Thursday Fulham Stuff (07/09/17)...

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Atkinson Signs

We are delighted to announce that Rob Atkinson, 19, has signed for Fulham from Basingstoke Town.

He will play for Peter Grant's Under-23 side, having already featured for the Whites this season in the PL2 against Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa.

Atkinson is a versatile defender capable of featuring at centre-back or on the left, who likes to play out from the back.

He spent his formative youth years in France, developing his skills at the AS Cannes academy before returning to the UK.

He is an accomplished Futsal Player, having played for Reading's FA National Futsal Super League team, and has been selected for England's Under-19 side.

He joined Basingstoke at the start of the 2016/17 season, where he was named their Player of the Year in a campaign that culminated with them winning the Hampshire FA Senior Cup.

"We are delighted that Rob Atkinson has agreed to join us from Basingstoke Town," stated Academy Director Huw Jennings.

"He came in and played two Under-23 games against Brighton and Aston Villa and performed very well for us.

"We fended off competition from three other clubs, one Premier League club and two other Championship clubs, and we are delighted to have him."

Speaking from the Club's Motspur Park Training Ground, Atkinson said: "To have a club like Fulham come in and offer me a contract, I'm obviously delighted.

"I like to think of myself as a ball-playing centre-half who can bring the ball out, but I can do the dirty work as well.

"I've played in non-league; things aren't pretty down there most of the time. I can play both ways.

"Academy football is going to be new to me, especially at Under-23 level, I've never played it before.

"So going back to youth football is going to be an interesting one but I am looking forward to the challenge.

"The end goal is to play for the first team on a regular basis and I will be looking to do that. I don't particularly want to play Under-23s football until I am 23, I want to get out of it and play adult football because that is where it is all at."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/september/06/atkinson-signs

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Robert Atkinson completes Fulham signing

We are pleased to announce that Rob Atkinson has signed for Fulham following a successful trial. The club will receive a compensation fee from the Championship club. Everyone at Basingstoke Town thanks Rob for his time at the club and wishes him well in his career at Fulham.


http://btfc.co.uk/robert-atkinson-completes-fulham-signing/

[WhiteJC]

 
The Tony Gale Column

Ipswich seems like ages ago now, but it was vital to win that game. You get those three points under your belt, sit back and wait for the next game, whereas if you'd lost it then the international break feels like a long two weeks.

We knew we were going to click into gear before long, and it was good to see it happen sooner rather than later. It was a relief because they're a stubborn nut to crack, Ipswich, and they've had a good start to the season. It's one of those games that we could have feared, but it's typical of the division that a team that's doing as well as Ipswich lose to a side like us who hadn't been in the richest of form. They probably would have been the favourites for the game with that in mind, but it turned out to be a convincing win.

Another big bonus to come out of that trip to Portman Road was Rui Fonte's goal. He's our new number nine and we'll be looking to him as a main source of goals, and he certainly took his chance well last time out. I'm still not sure how he got it in from that angle. It's always important to get off the mark early, strikers will say it doesn't play on their minds, but it's still nice to open your account. Now he's off and running hopefully that's the first of many.

We saw Sone Aluko leave the Club towards the end of the transfer window, and I was kind of shocked with that one. He maybe didn't score as many goals for us as he would have liked, but he had good, quick feet and was always a threat. But it is part of the business side of the game and balancing the books. Sone was great for us but when someone comes in with a huge offer for a player you signed for free, then you've got a decision to make. The fact that we are well stocked with wingers probably had a bearing on it too. But we wish him well, as he was a good lad and always gave his all for Fulham. 

On deadline day we saw two potential Aluko replacements sign. Yohan Mollo isn't someone we know much about but hopefully he'll come in and give us another option in those wide positions. Our overseas scouts have clearly been busy once again, and they will have done their due diligence on him. He arrived on a free so it's a no-risk deal, and fingers crossed it's one we'll all be raving about.

Jordan Graham is the other one, and while I'll confess I haven't seen a lot of him, I know Wolves fans were raving about him and were sad to see him go, so that bodes very well. He got their player of the year not too long ago so the boy has clearly got pedigree. From watching his welcome interview on the Fulham website he seems hungry, and that's the sort of player we want at our club. He also knows what the Championship is all about, and I've always said that it's good to get those sorts of characters through the door.

We've got Cardiff on Saturday, and they're off to a flyer with five wins from five. A few friends of mine have been speaking to Kevin Blackwell, who's Neil Warnock's assistant, and they were quietly fancying their chances before the season started. We talk about the top five or six and they were probably one of the favourites outside that. Once you get the ball rolling and get a bit of momentum, then it's a case of continuing that, and that's what they've done, and done well.

They signed Nathaniel Mendez-Laing from lower league Rochdale, and he's been brilliant so far, scoring four times already. I've seen quite a few of his goals on TV and he's very good at cutting in from the left-hand side and curling shots towards the far corner. We'll have to be very careful and wary of him, try and keep him on his weaker foot where we can.
Cardiff are the league leaders so they'll fancy themselves, but I think we'll be fairly confident too. Our previous outing shows that we can play well against a team in form, and we'll want to get a bit of consistency to our game. I know it's early in the season and we've signed 11 players, but if we can add some consistency then we'll have a good foundation on which to progress.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/september/05/the-tony-gale-column

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Former Fulham man Tony Gale believes the club didn't sign enough Championship experience in the transfer window

Gale made 318 appearances for Fulham and he believes that Fulham needed to sign more players with Championship experience this summer

Tony Gale doesn't think Fulham did enough in the summer transfer window and believes they should've brought in more signings with "Championship experience."

Fulham signed eleven players over the course of the window, while tying down Tom Cairney, Marcus Bettinelli and Ryan Sessegnon to new contracts as they aimed to build on last season's Play-off defeat.

The 57-year-old feels that the club needed to recruit at the back and didn't add a top striker which he believes was needed in order to push Fulham into automatic promotion contention, although they still have a decent team.

He said: "No, they haven't done enough in my eyes - they haven't gone and got enough Championship experience.

"They've got players from abroad from different avenues but really haven't done enough, but the manager is a really good manager.

"They were so close last season, I just thought they needed to strengthen with some more Championship nous and experience but what they have got is a decent team, especially in the midfield area where they are very strong.

"I just thought that maybe at the back and particularly up front where they needed to get a top striker I thought by the deadline.

"When the going gets tough you need a little bit of Championship experience, they've got good players but probably need a bit more experience."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-fulham-man-tony-gale-13579411

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Forest and QPR On Sale

Tickets for Fulham's away matches at Nottingham Forest and Queens Park Rangers are now on sale to Season Ticket Holders and Members.

The Whites travel to the City Ground to take on Nottingham Forest on Tuesday 26th September (7:45pm) with tickets now available to all Season Ticket Holders and Members.

These are priced at just £20 for adults, £14 for over-65s, £12 for under-18s and £6 for under-12s, and will be available to purchase on General Sale from Friday 8th September.

Three days later the boys travel across west London to take on local rivals QPR on Friday 29th September (7:45pm).

Tickets for the match at Loftus Road will initially go on sale to Season Ticket Holders and Members with 600 or more loyalty points (maximum two per person). Fans are advised to visit the match centre for the full selling structure.

These tickets start from £29 for adults, £14 for under-18s, £20 for young adults (18-21 years) and over-60s, while under-8s go free when accompanied by a guardian.

Get behind the boys and Follow Fulham Away! Secure your seats online today, by phone on 0203 871 0810 (opt. 1) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/september/06/forest-and-qpr-away-tickets

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Basingstoke Town youngster makes permanent move to Fulham after trial

Basingstoke Town defender Rob Atkinson has sealed a move to the EFL by signing for Championship outfit Fulham following a trial.

The Dragons will receive a compensation fee as part of the transfer of the 19-year-old, who has featured for the west London club's Under-23 team on two occasions this season.

Atkinson caught the eye at the Camrose last year, earning the Player of the Year award with performances that helped Terry Brown's side to win the Hampshire Senior Cup.

Having been coached in France by the academy set-up at AS Cannes during his earlier teens, Atkinson signed for Town at the start of last season before completing his switch to the Cottagers.

He told his new club's official website: "To have a club like Fulham come in and offer me a contract, I'm obviously delighted.

"I like to think of myself as a ball-playing centre-half who can bring the ball out, but I can do the dirty work as well.

"I've played in non-league; things aren't pretty down there most of the time. I can play both ways.

"So going back to youth football is going to be an interesting one but I am looking forward to the challenge.

"The end goal is to play for the first team on a regular basis and I will be looking to do that. I don't particularly want to play Under-23s football until I am 23, I want to get out of it and play adult football because that is where it is all at."

Atkinson becomes the second player inside seven days to leave the Hampshire side for the Football League after striker Aaron Jarvis joined Luton Town on deadline day.



http://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/20177/basingstoke-town-youngster-makes-permanent-move-to-fulham-after-trial/

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Fulham seal deal for defender

Championship side Fulham have today confirmed on their official website the signing of Basingstoke Town defender Rob Atkinson, who will link up with the club's Under-23 squad.

The 19-year-old leaves the Hampshire-based outfit with the club currently 14th in the Southern Premier League, having won just two of their opening five games of the new season.

The defender, who can play at centre-back or indeed at left-back, has been on trial at Fulham in recent times and has already played for the club's Under-23 side, playing the full 90 minutes in their 4-2 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in a Premier League 2 Division Two clash back on August 21, and then again against Aston Villa five days later.

And now the Englishman has penned a full-time contract with the Cottagers, a move the man himself is absolutely thrilled with.

He told the club's official website: 'To have a club like Fulham come in and offer me a contract, I'm obviously delighted.

Atkinson was linked with a move to fellow Championship side Bolton Wanderers during the summer, but Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham have beaten the competition to the highly-rated defender, who will look to help a Cottagers Under-23 side that have lost all three of their league matches this term.

And who knows, several impressive displays for the development squad could see the 19-year-old earn a senior appearance sooner rather than later.

The Verdict: It was a busy summer of transfer business at Fulham, with 11 new faces arriving at Craven Cottage, as well as contract extensions for the key duo of Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon.

And it appears that they are planning for the future as well by landing Basingstoke Town youngster Rob Atkinson, who will go into the Under-23 squad with the hope of helping them recover from a poor start to the Premier League 2 Division Two season.

The summer saw over £200 million spent by Championship clubs, yet Fulham's capture of Atkinson is another reminder that building for the future is just as important a task as building for the present.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-seal-deal-for-defender/

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Reading, Fulham and Nottingham Forest lead the way for England's youth

According to FourFourTwo in research done by YouthHawk.co.uk, Reading and Fulham have the highest amount of players from a Football League club who played as part of England's youth set-up.

Reading had two players called up for England's U17 squad and six players called up for England's U16 team whilst Fulham had a more diverse mix of ages called up to feature for England's youth teams. Fulham had one player called up for the U21 squad, two U18 players, two U17 players and three U16 players.

Nottingham Forest had a vaguely similar spread of ages called up as part of England's youth-set up in one U21 player, one U19 and two U17 and U16 players with a total of six international call ups.

This is encouraging to see that our Football League teams are having players called up as part of their international team's youth set-up and shows that although the Premier League often hoards young English talent, the Football League is still producing talented young players.

Interestingly, Reading, Fulham and Nottingham Forest both had more young players called up as part of the countries International youth-set up than Liverpool (five), West Ham (four), Man United (three) Newcastle (one) and Southampton (1) which is encouraging for the Football League.

Several League One and Two sides had players called up with League One Charlton, Fleetwood and Southend all having one player called up as part of England's youth set-up whilst League Two Coventry and Luton both had a player each called up.

Encouraging stuff.



http://the72.co.uk/91399/football-league-englands-youth/

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Liverpool loanee Sheyi Ojo reveals why he chose Fulham over a host of Championship clubs

The 20-year-old joined from Liverpool in the summer on a season-long loan deal and has said there's far more to come from him this season

Sheyi Ojo has revealed he chose to join Fulham on loan from Liverpool because they play the "best football in the Championship."

The 20-year-old joined the Cottagers on loan despite interest from a number of Championship clubs, including the likes of Middlesbrough and Derby after impressing with the likes of Wigan and Wolves in the past.

The Liverpool loanee also won the U20 World Cup with England in the summer, which rose his stock even higher with Tony Khan commenting how happy he was to have secured the young man's signature.

He started his first game in the Championship with Fulham in the 2-0 victory over Ipswich and showed glimpses of his promise, with the 20-year-old stating there's more to come from him once he gets to full fitness.

He said: "I chose Fulham because of the way they're going, obviously they missed out on promotion last year and I watched the game and they were unlucky.



"This year, the way Fulham play football is the best in the Championship so I think that was the main reason and I feel that will hopefully develop my game even more.

"It's a great bunch of lads, I knew Kevin McDonald from my time at Wolves so he helped me settle it but everyone is down to Earth and easy to get along with.

"I felt I did well against Ipswich but I feel there's a lot more to come - physically I'm getting fitter and stronger but I didn't really feel as strong as I would've liked.

"Hopefully with games there will be more to come - I'm positive on the ball and try to make things happen and get shots and crosses off.

"My ambition is to help get the team as much wins as possible with goals and assists so that's my main aim this season as well as help get the team promoted."




http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-loanee-sheyi-ojo-reveals-13581043

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This midfielder can grow to become a difference-maker at Fulham this season

The heartbreak of play-off defeat is tough to handle, and Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic will know the pain as well as any defeated manager.

A wonderful second half of the season run saw the Cottagers sneak into the top-six at the expense of Leeds United, before the west London outfit fell at the first hurdle to defeated finalists Reading.

Jokanovic will not make the same mistakes he made before, and the summer allowed for the Serbian boss to bolster his squad for another crack at a place in the Premier League, with a whole host of top quality additions.

Striker Aboubakar Kamara was brought in to add goals to the front-line, and Tomas Kalas was secured to another season-long loan from neighbours Chelsea, an essential addition to Jokanovic's plan.

In the middle, Oliver Norwood was one of the men brought in to add depth and quality to the squad, and it is the Northern Irishman who has the potential to become a key player in this Fulham side.

The importance of Tom Cairney and Stefan Johansen is Fulham's top-six finish last season cannot be understated, with the midfield pair contributing a magnitude of goals and assists from the middle of the park.

With Norwood in the side acting as a a midfield anchor, the duo will be given a license to roam, allowing the pair access to surge into the forward positions, adding even more goals to an already prolific team.

Although his impact thus far has been limited, the player could prove to become the unsung hero of this Fulham side, and although he will never receive the plaudits his goalscoring midfield colleagues rightly receive, his quiet business could be the difference between promotion, and another season of Championship football.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/this-midfielder-can-grow-to-become-a-difference-maker-at-fulham-this-season/#

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Ojo picked Fulham loan because 'they play the best football in the Championship'

(Photo: Action Images via Reuters)

Sheyi Ojo was one of the Championship's most sought-after players this summer. Having experienced life in the second tier already with temporary spells at Wigan and Wolves, there was no lack of competition for his signature.

In the end Liverpool, the player's parent club, let Ojo choose which team he would join for his next loan stint. The player's choice: Fulham.

So why did the 20-year-old select the Cottagers over a whole host of other sides? As it turns out, there were several reasons.

"I chose Fulham because of the way they're going, obviously they missed out on promotion last year and I watched the game and they were unlucky," he said.

"This year, the way Fulham play football is the best in the Championship so I think that was the main reason and I feel that will hopefully develop my game even more.

"I felt I did well against Ipswich but I feel there's a lot more to come – physically I'm getting fitter and stronger but I didn't really feel as strong as I would've liked.

"My ambition is to help get the team as much wins as possible with goals and assists, so that's my main aim this season."

Slaviša Jokanović's side have made an indifferent start to the new campaign, winning one, losing one and drawing three of their opening five games – but their lone win did come in impressive fashion against previously unbeaten Ipswich last time out.



http://www.theleaguepaper.com/featured/8840/ojo-picked-fulham-loan-because-they-play-the-best-football-in-the-championship/

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Former Fulham defender delivers honest assessment of side's summer business

Former Fulham star Tony Gale has delivered an honest assessment of his ex-club's summer transfer window, via Get West London.

The Cottagers added 11 new faces to their squad over the summer, with the likes of Rui Fonte and Yohan Mollo penning permanent deals with the West London outfit, while they also added several players on loan, most notably Oliver Norwood, Lucas Piazon, and Jordan Graham.

Prized assets Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon also signed new contracts to keep them at Craven Cottage, while manager Slavisa Jokanovic remained at the club as well despite some speculation over the summer linking him with Premier League side West Ham.

And although many would view Fulham's summer business as a success, former defender Gale, who played over 250 times for the club between 1977 and 1984, isn't entirely convinced by their recruitment.

He said, when quizzed about Fulham's window: 'No, they haven't done enough in my eyes – they haven't gone and got enough Championship experience.

'When the going gets tough you need a little bit of Championship experience, they've got good players but probably need a bit more experience.'

These comments are sure to intrigue Fulham supporters, who have seen their side win just one of their opening five Championship matches this term, albeit they have only lost one as well.

And the likes of Graham and Mollo, who joined the club on deadline day last Thursday, may well be in line for their Fulham debuts when they return to league action against table-toppers Cardiff City on Saturday.

The Verdict: Fulham came up just short in their quest for a return to the Premier League last season, with it arguable that their inconsistency over the course of the campaign was their downfall last term.

Yet their summer business saw them tie down Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon to new deals, which itself is excellent business, while they also brought in 11 new players to Craven Cottage, five of which were permanent deals.

Yet former defender Tony Gale was unconvinced by their transfer dealings, lamenting the lack of Championship experience in the squad, but only time will tell whether the 57-year-old is right in his assessment.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/former-fulham-defender-delivers-honest-assessment-of-sides-summer-business/

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Summer signing lifts lid on why he opted for Fulham over Championship duo

New Fulham signing Sheyi Ojo has lifted the lid on why he chose the Cottagers over other Championship suitors, via Get West London.

The 20-year-old came up through the youth ranks at Premier League giants Liverpool and has since gone on to appear 13 times for the Reds first team, eight of which have come in the top-flight.

However, the England Under-21 international has impressed more on loan spells at Wigan Athletic and Wolves, the latter where he scored three goals and laid on four assists in the 2015/16 campaign, helping the Midlands club to a 14th place finish in the Championship.

And the talented winger will get another chance to prove his credentials at second tier level with Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham, who fended off reported interest from Derby County and Middlesbrough to land Ojo, and the man himself has lifted the lid on the reason why he chose the West London outfit.

He said: 'This year, the way Fulham play football is the best in the Championship so I think that was the main reason and I feel that will hopefully develop my game even more.'

These comments are sure to intrigue Fulham supporters, who have seen their side respond to last season's play-off heartache with just one win from their opening five matches, albeit they have also only lost once thus far as well.

And Ojo, who played the full 90 minutes in their 2-0 win over Ipswich Town prior to the international break, will again be hoping to keep his place when Jokanovic's side host league leaders Cardiff City on Saturday.

The Verdict: Some supporters of other clubs in the Championship may disagree, but Sheyi Ojo's view that Fulham play the best football in the division is hardly a controversial one.

Slavisa Jokanovic's men secured huge wins over the likes of Newcastle United and Huddersfield Town last season to underline their promotion credentials, although a lack of consistency over the course of the campaign was arguably their downfall.

And with just one defeat so far this season, the Cottagers look set to be up there once again, and Ojo will hope to play a big part in that for both his own benefit, and indeed Fulham's.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/summer-signing-lifts-lid-on-why-he-opted-for-fulham-over-championship-duo/

[WhiteJC]

 
Liverpool starlet Sheyi Ojo reveals why he chose to move to Fulham on loan
Ojo, 20, has made two appearances for the Whites since leaving Anfield for Craven Cottage.

Liverpool prodigy Sheyi Ojo chose to join Fulham on a season-long loan because he believes they play the best brand of football in the Championship and is hoping to help Slavisa Jokanovic's side achieve promotion during his time at Craven Cottage.

Ojo, 20, had a host of Championship outfits interested in his signature but eventually chose to move to west London and has since made two appearances for the Whites, who have won just one of their opening five league fixtures.

The England Under-21 international spent last season at Liverpool but found game-time hard to come by under Jurgen Klopp, who has an embarrassment of attacking riches to choose from at Anfield.

With stars such as Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane ahead of him in the Liverpool pecking order Ojo decided to experience Championship life for the third time, and plumped for Fulham over the likes of Middlesbrough and Derby County due to the style of play Jokanovic likes to implement in the capital.

"I chose Fulham because of the way they're going, obviously they missed out on promotion last year and I watched the game and they were unlucky," Ojo told GetWestLondon. "This year, the way Fulham play football is the best in the Championship so I think that was the main reason and I feel that will hopefully develop my game even more.

"It's a great bunch of lads, I knew Kevin McDonald from my time at Wolves so he helped me settle it but everyone is down to Earth and easy to get along with. I felt I did well against Ipswich but I feel there's a lot more to come - physically I'm getting fitter and stronger but I didn't really feel as strong as I would've liked.

"Hopefully with games there will be more to come - I'm positive on the ball and try to make things happen and get shots and crosses off. My ambition is to help get the team as much wins as possible with goals and assists so that's my main aim this season as well as help get the team promoted."

Ojo, who joined Liverpool from MK Dons at the age of 14, delivered an encouraging display on his Championship debut for Fulham against Ipswich and will hope to shrug off the unspecified knock he sustained during England Under-21's 3-0 win over Latvia on Tuesday (5 September) and start against high-flying Cardiff City, who top the Championship table with five wins from the first five matches.



http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/liverpool-starlet-sheyi-ojo-reveals-why-he-chose-move-fulham-loan-1638319

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Former Manchester United and Fulham man backs 'fantastic' Crystal Palace manager

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar and Crystal Palace boss Frank de Boer played together for Holland and worked together at Ajax

Former Manchester United, Fulham and Ajax goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has offered his support to Crystal Palace's manager Frank de Boer.

The pair played together at Ajax and Holland in their playing days, and worked together at Ajax during de Boer's time as head coach in Amsterdam, with van der Sar currently the chief executive officer at the Eredivisie side.

And the former goalkeeper believes that given time, his good friend and former team-mate will turn things around at Palace, having lost his first three games in the Premier League.

Former Manchester United, Fulham and Ajax goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has offered his support to Crystal Palace's manager Frank de Boer.

The pair played together at Ajax and Holland in their playing days, and worked together at Ajax during de Boer's time as head coach in Amsterdam, with van der Sar currently the chief executive officer at the Eredivisie side.




Read more at http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/former-manchester-united-and-fulham-man-backs-8216-fantastic-8217-crystal-palace-manager/story-30506162-detail/story.html#WWMohwrMCjjG3rXO.99

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Liverpool talent Sheyi Ojo suggests why he picked Fulham, after allegedly snubbing Aston Villa

Sheyi Ojo has shared why he chose to join Fulham, despite interest from the likes of Aston Villa and Middlesbrough.

Fulham loanee Sheyi Ojo has told Get West London that he chose a move to Craven Cottage due to the brand of football being played under Slavisa Jokanovic, with a move to Aston Villa allegedly snubbed.

Ojo, 20, emerged in the ranks of MK Dons before making a big move to Liverpool in 2011, with the Reds fending off competition from a host of Premier League rivals to secure the winger's signature.

The wide man has made just 13 first-team appearances for Liverpool though, and after loan spells with Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers, the England youth international has been loaned out again.

Ojo has joined Fulham on loan for the season in order to further his development, and he has already played his first 90 minutes for Slavisa Jokanovic's men, with Liverpool desperate for him to develop at Craven Cottage.

Given the presence of players like Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Philippe Coutinho, Ojo was always going to struggle for first-team football, and he attracted major interest over the summer transfer window.

The Express reported that Ojo had offers from Aston Villa, Derby County and Middlesbrough, but he turned them all down in order to sign for Fulham - and he has now explained his decision.

Speaking to Get West London, Ojo has admitted that he chose Fulham because of their style of football under Slavisa Jokanovic, and feels he has already made a strong start in West London - but wants to kick on and help Fulham win promotion to the Premier League.

"I chose Fulham because of the way they're going, obviously they missed out on promotion last year and I watched the game and they were unlucky," said Ojo. "This year, the way Fulham play football is the best in the Championship so I think that was the main reason and I feel that will hopefully develop my game even more. It's a great bunch of lads, I knew Kevin McDonald from my time at Wolves so he helped me settle it but everyone is down to Earth and easy to get along with."

"I felt I did well against Ipswich but I feel there's a lot more to come - physically I'm getting fitter and stronger but I didn't really feel as strong as I would've liked. Hopefully with games there will be more to come - I'm positive on the ball and try to make things happen and get shots and crosses off. My ambition is to help get the team as much wins as possible with goals and assists so that's my main aim this season as well as help get the team promoted," he added.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/09/06/liverpool-talent-sheyi-ojo-suggests-why-he-picked-fulham-after-a/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Interested In Newcastle United Hitman: Does This Move Make Any Sense?

Championship outfit Fulham were keenly monitoring Newcastle United's striker Dwight Gayle in order to bring him to Craven Cottage during the summer transfer window. The Sun had reported last month that the Cottagers tabled a sensational bid of £18million to prise Gayle out of St. James' Park, but the deal failed to cross the line.

The Magpies were caught in two minds as to whether strike the striker off their books and no wonder why the deal broke off in the final stage.

However, it is perceived that the London based outfit would go out with all guns blazing during the January transfer window to make Gayle sign on the dotted line, as per one of the latest reports. Under the tutelage of Slavisa Jokanovic, Fulham made some stupendous deals during the summer transfer window, as they lured the likes of Rui Fonte, Aboubakar Kamara, Ibrahima Cisse to their ranks, but had they signed someone like Gayle, they could have had the requisite depth in their attacking arsenal to bolster their chances of promotion to the Premier League.

The 27-year-old emerged through the youth ranks of Arsenal, but couldn't venture into their senior side. So, he moved to lesser-famed sides like Stansted, Dagenham & Redbridge and Peterborough United, before making a move to Crystal Palace. It was after his move to the Selhurst Park that his offensive prowess started to get recognized and eventually, the Toon convinced him to join them last summer.

Gayle joined a side that was demoted to the English second division last season and proved to be a vital cog in Rafael Benitez's tactical nous up front. He spearheaded their attack and smashed 22 goals in 31 games last season with an average shot accuracy of 68%.

But his recurring spells on the sidelines owing to his injuries halted his progress at times and that had become a headache for the former Napoli boss. However, the Geordies would be the losers if Fulham manages to sign him after some months.

The Englishman is an exceptional striker who is clinical up front and has an undeniable knack to create chances for his teammates as well. He is pleasantly fast, forces the opposition's defenders to go haywire with his crispy movements and has a substantial amount of experience under his belt. Although he hasn't proved himself properly in the Premier League, he should be handed ample amount of opportunities this season to showcase his mettle before his employers come to a conclusion.

Statistics Credits: Squawka.com



http://the4thofficial.net/2017/09/fulham-interested-newcastle-united-hitman-move-make-sense/

[Woolly Mammoth]

Former Fulham man Tony Gale believes the club didn't sign enough Championship experience in the transfer window

Gale made 318 appearances for Fulham and he believes that Fulham needed to sign more players with Championship experience this summer

Tony Gale doesn't think Fulham did enough in the summer transfer window and believes they should've brought in more signings with "Championship experience."

Fulham signed eleven players over the course of the window, while tying down Tom Cairney, Marcus Bettinelli and Ryan Sessegnon to new contracts as they aimed to build on last season's Play-off defeat.

The 57-year-old feels that the club needed to recruit at the back and didn't add a top striker which he believes was needed in order to push Fulham into automatic promotion contention, although they still have a decent team.

He said: "No, they haven't done enough in my eyes - they haven't gone and got enough Championship experience.

"They've got players from abroad from different avenues but really haven't done enough, but the manager is a really good manager.

"They were so close last season, I just thought they needed to strengthen with some more Championship nous and experience but what they have got is a decent team, especially in the midfield area where they are very strong.

"I just thought that maybe at the back and particularly up front where they needed to get a top striker I thought by the deadline.

"When the going gets tough you need a little bit of Championship experience, they've got good players but probably need a bit more experience."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-fulham-man-tony-gale-13579411

I have to agree with Tony Gale on this.

[hovewhite]

Former Fulham man Tony Gale believes the club didn't sign enough Championship experience in the transfer window

Gale made 318 appearances for Fulham and he believes that Fulham needed to sign more players with Championship experience this summer

Tony Gale doesn't think Fulham did enough in the summer transfer window and believes they should've brought in more signings with "Championship experience."

Fulham signed eleven players over the course of the window, while tying down Tom Cairney, Marcus Bettinelli and Ryan Sessegnon to new contracts as they aimed to build on last season's Play-off defeat.

The 57-year-old feels that the club needed to recruit at the back and didn't add a top striker which he believes was needed in order to push Fulham into automatic promotion contention, although they still have a decent team.

He said: "No, they haven't done enough in my eyes - they haven't gone and got enough Championship experience.

"They've got players from abroad from different avenues but really haven't done enough, but the manager is a really good manager.

"They were so close last season, I just thought they needed to strengthen with some more Championship nous and experience but what they have got is a decent team, especially in the midfield area where they are very strong.

"I just thought that maybe at the back and particularly up front where they needed to get a top striker I thought by the deadline.

"When the going gets tough you need a little bit of Championship experience, they've got good players but probably need a bit more experience."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-fulham-man-tony-gale-13579411

I have to agree with Tony Gale on this.

Im on the fence on tonys view,we will just have to wait and see.

[Keynsham]

Yeah, we should never have let the likes of Stearman and Pringle go.