Friday Fulham Stuff (06/05/16)...

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Under-21 Season Review

Defeat in their final match of the season saw Peter Grant's side finish ninth in the Barclays U21 Premier League Division 2 table.

It was a campaign of mixed results for the team – which was often predominantly made up of Under-18 players – as they registered nine wins, five draws, and 10 defeats across all competitions in 2015/16.

"I've been very pleased," Grant said in review. "It's difficult when you look at the league table to say it's been a successful season. But if you're judging success on the way the boys have played, I'm very happy with the way the season has gone.

"This season we've had 17-year-olds starting 90 per cent of the games. We've had 16-year-olds play for us in some cases and we've had eight Under-18s start for us pretty much every game.

"The season as a whole has been a success but the only time I've been disappointed was towards the end when we could have finished in the Play-Offs.

"You want to be in the top league but it's been a competitive league this season and I think the boys have benefitted from that."

Ryheem Sheckleford and captain Josh Smile led the way in terms of appearances with 20 and 19, respectively, while Luca de la Torre (17), Shane Elworthy (16), Ian Pino Soler (16) and Stephen Humphrys (15) were also regulars.

The main goal threat over the course of the campaign came from Humphrys, 18, and midfielder Mattias Kait, who's still 17, as the pair each netted five times at Under-21 level.

Humphrys has also been in good form for the Under-18s, while Kait has received international recognition this season and travelled with the First Team for their match at Burnley's Turf Moor – a trip which saw him given the squad number 47.

Josh Walker chipped in with two braces throughout the campaign, one of which came on his debut at Stoke City's Britannia Stadium, while de la Torre, Jordan Evans, Dean O'Halloran, Cauley Woodrow and George Williams all netted twice.

Some of the goals scored have been quite superb, too. Alexander Kačaniklić's brilliant strike in the Under-21 Premier League Cup win at Colchester United claimed the Club's December Goal of the Month award, while Evans' dipping 35-yard free-kick in a 2-0 win over West Ham United at Upton Park came second in October's vote.

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/may/05/under-21-season-review?

[WhiteJC]

 
Bolton hope on-loan Arsenal winger will face Fulham

Bolton could have on-loan Arsenal winger Wellington Silva fit for their visit to Fulham on Saturday.

The 23-year-old Brazilian has not played for relegated Wanderers since being injured in the 6-0 defeat by Bristol City in March.

However, he played – and scored twice – for Bolton's Under-21s in their penalty shoot-out loss to Manchester City in the Manchester Senior Cup semi-final this week.

Silva, who joined Arsenal in January 2010 from Fluminense, has scored twice in 25 games during his season-long loan at Bolton.


http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/bolton-hope-on-loan-arsenal-winger-will-face-fulham?

[WhiteJC]

 
Tottenham ditch Dembele in favour of 23-year-old African with superior goals record

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly considering a bid for Senegal international Moussa Konate this summer.

That's according to The Mirror, who claim that Spurs have ditched their interest in Fulham frontman Moussa Dembele following the breakdown of a proposed transfer in January.

It is no secret that Tottenham will look to add a forward to their squad during the off-season, with Harry Kane currently the only senior striker at White Hart Lane – other than 22-year-old Clinton N'Jie, who has only scored seven league goals – all in France – in his entire club career to date.

Dembele was seen as a decent option due to his age. At just 19, it is likely that he would have accepted a role as back-up to Kane, while 15 goals in 56 Championship appearances suggest that he has the potential to provide reasonable cover when called upon.

However, Spurs – as they prepare for a return to the Champions League – ought to be chasing someone with a superior goals record.

Konate ticks that box. In 52 league games for current club FC Sion, the 23-year-old has found the net 26 times. He also bagged three goals in this season's Europa League, while his international record is seven in 16.

His versatility is another factor that makes Konate more suited to Spurs, who operate with much fluidity, especially going forward. Sion's leading scorer can operate as an attacking focal point, as well as out wide. That would allow Mauricio Pochettino to either play him with Kane, or as an alternative.


http://www.caughtoffside.com/2016/05/05/moussa-konate-tottenham-dembele-ditched-in-favour-of-23-year-old-african-with-superior-goals-record/?

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Pay on the day confirmed for final day clash at Fulham

Option to buy tickets on the day of the game at Craven Cottage this coming weekend confirmed
Bolton Wanderers fans will be able to purchase tickets on the day of the game against Fulham this coming Saturday.

Kicking off at 12.30pm at Craven Cottage, the cost of tickets for the match however will rise by £5 with new prices as follows:

Adults: £30
Over-65s/U22s: £25
U17s: £6

Fans can purchase tickets from the away turnstiles at the Putney End of the ground. Please note though that this will be a cash only facility.

Alternatively, tickets will be available until 2pm on Friday 6 May directly from Bolton Central with all online and phone orders needing to be collected from the club shop up to this point.

For more information, please phone 0844 871 2932 or visit the club's eTicketing website by CLICKING HERE where coach travel can also be purchased for £27 per person, departing Macron Stadium at 5.30am.


Read more at http://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/article/pay-on-the-day-confirmed-for-final-day-clash-at-fulham-3096612.aspx#9wISEe3hhz7EwBQk.99

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Ref watch: Oliver Langford to oversee Fulham finale

Confirmation of match officials for Wanderers' final fixture of the 2015/16 Sky Bet Championship season
Oliver Langford will oversee Wanderers' final game of the 2015/16 Sky Bet Championship campaign away at Fulham on Saturday.

The trip to Craven Cottage will mark the first time the West Midlands based official has taken charge of a Bolton match, despite having refereed his first Championship fixture during the 2008/09 season.

Controlling his first second tier fixture the following season, Mr Langford has been the man in the middle for 39 games so far this campaign, dishing out 93 yellow cards and four red cards.

Anthony Da Costa and Craig Hicks will run the line, while Lee Swabey is the fourth official.


Read more at http://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/article/ref-watch-oliver-langford-to-oversee-fulham-finale-3096654.aspx#5LDQ8JD4c9Jk6lgg.99

[WhiteJC]

 
In his own words: Jimmy Phillips pre-Fulham

Wanderers' interim manager offers up his thoughts on a variety of topics ahead of his side's final game of the season this weekend
Interim manager Jimmy Phillips addressed the local media ahead of Wanderers' final league outing of the season away at Fulham on Saturday afternoon.

The Whites will be aiming to pick up the first win on their travels this term when making the trip to Craven Cottage, with the team heading into the clash off the back of a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Hull City last time out.

And speaking prior to the game in his pre-match press conference, Phillips covered the below points.

On his spell in interim charge and the summer ahead...
It's been a topsy-turvy period for myself in charge of the first team, but there has been a steady improvement from the players.

I think it's a season that we'll all be glad to see the back of, from the playing side to the off-field activities, and I think the club has got one of the most important summers ahead of them for some time.

It's going to be an important time for us in the transfer market too.

I think for everybody's sake, the club needs to know who the next manager is as soon as is possible, especially from a backroom staff point of view. Plans have been tentatively put in place for pre-season, but not until a new manager comes in can those be firmed down and a solid direction set out.

I think it is vital for the club to get that position filled as soon as possible and then they can start making preparations for League One.

We've had in one season what some clubs might experience in ten years, but that has always been the nature of the club. Going back to my playing days, it was always promotion or relegation, but you'd rather have a season where you're playing for something.

Next year, everything will hopefully be a lot more positive.

On the win against Hull last time out...
I think that people saw against Hull a hard-working performance with some good attacking moves.

Stephen Dobbie stuck his goal away very well and I think from our point of view on the playing side of things, we just wanted to send the fans home happy and with hope for the new season.

On four youngsters' contract extensions being confirmed earlier this week...
It's great news for the club. As we've seen when we've given some of the younger players a chance and their debuts, bringing youth up through the ranks will be a big part of the club for the coming years.

Rob Holding has done fantastically this season while Zach Clough has chipped in with some important goals. They've all done well for the first team along with the likes of Tyler Garratt, Niall Maher and Oscar Threlkeld amongst others – they will hopefully be the nucleus for the first team in the future.

It's not easy to make that transition up, but they will get there with the help of this football club.

Relegation is the worst thing you can face as a player, but it also makes you stronger for the experience. It might not feel like it now, but everybody who has been involved this season, especially the younger ones, it will stand them in good stead and benefit them in the years to come.

On Saturday's game against Fulham and the prospect of ending Wanderers' winless run on the road...
The Fulham game is one which we want to break that hoodoo in. We showed against Cardiff that we can score and be resilient, so we'll go to London this weekend with the same philosophy to ensure that we're hard to beat.

We know we have players out there who are capable of sticking the ball away should the opportunity arise while all the coaching and playing staff don't want to be known as the team who didn't win away all season.

It's our last chance and we'll certainly be giving it our best shot. When you look back to the final few minutes of the Hull game, although we were under pressure, we defended resolutely and that showed our mental approach to the game.

It requires a similar mental approach to get something out of it and the players will go there with that mentality. We know that with the players at our disposal currently, we're not going to be playing lots of expansive football, but it's important that we remain solid and steady at the back as that's where we've been strong of late.

On team news ahead of the trip to Craven Cottage...
Josh Vela is still unavailable, although Oscar Threlkeld might be back - he'll face a late test.

Wellington Silva played 45 minutes against Manchester City on Tuesday for the Under-21s so he may come back into our thinking. With him, we'll just have to see if there's been any fall-out from his injury and if not, he'll travel with the squad.



Read more at http://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/article/in-his-own-words-jimmy-phillips-pre-fulham-3096701.aspx#xa628z1krqROq7Di.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Picnic On The Pitch

Save the date! Picnic on the Pitch will return to Craven Cottage on Saturday 28th May.

Back for its second year, the popular event at Craven Cottage will take place on Saturday 28th May from 12-3pm, and promises to be another great afternoon, bigger and better, with fans of all ages able to enjoy a fun time on our historic pitch.

Whilst you set up your picnic blanket on the grass and enjoy a picnic, there will once again be a number of activities to take in on the day, including fun activity inflatables, balloon modellers, face-painters, and a visit from Billy the Badger.

Tickets for the event are free but due to its popularity last year, and with limited places available, this year it is open to 2016/17 Season Ticket Holders only and will be available to redeem online or from the Fulham Ticket Office on a first-come-first-served basis from 10am on Tuesday 10th May.


Want to get involved?

This year's picnic is only available to 2016/17 Season Ticket Holders. Renew or join for the first time today – further information can be found online.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/may/05/picnic-on-the-pitch?

[WhiteJC]

 
Tunners: Finish On A High

Ryan Tunnicliffe is eager to sign off in style and 'give the fans a performance they deserve' when the curtain comes down on 2015/16 this Saturday (12.30pm).

An underwhelming campaign sees Fulham sitting just one place above the relegation spots ahead of our meeting with bottom-of-the-table Bolton Wanderers, and Tunnicliffe is keen to at least end on a positive note.

Speaking to the official website, he stated: "It's been a difficult season but we put the run of results together to get ourselves safe and hopefully we can finish on a high on Saturday and get a good win behind us.

"It's an early kick-off and it should be nice weather so hopefully we can get a big crowd and give them something to shout about, and hopefully give ourselves a bit of momentum going into next year."

The Whites go into the season finale on the back of a 3-0 defeat at local rivals Brentford, a result that Tunnicliffe made no excuses for.

"Our first-half performance wasn't good enough, by any stretch of the imagination, and we all know that," he admitted. "I think in the second half we did a lot better but when it's 3-0 at half-time it's always a mountain to climb.

"It wasn't what the fans deserved because they travelled in good numbers and were loud, so that's on us.

"We've played well in patches [this season] but I think up until the run that got us safe, consistency's been difficult for us, for one reason or another.

"The pressure's off us a bit now, we don't have to worry about going down, so we can come out and play with a bit of freedom and give the fans a performance they deserve."

A terrible campaign for Bolton on and off the pitch will see them finish 24th in the Sky Bet Championship, but Tunnicliffe pointed to form which has seen them take four points from their last three games as to why nothing should be taken for granted on Saturday.

"I think it's about pride for them now," he said. "Obviously they got relegated a few weeks back but if you look at their recent results, they beat Hull so they've not just thrown the towel in and we know it's going to be a difficult game.

"But it's the same for us, we've got pride at stake, we don't want to get beat again, so we'll all be trying our hardest and we'll be going for the win."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/may/05/ryan-tunnicliffe-finish-on-a-high?

[WhiteJC]

 
3 players who could follow Ross McCormack out of Fulham this summer

It has been such a miserable season for Fulham this time round, with the club only confirming their status as a Championship club within recent weeks.

It's quite the fall from grace for a side who had been a comfortable Premier League outfit for well over a decade up until a years ago.

Though they've secured Slavisa Jokanovic, undoubtedly a good manager at this level, it is hard to find many reasons to be optimistic at Craven Cottage as things stand.

Owner Shahid Khan has promised to release the Serbian the funds required to mount a serious promotion push, though fans will be forgiven for merely brushing those claims aside, having heard them before to little fruition.

As if things couldn't get much worse right now, star striker Ross McCormack has been linked with a move to crisis club Aston Villa this summer after enduring a frustrating last few months after a switch to Middlesbrough fell through.

Ironically enough, the Scotsman was the man the Cottagers turned to when they needed someone to score them the goals to push them back up to the Promised Land.

It did not work.

While there may well be some arrivals at Craven Cottage this summer, it seems as if Jokanovic will have to deal with some big players leaving too.

Who exactly?

Moussa Dembele


Incredible really that a club currently marooned in a malaise as menacing as Fulham boast one of the most exciting young forwards on the continent in their ranks.

The Frenchman has been in stunning form this term, notching 17 goals across all competitions despite the struggles of his side in a wider sense.

Out of contract this summer, the Cottagers have little hope of keeping the 19-year old with Chelsea reportedly circling.

Ben Pringle


Not as big a loss as the Frenchman obviously, but Ben Pringle is reportedly being lined up for a move to Scottish giants this summer.

Currently on loan at Ipswich Town, the 26-year old is said to have a keen admirer in Gers chief Mark Warburton, who tried to sign him from Rotherham as Brentford boss in 2014.

With only a year to run on his deal in West London, it seems likely he will leave.

Ryan Sessegnon

There are few more gutting sights than seeing a homegrown talent depart your club without really ever showing the first-team exactly what he can do.

However, that sadly looks like the case with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool lining up moves for highly rated 15-year old Ryan Sessegnon this summer.

There's major excitement surrounding the talented teen defender and it doesn't look like he will be sticking around long.


http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-players-who-could-follow-ross-mccormack-out-of-fulham-this-summer/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Let's forget Fulham's 2015-16 forgettable season
(by timmy; apologies for mislabeling when Kit was fired/Joka hired on a few of these images)

The 2015-16 Season can be told in 3 chapters: Kit, Interim, Joka. Throughout these chapters was the same bad stats, poor defense, inconsistent offense, and otherwise anonymous cast of characters.

Kit was kept on as manager because he initially did extremely well taking over for Magath's Reign of Terror. Things regressed heavily toward the end, as we crawled toward the finish, but we felt most of that could be attributed to the poor squad composition and PTSD from Felix. I dare you to visit a match report from late 2014-05 and not laugh at the starting XI's. That wasn't a team, it was a casserole.

This season was supposed to be different. Summer signings like Tom Cairney, Ben Pringle, Jamie O'Hara, and failed attempt at Lewis Dunk showed the club's movement toward analytics and the process, over big names well past their prime .

A full offseason of Kit's philosophy would undo whatever damage and upheaval the past 18 months had left.

But, things never really took off. Inconsistency reigned supreme. The defense kept shipping goals. The offense made up for this with an astronomically high conversion rates, but most knew it couldn't last. Soon it became evident Kit simply wasn't the right man, and probably shouldn't have been kept on over the summer.

There was an interim period where under the guise of Alan Curbishley(?!?) and Peter Grant, furtive gestures were made to Steve Clarke (got fired anyway!), Nigel Pearson (wanted his assistants still at Leicester to come with; good thing they stayed put!), before finally convincing Slaviša Jokanović to leave Israel for London.

Joka corrected the defense, but the that offensive regression we worried about came with a vengeance. A league-high 36% Shooting Percentage under Kit would tumble to a league-average of 29%. DangerZone shots for would also decrease from 36% to 32%, with about a half-less shot in the DZ per game (when you're only attempting 4 to begin with while giving up 6, that's a big drop).

Three wins in a row for the first time since 2012 (was that the year?) would be immediately followed with the wheels falling off the bus. 13 goals against in final 5 games. Opponents shots surpassing 19 on 4 of the final 6 games.

The task at hand, already appearing daunting, requires more work than most suspected. Unless Joka can work magic this summer, a long stay in the Championship beckons. The pieces are there, but several of the large ones must be sent away in exchange for additional parts.

On Saturday this not particularly fun or noteworthy season ends.


https://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2016/05/05/lets-forget-fulhams-2015-16-forgettable-season/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Scouting Report: Fulham

It's the last game of the season and so we have the final Scouting Report. Putney over at Vital Fulham is the man answering our questions.

You're safe, but fourth from bottom. How has it come to that and how are Fulham fans feeling ahead of next season?

The great unanswered question! It seems an age since we were in the Premier League and an eternity since we made the Europa League Final. I reckon it`s a combination of poor decisions, a raft of managers not suited for the job, a change of ownership and a catalogue of errors. Plus we`ve got this whole book of chapters entitled inconsistency. This season we`ve flirted with relegation again and look far from being ready for a promotion charge. Our current boss, Slavisa Jokanovic, has taken Watford to the Premier League but can he do the same with us?

What should we expect of you on Saturday?

Expect the unexpected. On our day we can live with any team in the Championship but on another we can lose to anyone, that has been the sorry tale of our season. Our strike pairing of Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele is amongst the best in the division but our defence just can`t manage to keep a clean sheet.

Most of us know about Ross McCormack and his goals, but who else should we be looking out for?

Moussa Dembele, a young French striker, linked with a move away from Craven Cottage, this lad will be the business. Elsewhere we`ve a young American in the squad, Emerson Hyndman, who will be a star one day.

And finally, a score prediction?

I`m going for a goal fest, 3-2 to Fulham, with McCormack, Dembele and Parker netting for Fulham


Read more: http://www.bolton.vitalfootball.co.uk/sitepage.asp?a=445697#ixzz47rGgqVoV

[WhiteJC]

 
One final stand at Fulham for Wanderers old guard

WANDERERS are preparing to wave goodbye to the old guard at Fulham tomorrow.

Senior stars such as Stephen Dobbie, Neil Danns, David Wheater and Emile Heskey could get a last outing at Craven Cottage before leaving the Macron at the end of their current contract.

The Whites will strip a few million pounds off their top-heavy wage budget in the summer by releasing several players but will still have their work cut out finding clubs to take other high earners off their books, even on loan deals.

Jimmy Phillips has helped to establish a core of young players for next season after he took on the impossible task of keeping Wanderers in the Championship.

And he believes that will help balance things out in League One, where the club will be subject to even tighter salary cap restrictions.

"Bringing players through the system will be the future of the club for the coming years," he told The Bolton News. "Rob Holding has had a fantastic season, Zach Clough has chipped in with some important goals, these are players that will hopefully be the nucleus of the club for the future.

"Whether players come and go in the summer is down to the ownership.

"When Dean and Ken took over the club they would have had to show the Football League they could run the club with the players they had contracted to the club next season.

"How much leeway they have to offer someone who is out of contract in the summer and they want to keep, I don't know.

"Whether or not that happens, whether it's on severely-decreased terms, it's the new manager's call.

"That's why I am reiterating the point it's important things move quickly after the Fulham game so that the next man has the best possible chance of achieving what he wants next season."

Phillips does want to bow out this season on the right note having picked up his first win in charge against Hull City last weekend.

Wanderers have gone more than a year without a win away from home but the interim boss believes the players are now more organised and better equipped to get points on their travels.

"We showed against Cardiff that if we are resilient we can always grab a goal. We'll go to Fulham with the same philosophy," he said.

"We don't want to be seen as a group who couldn't win away all season and this is our final shot.

"When you consider the last few minutes of the Hull game the players were under a lot of mental pressure to see the game out and this will require a similar approach.

"I am sure the players will go there with one thought, and that's to win the game. But they know the best chance of doing that is not necessarily by playing open, expansive football, it's by keeping things tight at the back."

Phillips has also praised some of the more experienced members of his squad for continuing to keep their standards high in training despite knowing what the future might hold.

"People like Stephen Dobbie – his only start came against Reading and he had to go off with a cut. He's applied himself great in training," he added.

"Older players like Neil Danns, whose contract is up, and Jay Spearing, who has been unavailable to us, have worked very hard.

"The senior players who are due a discussion on whether they have a future here have applied themselves very well as you'd expect of any experienced player."


http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wanderers/14475377.One_final_stand_at_Fulham_for_Wanderers_old_guard/?