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Thursday Fulham Stuff (26.08.10)

Started by White Noise, August 26, 2010, 01:02:34 AM

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White Noise


http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/portvalenews/Port-Vale-Micky-Adams-urges-Vale-learn-6-0-mauling/article-2573065-detail/article.html


Port Vale: Micky Adams urges Vale to learn from 6-0 mauling


MICKY Adams has urged his wounded Port Vale side to shrug off their 6-0 Carling Cup mauling at Fulham by taking their frustrations out on League Two high-flyers Torquay, writes Steve Shaw.

Mark Hughes's Premier League outfit comprehensively out-played The Valiants in last night's second-round clash at Craven  Cottage.

But Vale will get the chance to quickly bounce back when they host the League Two leaders on Saturday.

Adams said: "Every defeat hurts me, but I think the important thing is we don't over-react and that we think about the game sensibly.," said Adams.

"I'm disappointed with the players both individually and collectively and I think we could have played better.

"But let's put it into perspective. This Fulham team drew 2-2 with Manchester United on Sunday and we now face Torquay.

"Torquay are a good side at our level, but they are not a Fulham because their movement and everything else is not going to be of the same standard.

"We've got to dust ourselves down and make sure we are ready for an important game.

"We're lucky we've got such a good game to look forward to at this stage of the season."

Fulham made just three changes to the side that drew with United at the weekend, while their goals were supplied by England international Bobby Zamora (2), Zoltan Gera (2), Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey.

Adams attempted to bolster his defensive ranks by switching from his preferred 4-4-2 formation to a three-centre-back 5-3-2system.

He unleashed the latter system a fortnight ago when Vale secured a first-round 3-1 victory at Championship side QPR.

Adams said: "Fulham paid us the compliment of virtually picking their first team, so it was always going to be a difficult task.," added Adams.

"As a manager I'll always look back and ask should I have stuck with 4-4-2 or should I have tried other things?"

"But if I thought I could have come down here and played 4-4-2 and matched their quality I would have been kidding myself.

"We have frustrated higher division sides playing three centre backs, but unfortunately Fulham had more quality than those sides, and their first goal was always going to be crucial."

But Adams insists his side must take the positives from a difficult night after watching them lose their first game in five matches.

He said: "We didn't defend correctly and we got done too many times on one-twos in and around the box," said Adams."Their movement was good, but I think we can learn from that and get better ourselves."

"When we've got the ball can we get our movement right and can our players affect the game like Fulham's did?

"If we can do that it will stand us in good stead.

"This result wont damage us in any way, I'm certain about that."

And Adams at least enjoyed the standing ovation he received from the Fulham fans on his return to the Cottage and Vale's travelling contingent.

He said: "It's nice to be remembered with affection rather than coming on to the pitch hearing howls of derision.," said Adams.

"I still maintain I did a fantastic job at Fulham and I'm proud of my record."


White Noise


http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2010/08/26/fulham-boss-praises-youngster-after-full-debut-82029-27142333/


Fulham boss praises youngster after full debut


Aug 26 2010


By Alex Smith


MARK Hughes hailed academy graduate Matthew Briggs after starring on his full debut against Port Vale last night.

The Fulham boss witnessed the impressive 19-year-old left-back's first senior start for the club, in the 6-0 drubbing of former Whites boss Micky Adams' at Craven Cottage.

Hughes said, "It was an opportunity to have a look at the young boy.

"He's impressed in training and acquitted himself really well - and did himself no harm and had a massive hand in one of the goals."

It was Briggs' first appearance in a Fulham shirt for over three years since he made his debut for the club at the tender age of 16 years and 65 days, when he became the youngest Premier League player in history against Middlesbrough, coming on as a substitute at the Riverside on the final day of the 06/07 season.

The England U19 International has had to wait a while to get back in his clubs fold, but the youngster from Wandsworth wasted little time in reminding everyone what he is about.

Briggs was at the heart of all of Fulham's best moves in the first 45 minutes and was not afraid to get forward from his left back position- getting onto a ball from Damien Duff in the 10th minute which seemingly looked a lost cause, yet Briggs was able to deliver a deep cross onto the head of Zoltan Gera who tucked the ball home for Fulham's opener.

White Noise


http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23871299-matthew-briggs-grabs-chance-to-make-his-name-for-fulham.do


Matthew Briggs grabs chance to make his name for Fulham

Ian Gibb


26.08.10


Fulham 6 Port Vale 0

Matthew Briggs wasn't even named on the back of the Fulham programme but, after the teenager played a starring role in the demolition of League Two Port Vale, he won't be overlooked for the club's next home game.

Briggs, who still lives at home with his mum and little brother in Wandsworth, has not played for the club since he became the Premier League's youngest ever player back in May 2007, but can expect further first-team opportunities after last night's performance.

New manager Mark Hughes was impressed by the 19-year-old defender in training and, despite fielding a strong side at Craven Cottage, decided to throw Briggs his big chance in the Carling Cup clash.

Briggs, who was 16 years and 65 days old when he appeared as a substitute in a 3-1 defeat by Middlesbrough, came of age in the driving rain with a mature performance against Vale that included laying on two of the first three goals.

And though Hughes insisted Paul Konchesky is not certain to be reunited with Roy Hodgson at Liverpool, it now seems the perfect plan with the imminent arrival of Mexico's World Cup left-back Carlos Salcedo from PSV Eindhoven.

Konchesky can surely go to Anfield, for around £3.5million - with Salcedo costing only £1.6m - especially now Briggs has shown himself a serious contender for a first-team spot.

"Left-back is a position we're probably a bit light," admitted Hughes. "That's why I wanted to look at Matthew. It's not a foregone conclusion Paul Konchesky goes, just because we're looking to bring somebody else in."

But it would appear to make economic sense once Salcedo is on board and Briggs looking so promising. And the teenager is determined to make the most of his second chance.

"I've been doing well in training and with a lack of left-backs at the club, this is my chance," he said. "The new manager said there is nothing holding me back and I should just go and grab it.

"It was a great experience, a chance for me to show what I've got and, hopefully, push on for the season."

Since that one substitute appearance, Briggs has spent the past three years in the background.

He said: "I didn't really get much of a chance to play since then. But I kept driving myself and was determined to keep progressing and pleasing the management. Now I've got my chance and I've got to keep going."

Hughes was delighted his gamble paid off. He said: "I didn't want to make too many changes but I just thought it was an opportunity to have a look at him.

"He acquitted himself really well and was instrumental in one of the goals. It was a shame he had to come off with a blow to his ankle but overall he did himself no harm."

Zoltan Gera and Bobby Zamora scored two each while new £5m signing Moussa Dembele and United States internatioanl Clint Dempsey were also on target as Fulham booked their place in Saturday's third-round draw.

White Noise


Fulham lead trio for Mexican international


Published 12:55 26/08/10


By MirrorFootball

Fulham are set to beat off competition from Wigan and Birmingham to sign PSV defender Carlos Salcido for a fee of £2.5 million.

Fulham manager Mark Hughes revealed after his team's Carling Cup win that: "We have made enquiries,

"He is a player I am interested in and we are hopeful it might be concluded."

The 30 year-old Mexican international has amassed 77 caps since making his international debut in 2004

With Paul Konchesky seemingly set to move to Liverpool before the end of the transfer window, Hughes is keen to snap up a replacement.

Hughes said: "We are looking to have quality in all positions. Left-back is a position we are a little light in.

"It is not a foregone conclusion that Paul Konchesky goes because we are looking to bring someone else in."



Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Transfer-News-Fulham-close-to-signing-Mexican-defender-Carlos-Salcido-article564367.html#ixzz0xiR0Txru
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White Noise


Lucky Programme Number



Thursday 26th August 2010


Fulham FC News


The five lucky programme numbers drawn at Wednesday's Carling Cup Second Round match against Port Vale were as follows:

- 00234
- 01389
- 02616
- 02808
- 01486

If any of those correspond with the number printed on the back of your copy then email a scan or photograph of it as proof to [email protected]|. 

Our five lucky winners will win signed copies of the Europa League souvenir book, The Journey of a Lifetime.
.

Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/August/LuckyProgrammeNumber.aspx#ixzz0xiSvWEHA

White Noise

Hughes: Fulham will be busy in the transfer market right up until Tuesday's deadline


Published 14:43 26/08/10


By Neil McLeman



Mark Hughes has predicted he will be busy in the transfer market until the transfer window closes at 6pm on Tuesday.

The new Fulham manager has done deals for striker Moussa Dembele and centre-back Rafik Halliche while left-back Carlos Salcido is due in to complete a medical.

Arsenal-target Mark Schwarzer and Paul Konchesky, who is wanted by Liverpool, could be going in the opposite direction.

But Hughes, who once signed Brazilian Robinho for Manchester City in the final hours of the summer transfer window, said he will keep wheeling and dealing right until the last minute.

"We are looking to add to the quality we already have," said the Welshman. "We have added Dembele and Halliche which we feel is good business at this moment in time and we are trying to add to the squad we have and there is still time to do other deals.

"Who knows how much business we will do? Sometimes deals and opportunities present themselves very late in the day. I have done deals right until the last minute of windows so you can never when they will be concluded. You need a lot of things to fall into place before a deal happens. Sometimes deals that you think are going to be problematic are some of the easiest. It is very difficult to judge how each deal will go."



Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/With-Mark-Schwarzer-and-Paul-Konchesky-possibly-out-and-Carlos-Salcido-in-Fulham-will-be-busy-in-the-transfer-market-right-up-until-Tuesdays-deadline-says-Mark-Hughes-article564509.html#ixzz0xis9tB73

White Noise


http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6339442,00.html



Wenger coy on new keeper


Gunners boss could still make one more signing


Last updated: 26th August 2010   


Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is refusing to rule out bolstering his goalkeeping options, but insists no deal is imminent.

The Gunners have seen two summer bids for Fulham's Mark Schwarzer rejected as Wenger tried to secure the Australian's services.

Arsenal are thought to still be in the market for another shot-stopper, but the Frenchman has highlighted that he already has four keepers at his disposal.

He thinks that signing another could undermine his existing options, although he is not ruling out more transfer activity before the window closes.

"We are where we are - we have four great keepers and it is important we give confidence to them for the next game," Wenger said.

"I do not rule it out, but at the moment I say I am not in a position to sign anybody. At the moment, it is all dead."

Wenger has voiced his displeasure that the transfer window remains open, stating it should close when the start of the new domestic season gets underway.

"I believe the transfer window should have been over already for a long time, because it should stop when the championship starts for domestic transfers, internationally it should go on until August 31 because not everybody starts at the same time," he concluded.


White Noise


Darren Lewis' Top 10 transfers to keep an eye on before the transfer deadline


By Darren Lewis in Football Spy

Published 14:40 26/08/10

The summer transfer window closes at 6pm on August 31. And while the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City have declared they've finished their business for the summer, there's still plenty of action left in the market yet.

Here's the Top 10 transfers to keep an eye on between now and Tuesday evening:

1) Mark Schwarzer (Fulham to Arsenal)
The Australian keeper has made it clear that he doesn't want to play for Fulham any more with Champions League football and a player-coach role on offer at the Emirates. Fulham want more than double the £2million Arsenal have offered for theirkeeper. The Gunners clearly dont want to pay that much for a 37-year-old. Expect a resolution by Tuesday.

2) Paul Konchesky (Fulham to Liverpool)
The former Charlton and West Ham left back excelled last season under Roy Hodgson and has had the call to rejoin his former boss at Anfield. Fulham boss Mark Hughes already has a replacement lined up.

3) Charles N'Zogbia (Wigan to Birmingham)
The bad boy winger has made it clear he has no interest in playing for Wigan again. Boss Roberto Martinez initially adopted the get-tough: 'You're going nowhere' stance. But chairman Dave Whelan has been forced to step in, insisting N'Zogbia is off if as soon as they get a reasonable offer. Birmingham are currently deep in negotiations.

4) Javier Mascherano (Liverpool to Inter Milan)
Another player refusing to pull on his club's shirt ever again. Rafa Benitez wants to be reunited with him at Inter Milan. Liverpool have no Champions League football with which to make a counter-offer. The haggling has begun.

5) Hatem Ben Arfa (Marseille to Newcastle)
Clearly the tantrums are catching as the 23-year-old French winger is another to effectively go on strike to force a move. Newcastle have set the pace in the race for him for some time and looked set to slip the field to land a bit of a coup. But German club Werder Bremen have made a late £6million bid as opposed to Newcastle's loan offer. Liverpool and Arsenal have also expressed an interest to the French champions. It could go to the wire.

6) Ola Toivonen (PSV to Liverpool)
A powerful, prolific 24-year-old Swedish striker currently the apple of Roy Hodgson's eye. The Reds boss has had Toivonen watched playing for PSV and has watched the marksman himself playing for Sweden. PSV say they have already dismissed an enquiry but they are expect Liverpool to be back.

7) Anthony Vanden Borre (Genoa to West Ham)
Avram Grant is desperate for a right-back before the window closes as he is none too keen on Julien Faubert in that position. Vanden Borre did well for him at Portsmouth last season but, just in case a move for him falls through, Grant also has his eye on loan moves for Kyle Naughton at Spurs and Anthony Gerrard at Cardiff.

8) Roque Santa Cruz (Manchester City to Newcastle)
City don't see the Magpies as a direct rival so they could let their Paraguayan striker move to St James's Park on the basis that he wouldn't play when the two sides meet on October 3 and December 26. Lazio, however, have thrown a spanner in the works with a loan move they have pursued aggressively. Another deal that could go down to the wire.

9) Scott Parker (West Ham to Spurs)
A five-year contract on the table at Upton Park has still yet to be signed by Parker with Spurs and Liverpool both keen on him. At 30-year-old the interest from Tottenham represents his last chance to play Champions League football. It comes down to a straight choice between that - and being the best player in an average team. Spurs have already had a bid rejected. But expect them to go in again before Tuesday's deadline.

10) Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid to Spurs)
A bit of a surprise he has been made available for transfer by Real Madrid because the 25-year-old France midfielder is still a quality player. Spurs head the chasing pack and Redknapp could yet buy him AND Parker as Diarra can also play at right-back.



Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/blogs/football-spy/Mark-Schwarzer-to-Arsenal-Lassana-Diarra-and-Scott-Parker-to-Tottenham-Ola-Toivonen-and-Paul-Konchesky-to-Liverpool-and-Roque-Santa-Cruz-to-Newcastle-The-Top-10-transfers-to-keep-an-eye-on-before-the-transfer-deadline-by-Darren-Lewis-article564499.html#ixzz0xiu7kfiF
Sign up for MirrorFootball's Morning Spy newsletter Register here

White Noise


http://threeandin.com/2010/08/26/fulham-set-to-upgrade-on-konchesky/



Fulham set to upgrade on Konchesky

by Hogger On August - 26 - 2010


In his time at Manchester City, Mark Hughes didn't exactly earn himself a reputation as a wheeler-dealer extraordinaire.  This is the man who paid £24m for Joleon Lescott, and £17.5m for Roque Santa Cruz.  Since joining Fulham, however, circumstances have changed.  His spending power has been significantly reduced, and he now has to lower his sights to the discount bin.  From Christie's to Bargain Hunt, in a matter of months.

However, it seems Hughes has adapted remarkably quickly to the tighter purse-strings at Craven Cottage..  Having already nabbed highly-rated Belgian forward Moussa Dembele, he could be about to upgrade his options at full-back.  Roy Hodgson, Hughes' predecessor and the current Liverpool boss, is pursuing left-back Paul Konchesky – he obviously signed no Benitez-style agreement with his former club.  Unperturbed, Hughes has moved for PSV's Mexican defender Carlos Salcido.

Konchesky is a solid Premier League full-back.  Salcido, however, is one of the stars of the Mexican national team.  His performances in the World Cup cemented his reputation as a quick, intelligent, versatile defender, who also offers an attacking threat.  Hughes looks set to secure a superior player to Konchesky, and probably turn a profit too.

If I were in Hodgson's shoes, this is the point where I'd go: "Oh, Salcido is available? You can keep Konchesky in that case, we'll have the Mexican lad instead".  But after missing out on Luke Young, Hodgson seems determined to get his quota of average English full-backs in place.

Hughes might not stop there.  With Arsenal still interested in Mark Schwarzer, there are some suggestions that Hughes will be able to persuade City to lend him Shay Given as a possible replacement.  Given represents a younger, more celebrated, more agile alternative to the Aussie, but Arsenal know their Northern rivals wouldn't contemplate selling them a potential key player.  Fulham, however, are just about distant enough to permit such a deal.

Konchesky and Schwarzer out, Salcido and Given in would represent some extraordinary business, and a more significant upgrade than when I swapped my ancient Nokia for an iPhone.  If only Hughes had spent his money as carefully at City, he might still be in the job.  Perhaps he's learnt his lesson.

White Noise


http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6339749,00.html


Hughes coy over Roque talk


Fulham boss refuses to confirm if interested in City striker


By Ben Collins   Last updated: 26th August 2010   

Fulham boss Mark Hughes has refused to comment on reports he is interested in signing Roque Santa Cruz for a third time.

Hughes brought Santa Cruz to England in 2007 while Blackburn boss, signing the Paraguay striker from Bayern Munich for £3.8million.

Hughes then spent £17.5m taking Santa Cruz to Manchester City last summer but injuries restricted his first-team opportunities and he only made six league starts last season.

The 28-year-old remains down the pecking order at Eastlands, with Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor first-choice strikers while Jo is back in favour under current Blues boss Roberto Mancini.

Loan link
Hughes was therefore said to be lining up a loan deal for Santa Cruz, but he was keeping his cards close to his chest on Thursday when asked if a deal could be done before the transfer deadline.

"I'll always be interested in good players but I think it's unfair to be questioned on players that are at other clubs," Hughes told Sky Sports News.

"It will happen, I understand it's that time of the year we get put on the spot.

"But from our point of view, we're looking to add to the quality that we already have.

"We're pleased with bringing in Moussa Dembele and Rafik Halliche, which we feel is good business at this time.

"We're trying to add to what we already have and there's still time to do other deals so we'll wait and see."

Dembele and Halliche are Hughes' only signings so far since being named Fulham boss at the end of last month, while Philippe Senderos and Jonathan Greening arrived at Craven Cottage earlier in the summer.


White Noise