Friday Fulham Stuff (04/09/15)...

[WhiteJC]

 
So why was Stearman sold to Fulham?
   
So why would Wolves sell our player of the year, someone who had played every game for an entire calendar year?

Wolves head coach Kenny Jackett has tried to make out that it was a football decision, claiming we have lots of strength in depth in that area and stating that we will not be looking to add players to replace him.

'I feel that centre back is a strong position for us, with Danny Batth just starting training now and Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Kortney Hause, Dominic Iorfa as well, who came through the ranks as a centre half.' he told the Express & Star.

Well if that were to be the case then why had Stearman not dropped down the pecking order before?

If the 28-year-old had suffered a loss in form and had been forced out of the team on merit, that argument might have had some legs but in this case it doesn't.

Instead we've sold a key member of our squad, someone who has made over 200 appearances for us with a vast amount of experience at a time when we are pushing for promotion to the Premier League and to a team who could well prove to be a promotion rival?

It doesn't make sense on a football level.

So what does it boil down to? Money of course.

He added: 'when the bid comes in of millions of pounds, that does change the picture.'

He continued: 'The thing that changed it was the bid and the size of the bid.

'Once you put that into the mix of the good young players we have and the strength in depth we have in that position we have to make some decisions.

'And I feel this is the right decision.'


Read more: http://www.wolves.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=412346#ixzz3kke8aqpb

[WhiteJC]

 
Symons on Curbishley
by DAN on SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

Fulham manager Kit Symons has opened up about Alan Curbishley's role at the club – revealing that the former Charlton Athletic boss operates as a sounding board and source of advice to him on managerial matters.

Curbishley had a brief spell as a football consultant at Craven Cottage when Rene Meulensteen was appointed as Martin Jol's replacement, but left Fulham when the Dutchman's tenure as head coach was abruptly ended in February 2014. He returned to Fulham last season when Symons stepped up from running the under-21 side to replace Felix Magath and Symons is grateful to be able to tap into Curbishley's experience:

He's been really good. He's vastly experienced and very down to earth. He's been a big help to me and the staff. He's come in to assist me with first team affairs. His level of experience is top drawer. He's not a mentor but he's someone I can tap in to with his experience. I can court his opinion on all football decisions and he's got good solid opinions.

Symons admits he is working hard to solve Fulham's defensive issues that have continued this season after his side endured the second-worst defensive record in the division last term, ahead of relegated Blackpool. He hopes that the arrivals of centre backs Tim Ream and Richard Stearman as well as Ryan Fredericks might address the problems – but confirmed regular defensive drills take place at Motspur Park.

"We always do defending work. We did last season and did big blocks of it in pre-season. We look at the opposition's strengths and try and combat it. A lot of goals have come down to errors and mistakes. It can be frustrating.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2015/09/symons-on-curbishley/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Stearman: Same Ambitions

Richard Stearman reveals he had no hesitation in moving to a 'prestigious Club' with ambitions of returning to the top flight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7ch6PLXSYY

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/september/03/stearman-same-ambitions?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham or QPR - who got the better deals in the transfer window?

It's Whites versus Hoops - three weeks before they meet face to face


Man managers: Chris Ramsey (L) and Kit Symons

Next May will ultimately decide - but are QPR and Fulham fans happy with their club's recruitment drive?

Were there signings to set the pulses racing, but others where you questioned the club's sanity?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAgcMqnLufY

Fulham topped the spending, borne largely on the back of the near £3m they paid Blackburn for Tom Cairney, and the £2m each for Richard Stearman and Tim Ream.


Tussle: Patrick Roberts in action with Manchester City's Pablo Zabaleta
But they also clawed back anything up to £12m for the sales of Patrick Roberts and Bryan Ruiz, not to mention the release of 14 players to ease the wage bill.

But when it came to a lighter pay-roll, credit QPR.


Leap of faith: Tjaronn Chery (R)
They have removed at least £5m from the weekly cheques handed to a squad that included Bobby Zamora, Joey Barton, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Richard Dunne and Rio Ferdinand. The latter did the club a favour by accepting only £60k-a-week for his one year-deal.

Of the arrivals, free signing Jamie Mackie earned most plaudits for returning to the club of his former glories, but the jury's out, or is it, when it comes to the £5m spent of Massimo Luongo, Tjaronn Chery and Sebastian Polter?


Heat of battle: Jamie Mackie (C)
Here is a complete list of senior players bought or loaned in for both clubs, with fees where appropriate.

QPR
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Ben Gladwin, £500k, Massimo Luongo £2m, Jamie Mackie, Sebastian Polter, £1m, Tjaronn Chery, £2,25m James Perch, Oscar Gobern, Grant Hall, Alex Smithies £1m, Dániel Tőzsér; loans: Gabriele Angella, Paul Konchesky

Total: £6,750,000 (not counting loan fees)

Fulham
Andy Lonergan, Ben Pringle, Tom Cairney £3m, Jazz Richards, £500k, Jamie O'Hara, Sakari Mattila £250k, Tim Ream 2m, Ryan Fredericks, 300k, Richard Stearman £2m; loans: Luke Garbutt, Joe Lewis, James Husband

Total: £8,050,000


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-qpr-who-better-deals-9984351?

[WhiteJC]

 
The Development of Moussa Dembele
by CHRIS GILBERTSON on SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

As the transfer window drew to a close on Tuesday and it became increasingly likely that Fulham weren't going to be signing another striker, I was probably one of the few pleased Fulham fans. Instead of a loanee coming in and taking his game time, Moussa Dembele will now get to continue in the Fulham side.

Last week's League Cup game was something of a breakthrough for the young striker. While Man of the Match against Sheffield United went to Ryan Tunnicliffe, the undoubted star of the game's most fascinating sub-plot was Dembele.

It was a bewildering game for the striker, and until the 94th minute it seemed like it was 'just one of those days' for Dembele. As the game wore on, it appeared his confidence in front of goal was getting visibly lower – each passing shot getting marginally worse. Throughout the game though, Moussa's work rate and attitude were exemplary and he didn't stop trying.

Whereas even a seasoned pro might be forgiven for thinking it wasn't their day, Dembele was working as hard in the last minute as he was in the first. This was recognised by the sparse but enthusiastic crowd, who rewarded each miss with increasingly louder renditions of his name being sung in an attempt to keep his spirits up. It was truly heartening to see the crowd using its voice to pick the striker up as the game progressed. We all wanted him to score, for it was the least his endeavour deserved.  His last second goal was as deserved a goal as Craven Cottage has seen in some time.

There is also the thought process with Dembele that it is just a matter of getting the first few goals under his belt before he starts to score regularly.

Former Arsenal, Barcelona and France forward Thierry Henry, who now works as a pundit for Sky Sports, spent a good portion of the transfer deadline day coverage explaining the importance of games for young strikers in particular. He was referring to Anthony Martial, the 19 year old signed by Manchester United after only 52 professional games, but the logic follows through to Dembele. Strikers are not the finished product at 19, it is important to remember that.

Dembele is currently benefiting from the injury to Matt Smith with Saturday's game at Rotherham marking his third consecutive start.

Talk of Dembele being the next big thing might be a bit premature, with his first league goal still proving elusive. However, in 15 all-competition appearances last season Moussa only actually played 575 minutes. Hardly what you'd call consistent game time.

Given such limited playing opportunities there was a sense last season that Dembele was overthinking his chances. He was so desperate to score that it appeared to get inside his head at times. Having also been the victim of some terrific saves, such as those from Joe Murphy when we played Huddersfield a week and a half ago, Dembele's demeanour has often screamed "what do I have to do to score".

At this stage in his career, the answer to that question is very simple. He has to rely on instinct. His goal last week, and those he scored at the same stage of the League Cup last year against Derby, was scored when he didn't have the time to think. It is the same with those chances he has had saved, they have nearly all been from instinctive shots or headers.

It sounds cliché, but you cannot teach instinct. Experience teaches a player what to do in different situations. It is far better for a young striker to be able to score instinctively, than the other way round. What bodes even better is that Moussa can already create chances of his own accord, processing those chances is the last missing link.

In showing that he undeniably has those goalscorers instincts, Moussa has shown he is different to our other young striker, Cauley Woodrow. Cauley is not a natural goalscorer to the same extent, but he is clever and given an opportunity to fashion a chance for himself or others and he will. It is why the two of them played so well together in youth football, they play to each other's strengths.

Whereas in the past Moussa was, rightly or wrongly, accused of having an inferior attitude, recently he has blown that accusation out the water. His work ethic on the pitch has been very impressive.

Having developed physically quite significantly over the past year, Moussa used all of his pace and strength against Sheffield United. That in the 92nd minute he was able to take a ball down in mid-air, turn towards goal, run past a defender and get hauled down for a justified red card, shows exactly how hard he was working.

Dembele is one of the two remaining marquee young players to not sign a new contract. The other being Emerson Hyndman, the USA midfielder. However, unlike Hyndman, who has been relegated to the U21s, Dembele's place in the starting line-up indicates there may have been a shift in his attitude off the pitch too. It may be hyperbole to suggest Dembele can be the answer to our striking problems, but the truth is he could be. He just needs the games. Getting him to sign a new contract may yet be our best piece of business even after an impressive summer.

Staying at Fulham may also yet prove to be the best option for Moussa himself. The last week of the transfer window saw Norwich have a bid of £10m rejected for Benik Afobe at Wolves. Afobe is the typical example of a striker, trapped at a big club (in his case Arsenal), only to move down to the Championship, where the game time he was given over the course of just one season allowed him to develop into an eight figure player.

Of course nothing is guaranteed and without continued hard work and game time Dembele may not progress as hoped.

Young strikers are dime a dozen and goals in youth football are no guarantee of first team success. Only a handful really make it to the top, but with his newfound place in the side Dembele has the chance to build on the green shoots of potential he showed against Sheffield United.

I'm not saying I wouldn't have been happy with a player of Hooper's proven calibre, but for now, I hope Dembele signs a new contract and Symons has the good sense to keep him in the team, even if it does take a few more games for him to break his league duck.

COYW


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2015/09/the-development-of-moussa-dembele/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Ream attracted by Fulham's American heritage
by DAN on SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

Tim Ream chose a move to Fulham this month over other potential options due to the club's rich history of nurturing American talent.

The experienced defender admitted that leaving Bolton Wanderers, the side who had given him his chance in European football, was a real wrench but the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Brian McBride, who also furthered his footballing skills at St. Louis University like Ream, amongst others proved too good to resist. He had been heavily linked with a potential transfer to recently relegated QPR, but plumped for a move to Craven Cottage instead.

That was a big sticking point for me, the guys who have come before me, Brian McBride – being a St. Louis University guy, myself as well – and Kasey Keller and (Carlos) Bocanegra and (Clint) Dempsey," said Ream. "You look at the guys who have played there and really had successful careers there and it really just felt right. With the way they've been treated and were welcomed with open arms and had such good careers there, it helped in the decision.

There were a lot of things that go into it: footballing decisions, what they were doing off the field, the type of club that it is, the way its run, the way its organized. I mean, it's a Premier League club in everything that they do, and when I saw that – QPR is also a well-run club – but the fact that they had so many Americans that have come before me there really put it over the top for me.

Ream's final day at Bolton was an emotional one, as he told renowned American football writer Ives Garcelep.

I was the very last one to leave that day, and the last one in the car park. I just sat there in the car not really knowing what the next move would be but knowing that for myself and for my family that the next move was forward. I choked up a little bit, to be honest. It was a tough decision to leave after so many good years for myself, but one that I ultimately felt I needed.

Having impressed in his opening two Fulham outings against Sheffield United and Rotherham, Ream's next immediate target is to try and break into the United States' defence ahead of the mouthwatering clash with Mexico in October. There is the opportunity to impress national coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who is keen to experiment with his central defensive options in two friendlies against Peru and Brazil over the next few days although the 27 year-old knows he will need to be at his very best.

You work so hard at your club to get in here and be recognized by the coaches here and to now have done that, it's for me to take that next step and really perform well while I'm here. If you get a chance in games, you have to take it by the scruff of the neck and hopefully that puts you in a good position to then firmly place yourself not only in the squad as a whole but hopefully as a starter come the next camp and the next camp and the next camp.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2015/09/ream-attracted-by-fulhams-american-heritage/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham man reveals conversation with injured Marcus Bettinelli

I'll be back on the golf course in no time was the message from defiant stopper after horrific injury


Crocked: Fulham's Marcus Bettinelli is stretchered off injured after this incident

Marcus Bettinelli promised fellow goalkeeper Andy Lonergan that he will see him on the golf course soon after suffering a long-term knee injury.

The Fulham stopper collided with Matt Smith in the 2-1 defeat at Hull with the former Bolton man taking his place in the side and Joe Lewis coming in on loan to provide cover.

Lonergan was disappointed to see his team-mate suffer a long-term injury as both are members of the goalkeeper's union.

"I texted him (Bettinelli) at 3am when we got back from Hull. I just said I hope you're all right and he replied saying he'd be back out on the golf course in no time so fingers crossed for that," he revealed.

"We get on really well. The goalkeeper's union exists and it's a strong group.


Goalkeeper's union: Andy Lonergan

"I had similar myself when I was his age and missed a lot of football. Everyone is here for him and he's got a great support unit in his dad and his sister is a physio at the club."

Lonergan recalled his time on the sidelines and admitted that seeing his team-mate go down in agony brought back memories before he advised Bettinelli to keep the faith in himself.

He added: "You have to believe in yourself. You have to trust the medical staff. I've not thought about it for years and when Betts went down I felt I'd seen it before."

Lonergan is one of the new faces at Fulham and he believes he has already settled in at the club.

The goalkeeper explained: "I love it here. It's been an easy transition for me to come here. My family are down and I want to get on the pitch and play some football."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-man-reveals-conversation-injured-9964720?

[VicHalomsLovechild]

That picture of Steadman on the training ground? Is it some kind of Monty Python training routine?