Friday Fulham Stuff (01/09/17)...

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Yohan Mollo moves to Fulham from Zenit St Petersburg

Fulham have signed winger Yohan Mollo from Zenit St Petersburg.

The 28-year-old Frenchman, also formerly of Monaco and St Etienne, has arrived at Craven Cottage on a two-year deal.

Mollo told Fulhamfctv: "I am really happy and excited about the project.

"I have an opportunity to play in England and to play with a club with great history like Fulham with some great players. It's a big opportunity for me and I am looking forward to getting started."



https://www.clubcall.com/fulham/yohan-mollo-moves-to-fulham-from-zenit-st-petersburg-1861447.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Wolves winger completes loan move to 'wicked' Fulham

Fulham have signed Jordan Graham on loan from Wolves for the season as confirmed by the club website.

While Graham came through the Aston Villa academy, he soon ended up switching for Wolves and would break through into the first team there. Even when he wasn't able to get into the first eleven at Molineux, he ended going out on loan to Oxford United and would become a star player for the U's during his short time at the club. But with all the investment being put into the playing squad, Graham has been unable to get back into the first team squad and once again needs a loan deal to make sure he gets time on the pitch.

And as the transfer deadline starts to close in, Graham has found his new club after signing a loan deal with Fulham that will keep him at the club until the end of the season. It is a surprising move as Wolves have now handed a promotion rival a potentially key asset that could give them the advantage as they fight for those important places at the top of the table, but the Cottagers will not be complaining as they have now got a top quality player.

Following the completion of the move, Graham said: "I'm over the moon,"

"It's a wicked club to be at. I know how big a club it is. I know where it belongs, and as soon as I heard of the interest I couldn't wait to get down here and hopefully be part of a big season."




http://the72.co.uk/91059/wolves-winger-completes-loan-move-wicked-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

 
Ream Returns to Where It All Began

U.S. national team defender Tim Ream got his first taste of the professional game in MLS with the New York Red Bulls. Photograph by Matt Kremkau

HARRISON, N.J. — United States and Fulham defender Tim Ream was asked about his positive and negative memories from his days, early in his professional career, with the New York Red Bulls.

"I won't discuss the not-so-great memories because they involved particular players and I won't single them out because I'm not like that," Ream said at Red Bull Arena on Thursday morning as the American team was about to run through its final training session before Friday night's CONCACAF World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica.

For a U.S. Soccer video feature, Ream took the high road and talked about what it felt like to return to the New York metropolitan area after so many years in England, first with Bolton Wanderers and now along the banks of the Thames River at Fulham's Craven Cottage stadium.

After being drafted by the Red Bulls out of St. Louis University, his hometown, in 2010 Ream quickly nailed down a spot in central defense during the regime of Coach Hans Backe. Later that year, the Red Bulls acquired the Mexican international Rafael Marquez on a free transfer from Barcelona. All seemed to go swimmingly for the American and Mexican defenders until late in the 2011 season, when Marquez went public with his criticism of the team, in general, and of Ream, specifically.

"If you watched the game, there were individual errors that you can't do anything about, if we look at statistics, I stole a lot of balls," Marquez said after a bad showing against Real Salt Lake. "I think I made two or three bad passes out of 30 plus attempts. I almost didn't commit any errors, so I am not worried. I think I am playing at my maximum level, and doing everything I can. I don't have, unfortunately, four defenders on my level that can help me out."

He then took a shot at Ream, saying: "Tim is still a young player with a lot to learn. He still has quite a lot to learn, and well, he has committed errors that are very infantile and cost us goals."

Asked about his good memories from his days in Major League Soccer, Ream mentioned being on the field when the Red Bulls opened their new stadium against Santos, then played the first league match against Chicago. On the down side, crashing out of the playoffs against San Jose.

Then he got around to the Marquez incident and the positives that resulted.

"To a certain extent it was constructive criticism,  just done in a wrong avenue," he said. "I was a bit naive, no doubt about it. It helped me to grow as a player and as a human being and to realize what avenues to take to speak to other guys on the team; and what avenues not to take. It helped me to grow as a player and cut out things that were costing the team at the time."

He acknowledged that the level of "constructive criticism" was always present in England, "but it's different."

"Over there it's kept in house in the locker room, not in the press and the papers," he said. "That's something that's necessary to be held accountable. I understand that now better than I did when I was a 23-year-old kid. You take it and you grow and you move on."

Though he has established himself as a dependable central defender in the League Championship, one tier down from the Premier League, Ream remains more of a role player with the U.S. On Thursday, Coach Bruce Arena said he sees Ream as a central defender, not a player who could play out wide on the left. That leaves him behind the probable tandem in central defense of Geoff Cameron and Omar Gonzalez, and possibly Matt Besler as well.

It may be a difficult realization for a guy who has carved out a pretty decent career in London.

Asked about his role with the national team, he said, "Good question."

"I'd like to say that, personally, I want to be starting games," he said. "But with the national team, you may be a starter with your club team, but when you  come in with national team you have to temper your expectations and take on a different role. Right now I'm one of those next-man-up types. For me to be the next man up means I have to come in and show that my ability can help that squad. It's something that right now I'm well aware of and I've embraced it, and it's what you have to do in a team."

And while Marquez is dealing with some weighty problems of his own these days, Ream, 29, appears calm, content. composed and secure about his current place at Fulham — and in the red, white and blue.

Notes
U.S. Coach Bruce Arena was again asked what it's like to come back to New York, his hometown (though he grew up on Long Island) for a national team game. He again mentioned that the match is in New Jersey. "But look, its a great venue for the U.S. team," Arena said. "I was here with the Red Bulls 10 years ago. We need to embrace New Jersey." It was mentioned that the facilities — the club used to play at Giants Stadium and train at Montclair State University — have changed, and changed for the better. "Our practice facility was worse than the one we had in college," when Arena was the coach at Virginia. "Obviously, the league has improved its facilities greatly." ... The U.S. is unbeaten in the 14 games (9-0-5) since Arena returned to coach the U.S. after Jurgen Klinsmann was fired late last year. ... The U.S., after starting so poorly in the Hex, could actually qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia after the next two games should things go its way. On Friday, the U.S. would have to beat Costa Rica, Trinidad and Honduras would have to draw and Mexico would have to defeat Panama. Then on Tuesday, the U.S. would clinch if it wins at Honduras, and Trinidad defeats Honduras. ... The U.S. has a 6-1-2 record at home against the Ticos in qualifying matches. ... Seven Costa Rica players play in MLS: Cristian Bolaños and Kendall Waston (Vancouver), Francisco Calvo and Johan Venegas (Minnesota), Rodney Wallace (New York City FC), Marco Ureña (San Jose) and David Guzmán (Portland).



http://www.empireofsoccer.com/ream-returns-to-where-it-all-began-64908/

[WhiteJC]

 
Tim Ream ready to be 'the next man' up in U.S. defense

The Fulham defender is a leading candidate to start in the U.S. defense against Costa Rica, taking another step in a career he never dreamed of having

HARRISON, N.J. — Tim Ream was in familiar territory on Thursday, holding court at Red Bull Arena as the U.S. national team held its final training session ahead of Friday's World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica.

Ream began his professional career seven years ago on the same field where he stood Thursday. Back in 2010 he was a little-known rookie who few could have envisioned eventually making a multi-million dollar move to the English Premier League and becoming a regular on the USMNT. It is a road that has had its tough moments, but Ream can't help but smile at the realization his career has already exceeded any expectations he may have had the first time he set foot in Red Bull Arena.

"At the time [in college] if you had told me I'd be here with the national team and somewhat established I might have laughed in your face," Ream said. "I don't think I could have envisioned what my career has been and has become. It's something that's a lot of hard hours, a lot of long hours and a lot of sacrifices in areas that people who aren't around professional sports don't understand."

Seven years later, Ream heads into Friday's qualifier a leading candidate to start in central defense alongside Geoff Cameron. His most recent contribution to the national team, a steady showing against Mexico back in June, has made him the leading candidate to step in for injured starter John Brooks.

"Personally, I want to be starting games, but we all know as a national team you may be the star and start for your club team and come in with your national team and temper expectations and take on a different role," Ream said. "I think that's the beauty of this team.

"Right now I'm one of those 'Next man up' types and for me to be next man up and come in and show that you have the ability to help out the squad in any way that you can is something that right now I'm very well aware of and something I've embraced."

The Fulham defender has enjoyed a solid career in England, where he began with Bolton before the club's relegation to the Championship. A move to Fulham two seasons ago has been a fruitful one for Ream, who has become a regular starter at a club with a rich tradition of American players.

It is his play at Fulham that helped earn Ream a return to the national team picture after several years out of the mix. He was thrust into the national team setup in just his second season as a professional — after an impressive rookie season with the Red Bulls in 2010 — but struggles for both club and country plagued him during what should have been a breakout year.

Those struggles didn't keep him from making a move to Bolton, and even though it took him some time to re-establish himself with the national team, he has now become a regular call-up, becoming one of the team's top left-footed center back options.

Will Ream get the call on Friday against Costa Rica? He looks a good bet to be partnered with Geoff Cameron, but is also facing stiff competition from Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler for the starting role.

"I think Bruce has shown, even going back to the March friendlies, that's there's competition," Ream said. "Even when [John Brooks] is in there's competition. He's not afraid to shuffle the pack and change things up, and choose pairings that he sees as the optimal pairing for that match depending on what the strikers are doing, or the team as a whole that we're playing."

If Ream does get the start, he will be doing so in the stadium where his career began, a place that still brings him good vibes when he returns.

"It's still really home," Ream said. "It was a place that gave me a chance to shine and prove myself on the professional level. There's still a lot of people here that were here when I was, and that was five, five and a half years now. You don't find that at a lot of clubs these days, so it's nice to see some familiar faces and some old friends and it's just nice to be back and see the things you used to see every day. It's a little bit nostalgic really."



http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/tim-ream-prepared-to-be-the-next-man-up-in-usmnt-defense/dfi8bypbqkfq1aidlffwgsvyl

[WhiteJC]

 
Everton hoping to sign Fulham prospect

Everton are keen on signing highly-rated Fulham youngster Dennis Adeniran.

The 18-year-old midfielder has made five first-team appearances, with three starts in the League Cup.

He scored half an hour into his senior debut, against Leyton Orient last August.

Adeniran, a regular for the England Under-17s, was later called up to the England Under-19s team.



http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/everton-hoping-sign-fulham-prospect

[WhiteJC]

 
Yohan Mollo joins Fulham as former Zenit St Petersburg winger becomes club's fifth summer signing

    Fulham have signed 28-year-old winger Yohan Mollo from Zenit St Petersburg
    The French wideman has penned a two-year contract at Craven Cottage
    Mollo is Fulham's fifth signing this summer  - their 10th including loans

Fulham have signed winger Yohan Mollo from Zenit St Petersburg.

The 28-year-old Frenchman, also formerly of Monaco and St Etienne, has arrived at Craven Cottage on a two-year deal.

Fulham used Twitter to break the news of Mollo's arrival as the club posted a video of him writing his name on the camera lens.


Fulham have announced the signing of Yohan Mollo from Zenit St Petersburg on Twitter


The 28-year-old was unveiled in a video in which he wrote his autograph on the camera lens

He told Fulhamfctv: 'I am really happy and excited about the project.

'I have an opportunity to play in England and to play with a club with great history like Fulham with some great players.

'It's a big opportunity for me and I am looking forward to getting started.'

Mollo is Fulham's fifth permanent signing this summer, after Marcelo Djalo, Ibrahima Cisse, Aboubakar Kamara and Rui Fonte.

The Cottagers have also brought in Lucas Piazon, Oliver Norwood, Tomas Kalas, Sheyi Ojo and Rafa Soares on loan.

Mollo will be available to make his debut after the international break when Fulham host Cardiff City.


Mollo played just seven Russian league matches for former club Zenit


The French winger joined Zenit in January this year, after 18 months with Kryliya Sovetov



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4841564/Yohan-Mollo-joins-Fulham-Zenit-St-Petersburg.html#ixzz4rPD5RZEC
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Dwight Gayle to stay at Newcastle: Striker won't go after failure to land Lucas Perez

DWIGHT GAYLE is staying at Newcastle after the Toon rejected a £15m bid from Fulham for the player.

Gayle has been chased by Championship sides Fulham and Leeds in the past few days.

Starsport broke the news about Leeds' interest earlier this week, with Newcastle demanding an £18m fee for his services.

Second tier rivals Fulham are also keen on the striker, and have put £15m on the table.

But Newcastle have rejected the offer, because they couldn't get a deal done for Arsenal's Lucas Perez to arrive as his replacement.



http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/641540/Newcastle-transfer-news-Dwight-Gayle-Leeds-gossip-deadline-day