Friday Fulham Stuff (26/02/16)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Al Ahly appoint former Spurs boss Martin Jol as coach


Al Ahly will be Martin Jol's first experience of coaching in Africa

Former Tottenham and Fulham manager Martin Jol has been appointed as the new coach of Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

The Dutchman replaces the Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro who left the club in January to take over at Porto.

It means Cairo rivals Ahly and Zamalek both have new coaches with Alex McLeish set to take over in charge of the White Knights.

Ahly are currently top of the table in Egypt above Zamalek, who are the reigning champions.

As well the English clubs Tottenham and Fulham Jol has also had spells with German side Hamburg and Dutch club Ajax.

The 60-year-old has been out of management since being sacked by Fulham in 2013.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35640720

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham's Chris Baird: Joining QPR was never an option even though I trained there for six weeks

Baird's version of events differs from former Hoops boss Harry Redknapp


Chris Baird

Chris Baird trained with QPR for six weeks in the summer of 201​3​ – and contrary to what boss Harry Redknapp said at the time – the Northern Ireland player ​claims he was​ never offered a contract.

Hoops boss insisted Baird had priced himself out of a deal, but the man who has gone full circle to rejoin Fulham on loan insists there was nothing on the table for him at Loftus Road.

"To be fair, they didn't offer me a deal," he said. "Then Reading obviously then came in and offered me a deal.

"I'm grateful to QPR for letting me have the opportunity under Harry Redknapp, but there was never any contract put on the table.

"That was unfortunate as I was enjoying it there, but Reading came in with a contract and I took that - simple as that."

The will-he-won't-he join saga rolled on through pre-season, with Redknapp finally announcing Baird had become a Royal.

He said: "He would've been perfect for us. We made him a decent offer and were hoping to get it done, then got a phone call to say he's gone to Reading.

"I don't know what happened. He obviously go​​t offered more money at Reading and decided to go there.

"We made him a very fair offer and couldn't have done any more."

Baird has kick-started his season back with the club where he spent six ​years​, and is earmarked as the alternative to Scott Parker, whose recovery time between games doesn't allow Saturday​,​ Tuesday appearances on the trot.

Baird, 33, hopes to forge his way into the team with or without Parker as he did at Leeds on Tuesday night.​

He added: "I'm not saying I'm going to come straight into the team, I'm going to work for my place.

"The manager has just said he needs my experience, the holding midfielder to go in and help as much as he can, use the experience from previous years and try to just help the team."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulhams-chris-baird-joining-qpr-10947827?

[WhiteJC]

 
Report: Ross McCormack rejects new contract at Fulham

Ross McCormack rejects another contract at Fulham, after links with Middlesbrough in the January transfer window.

According to a report in The Sun, Ross McCormack has rejected a new contract offer from Fulham.

Sky Sports had suggested that the Scotland international was close to agreeing new terms at Craven Cottage at the start of the month.

However, talks seem to have broken down between the two parties, plunging McCormack's future into further doubt.

The 29-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Middlesbrough (Daily Mail) in the January transfer window, and he handed in a transfer request (Daily Mail) to try and force through a move to the Riverside Stadium.

Fulham rejected his attempt to leave, though, and McCormack ended up staying at Craven Cottage - with Boro opting to bring in Jordan Rhodes from Blackburn Rovers instead.

McCormack still has three years left on his deal at Fulham, but he has refused to commit his future to the club for longer, despite being offered new terms.

Fulham could now face a fight to keep hold of the Scotland international when the transfer window re-opens, and The Sun also suggest that Slavisa Jokanovic's side are resigned to losing his strike partner, Moussa Dembele, at the end of the campaign.

Will McCormack be a Fulham player next season?


http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/02/25/report-ross-mccormack-rejects-new-contract-at-fulham/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Ross McCormack agrees new four-year deal with Fulham to secure his future at Craven Cottage after January transfer request
Ross McCormack looks set to extend his stay at Fulham with a new deal
McCormack was close to move away in January with Middlesbrough keen
But he has now agreed a new four-year contract to stay on with Fulham
Wolves have signed Sheffield Wednesday's Jeremy Helan on loan

Fulham striker Ross McCormack is set to sign a new contract after reaching agreement over a four-year deal.

The 29-year-old came close to leaving Craven Cottage in January amid interest from Championship rivals Middlesbrough.

However, Fulham have worked hard to convince their top goal scorer that he can achieve his ambitions with them.


Fulham striker Ross McCormack is ready to sign a new four-year deal with the Craven Cottage club


McCormack was close to leaving Fulham in January but he has been convinced it is the right place for him

The club hope to make a formal announcement about McCormack's new deal over the weekend once the finer details are signed off.

In January the former Leeds United forward handed in a transfer request off the back of the club offering him a contract that would see him take a non-playing role when he turns 32.

He also believed he deserved a chance of at least competing to get into the Barclays Premier League, an opportunity which Fulham were unable to provide, sitting 18th in the Championship.

However, the Whites have now convinced McCormack that it is the right decision to remain in south west London.

Fulham paid £10.75million to sign McCormack from Leeds in July 2014.

Meanwhile, Wolves have signed Sheffield Wednesday's Jeremy Helan on loan until the end of the season.

The 23-year-old French midfielder has made 22 appearances so far this season.


The Cottagers' star forward holds off a challenge from Leeds United's Stuart Dallas earlier this week


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3463972/Ross-McCormack-agrees-new-four-year-deal-Fulham-secure-future-Craven-Cottage-January-transfer-request.html#ixzz41FwrLaf5
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

[WhiteJC]

 
McCormack's New Deal

The Club is delighted to announce that Ross McCormack has today signed a new contract with Fulham.

Following the summer extension which tied him to the Whites until 2019, McCormack has been duly rewarded for his excellent form this season and last, and to further demonstrate his loyalty the new deal has an option to extend until the summer of 2020.

After scoring 19 times in his debut season for the Club, McCormack is set to better that tally in 2015/16 as he already has 18 goals under his belt. All but two of those have come in the Sky Bet Championship, making him the second highest scorer in the division.

Nominated for Football League Player of the Season at this year's London Football Awards, the 29-year-old has also Captained Fulham in the majority of our fixtures this term, in the initial absence of regular skipper Scott Parker.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/february/25/mccormacks-new-deal?

[WhiteJC]

 
Done Deal: Fulham secure deal for striker on four-year deal

Prolific Fulham FC forward Ross McCormack has signed a new four-year contract with the former Premier League outfit, the club have confirmed.



The 29-year-old former Leeds and Cardiff striker came close to leaving Craven Cottage during the January transfer window, after handing in a transfer request following strong interest from high flying Middlesbrough who are chasing the automatic promotion places.

Fulham have now however done enough to convince the club's top scorer that his ambitions can be achieved in South West London, despite the club's unconvincing campaign.

The Scottish International has found the net 18 times in all competitions for Fulham this season, a figure which several clubs in the promotion push pack would love to experience from a lone striker.

McCormack arrived in at Craven cottage back in July 2014,  with the ambition to taste Premier League football with the side that suffered relegation in the previous season.

Fulham failed to bounce straight back to the top flight following a mediocre campaign and have unfortunately suffered a similar season during the current campaign with the club stuck in 18th place.

It is unlikely that Fulham can offer McCormack his dreams of playing in the Premier League, unless the club can following Brighton and Hove Albion's impressive turnaround next season under new boss Slaviša Jokanović, who earned promotion with Watford last season before leaving before the start of the season after failing to agree personal terms.


http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/done-deal-fulham-secure-deal-for-striker-on-four-year-deal/?

[WhiteJC]

 
McCormack: On The Rise

Fulham striker Ross McCormack is convinced the Whites are moving in the right direction and he believes he can achieve his ambitions with the Club.

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/february/25/mccormack-on-the-rise?

[WhiteJC]

 
Boro's weekend opponents Fulham boosted as Ross McCormack signs new deal

The striker was heavily linked with a move to Boro in January but has now committed his future to the Craven Cottage club


Ross McCormack

Fulham have received a major boost in the build-up to this weekend's game with Boro after striker Ross McCormack signed a new deal with the club.

And after committing his future to the Cottagers until at least 2019, McCormack has turned his attention to the game against Boro when he says Fulham can show they're "every bit as good" as Aitor Karanka's side.

McCormack had been heavily linked with a move to Boro in January and was even reported to have handed in a transfer request to force through the deal.

Boro instead focused on completing a deal for Blackburn striker Jordan Rhodes, though Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic was always insistent that his star man would be going nowhere anyway.

And that has proved to be the case with Fulham today revealing that the striker had signed an extension to his deal which ties him to the Cottagers until 2019.

There's an option to extend that deal by a further 12 months.

"I think having spoken to the owner and the manager recently there's going to be a change in the club in the summer," he told the club website .

"You can see it already in the last four or five games. The manager is starting to mould a style of play and all the lads are pulling in the same direction."

McCormack added: "I think the past 18 months have not been acceptable for a club like Fulham, not to even make any sort of challenge.

"If I'm not playing in the Premier League then I want to be in a position where you're fighting to get there.

"Given the chats I've had with the owner, the manager and the lads in the dressing room everyone is together as one to try and do that.

"The most important thing is the club staying in the division, our quality is starting to show through now and on our day we can beat anyone

"We've shown that and I'm sure on Saturday we'll show Middlesbrough we're every bit as good as them."

McCormack has smashed 18 goals so far this season. The partnership he's formed with highly-rated youngster Moussa Dembele has proved invaluable in Fulham's survival quest, particularly considering they've leaked 54 goals this year - the most of any side outside the bottom three.


http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/boros-weekend-opponents-fulham-boosted-10950770?

[WhiteJC]

 
Ross McCormack: Fulham striker signs new contract until 2020


Fulham reportedly paid Leeds £11m for Ross McCormack in summer 2014

Fulham striker Ross McCormack has signed a new contract with the Championship club.

The 29-year-old Scotland international will now remain at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2020.

McCormack has scored 18 goals in 36 appearances for the Whites this season and has led the side in the absence of regular captain Scott Parker.

He moved to west London from Leeds United in 2014 and hit 19 goals for Fulham in all competitions last season.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35662602

[WhiteJC]

 
Why Ross McCormack signed a new deal at Fulham

The Whites' talismanic striker, who has scored 18 goals already this campaign, agreed a contract that could take him up to the year 2020


Ross McCormack

Ross McCormack is excited by what the future holds for Fulham after he penned a new deal at the club.

The Whites' talismanic striker, who has scored 18 goals already this campaign, agreed a contract that could take him up to the year 2020.

McCormack, who was linked with an exit in the January transfer window, revealed that he signed the deal on the table because of the visions of owner Shahid Khan and head coach Slavisa Jokanovic.

He told the club's official website: "Having spoken to the owner and manager recently, there is going to be a change in the club in the summer.

"The manager is starting to mould a style of play into us and the lads are pulling in the same direction which maybe hasn't been the case.

"Going back over the last four or five games, minus the Blackburn game where we were poor, it's going to be interesting."

He added: "The past 18 months haven't been acceptable for a club like Fulham who have been in the Premier league for so long.

"As a footballer, if I'm not playing in the Premier League I want to be in a position to fight for the Premier League.

"I think given all the chats with the owner, the manager and the boys in the dressing room, everyone is as one."

McCormack has been impressed with the impact Jokanovic has had since he took charge at the end of December.

He explained: "The intensity in training has gone up since he has come in. There seems to be more of a method to what he is doing.

Ross McCormack statistics (correct February 14)
51
2014/15 Games

19
2014/15 Goals

36
2015/16 Games

18
2015/16 Goals

"He knows how to tailor sessions. Maybe some of the boys who haven't been playing need extra.

"I think you don't see the funny side of him and he's got the lads on side with him. You can see the lads are behind him."

The striker went on: "The only thing we want to do now is remain consistent. Maybe we got carried away after a good performance.

"Now we know that nothing gets given to you in this league. If we can remain consistent and pull up the table we'll go into the summer in good stead."

Fulham face high-flying Middlesbrough on Saturday and McCormack, who scored a hat-trick against them last season, believes his side can shock the title chasers.

His personal ambition, though, is to finish as the club's top goalscorer and he is two behind Andre Gray.

He said: "The most important thing is the club staying in the division. We can beat anyone in this league and we'll hopefully show Middlesbrough that we're every bit as good as them.

"I never put pressure on myself to score or create goals. Once you get to that level where you've scored a few and you're behind Andre Gray I want to finish as top scorer.

"Whether I can do that remains to be seen. There's no target but I want to be at the top as I was at Leeds."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ross-mccormack-signed-new-deal-10951339?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fernando Amorebieta suspended for Middlesbrough match

Fulham will be without Fernando Amorebieta through suspension when they host Middlesbrough.

The full-back, who spent the first half of the season on loan at Boro, was sent off late on during the midweek draw at Leeds and serves a one-match ban.

Goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli played for the reserves in midweek as he continues his recovery from knee ligament damage.

Cauley Woodrow (broken metatarsal) and Lasse Christensen (hamstring) are both still unavailable.

Boro boss Aitor Karanka will again be without midfielder Adam Clayton as he completes a two-match ban after being booked for the 10th time this season.

However, central defender Ben Gibson is available again following the one-game suspension he incurred for his red card at Leeds on February 15.

George Friend returned to action in Tuesday night's 3-1 home victory over Cardiff after missing three matches with a fractured shoulder blade, but he will not be joined in the squad by fellow defender Daniel Ayala.

Ayala is closing in on a return from an ankle injury which has sidelined him for the last three games, although he will not be ready for Saturday and 18-year-old Dael Fry could deputise once again.


http://www.espnfc.co.uk/english-league-championship/match/423104/fulham-middlesbrough/preview

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Can Take Positive From Draw With "Dangerous" Leeds Side Feels Cottagers Legend

Fulham legend Sean Davis feels that his former side can take lots of positives out of the 1-1 draw against Leeds United this Tuesday, due to the fact the Whites are a dangerous team.

The Cottagers were able to hold Steve Evans' side at Elland Road, with the match ending 1-1, sharing a point each and thus keeping themselves within touching distance of the Whites.

Davis, while not being entirely satisfied with just a point, insists that the result was good because it came against a dangerous side and they can take that point and look to build on it during the course of the upcoming matches.

"After beating QPR we came unstuck in our next midweek away game [against Blackburn Rovers], so it was good to see us take a draw from Leeds on Tuesday", Davis wrote in his column for the club's official website.

The 36-year-old also took time to speak about the need for his former side to try and maintain the unbeaten run, having managed to stay that way during the course of their last two matches because this, he believes, has been the major problem for the Cottagers over the course of the last two seasons.

"It could have been more but we'll take that point and we can build on that. The longer you go unbeaten, the more confidence goes through the side and that's been a big problem over the last two seasons.

"We've got good results and then not been able to sustain that, or in the next game we haven't been up to the standard we were before.

"So to go away from home and get a draw against a dangerous side is positive. It builds the team confidence."

Slavisa Jokanovic's side, who are placed 18th in the Championship table, will take on third placed Middlesbrough this Saturday.


http://www.insidefutbol.com/2016/02/25/fulham-can-take-positive-from-draw-with-dangerous-leeds-side-feels-cottagers-legend/272501/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Predicted 4-2-3-1 Middlesbrough Lineup V Fulham: Can Boro Take Advantage Of Their Game In Hand?

Middlesbrough face Fulham at Craven Cottage this weekend in what could be a very important game for both sides. Boro need to win to keep their advantage over Hull City of the game in hand and Fulham need to win to stay off the relegation zone.

Boro won their last game 3-1 against Cardiff and need a similar result against Fulham. The reverse fixture was a 0-0 draw and Fulham definitely wouldn't mind that result again.

Karanka's men have a big player missing in Clayton who is suspended for this game, and Adam Forshaw is expected to fill in for him again.

Here's the Predicted Boro Lineup.

DEFENSE

Dimitrios Konstantopoulos (GK), Emilio Nsue, Daniel Ayala, Ben Gibson, George Friend.

Middlesbrough's defense was in fantastic form in the first half of the season. Especially at the end of the year when they kept 9 clean sheets in a row, but since the turn of the year they have been very average and hence do not have a comfortable lead at the top anymore. In fact they need to win their game in hand just to go top of the Championship.

Friend and Nsue have done very well in attack and have been very decent in defense too, and are indispensable squad members. Fulham, who are languishing 18th in the Championship will struggle to score against this strong Boro defense.

Midfield

Adam Forshaw, Grant Leadbitter, Stuart Downing

The double pivot of Clayton and Leadbitter were absolutely brilliant in the first half of the season. As they dominated most games and the use of two defensive midfielders Clayton and Leadbitter had been important as they have done a great job in shielding the defense. But seeing that Clayton is still suspended, we could see Forshaw start in his stead.

Downing would start in the number 10 position behind striker David Nugent. The former West Ham midfielder needs to pick his performances.

ATTACK

Albert Adomah, David Nugent, Cristhian Stuani

Stuani has been in fantastic form for Boro this season and has been showing the quality which he has failed to show earlier in his career. The 29-year old has 6 goals and has an assist this season and has been indispensable for Aitor Karanka.

Adomah too has been putting in good shifts on the right this season, he has created some good chances from there.

Nugent would start as the striker. He is their top scorer but is not scoring consistently.


http://the4thofficial.net/2016/02/predicted-4-2-3-1-middlesbrough-lineup-v-fulham-can-boro-take-advantage-of-their-game-in-hand/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Opinion: How Tom Cairney has turned into one of Fulham's most important players

When 25-year old Tom Cairney signed for Fulham in the summer of 2015, he probably didn't expect to be one of their key men come February.

Eight months, seven goals, five assists and six man of the match performances later, it looks like Cairney is going to play a pivotal role in Fulham's upcoming survival run-in.

The Nottingham-born midfielder had a decent season with Blackburn last year, scoring three times for Rovers in a team who's goals department was dominated by the extraordinary partnership of Rudy Gestede and Jordan Rhodes.

The move to Craven Cottage turned out to be an excellent decision as he has found a place that he fits oh so perfectly into the side, although it had it's trials and tribulations.

Cairney started well, with two goals from his first three games sadly not coming to the team's avail as they gained just one point from a disappointing start to the season. His form started to struggle, a poor November and December left fans wondering whether Cairney's move was another massive transfer mistake.

It took Slavisa Jokanovic a bit of time to decide quite where to play the Scot, such is his versatility that he can play anywhere across the midfield. Eventually he decided the perfect role for him – just behind the two strikers.

There, he can direct all of the play between attack and defence, play the ball into the strikers and pop up for a goal – he has netted four times in his last four, including a brace against Charlton last weekend.

February will go down as the month that his potential was realised – in a Fulham team that is extremely young – Cairney has stood up to be counted.

His passing ability was showcased in the impressive demolition of QPR, and his ability to score from midfield highlighted in the victory over relegation favourites Charlton.

Their next few matches makes up a difficult run – with Middlesbrough, Burnley, Bristol City and MK Dons visiting Craven Cottage, as well as trips to Reading and Birmingham.

It's needless to say that the Cottager's will need Cairney at his best over the next couple of weeks, but looking further afield, Cairney is a terrific player to build a team around. With Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele's future always in doubt, Cairney could be the person to be a key cog in Jokanovic's 2016-17 team, should he get the opportunity to build one.


http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/opinion-how-tom-cairney-has-turned-into-one-of-fulhams-most-important-players/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Boro link won't affect Ross McCormack says Aitor Karanka

Middlesbrough FC boss says Fulham front man Ross is the best non-Boro striker in the division

Ross McCormack won't be affected by the January rumours linking him with Boro when Saturday's game kicks-off.

That's the opinion of Aitor Karanka, who is well aware of the threat the Fulham striker poses and described the 29-year-old as possibly the best striker in the Championship apart from Jordan Rhodes and David Nugent.

McCormack is expected to line-up against Boro at Craven Cottage this weekend and will be looking to emulate the hat-trick he scored in the corresponding fixture between the sides last season.

Fulham won a bizarre April encounter 4-3 to all but extinguish Middlesbrough FC's automatic promotion hopes.

In his pre-match press conference at Rockliffe Park, Karanka was asked about the threat posed by McCormack, who was linked with Boro throughout the winter window.

He said: "Ross is the kind of player that I expect to be at his best because he is one of the best players in the league.

"He has been scoring goals for I don't know how many years in a row, he is not alone because they have good players like (Mousa) Dembele. I know everything about Ross."

On the possibility that last month's link with Boro could affect his performance on Saturday, Karanka added: "I don't know Ross (personally).

"I have been here for two years and when I have seen him on the pitch I don't think he will be affected by something like the talk in January.

"He will be one of the most important players for them for sure."

Karanka rates McCormack and, when asked if he thought the Scot was the most dangerous non-Boro striker in the Championship, answered: "Yes, I think so.

"I like McCormack and I like (Chris) Martin from Derby also. Apart from Jordan (Rhodes) and David (Nugent) - who are the best two - third and fourth can be Ross and Martin."


http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/boro-link-wont-affect-ross-10951579?

[cmg]

Fulham's Chris Baird: Joining QPR was never an option even though I trained there for six weeks

Baird's version of events differs from former Hoops boss Harry Redknapp

I'm sure Harry's right. A contract was drawn up... but his dog ate it.