Wednesday Fulham Stuff (04/05/16)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Who Will Fulham Face In 2016/17 (3/5/16)

With less than a handful of games remaining in the 2015/16 campaign, some promotions and relegations in the football pyramid are already known.

With Fulham already knowing their fate for the coming campaign and remaining in the Championship for next term, here is the known make up of the division so far, with some clubs still to discover their fate in that particular division in the remaining games of the season.

Championship:

Aston Villa
Birmingham City
Blackburn Rovers
Brentford
Bristol City
Cardiff City
Fulham
Huddersfield Town
Ipswich Town
Leeds United
Nottingham Forest
Preston North End
Queens Park Rangers
Reading
Rotherham United
Wigan Athletic
Wolverhampton Wanderers

Premiership possible relegation:

Newcastle United
Norwich City
Sunderland

Championship possible promotions:

Brighton
Derby County
Hull City
Middlesbrough
Sheffield Wednesday

League One possible promotions:

Barnsley
Bradford City
Burton Albion
Gillingham
Millwall
Scunthorpe United
Walsall


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=445319#ixzz47fNVXQut

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham lose Chris Baird back to Derby - and manager hints former hero wasn't at his best second time around

Midfielder returns to Rams as cover for the Championship play-off contenders after a handful of appearances at Craven Cottage on loan


Return: Chris Baird

Chris Baird has been recalled by parent club Derby County with immediate effect - but if Slavisa Jokanovic's comments are anything to go by Fulham haven't lost out.

Baird was finally signed on loan in February after a couple of attempts, and rejoined the club where he enjoyed six seasons from 2007 to 2013 totting up 127 appearances for Whites.

But the Northern Ireland international's second coming hasn't been a hit.

He made only three starts out of a possible 14 with the likes of Rohan Ince, Scott Parker and Jamie O'Hara preferred in the centre of midfield.

The Whites head coach was recently asked whether the 34-year-old was playing his part in keeping Fulham a second-tier side, and the reply was far from a ringing endorsement.

"We're still expecting better things from Baird," Jokanovic said. "He's an experienced player and he's training very well but we need to be more competitive."

Baird's recall to the I-Pro Stadium comes as a result of a shoulder injury to midfielder Jamie Hanson's who needs surgery.

Baird will act as cover for a team about to face the Championship play-offs.


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-lose-chris-baird-back-11276310?

[WhiteJC]

 
Extra coach travel available for Fulham trip

Supporters still able to secure official club travel for this weekend's Sky Bet Championship clash at Craven Cottage
Due to popular demand, an additional third coach has been put on for Wanderers' final match of the 2015/16 Sky Bet Championship season away at Fulham this coming Saturday.

Costing just £27 per person for a return trip departing Macron Stadium at 5.30am, seats can be bought in person at Bolton Central, over the phone on 0844 871 2932 or online at the club's eticketing website which can be found by CLICKING HERE.

The club will not be able to provide any further official club travel once the final third coach is full, so book now to avoid disappointment!

Match tickets also remain on sale for Saturday's trip to Craven Cottage with the prices as follows;

Prices

Adults - £25
Over 65s - £20
Under 22s - £20
Under 17s - £1

Tickets will be available to purchase online until 4pm on Wednesday 4 May and directly from Bolton Central until 2pm on Friday 6 May, subject to availability.



Read more at http://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/article/extra-coach-travel-available-for-fulham-trip-3093204.aspx#qiIUs57oy48MiLWQ.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham and ex-Spurs midfielder has a question for Slavisa Jokanovic

Whites player thinks he's done OK at Craven Cottage in a difficult season - and now needs a heart-to-heart with the head coach over his future


Back up: Jamie O'Hara shields from QPR's Daniel Tozser

Jamie O'Hara hasn't featured in the last three Fulham games – maybe's that a good thing with only one point gained.

But the former Spurs and Wolves midfielder believes he's done enough already to earn a further one-year-contract.

O'Hara trained with Fuham for a week unpaid in the summer and impressed Kit Symons enough to offer him a permanent deal.

The 29-year-old, as much in the gossip columns as the football variety after his protracted spat with ex-wife and glamour model Danielle Lloyd, now wants a sit-down with head coach Slavisa Jokanovic to find out where he stands.

O'Hara said: "I've had a fantastic season generally and it's a fantastic club to be where I like to think I've been at the heart even with the ups and downs.

"I've had some good and average games, and others where I've not been involved, but to be here is a privilege.

"I've had some tough times in football, but I believe in myself and ability and back myself to put in good performances for Fulham and hopefully that results in a new contract.

"It's been a disappointing season where we are in the league – on a personal level it's been a good season for me.

"At the end, we'll see the way the manager wants to go and who he wants to bring in, but I would very much like to be part of it."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-ex-spurs-midfielder-question-11277441?

[WhiteJC]

 
The Sean Davis Column

When you want to end the season on a high, there's nothing worse than losing to your local rivals. We packed out the stand behind the goal at Griffin Park on Saturday, so I do feel for those fans who saw the ball fly into that net twice in the opening seven minutes. It's not good enough, and it shows how if you're not switched on from the first whistle you can get punished in this league, and then the game's out of your hands. It was a derby so the players would have been focused and up for it. I thought that now we were safe from relegation the shackles would come off and the players could enjoy themselves, and be confident and go out and try and win the game. But that result will have left a bad taste in the manager and the staff's mouths. The manager set the team up to be solid with just one up top, but if you concede two soft goals inside seven minutes then it all goes out the window.

Having lost to Brentford, the players need to correct that, and they've got to put in a performance against Bolton on Saturday. You always remember your last fixture so it would be good to get a home win. Hopefully we can send the fans home happy. They're not going to be over the moon even if we win 3-0 or 4-0, because of the season we've had. But we need to try and finish on a good note for ourselves for personal pride.

Looking back at this season, to be honest, it's been difficult. We've been fairly inconsistent and not really had that form that you need to get promoted, and not had enough clean sheets to get anywhere near that either. The thing is, we've scored so many goals, only a few teams have bettered us in that department, but it's just disappointing that we haven't finished higher in the table. Home form will be key for us next season I think. I want us to make Craven Cottage a fortress like it used to be. That kept us in the Premier League for over a decade.

Leicester's success is obviously fresh in the mind, and that just shows what you can do with organisation and team spirit. It's unbelievable what they've done this year. They've been so solid all throughout the team. I'd like to see us get a player like N'Golo Kante who's constantly getting up and down the pitch with pace. What they've done just gives everyone else a bit of hope, it's been fantastic. But the way they've won the title is similar to how the teams at the top of the Championship have gone about their season. Sides like Middlesbrough, Burnley, Brighton, they've set up to be hard to beat and solid at the back. Nobody has blown teams away like Bournemouth and Watford did last season.

It'll be getting to the point where we have to vote for our Player of the Season soon, and it's got to go to one of the two boys up top, for me. It's a tough one but I'd probably have to give it to Ross McCormack as he's comfortably our top scorer. Scotty Parker gives his all whenever he's played, but I think it's got to be McCormack as you do worry where we'd be if it wasn't for his, and Moussa Dembélé's, goals.

And in terms of my favourite goal of the campaign, the one that stands out most for me is when we were 2-0 down at home to Reading, Ross gets the ball on the edge of area, flicks it up and swivels, then smashes it in. I wouldn't say it was the best goal we've scored, but it was probably one of the most important. We were struggling at that point and that set us on our way to a brilliant 4-2 win. Ross has scored loads of lovely free-kicks, Tom Cairney's had a couple of fantastic strikes, but that's the one that sticks out for me.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/may/03/the-sean-davis-column?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham plotting £1.5 million move for talented Blackburn Rovers star

Fulham will make a £1.5 million move for Blackburn Rovers winger Ben Marshall, according to the Sun.



The former Stoke City winger has impressed for Blackburn this term, and according to the Sun, Fulham intend on tabling a £1.5m bid for him once their transfer embargo has been lifted.

Marshall, who spent time on loan with Sheffield Wednesday in 2011 before securing a move to Leicester City, has been one of the standout performers in another wise poor season for Rovers.

He moved from Leicester to Blackburn after struggling to nail down a regular place with the Foxes, with concerns about his weight and commitment hanging over him during his time at the King Power.

However, he seems to have put that behind him with a string of solid performances this term, and Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic is clearly impressed enough by him to add him to his summer wish list.

Both clubs face a huge summer ahead after seasons of disappointment, and with both clubs having wealthy foreign backing, it will be interesting to see how they act during the close season when it comes to transfers.


http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-plotting-1-5-million-move-for-talented-blackburn-rovers-star/?

[WhiteJC]

 
PRINGLE IN GERS SIGHTS
Glasgow Rangers to launch bid for Fulham star

Glasgow Rangers boss Mark Warburton has reportedly identified Fulham winger Ben Pringle as a potential summer recruit and wants to bring him north of the border in the summer, The Express report.

The Ibrox giants have returned to the top tier of Scottish football after facing a number of years fighting their way through the lower leagues after a financial sanction.

Warburton is expected to bring a host of new players to the Glasgow club before next season starts, with a lot of the Scottish club's recruitment expected to occur in the English Football League.

Pringle is a 26-year-old winger that can also feature in central midfield, and has spent a short amount of time on laon at Ipswich this season.

Something of a journeyman, the Newcastle-born midfielder moved to Crave Cottage last year but has been in and out of the Fulham starting XI since and as such his future with the London club is unclear.


http://www.footballfancast.com/football-news/glasgow-rangers-to-launch-bid-for-fulham-star?