Saturday Fulham Stuff (11/11/17)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Grosvenor Casinos launches hunt for ultimate Fulham 'Superfan'

A free 2018/19 season ticket up for grabs for Fulham's most dedicated supporter

What makes Fulham FC a special club? Is it the legendary players like Johnny Haynes and George Cohen or the modern greats like Louis Saha and Clint Dempsey? Perhaps the unique stadium that sits on the banks of the Thames and is built like no other? Or is it the fans - who travel across the country season after season in support of their team and who bring their friends and family to Craven Cottage to join the Fulham faithful?

We think it's all three, and in partnership with Grosvenor Casinos, this season we're looking to find our Fulham Superfan and to say a huge thank you for being a part of our club. We have fantastic prizes to give away including a signed shirt and match-ball, VIP hospitality tickets and a trip to the casino for a winner and friends, plus plenty more.

There are 5 chances to win, with a Superfan to be selected each month until the end of the season. Once the season has concluded, a grand prize draw will be held to name the overall Superfan who will win a free 2018/19 season ticket.

To be in with a chance of being crowned the Superfan for the month of November simply supporters simply need to send in a picture or video entry showcasing their passion and dedication to Fulham FC via social media, using #FFCSuperfan. (You can also enter via email at [email protected]). For full terms and conditions click here*

*To be eligible for this competition you must be over the age of 18 and a resident in the UK. Entries must be submitted between 9-30th November 2017.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/november/10/grosvenor-casinos-superfan

[WhiteJC]

 
Frustration For Norwood

A highly controversial penalty condemned Northern Ireland to a 1-0 defeat in the First Leg of their World Cup Play-Off with Switzerland on Thursday evening.

Ollie Norwood played the full 90 at a raucous Windsor Park, and while they weren't at their best, Northern Ireland will feel aggrieved to find themselves behind in the tie.

Shortly before the hour mark, Corry Evans blocked a shot with his back to the ball, and the referee shocked everyone by deciding he'd used his arm.

AC Milan left-back Ricardo Rodriguez converted from 12 yards to give his nation the advantage going into Sunday's Second Leg in Basel.

After the game, Evans said: "It's disgraceful. I clearly didn't put my hand up. I'm gutted. It's devastating."

Elsewhere, Mattias Kait played 79 minutes of Estonia's 3-0 friendly defeat by Finland in Helsinki.

Pyry Soiri's opener was followed up by a Robin Lod brace to earn victory for the Finnish, who gave a home debut to former Fulham goalkeeper Jesse Joronen.

In qualifying for the Under-21 European Championship, Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson played the entirety of Iceland's narrow 1-0 defeat by Spain in Murcia.

A first half Ruiz Pena effort proved the difference between the sides, leaving Iceland sitting fifth in the Group 2 standings.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/november/10/international-round-up

[WhiteJC]

 
EXCLUSIVE: Former Fulham midfielder Derek Boateng puts up new multi-million five-star hotel

Former Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng has put up a luxurious five-star hotel in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, as he prepares for the rainy days towards life after football, GHANAsoccernet.com can exclusively report.

The highly-respected football star has named the property after his adorable three children - Mendy, Taisha and Terick.

The facility is named 'MENDIATA HOTEL - and located near the Golf Park, Achimota, top sources have told Ghana's leading football website, GHANAsoccernet.com

The former Panathinaikos star, who is largely reserved, has managed to keep his latest property away from the media lenses for months.

But GHANAsoccernet.com sleuth hounding has pointed to the latest fantastic edifice as he ventures into the hotel business.

The hotel is aiming to become a "trendsetter" in the Ghanaian capital.

The stylish hotel is uniquely decorated with the floors furnished with grass-effect carpets.

The hotel is equipped with WIFI, mood lighting and high tech shower heads.

The hotel wellness suite even offer "Get in Shape" programme for guests hoping to get six-pack, accompanying its exclusive outdoor gym and swimming facility.

Boateng, 34, has retired from international football after earning 47 caps.

He joins Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan, who has a business empire in the West African nation, and recently acquired a licence to operate an AIRLINE in Ghana.

Boateng is a well-traveled man having featured for teams in England, Spain, Greece, Jerusalem. Sweden, Ukraine and Germany.

The brilliant midfielder graced the pitch with his uniquely cool and elegant playing style, passing his opposition into submission.

The midfield maestro was simply peerless for both club and country, representing several clubs abroad including Fulham, Panathinaikos, Dnipro,  Kalamata, OFI Crete , AIK, Beitar Jerusalem , FC Köln, Getafe,  Rayo Vallecano,  Eibar and Rayo OKC.

The former Black Stars enforcer wants to ensure the financial health of his family after he hangs up his boots.

By Patrick Akoto



http://ghanasoccernet.com/exclusive-former-fulham-midfielder-derek-boateng-puts-up-new-multi-million-five-star-hotel

[WhiteJC]

 
FA YOUTH CUP: TOWN TO HOST FULHAM

Date of the game to be confirmed in due course

- FA Youth Cup Third Round draw made
- Town to host Fulham at the John Smith's Stadium
- Exact date of the game to be confirmed

Huddersfield Town's Under-18 side will host Fulham in the Third Round of this season's FA Youth Cup.

The draw for the Third Round was made at Wembley Stadium on Friday 10 November 2017, pitting Leigh Bromby's table-topping Terriers against the Cottagers at the John Smith's Stadium.

The exact date of the game will be confirmed in due course, but must be played before 16 December 2017.

The tie is a tough one for the young Terriers, with Fulham currently sitting third in the early U18 Premier League South table.

The two sides met in the Sixth Round of the competition as recently as the 2013/14 campaign at Craven Cottage, with Fulham coming out as 2-1 winners in a fiercely contested game before going on to reach the final.

Launched in 1952, the FA Youth Cup is the premier competition in Under-18 football.

Unusually for Under-18 games, all FA Youth Cup matches are played at First Team stadia, although some clubs nominate another league-standard ground to play their home games.

There are no replays, so games are decided on the night with use of extra time and penalties if necessary.

Town's youngsters were defeated at the Third Round stage last season, with AFC Wimbledon winning 2-1 at the John Smith's Stadium.

The Club's best performance saw the Under-18s finish runner-up in the competition in the 1973/74 season, losing 2-1 on aggregate to Spurs over the two-legged final.



https://www.htafc.com/news/2017/november/fa-youth-cup-town-to-host-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

 
Young Whites Draw Huddersfield

The Young Whites have been drawn against Huddersfield Town away in the FA Youth Cup as the third round proper was drawn at Wembley Stadium on Friday.

FA Youth Cup matches are held at the 1st team stadia, and therefore the Young Whites will have the opportunity to play at the John Smith Stadium.

This is not the first time these two youth sides have come up against each other. In the memorable 2013/14 campaign where Fulham reached the final, the Young Whites overcame the Young Terriers at Craven Cottage 2-1 in the sixth round to progress.

Unlike the senior competition, there are no replays for FA Youth Cup fixtures, and therefore if the match is level after extra time the fixture will be decided by penalties. The exact date of the match is yet to be confirmed.

Fulham won't take the match lightly with Huddersfield Town currently topping their league in the U18 Professional Development League 2 North Division.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/november/10/young-whites-draw-huddersfield

[WhiteJC]

 
The Sean Davis Column

It's great to hear that Micky Adams will be coming back to Craven Cottage for the Derby County match next Saturday. Micky was the first manager to give me a chance in the First Team when he handed me a little cameo against Cambridge as a 16-year-old, and it was sad to see him go the following season. Where I am now as a retired player, I can appreciate how good he was as a manager. The values he sets for his players, hard work, commitment and doing your job right, that's what our success was built on. It will be good to see him and say thank you, as I don't think I ever got a chance to thank him properly for having that faith in me. He's a top man so I recommend you go and say hello to him in the Stadium Store before the match.

It was a very close-knit group of players that Micky was working with back in the 1996/97 season. If a First Team player was injured one of us young lads would come in to make up the numbers, so we got to know them fairly well. We didn't eat dinner until the First Team ate dinner, so it was very old school in that respect. There were some great characters in that group; Simon Morgan, Terry Angus, Darren Freeman, Glenn Cockerill. A great bunch of lads with a great team spirit. That was the team that got us going and started us on the upward trajectory that continued when Mohamed Al Fayed came in. We must never forget the great work that Micky Adams and his backroom staff did before Mr Al Fayed arrived.

Looking at the here and now, though, this last batch of fixtures weren't great for Fulham, there's no hiding from that. But don't get too down about it, we have to realise where we were last year and what we achieved after Christmas. It's going to have to take on a similar pattern and we'll have to have a similar run. We have to remain positive and hope the form changes soon. It is a concern but the players just need to regain their confidence.

That confidence can be a big thing in football. We just need to get that next win under our belts. Even if it's a scrappy, jammy 1-0, we need to get that confidence back up. Let's be solid, difficult to beat, keep things tighter. I want to see us start games on the front foot, because if you start sloppily it just makes things so hard for yourselves, as we saw against Wolves. If we try and play our football in their half, and then even if we lose possession we can press and try and win it back higher up the pitch.

This is when the international period has come at a good point for us. When you're winning you don't want them to come. Slaviša will have most of the players at the Training Ground at the moment so they'll have plenty of time to work on things. It's not like we haven't got a team that's good enough to go on a decent run. Once the team hit a good run of form I think then we'll be right back in the thick of things. We've had a disappointing month but we're not out of it.
You have to keep the faith. We've got the quality there, it's just about getting that confidence back with a win, even a scruffy 1-0 win, and building from there. Things seem to go against you when your confidence is low, but you've got to make your own luck sometimes. To do that we need to go back to basics and work harder than the opposition. It's a time for people to stand up and be counted and show what they're really about, and I'm backing the boys to do just that.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/november/10/the-sean-davis-column

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham plotting January swoop for pacey Eredivisie star

Fulham are interested in a move for FC Utrecht winger Ayoub, according to reports in HITC.

The Cottagers have been tracking the Moroccan international for some time now, and reports suggest that boss Slavisa Jokanovic could firm up his interest with an offer, after club scouts travelled to Holland to watch the player on several occasions.

Fulham have suffered a poor start to the season after missing out on promotion in last year's play off semi-finals, and Jokanovic has it all to do in January if he is to turn the west London side's season around.

A tricky winger with a real turn of pace, Ayoub would significantly improve upon the current wide options currently at the Serb's disposal, and his five goals and twelve assists in the Eredivisie last season only serve to highlight the winger's efficiency in front of goal.

The 23-year-old is out of contract next summer and able to discuss deals with foreign clubs, but Europa League qualifiers Utrecht may decide to sell in January to avoid losing the player for nothing, paving the way for a winter switch to Craven Cottage.

The Verdict
Ayoub has enjoyed an impressive couple of years in Holland's top flight with Utrecht, and could be ready to make the switch to the English game.

Pacey and possessing the ability to deliver the ball into the box, the winger is exactly the type of player Jokanovic needs having lost Lucas Piazon at the start of the campaign to a season ending injury, and Ayoub would inject real quality and class into what has been a distinctly lacklustre Fulham side.

The player should be available for a nominal fee with his contract due to expire in the summer, and Jokanovic simply must take a punt on the talented wide man.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-planning-january-swoop-for-eredivisie-star/

[WhiteJC]

 
International Break Special

With the international break in full swing, fans can enjoy 10% off all retail products this weekend!

Take advantage of this offer today and make a saving across brand new items from the Retro Range and Fulham Fashion collections.

Alternatively, why not take advantage of this discount on adidas ranges, including 2017/18 Replica Kits or Training Wear. There are also brand new hats and scarves available to purchase, so stock up today and get ready to cheer on the Whites this winter!

This offer is available to all supporters from midnight Friday 10th November until midnight Sunday 12th November (GMT).

Happy shopping!

Please note this offer excludes any existing promotions and gift card purchases.




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/november/10/international-break-special

[WhiteJC]

 
Newcastle United Prioritising Move For This Fulham Midfielder: Final Piece Of The Jigsaw For Rafa?

Fulham's talisman Tom Cairney was on Benítez' shopping cart in the summer but a move failed to materialise as the London side were keen to keep hold of their prized asset. A move that possibly had a player incoming from the other side in the form of Newcastle's Dwight Gayle was rejected by Fulham. However, Newcastle United are unwilling to back down in their pursuit for the highly rated midfielder who could possibly be the final piece of the jigsaw for Rafa Benítez' side and apparently Benitez is prioritising the move of this Fulham star.

The player who earned a place in the PFA Championship Team of The Year evidently showed in his performances as to why the Magpies were desperate for his services. Possessing a vicious left foot, the Scottish International scored 13 goals to go with his 10 assists last campaign. He averages a pass percentage of 92.5.

Fulham's talisman Tom Cairney was on Benítez' shopping cart in the summer but a move failed to materialise as the London side were keen to keep hold of their prized asset. A move that possibly had a player incoming from the other side in the form of Newcastle's Dwight Gayle was rejected by Fulham. However, Newcastle United are unwilling to back down in their pursuit for the highly rated midfielder who could possibly be the final piece of the jigsaw for Rafa Benítez' side and apparently Benitez is prioritising the move of this Fulham star.

The player who earned a place in the PFA Championship Team of The Year evidently showed in his performances as to why the Magpies were desperate for his services. Possessing a vicious left foot, the Scottish International scored 13 goals to go with his 10 assists last campaign. He averages a pass percentage of 92.5.

But on the other hand, Cairney is a player who has hardly any exposure to England's elite league. He holds just 10 appearances in the Premier League in Hull City colours. It could be a huge test to the player's quality in the grand stage given that the games in the Premier League are of a different level to that of the Championship games.

But as all know, Benítez is a very good man manager. He is extremely efficient in making use of his limited resources at hand. The Spaniard has spent just €42.3 million in the summer and finds his side 11th in the table. A few more marquee and high profile signings could bolster Newcastle's chances to finish even higher than expected.

With that in mind, the signing of Cairney could be a tricky one. Benítez needs to make up his mind if Cairney is the kind of player to improve his team keeping in mind the Fulham star's limited experience in the top flight.

Is Benítez' pursuit for Cairney the right approach to strengthen his side?



http://the4thofficial.net/2017/11/e-pb-newcastle-united-prioritising-move-fulham-midfielder-final-piece-jigsaw-rafa/

[WhiteJC]

 
3 Worst Signings Fulham Have Completed In Recent Times Including This Arsenal Youngster

Thomas Eisfeld

3 Worst Signings Fulham Have Completed In Recent Times

Fulham, much like West London rivals Queens Park Rangers, are a relatively small club in England but are ones who use their geography wisely. They often attract players of sufficient quality to get them to the Premier League.

They have yo-yo'd somewhat between England's top two leagues in recent times and, given the size of the club, they do not always attract the very best talents especially when other clubs in London bid for the same player.

Here are three of the worst incomings Fulham fans have had to suffer at Craven Cottage in recent years:

Ragnar Sigurdsson (Krasnodar, 2016/17)
Sigurdsson arrived from Russia with a big reputation and cost the club over £4m. The centre-back went on to make only 15 league appearances for Fulham and despite the need for defensive cover, he was sent out on loan to Rubin Kazan for this season.

It may well be that Sigurdsson, like a few others around Europe, had his reputation falsely raised by his achievements with the Icelandic national team in 2016 and may well end up being sold out of Fulham for a loss.

Jozabed Sanchez (Rayo Vallecano, 2016/17)
In a season where some terrific signings almost led to promotion for Fulham; Scott Malone, Kevin McDonald, Stefan Johansen and David Button all arriving for £2million or less, the bigger money deals for Jozabed and Sigurdsson were made to look silly.

Having not settled well, Jozabed made only 7 league appearances for Fulham last season before heading back to Spain on loan with Celta Vigo. As of this summer, he signed a permanent deal with the club and is now off Fulham's hands.

Thomas Eisfeld (Arsenal 2014/15)
Arriving as an Arsenal "throw-out" in 2014, Eisfeld is a name forgotten by most in England which is a shame given that he really did possess some talent.

The German-born attacking midfielder did not hit the ground running at Craven Cottage and made just 7 league appearances for the West London side. He cost the club £1.3million, which was the second highest transfer fee they paid that year behind the amount they forked out for Ross McCormack.

In all fairness, it would seem the blame for this disastrous signing doesn't all lie at Fulham's door as there is obviously something wrong with Eisfeld which has kicked in since 2014.

Up to that point, he was an Arsenal player with one cap for Germany under-20's to his name. Since then, he has disappointed at Fulham, moved to Bochum and has fallen off the international radar. However, he has made a decent amount of league appearances for his new club in the last two years.




http://soccersouls.com/2017/11/11/3-worst-signings-fulham-have-completed-in-recent-times-including-this-arsenal-youngster/

[MikeW]

I'm trying very hard to equate the gushing rhetoric in the Derek Boateng article with the chap who on occasion turned out for Fulham.

[mrmicawbers]

I'm trying very hard to equate the gushing rhetoric in the Derek Boateng article with the chap who on occasion turned out for Fulham.
I forgot he was at the club

[hovewhite]

Dont think he played more than 10 games wasnt he jol signing.

[Woolly Mammoth]

I think he made more appearances with a Wooden Club.

[kiwian]

I was at the Sunderland away game at the start of the 13/14 season, and apart from the goal and wit from our supporters, all I remember is Boateng continuously giving away possession. Did he write the article??

[Woolly Mammoth]

I was at the Sunderland away game at the start of the 13/14 season, and apart from the goal and wit from our supporters, all I remember is Boateng continuously giving away possession. Did he write the article??

No but his mum did.