Fulham have turned the corner

[Nick Bateman]

One may be speaking prematurely but I have been known to put my eggs in a basket before and not be proved wrong (Magath, Stekeleneburg, etc), but I believe Fulham's future looks bright and we have turned the corner, which at one time looked like a crisis.

One cannot dismiss as a coincidence of the arrival of a proper footballing (ex-FA) general manager in Mike Rigg, whom many are calling Rigsby after the comedy landlord character in Rising Damp.  

After nearly 2 years of disasterous leadership from Alistair Mackintosh our fortunes and our football has improved.   The "Vote No" stingey Scot Ali Mack sat on his stupendously huge tartan-wearing, haggis-laden backside in the recent January window while the team was crying out for new personnel - had Rigsby been in place (even though he was employed in November) I am certain he would have acted.

Now we have additional support upfront with the return of Matt Smith.  Some have stated his loan period merely expired, true perhaps, but I contend that Ali Mack would have renewed it to impress owner Khan, after wasting £22million on 2 players, and gamble on Kit Symons to save Fulham from the drop.  Rigsby however was in charge and did not.

Symons is now getting the players to play at a proper tempo, a Premier League standard tempo, and we look far better.  We demolished table-toppers Derby and were very unlucky away to promo-challengers Watford and with Smith playing instead of the hapless out-of-form Hugo Rod Laver we look a genuine outfit.

Bournemouth will be another tough game on paper (thank goodness we're playing them on grass) as they too play at a blistering pace.  But we have the better individual quality and provided Smith starts and gets a full 90 minutes (which he has not had yet) I can only see another win for us.

Winning today would prove beyond doubt that Fulham have indeed turned the corner, and perhaps Kit Symons is the right man to lead us next season.

[N_O_W_S]

One may be speaking prematurely but I have been known to put my eggs in a basket before and not be proved wrong (Magath, Stekeleneburg, etc), but I believe Fulham's future looks bright and we have turned the corner, which at one time looked like a crisis.

One cannot dismiss as a coincidence of the arrival of a proper footballing (ex-FA) general manager in Mike Rigg, whom many are calling Rigsby after the comedy landlord character in Rising Damp.  

After nearly 2 years of disasterous leadership from Alistair Mackintosh our fortunes and our football has improved.   The "Vote No" stingey Scot Ali Mack sat on his stupendously huge tartan-wearing, haggis-laden backside in the recent January window while the team was crying out for new personnel - had Rigsby been in place (even though he was employed in November) I am certain he would have acted.

Now we have additional support upfront with the return of Matt Smith.  Some have stated his loan period merely expired, true perhaps, but I contend that Ali Mack would have renewed it to impress owner Khan, after wasting £22million on 2 players, and gamble on Kit Symons to save Fulham from the drop.  Rigsby however was in charge and did not.

Symons is now getting the players to play at a proper tempo, a Premier League standard tempo, and we look far better.  We demolished table-toppers Derby and were very unlucky away to promo-challengers Watford and with Smith playing instead of the hapless out-of-form Hugo Rod Laver we look a genuine outfit.

Bournemouth will be another tough game on paper (thank goodness we're playing them on grass) as they too play at a blistering pace.  But we have the better individual quality and provided Smith starts and gets a full 90 minutes (which he has not had yet) I can only see another win for us.

Winning today would prove beyond doubt that Fulham have indeed turned the corner, and perhaps Kit Symons is the right man to lead us next season.

I'll start by saying I enjoy reading your posts as they are written in a certain style. I'll say I almost never agree with them and I know I'll probably be labelled "not a real fan."

I sincerely hope we have turned a corner but I feel you have spoken prematurely. We certainly have improved as the season has progressed there will always be ups and downs.

I know we are not huge fans of Ali Mac. But I honestly don't think players not being bought is solely down to him and stating it is merely opinion. Unless you can provide a source and some proof that it is Ali Mac blocking transfers I just fail to believe it is all on him. I think there is more to it than that but again I have no insight. All the name calling at Ali Mac is frustration coming to the surface I think. I'm not saying he isn't to blame but I don't think he can be held solely accountable.

I'm glad we have Matt Smith back. I'd like to see him get more playing time. I find Hugo frustrating but he does find space he needs more of an end product. Wood row is an exciting prospect who I would like to see get more game time as well as smith.

The Riggs appointment has been done to death on here. I don't think he was appointed until recently.

I think Bournemouth is an incredibly tough matchup. We have played well but I can't see us winning. Winning today would be great but I don't think it marks any kind of revival. That for me will have to start next season with a sustained top 6 push.

Interesting post though Nick.

[davew]

I don't think that achieving 1 win in the last 10 games can be deemed as turning the corner or do you really mean we are back to where we were at the start of the season?

[hovewhite]

One may be speaking prematurely but I have been known to put my eggs in a basket before and not be proved wrong (Magath, Stekeleneburg, etc), but I believe Fulham's future looks bright and we have turned the corner, which at one time looked like a crisis.

One cannot dismiss as a coincidence of the arrival of a proper footballing (ex-FA) general manager in Mike Rigg, whom many are calling Rigsby after the comedy landlord character in Rising Damp. 

After nearly 2 years of disasterous leadership from Alistair Mackintosh our fortunes and our football has improved.   The "Vote No" stingey Scot Ali Mack sat on his stupendously huge tartan-wearing, haggis-laden backside in the recent January window while the team was crying out for new personnel - had Rigsby been in place (even though he was employed in November) I am certain he would have acted.

Now we have additional support upfront with the return of Matt Smith.  Some have stated his loan period merely expired, true perhaps, but I contend that Ali Mack would have renewed it to impress owner Khan, after wasting £22million on 2 players, and gamble on Kit Symons to save Fulham from the drop.  Rigsby however was in charge and did not.

Symons is now getting the players to play at a proper tempo, a Premier League standard tempo, and we look far better.  We demolished table-toppers Derby and were very unlucky away to promo-challengers Watford and with Smith playing instead of the hapless out-of-form Hugo Rod Laver we look a genuine outfit.

Bournemouth will be another tough game on paper (thank goodness we're playing them on grass) as they too play at a blistering pace.  But we have the better individual quality and provided Smith starts and gets a full 90 minutes (which he has not had yet) I can only see another win for us.

Winning today would prove beyond doubt that Fulham have indeed turned the corner, and perhaps Kit Symons is the right man to lead us next season.

Good post but not  expecting miracles,a win v bmouth would be great.

[westcliff white]

Smiths loan could not be extended any more as it was an emergency loan, so the point is mute. I do not think Smith will Start tonight, for me it should be Cauley and Ross

[grandad]

NB, can you tell me who AM spent & you say "wasted" £22 million on?
I can´t for the life of me think who we paid that sort of money on.

[westcliff white]

NB, can you tell me who AM spent & you say "wasted" £22 million on?
I can´t for the life of me think who we paid that sort of money on.

I think he is referring to Mitro and Ruiz or Mitro and Ross

[Nightwind15]

Its time look at splashing some cash this summer and then putting the pieces of the puzzle together with the players.  As it stands now I feel we have a way to go before we can start spewing talk of improvement.

[Admin]

No we haven't

[Northern Cottager]

This performance amongst 9 results of the last 10 suggest you're, as usual, talking firmly oIt of your rear. We are as poor as we have been since Jol, in fact worse.

[GrahamG]

Turned the corner and there was a bus coming the other way!

[BestOfBrede]

One may be speaking prematurely but I have been known to put my eggs in a basket before and not be proved wrong (Magath, Stekeleneburg, etc), but I believe Fulham's future looks bright and we have turned the corner, which at one time looked like a crisis.

One cannot dismiss as a coincidence of the arrival of a proper footballing (ex-FA) general manager in Mike Rigg, whom many are calling Rigsby after the comedy landlord character in Rising Damp. 

After nearly 2 years of disasterous leadership from Alistair Mackintosh our fortunes and our football has improved.   The "Vote No" stingey Scot Ali Mack sat on his stupendously huge tartan-wearing, haggis-laden backside in the recent January window while the team was crying out for new personnel - had Rigsby been in place (even though he was employed in November) I am certain he would have acted.

Now we have additional support upfront with the return of Matt Smith.  Some have stated his loan period merely expired, true perhaps, but I contend that Ali Mack would have renewed it to impress owner Khan, after wasting £22million on 2 players, and gamble on Kit Symons to save Fulham from the drop.  Rigsby however was in charge and did not.

Symons is now getting the players to play at a proper tempo, a Premier League standard tempo, and we look far better.  We demolished table-toppers Derby and were very unlucky away to promo-challengers Watford and with Smith playing instead of the hapless out-of-form Hugo Rod Laver we look a genuine outfit.

Bournemouth will be another tough game on paper (thank goodness we're playing them on grass) as they too play at a blistering pace.  But we have the better individual quality and provided Smith starts and gets a full 90 minutes (which he has not had yet) I can only see another win for us.

Winning today would prove beyond doubt that Fulham have indeed turned the corner, and perhaps Kit Symons is the right man to lead us next season.

Fulham have turned the corner?
Sorry Nick but....
064.gif

[Willard]

The poster N. Bateman refers to "Mike Rigg, whom many are calling Rigsby after the comedy landlord character in Rising Damp".

I don't think many people are calling him that. in fact, if I remember correctly, the only person who has called him "Rigsby" was N. Bateman in a recent and remarkable post complaining about the poor performance of Mike Rigg in his new post at Fulham despite the fact that he hadn't even started work for the club.

And another thing, no, we haven't turned a corner.

[MAHLUF]

O O PS

[davew]

I don't think that achieving 1 win in the last 10 games can be deemed as turning the corner or do you really mean we are back to where we were at the start of the season?

My earlier posting repeated, didn't bother to watch the last 15 minutes, please read my other postings after seeing the team selection, which proved correct as usual, please somebody tell me we won 5-4 (lol). Absolute shambles again, well done KS, Curbs, Gill and Uncle Tom Cobley and all, who we getting next, come on Felix our club needs you!

[NJFulham]

NB, can you tell me who AM spent & you say "wasted" £22 million on?
I can´t for the life of me think who we paid that sort of money on.

mitroglou and mccormack. this is not factual.

[Robbie]

We have turned the corner down a one way street - going in the wrong direction !!

[Nick Bateman]

Indeed 'twas Mitroglou & McCormack whom Ali Mack wasted £22m.  Ross is a £4m player, tops.

Granted todays result is a backward step and a major disappointment and losing by large scores (like 1-5) are 'sackable' offences and certainly undermines any ideas of Kit Symons staying in charge.

There were many extraneous factors tonight however.

The referee, Andrew Manley, was another nasty anti-Fulham official, who gave Bourneville a free-kick on the slightest of touches, allowing them to clatter in freely numerous times.  One wonders if _Chelsea are following any progress we make for Abramovich to bribe more refs as he has done in the PL?!

Admittedly, Symons picked a stupid team.

Hoogland & Amorebietta, risky, add to that Sean Kavanagh, Turnecliffe in midfield, is asking for trouble.  My original post stated we have the better quality: not when you include those players although one would give Amorebietta some grace for recently returning (he is a capable defender, just not needed when Staf is available).  Hoogland has NEVER been even an average defender; his goals are what kept him in the side.

Our central duo are woeful: Bodurov at fault for the 2 first goals, although 1 he was covering for Hutch, Hutch clearly at fault for 1.  The rest was down to luck and a terrible biased match official whom one hopes Fulham never have again.

But the biggest disappointment was Symons choosing an out-of-form Hugo Rod Laver over the POWERHOUSE Matt Smith!!

Any wishing to criticise my posting are welcome but I did specify KS playing Smith from the start for 90 minutes which he did not.  By starting on the backfoot, with our second-rate defence, we allowed Bourneville into the game.  Fulham should have put them in their place as a "pumped up" Division Two seaside town club only made famous by the fact Harry Rednapp lives there!

The obstenacy of Symons may well be his ruin: hearing Curbishley may soon rejoin us is good news and perhaps the stabilizing factor (and experience) we need.

PPS: I did watch it on Sky which was terribly biased even lying about the sending off which, in my view, Amorebietta won the ball and Wilson, a dishonest player who'd been "diving" all evening and even swearing at the lino, managed to 'con' the ref and the entire Sky commentary team.

[NJFulham]

ross was bought for 5.5. it was 11 if we were promoted in the next 2 seasons.

[simplyfulham]

Indeed 'twas Mitroglou & McCormack whom Ali Mack wasted £22m.  Ross is a £4m player, tops.

Alright I'll call it..  

Buuuuuuullshit.

1) Ross's value is whatever someone wants to pay for him. Don't talk bollocks about players having any sort of intrinsic value. The market is ridiculous as, is the money flying around this game. With it come wild valuations and clubs willing to meet those.

And Ross has been one of the few standouts of this tremendously forgettable campaign and is well on his way to paying back his transfer fee.

2) Ali Mac had nothing to do with targeting those two players as transfers for Fulham FC - that is not, was not and never will be his job. He would have liaised with the foreign clubs in bringing them here but thats about as far as his involvement goes.