Thursday Fulham Stuff (24/11/16)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Fredericks in fitness race
by DAN on NOVEMBER 23, 2016

Ryan Fredericks is facing a race against time to shake off a hamstring niggle ahead of Saturday's trip to Brighton and Hove Albion.

The Fulham right back was substituted with 15 minutes to play of the weekend draw with Sheffield Wednesday after complaining of pain in his hamstring and Slavisa Jokanovic's medical staff are hopeful that he will be ready to face the promotion challengers from the start. Fredericks, who has started Fulham's last three fixtures after spending three months on the sidelines recovering from a knee complaint picked up in a pre-season friendly against Brighton, has spoken of his delight at returning to the side and putting his injury woes behind him.

Should the former Tottenham trainee be unable to face the Albion, Belgian defender Denis Odoi – who started the season in excellent form at right back – would be the man in line to replace him.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/11/fredericks-in-fitness-race/?

[WhiteJC]

 
ASPIRE Academy face Fulham in National League Youth Alliance today at Rutland Walk



Please note that the kick of time for this game has been brought forward from 2pm to 1.30pm

Dulwich opponents today, Fulham (Sedghill) currently lie in 6th spot having started the season with back-to-back wins at home Millwall (Lions) (3-0) and away at Thamesmead Town (4-1). However since then things have gone somewhat awry, Fulham suffering their first defeat in their third game as they went down heavily to Maidstone United Blues beaten 7-1 at home. They continued to ship goals, going out of the League Cup at Tonbridge Angels (4-2) before another comprehensive defeat at Three Bridges (6-1). Their last outing three weeks ago saw them entertain Crystal Palace FA, the Eagles narrowly getting the better of a five goal thriller.


http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/aspire-academy-face-fulham-in-national-league-yout-1725031.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Official : Fulham Nigerian Striker Extends Stay At Slough Town

Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division club Slough Town have extended the loan agreement of Nigerian striker Elijah Adebayo, he has announced himself via social media.

The lanky teenager will spend his second consecutive month on loan at Holloways Park, having initially joined the club at the end of October.

"Delighted to have extended my loan for another month at @sloughtownfc , looking forward to upcoming fixtures #Rebels, " Adebayo tweeted on Wednesday afternoon.

The 18-year-old Adebayo represents the U23 team of Championship outfit Fulham but has been farmed out on loan to gain work experience.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : fulhamfc.com


http://allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=21175

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham forward on what has changed at Craven Cottage this season

The Whites have been been in excellent form in recent weeks and believe they can challenge for the top six


Best foot forward: Cauley Woodrow scores; Lee Camp looks on helpless

Cauley Woodrow believes a similar mindset as well as good recruitment is what has inspired Fulham to be challenging towards the top of the Championship.

The Whites have been been in excellent form in recent weeks and believe they can challenge for the top six.

It's a striking contrast to the last two seasons where they were looking over their shoulder until the last few games of the season.

Slavisa Jokanovic made sweeping changes over the off-season in order to improve Fulham's fortunes and this has made a dramatic impact.

He said: "We signed 14 players in the summer and that can go one way or another. The boys have settled in really well which is showing on the pitch.


Job done: Cauley Woodrow of Fulham celebrates his second goal

"I don't know what's different as everyone has the same mindest. Results are going well for us and for the team and hopefully that continues."

Woodrow may have been out of the side in recent weeks but he has also been impressed by what has gone on on the training ground.

He added: "Training is going well. I'm not really playing at the moment and I'm not involved. It's a difficult time for me and I'll come through it and get back playing.

"I've got to keep playing hard and do my best and get my chance again soon."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-forward-what-changed-craven-12220267?

[WhiteJC]

 
DJ Buffonge: The Manchester United Prospect with More Than a Name to Remember

Darren Raekwon McIntosh-Buffonge, better known as DJ Buffonge, signed for Manchester United's academy from Fulham in late 2015. Since then, he has become an integral part of one of the most exciting things currently happening at the club.

The first team might be struggling, the under-23s might be underwhelming, but United's under-18 team is packed with talent, full of "remember the name" candidates.

Of course, no one who has heard Darren Raekwon McIntosh-Buffonge's name will ever forget it—at least not anyone with more than a passing interest in the Wu-Tang Clan—but Buffonge's performance levels are such that it might not just be the name that people become familiar with.

Last season he made 13 starts for United's under-18s, scoring once and providing a notable seven assists. This season, in 10 starts and two substitute appearances, he has four goals and four assists.

He has been given his inaugural under-23 appearance, too, coming on as a substitute in the "mini-derby" against Manchester City's reserves in September.

In his early days at United, then-under-18s coach Paul McGuinness told Stuart Mathieson of Manchester Evening News: "He's a talented young player. He is a left sided midfield player who can beat people and plays some good through balls as well. In old-fashioned terms I would say he was an inside-forward but in modern day speak he is an attacking midfielder. But he is versatile as well."

Jack Wilkinson of Sky Sports wrote of Buffonge's background:

Nurtured through his early footballing years at Arsenal's academy, it was at Fulham where Buffonge started to make a name for himself.

Having moved to Motspur Park in 2010, Fulham's run to the FA Youth Cup final in 2013/14 presented Buffonge, then part of the clubs U16 set-up, with the chance to break into the U18 squad for league fixtures.

Bleacher Report spoke with Doron Salomon, a follower of United's youth setup. He was full of praise for the youngster and echoed McGuinness' comments about versatility.

"I am not too sure what his best position is just yet. Last season we generally saw him in a wide attacking role, while at the start of this season he was very much in a deeper central role, pretty much as a centre midfielder. I suspect an attacking role will be where he eventually ends up, but his qualities do mean he can do a number of jobs for now.

"He has wonderful balance, a great burst of acceleration and just seems such a smart player. There are a few examples of how he's made something out of nothing this season, including setting up a goal for [Angel] Gomes against Middlesbrough I think that went viral."

A word on that goal. It was a magic piece of play from Buffonge that made it possible. United were 3-1 up and full of confidence, playing with zip and purpose.

Buffonge had already been involved in Idris Kanu's goal, United's second, when he found Gomes with a very intelligent round-the-corner through ball that opened up space for Gomes to find Kanu—evidence of what a "smart player," Buffonge is.

His role in that goal was as an effective and important member of the supporting cast, enabling Gomes' brilliance to scythe Boro apart.

For United's fourth, though, Buffonge took top billing.

Gomes found him with a simple pass, which he had to stretch to control. By the time he had the ball on his feet, he was surrounded by defenders. He used his left instep to drag the ball past the first, the toes of his left foot to nutmeg the second and the outside of his left to tap the ball infield to Gomes. By now he was on the right flank, goalside of the defence, and Gomes, who could have cut inside and taken the ball on himself, instead returned it to Buffing.

Wearing the No. 7 shirt that carries such heavy symbolism at United, he corrected his run to meet the ball, controlled it and hit a first-time, right-foot cross into Gomes, who scored. It was exhilarating football, and both youngsters could have a very bright future.

Salomon continued: "He was initially on trial and got three assists in three games before a bad injury, but the club had already decided to sign him by then, and he was influential again when he came back and ended up with more assists than any of his team-mates despite only playing in 13 out of 31 games.

"That he was picked up after a trial, of course, suggests that the coaching team saw significant potential in him after a good look.

"This season we've already seen him appear as a sub for the U23 side, which I think is a sign that he's highly regarded in the club. Along with the other exciting talents you've already covered in your pieces [Gomes, Callum Gribbin, Indy Boonen and Tahith Chong] he's technically very competent and capable of playing the quick, clever, attacking football that has led to so many good results."

As Salomon says, Buffonge's skill set make him an excellent match for the current under-18s. Their attacking unit shares a comfort on the ball. They have plenty of confidence to try tricks and flicks, which makes them exciting to watch and is what you would hope for in young United footballers.

But there is a team ethic and a shared understanding, too. At least as often as a change of feet beats a defender, a change of pace in passing and movement does the trick. Buffonge more than keeps up with players like Gomes—about as good a youth prospect as you could hope to see.

His versatility in terms of positioning is further evidence of that footballing intelligence he so obviously displays on the ball. It is what has enabled him to be almost as effective as a defensive force as an attacking one.

And while there are disadvantages to versatility in terms of not learning the ins-and-outs of a particular position, it does open doors for the journey up the ranks. That under-23 debut will surely not be his last this season, and from next season on, given that he has just turned 18, it will be his permanent home.

The route to the first team is long and treacherous, of course.

Given his age and the fact that young, creative, attacking midfielders are in abundant supply on United's books—think Adnan Januzaj and Andreas Pereira, who are both on loan at the moment but still have a lot to offer—it hardly seems likely that a senior debut is imminent.

But the potential is clearly there. Indeed, in the group of players currently plying their trade at this level, it is not hard to imagine a Class of '92 style influx of academy graduates in the coming years. A long shot, perhaps, but if it happens, Buffonge looks set to be a part of it. Remember the name? Sure. But make sure you also remember the player.


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2677825-dj-buffonge-the-manchester-united-prospect-with-more-than-a-name-to-remember?

[WhiteJC]

 
Woodrow salutes Fulham's positive changes
by DAN on NOVEMBER 23, 2016

Cauley Woodrow feels a strong period of summer recruitment and the squad buying into the same mindset has transformed Fulham's prospects this season.

The Whites, who have struggled to survive in their previous two seasons in the Championship, head to second placed Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday with genuine hopes of returning to the top flight themselves. Woodrow believes that Slavisa Jokanovic's input, both in terms of bringing new faces to the club over the summer and on the training ground, has helped create a greater sense of belief amongst the players.

The striker told GetWestLondon:

We signed 14 players in the summer and that can go one way or another. The boys have settled in really well which is showing on the pitch. I don't know what's different as everyone has the same mindest. Results are going well for us and for the team and hopefully that continues.

Woodrow, who has only made eight first-team appearances this season, admits being disappointed by his lack of game time but has vowed to put in the hard graft at Motspur Park and earn another chance up front.

Training is going well. I'm not really playing at the moment and I'm not involved. It's a difficult time for me and I'll come through it and get back playing. I've got to keep playing hard and do my best and get my chance again soon.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/11/woodrow-salutes-fulhams-positive-changes/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Norman extends Southport loan
by DAN on NOVEMBER 23, 2016

Fulham goalkeeper Magnus Norman has extended his loan spell at National League side Southport under the end of the season.

Promising youngster Norman, who has been with Fulham since the age of nine, initially joined Southport in September on a one-month loan deal. The nineteen year-old, who is highly rated at Motspur Park, has made a significant impact at Haig Avenue, making eleven first-team appearances and keeping three clean sheets. Norman also helped the Sandgrounders reach the first round proper of the FA Cup where they took League One Fleetwood Town to a replay, eventually losing 4-1 after extra time.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/11/norman-extends-southport-loan/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Cole challenged to earn extended Inverness loan stay


Fulham's Larnell Cole signed for Inverness until January

Caley Thistle manager Richie Foran has challenged on-loan midfielder Larnell Cole to show he deserves an extended deal beyond January.



Cole joined the Highlanders on a temporary deal from English Championship side Fulham in August but has found first-team opportunities limited, making just three substitute appearances prior to his first start in Saturday's 3-1 defeat by Aberdeen.

The former Manchester United player is due to return to his parent club in the new year but Foran says the opportunity of an extended stay is there for the 23-year-old if he can prove his worth in Caley Jags' next seven games prior to the winter break.

Foran said: "Hopefully, we can get Larnell some game time and he can put in some performances before we can decide. It's a bit early for that, I'm not sure yet.

"If he can get into the team and then perform to the level I'm looking for we'd be looking to keep him on."

Englishman Cole was joined in the starting line-up against the Dons by fellow midfielder Aaron Doran, who had missed the previous 3-0 defeat to Celtic with a groin strain.

Foran has been impressed with Doran's return to the side this term after spending 13 months on the sidelines with a knee injury and he reckons the Irishman will play a key part.

Foran added: "Aaron does his talking on the ball. He has looked great and he has that bit of composure in the final third and can go past a player.

"He can cross and he's a goal threat. The only thing he probably can't do is head the ball but we're working on that.

"He looked really good against Hearts, so he probably was missed against Celtic. But if we wanted him to miss a game it would be Celtic away which we can treat as a bonus.

"He's a top player and he is starting to show that again."


https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/inverness-caledonian-thistle/1093201/cole-challenged-to-earn-extended-inverness-loan-stay/?