Tuesday Fulham Stuff (23/05/17)...

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Fulham FC to coach youngsters at KidZania ahead of summer holidays

Sports Week will take place at the children's city's stadium for five days, and there's a treat for dads on Father's Day too

Coaches from Fulham FC will be at KidZania for an end of summer term sports week.

The five-day event kicks off in the stadium of the kids' virtual city in Westfield shopping centre and runs for five days from June 14 to Father's Day (June 18).

The coaches have put together a special programme filled with a range of activities.

As well as learning how to bend it like Beckham and tackle like Tom Cairney , coaches will work with youngsters to develop their skills, football technique and confidence.


Billy the Badger will also be making an appearance (Photo: Supplied by Fulham FC. Picture: Ben Queenborough / BPI)

Children participating in the activity will also get to experience what it is like to become a football coach, and on top of all that, receive a goodie bag and KidZania money (KidZos) to purchase selected Fulham merchandise from the store.

As a treat on Father's Day, there will be a "dads go free" session to allow the grown-ups to rediscover their glory days of yesteryear.

The Craven Cottage club's mascot Billy the Badger will be making a special appearance across the five days.

For more details, and to see how you can take advantage of a 20% off selected shops in Father's Day, go to KidZania or call the reservation team on 0330 131 3333 and quote "Father's Day".




http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/west-london-news/fulham-fc-coach-youngsters-kidzania-13057846

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Academy's Holland Tournament

Fulham's Under-18 boys travelled to the south of Holland this weekend to take part in the Esad Osmanovski Memorial Cup. Having finished second in their group with two wins and a loss, they face Werder Bremen on Sunday in the Semi-Final.

They opened the day with a 1-0 win over Belgian side KAA Gent, followed with the same result over Dutch outfit SC Heerenveen. In their final group match the Whites couldn't finish the day with a full house, losing to Ghana's Attram de Visser Soccer Academy.

With the first kick off at midday they boys were out warming up early to face Gent.

With the tournament consisting of 25 minutes halves, both teams were out on the attack quickly. Fulham got ont the front foot and applied pressure on the Belgian side. Dan Martin struck a ball towards goal from tight to the left touchline, and the Gent keeper was needed to push it over the bar.

Joe Felix was the next person to create a good chance, whipping in a free kick towards an unmarked Aron Davies at the back post. The Welshman headed on target, however was too far from goal to trouble the keeper.

The breakthrough goal came in the 18th minute, the ball fell to Elijah Adebayo inside the box and he slotted it straight past the keeper who guessed the wrong way. It was a deserved lead from the Whites.

The second half kicked off and Adebayo was looking to set a goal up this time. He chested a ball down into the box to Mikolaj Kwietniewski, who shot first time. He could not have gone closer as his effort ricocheted off the right up-right, across the line and the Belgian keeper collected it.

Fulham sat back towards the end with Gent applying more pressure looking to get something from the game, however the clock ran out and the Whites walked off the pitch with the first three points of the day.

Next up Fulham played Heerenveen. It started in a similar fashion to the first game. Two minutes into the match a cross flew in from the left and Adebayo slammed it into the back of the net, the linesman however was quick to raise his flag and disallowed the goal for offside.

Five minutes later Jayden Harris looked to open his account, only to be denied by a fingertip save. The resulting corner Moritz Jenz rose above the markers and headed just over the bar, the Whites were getting close to breaking the deadlock.

The breakthrough came early in the second half. A curling free kick from Tyreese Francois rattled off the cross bar from 20 yards out, Jose Garrido headed the rebound down towards one of Fulham's travelling trialists, and he squeezed it past the keeper to put Fulham in the lead.

Ten minutes before the end Heerenveen took a corner, a header looked sure to go in but Magnus Norman palmed the ball onto the post and out of danger, preserving the lead for the Whites.

The final game of the day was against Ghana's Attram de Visser Soccer Academy, a point would have been enough to secure top spot.

The Ghanaians looked dangerous from the off, Felix Norman was called into action early as he collected a difficult ball in the box.

Joe Felix then set the Whites off with a mosey run, twisting and turning and almost scoring the goal of the tournament before he blasted his effort over the bar.

Attram de Visser stepped it up a gear and put real pressure on the Fulham goal, and the corners started to mount. Felix Norman was called into action several times to keep the score level.

It took two minutes into the second half before the team from Ghana seized the initiative. A good ball into the box gave the attacker space, and Norman couldn't do much to stop it ending up in the back of his net.

The game finished 1-0, and although the Young Whites ran out of steem in their final game of the day, they qualified for the Semi-Final against Werder Bremen on Sunday morning.




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/may/20/academy-holland-tournament

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Chelsea man Lucas Piazon admits he's unsure if he will be at Fulham next season after returning from loan

The Brazilian signed on loan for Fulham on the final day of the summer transfer window but has returned to his parent club after Play-off defeat

Lucas Piazon has admitted it would be 'nice' to stay at Fulham but revealed he doesn't know if he will be at Craven Cottage next season.

The Chelsea loanee has returned to his parent club after Slavisa Jokanovic's side were defeated in the Play-offs by Reading, having signing on loan on the last day of the summer transfer window, before extending the deal in January.

He was a staple in the side until a jaw injury at Cardiff in February ruled him out for two weeks, where he made his return at Derby but struggled to reclaim a regular place in the side.

Chelsea look set to offload the Brazilian in the summer, along with fellow loanee Tomas Kalas, but it remains to be seen whether Fulham will make a permanent offer for Piazon, who has said if the opportunity arises it would be nice to remain at the Cottage.

He said: "It's nice to see my ex team mates going to Wembley, we are out and we need to think about next season and do a better job but I don't know if I'll be here or not, you never know.


(Photo: Adam Davy/ PA Wire)

"I enjoyed my experience here, I came on the last day of the window and didn't expect to be here and to be honest we had a good season, we enjoyed playing together and I enjoyed playing here so I would be happy to stay.

"I think they are doing a great job here and if I have the opportunity to stay and keep this good work it would be nice.

"The aim next year is to go up I think, we came close this year so the team and the club has to push to go up next season."




http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/chelsea-man-lucas-piazon-admits-13070490

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Fulham 2016/17 season review: Slavisa Jokanovic's side get the season off to a prefect start

After a lot of talk that the side might struggle, Fulham got off to the perfect start with an unbeaten August - here's how the month unfolded

August saw the start of the Championship season and it turned out to be a good start for Slavisa Jokanovic's new look Fulham side.

Having lost Moussa Dembele and Ross McCormack, the latter just four days into the month and the day before their first game with Newcastle, there were big concerns that the side could be in trouble with the majority of their goals being taken from the side.

However, that didn't prove to be the case as Fulham ended the month unbeaten, with five wins and two draws to see them finish the month in second place, taking 11 points from five league games.

Here's how the month panned out.

August 4 - Fulham sell Ross McCormack
Aston Villa signed McCormack from Fulham for £12m as they looked to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

He scored 38 league goals for Fulham since signing from Leeds in 2014 and was the club's top scorer in the 2015/16 season.

At the time, Roberto di Matteo said: "He is a player whose goalscoring record has been excellent everywhere he has been and we feel he can be an important addition."

August 5 - Fulham 1-0 Newcastle United
The first game of the season and Fulham got their first win over recently relegated Newcastle, who were many people's favourites for automatic promotion before and after this game.

Matt Smith got the only goal of the game when he got his head onto Tom Cairney's corner just before half time to win Fulham the game.

It was the perfect start to the season.


Matt Smith scores against Newcastle (Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

August 9 - Leyton Orient 2-3 Fulham
Fulham fans got their first look at a certain player named Ryan Sessegnon as Fulham beat League Two side Leyton Orient 3-2 in the EFL Cup first round.

Academy man Dennis Adeniran got the first goal before Cauley Woodrow bagged a brace to see Jokanovic's side through, despite two late Paul McCallum goals.

It showcased the talent Fulham had in their youth departments, something that would become even more apparent as the season progressed.

August 13 - Preston North End 1-2 Fulham
Fulham got their first away league win of the season up at Deepdale thanks to a 2-1 victory over Preston.

Sone Aluko got his first goal for the club, while Matt Smith scored his second goal in as many league games to give the Cottagers a 2-0 lead.

Preston replied on 71 minutes but it wasn't enough to get a share of the points.

August 24 - Fulham 2-1 Middlesbrough
After draws with Leeds and Cardiff, Fulham beat Premier League opposition in the second round of the EFL cup when Middlesbrough came to visit.

Dave Nugent, who would score a hat-trick against Fulham later in the season, score after just eight minutes but a Julien de Sart own goal allowed them back into the tie.

It went to extra time and it was Lasse Vigen Christensen who scored the winner to set up a tie with Bristol City in round three.


Luca De La Torre and Daniel Ayala battle for the ball (Photo: PA)

August 31 - Chris Martin and Lucas Piazon join Fulham
The Cottagers finished the season in style by beating Blackburn with a last minute Tom Cairney goal and then further bolstered their ranks with the signings of Lucas Piazon from Chelsea and Chris Martin from Derby.

Little did we know at the time, the Martin transfer saga had only just started.


Debut: Lucas Piazon (Photo: Paul Gilham/Getty Images)



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-201617-season-review-slavisa-13070874

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Newcastle United odds on favourites to sign Tom Cairney from Fulham

Rumours are rife about the 26-year-old but Fulham remain hopeful that he will choose to stay at Craven Cottage for another season

Newcastle United are odds on favourites with Sky Bet to sign Tom Cairney in the summer.

The recently promoted side have been interested in the Fulham man for the most part of the season, with the club enquiring to the 26-year-old's availability in January and the bookmakers have priced them as 5/6 to sign him this summer.

No formal offer came in the winter, however, with Cairney happy at Craven Cottage where he finished the season in scintillating form, as he tried to help the side back to the Premier League.

Rumours are rife surrounding Cairney's future, with some sections of the media believing him to be close to signing with the St James' Park outfit, but Fulham are hopeful their talisman will choose to stay at Craven Cottage for another season.

Cairney is contracted until 2019 with the option to extend it for a further year until 2020 and it will be up to the club as to whether they accept any offer for their vice-captain, and if he was to leave he would command a decent fee as a result of his ability and contract length.

Sky Bet are offering odds of 2/1 to stay with Fulham with Newcastle 5/6 to sign him, while Bournemouth are 11/2, Swansea are 12/1 and West ham are 14/1.




http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/newcastle-united-odds-favourites-sign-13071110

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Penalty Heartache

The Young Whites lost on penalties in the Final of the Esad Osmanovski Memorial Cup in Holland. The match finished 0-0 after extra-time against Ghanian side Attram de Visser Soccer Academy.

They kicked off their day however with a 1-0 win in the Semi-Final against German outfit Werder Bremen, with Mattias Kait hitting the winner.

It took 10 minutes for the Whites to break the deadlock. Mikolaj Kwietniewski won a corner with some trickery, and it was his curling corner the keeper had to come for. The German stopper could not catch the ball and hit it into the path of Kait. The Estonian was on hand to slot it left of the keeper to put Fulham ahead.

Buoyed with confidence from his goal, Kait saw the keeper off his line five minutes later and attempted to chip him from the halfway line. He missed, but not by much.

A couple of minutes into the second half Elijah Adebayo was looking to get on the scoresheet. He muscled his way past a defender on the outside and curled an effort from outside the box, just missing the top right corner.

With 11 minutes left in the match, one of the Whites attackers was chopped down by the German number 10, and the referee awarded him a second yellow of the match and was given his marching orders.

Kwietniewski moments later had a great chance to put the game out of sight, striking at goal in the area unmarked, but put his effort wide.

The referee blew his whistle, and Fulham were through to the final to face Attram de Visser.

Fulham had met the Ghanaians in the group stages on Saturday, and lost in a close match 1-0.

Visser played a possession based first half, trying to extinguish the Fulham attack. They had one good shot, and Magnus Norman made a fine save to keep it level.

In the second half the Whites went the closest, Joe Felix crossed a pinpoint ball from a free-kick to Aron Davies at the back post, he headed on target but the keeper got across to make the save.

The Whites had one more chance before regular time came to an end, a long ball was played forward and Adebayo only had to nod it down to Kait free in the area, but with a bit too much on it the keeper was able to collect.

With two halves plus extra-time played the match went to penalties. Magnus Norman made two outstanding saves to keep Fulham in with a chance of lifting the trophy, however the Ghanaians prevailed winning 3-2 on spot-kicks.

The Whites had a great tournament playing some fantastic football, and the lottery of penalties was a cruel way to end their trip.

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/may/22/penalty-heartache

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De La Torre's late equalizer helps U.S. U-20s tie Ecuador

The U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team looked to be on the way to an opening-match loss at the Under-20 World Cup, but Luca De La Torre had other ideas.

The Fulham midfielder raced onto a failed headed clearance and volleyed home an equalizer in the final minute of second-half stoppage time to help the U.S. earn a 3-3 draw against Ecuador on Monday in Incheon, South Korea.

The late equalizer capped a dramatic back-and-forth affair that saw Ecuador jump out to a 2-0 lead in the opening minutes before the Americans rallied back behind a pair of goals from U.S. Under-17 standout Josh Sargent.

The U.S. looked to be in comfortable position with the match tied at 2-2, but goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann turned the ball over in his own penalty area to gift Ecuador a 3-2 lead. That looked like it might be the play that buried the Americans, but they continued to press forward for an equalizer, and found it in the dying moments of the match when Brooks Lennon floated a hopeful ball into the penalty area. Ecuador attempted to head the ball clear, but instead sent it right into the path of De La Torre, who hit a perfect shot from the top of the penalty area with just seconds remaining.

The Americans looked ready to be blown away early on, after some defensive breakdowns allowed Ecuador's lightning-fast wingers to exploit space and score two goals in the opening seven minutes.

It looked like things would get worse for the U.S. after Gedion Zelalem suffered a knee injury that forced him out in the 34th minute. As it turned out, Zelalem's departure was a turning point for the U.S. because it meant the insertion of Philadelphia Union midfielder Derrick Jones, who provided some much-needed bite in midfield.

The Americans cut Ecuador's initial lead in half just two minutes after Jones' inclusion, with De La Torre delivering a perfect pass to Sargent, who finished expertly from close range. The U.S. Under-17 standout equalized in the 54th minute when he converted a Brooks Lennon cross into a goal.

The United States will return to action Thursday with a match against Senegal, while Ecuador takes on Saudi Arabia.




http://sbisoccer.com/2017/05/de-la-torres-late-equalizer-helps-u-s-u-20s-tie-ecuador

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Wolves won't sign Fulham's Richard Stearman permanently as his future is thrown into doubt

The Fulham man had been on loan all year at the Midlands club but they won't be making his deal permanent

Wolves won't sign Richard Stearman permanently, throwing the defender's future into doubt.

The defender signed for F ulham in 2015 but was loaned back to the club the following season for the entirety of the campaign having not featured in any of the opening league games of the season.

He made 19 appearances in all competitions for Wolves and scored at Anfield against Liverpool as they knocked them out of the FA cup at the end of January, but his time there has come to an end and he has now returned to Fulham.

There will be no attempts made to sign Stearman permanently from Molineux and his future at the Cottage is now a doubt, with Slavisa Jokanovic preferring Tim Ream, Michael Madl and Ragnar Sigurdsson all ahead of the Englishman.

Stearman still has another year left on his Fulham contract and won't be short of suitors should the club decide his services are no longer required.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/wolves-wont-sign-fulhams-richard-13071316

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Fulham star Tom Cairney named in Scotland squad to face England in World Cup Qualifier

Gordan Strachan has called up Fulham's talisman for their game with England in June

Tom Cairney has been named in Scotland's World Cup qualifying squad to face England in June at Hampden Park.

The 26-year-old Fulham man got his first cap for the national side in their 1-1 draw with Canada in March, where he got the assist for Steven Naismith's equaliser at Easter Road.

He was on the bench for their 1-0 victory over Slovenia in their World Cup qualifier four days later where Chris Martin bagged the winner late in the tie.

Gordon Strachan's side currently sit in fourth place Group F, having won twice, lost twice and drawn once, while their opponents, England, are top having won four time and drawn once.

Cairney has impressed for Fulham this season and that has attracted the attention of a number of clubs, including Newcastle, but another call-up for Fulham's talisman is well deserved this year.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-star-tom-cairney-named-13070645

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Cairney's Call-Up

Tom Cairney has been called up to the Scotland squad for their upcoming World Cup Qualifier against England.

The midfielder has retained his place in Gordon Strachan's group, having made his debut in the 1-1 friendly draw with Canada back in March.

It could mean a first Hampden Park appearance for Cairney, and Scotland will be searching for a win over the country of his birth to move to within three points of England who currently top Group F.

Chris Martin, who spent the 2016/17 season on loan at Fulham, has also been named in the squad for the Qualifier on Saturday 10th June.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/may/22/cairneys-call-up

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Chelsea attacker openly admits where he wants to play football next season, won't surprise fans

Speaking to Get West London, Lucas Piazon has admitted he would like to return to Fulham over the summer, following the end of his loan spell at Craven Cottage.

Piazon will be made available for transfer by his parent-club Chelsea over the summer, and has stated he would like to return to Fulham after enjoying a successful loan.

The Brazilian said: "I enjoyed my experience here, I came on the last day of the window and didn't expect to be here and to be honest we had a good season, we enjoyed playing together and I enjoyed playing here so I would be happy to stay.

"I think they are doing a great job here and if I have the opportunity to stay and keep this good work it would be nice.

"The aim next year is to go up I think, we came close this year so the team and the club has to push to go up next season."

Slavisa Jokanovic's side finished sixth in the Sky Bet Championship, and were favourites for promotion to the Premier League following their qualification to the play-offs.

However, the Cottagers were left frustrated after a 2-1 aggregate defeat to Reading in the play-off semi-finals, which condemned Jokanovic's side to another season in the Championship.

Piazon made 33 appearances during his season-long loan from Chelsea, scoring six goals across all competitions.

Tomas Kalas also spent the 2016/17 season on-loan with Fulham from Chelsea, and the defender has stated that he wants to remain at Craven Cottage beyond the end of his current deal.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/chelsea-attacker-openly-admits-where-he-wants-to-play-football-next-season-wont-surprise-fans/

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Fulham's 2016/17 season report cards - Tom Cairney is top of the class for Slavisa Jokanovic's side

We've rated every single Fulham player based on their performances this season and you can have your say using our ratings sliders

Fulham had a season to remember, despite the heartbreak of the Play-offs, and a number of players shone in a squad that was full of confidence and attacking threat.

Slavisa Jokanovic turned Fulham round this year - taking from languishing near the bottom of the Championship to fighting for promotion, while scaring everyone with their depths of attacking talent.

Ryan Sessegnon emerged from the youth team, Fulham scored the joint-top amount of goals in the league and they broke into the Play-offs thanks to a late run - it was a good season at the Cottage.

We've given the squad our end of season marks, you can give yours at the end with our player ratings sliders to let us know how you think they've done.

David Button - 7
It's been a tough season for Button - he came in from Brentford to be Jokanovic's number one but ended it being dropped to the bench after mistakes forced the manager's hand.

He pulled off some really good saves in a Fulham shirt this season, but he always looked like he had a mistake in him and never seemed settled in the frame of the goal at the Cottage.

That said, there isn't too much to choose between Button and Marcus Bettinelli in terms of ability, as proven by the quality of some of the saves the goalkeeper pulled off this season.

I know this will be a questionable one with a lot of you, but despite being dropped and having a few iffy moments he's done enough in my books to warrant a seven.

Marcus Bettinelli - 7
He came in for the final eight games of the season and as a result the back line looked far more comfortable in possession and in defence.

Okay, so he didn't keep a clean sheet, but he did pull of a number of good saves, especially the one against Yann Kermorgant in the Play-offs and he can be proud of what he did during those games he played.

He'll be disappointed to not have played more and will look to build next year, but he is 25 soon and needs to be getting regular game time to fulfil his potential.

Ryan Fredericks - 7
A solid season for the right back, although a tendency to see a rush of blood has cost him an eight in my ratings.

He looked good going forward at times, although you could perhaps say he was a little inconsistent with his defending over the course of the season.

His final ball lacked somewhat as well in the season, despite getting himself into some really promising attacking position as a result of his skill and pace down the wing.

A good season for Fredericks and something to build on next year.

Scott Malone - 8
A really good season for Malone saw him named in the Football Manager team of the season in what was possibly his best season to date in his career.

While defensively not as strong as some people would like, his attacking threat was potent throughout the season down the left flank and he always looked dangerous.

Like Fredericks, his final ball wasn't always the best, but his link up with Sessegnon down the left towards the latter part of the season was a joy to behold at times.

Tim Ream - 7
A shaky start suddenly developed into a fine flourish for the American as he grew in confidence more and more as the season progressed.

Since Christmas, he looked a man transformed and went from someone who fans took a sharp inhale of breath when he had the ball to the colossus at the heart of the defence, winning headers and big challenges against centre forwards.

Had his end of season form been his form throughout the campaign he would've got higher than a seven, but I have to take into account his dodgy early periods and for that he gets a seven.

Tomas Kalas - 7
Ream's defensive partner, he's had a very good season in the heart of defence with the American.

He's shown this season that he is one of the better centre backs in the league and that will not have gone unnoticed by both Fulham and their rivals.

Strong in the tackle and with an ability to play with the ball on the deck, he was exactly what Jokanovic wanted in a centre back and I have no doubt that the manager will do everything to try get him back next season.

He was the understudy to Ream in the second half of the season and will be pleased with his contributions.

Stefan Johansen - 8
The engine in the Fulham machine, Johansen had a great first season after joining from Celtic in the summer.

You can't have the midfield trio of Fulham with one of the players missing, they each bring something important to the mix and Johansen's endless running from defence to attack really allowed both Kevin McDonald and Cairney to play their football.

His April form was sensational and he ended the season with 13 goals, which before the Play-offs was the most in the Fulham side.

It was a joy to watch him this year, and unfortunately I think he didn't recover from that knock at Huddersfield to allow him to continue that form into the Play-offs.

Kevin McDonald - 8
One of the holy trio, McDonald's work in the holding midfield role was some of the most underrated work of the season.

He was the glue that held the defence and the midfield together, not allowing it to get too stretched when Cairney and Johansen would go roaming while also breaking up play when the opposition tried to attack.

I'm a big fan of holding midfielders and I've liked McDonald for a long time - the way he is able to break up play and then move the ball onto a winger quickly is a big part of how Fulham set up to attack on the counter.

Tom Cairney - 9
By far and away the side's best player, Cairney has been instrumental to Fulham's season and has been a joy to watch.

His goals and assists have been pivotal to the side, while his pass rate is better than anyone in the division.

He was the metronome to the Fulham attack and dictated how they played, deciding whether to go left or right.

His influence in this side cannot be overlooked, no matter how hard you try, and he is my Fulham Player of the Season.

Scott Parker - 6
He's not really had the game time this season to get any higher than a six, although his experience in the Fulham dressing room will have been invaluable to those around him.

At the age of 36 he was never going to take a starting spot from Johansen, McDonald or Cairney, nor was he going to tear up trees in the heart of midfield this season, but his experience was vital.

I like Parker, but this could well have been his last season at the club and in football altogether.

Neeskens Kebano - 7
A good first season for the forward, although an injury and a call-up to the Africa Cup of Nations did it's best to halt his debut season.

He looked good before both of those, displaying a vast array of skills and the ability to beat a man out wide which is what Jokanovic wanted from his wide men.

When he came back from injury he looked a man reborn and was unlucky not to start more games, but a return of six goals is decent and he should be happy with that.

Floyd Ayite - 7
Another man who was undergoing his first season in English football, his pace and trickery was let down by his inability to finish chances up front.

He scored nine goals, which is great after signing from Bastia in July, but it could have and probably should have been more with some of the chances he spurned.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of him next season if he can kick on and have a proper striker up top with him.

Sone Aluko - 7
Aluko is a great player that suffers from incosistency. which has been evident this season.

Some games he is a world beater and can take on anyone and everyone, when in others he is unable to affect the game in the same way.

His importance to this team was highlighted by his nine goals and ten assists and I think he will beat that tally next season, but as with Ayite, only if there is an out and out striker up top with him.

Chris Martin - 4
This was always going to be an interesting one to give an end of season mark to considering the amount that went on between Martin and the club.

His goals before Christmas were vitally important to the side, and in the end his eleven goals helped Fulham on their way to the Play-offs.

However, he ruined his season and reputation at the Cottage with his mid-season strike and after that he didn't look the same player.

After January, he only scored once for the Cottagers in the 3-1 win over Preston and I think, despite Jokanovic keeping faith, the right decision would've been to cut losses.

Ryan Sessegnon - 8
What a year this boy has had.

Only 16 for most of the season, he scored seven goals in 30 appearances this year, which was a phenomenal feat for such a young person.

He looked far beyond his years, showing a wealth of maturity and I never once felt uncomfortable when he was on the ball or making a decision .

His performance at Newcastle was one of those that will always live in the memory of the people who were there - the day a 16-year-old dismantled Newcastle in their own backyard.

Denis Odoi - 6
He had a decent first season in England and showed a nice skill set, but you always felt that Fredericks was the first choice right back.

He was more solid defensively perhaps, but as shown at Sheffield Wednesday, he had a tendency to lose the ball and get caught in dangerous positions.

His piece of skill against Newcastle where he used his back to control the ball was one the champagne moments of the season.

Michael Madl - 6
He only made 17 appearances this season as Fulham struggled to find their best centre back partnership, which in the end turned out to be Ream and Kalas.

He looked comfortable on the ball for the Cottagers but only made five appearances since the turn of the year as Jokanovic opted for others over the Austrian.

He definitely has the ability to play at this level and we may well see more of him next season.

Ragnar Sigurdsson - 6
He arrived from Krasnodar after Iceland's superb European Championship campaign, but he never really hit the heights that we were expecting of him this season.

He looked like he was going to be a tough, ball winning central defender but we didn't really see much of that from him this year - he certainly didn't look the same player who scored the equaliser against England at Euro 2016.

It may just be a period of adaptation to the country, and with another year left on his contract he has time to improve.

Lucas Piazon - 7
A good season from the Chelsea loanee, but that jaw injury against Cardiff didn't allow the forward to finish the season the way he wanted.

He played some lovely football in the false nine formation Jokanovic liked to use and his goal at Bristol was a joy to watch - the passing that lead to the goal was some of the best this season.

Piazon gave a good account of himself in the Play-off second leg at Reading and I would like to see him back the Cottage, whether that will happen remains to be seen.

Gohi Cyriac - 6
Not much to say about Cyriac, apart from his only goal for the club turned against Blackburn out to be a vitally important one in the grand scheme of things as the point saw Fulham into the Play-offs.

Jokanovic never seemed to fancy him and as a result he got very limited game time, and for that reason he gets a six.

Thanos Petsos - N/A
Er, who?




http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulhams-201617-season-report-cards-13072656

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International Call-Ups

Details of the Fulham players who have been called up by their respective countries ahead of the upcoming international period. Any further call-ups will be detailed on fulhamfc.com in due course.

Senior squad:

Floyd Ayité (Togo) – Friendly & Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier

Tom Cairney (Scotland) – World Cup Qualifier

Cyriac (Ivory Coast) – Friendly & Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier

Stefan Johansen (Norway) – World Cup Qualifier & Friendly

Tomas Kalas (Czech Republic) – Friendly & World Cup Qualifier

Neeskens Kebano (Congo) – Friendly & Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier

Chris Martin (Scotland) – World Cup Qualifier

Under-21s

Lasse Vigen Christensen (Denmark) – European Championships

Marek Rodák (Slovakia) – European Championships




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/may/22/international-call-ups

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Fulham news round up: All the goings on from around Craven Cottage

We've rounded up all the day's news in one easy bite size chunk for you to digest at the end of the day

It's been another busy day around the Cottage despite it being the close season, but the news never stops with Fulham.

We've rounded up the day's action for you in an easy to manage bite size chunk with all the important information from the day's happenings, which have included Lucas Piazon talking about his future at the club.

Piazon discuss his future

The Chelsea man has admitted he doesn't know where his future lies, but has revealed it would be nice to make the move back to Fulham .

He's returned to his parent club after the end of the season, who look set to cash in on him during the summer transfer window.

Would you like to see back at the Cottage?

Cairney receives Scotland call-up

Tom Cairney received a Scotland call-up for their World Cup qualifier with England in June .

It's a well deserved reward for the 26-year-old after his superb season in white and he will be hoping to add to the one cap he has already received.

The game takes place on June 10.

Newcastle odds-on favourites to sign Cairney

Dejected: Tom Cairney (Photo: Harry Trump/Getty Images)

The rumour mill is in overtime and Newcastle are the favourites to sign Cairney with Sky Bet .

He's been linked with them most of the year and they are now in pole position to sign the 26-year-old, according to the bookies.

Fulham hope they can keep him though, so it will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Wolves won't resign Richard Stearman
The defender had been on loan all season at Wolves, but he won't be signing permanently .

He's returned to Fulham and his future is no in doubt, with him behind Tim Ream, Michael Madl and Ragnar Sigurdsson in the pecking order.

He's still got a year to run on his Fulham contract.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-news-round-up-goings-13073854

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Klopp Talk: "Most of the Work is Already Done"
Liverpool's offseason just started, but Jürgen Klopp says their summer plans are already at an advanced stage.

Southampton's Virgil van Dijk. Red Bull Leipzig's Naby Keita. Roma's Mohamed Salah. Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon. With Liverpool's 2016-17 season now in the books, eyes turn to the transfer market as Jürgen Klopp looks to strengthen his side ahead of a return to the Champions League.

If you asked most journalists with ties to the club, they'd say the top targets for Klopp this summer are fairly well defined, with the only real change compared to a month ago a focus on Salah in place of Julian Brandt. And it doesn't sound as though fans will have to wait long for things to start to happen.

"We learned a lot about ourselves this year, now we can use it," Klopp said at his final post-match press conference of the season when asked about what comes next for the club and his squad. "We have already pretty much done it, now we have to see. Most of the work is already done."

That doesn't necessarily mean that van Dijk and Keita and Salah and Sessegnon will be lined up at Melwood tomorrow. And even if Klopp gets all his top targets, that likely won't be the sum of all Liverpool's movement in the transfer market this summer. But the main targets are known and negotiations have begun.

Now, it's about wrapping up the deals quickly in order to ensure all Liverpool's new signings are fully involved from the start of pre-season. At least for Klopp's main targets and priority positions, that will be the goal and expectation with a little less than two months to go before the club's first pre-season game.

"It's not like we now sit together and speak about what we think we need," Klopp added. "Now we made the decisions, get the negotiations done, all that stuff. But it's good. We are prepared and will see what works out and what does not."



http://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/liverpool-fc-transfer-news/2017/5/22/15674368/liverpool-fc-transfer-news-summer-2017-work-already-done-jurgen-klopp

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The Craven Corner - A Time For Reflection
Fulham Columnist, Adam Brons-Smith reflects on Fulham's season and the journey the club has undertaken.

As another season comes to a close, it's time to reflect on the roller-coaster journey of the last 12 months.

First of all, it's been a great honour and pleasure to have blogged and produced content for the programme this season, and I can't thank everyone enough for their help and support throughout the season.

But on the pitch, I think it's safe to say we surpassed expectations this year. I remember writing the articles during pre-season and thinking that if we finished around 10th or 12th it would have a been a good season considering another summer overhaul and the sad performances that plagued our seasons since relegation. So it is a surprise that a year on, I'm gutted to have watch our beloved club knocked out of the play-offs by Reading just last week. A result that in fact, hurt more than relegation for me but I think that's due to having such a good end to the season and the optimism around the club kept on growing and that's infectious!

Despite our strong opening month this season, Fulham began to hit a rocky patch and as we stumbled to Christmas with the occasional breath-taking performance, it wasn't until the end of January and the end of the AFCON tournament that Fulham began to hit top form. Prior to the African Cup of Nations, Neeskens Kebano had failed to deliver and live up to the £4m price-tag that hung over his head from the summer, and Floyd Ayite's return to the side was more than needed. Kebano's 6 goals and 3 assists fuelled the resurgence in SW6, which was uncharacteristic as many fans were fear the worst when AFCON takes place due to fatigue and missing key fixtures, but on this occasion it was like a new signing.

Last summer I remember writing a paragraph about Kevin McDonald and potential fears about what he could bring to the side. But, fast forward to today and every game this season I have eaten humble pie. When Slavisa switched to a 3 man midfield of McDonald, Cairney and Johansen, Fulham began to dominate teams and although Cairney will get the media plaudits this season for his goals and assists, it will be McDonald who gets my Player of the Season vote. The summer signing from Wolves became the lynchpin in our side, allowing the creative players the freedom they needed to make things happen in the final third of the pitch. After every game, I remember my focus on McDonald becoming more and more apparent and the appreciation for the Scot grew. Not only did he read the game incredibly well, you could constantly watch him dictate the players and the play, even out of possession he'd be the constant voice keeping the players in their position, ensuring that the side stayed as rigid as possible during the defensive side of the game – something the squad has lacked since relegation and some may argue for even longer than that!

So, here it is – Kevin McDonald, you get my vote for Player of the Season and it's been a pleasure to eat my doubts all season. What a man, what a player, what a leader.

But, we couldn't do a season review without mentioning his midfield partners; Tom Cairney and Stefan Johansen. Cairney's stand-out performances earned himself a place in the Scottish National team, where he put in a solid display, earning more praise from international fans and I'd expect he will feature more regularly in the near future for Scotland. Even though Cairney may come a close second in my player of the season votes, he has been priceless this season and not only that, but has stepped up to captain the side this season in the absence of Scott Parker; and just like a true captain, he has lead from the front, setting the perfect example to his team-mates and aspiring youth players that have emerged over the course of the season.

This summer will be nerve-wracking for Fulham fans as his name will plastered in every Transfer Rumour post and column, but fingers crossed our captain will lead us to promotion next season. A player that epitomises everything that is great about our club and a terrific role model for anyone.

Finally, Stefan Johansen deserves a huge amount of praise for the season he has had in his debut year for the club. Despite being subbed in the first half of his debut, the Norwegian put the work in off the pitch to force himself into Jokanovic's plans this season. His work ethic and desire to play a part in both ends of the pitch as proved to be the missing ingredient in the centre of the park. Being able to support McDonald in the defensive side of the game while making sure he can be an outlet for the likes of Cairney, Aluko and co in the final third of the pitch, there's no surprise he managed to notch up an impressive 13 goals and 8 assists in all competitions. Just like the other two players, Stefan Johansen has proved to be an invaluable asset in the middle of the park, and if we are going to improve on our season next year, keeping these three together is the ultimate objective for the board.

While, the three midfielders have gathered the most amount of attention this season, there has been a massive amounts of improvement all over the pitch. In the heart of defence, Tim Ream looks like a rejuvenated player under Slavisa, and has developed a strong relationship with Chelsea defender, Tomas Kalas – a player that we hope is back at Craven Cottage next year. If I'm honest, I think Slavisa's persistency to play out from the back has really benefited Ream's performances, and finally suits the way the American would prefer to play.

Ream's partner in defence, Kalas has been a superb addition to the side and if an agreement can be reached to keep the young Czech at the club, then it would be a coup for the club, considering his age and ability. Kalas would be a tremendous investment by the club if a reasonable fee could be agreed and I strongly feel that he will only get better, meaning that his value could rise should he join Fulham on a permanent basis and play on a regular basis – something he may not be able to achieve at Chelsea yet, or at another loan club.

To conclude, it's safe to say there has been plenty of changes over the course of the season and plenty of ups and downs. Being the roller-coaster season that it is, I think everyone has learned a lesson or two, and looking back we've grown as a club and squad because of it. In my honest opinion, if we can keep this squad together for the next 18 months at least, there's no reason why we couldn't achieve automatic promotion in that time. There's a great feeling around the club again, the players are settled and work in harmony with each other and the longer we keep them together, the better the results the fans will witness.

Lastly, I would love to thank you all for your help and support over the course of the season and I apologise for not updating this blog as much as I could have in the past 2 months. It's been a tremendous season for Fulham and it's going to be an exciting summer for us all, and I will make sure I will keep you in the loop with the latest as we start preparing for the new season.

Thank you ever so much for reading – If you have any feedback or want to contact me, please do tweet me @ABronsSmith.




http://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2017/5/22/15676382/the-craven-corner-a-time-for-reflection

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Aston Villa should move for Richard Stearman

Wolverhampton Wanderers have decided against signing Richard Stearman from Fulham, meaning Aston Villa could make a move.

With Richard Stearman's move to Wolverhampton Wanderers falling through (Shropshire Star), he could make a good option for Aston Villa.

Villa are looking to upgrade their squad in the summer transfer window, but do not have many funds to spend currently.

Steve Bruce's side are said to have a £1 million transfer budget (Daily Mirror), with loans and free transfers their most likely buys.

And Stearman could now make a good budget addition for Villa, following Wolves' decision not to make his move permanent.

Stearman may not have started particularly often for Wolves this campaign, but he remains a very popular figure at Molineux.

The 29-year-old's quality at Championship level is undoubted, and he is surely one of the best available options for Villa on their current budget.

Bruce is known to want to add a new centre-back, as Villa aim to return to the Premier League next season.

And although Stearman's arrival may not set any pulses racing at Villa Park, he would be a quality budget signing for the claret and blues.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/05/22/aston-villa-should-move-for-richard-stearman/