If you look at where we have come from -

[H4usuallysitting]

what are we to expect - at the beginning of the season only 2/3 of our players had ever played a competitive 1st team match together......90% of the team was completely new, with a Manager that new very little about the English game......we are now putting together a young team that will and must learn from this first season in the Championship (another year older another year wiser), with a Manager learning his trade in front of our eyes but he has the experience of knowing the majority of our youth players and youth set up........we have also employed a Gent by the name of Mike Rigg, a new direction for the club, and hopefully he can identify players for both our youth and 1st team set up's.....we have now got defined positions in the Club and know where responsibilities lie.....and our youth under Academy Director Huw Jennings is still attracting top young talent for the future of the club....Our beloved Craven Cottage under the ownership of Mr Khan is looking like it will be developed into a 30,000 seat stadium and in his words he wants to get us back into the Premiership and be sustainable - So really, what are we to expect, me at the moment (been a supporter for over 50 years) I'm just happy to see that we've got players that are passionate about wearing our Lilly White - a Manager that I can relate to and have respect for, and an owner that is trying to make us sustainable and bring us into the 21st century......mid table in the Championship at the end of the season, yep - i'll have that.

[Andy S]

Even QPR are talking about developing young players now. At last they have seen the error of their ways. But lets be honest about this football has so far been exempt from a recession that has affected a lot of us. The time has come for all clubs to pull in their belts as there is no longer the money out there in sponsorship and supporters to sustain spending beyond what a club earns. It is good to see that we are one of the smaller clubs leading the way

[RaySmith]

what are we to expect - at the beginning of the season only 2/3 of our players had ever played a competitive 1st team match together......90% of the team was completely new, with a Manager that new very little about the English game......we are now putting together a young team that will and must learn from this first season in the Championship (another year older another year wiser), with a Manager learning his trade in front of our eyes but he has the experience of knowing the majority of our youth players and youth set up........we have also employed a Gent by the name of Mike Rigg, a new direction for the club, and hopefully he can identify players for both our youth and 1st team set up's.....we have now got defined positions in the Club and know where responsibilities lie.....and our youth under Academy Director Huw Jennings is still attracting top young talent for the future of the club....Our beloved Craven Cottage under the ownership of Mr Khan is looking like it will be developed into a 30,000 seat stadium and in his words he wants to get us back into the Premiership and be sustainable - So really, what are we to expect, me at the moment (been a supporter for over 50 years) I'm just happy to see that we've got players that are passionate about wearing our Lilly White - a Manager that I can relate to and have respect for, and an owner that is trying to make us sustainable and bring us into the 21st century......mid table in the Championship at the end of the season, yep - i'll have that.

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[e4b]

Good post H4

[zschwartz]

agreed. very proud of the club's investment in youth and appointments from within the system. although i am sometimes disappointed by selection/substitution, this is more significant. halfway through the first season post-relegation things could have gone much worse...  things have been conducted competently and confidence appears to be relatively high.

[Fulham1959]

Good post H4

Agreed. 

In 1959, when as an 11-year-old I first started following Fulham from the remoteness of Stoke-on-Trent, I remember reading a brief report of the 6-2 demolition of Sheff Wed on Easter Monday.  It referred to the fickle Fulham fans who (it said) had booed when Jimmy Hill's name was announced in the lineup.  He scored at hat-trick.

What defines a football fan ?  Fickleness and impatience.

[bog]

H4 I agree. For the first timm in my 62 years of fanmanship we have a yoof set up to be proud of. So close to winning the FA Yoof cup last season. In 12 months we have gone from a shambles of a side with an average age of well over 30 to one on Tuesday of 22. I would rather stick with these young players as they learn their trade and a manager with the club at heart also learning at the sharp end. Mind you I would like Danny Murphy as his assistant.  049:gif

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[nose]

what are we to expect - at the beginning of the season only 2/3 of our players had ever played a competitive 1st team match together......90% of the team was completely new, with a Manager that new very little about the English game......we are now putting together a young team that will and must learn from this first season in the Championship (another year older another year wiser), with a Manager learning his trade in front of our eyes but he has the experience of knowing the majority of our youth players and youth set up........we have also employed a Gent by the name of Mike Rigg, a new direction for the club, and hopefully he can identify players for both our youth and 1st team set up's.....we have now got defined positions in the Club and know where responsibilities lie.....and our youth under Academy Director Huw Jennings is still attracting top young talent for the future of the club....Our beloved Craven Cottage under the ownership of Mr Khan is looking like it will be developed into a 30,000 seat stadium and in his words he wants to get us back into the Premiership and be sustainable - So really, what are we to expect, me at the moment (been a supporter for over 50 years) I'm just happy to see that we've got players that are passionate about wearing our Lilly White - a Manager that I can relate to and have respect for, and an owner that is trying to make us sustainable and bring us into the 21st century......mid table in the Championship at the end of the season, yep - i'll have that.

Very nicely put but no point in developing the stadium if we do not develop the team and at the moment there is no investment on the pitch.
when we built the riverside stand all the same arguments as you have stated  (well very similar) were given but it was only when MAF turned up that it was filled.
mr kahn needs to fix the problem of a second rate board, and make sure we get a few top class players in summer otherwise he should not waste his money on the new stand because it will remain  half full

[Lighthouse]

All this is true, The only real debate however is the way the club has run the club in the last few years. We can all enjoy the Championship and all enjoy young players enjoying playing football. But the question in my mind is this. The club seem to be unable to mix and match. It either one thing or another. Spend money on one player. Have inexperienced players. Instead of mixing and matching. When we had an old side and were in the Prem. That was the time ti mix and match. But then relegation caused us to rid ourselves of experience and expensive contracts.

So all the good things are true. But the problem is when the club sell our only assets to remain sustainable, how then will we react?

[domprague]

Spot on. I went to the Sunderland match with a mate who came to the Cottage a couple of times last season and he was amazed at the turnover in players. Not only that, so many have hardly any first team experience or have never played in this country before. We also had a madman in charge for the first two months.

[Riverside]

Agreed 100% . This side has youth and character ( even the old folk - Rodellega , McCormack and Borodov ) . Heads only went down when the penalty was awarded ! Otherwise we get effort . Even when mistakes are being made . I like these guys and Kit and want them to well .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

I'm liking what I'm seeing to be honest,might even put my money where my mouth is and have a few quid on us going up next season 051

[hovewhite]

for the first time for a couple of years I really look forward to supporting a team and squad of players that want to compete and it makes me very satisfied the way the clubs going so well done to kit and the young guns.

[FulhamStu]

Football fans demand instant success, this is a massive re-build project and will take time.  Fans are unlikely to give this time however it looks like the owner is.

[colcliff]

what are we to expect - at the beginning of the season only 2/3 of our players had ever played a competitive 1st team match together......90% of the team was completely new, with a Manager that new very little about the English game......we are now putting together a young team that will and must learn from this first season in the Championship (another year older another year wiser), with a Manager learning his trade in front of our eyes but he has the experience of knowing the majority of our youth players and youth set up........we have also employed a Gent by the name of Mike Rigg, a new direction for the club, and hopefully he can identify players for both our youth and 1st team set up's.....we have now got defined positions in the Club and know where responsibilities lie.....and our youth under Academy Director Huw Jennings is still attracting top young talent for the future of the club....Our beloved Craven Cottage under the ownership of Mr Khan is looking like it will be developed into a 30,000 seat stadium and in his words he wants to get us back into the Premiership and be sustainable - So really, what are we to expect, me at the moment (been a supporter for over 50 years) I'm just happy to see that we've got players that are passionate about wearing our Lilly White - a Manager that I can relate to and have respect for, and an owner that is trying to make us sustainable and bring us into the 21st century......mid table in the Championship at the end of the season, yep - i'll have that.

agree with a lot that you say would like to see  a couple more older heads with good leadership qualities to help them on the pitch though

[FPT]

It's a shame people forget this, we shouldn't have to remind them the extensive rebuild that took place in the Summer - this season was always going to be somewhat of a write-off removing a near miracle that so many players (mostly young lads) would gel immediately to bond a strong side. 

[YankeeJim]

Well, this is a throwback thread; back to the days when we all gave opinions (good ones too) without the need to bite and criticize. Gotta luv FOF!

[Artful Dodger]

I'm liking what I'm seeing to be honest,might even put my money where my mouth is and have a few quid on us going up next season 051

Agreed! I really liked what I saw in the 1st half v Blackburn and couldn't believe we didn't get something from the game. With 3 or 4 additions in the summer, assuming we hold on to the younger players, we should be right up there. And January is not the time to bring players in unless you want to pay way over the odds before anyone starts saying we had a poor transfer window.

[terryr]

We came from 13 years in the PL.
We recovered from a dismal start but are unlikely to be anything better than midtable.
We are an Academy squad managed by an under 21 coach.
Sorry but we are not in a good place.
Dress up a pig as much as you like but its still a pig.
Still many on the board seem to be happy.
That's nice for them I guess.
For the rest of us its depressing.
Or maybe I'm the only one who believes this isn't a good situation?
If so, sorry about that

[Lighthouse]

We came from 13 years in the PL.
We recovered from a dismal start but are unlikely to be anything better than midtable.
We are an Academy squad managed by an under 21 coach.
Sorry but we are not in a good place.
Dress up a pig as much as you like but its still a pig.
Still many on the board seem to be happy.
That's nice for them I guess.
For the rest of us its depressing.
Or maybe I'm the only one who believes this isn't a good situation?
If so, sorry about that

I think you will find you are not alone.