Thursday Fulham Stuff 16.07.2015

[Friendsoffulham]

QPR and Fulham among clubs linked with Everton youngster

A round-up of the latest transfer speculation involving Chelsea, QPR and Fulham...



QPR and Fulham are among the clubs to be linked with Everton left-back Luke Garbut.

The Times say Ipswich and Rotherham are also keen on Garbut, 22, and that Everton boss Roberto Martinez plans to loan him to a Championship club despite apparent interest from Swansea and Bournemouth.

The Sun say Liverpool are trying to beat Manchester City to the signing of Fulham youngster Patrick Roberts.

City have been looking to tie up a deal for the highly-rated teenager, who has refused to sign a new contract at Craven Cottage.

It is claimed that Liverpool, who did express an interest in Roberts before City made their move, are now battling to take him to Anfield.

http://www.westlondonsport.com/features-comment/gossip-qpr-fulham-ipswich-and-swansea-linked-with-everton-youngster-wls-football

[Friendsoffulham]

Liverpool bid £5 million for highly sought after Championship starlet



According to the Express, Liverpool have made a £5 million bid for Fulham wonder kid Patrick Roberts as they seek replacements for the £49 million departure of Raheem Sterling.

The youngster has been the center of much transfer talk this summer with Premier League giants Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City all having been linked with the 18 year-old.

Manchester City had a bid of £8 million rejected so it is very likely that Liverpool's bid will be rejected – especially as the Cottagers know how much money they have to spend.

However, Fulham are struggling to tie down their prized asset as Roberts has reportedly turned down a £5,000 a week contract with the aim of playing top flight football next season.

A £10 million price tag has been put on the forward, who broke into the first team at Craven Cottage last season making 20 appearances in all competitions.

http://the72.co.uk/31249/liverpool-bid-5-million-for-highly-sought-after-championship-starlet/?

[Friendsoffulham]

Liverpool show interest in Fulham wonderkid



Premier League giants Liverpool are the latest side to show an interest in Fulham youngster Patrick Roberts, according to The Express.

The winger is an academy product at Craven Cottage and has made 19 appearances for the senior team, but has snubbed a new £5,000-a-week contract in order to force a move to the Premier League.

The 18-year-old was a top target for Manchester City this year, who have already had an £8 million bid rejected for him, with the Whites asking for between £10-15 million for the prodigy.

Following Raheem Sterling's stunning £49 million move to Manchester City, Liverpool are ready to splash the cash in order to replace him.

They face competition from the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United, as well as Manchester City, who will continue in their pursuit of English talent, and are desperate to recruit the England Under-19 international.

Fulham fans... What do you make of this news? Do you need to keep hold of Roberts? Let us know in the comments below.

http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/liverpool-show-interest-in-fulham-wonderkid/?

[Friendsoffulham]

Liverpool join the race for Roberts



Various newspapers have reported throughout the course of the day that Liverpool have joined a clutch of clubs keen on signing Fulham's teenage forward Patrick Roberts.

This morning's Sun newspaper splashed that the Merseyside club were ready to move for Roberts after the completion of Raheem Sterling's protracted transfer to Manchester City yesterday. Brendan Rodgers is reportedly ready to offer around £5m for the England youth international, although City's previous bid – rumoured to be in the region of £8m – has been rejected by Fulham.

The west London side have been keen to hold onto the 18 year-old, who made twenty appearances for the first team last season, but Roberts has so far been unwilling to agree an extension to his current contract, which expires at the end of this coming season. Roberts is rumoured to be frustrated by his lack of game time under Kit Symons at Craven Cottage and is ready to move on, believing that the time is right to step up into elite level football having starred for Fulham's youth team.

Roberts has been linked with Manchester City for much of the summer, but with his father being from Merseyside and an avid Liverpool fan, he might prefer a move to his boyhood team. Tonight's Mirror transfer round-up invites speculation of a bidding war between the two clubs, which might be the best way of Fulham getting close to their valuation of £10m for the talented teenager.

Roberts did travel with Fulham's first-team squad for their pre-season warm weather training camp in Portugal last week but did not feature in Saturday's 3-1 friendly win over Aston Villa.

http://hammyend.com/index.php/2015/07/liverpool-join-the-race-for-roberts/?

[Friendsoffulham]

Fulham enquire over Garbutt loan deal



Fulham are one of four Championship clubs interested in loaning young Everton left back Luke Garbutt, according to reports this afternoon.

The Times claims that Roberto Martinez sees a move to a Championship side as ideal for the 22 year-old full-back as best for Garbutt's development, despite interest from Swansea City and newly-promoted Bournemouth. The newspaper names Ipswich, Fulham, QPR and Rotherham as clubs who have already enquired about Garbutt's availability after he played all three of England's group games at this summer's European Under 21 Championships in the Czech Republic.

Martinez is quoted by the Times as saying:

Luke is someone we want to keep in our club because he has a terrific future. He's been playing for the England under 21's and probably has the best left-back to learn from in Leighton, who he can get inspired by on a daily basis.

But what is important is that he is going to play. We are looking for playing time. Luke has to experiment from the game, and you do that by playing. If it's in the Premier League it will have to be in an environment where he is playing. If not we will find a team that suits exactly what he needs in order to develop. He's a phenomenal footballer. His technical ability is as good as it gets around Europe for his age, but he needs to be playing.

Kit Symons is known to be keen to sign a full-back to push Fulham academy graduate for a first team place after Kostas Stafylidis returned to Bayer Leverkusen following the expiry of his season-long loan. Kay Voser played at left back for much of Fulham's first pre-season game against Villa, but Fulham have been linked with Manchester United youngster Reece James in recent weeks.

Garbutt signed a new five-year contract at Goodison Park earlier this summer having turned down the chance to discuss a potential move to city rivals Liverpool.

http://hammyend.com/index.php/2015/07/fulham-enquire-over-garbutt-loan-deal/?

[Friendsoffulham]

Grexit Stage Fulham: How Eurozone Economics are Impacting The Whites this Summer



"Grexit" is the portmanteau coined in recent times to succinctly describe the potential exit of Greece from the Eurozone. The scenario has come to a head in recent weeks with Greek President Alexis Tsipras leading both his Government and Country to the brink and back several times.

The macroeconomic uncertainty of Greece's fate has played havoc with the European financial markets and in an ironic twist of fate is now potentially hampering Fulham's very own Grexit, as Kostas Mitroglou is attempted to be sold.

Indeed, wider economic and financial issues are playing an important role in Fulham's offseason. Aside from player movement, there was the announcement earlier this week that the delay to our big home kit unveiling is down to the lack of a confirmed sponsorship agreement to go on the front. Attracting a marquee sponsor will have been one of the toughest financial challenges facing Fulham's senior leadership structure this off-season.

With Marathonbet presumably exercising their right to vacate the front of Fulham's shirts at the earliest contractual opportunity following relegation, Fulham will have been left with something of a gaping hole in the profit and loss account. Marathonbet's deal was the largest in the club's history.  Replacing that deal to any decent level will have proven extremely difficult given the reduced exposure the Championship gives you, especially given our largely dire performances last season hardly mean Sky are in a rush to schedule us at primetime.

Hull City's recent announcement that they were losing global sports betting brand 12Bet as their lead sponsor and replacing them with local tourist attraction Flamingoland is perhaps the starkest recent example of the drop off in the calibre of sponsor once a team drops out of the Premier League.

In financial terms, it is estimated that a mid-table Premier League club can earn shirt sponsorship well into seven figures per season. Fulham's deal with Marathonbet was reportedly said to be worth between £2m – £3m per season. The average Championship sponsorship package is believed to be mid six figures. The drop off is significant.

My fellow Fulham Supporters Trust director Mike Gregg has previously done an in-depth look at Fulham's finances over on a rival website, which is well worth finding if you wish to look at the numbers in greater detail.

Going back to title of this article, the Grexit; what the wider macroeconomic situation in Europe has meant for Fulham this summer is broadly that we have been sellers in a market with very few buyers.

At close of business on today (15th July), the Euro was trading at near its 52 week high against the Pound at €1.42 per £1.  For European clubs, this translates into very expensive prices when buying players from outside of the single currency Eurozone.

In comparison, this time last summer the Euro was worth €1.25 v GBP. This rise of 17 cents in a 12 month period represents a nearly 14% jump in import/export costs for businesses, or in this case football clubs.  This means that those clubs whose daily trade is in Euros are now significantly weaker when they deal with clubs trading in Pound Stirling.  Buying a player in Pounds has never been more expensive.

This brings us back to Kostas Mitroglou, whose cumbersome transfer is now beginning to look like well thought out retribution for the Elgin Marbles. Fulham are reportedly hawking the striker around Europe with demands of a £1m loan fee and a £7.5m buyout clause. Compared to one year ago, £1m is now €170,000 more expensive, with £7.5m now €1,275,000 more expensive.

As a result, there are two potential outcomes, either European clubs will have to pay the increased prices, or Fulham will have to lower their price demands. Neither scenario is ideal and perhaps explains why Fulham's own Grexit is becoming as protracted as its ideological big brother's.

With several of Fulham's international playing staff in the queue for an exit of their own, the enduring financial turmoil in Europe, and resulting impact on currency rates, is likely to be a significant hindrance to the club securing them transfers out of England.  Bryan Ruiz's departure from south west London is a prime example.  A year overdue, Sporting Lisbon's eventual acceptance to go against the prevailing economic outlook and pay any sort of transfer fee for the Costa Rican is a result Fulham's management should be applauded for securing. Should Alastair Mackintosh and co secure a similar deal for Kostas Mitroglou and Fernando Amorebieta's exits, their achievement should not be without appreciation.

Unfortunately for Fulham, the movement in European currencies has also come at the wrong time for incoming transfers. This summer has seen a shift in the transfer paradigm at Fulham. For the first transfer window in recent memory, we are concentrating our recruitment on transfers from within England. So far, not a single arrival has come from Europe, so we are yet to take advantage of the favourable exchange rate movement that, conversely to the scenario above, makes players cheaper to buy from Europe than they have been before.

This summer is providing a series of financial challenges to Fulham off the field.  As I've shown above, many of these are well out of the club's control. With the kit unveiling and the conclusion of the transfer window, the next month and a half will be a fascinating time, and for now it's worth reading the business pages as well as the sport.

COYW

http://hammyend.com/index.php/2015/07/grexit-stage-fulham-how-eurozone-economics-are-impacting-the-whites-this-summer/?

[Friendsoffulham]

Working In Football



Wednesday saw 20 pupils from Buxton School, East London – accompanied by teachers Denzil McDonald and Pamela Jordan – visit Motspur Park to get a taste of what it's like to work for a professional football club.

After a tour of the Training Ground, the group met five Fulham employees from various departments, and attempted to work out their respective job titles by asking them a series of yes or no questions. There were varying degrees of success as they correctly identified the employees who worked in administration, accountancy and physiotherapy, but they were stumped by those who ply their trade in teaching and safeguarding.

A talk on how analysis plays a part in modern football followed, before they undertook some practical exercises in the gym, learning how to strap injuries and how to measure athleticism.

"We wanted to give them a broader idea of what goes on at a football club," Denzil McDonald, who used to work in Fulham's Academy, said. "The pupils that signed up aren't necessarily top notch PE students, but they took an interest in the different areas that are possibly available in sport.

"We had 45 students who wanted to come so there was uproar in the school when they found out we could only take 20! We did lucky dip out of a hat so the ones who were left behind at school were going mental!

"A lot of them have never even travelled this far so they loved it. As soon as they walked through the gate they were starstruck. Then they went on a little walkabout and got to meet Scott Parker, which was absolutely great. It was really special for them, a real treat."

He continued: "We just wanted them to get an awareness of what was out there. When people say football, I don't want them to think that being a football player is the only option. They could be a physio, a trainer, a scout, or work in the media – there are so many other avenues available.

"There are a lot of kids who are really interested in sport, but they think that you've got to be a top level PE student to find a career in sport. And actually that's not true because there are lots of options, and that's what we want them to take away from this."

The day was organised by Fulham's Academy Operations Manager Lee Hagger, who added: "At Fulham, we encourage being open and inclusive – one of our core values is to help others.

"Denzil is an ex-colleague of mine from both his time at Fulham and from when I worked at Norlington and Tom Hood [Buxton School's former name], so he's a friend and we trust him. All we try to do is inspire young people and raise expectations in themselves.

"The staff at the Club, from various departments, really pushed the boat out to give these kids a memorable and potentially life changing day, opening up their eyes to the possibility of working in football. It was enjoyed by all of us."

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/july/16/working-in-football?

[Friendsoffulham]

Defender joins the Daggers



Dagenham & Redbridge are pleased to announce the signing of Josh Passley on a one-year contract with an option of another year.
The right-back becomes Wayne Burnett's second summer signing after being released by Fulham in the summer. Josh had a long association with Fulham having joined them at the age of eleven. He began his career as a winger but switched to right-back at the age of sixteen and can also play as a centre-back.

Passley made his first team debut for Fulham in an FA Cup fourth round tie against Sheffield United where he played the full 90 minutes.

He has had two youth loans last season to add experience to his cv. He spent a month at Shrewsbury Town in December and then four months at Portsmouth. He played against the Daggers for the latter as the South coast side kept three clean sheets in three games.

Wayne Burnett was delighted to capture the 20-year old adding, "Josh is someone we've come up against and has fantastic potential, he has been on loan at Shrewsbury and Portsmouth and can enhance our group of players that we already have.".

Read more at http://www.daggers.co.uk/news/article/dagenham-and-redbridge-josh-passley-league-two-2550176.aspx#XfI2yPFfrQ3UqvOi.99

[Friendsoffulham]

Wales of a time: Belgium and Chelsea's Eden Hazard tussles with Jazz Richards

It was a case of the boss you know rather than stepping into the unknown for Jazz Richards.

The new Fulham right-back revealed that when added together, signing for Kit Symons at a place he felt 'comfortable' after a 14-game loan spell last season, and a chance to cement his place in a Wales side on the cusp of monumental success, spelled no brainer.

Duly, the 24-year-old made the £500,000 switch from Swansea, ignoring interest from Aston Villa and Norwich, and now plots success with Whites and Wales, headed for their first major tournament since 1958.

In where it hurts: Richards tackles Blackburn's Marcus Olsson
"Knowing I only had a year left at Swansea, it was the right time to get out and get some games," Richards explained. "The lads when I come here; you could see the bonds we had and long may that continue.

"Knowing the manager and how good he is and the back room staff - it's a comfortable place for me."

Symons may have quit the Welsh coaching set-up to concentrate on restoring Fulham to the Premier League, but Richards has eyes on the prize of European Championship qualification after an exciting victory over Belgium last month.

"That was one of my best highlights so far," he added.

"We've not done it yet: we've still got three games to play. So, it's about getting game time for your club and going on to play for your country, but it's looking strong to go to France (for the finals in 2016)."

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-defender-reveals-snubbed-aston-9668151?

[fulhamben]

Grexit Stage Fulham: How Eurozone Economics are Impacting The Whites this Summer



“Grexit” is the portmanteau coined in recent times to succinctly describe the potential exit of Greece from the Eurozone. The scenario has come to a head in recent weeks with Greek President Alexis Tsipras leading both his Government and Country to the brink and back several times.

The macroeconomic uncertainty of Greece’s fate has played havoc with the European financial markets and in an ironic twist of fate is now potentially hampering Fulham’s very own Grexit, as Kostas Mitroglou is attempted to be sold.

Indeed, wider economic and financial issues are playing an important role in Fulham’s offseason. Aside from player movement, there was the announcement earlier this week that the delay to our big home kit unveiling is down to the lack of a confirmed sponsorship agreement to go on the front. Attracting a marquee sponsor will have been one of the toughest financial challenges facing Fulham’s senior leadership structure this off-season.

With Marathonbet presumably exercising their right to vacate the front of Fulham’s shirts at the earliest contractual opportunity following relegation, Fulham will have been left with something of a gaping hole in the profit and loss account. Marathonbet’s deal was the largest in the club’s history.  Replacing that deal to any decent level will have proven extremely difficult given the reduced exposure the Championship gives you, especially given our largely dire performances last season hardly mean Sky are in a rush to schedule us at primetime.

Hull City’s recent announcement that they were losing global sports betting brand 12Bet as their lead sponsor and replacing them with local tourist attraction Flamingoland is perhaps the starkest recent example of the drop off in the calibre of sponsor once a team drops out of the Premier League.

In financial terms, it is estimated that a mid-table Premier League club can earn shirt sponsorship well into seven figures per season. Fulham’s deal with Marathonbet was reportedly said to be worth between £2m – £3m per season. The average Championship sponsorship package is believed to be mid six figures. The drop off is significant.

My fellow Fulham Supporters Trust director Mike Gregg has previously done an in-depth look at Fulham’s finances over on a rival website, which is well worth finding if you wish to look at the numbers in greater detail.

Going back to title of this article, the Grexit; what the wider macroeconomic situation in Europe has meant for Fulham this summer is broadly that we have been sellers in a market with very few buyers.

At close of business on today (15th July), the Euro was trading at near its 52 week high against the Pound at €1.42 per £1.  For European clubs, this translates into very expensive prices when buying players from outside of the single currency Eurozone.

In comparison, this time last summer the Euro was worth €1.25 v GBP. This rise of 17 cents in a 12 month period represents a nearly 14% jump in import/export costs for businesses, or in this case football clubs.  This means that those clubs whose daily trade is in Euros are now significantly weaker when they deal with clubs trading in Pound Stirling.  Buying a player in Pounds has never been more expensive.

This brings us back to Kostas Mitroglou, whose cumbersome transfer is now beginning to look like well thought out retribution for the Elgin Marbles. Fulham are reportedly hawking the striker around Europe with demands of a £1m loan fee and a £7.5m buyout clause. Compared to one year ago, £1m is now €170,000 more expensive, with £7.5m now €1,275,000 more expensive.

As a result, there are two potential outcomes, either European clubs will have to pay the increased prices, or Fulham will have to lower their price demands. Neither scenario is ideal and perhaps explains why Fulham’s own Grexit is becoming as protracted as its ideological big brother’s.

With several of Fulham’s international playing staff in the queue for an exit of their own, the enduring financial turmoil in Europe, and resulting impact on currency rates, is likely to be a significant hindrance to the club securing them transfers out of England.  Bryan Ruiz’s departure from south west London is a prime example.  A year overdue, Sporting Lisbon’s eventual acceptance to go against the prevailing economic outlook and pay any sort of transfer fee for the Costa Rican is a result Fulham’s management should be applauded for securing. Should Alastair Mackintosh and co secure a similar deal for Kostas Mitroglou and Fernando Amorebieta’s exits, their achievement should not be without appreciation.

Unfortunately for Fulham, the movement in European currencies has also come at the wrong time for incoming transfers. This summer has seen a shift in the transfer paradigm at Fulham. For the first transfer window in recent memory, we are concentrating our recruitment on transfers from within England. So far, not a single arrival has come from Europe, so we are yet to take advantage of the favourable exchange rate movement that, conversely to the scenario above, makes players cheaper to buy from Europe than they have been before.

This summer is providing a series of financial challenges to Fulham off the field.  As I’ve shown above, many of these are well out of the club’s control. With the kit unveiling and the conclusion of the transfer window, the next month and a half will be a fascinating time, and for now it’s worth reading the business pages as well as the sport.

COYW

http://hammyend.com/index.php/2015/07/grexit-stage-fulham-how-eurozone-economics-are-impacting-the-whites-this-summer/?

buying a player in pounds has never been more expensive? who writes this crap. when the euro first came in it was at 1.6 euros to the pound. so anything below that is a bonus for those in the single currency. and god forbid we keep our best striker to help us win promotion

[fulhamben]

Grexit Stage Fulham: How Eurozone Economics are Impacting The Whites this Summer



“Grexit” is the portmanteau coined in recent times to succinctly describe the potential exit of Greece from the Eurozone. The scenario has come to a head in recent weeks with Greek President Alexis Tsipras leading both his Government and Country to the brink and back several times.

The macroeconomic uncertainty of Greece’s fate has played havoc with the European financial markets and in an ironic twist of fate is now potentially hampering Fulham’s very own Grexit, as Kostas Mitroglou is attempted to be sold.

Indeed, wider economic and financial issues are playing an important role in Fulham’s offseason. Aside from player movement, there was the announcement earlier this week that the delay to our big home kit unveiling is down to the lack of a confirmed sponsorship agreement to go on the front. Attracting a marquee sponsor will have been one of the toughest financial challenges facing Fulham’s senior leadership structure this off-season.

With Marathonbet presumably exercising their right to vacate the front of Fulham’s shirts at the earliest contractual opportunity following relegation, Fulham will have been left with something of a gaping hole in the profit and loss account. Marathonbet’s deal was the largest in the club’s history.  Replacing that deal to any decent level will have proven extremely difficult given the reduced exposure the Championship gives you, especially given our largely dire performances last season hardly mean Sky are in a rush to schedule us at primetime.

Hull City’s recent announcement that they were losing global sports betting brand 12Bet as their lead sponsor and replacing them with local tourist attraction Flamingoland is perhaps the starkest recent example of the drop off in the calibre of sponsor once a team drops out of the Premier League.

In financial terms, it is estimated that a mid-table Premier League club can earn shirt sponsorship well into seven figures per season. Fulham’s deal with Marathonbet was reportedly said to be worth between £2m – £3m per season. The average Championship sponsorship package is believed to be mid six figures. The drop off is significant.

My fellow Fulham Supporters Trust director Mike Gregg has previously done an in-depth look at Fulham’s finances over on a rival website, which is well worth finding if you wish to look at the numbers in greater detail.

Going back to title of this article, the Grexit; what the wider macroeconomic situation in Europe has meant for Fulham this summer is broadly that we have been sellers in a market with very few buyers.

At close of business on today (15th July), the Euro was trading at near its 52 week high against the Pound at €1.42 per £1.  For European clubs, this translates into very expensive prices when buying players from outside of the single currency Eurozone.

In comparison, this time last summer the Euro was worth €1.25 v GBP. This rise of 17 cents in a 12 month period represents a nearly 14% jump in import/export costs for businesses, or in this case football clubs.  This means that those clubs whose daily trade is in Euros are now significantly weaker when they deal with clubs trading in Pound Stirling.  Buying a player in Pounds has never been more expensive.

This brings us back to Kostas Mitroglou, whose cumbersome transfer is now beginning to look like well thought out retribution for the Elgin Marbles. Fulham are reportedly hawking the striker around Europe with demands of a £1m loan fee and a £7.5m buyout clause. Compared to one year ago, £1m is now €170,000 more expensive, with £7.5m now €1,275,000 more expensive.

As a result, there are two potential outcomes, either European clubs will have to pay the increased prices, or Fulham will have to lower their price demands. Neither scenario is ideal and perhaps explains why Fulham’s own Grexit is becoming as protracted as its ideological big brother’s.

With several of Fulham’s international playing staff in the queue for an exit of their own, the enduring financial turmoil in Europe, and resulting impact on currency rates, is likely to be a significant hindrance to the club securing them transfers out of England.  Bryan Ruiz’s departure from south west London is a prime example.  A year overdue, Sporting Lisbon’s eventual acceptance to go against the prevailing economic outlook and pay any sort of transfer fee for the Costa Rican is a result Fulham’s management should be applauded for securing. Should Alastair Mackintosh and co secure a similar deal for Kostas Mitroglou and Fernando Amorebieta’s exits, their achievement should not be without appreciation.

Unfortunately for Fulham, the movement in European currencies has also come at the wrong time for incoming transfers. This summer has seen a shift in the transfer paradigm at Fulham. For the first transfer window in recent memory, we are concentrating our recruitment on transfers from within England. So far, not a single arrival has come from Europe, so we are yet to take advantage of the favourable exchange rate movement that, conversely to the scenario above, makes players cheaper to buy from Europe than they have been before.

This summer is providing a series of financial challenges to Fulham off the field.  As I’ve shown above, many of these are well out of the club’s control. With the kit unveiling and the conclusion of the transfer window, the next month and a half will be a fascinating time, and for now it’s worth reading the business pages as well as the sport.

COYW

http://hammyend.com/index.php/2015/07/grexit-stage-fulham-how-eurozone-economics-are-impacting-the-whites-this-summer/?

buying a player in pounds has never been more expensive? who writes this crap. when the euro first came in it was at 1.6 euros to the pound. so anything below that is a bonus for those in the single currency. and god forbid we keep our best striker to help us win promotion

i take it back, the pound lost value against the euro before the first publication and we saw it at 1.42. my point still stands as it we are not at an all time high

[MasterHaynes]

If we owe any scheduled payments for Mitroglou then we've just got a 15% discount

[bill taylors apprentice]

Grexit Stage Fulham: How Eurozone Economics are Impacting The Whites this Summer



“Grexit” is the portmanteau coined in recent times to succinctly describe the potential exit of Greece from the Eurozone. The scenario has come to a head in recent weeks with Greek President Alexis Tsipras leading both his Government and Country to the brink and back several times.

The macroeconomic uncertainty of Greece’s fate has played havoc with the European financial markets and in an ironic twist of fate is now potentially hampering Fulham’s very own Grexit, as Kostas Mitroglou is attempted to be sold.

Indeed, wider economic and financial issues are playing an important role in Fulham’s offseason. Aside from player movement, there was the announcement earlier this week that the delay to our big home kit unveiling is down to the lack of a confirmed sponsorship agreement to go on the front. Attracting a marquee sponsor will have been one of the toughest financial challenges facing Fulham’s senior leadership structure this off-season.

With Marathonbet presumably exercising their right to vacate the front of Fulham’s shirts at the earliest contractual opportunity following relegation, Fulham will have been left with something of a gaping hole in the profit and loss account. Marathonbet’s deal was the largest in the club’s history.  Replacing that deal to any decent level will have proven extremely difficult given the reduced exposure the Championship gives you, especially given our largely dire performances last season hardly mean Sky are in a rush to schedule us at primetime.

Hull City’s recent announcement that they were losing global sports betting brand 12Bet as their lead sponsor and replacing them with local tourist attraction Flamingoland is perhaps the starkest recent example of the drop off in the calibre of sponsor once a team drops out of the Premier League.

In financial terms, it is estimated that a mid-table Premier League club can earn shirt sponsorship well into seven figures per season. Fulham’s deal with Marathonbet was reportedly said to be worth between £2m – £3m per season. The average Championship sponsorship package is believed to be mid six figures. The drop off is significant.

My fellow Fulham Supporters Trust director Mike Gregg has previously done an in-depth look at Fulham’s finances over on a rival website, which is well worth finding if you wish to look at the numbers in greater detail.

Going back to title of this article, the Grexit; what the wider macroeconomic situation in Europe has meant for Fulham this summer is broadly that we have been sellers in a market with very few buyers.

At close of business on today (15th July), the Euro was trading at near its 52 week high against the Pound at €1.42 per £1.  For European clubs, this translates into very expensive prices when buying players from outside of the single currency Eurozone.

In comparison, this time last summer the Euro was worth €1.25 v GBP. This rise of 17 cents in a 12 month period represents a nearly 14% jump in import/export costs for businesses, or in this case football clubs.  This means that those clubs whose daily trade is in Euros are now significantly weaker when they deal with clubs trading in Pound Stirling.  Buying a player in Pounds has never been more expensive.

This brings us back to Kostas Mitroglou, whose cumbersome transfer is now beginning to look like well thought out retribution for the Elgin Marbles. Fulham are reportedly hawking the striker around Europe with demands of a £1m loan fee and a £7.5m buyout clause. Compared to one year ago, £1m is now €170,000 more expensive, with £7.5m now €1,275,000 more expensive.

As a result, there are two potential outcomes, either European clubs will have to pay the increased prices, or Fulham will have to lower their price demands. Neither scenario is ideal and perhaps explains why Fulham’s own Grexit is becoming as protracted as its ideological big brother’s.

With several of Fulham’s international playing staff in the queue for an exit of their own, the enduring financial turmoil in Europe, and resulting impact on currency rates, is likely to be a significant hindrance to the club securing them transfers out of England.  Bryan Ruiz’s departure from south west London is a prime example.  A year overdue, Sporting Lisbon’s eventual acceptance to go against the prevailing economic outlook and pay any sort of transfer fee for the Costa Rican is a result Fulham’s management should be applauded for securing. Should Alastair Mackintosh and co secure a similar deal for Kostas Mitroglou and Fernando Amorebieta’s exits, their achievement should not be without appreciation.

Unfortunately for Fulham, the movement in European currencies has also come at the wrong time for incoming transfers. This summer has seen a shift in the transfer paradigm at Fulham. For the first transfer window in recent memory, we are concentrating our recruitment on transfers from within England. So far, not a single arrival has come from Europe, so we are yet to take advantage of the favourable exchange rate movement that, conversely to the scenario above, makes players cheaper to buy from Europe than they have been before.

This summer is providing a series of financial challenges to Fulham off the field.  As I’ve shown above, many of these are well out of the club’s control. With the kit unveiling and the conclusion of the transfer window, the next month and a half will be a fascinating time, and for now it’s worth reading the business pages as well as the sport.

COYW

http://hammyend.com/index.php/2015/07/grexit-stage-fulham-how-eurozone-economics-are-impacting-the-whites-this-summer/?

buying a player in pounds has never been more expensive? who writes this crap. when the euro first came in it was at 1.6 euros to the pound. so anything below that is a bonus for those in the single currency. and god forbid we keep our best striker to help us win promotion

i take it back, the pound lost value against the euro before the first publication and we saw it at 1.42. my point still stands as it we are not at an all time high

It might not be crap,  but someones used a lot of words to say very little.

[fulhamben]

Grexit Stage Fulham: How Eurozone Economics are Impacting The Whites this Summer



“Grexit” is the portmanteau coined in recent times to succinctly describe the potential exit of Greece from the Eurozone. The scenario has come to a head in recent weeks with Greek President Alexis Tsipras leading both his Government and Country to the brink and back several times.

The macroeconomic uncertainty of Greece’s fate has played havoc with the European financial markets and in an ironic twist of fate is now potentially hampering Fulham’s very own Grexit, as Kostas Mitroglou is attempted to be sold.

Indeed, wider economic and financial issues are playing an important role in Fulham’s offseason. Aside from player movement, there was the announcement earlier this week that the delay to our big home kit unveiling is down to the lack of a confirmed sponsorship agreement to go on the front. Attracting a marquee sponsor will have been one of the toughest financial challenges facing Fulham’s senior leadership structure this off-season.

With Marathonbet presumably exercising their right to vacate the front of Fulham’s shirts at the earliest contractual opportunity following relegation, Fulham will have been left with something of a gaping hole in the profit and loss account. Marathonbet’s deal was the largest in the club’s history.  Replacing that deal to any decent level will have proven extremely difficult given the reduced exposure the Championship gives you, especially given our largely dire performances last season hardly mean Sky are in a rush to schedule us at primetime.

Hull City’s recent announcement that they were losing global sports betting brand 12Bet as their lead sponsor and replacing them with local tourist attraction Flamingoland is perhaps the starkest recent example of the drop off in the calibre of sponsor once a team drops out of the Premier League.

In financial terms, it is estimated that a mid-table Premier League club can earn shirt sponsorship well into seven figures per season. Fulham’s deal with Marathonbet was reportedly said to be worth between £2m – £3m per season. The average Championship sponsorship package is believed to be mid six figures. The drop off is significant.

My fellow Fulham Supporters Trust director Mike Gregg has previously done an in-depth look at Fulham’s finances over on a rival website, which is well worth finding if you wish to look at the numbers in greater detail.

Going back to title of this article, the Grexit; what the wider macroeconomic situation in Europe has meant for Fulham this summer is broadly that we have been sellers in a market with very few buyers.

At close of business on today (15th July), the Euro was trading at near its 52 week high against the Pound at €1.42 per £1.  For European clubs, this translates into very expensive prices when buying players from outside of the single currency Eurozone.

In comparison, this time last summer the Euro was worth €1.25 v GBP. This rise of 17 cents in a 12 month period represents a nearly 14% jump in import/export costs for businesses, or in this case football clubs.  This means that those clubs whose daily trade is in Euros are now significantly weaker when they deal with clubs trading in Pound Stirling.  Buying a player in Pounds has never been more expensive.

This brings us back to Kostas Mitroglou, whose cumbersome transfer is now beginning to look like well thought out retribution for the Elgin Marbles. Fulham are reportedly hawking the striker around Europe with demands of a £1m loan fee and a £7.5m buyout clause. Compared to one year ago, £1m is now €170,000 more expensive, with £7.5m now €1,275,000 more expensive.

As a result, there are two potential outcomes, either European clubs will have to pay the increased prices, or Fulham will have to lower their price demands. Neither scenario is ideal and perhaps explains why Fulham’s own Grexit is becoming as protracted as its ideological big brother’s.

With several of Fulham’s international playing staff in the queue for an exit of their own, the enduring financial turmoil in Europe, and resulting impact on currency rates, is likely to be a significant hindrance to the club securing them transfers out of England.  Bryan Ruiz’s departure from south west London is a prime example.  A year overdue, Sporting Lisbon’s eventual acceptance to go against the prevailing economic outlook and pay any sort of transfer fee for the Costa Rican is a result Fulham’s management should be applauded for securing. Should Alastair Mackintosh and co secure a similar deal for Kostas Mitroglou and Fernando Amorebieta’s exits, their achievement should not be without appreciation.

Unfortunately for Fulham, the movement in European currencies has also come at the wrong time for incoming transfers. This summer has seen a shift in the transfer paradigm at Fulham. For the first transfer window in recent memory, we are concentrating our recruitment on transfers from within England. So far, not a single arrival has come from Europe, so we are yet to take advantage of the favourable exchange rate movement that, conversely to the scenario above, makes players cheaper to buy from Europe than they have been before.

This summer is providing a series of financial challenges to Fulham off the field.  As I’ve shown above, many of these are well out of the club’s control. With the kit unveiling and the conclusion of the transfer window, the next month and a half will be a fascinating time, and for now it’s worth reading the business pages as well as the sport.

COYW

http://hammyend.com/index.php/2015/07/grexit-stage-fulham-how-eurozone-economics-are-impacting-the-whites-this-summer/?

buying a player in pounds has never been more expensive? who writes this crap. when the euro first came in it was at 1.6 euros to the pound. so anything below that is a bonus for those in the single currency. and god forbid we keep our best striker to help us win promotion

i take it back, the pound lost value against the euro before the first publication and we saw it at 1.42. my point still stands as it we are not at an all time high

It might not be crap,  but someones used a lot of words to say very little.

lol yes, could of sumned it up with, poor exchange rate could be putting off potential suitors. or no one wants mitro