky the keys to the Cottage  might not be such a bad idea after all.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1292684/LEOS-LONDON-Bringing-Fernando-Torres-Chelsea-just-kick-start-needed-Carlo-Ancelottis-new-era.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0sz6nFP1W

[White Noise]

Want some conflict? Appoint Curbishley


Of all the managers who could succeed Roy Hodgson at Fulham, how has Alan Curbishley ended up as the favourite?

Nothing against Curbishley, nothing against any English coach getting a good job in the Premier League, but one look at Fulham's squad would suggest employing him spells trouble.

Danny Murphy, the Fulham captain, fell out spectacularly with Curbishley at Charlton, his move to Tottenham degenerating into a slanging match after Curbishley accused him of desiring a bigger club 'so that his social diary can be fuller and he can go to more film premieres'.

Similar animosity defined Curbishley's relationship with the Fulham full back Paul Konchesky, who said he was 'bitter and twisted' when they worked together at West Ham.

While Curbishley was there, he also sold Bobby Zamora, the Fulham striker, and defender John Pantsil.

Hodgson did outstanding work at Craven Cottage and losing him is bound to have an impact.

Why compound this by appointing the one man whose first task will be to repair his relationship with close to half of the first team? That really is taking the hard road.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2010/article-1291963/MARTIN-SAMUEL-Forget-kidology--England-start-producing-total-footballers.html#ixzz0szDtolnX

[WhiteJC]

http://www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/next-fulham-boss-has-some-act-to-follow?
Next Fulham boss has some act to follow
Fulham - Alan Curbishley believes he is capable of succeeding Roy Hodgson

Fulham expect to announce their new boss by Friday but the pressure on the successor to the Manager of the Year will be enormous.

The Cottagers have enjoyed two great campaigns under Roy Hodgson, qualifying for Europe and then reaching their Europa Cup final in May.

However, with Hodgson now firmly ensconced in the Liverpool hot seat, the vultures are circling Craven Cottage trying to pick off the cream of the crop.

That's why an appointment is needed rapidly but the club know it needs to be the right man as life outside the Premier League would be unpalatable for their loyal fans.

There have been a host of names linked with the vacant hot seat but one man with an excellent record isn't confident of being Fulham's new manager.

"If you look at my career, my average position in the Premier League is 10th, so that's where I need to be looking," Alan Curbishley told the London Evening Standard. "No offence to anyone else but the Premier League is where everyone wants to be.

"I was told I was on the shortlist but that there were a couple of people ahead of me, so I knew that was going nowhere. I've got to wait and see if the phone rings.

"I'll maybe have to reposition myself. Who knows? Start over again, if I have to. It's damaged me a bit, because I've been out for a while, and it's hard to come back if you're away for too long."

Sven-Goran Eriksson is a name that has been touted along with Mark Hughes, Gianfranco Zola, Slaven Bilic, Bob Bradley (USA Coach) Danny Murphy and former Fulham midfielder Lee Clark.

The current Huddersfield Town boss has distanced himself from speculation though and believes it just to be a rumour.

He said: "Most of the time I don't comment on speculation, but there has been absolutely no contact from Fulham and I don't want people to become unsettled."

Ray Lewington and Billy McKinlay are currently leading the training at Motspur Park aware that chief executive Alistair Mackintosh is beavering away to get a manager in place with a training camp in Sweden organised from July 19.

Midfielder Dickson Etuhu has urged the club to name a replacement ASAP to ward off interest in their star players. He said: "A few of the players at the club have got one year left on their contracts – Simon Davies, Bobby Zamora has got a couple of years left and he's got clubs sniffing all over him."

With the club currently in limbo maybe the leftfield appointment of a coach like Murphy would be the catalyst needed.

He could be the figurehead with Lewington and McKinlay maintaining the status quo on the training pitch. It would be a gamble but a club the size of Fulham (in Premier League terms) has to take a punt now and then.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.sportingpreview.com/premnews/09100310.php?
SVEN REALLY KEEN ON FULHAM JOB

Sven-Goran Eriksson, the 3.2 favourite on Betfair to replace Roy Hodgson at Fulham, is definitely interested in taking charge at Craven Cottage but won't apply for the job because he expects the club to approach him, according to our sources.

We have also learned that our initial fancy Alan Curbishley - who is still second favourite at 3.55 - is unlikely to be considered, perhaps as a consequence of the frosty reception that greeted reports that he would take charge.

Mark Hughes (8.0) and Lee Clark (6.4), the former Fulham player who is currently managing League One promotion contenders Huddersfield, are also not thought to be in the running.

Would Sven be the right choice for Fulham? If he did arrive would he continue his uncanny habit of persuading chairmen to get their chequebooks out? Have your say below and, if you think the answer to question two is yes, contemplate a wild punt on the Cottagers breaking the top four at 30.0

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/July/OneGoalCampaign.aspx?
JP's Goal

John Pantsil may not have got his hands on the World Cup this summer but he is helping to achieve something even more special – education for every child in the world.

The Fulham defender is an ambassador for 1GOAL, the campaign that is calling on world leaders to provide education for the 72 million out-of-school children worldwide by 2015.

John, along with the Club, pledged his support for 1GOAL earlier this year and since then over 12 million people around the world have signed up to the campaign.

Together with football legends like Pele, Sir Bobby Charlton and Zinedine Zidane, they are all part of the 1GOAL Squad; the team of fans and footballers from clubs across the globe, united to show their support for education.

You can help right now by joining the 1GOAL Squad or sign up on Facebook, where you can customise your own shirt, or go to:

Over 8,000 schools in the UK have recently taken part in a 1GOAL – Send My Friend to School initiative, and with over one million people signing up to support 1GOAL every week it is the biggest cause related football campaign in history.

Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/July/OneGoalCampaign.aspx?#ixzz0szoZucG8

[WhiteJC]

http://www.teamtalk.com/fulham/6250055/Cottagers-line-up-Miguel-swoop?
Cottagers line up Miguel swoop

Fulham are thought to be in negotiations to sign experienced Portuguese defender Miguel from Valencia for a figure of around £1.66million.

Financial problems which have seen the exit of David Villa and David Silva from the Spanish outfit means the wingback is also available.

The Londoners are believed to want to sign the 30-year-old on a four-year deal for a fee in the region of 2 million euros (£1.66million).

While Miguel has received offers from Russia and Ukraine, it is thought Fulham is the preferred choice for the defender, who has previously stated that his style of play would suit the English top-fight.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6250039,00.html?
Cottagers eye Miguel
Fulham believed to be in talks to take defender from Valencia

Fulham are thought to be in negotiations to sign Portuguese defender Miguel from Valencia.

Financial problems which have seen the exit of David Villa and David Silva from the Spanish outfit means the wing-back is also available.

The Londoners are believed to want to sign the 30-year-old on a four-year deal for a fee in the region of 2million euros (£1.66m).

While Miguel has received offers from Russia and Ukraine, it is thought Fulham is the preferred choice for the defender, who has previously stated that his style of play would suit the English top-fight.

[WhiteJC]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/416508-arsenal-keeper-prospectwho-would-you-prefer-mark-schwarzer-or-eduardo?
Arsenal Keeper Prospect:Mark Schwarzer or Eduardo?

After 2009/2010 saw Arsenal once again fail to attract any silverware, it has sparked the fans' patience and now they are demanding changes be implemented into the Arsenal roster. Thankfully, manager Arsene Wenger has obliged, securing the services of Lorient defender Laurent Koscienly for around £ 9 million and Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh as a free agent.

Now Wenger turns his attention to the keeper role, which is seen by all as the No. 1 problem which the Frenchman continually neglects. Since the departure of Jens Lehman in 2008, Arsenal have struggled to maintain a consistent figure between the sticks.

Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski have both tried and failed as Arsenal No. 1. Both have the tendency to make vital errors or ill decisions costing Arsenal dearly. Both have their moments and, granted, they have performed credibly over the years, but there is no denying a replacement is needed.

The Gunners do boast boom youngsters Vito Mannone and Wojciech Szczensy in their keeping ranks, but the pair still require another decent loan in order to groom them for the top job.

Wenger has been in touch with a number of quality keeper and it seems evident that it is down to two: Fulham's Mark Schwarzer and Sporting Braga's Eduardo.

The pair both impressed with their respective countries at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and although it seemed Schwarzer was destined to don the red and white, it is now a dead heat between the veteran pair.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_6250214,00.html?
CURBS PLAYS DOWN FULHAM CHANCES

Alan Curbishley feels he is unlikely to be offered the chance to return to Barclays Premier League management with Fulham.

The former Charlton and West Ham boss was touted as an early favourite to replace Roy Hodgson after he joined Liverpool, but it now appears both Sven-Goran Eriksson and Mark Hughes are more likely candidates for the vacancy at Craven Cottage.

Curbishley, 52, left Upton Park during September 2008 after falling out with the then Icelandic owners over the sale of Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney to Sunderland against his wishes, and subsequently won a case for constructive dismissal, which included damages reported to be more than £2million.

However, Curbishley - who performed wonders during his 15-year stint at Charlton and was interviewed for the England job in 2006 - admits he is now unsure when he will return to the game.

"I was told I was on the [Fulham] shortlist but that there were a couple of people ahead of me, so I knew that was going nowhere," Curbishley said in the London Evening Standard.

"I have got to wait and see if the phone rings.

"If you look at my career, my average position in the Premier League is 10th, so that is where I need to be looking.

"No offence to anyone else, but the Premier League is where everyone wants to be.

"I will maybe have to reposition myself. Who knows? Start over again, if I have to.

"It [West Ham] has damaged me a bit, because I have been out for a while, and it is hard to come back if you are away for too long."

Following Hodgson's departure, several of the players who helped Fulham reach the Europa League final last season have been linked with moves away from Craven Cottage, including Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer who is said to be wanted by Arsenal.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.tribalfootball.com/fulham-attacker-dempsey-taking-italian-lessons-957591?
Fulham attacker Dempsey taking Italian lessons

Fulham attacker Clint Dempsey is open to a move to Italy.

The USA international is being tracked by AC Milan and Napoli after a stellar season in England and Europe last term.

Sky Italia says Dempsey is already taking Italian language lessons in preparation for a move to Serie A.

New Milan coach Max Allegri has told confidants of his admiration for Dempsey.

[Lighthouse]

When the Team walk out for their first home game of the 2010/11 season against Manchester United on the 22 August, and prior to that, the friendly against Werder Bremen, the players will be competing on one of the most technologically advanced pitches in the Premier League.

This summer the Club undertook a Cottage pitch project that resulted in the installation of an under soil heating system and a pioneering Fibrelastic surface. Fulham is the only London Club to offer such leading edge pitch technology.

The new surface and under soil heating system will deliver added benefits to the Club and its players, not least in providing a safe playing surface during the winter months when freezing temperatures can often contribute to precarious playing conditions and, previously, postponed fixtures. Whilst the pitch work was being carried out, the Club also installed additional toilet facilities and baby changing in the Putney End.

The addition of these facilities, and the significant investment in the pitch, are all part of the Club's long-term commitment to enhancing the supporter experience whenever possible.
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Wed 07th Jul 2010
Members' Club 2010/11
Back In Business
Pitch Matters
JP's Goal
Tue 06th Jul 2010
The Boys Are Back
Sky Picks
Briggs Selected For Finals
The First Eight
Fantastic Summer Sale
Mon 05th Jul 2010
Training Camp Confirmed


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/July/PitchMatters.aspx#ixzz0t13HCFlr

[RidgeRider]

Fibre elastic surface? Does that mean an artificial pitch or some kind genetically engineered grass? Anyone? Buehler?

[White Noise]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/fulham/7877919/Sven-Goran-Eriksson-and-Slaven-Bilic-head-queue-for-Fulham-managers-job.html


Sven-Goran Eriksson and Slaven Bilic head queue for Fulham manager's job


Fulham will name the successor to Roy Hodgson at the end of next week. The club's players may not know the identity of their new manager until shortly before they fly to Sweden for a training camp on July 19.

By John Ley

Published: 7:06PM BST 07 Jul 2010


It has emerged that while Sven-Goran Eriksson remains the most likely man to replace Hodgson, however a new contender has emerged: Slaven Bilic, the former West Ham and Everton player.

Bilic ruled himself out of the running in December 2007 shortly before Hodgson was appointed but Mohamed Fayed, the club's owner and chairman, is known to be an admirer of the Croatia coach.

Glenn Hoddle, Mark Hughes, Tony Mowbray, Alan Curbishley and Gianfranco Zola are believed to be out of the running but with the World Cup reaching a conclusion, several high-profile managers will be available. These include Paul Le Guen, previously with Cameroon, and another Frenchman, Raymond Domenech.

Former Tottenham striker and Germany coach, Jurgen Klinsmann is also believed to be in the running, however United States coach Bob Bradley is not being considered.

Following the success of Hodgson in taking Fulham into seventh place in the Premier League and then delivering them to the Europa League final, Fayed is keen to appoint a big name to announce the club's intentions.

Ray Lewington, the caretaker since the departure of Hodgson to Liverpool, will take charge in the friendly against Brentford, at Griffin Park next Wednesday. The new man could be announced by the time Fulham go to Bournemouth a week on Saturday but may just watch from the stands before flying out with his new squad to Sweden.

Eriksson remains the favourite as he is well known by Alistair Mackintosh, the Fulham chief executive, from their time together at Manchester City