Tuesday Fulham Stuff (05/01/16)...

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Stearman Upbeat

Richard Stearman feels Fulham can 'look ahead with great optimism' following the appointment of Slaviša Jokanović as Head Coach.

Jokanović took charge of the Whites for the first time on Saturday, but saw a Ross Wallace wonder strike win it for visiting Sheffield Wednesday at the Cottage.

While frustrated by the result, Stearman insists there were positives to take, believing a strong defensive display bodes well for the future.

"The result obviously wasn't the one we wanted," he told the official website. "We had a lot of possession without maybe being clinical enough. They've scored an absolute worldie but not really had too many other chances. We were pleased with how we shut them out, but disappointed as a team that we couldn't find the back of the net.

"They were hard to break down, they got into shape well and we just didn't move the ball quick enough at times.

"The Head Coach has only been in the door a few days but it's going to be interesting to see the changes he makes and the way he wants us to play. I think you saw on Saturday that we looked more solid and we look ahead with great optimism now."

Jokanović deployed a change of formation for his first team selection, fielding Sakari Mattila in a holding midfield position just in front of the back four. It resulted in Fulham dominating play with nearly 70 per cent possession.

"At times this season we've been quite open and easy to play against," explained Stearman. "That's great when we're scoring lots of goals but it can leave you exposed at the back. The idea against Sheffield Wednesday was for Sakari to screen the back four and give us a bit more protection and I thought he did that well.

"We limited them to one worldie strike and Lonners [Andrew Lonergan] has pulled off one or two saves but in the main we've defended well. It's just disappointing we couldn't get a goal at the other end."

Fulham have an immediate chance to avenge the loss against the Owls when they head to Hillsborough on Saturday for the Third Round of the FA Cup.

Stearman added: "We want to win games as it breeds confidence and becomes a habit. They've done the double on us this season in the league so we'll be looking to go there and get a bit of revenge and progress in the cup."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/january/04/stearman-upbeat?

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Slavisa Jokanovic wants Fulham to go from nice to nasty, says midfielder

No more Mr Nice Guys at Craven Cottage warns manager


Balance: Sakari Mattilla (R) takes on Wednesday's Barry Bannan

Sakari Mattilla revealed Fulham's new boss wants his side to toughen up - and tackle like they mean it.

The midfielder got his first Championship start in the 1-0 home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and despite the reverse belief life is on the up under Slavisa Jokanovic.

The fourth man the helm in an indifferent season has made it plain he wants a more aggressive side when Fulham are defending, but maintain their excellent scoring record.


Wrap: Slavisa Jokanovic wears the colours

They drew a blank against upwardly mobile Wednesday, but the Finn, signed in the close season, believes he and his team-mates are learning fast.

Mattilla said: "He has told us we need to be more aggressive when defending and be tougher. I think we showed a little bit of it (against Wednesday) but we also need to be faster when we go forward.

We need to keep on doing the things we're doing well and become and tough to beat."


Suffered: Ross McCormack feels the pain of defeat to Sheff Wed

Mattilla and co fell prey to a 30-yard wonder goal from Ross Wallace hit with venom that fizzed through the air and in off the underside of the post.

Fulham get a second bite at Wednesday when they face them in the FA Cup on Saturday, and the Finn insists they can gain revenge at Hillsborough.

Mattilla added: "It was really hard when they had 11 players behind the ball, and maybe we were a bit too slow and didn't turn the game quick enough.

"We have many days before that (cup) game and I'm sure the new manager will have time to add his touch a bit more."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/slavisa-jokanovic-wants-fulham-go-10681358?

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Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic eager to hold on to Spurs and Man Utd target Moussa Dembele

Slavisa Jokanovic is loath to lose either of his striking duo Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele as he looks to inspire a revival at Fulham.

The new manager's first game in charge ended in disappointment as a spectacular strike by Ross Wallace gave Sheffield Wednesday the three points, leaving Fulham struggling in 19th position.

It may get no easier for Jokanovic over January with Dembele, whose contract expires in the summer, a target for Tottenham, Manchester United and Napoli. Championship leaders Middlesbrough are also reported to be keen on McCormack.

Jokanovic, though, is more interested in buying players despite the transfer embargo currently in place at Craven Cottage after the club broke the Football League Financial Fair Play rules.

"This teams needs fresh blood and we are thinking about players who can help us in the future," he said after the defeat. "I am not thinking about selling my key players like McCormack or Dembele.

"They are good players. I have only been working with them for two days but I expect both can offer more than they did against Sheffield Wednesday."

It may be a struggle for Fulham to retain Dembele, who Spurs have identified as their second-choice target behind Saido Berahino.

If the 19-year-old moved abroad, and Borussia Dortmund and Monaco have joined Napoli in developing interest in the striker, Fulham might receive a compensation fee as low as £300,000.


http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-boss-slavisa-jokanovic-eager-to-hold-on-to-spurs-and-man-utd-target-moussa-dembele-a3147616.html?

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Mattila: Jokanovic wants Fulham to be nastier
by DAN on JANUARY 4, 2016

Sakari Matilla says Slavisa Jokanovic wants to shed Fulham's nice image and make his new side meaner and tougher to beat.

The new Fulham head coach has told his players he wants them to more combative and aggressive in the tackle to try and rid his team of their woeful defensive record that is one of the worst in the Championship. The signs of progress in that regard were evident in a narrow defeat by Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday – although another thing that shone through was Jokanovic's hatred of losing.

Amongst several changes from the 4-1 win over Rotherham, the Serbian handed Matilla a first league start since his August move from Aalesunds and the Finnish international, playing as a defensive midfielder, certainly made Fulham far tougher to play through.

He has told us we need to be more aggressive when defending and be tougher. I think we showed a little bit of it (against Wednesday) but we also need to be faster when we go forward. We need to keep on doing the things we're doing well and become and tough to beat.

It was really hard when they had 11 players behind the ball, and maybe we were a bit too slow and didn't turn the game quick enough. We have many days before that (cup) game and I'm sure the new manager will have time to add his touch a bit more.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/01/mattila-jokanovic-wants-fulham-to-be-nastier/?

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Jokanovic aims to retain Dembele
by DAN on JANUARY 4, 2016

Slavisa Jokanovic says he wants to keep hold of his key players - including French striker Moussa Dembele – as he looks to guide Fulham away from the lower reaches of the Championship.

The Serbian head coach has explicitly stated that he is not considering selling either of the forwards whose goals have helped Fulham establish the league's best attacking record. Newspaper reports over the past week have linked several sides with a January move for Ross McCormack, whilst this weekend the tabloids suggested that the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham were poised to offer big money for French youth international Dembele.

This teams need fresh blood and we are thinking about players who can help us in the future. I am not thinking about selling my key players like McCormack or Dembele. They are good players. I have only been working with them for two days but I expect both can offer more than they did against Sheffield Wednesday.

Convincing Dembele to commit his future to Fulham, though, might be Jokanovic's toughest task. The 19 year-old has been offered a new four-year contract by the club but has so far shown little intention of signing it. He could leave the club once his current deal expires in June and, although Fulham have insisted they have no desire to sell him, the compensation they may receive from a transfer in the summer could drop dramatically should Dembele, who has scored ten goals so far this season, decide to return the continent rather than remain in England.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/01/jokanovic-aims-to-retain-dembele/?

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FA Cup Tickets

The Whites begin their Emirates FA Cup campaign this coming weekend when we travel to Hillsborough for a Round Three tie against Sheffield Wednesday (Saturday 9th January, 3pm).

Tickets for the fixture are now on sale, with prices for adult Season Ticket Holders just £15, and only £5 for juniors.

What's more, there is subsidised coach travel available for supporters to book at this fixture, priced at only £10 for adults and £5 for juniors.

Supporters can purchase their FA Cup tickets online at fulhamfc.com/tickets anytime, by phone on 0843 208 1234 (option 1) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office. Coach places must be booked by phone or in person.

Get behind the Whites this weekend!


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/january/04/sheffield-fa-cup-tickets?

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Craven Corner: Fulham have the best boss since Hodgson but forget promotion


Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic on the touchline (Credit: Daniel Hambury)

Our fan blogger Adam Brons-Smith watched Slavisa Jokanovic's first match in charge of Fulham on Saturday and gave his take on the future under their new head coach.

After an air of optimism after the appointment of Slavisa Jokanovic, Fulham sadly failed to record back-to-back victories against Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend.

Despite only being at the club for a few days, the new head coach decided to change the starting 11 that beat Rotherham 4-1 in their last fixture. Two-goal hero Cauley Woodrow was dropped to the bench as the Serbian went with a 4-3-3 formation in his first game.

Alexander Kacanikclic started on the right and Ross McCormack on the left with Moussa Dembele starting through the middle. There was a rare start for Sakari Mattila in a first half made up of more sideways passes than any real entertainment. The main talking point was the screamer that put Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 up. It could be argued that the midfield and defence should have shut him out or shown him on to his weaker foot, but even if we had three goalkeepers in between the sticks, nothing was keeping Ross Wallace's strike out of the net - A contender for goal of the season.

In all fairness, while the game was short on talking points there were a few things worth noting including Sakari Mattila's impact on the side. The Finland international has struggled for game-time since joining in the summer, but his calm, composed figure in front of the back four was impressive and considering we don't have the engine that is Ryan Tunnicliffe, it could be the moment Mattila has been waiting for.

Matilla started in a midfield three alongside Emerson Hyndman and Jamie O'Hara, and while we saw a array of pin point long-balls from O'Hara, sadly the trio didn't create enough in terms of killer passes near the final third, something that will need tweaking going forward.

But, while there weren't many chances to shout about for the Fulham fans, there was an understanding on how Jokanovic is going to approach games and set up in the long-term, it will also probably show him where he needs to improve the squad.

Dan Burn, although criticised by many fans, had a fairly astute game in my opinion and out of the back four he looked the most comfortable on the ball too. It was clear that the Serbian wanted his side to play out from defence, in all fairness it worked.

Fulham dominated the first half with 70% possession but they failed to create many killer chances. Woodrow had the best effort in the last five minutes, but his header was straight over the bar when he should have done better.

It must be noted that the new manager's approach is very hands-on and at every occasion he had quick one-to-one chats with his players to get his ideas across and tweak the system, something we haven't seen in a long time at Craven Cottage.

While Fulham may have lost on Saturday it does look like the club have finally employed an impressive head coach who should turn the fortunes around soon. The final part of Jokanovic's team has now arrived in his assistant Javi Pereira.

So, I would expect that Fulham will be playing a much more attractive brand of football come the end of January.

I'm in shock that there will still some fans insulting the players after the final whistle, considering it was the first game under the new regime. The club has needed stability for a long period of time, and I think every Fulham fan needs to realise that this season is out of the window in terms of promotion. 2016 will be about Slavisa getting his ideas across to the players so they can hit the ground running next summer.

We've been crying out for a top-level coach ever since Roy Hodgson left and we finally have one in Jokanovic, and as fans we should be grateful that he has chosen Fulham as his next project.

Our fortunes will turn around and we are finally going to turn a corner. Jokanovic's coaching staff have finally arrived, there will be some loan moves made in the window and without a doubt there will be wholesale changes in the summer to look forward to.

Keep the faith, support the club and let's see the whites turn the corner in 2016.



Read more at: http://www.london24.com/sport/football/clubs/fulham/craven_corner_fulham_have_the_best_boss_since_hodgson_but_forget_promotion_1_4366656
Copyright © LONDON24

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Juventus muscle in on Spurs & Man United's transfer race for Championship goalscorer



According to reports from Calcio Mercato, Juventus have joined the race to sign Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United target Moussa Dembele from Fulham.

The France U20 striker joined the Craven Cottage ranks from PSG in summer 2012 and is starting to deliver on his much-heralded potential, bagging nine goals and two assists in 20 Championship starts this season despite Slaviša Jokanovi?'s slide slumping all the way down to 19th in the league table.

Due to his Fulham contract expiring at the end of the season, the 19-year-old has been attracting plenty of interest over the last few months, with Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United particularly keen on prising him away from west London.

The good news for the Premier League duo is that Calcio Mercato claim Fulham could surrender Dembele's services for as little as €6million this month, as the prospect of losing him for a compensation fee during the summer becomes an increasingly realistic scenario.

The bad news, on the other hand, is that the Italian publication have just added yet another club to the prodigious teenager's already lengthy list of avid suitors. Napoli were linked in December and Serie A champions Juventus are now reportedly in the mix as well – with the Old Lady already contacting both Fulham and Dembele's agent.

Foreign admirers certainly have the upper hand in the race to sign the young striker. Whilst English clubs are only allowed to discuss a contract with Dembele in the summer and would have to pay a compensation fee decided by a tribunal, foreign counterparts will soon be free to open pre-contract negotiations and would only need to cough up a nominal fee as it would count as an international transfer.

That gives the Championship outfit licence to demand more from Spurs and Manchester United than they would Napoli or Juventus.


Read more at http://thisisfutbol.com/2016/01/blogs/juventus-muscle-in-on-spurs-man-uniteds-transfer-race-for-championship-goalscorer#2D2YJJYlUzXOjC1E.99

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Derby and Middlesbrough in battle to land £11m Fulham forward Ross McCormack
Fulham striker Ross McCormack is a target for Middlesbrough and Derby
Championship clubs are interested in the £11m former Leeds player
Bournemouth have also been linked with a January move for 29-year-old

Derby and Middlesbrough are to fight it out for Fulham striker Ross McCormack.

The Championship promotion chasers have contacted Fulham for McCormack who is keen to play in the Premier League.

McCormack has scored 15 goals this season in a struggling Fulham side. He was courted by Aitor Karanka last summer and the Middlesbrough manager is prepared to revive his interest with alternative option Patrick Bamford keen to push his claims for a place at Chelsea.


Fulham forward Ross McCormack (right) is a target for Championship rivals Middlesbrough and Derby


The Scotland international is keen to play in the Premier League after netting 15 goals this season

Fulham bought the 29-year-old from Leeds United for £11m a year ago and he has averaged slightly better than a goal every two games.

They are reluctant to sell but may be susceptible to offers while under a transfer embargo.

Despite the interest, new Cottagers manager Slavisa Jokanovic is determined to keep McCormack and young forward Moussa Dembele - who has attracted interest from Manchester United, Tottenham and Everton - at Craven Cottage.


New Cottagers boss Slavisa Jokanovic wants to keep McCormack and youngster Moussa Dembele (left)

Speaking to Sky Sports, Jokanovic said: 'I am not thinking about selling my key players like McCormack or Moussa Dembele. I don't plan for it and that's it.

'This team need some fresh blood and we are thinking about some players who can help us in the future.'

Newly promoted Bournemouth have also been linked with a January move for McCormack


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3384533/Derby-Middlesbrough-battle-land-11m-Fulham-forward-Ross-McCormack.html#ixzz3wMDAhRmM
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Derby and Middlesbrough fight it out for McCormack
by DAN on JANUARY 4, 2016

Tomorrow's Daily Mail claims that Derby County and Middlesbrough are locked in a fierce battle to try and prize Ross McCormack away from Fulham.

The Scottish international has scored 15 goals in the Championship this season and the two promotion contenders are prepared to test Fulham's desire to retain the services of their key player by tabling big-money offers during the January transfer window. The Mail suggests that both sides have already contacted Fulham to ascertain whether McCormack will be available for transfer, although new Fulham head coach Slavisa Jokanovic publically stated after Saturday's defeat by Sheffield Wednesday that he wouldn't consider parting with either the 29 year-old or Moussa Dembele.

Fulham are keen to resist offers for McCormack, who has scored a goal every two games since arriving at Craven Cottage from Leeds last summer, and he has already indicated a willingness to remain with the Londoners after extending his contract until 2019 back in August.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/01/derby-and-middlesbrough-fight-it-out-for-mccormack/?