Friday Fulham Stuff (10/02/17)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Meet The Ref - Fulham v Latics - David Coote

Latics are off to London for the weekend, down by the river, Craven Cottage to be exact, where they will face Fulham in an important Championship clash, the man charged with ensuring things don't end up in the Thames will be Nottingham referee David Coote.

This will be Coote's third Latics' game so far this campaign, two of the previous three are real head shakers as far as we are concerned. He was at Hillsborough for our 2-1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday back in September, booking Max Power, Luke Garbutt and Michael Jacobs, then the real trouble starts!

Coote took charge of our home game against Reading, which was Warren Joyce's first as Latics boss, we took a spanking that day with a very poor performance, two goals down inside the first five minutes, it was a surprise that we only lost 3-0. There three players from the Latics ending up in the book, Max Power, David Perkins and Shaun MacDonald.

Next up was the abysmal Boxing Day clash at Rotherham, again we found ourselves three goals down, all in the first half, but we did make a show of it in the second period coming back to finish the game 3-2, still very disappointing, Michael Jacobs and Craig Davies finding themselves in the book this time.

The 33 year old is of the new Select Group 2 full time officials for the Championship this season, of his five games so far this campaign three have come in the Championship, a surprising fact is that all three games the home side have failed to win. His other two were both in the League Cup.

Coote has been on the Football League Referee List for the past six seasons after serving his apprenticeship running the line as an assistant, he has three Wembley appearances under his belt, he ran the line in the FA Vase final at Wembley in 2009, in which Whitley Bay defeated Glossop North End 2-0. He was also fifth official for the FA Cup semi final between Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth, which Pompey won 2-0 after extra time, and as an assistant for the FA Trophy final between Barrow and Stevenage, which Barrow won 2-1 after extra time, both in 2010.

Highly thought of by the powers that be, Coote is ambitious and hopes to make the grade to become a Select Group 1 ref and officiate in the Premier League, he says on the matter - ''I'd like to think that I have started to consolidate my position in The Football League and, with age still on my side, I'd like to go on and consolidate further.

''That's the short-term goal. But long term, I'd love to get on to the Select Group 1.''

Coote has ref'd the Latics a total of nine times, as already mentioned he's had us on three occasions this campaign Sheff Weds, Reading and Rotherham. Last season he took charge of two Latics games, he had the League 1 encounter with Crewe at the DW Stadium back in August, which we won 1-0, also the first round FA cup tie away at Bury, we were shambolic that day and got trounced 4-0.

in the 2014/15 season he oversaw our 0-2 home defeat to Watford in March, in the 2013/14 campaign he had us three times, he was in charge of our 2-2 home draw with Boro back in August 2013, he turned down a stonewall penalty that day only to award us a soft one moments later (Fortune got his shirt tugged), our home defeat to Derby County in December 2013, which is better off forgotten, though it did see the end to Owen Coyle's reign as Latics boss, he was also the man in the middle for our emphatic away win at Portman Road in March 2014 when we won 1-3.


We don't appear to be doing that well when Mr Coote officiates us, hopefully we can turn that around on Saturday.

David Coote Card Watch 2016/17

Games - 27
Yellows - 101
Reds - 4

Fulham v Wigan Athletic
Referee - DAVID COOTE
Assistants - Nigel Lugg and Adam Matthews
Fourth Official - Dean Treleaven


Read more: http://www.wigan.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=479854#ixzz4YGWUHrrC

[WhiteJC]

 
Chelsea defender: I'm better off at Fulham than Middlesbrough
Whites central defender insists knowing where he is going to play in the team has made all the difference

Tomas Kalas believes he's a lot better off playing for Fulham than Middlesbrough.

The Chelsea loanee has spent one-and-a-half seasons with Boro before joining Whites last summer.

And despite a couple of injury setbacks, the Czech international says he is a lot happier down the road from his parent club than Teesside - and not because of the 200 miles difference.

At Boro, Kalas flitted back and forth between right-back and centre back, and as a result, thinks he was never able to play to his true potential.


Committed: Idrissa Sylla of QPR (L) and Tomas Kalas

He got 35 starts under Aitor Karanka between January 2015 and April 2016. At Fulham he has been on the starting sheet 23 times already, and it would have been lot more except for a pair of hamstring injuries.

"I am playing where I like to play with Fulham, at centre back," he said.

"At Middlesbrough, I ouldn't get used to either of these positions because they changed.

"But now I know what to expect and where I'm going to play.

"It doesn't matter if it's Rags (Ragnar Sigurdsson), Michael Madl or Tim Ream as a partner, we have made good relationships - but I know I like to play as a central defender."

Kalas an co plan to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat to Birmingham when they entertain struggling Wigan at Craven Cottage on Saturday.


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/chelsea-defender-im-better-fulham-12579476

[WhiteJC]

 
U18s Host Southampton

Fulham host Southampton on Saturday in this week's edition of the Under-18's Premier League at Motspur Park in an 11am kick off.

Fulham last time out beat a strong Arsenal side in an action packed 3-2 victory. The deadlock was broken in the 19th minute as Joe Felix forced an own goal from the Gunners. A great solo goal curtesy of Michael Elstone doubled the lead, and Joe Felix made sure of the win early in the second half from the penalty spot. 

Fulham, who were initially three goals up managed to hang on as the Gunners staged a comeback scoring two in the final half hour of the match. Some great defending and a brilliant team performance meant the Whites held onto all three points.

Fulham will be aiming to build on their three game unbeaten run by winning all three points against the Saints this weekend. Fulham are chasing Arsenal, who sit in the fourth in the league which is final place to play in the Premier League's top division when the regions split next month.

Southampton haven't found as much success this year and currently occupy tenth position in the table, with just one win in their last 13 Premier League outings.

The Saints look to close a nine-point gap between the two teams and finish the regular season as strong as possible.

Asked about the Southampton team they will face, Head Coach Mark Pembrige answered, "We're not sure what team they will put up, but Southampton are a category 1 academy so it will be a good test and a good platform for us to continue our unbeaten run".

Catch all the action at Motspur Park, Saturday 11th February, 11am.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/february/09/u18s-host-southampton-at-motspur