Thursday Fulham Stuff (31/03/16)...

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Fulham defender admits MK Dons showdown is the biggest game of the season

One point and the relegation zone is all that separates Karl Robinson's side from the Whites heading into this weekend's game at Craven Cottage


Fully focused: Dan Burn of Fulham

Dan Burn says Fulham are gearing up for the biggest game of their season this Saturday as MK Dons come to town for a traditional six-pointer.

One point and the relegation zone is all that separates Karl Robinson's side from the Whites heading into this weekend's showdown at Craven Cottage.

There are eight games left of the Championship season but none of those remaining fixtures comes close to the significance of the clash with the Dons.

Victory will provide a huge psychological boost at the business end of the season and leave the losers staring down the barrel near the foot of the table.

Fulham failed to win a game in March and will be hoping that a new month brings fresh impetus in the scrap to survive at the bottom.

Burn said: "Points are important at this stage of the season and we need three now.


Eye on the ball: Dan Burn

"Obviously MK Dons is an absolutely massive game and we haven't stopped this week.

"The training has been really tough, really intense, but everyone's focused on the game and the job that we've got to do.

"It's about getting our heads on and building for Saturday because it is the biggest game of the season. We need three points."

Fulham's last Championship victory came back in February when they claimed the London derby bragging rights with a 3-0 home triumph over fellow strugglers Charlton.

Following this weekend's visit of MK Dons, Slavisa Jokanovic has just a few days to prepare his Whites squad for a Tuesday night trip to Preston North End.


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-defender-admits-mk-dons-11110974?

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Fulham star bulking up ahead of MK Dons test

Madl adding strength to combat the physical sides in the Championship


Vienna waltz: Michael Madl celebrates

Michael Madl has had to hit the weights in order to adapt to the rigours of the Championship.

The Fulham defender has impressed since joining on loan from Sturm Graz in January but he has not always found it as easy as he has made it look at times.

The English leagues are renowned for being more physical compared to their European counterparts and the 28-year-old has been working behind the scenes to improve that side of his game.

He said: "There are many differences. The pace and physical work are different. In Austria, the referees give about 60 fouls and here it's about five fouls.

"It's really interesting. I'm learning every weekend. I've had to adapt my game. I'm not the biggest defender so I have to do other things to play clever.

"I've had to work hard on the training ground. I need to because a lot of players are two metres tall and 100 kilos. Without it, I have no chance here."

Fulham are a point above Saturday's opponents MK Dons, who sit in the final relegation spot, meaning defeat will see the Whites drop into the bottom three.

The international break, though, has come at a good time and allowed the squad to regroup, according to Madl.

"We've been working really hard. Everyone knows the situation we are in. We're prepared for MK Dons on Saturday. It's a very important game but I'm looking forward to it," he added.

"We've done a lot of physical work during the break and we need the power for April so it'll be a hard month. We've been doing tactical work as well.

"The break has reinvigorated the squad. We've had a chance to switch off but we're working hard as well."

Madl is desperate to improve Fulham's defensive record and help them maintain Championship status and called on fans to roar them on at Craven Cottage.

He said: "Keep on supporting us like in every game and we'll give 100 per cent on Saturday. Together we will do this."

Craven Cottage will host two 3pm kick-off Sky Bet Championship fixtures at the beginning of April, straight after the international break. Fulham FC take on MK Dons on Saturday April 2 and Cardiff City a week later on Saturday April 9.

Tickets for both these matches are available to purchase on general sale, priced from just £25 adults and from £15 juniors (under 17). Call the Fulham FC Ticket office on: 0843 208 1234 or visit: fulhamfc.com/tickets


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-star-bulking-up-ahead-11113886?

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Michael Madl: Fulham must work on 'small details' in battle to stay up

Michael Madl scored his first Fulham goal in a recent win against Charlton

Fulham must improve their concentration and work on "small details" to end the defensive errors that have blighted their season, says Michael Madl.

The Championship club are one point and one place above the relegation zone, conceding 64 league goals this term.

Defender Madl told BBC Radio London: "It's maybe because of (a lack of) concentration, not (a lack of) quality.

"If we change these small details and are a bit more concentrated then I think we will get out of there."

The 28-year-old Austrian, who made his debut in the 3-1 win at QPR in February, has impressed since his loan move from Sturm Graz.

But relegated-threatened Fulham have continued to struggle, winning just one of their eight matches since that derby victory, and defensive lapses have cost them valuable points.

Fulham were recently beaten at home by fellow strugglers Bristol City

"It's difficult to explain. We have a good team and some good defenders, but we make easy mistakes," Madl admitted.

"Sometimes we've played a very good 45 minutes and in the second half, especially in the last few games, it was not that good.

"We've had many penalties given against us and maybe the small details we don't do well, and it has cost us many points.

"We score many goals, but we concede too many. Just the small details we have to do better and, if we do that, we can win more games. We still have a good team and we still believe in us."

Madl's side face a crucial match on Saturday, when Milton Keynes Dons - the team immediately above them in the table - visit Craven Cottage.

"It's a massive game but we are well prepared and have enough confidence and quality in the team to win this game," he said.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35927907

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Complimentary breakfast treat for Fulham travellers

Supporters using the Club's official away travel service on Saturday can enjoy a FREE complimentary breakfast treat courtesy of Piglet's Pantry and the Dons.
Piglet's Pantry, in association with the Dons, will be providing FREE pies, turnovers and sausage rolls for those fans making the journey to Craven Cottage for the men from MK1's Sky Bet Championship clash with Fulham.

Each supporter with a valid coach ticket for the Fulham fixture will be able to enjoy one free food item as well as a complimentary hot or cold drink before departure at 11.30am.

Available food items include:
Breakfast turnovers (includes sausage, egg, beans and tomato); broccoli, cauliflower and double cheese pies; sausage rolls, sausage rolls with pickle; steak and Concrete Cow ale pie; steak and blue cheese pie; chicken Balti pie.

Food will be available at Gate 7 from 10.30am - just show your coach ticket to redeem your food and drink!

Official away travel places are priced at only £10 for season ticket holders and members, while travel for all other supporters is available at £13 adults and £12 seniors, disabled, and under-18s.

Coaches will depart stadiummk at 11.30am.

To book coach travel click here, visit the Box Office at stadiummk/kiosk at centre:mk or call 0333 200 5343. Spaces will be available to book right up until departure, subject to availability



Read more at http://www.mkdons.com/news/article/complimentary-breakfast-treat-for-fulham-travellers-mk-dons-mk-dons-away-travel-piglets-pantry-3033261.aspx#FLBvrZsACVjZWfD6.99

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#JeffsMarch

Jeff Stelling visited Craven Cottage on Wednesday afternoon as part of the final leg of his #JeffsMarch journey in aid of Prostate Cancer UK.

The long-standing host of Sky's Soccer Saturday aimed to complete 10 walking marathons in as many days, from boyhood club Hartlepool United to Wembley between 21-30 March.

Wednesday saw him begin at AFC Wimbledon and head to Brentford before stopping at the Cottage. He then headed off to Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers, and then all that remained was the finish line at Wembley.

During the London leg he was joined by former pros Matt Le Tissier, Trevor Sinclair and Dennis Wise, while Fulham fan and television presenter Richard Osman was there to greet him upon arrival at the Cottage.

"One of my least favourite facts is that one in eight men in the UK will be affected by prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime," Osman said. "You can help; please go and visit the website, read up about it, and if you want to donate that would be greatly appreciated."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/march/30/jeffs-march?

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Wigley's Dallas Review

Steve Wigley believes his Fulham Under-19 side "represented the Club in a fantastic way" as they reached the Dallas Cup Final last week.

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/march/30/wigleys-dallas-review?

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Fulham Flashback: Smash and Grab at the Lane

In the second part of a three part series during the international break, Cottagers Confidential is taking a look back at some of the most iconic Fulham moments in recent memory. Today the focus turns to Fulham's famous 1-0 away win against Tottenham Hotspur in March 2013.

The away match is something truly unique in football. Traveling to the lion's den of the opposition, vastly outnumbered by home supporters, a siege mentality sets in. Huddled in the worst part of the stadium with a select thousand of diehard supporters, the away match is football at its purest.

But on this March day in 2013 in North London, the match seems a bygone conclusion. For starters, Fulham are abysmal away from the confines of SW6. The Whites had just won two away matches all season by the time they travelled to White Hart Lane. But Fulham chose the right occasion to conjure up a performance for the ages.

The Spurs-Fulham match was positively dripping with subplots and tension. First off, Fulham manager Martin Jol was returning to the club he had managed for 3 years, and which had sacked him in acrimonious circumstances. Dimitar Berbatov was also facing his former club, who had given him his first chance in England. In addition, two former Fulham players were squaring up against their old employers, in the form of Mousa Dembele and Clint Dempsey. The close ties between the two sides meant there would be no love lost in the ensuing 90 minutes.

The match also had massive significance for Tottenham's Champions League hopes. After participating in the 2010/11 season, Spurs had failed to qualify in the following seasons. The 2012/13 season looked like a perfect opportunity for Tottenham to get back into Europe's premier competition, and they sat in 3rd position that afternoon. Yet their participation in the Europa League was beginning to take its toll on their league campaign. The preceding Thursday night Spurs had endured a brutal 120 minute match at the San Siro against Inter, and the fatigue would be evident on Sunday.

Fulham had entered the match on a decent run of form, unbeaten in their last three. Dimitar Berbatov had scored a wondrous volley two matches prior in a win over Stoke, and the languid Bulgarian was enjoying an impressive debut season. The Whites were comfortably mid table, and relegation was firmly out of the question.

Although Spurs had played a grueling midweek fixture and Fulham had the week off, I was still nervous making my way to the match. Tottenham possessed the best player in England, and perhaps in the world at that time, Gareth Bale. Bale had taken the league by storm that season, scoring 26 goals in all competitions in one of the most dominant single season performances in recent memory. Couple that with Fulham's notorious lack of away success, and the fact that I had seen the Whites fall to Spurs away the last two seasons, and it seemed as though the match would be a fruitless endeavour.

But the beautiful thing about football is that it is not rational. And I held this thought in my mind as I passed through the rundown turnstiles of White Hart Lane. We had a chance, I thought. This might just be our day.

The first half was a decidedly cagey affair, with both sides seeming sluggish and off the pace. But the most important aspect was that the match remained scoreless going into halftime, despite the best efforts of Bale, who went close with a header in the opening moments. As the half wore on the away end grew in voice, and it became clear that this was a disciplined performance from the Whites. As the halftime whistle blew, I took a look at the score and smiled. This might just be our day.

The first thing in my mind as the second half kicked off was that Fulham needed to keep their focus. Spurs were bound to be motivated coming out of the dressing room, and we had to weather the inevitable onslaught. Little did I know that we were to do much more than that.

Just seven minutes into the second half, Bale drove a low strike straight into the arms of Mark Schwarzer. The Australian keeper quickly rolled the ball to full back Sascha Riether, who played a pass to the feet of Ashkan Dejagah. As Dejagah did well to hold up the ball in the middle, Riether made a superb overlapping run down the wing. Dejagah calmly found the surging German on the right touchline, and Riether whipped in a low ball to the feet of Berbatov. What happened next can only be described as pandemonium.

There are some moments in life that are simply unparalleled. Moments of pure, unadulterated joy. Moments where you lose yourself in the present, so filled with exultation that you forget all your troubles in life. As Dimitar Berbatov connected with Riether's cross and coolly slotted the ball into the back of the net, all 2500 Fulham fans in the away end experienced this magnificent moment.

The moment was priceless. The primal noise of joy exploded from the away section, providing a deafening roar in stark contrast to the stunned silence of White Hart Lane. After a couple of seconds, the reality of the day set in. We were beating Tottenham, Champions League chasing Tottenham, at White Hart Lane. We were leading against the side that stole two of our best players. And with that thought, the away end was rocking. The rare refrain of Fulham folklore reverberated throughout White Hart Lane. "We're winning away, we're winning away... How shite must you be, we're winning away".

The goal was particularly sweet considering who was on the pitch for Spurs. Clint Dempsey had been my idol for many years, and made me fall in love with football. One of the most hardworking and dedicated players I have ever seen play, the American would always fight for the cause and was capable of moments of magic. Few will forget his 2011/12 season, in which he scored 23 goals and was a strong player of the year contender. Yet all this changed at the start of the 2012/13 season, when Dempsey infamously sat out the season opener against Norwich to force a move away. In the end, he transferred to Tottenham Hotspur, leaving Fulham supporters hurt and confused. The big question before the match was whether or not I would boo Dempsey when he came on. This was my former idol, a player who had done so much for the club, yet had left in such acrimonious circumstances.

When Dempsey came on at halftime, I booed just as vigorously as the other thousands of Fulham fans. The dream was dead. As Spurs kicked off after conceding, I glanced at the clock. A solid 35 minutes remained in the match. I took a deep breath. This was going to be nerve-racking.

But much to my surprise, the Whites didn't immediately go on the back foot. Just a few minutes later, centrehalf Brede Hangeland narrowly missed a free header at the back post after a great set piece. In the back of the mind, I hoped this wouldn't come back to haunt us come full time.

And it so nearly did. The next half hour was pure hell. Attack upon Spurs attacks rained down on the Fulham backline. The introduction of Jermain Defoe added pace and purpose to Tottenham's front line, causing the tiring Fulham defence problems. And Defoe would have equalized if it was not for the brilliance of Schwarzer. In the 90th minute Bale cut in from the right flank and unleashed a dangerous fizzing ball across the six yard box. The Fulham fans craned their neck from the other side of the pitch to catch a glance. To our horror, Defoe was unmarked in the middle. Yet Schwarzer stood tall and just about clawed the ball out, keeping the three points intact.

Moments later, the final whistle blew, unleashing what felt like a lifetime's worth of weight off my back. The away end went berserk, singing the praises of our well drilled Fulham side. The victory was immensely satisfying, and was our first in over 10 years away at Tottenham. And for me, it might just be the best result in football. There is something to be said for the resolute away performances, when a side travels to the lion's den, sits back, defends with passion, follows the game plan to perfection, and comes away with a well deserved win.

And on that March day three years ago, I was reminded of the joys of supporting Fulham Football Club. It is rarely an easy ride, as shown by the inexplicable struggles of the past two years, yet the side always manages to produce moments of brilliance. Moments that keep you coming back week after week, moments that remind you why you fell in love with football. Although the club situation appears bleak now, I am confident that there will be many more of these moments to follow for Fulham FC.

COYW!


http://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2016/3/30/11330168/fulham-flashback-smash-and-grab-at-the-lane

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'Fulham under more pressure than us' says Karl Robinson

Karl Robinson says Dons will go to Craven Cottage under no pressure this Saturday, despite the high stake on offer.

Fulham are just a point above Dons in the relegation Championship fight ahead of their clash on Saturday.

The Cottagers boast two of the league's top scorers in the form of Moussa Dembele and Ross McCormack, but have plummeted down the table under manager Slavisa Jokanovic.

Despite the stakes though, Robinson doesn't consider the game to be the biggest of the season, and insists the Fulham players will be under more pressure to perform this his side.

"Their players have been saying it's the biggest game of their season," he said.

"But every game is the same for us.

"Every game deserves a full attention to detail, and none more than another. The consequences may be different, but the way you approach it shouldn't be any different.

"If your mentality changes from game to game, you're a failure.

"It's quite surreal. I don't think anyone would have believed you a few years ago if you'd have told them this would be the relegation battle.

"It's important not to have any pressure. If you're Fulham, they have to stay up. We want to stay up, we're desperate to stay up, but that's the difference.

"I always try and take the pressure off. Sometimes you have to play under pressure because that's the nature of the sporting world, but my job is to eradicate that.

"Pressure affects people differently, and it brings out anxiety and tension, and that breeds the mistakes.

"If anyone were to tell us we'd be in touching distance at this stage, we'd have 
all taken it."


Read more: http://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/sport/mk-dons/mk-dons-news/fulham-under-more-pressure-than-us-says-karl-robinson-1-7303774#ixzz44SYU0FRC

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FULHAM DEFENDER SEAN KAVANGH IN THE DARK

Fulham defender Sean Kavangh admits he has no idea what his future holds at Fulham – but is determined to impress Slavisa Jokanovic this summer.

Having enjoyed an impressive breakthrough season last term in which he made 23 first team appearances, the Dublin-born defender has cut a more peripheral figure this time around.

The 22 year has only pulled on the white shirt twice this campaign, both times under the interim stewardship of Peter Grant , before being sent out on loan to Mansfield by Jokanovic in January.

He has so far played seven times for the Stags, who he will stay with until the end of the season, but has no indication of what lies ahead beyond that.

He said: "It's not going too badly at Mansfield. I'm here to get some games and match fitness under my belt, and I'm enjoying it so far.

"The gaffer at Fulham hasn't really said that much to me be fair, but I think he just wanted to get in and concentrate on the team that he's going to play.

"He came in, wanted to sort the team out and get some experience heads in there, and I know that I wasn't that experienced.

"I was a little bit disappointed because I played quite a few games last season, but this is a new season. I'll take it year by year and won't read too much into it.

"I don't really know what will happen next. I'll just go back for pre-season and see whether I'm in and around the team or not.

"Hopefully I'll impress in pre-season and go from there, that's all I can do really. I believe the lads are good enough to keep the team up, I have every confidence in them."


http://www.fulhamweb.co.uk/news/fulham-defender-sean-kavangh-in-the-dark.aspx?