Sunday Fulham Stuff 09.05.15

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Taggart on Glory's extensive wish list



Perth Glory have made a recruiting pitch to Socceroo Adam Taggart in a bid to convince the striker to return to his old A-League club next season.

The Weekend West understands Glory coach Kenny Lowe has travelled to Britain as part of an off-season recruiting drive as Perth try to make up for a wasted season ruined by penalties for salary cap breaches.

Lowe has opened discussions with 21-year-old Taggart. Glory are keen to lure the goal scorer back to Perth to create a formidable partnership up front with Irish international Andy Keogh.

Taggart signed with Fulham on a three-year contract in June last year. However, he has not made an appearance for the English Championship club, partly due to injuries, and is understood to be open to a return to WA.

Taggart earned selection in Australia's World Cup team last year and played in losses to the Netherlands and Spain.

He is a proven performer at A-League level, having won the competition's Golden Boot award after scoring 16 goals in 25 appearances for the Newcastle Jets during the 2013-14 season.

The striker, from Kinross, made 10 senior appearances for Glory from 2010 to 2012 before signing with Newcastle.

Taggart is not the only Socceroo to have been approached by Glory. Club officials are believed to have also made contact with midfielder Scott McDonald.

The 31-year-old has spent the past decade playing in England and Scotland, including a successful three-year stint with Glasgow giants Celtic where he scored 65 goals. He has achieved 26 caps for Australia. The approaches have been made as Glory expect to lose several players in the fallout from being banned from this month's A-League finals series.

Goalkeeper Danny Vukovic is in the recruiting sights of at least three rival clubs and has family links to New South Wales.

Striker Jamie Maclaren has asked to be released from his existing contract that runs until the end of next season after being starved of starting opportunities.

Maclaren, 21, started only seven times for Glory this season, but still managed to score nine league goals to trail only Keogh (12) at the club.

https://nz.sports.yahoo.com/football/a-league/news/article/-/27746372/taggart-on-glory-s-extensive-wish-list/

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Wallace interest increases

Any lingering doubts that Jed Wallace could stay at Pompey basically ended last Saturday, in the week or so since York further links to Wolves, once again, and now Fulham have surfaced.

The fact that Wallace, who deserved this to be fair, was taken off in the final minutes of our 1-1 draw with York last Saturday to get the standing ovation his performances for us over the years has basically merited also seemed very, very much like a 'farewell' and unlike previous summer's this time it really felt like it.

Gary Waddock, and fair play to him for given him 'this moment', admitted that this is what he did given all the 'rumour' surrounding his future but did then later say it wasn't a cast iron assurance that this was goodbye...

Not too long ago Wallace said that leaving wasn't a definite but his views in the wake of the York game tended to strongly suggest otherwise with it highly likely, if not probable, we will only see him at Fratton again, next season, or in future seasons, as a visiting player in cup competition or if we can climb the ladder again!

Wolves continue to be linked with him with the latest claims from the Mirror 'gossip' sections that they're again in for him but I could see the Fulham interest perhaps a move that appeals more for him as a London base wouldn't cause too much upheaval for him with him making it perfectly clear that he's quite settled where he is.

The reservation that I would have about going to Fulham is that he wouldn't have much worry about being used by former Pompey defender Kit Symons but at the same time Symons' own position has been subject to much speculation at times and you tend to feel that he'll not be given too much time next season so if things aren't going well after a couple of months he could be out on his ear and a 'possible' new manager might not be as keen on Wallace as Symons was?

All this is mere conjecture though, but one thing that wouldn't be is the surmise that Wallace's Fratton time is up...

Read more: http://www.portsmouth.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=553322#ixzz3ZfOIKVlo

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How Chelsea target Antoine Griezmann could have moved to Fulham

Jose Mourinho is keen on signing French striker from Atletico Madrid in a huge £43m deal - but he could have ended up at a very different club...
      


Antoine Griezmann has emerged as a £43million prime target for Chelsea – but the highly-coveted French international could already have been playing in west London and for a lot less money if a previous deal had not fallen through.

It will pain Fulham fans to hear that they were quoted a fee of £12million when they approached Real Sociedad in January 2014 when Rene Meulensteen was the head coach but did not land the move.

Instead Fulham, who were fighting for their Premier League lives at the time, bought Kostas Mitroglou, for a similar fee - a club record - on January deadline day, with the Greek striker turning out to be a disaster. He is currently on loan at Olympiakos and has no future at Fulham.



Griezmann instead stayed at La Real until the summer before he moved to Atletico Madrid where the 24-year-old has been an outstanding success this season scoring 25 goals in all competitions and 22 in 34 La Liga appearances.

It will hurt Fulham fans even more to know that Griezmann cost Atletico £23million when he agreed a six-month deal – far more than the price originally proposed to their club.

Griezmann was effectively Diego Costa's replacement at Atletico, who then inserted a £43million buy-out clause his contract which they already want to renegotiate.

Now Chelsea are considering activating that clause – one of the characteristics of the club's recent buying policy is to do deals quickly and without there being an auction – to add to their striking options.

It is possible that Chelsea could send defender Filipe Luis back to Atletico as part of the deal.

Did you know Telegraph Sport has a Chelsea Facebook page?

Jose Mourinho wants a versatile attacking player like Griezmann who can play out wide as well as as a central striker.

Either way it means Griezmann could finally end up in London. It will still be SW6 – but Stamford Bridge rather than Craven Cottage.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/11594634/How-Chelsea-target-Antoine-Grizemann-could-have-moved-to-Fulham.html

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Wolves and Fulham set to battle it out for Pompey star

Portsmouth's top scorer Jed Wallace has been drawing attention of several Championship clubs, with it emerging that Wolves and Fulham are leading the race for the youngster.

The youngster has been a revelation for Pompey this season, leading the south-coast club's socring charts with 17 goals in all competitions.

Also leading the club's assist charts with six, the 21 year-old has played with a maturity that has shone amongst a turbulent season for Portsmouth.

Starting his career at Conference South side Farnborough, Pompey snapped up the midfielder on a two-year contract, which he has since extended back in 2014.

Wallace also showed his potential when Portsmouth were still in League 1 in the 2012-13 season, scoring six goals in 23 games.

Earning a call up to the England U19 setup in 2013, Wallace's development has continued to impress the Fratton Park faithful.

Following his exploits this season, Wallace was included in the PFA League 2 Team of the Year, and was named Pompey's Player of the Season.

http://the72.co.uk/26800/wolves-and-fulham-set-to-battle-it-out-for-pompey-star/

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Bump