Friday Fulham Stuff (20/08/10)...

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http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Mark-Hughes-I-respect-Craig-Bellamys-decision-to-snub-Fulham-for-Cardiff-article559669.html
Hughes: I respect Bellamy's decision to snub Fulham for Cardiff

Mark Hughes has admitted he was sorry to miss out on a reunion with Craig Bellamy - but he is "delighted" the Wales captain has found happiness with his home-town club.

Fulham manager Hughes was favourite to capture Bellamy when Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini left the £85,000-a-week star out of his 25-man squad for the Premier League.

But Bellamy shocked football by clinching a switch to Cardiff City, even though the Championship club have survived four winding-up orders and still owe Motherwell £175,000 for the transfer of Paul Quinn last year.

Hughes, who made Bellamy one of his first signings at Eastlands, took the blow stoically, saying: "I'm delighted for Craig because he looks very happy with his decision, and everyone - including me - should respect that.

"He has joined his home-town club, with all the emotional baggage that comes with such a move, and good luck to him. I'm sure he will make a huge impact at Cardiff and on the Championship as a whole.

"The only regret from my point of view is that, as a player, he should still be playing in the Premier League.

"I did have a few conversations with him about coming to Fulham, because he obviously did very well for me at Manchester City, but I respect his decision to go home and, from the outside looking in, he looks very contented."



Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Mark-Hughes-I-respect-Craig-Bellamys-decision-to-snub-Fulham-for-Cardiff-article559669.html#ixzz0x9rpoBLe
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/aug/20/mark-hughes-arsenal-mark-schwarzer?
Mark Hughes accuses Arsenal of trying to unsettle Mark Schwarzer
• Hughes admits Schwarzer has been distracted by interest
• Arsenal had already seen £2m bid for keeper turned down

Mark Hughes has suggested that Arsenal may have been trying to intentionally unsettle Mark Schwarzer by repeating an offer for the goalkeeper that had already been turned down. The Fulham manager acknowledged Schwarzer had been distracted by the bids, both worth £2m, but remains hopeful that Fulham can keep hold of the player.

"There wasn't an improved offer from Arsenal - it was exactly the same one that was put forward in May," said Hughes. "The situation hasn't moved on. There's been contact but no improved offer.

"I don't know if Arsenal are trying to disrupt him. There are many things clubs, players and agents do to unsettle players. Mark is aware of the interest of Arsenal. That knowledge is distracting and disruptive.

"But the status quo is the same - we wouldn't encourage an improved bid. It's not at all inevitable he will leave."

Arsenal's manager Arsène Wenger, meanwhile, has admitted that all the speculation is also bothering some members of his own squad and in particular the starting goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.

"It is a very sensitive subject which is difficult for me to talk about," said Wenger. "You can understand that [Almunia] is unsettled by that situation, but on the other hand, when you play at Arsenal, that is what you have to deal with. You have to be strong enough to deal with that and I believe he is.

"Jens Lehmann had to deal with that situation because at some stage I took him out of the team and played Almunia, so competition is part of our world. We have to accept that."

Wenger, however, refused to be drawn on the Schwarzer situation. "I never speak about the transfers, the offers, anything made about the players, because we have so many talks in football that are never concluded," he said. "It is always simple if you want to buy a player and the club doesn't agree: they say no, so there is not a lot to talk about."

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http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/2010-08-20/chelsea-set-send-serbian-duo-out-loan?
Chelsea set to send Serbian duo out on loan

Chelsea want to send Serbians Nemanja Matic and Slobodan Rajkovic out on loan before the transfer window closes.

Midfielder Matic, who is 6ft 4iin tall and 22-years-old has made only three substitute appearances for the Blues since arriving from Slovakian side MFK Kosice a year ago and needs match practice.

And Chelsea are also looking for a home for defender Rajkovic, who is said to interest Fulham but has spent his entire Blues career away from the club - playing at PSV Eindhoven and FC Twente in Holland so far.

"We have to find a solution for some players to give them a loan, above all the young players," said manager Carlo Ancelotti.
"Rajkovic, maybe Matic. We are trying to find a solution with them."

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http://www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/united-look-to-end-craven-cottage-curse?
United look to end Craven Cottage curse
Manchester United correspondent: Fulham always provide United with a test

Craven Cottage has become something of a bogey ground for Manchester United on the last couple of occasions.

Once occupied as a hunting ground for former Queen of England Anne Boleyn, it seems to have resurrected its use when the red prey of Manchester make their way down south.

The Red Devils travel to west London this weekend with intensions of banishing the Curse of Craven Cottage, which has emulated Southampton's 'The Dell' in the mid 90's for United.

Manchester United's last victory at The Cottage in the Premier League seems like a lifetime ago, a 3-0 victory with a subs bench that boasted the likes of Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and the one that got away Gerard Piqué.

An FA Cup win in March 2009, which included a wonderful display from Carlos Tevez capped off by a run from midfield and strike which was arguably the best goal of his career, is one of the few glory moments at Mr Al Fayed's club.

Fourteen days later was a different story as United found themselves humiliated 2-0 on the same ground in the Premier League.

That particular defeat to Fulham was a day to forget for United fans as the team finished the game down to just nine men on the field, with Paul Scholes' the first to be dismissed after palming the ball off the line from a Bobby Zamora header after just 17 minutes.

Up steps United's thorn in the side, former Merseysider Danny Murphy, to slot home from the penalty spot. Wayne Rooney saw red after a second bookable offence when 'returning the ball' to referee Philip Dowd rapidly.

Interpreted as aggression, the decision left a frustrated United side two men and two goals down by the 87th minute.

The last encounter between the two teams at Craven Cottage was during Manchester United's defensive crisis, when up to eight defenders found themselves on the injured list leaving midfielders Michael Carrick & Darren Fletcher to deputise in defence alongside the inexperienced Ritchie De Laet.

The makeshift defence saw off showdowns with Wolfsburg and Wolves, but it was only a matter of time before the side were snuffed out. A 3-0 humiliation ensued after an impressive Fulham kept United on the back foot for the 90 minutes, with goals from Murphy, Zamora and Damien Duff.

I think it's fair to say Fulham have been lucky to catch United at low points during their recent trips to Craven Cottage.

Not to take anything away from impressive performances and deserved victories over United, but a bitter rival trashing hangover and possibly the worst defensive crisis in United's history were influential factors in United's recent disasters at Craven Cottage.

After a positive start to last season's league campaign opening against Birmingham, United travelled to Turf Moor and suffered a 1-0 loss at the hands of newly promoted Burnley.

The players know all too well at this point that away to Fulham is not going to be an easy test and their should be no room for complacency after the ease at which Newcastle were brushed aside last Monday night.

But since we last clashed at west London a few things have changed. The influential Roy Hodgson has moved to Merseyside only to be replaced by former United legend Mark Hughes. I'm sure United fans will take great pleasure in the fact that 'sparky' is no longer sporting the blue of Manchester, and he will undoubtedly get a positive reception from the United faithful.

A question mark still remains over Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer after being left out of the side that travelled to the Reebok Stadium and earned a hard fought point after a goalless draw against stubborn Bolton. The final 30 minutes in that match showed us a visibly frustrated Fulham side notorious for their impressive discipline record pick up three yellow cards.

As for United, the medical staff have managed to wrangle the defensive injuries down to just two in the form of Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville.

Paul Scholes is playing out of his skin lately, Dimitar Berbatov has done nothing but impress in his last two games and Wayne Rooney will be itching to register his name on the score sheet.