Thursday Fulham News 23/06/2016

[Friendsoffulham]

Fulham`s Woodrow Eager for that First Fixture



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It happens every year doesn`t it?

The minute the fixtures for the new season are announced those optimism levels just rise through the roof.

Yesterday, whilst perusing the fixtures the Football League computer had churned out, I had us all but promoted by Easter.

But we all know, even more so after last season, the Championship can be an unforgiving battle.

Various mistakes were made that saw Fulham plunged into another relegation battle, a battle that we fortunately survived to live another day.

With the transfer embargo now lifted, Slavisa Jokanovic is free to shape the team how he desires and, here at Vital Fulham, we`re hopeful that the squad can achieve a play-of place at the very least.

But the opening fixture, against newly relegated Newcastle United, will give us all a chance to gauge how the summer re-vamp has gone.

Newcastle, managed by Rafa Benitez, will be desperate to secure a return to the Premier League at the first attempt and will provide stern opposition, but it is a match we`re all looking forward to, especially our young striker Cauley Woodrow.

Woodrow has had a successful summer, so far, being part of the England U21 squad that won the recent tournament down in Toulon, talking about the opening fixture, Cauley has remarked on a social network site,

"Newcastle at home first game of the season, nice big game to get the season started, can`t wait."

And neither can we, neither can we!

[Friendsoffulham]

What Fulham fans have had to say about playing Newcastle first game

Thoughts of Fulham fans on playing Newcastle first game: 'A lot of Fulham fans I suspect have better things to do on a Friday evening.'



  The eagerly anticipated release of the Championship fixtures at last arrived on Wednesday morning, with Fulham fans set to welcome Newcastle in their opening match.

It was nailed on that Newcastle would be chosen for Live TV but to move it to Friday night was a slap in the face for those travelling to the game from Tyneside.

Fulham really struggled last season and ended up fifth bottom of the Championship, with a lot of unrest at Craven Cottage maybe the best time to play them?

On the other hand, Fulham fans have seen their team win the last five games at home to Newcastle so it hasn't been the happiest of away grounds.

It is now four years since Hatem Ben Arfa inspired Newcastle to their last opening day success, a 2-1 win over Tottenham at St James Park.

To gauge the reaction of Fulham fans as they await Newcastle's visit, we visited two of their most popular message boards – Friends of Fulham and Fulham Web:

'Why the hell has our first fixture of the season, against one of the 'must see' sides, been scheduled for a Friday evening in the middle of Summer? What was wrong with the following day, a good old fashioned 3pm kick off.'

'Don't really matter. Newcastle will stuff us because they've got a settled squad and we haven't even begun to assemble a team.'

'Plenty of Geordies resident in London, but those on Tyneside haven't got a chance of getting back home after the game. And a lot of Fulham fans I suspect have better things to do on a Friday evening.'

'Very ANNOYING indeed!!!Anyone with school kids and lucky enough to afford a (well deserved) summer break, like myself, will miss this biggest match of the season! I'd prefer old days when season starts in September...not beginning of August!'

'Plenty of Geordies in London, not so many to come down, half of them already here.'

'Yes, a good hiding awaits opening night at this rate. We'd better have the chequebook wide open for month of July or we are in trouble.'

'Not worried in the slightest about playing Newcastle 1st up, best time to play them, they will be in as much turmoil as us, they will be expecting the Championship to be easy, most of their players will be either linked with other clubs in the Prem or gone already, only thing I am worried about is will we have 11 players at the club to get a team out??

'I don't think it is the best time to play Newcastle at all...they will be flying to get a good start...and they will probably keep hold of their best players until the end of August so it might be a different team in September. The best time to play them first would be about November when the championship might be beginning to take its toil.'

'I'm not sure there a good time to play anybody. But perhaps, just maybe Newcastle might start the season a little complacent thinking, like we did, they are going to bounce straight back and give us a chance? Maybe, pretty please???'

'Newcastle 1st game  – feel like we are 2 down already.'

'That will be a huge test to how our season will go. If we beat them at home it will give us all a lot of hope.'

'We won't.'

'Hoping for an outflux of players from Newcastle and they are still bonding as a team, we know ourselves this can take 2 years.'

'As things stand the Newcastle team are going to be more familiar with each other than our team will be.  Still it's a cracking start and the Geordies I work with are thrilled to bits.'

'Mitrovic will be suspended which is good news, I imagine he will be a massive threat in this league so glad he isn't playing.'

'Wow what a start, no name bigger than Newcastle in the Championship and they must start as favourites to top the table.'

'We should welcome them to the Championship by kicking them off the park.'

'Judging by the vox pops on Sky today, the Geordies seem to think it's three points in the bag.  It would be good to acquaint them with the harsh realities of life in the Championship from the outset.'

[Friendsoffulham]

Where does Fulham's Slavisa Jokanovic rank in Championship manager survival list?

Answer to the above is that Whites head coach is already high up on the longest serving list despite being only appointed for half a season
   


Lewis DarlingSo far, so good-ish: Slavisa Jokanovic

He was only appointed at the end of December - but incredibly Fulham head coach Slavisa Jokanovic is already the 12th longest-serving manager in the Championship.

The increasingly cut-throat business of second tier management saw all but one manager in the lower half last season lose their jobs by April.

Even then, the one survivor: Karl Robinson, saw his MK Dons side lose their one-season status.

Some have even changed their man at the top more than once in that period.

The sheer number of sackings also shows the desire to reach the mega-rich Premier League and stay out of League One.

Experienced Mick McCarthy is the longest-serving Championship chief.

The former Millwall, Republic of Ireland, Sunderland and Wolves manager, 57, has been at the Portman Road helm since November 2012.

Another Yorkshireman, Simon Grayson, is the second longest in post after his appointment at Where does Brentford boss Dean Smith rank in list of the Championship's longest-serving managers?Preston North End in February 2013.

The 46-year-old has led each of his four clubs to promotion to the second tier.

Rotherham United, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Leeds United and Reading have all made appointments this month while Nottingham Forest have yet to confirm a new manager.

Longest serving Championship managers
Ipswich Town: Mick McCarthy Nov 1 2012

Preston North End: Simon Grayson Feb 18 2013

Wolves: Kenny Jackett May 31 2013

Birmingham City: Gary Rowett Oct 27 2014

Brighton and Hove Albion: Chris Hughton Dec 31 2014

Norwich City: Alex Neil Jan 9 2015

Wigan Athletic: Gary Caldwell April 7 2015

Sheffield Wednesday: Carlos Carvalhal June 30 2015

Huddersfield Town: David Wagner Nov 5 2015

Brentford: Dean Smith Nov 30 2015

QPR: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Dec 4 2015

Burton Albion: Nigel Clough Dec 7 2015

Fulham: Slavisa Jokanovic Dec 27 2015
Barnsley: Paul Heckingbottom Feb 6 2016

Bristol City: Lee Johnson Feb 6 2016

Newcastle United: Rafa Benitez March 11 2016

Cardiff City: Paul Trollope May 18 2016

Derby County: Nigel Pearson May 27 2016

Rotherham United: Alan Stubbs June 1 2016

Aston Villa: Roberto di Matteo June 2 2016

Blackburn Rovers: Owen Coyle June 2 2016

Leeds United: Garry Monk June 2 2016

Reading: Jaap Stam June 14 2016

Nottingham Forest: No manager... and as of last night, no further sackings!

[Twig]

So i'ts another no news day?

[Roberty]

So i'ts another no news day?

It's another day with no bad news - if it keeps going it will soon be a record number of days

[Friendsoffulham]

Dan Burn Could Make The Latics Too Hot To Handle



Will Grigg may be on fire but the latest player linked with a move to the Latics has a scorching name of his own, former Fulham and Darlington defender, Dan Burn.

At 6' 7 the 24 year old is a towering centre back, he made 34 appearances for the Cottagers last season picking up 9 bookings along the way. He joined Fulham from Darlington in July 2011 and made six Premier League starts, but the vast majority of his 113 league appearances have been at Championship level both at Fulham and whilst out on loan at Birmingham City back in 2013/14 season, he faced the Latics at the DW Stadium in Birmingham's goalless draw on Boxing Day 2013, plus twice in the Championship with Fulham in the 2014/15 season, both those games ended in draws too, 3-3 at the DW and 2-2 at Craven Cottage.

Burn has been released by Fulham following the expiration of his contract and he is a free agent, he turned 24 in May and has been linked with a move to the Latics via a couple of media outlets, he is a player that would attract our recruitment team, he is young, experienced and renowned as having two good feet and obviously a presence in the air. He will have been schooled well at Fulham and should suit the Gary Caldwell style of play.

Don't be surprised if we announce signing number three within the next few days, Dan Burn could well add fuel to Will Grigg's fire making us too hot to handle this coming season.