Thursday Fulham Stuff (21/04/16)...

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Slavisa Jokanovic praises Fulham spirit after Ipswich point

Fulham Head Coach Slavisa Jokanovic looks on (Photo by Harry Engels/Getty Images)

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic praised his side's response after they bounced back from a 5-0 mauling at Brighton to all but secure their Championship status with a 1-1 draw at out-of-sorts Ipswich.

The Cottagers had been heading for all three points thanks to Moussa Dembele's sweet strike in the 66th minute.

They were pegged back in stoppage time by Jonas Knudsen's first goal for the Tractor Boys - an equaliser that left Jokanovic disappointed not to claim the win, but satisfied with his side's performance.

"I am disappointed by the late goal but I believe we deserved to win and keep a clean sheet," said the Serbian, whose side are nine points above third-bottom MK Dons with three games left.

"I am satisfied with the fighting spirit and how my team tried to win the game. It was very different to what we offered against Brighton.

"We need to keep trying until the end of the season and finish the competition in style."

Knudsen's late equaliser brought a small crumb of comfort to Mick McCarthy's under-performing Ipswich side.

It took them 72 minutes to register a shot at goal - a moment that brought disgruntled cheers from the home fans - and McCarthy was spot on after describing the match as forgettable.

Ipswich have not won at home in four matches, and they once again struggled in front of goal.

The best moment of the first half predictably fell to Fulham with Ryan Tunnicliffe denied by Bartosz Bialkowski's smart reflexes.

They made the breakthrough just short of the midway mark in the second half when great work by man of the match Scott Parker led to Dembele firing home his 17th goal of the season.

It was almost two when Dan Burn's strong header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Bialkowski.

Ipswich finally fashioned chances with both Brett Pitman and David McGoldrick denied from distance by good saves by Marcus Bettinelli.

And McGoldrick then unlocked the visiting defence when his clever work fed Freddie Sears, whose low cross was fired in by left-back Knudsen.

Summing up the match, McCarthy said: "We got a result at the end but it was always a hard game and not one that will live long in the memory.

"They made it very hard for us, they slowed it down, got men behind the ball and they have some good quality.

"It looked like real end-of-season fare, which was a shame as I didn't set out that way. We kept going and got something out of the game with Didzy (McGoldrick) showing his quality."



Read more at: http://www.london24.com/sport/football/slavisa_jokanovic_praises_fulham_spirit_after_ipswich_point_1_4501893
Copyright © LONDON24

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Footballer Lee Clark's autobiography to Mojo Risin'

Indie publisher Mojo Risin' Publishing has signed up former Newcastle United, Sunderland and Fulham footballer Lee Clark to publish his autobiography.

Clark's football memoir, entitled Black or White, no Grey Areas, will be penned by Pavel is a Geordie ghostwriter Will Scott. It promises to be an "open, honest and candid" account of Clark's career: a young manager, who started out as an England schoolboy captain, went on to become a fan favourite at Newcastle United; and eventually defected to arch-rival Sunderland, subsequently eloping to Fulham to play out his final season at his "beloved" home club.

He made the transition from player to manager and enjoyed success at Huddersfield Town before embarking on spells at Birmingham and Blackpool. Clark is the current manager of SPL outfit Kilmarnock.

Publisher Stuart Wheatman bought the rights through Clark's agent. Black and White, no Grey Areas will be published in paperback on 27th October, priced £9.99.

Scott commented: "It's another exciting coup for Mojo Risin' Publishing. Lee had approaches from several other writers and publishers to write his life story. But, after reading Pavel Srnicek's autobiography, said he was impressed with how we handled his former teammate's book, and agreed to join us at Mojo."

"It has all of the ingredients to make a great book: explosive, provocative and hilarious," added Scott.

Clark said: "The book will, hopefully, put to bed some of the myths and untruths surrounding my career. There is something there for every supporter of every club I've ever been involved with. I wanted it to be explosive and fun. I think we've achieved that."


http://www.thebookseller.com/news/indie-mojo-risin-publish-footballer-lee-clarks-autobiography-327526?

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Dembélé: Frustrating End

Moussa Dembélé was gutted that a strong defensive display failed to earn a clean sheet at Portman Road on Tuesday night.

The 19-year-old's second-half strike looked set to earn his side a 1-0 win, but Ipswich Town – who didn't have their first effort on goal until the 71st minute – hit a stoppage-time equaliser when left-back Jonas Knudsen smashed one in off the bar.

"We're disappointed because we stayed compact until their goal," Dembélé told fulhamfc.com. "We defended really well from crosses and balls into our box, and it's very frustrating to concede a goal at the end of the game.

"I think we deserved three points but we're only taking one. It feels like we lost the game but a point's a point, and we'll take it."

While it will take time for the sinking feeling to disappear, a draw away from home at a side who until recently were fighting for the Play-Offs is nothing to be sniffed at.

And considering the Whites were coming into the fixture on the back of a 5-0 loss, Dembélé was pleased with the character shown in Suffolk.

"The game against Brighton was a mistake for us," he admitted. "We didn't play well at all so at Ipswich we had to dig in and come and get a result, and I think we showed that we can stick together and play as a team and be strong."

It was a game of few clear-cut chances, although Town stopper Bartosz Bialkowski had already made two good saves to deny Ryan Tunnicliffe and Shaun Hutchinson by the time Dembélé beat him.

Following good work from the effervescent Scott Parker, the striker lashed a powerful shot inside the far post that had too much venom for the Polish goalkeeper, who got a hand to it.

"There was a ball for Scotty P, he cut it back for me and I had a one-touch finish in the box," Dembélé said. "In this kind of game you have to be patient.

"You won't get a lot of chances and when one comes you have to put it in the back of the net, and that's what I did."

Nottingham Forest are the visitors to the Cottage on Saturday, and Dembélé is expecting more of a footballing spectacle at the weekend.

"I think Forest is a team who are very different to Ipswich," he explained. "They're a bit like us, they want to play, and I think it will be a good game for everyone."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/april/20/moussa-dembele-frustrating-end?

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Safe - Well Just About!

The 1-1 draw, against Ipswich Town at Portman Road, last night, means that barring the unlikeliest series of results, Fulham Football Club will be playing Championship football next season.

With only three games to play, Fulham now stand 9 points clear of the MK Dons, the only team out of the bottom three that can catch Fulham.

However, if the MK Dons are to pull off a miraculous escape, the Buckinghamshire side would have to win all their three remaining games with Fulham losing all their tree.

Furthermore, the MK Dons would have to turn over a goal difference, in Fulham`s favour, of 16, a very highly unlikely scenario I think you`ll agree.

But, the important message that should be aired is that we shouldn`t be crowing about our survival but instead we should be asking ourselves how and why we managed to get ourselves in such a pickle, don`t you think!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=443682#ixzz46RVosPvx

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After a slow start, things are looking up for Fulham's Emerson Hyndman

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – It's been an unexpectedly trying season for Fulham midfielder Emerson Hyndman, but the youngster certainly packed his afternoon with high points the weekend before last.

Making just his seventh Championship start of the term on his 20th birthday, the Dallas native capped a Man of the Match performance against Cardiff City by netting the late 2-1 winner with his first career goal.

"It was special in a lot of ways," Hyndman told MLSsoccer.com by phone from Fulham's Motspur Park training ground. "The way it happened, to win the game in the 93rd minute. My parents were there. It was on my birthday.

"There was a lot of different things that went into it for me personally, but for Fulham it was also a big win. The season in total hasn't been what we set out to do."

The same can be said for Hyndman, who frankly needed a celebration. Last season, he impressed in nine league starts before New Year's Day 2015, earning his first US national team cap (in a September friendly win away to the Czech Republic) along the way.

His season was then cut short by a collarbone fracture in January, but Hyndman still led Fulham in passing percentage on the season and it seemed as though he would be a key cog for the 2015/16 campaign. It was not to be, as the American waited until December to make his season bow under new manager Slavisa Jokanovic.

Hyndman spent the first three months with the club's Under-21 Premier League side, while the senior team struggled badly, winning just five of ftheir first 18 matches. He took it all in stride and eventually reeled off four straight starts over the holiday period.

"There's been a couple of changes in the managerial staff and obviously that comes with different ideas," said Hyndman. "We were in a situation as a club, in the relegation zone for a while there. All I can do is perform on a daily basis in training and work as hard as I can."

Observers, both around Craven Cottage and stateside, were surprised it took Hyndman so long to get back into the rotation.

"Slavisa Jokanovic recently admitted, after Hyndman scored the winner against Cardiff City, that Emerson had been under-used," Tony McDonald, a journalist who works the Fulham beat for Get West London, told MLSsoccer.com.

"Given Fulham's season-long struggles to avoid relegation from the second tier, it is plainly ridiculous that he has not been given more chances to start for the first team. He must be a very frustrated young man."

In addition to waiting his turn with the relegation fighters, Hyndman had also been through some Olympic-sized misery with the US U-23 national team. He was a starter as the Baby Nats squandered home-field advantage by falling one win short of qualification to the 2016 Summer Games with a CONCACAF Championship semifinal defeat to Honduras last October.

Last month, he was again on board as the U-23s opened a last-ditch qualifying tie in Colombia with an encouraging 1-1 draw. Sadly, they then suffered another decisive loss at home as US Soccer fell short of reaching the Olympics for the second straight time.

"We knew it would be hot and the atmosphere was incredible from the Colombia fans, but we managed to get a result [in the away leg]," said Hyndman. "It was more disappointing that we didn't win it at home."

Hyndman missed a couple of Fulham games the week after returning from international duty, but was then rewarded with an emotional release against Cardiff. He celebrated the big goal with a leaping fist pump and that day's haul of points moved Fulham 10 points clear of the drop zone. Now, with three games left, they've all but clinched Championship survival.

When the season is done, the game will change for Hyndman and the Cottagers in a more expected way. His contract will expire in June, and despite a few fall attempts at extension talks, it's been known for a while that the kid could walk on a freebie this summer.

Since last summer, the midfielder has been linked with interest from clubs in England, Germany and Spain, including the likes of Manchester United. Local scribe McDonald believes Fulham may soon be left to cry over this one getting away.

"I don't think Fulham, in their position, can really afford to let players of his obvious talent go," he stated. "But whether he would wish to stay at Craven Cottage remains to be seen. You couldn't really blame him if he decided to pursue his career at another club.

"At his age, he has scope to make significant progress and, certainly, Premier League scouts should at least be monitoring him."

There's no telling at this time where Hyndman will be when the next season begins with autumn. Both he and his reps are holding these cards close to vest.

"A lot of things can happen," he said, not tipping his hand. "Honestly, I'm focused right now on Fulham."


http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/04/20/after-slow-start-things-are-looking-fulhams-emerson-hyndman?

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Slavisa Jokanovic: Supporters 'cannot' be happy with Fulham's season

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic was not happy after his side's 1-1 draw at Ipswich on Tuesday night, despite the fact it secured survival in the Championship.

Moussa Dembele's 17th league goal of the season put the west Londoners in front at Portman Road but Jonas Knudsen rescued a point for the hosts in injury time.

Fulham are languishing in 19th place and Jokanovic is determined to climb the table during the final three weeks of the season after a disappointing campaign at Craven Cottage.

"We need to be ready in the last three games in front of us to try to make our supporters more satisfied than they are now," said Jokanovic.

"Because they cannot be happy with the season. Very soon we will recruit and try to build a little bit different."

Meanwhile, QPR were torn apart by promotion hopefuls Brighton courtesy of a 4-0 scoreline but Rangers boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes the defeat was not a true reflection of his team's display.

"We played a very good first half and it was never a 4-0 game," insisted the Dutchman.


http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/slavisa-jokanovic-supporters-cannot-be-happy-with-fulhams-season-a3229671.html

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Betsy: I Owe Fulham

Kevin Betsy left Fulham with a heavy heart this week ahead of joining The FA as England Under-15s head coach.

After beginning his professional career in SW6 under Kevin Keegan, Betsy returned to the Club in his early 30s to embark on a youth coaching career which has since come on leaps and bounds.

And when asked if it was a wrench to leave Fulham, he replied: "Definitely. I've obviously been here a long time and have a great association with the football club.

"I think I owe Fulham a great debt really in terms of what they've done for me throughout my life; first of all giving me an opportunity as a player, when I was an 18-year-old boy, to come into the professional game.

"It was a great opportunity, one that other clubs didn't give me. Fulham gave me that chance and then obviously again during the twilight of my career to come and work in the Academy as a coach, which was fantastic, so I owe the Club a massive, massive debt."

During his time working in the Academy, Betsy led several age groups to tournament success, and was last year named Youth Development Phase Coach of the Year at the FA Coaching Awards.

"It's been a real education over the seven years to understand what it takes to coach young children," he explained. "I've worked from Under-9s all the way up to Under-17s, so the full spectrum of education and learning how you communicate with young men.

"I've obviously been in the professional game for a number of years which has helped link the different ages and how young people think, and how I can put my thoughts and ideas over to young people."

The number of players that have graduated from the Fulham Academy in recent years has been exceptional, and Betsy was full of praise for his former department.

He stated: "We're very highly regarded as an academy and the players that the Club have been able to accelerate into the First Team over the years that Huw [Jennings] has been there has been fantastic.

"We have great staff, and likewise we have great recruitment. The boys we have are very, very promising and hopefully these players will progress to the First Team and have great careers in the game."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/april/20/kevin-betsy-i-owe-fulham?

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Revealed: Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool target demands stunning 2,500 per cent pay rise
MOUSSA DEMBELE could pocket a huge pay rise if he leaves Fulham.


STARLET: Moussa Dembele

Dembele has made 44 appearances across all competitions for the Cottagers this term, scoring an impressive 17 goals in the process.

The 19-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and looks set to move on in the summer.

He is understood to be a target for a host of Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United.

And according to The Sun, they are all ready to increase his weekly salary by a staggering 2,500 per cent from £1,000 to £25,000.

Fulham meanwhile, are likely to receive around £8.5m in compensation through a tribunal.

Italian giants Juventus and Napoli are also reportedly keen on Dembele.

But Chelsea appear to be leading the race to sign the talented youngster.

According to the Daily Mail, he was recently a guest at Stamford Bridge as the Blues were crushed 3-0 by Manchester City.


http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/509657/Man-Utd-Chelsea-Liverpool-Moussa-Dembele-Fulham

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Fulham boss says he wants to be like Manchester United and Arsenal legends - and stay 20 years at the Cottage

Whites head coach has desire to tenant the Cottage for the next two decades in the way Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex stayed with their clubs


Wish: Slavisa Jokanovic (main) wants to stay at Fulham as long as Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger at theirs

Slavisa Jokanovic sees himself as Fulham boss until he's 70.

But the man who became the fourth appointment in two years at a troubled Cottage in December probably knows in his heart of hearts he will be long gone before the 2036 season.

Indeed, Joka thinks football has seen the last of managers with longevity on their CVs.

As Arsene Wenger heads towards his 20 year as Arsenal boss in a bid to emulate the almost unreachable 26 years that saw Sir Alex Ferguson barnacled to the Manchester United regime – the Fulham man insists neither type of tenure will ever happen again, backed up the unpalatable statistic that every Championship manager bar one in the bottom half this season has been shown the door.

Jokanovic said: "We are working in professional football – and this part of the business we have to accept.

"We are in England, but we can also look to other parts of Europe as well for this type of thing.

"Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger? It's nice history but we are living a modern life and teams don't have the time to wait as much for success.

"I'm here, and I like to be here. In my mind, I'm staying here 20 years. In reality, I don't know what's going to happen – and I have to accept it."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-boss-says-wants-like-11214122?