Saturday Fulham Stuff (18/09/10)

[WhiteJC]

http://hammyend.com/index.php/2010/09/mark-hughes-played-5-lost-0/
Mark Hughes: Played 5, Lost 0
by Lork on September 18, 2010

I was with 14 thousand other people at Hughes' first game as Fulham manager when we got battered 1-0 first half and came out second half to destroy a good Werder Bremen team. Strange match. I went away cautiously optimistic because I didn't know what to expect from Hughes as manager and still now it's too early to judge whether we will have another successful season or not, although the signs are good. We've played 5 games, lost none of them and won 2 including our biggest win for years so with Blackburn away coming up tommorow now's as good a time as any to look back at the first few weeks with our new manager.

He's been suprisingly honest about his expectations of the club when he came. From the sounds of it he didn't think that we were as good as a team as he now knows, nor did he think we were ambitious enough for him, I think he actually turned us down before we went looking at Jol if my memory serves me correctly. Hughes was my first choice after Roy left though so naturally I'm pleased he accepted it eventually.

He comes across well in the media. Hughes talks well, honestly and with a level head, infact I was suprised at just how well he talked after the Wolves game when all Fulham fans, and Hughes too I'm sure, weren't too pleased with the way Wolves played. I like how he constantly talks up the quality of the squad, it's reassuring to know that he's pleased with the players here and it'll give them a confidence boost too. As a person Hughes strikes me as one of them people who are confident in their own ability but who are also quite shy, although he's prepared to tell the ref what he thinks and he's constantly standing up on the touchline. He answers questions with a sort of authority and the players seem to respect him, they have mentioned quite alot actually on how refreshing his training is, so good marks here.

Mark Hughes came in with 3 weeks left of the transfer window so he was put in a tough position already but despite that I think he did well. I've said before that the most important thing that he did was not lose any big players for us, and apart from Konchesky who wouldn't have gone if we didn't sign Salcido anyway we didn't. There's been a few comments like 'At last a manager that will keep our players' which is doing a bit of a disservice to Roy, we didn't lose any first team players in his two and a half years (apart from Bullard of course, but look what happened there...). He's brought in a few decent players has Hughes too. Dembele, a player which Hughes has known about for a while and tried to bring in whilst he was at Blackburn, already looks superb and Salcido seems to be a very good player based on what I've seen of him for Mexico and opinions from Holland. Halliche is a bit of an unknown quantity but as a 1.5 million pound buy for 4th choice centre back we have nothing to lose with him, and I'm sure he'll do well. We lost Konchesky but other than that no one else despite interest (especially for Schwarzer). Probably what bugs me is what activity wasn't done by Fulham, to bring in a target man as a back up for Bobby most of all, and now he's out injured for 5 months now minimum we will have to change the way we play until January at least because we no longer have a target man. I'm sure we will adapt but I don't think we will be as effective, so that's something I think Hughes could have done better with. Overall in the summer we've made a profit on transfers, which is an incredible change from Hughes' last job!

So he's done well off the pitch and on it we seem to be getting together well as a team. As I say, we have yet to lose a game (although the only real tough fixture was United at home) and the results are decent. A point and clean sheet at Bolton isn't bad, we matched United which is all you can ask for, we destroyed Port Vale, Blackpool look like they'll suprise a few people this season although a draw is still disappointing considering the way we conceded, and of course most recently when we eventually got an result against Wolves which most people would have expected. Hughes hasn't disappointed there. Nor has he disappointed with the performances which are arguably more important than the results this early in the season, when against Manchester United, Wolves and Bolton we performed well and Port Vale at home could have been double digits. I think we could and should have played better at Blackpool but on the whole it's been good. We've picked up a habit short term of scoring late goals, 3 league games in a row we've scored later than 85 minutes to earn 5 points alone. Hopefully it's not something to rely on but it shows a determination in the squad never to give up, inherited from Roy's squad more than introduced by Hughes I think but nethertheless it's a good trait to have, and I don't think it's unfair to say that Hughes would take more risks in pushing for a late goal, for example by how far up the pitch Etuhu and Murphy played in the last 10 minutes against Wolves.

With a new manager comes changes especially when a manager like Roy is replaced by one like Hughes, and it's interesting to see the differences. Obviously training is different, from the sounds of it they do much more work with the ball now compared to before when they'd spend ages in defensive positions and Hughes doesn't spend as much time on the training ground with players as Roy (who always referred to himself as a coach rather than manager). The transfer targets are different too. Roy almost exclusively targeted English speaking players, disciplined experienced ones who have some experience of England or Scandinavia. He mentioned that he liked the traits in British and Scandinavian players and playing environments because they tend to have a nice balance between physicality and technique. Immediately though with Hughes there's a different, first with Dembele who's very much a flair player who dribbles with the ball (something not seen in Roy's teams at all because of how it effects team shape, the closest is Duff but he doesn't play the same game as Dembele), then Halliche who can't speak a word of English and finally Salcido who looks like a winger playing at left back at times with the flairhe has in his game. Also different are the ages, Dembele and Halliche are 23 and 24 whereas Roy's signings were all 27 and above with the exception of Riise, Dikgacoi and Kelly (Barnes and Okaka too, but they were short term deals, similarly Smalling was a low risk buy, 50 grand he cost in the end compared to 4 million for Dembele). It shows Hughes is willing to take more risks in player recruitment and with any luck they'll come off more than they'll fail.

Similarly on the pitch, Hughes' Fulham plays more attacking and more through the middle than Roy's. One thing that everyone's picked up on for example is Etuhu being released to go forward more often than any centre mids did under Roy. We play more direct and quickly too, not necessarily longer ball but we look for an attacking pass faster I feel, as well as playing further up the pitch and pressing higher. It's more 'exciting' for sure in terms of entertainment but with our Europa League run based on solid defensive performances, none more so than Shakhtar, I've grown to appreciate it! Away from home Hughes has publicly come out and asked for more attacking performances which I think everyone can agree with, not that our away form was hopeless (we were infact 9th in the away league table in 08/09!) but to push on we need to pick up more away points from home. Hopefully more positive results and performances will increase our away attendances too. Time will tell who's approach is more effective, but there's certainly exciting times ahead.

One sensible thing Hughes is doing is recognising the good work done before him in all aspects of the club. When someone comes to a new club they could be tempted to overturn it, to make sure that it's 'their' club, team, whatever, but I like how Hughes appreciates that the players we have here are all talented and there are certain aspects to our game which need very little tweaking at all. Good and refreshing to see.

I saw an interesting comment though the other day that Hughes still feels like someone elses manager, and it's very true. It's all a bit surreal, the two and a half seasons with Roy Hodgson were so successful and Roy seemed so suited to us that it was always going to be hard to adapt to a new man no matter what you feel about his departure or the arrival of the latest Fulham boss. I haven't heard many chants of 'Hughes blawhiarmy' so far this season and they haven't been sung with as much gusto as 'Stand up for the Roy Hodgson' either. However, as I said, Hughes was my first choice, and he hasn't disappointed. Some expressed doubts with his record at City but what he managed with Blackburn shouldn't be underestimated at all, he did a really really exceptional job there, a club very similar to us which makes me pretty confident that we have the right man in charge. He also picked up an unfair reputation of long ball football, and yeah whilst he was physical under Blackburn but the likes of Tugay, Santa Cruz and David Dunn aren't suited to direct football! So to sum up, we as Fulham fans have entered a very interesting and exciting period in our history, we have much to look forward to, both this season and beyond. Based off the last 5  or 6 weeks it may even eclipse the Roy years – but only time will tell.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2010/09/17/2123520/fulham-manager-mark-hughes-hails-good-professional-mark
Fulham Manager Mark Hughes Hails 'Good Professional' Mark Schwarzer
Cottagers boss all praise for shot-stopper...

Fulham manager Mark Hughes has showered praise on goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer for being professional about his duties at Craven Cottage, despite being denied a move to Arsenal during the summer.

The Gunners were on the lookout for a shot-stopper as a replacement for Manuel Almunia, and led a public chase of the Australian as the player himself expressed an interest in moving to north London.

But the Cottagers remained resolute as they turned down advances from Arsenal.

In the meantime, Schwarzer was out injured for a period of time before returning last week to put in a strong performance in the 2-1 victory over Wolves.

"He's [Schwarzer] made a real mark here and been part of the club's recent success so that [applause at the Cottage] was a show of respect," Hughes told the club's official website. "It was due and it was really good for him.

"He's a good professional and I didn't think there would be any difference in his daily work or approach to games [following the summer speculation]. It was never a worry for me and he's getting on with his job.

"We weren't receptive to any bids because Mark's too important to us. We would much rather he was here helping us win Premier League games.

"His immediate future is here at Fulham and we're hopeful we can show him where we want to go and what we want to do in the future. Obviously I've made it known to him that I want him to be a part of that."

[WhiteJC]

http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_1_4450_club-focus-blackburn-hughes-set-for-ewood-park-return-without-zamora.html
Club Focus - Blackburn - Hughes set for Ewood Park return without Zamora

Mark Hughes returns to Ewood Park this weekend, with his Fulham side set to take on Sam Allardyce's troops on Saturday. Hughes enjoyed a successful managerial spell at Blackburn, where he guided a relegation-threatened team to European football within a matter of just a few seasons. Since then, the Welshman has taken charge of moneybags Manchester City and now he has control over the Cottagers.



Hughes achieved a significant amount with the Lancashire side and is hoping to spice up his new Fulham side in a similar fashion. Although the former Manchester United player has inherited a better side in Fulham than the Rovers squad he was presented with in 2004, Hughes will still try to mould his new team into a more difficult outfit to beat, particularly on their travels. Fulham haven't won a league game away from home in their last twenty attempts, so the odds are on Blackburn to secure victory.



However, the Londoners have started this campaign well and are unbeaten so far after four games. The Cottagers are two points ahead of Rovers in the early stages of the season and Big Sam will be looking for his side to leapfrog their opponents this weekend.



Chris Samba admitted that Rovers simply have to beat Fulham, after losing two of their last three games. Although the Lancashire side held Manchester City to a draw at Eastlands last time out, fans and staff are wary that victory is needed if Rovers are to keep up with their hopes of finishing in the top half of the Premier League once again.



Sam Allardyce has made his Blackburn side difficult to beat at home. In fact, of the 32 home games he has taken charge of so far, Rovers have lost just five. Therefore, the onus is on them to avoid defeat against Fulham. The side seem to have fixed a key issue from last year - that of scoring goals. The presence of Mame Diouf coupled with the alertness of Nikola Kalinic means that Rovers look far more threatening going forward.



Meanwhile, their opponents Fulham have lost key striker Bobby Zamora to injury. The England striker really improved last season and would have been a threat to Rover's defence this weekend. However, Blackburn should not be resting on their laurels. Mark Hughes has made an astute signing for his new club in the form of Belgian forward Moussa Dembele. Having scored a brace in the previous game, the young striker is surely a threat.



Another worrying statistic is that Sam Allardyce's record against his opposite number is terrible to say the least. In the five meetings between both men, Mark Hughes has almost always come out on top. Big Sam has failed to secure victory over his rival in any of the five fixtures, losing four of them along the way. Therefore, the Rovers boss may need to rethink his tactics prior to this meeting.



As for progress off the pitch, Western Gulf Advisory, the firm of potential buyer Ahsan Ali Syed have agreed to an extended period of exclusivity with the club ahead of any possible deal. This means that Syed is still looking through the books and no other interested party can check the accounts until further notice. With so much visible interest from the Indian businessman, a takeover seems inevitable, though some fans are beginning to question why the process is taking so long.



Nevertheless, Rovers can only do their best on the pitch for the moment and try not to be distracted by these talks. As mentioned earlier, Blackburn have a very respectable record at home under Allardyce and will be looking to keep that good form going against Fulham. With Rovers posing a larger threat going forward and Fulham known for struggling on their travels, it seems likely that the home side can secure all three points. However, the Cottagers seem a very good side under Mark Hughes so far and the clash should prove a fascinating encounter.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.sportingpreview.com/matches/10110302.php
BLACKBURN v FULHAM
MORE OUTRAGEOUS COMMENTS FROM SAM ALLARDYCE

Sam Allardyce has claimed that both himself and Mark Hughes were not given enough time when they managed bigger clubs and has also insisted that he would win the title every year if he were manager of Real Madrid or Manchester United.

Allardyce enraged Arsenal yesterday when he slagged off Arsene Wenger but those comments pale into insignificance alongside today's ultra boastful remarks which give a new meaning to the 'Big Sam' tag he is commonly known by.

Allardyce insisted however: "I'm not suited to Bolton or Blackburn, I would be more suited to Inter Milan or Real Madrid.

"It wouldn't be a problem to me to go and manage those clubs because I would win the double or the league every time.

"Give me Manchester United or Chelsea and I would do the same, it wouldn't be a problem.

"It's not where I'm suited to, it's just where I've been for most of the time.

"It's not a problem to take me into the higher reaches of the Champions League or Premier League and would make my job a lot easier in winning it."

Allardyce also thinks that Mark Hughes was hard done-by at Manchester City, saying: "His Manchester City reign obviously was not long enough. A little bit like me at Newcastle, but I didn't last quite as long as Sparky though.

"He was given the chance and unfortunately at that stage of his career they decided to have a change.

"You look back on it and he'll be very disappointed because they only lost two games I think. But that is the way it is sometimes, there's a perception that other people can do better than you, but often the reality is not the case.

"He decided that Fulham was the place for him, he's taken over what he's described in his own words as a very good team and he's started where they left off last season."

[WhiteJC]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6383464,00.html
Hughes eyes Schwarzer stay
Fulham boss aiming to tie down keeper

Mark Hughes hopes the offer of a new deal will persuade Mark Schwarzer to stay at Fulham when the transfer window reopens.

The 37-year-old attracted interest from Arsenal during the summer but Fulham fought hard to secure the services of a goalkeeper rated one of the finest in the Premier League.

They were not tempted to accept a £4million offer from the Gunners, even though Schwarzer is in the final year of his contract at Craven Cottage and could leave for free at the end of the season.

Manager Hughes is braced for another battle in the New Year but regards Schwarzer as such a key component of the team that he would like the Australian to extend his contract.

"If we could tie Mark down to a longer contract that would be the ideal for me," he explained.

"It might not be an option open to us as he is well within his rights to look at his options in January.

Important
"I want him to stay and would be more comfortable and think that I have a chance of winning if Mark was playing.

"We hope that he will stay until the end of the season.

"We weren't receptive to any bids for Mark in January as we were not prepared to take money for him - he's too important for us.

"In January that will still be the situation as we'd rather he's still here helping us win Premier League games.

"His immediate future is here. We're pleased with that and will look to January when we have to.

"We are hopeful that we can show him what we want to do and where we want to go.

"I have made it known to him that I want him to be part of that."


No concern
Schwarzer was well received by Fulham fans before last Saturday's 2-1 victory over Wolves, despite the fact he was very keen to join Arsenal.

And Hughes was never concerned that Schwarzer would become troublesome after his dream move to Emirates Stadium failed to materialise.

"Mark has made a real mark here and the reception showed the respect for him," said Hughes.

"He's made a real impact at the club and been a part of the whole success here, so that respect was due and was given, which was really good for him.

"Mark's a good professional. I knew there wouldn't be any difference in his daily work or the way he approaches games, so it wasn't a worry for me.

"In football you get disappointments more than good times, so that's the norm.

"He's got over the initial disappointment so he's getting on with it now."

[WhiteJC]

http://www.sportingpreview.com/matches/10110312.php
BLACKBURN v FULHAM
BIG MATCH STATS AND FACTS

Clint Dempsey has scored three goals in his last three appearances against Blackburn.

• Fulham have only won one of the last eight Premier League meetings against Blackburn.
• Blackburn have only lost five of their 32 Premier League home games under Sam Allardyce.
• Fulham have won none of their last 20 Premier League away matches.
• The Londoners have failed to score in nine of their last 11 Premier League away matches.
• Fulham have hit just one goal in total in their last four trips to Ewood Park in the league.
• Fulham have only won one of their last eight Premier League meetings against Blackburn.
• Sam Allardyce has not won any of his last five league meetings with Mark Hughes as a manager, losing four.
• Clint Dempsey has scored three goals in his last three appearances against Blackburn.
• Blackburn go in search of their 1,000th win in top-flight football.
• They have only lost five out of 32 Premier League games at Ewood Park under Sam Allardyce.
• Rovers have scored 499 goals in the Premier League at Ewood Park.
• Fulham have not won a league game away from home since August 2009, a run of 20 fixtures.
• They have failed to find the back of the net in nine of their last 11 Premier League away games.
• Mark Hughes has drawn 11 of his last 15 Premier League games as a manager.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1313067/Modern-boots-bad-luck-Whats-injuries.html
Modern boots or bad luck: What's behind all these injuries?

Has there ever been a start to the season quite like it?

Five Premier League players have suffered serious injuries and it is only a month since kick-off.

This week, Manchester United's Antonio Valencia joined Bobby Zamora (Fulham), Fraizer Campbell (Sunderland), Michael Dawson (Tottenham) and Abou Diaby (Arsenal) on the casualty list.

After surgery to repair his broken leg, he faces months of treatment and rehabilitation bcolinefore he can return to action.
So is it a cruel coincidence, or is there something more sinister behind the injuries?

These were the questions posed by Sportsmail's team of reporters when they met Premier League managers ahead of this weekend's fixtures.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce faces six months without Campbell, who is still waiting to have his operation as surgeons wait for the swelling on his ruptured knee ligaments to subside, three weeks after his legs twisted in the Stadium of Light turf against Manchester City.
And the Sunderland boss has called for full-scale independent research into whether players' modern boots are connected with the spate of injuries which have blighted the start of the season.
The connection will not please the boot manufacturers, but after reviewing the League Managers' Association's research, Bruce is convinced it should be looked at.
He said: 'There are circumstances surrounding these injuries.

'These pitches nowadays are fantastic but they are so much harder than they used to be.

'The footwear, on a lot of occasions, leaves a lot to be desired and we need to look at it because I do believe it is a problem.

'The LMA did a survey and I would like to see a comprehensive study and report to look at the amount of serious injuries caused by boots with blades, for example, certainly ones we see of late where there is no impact such as Valencia and Fraizer.

'With Valencia, his foot is caught in the grass, his leg goes one way and foot goes the other.

'If you look at Fraizer's injury he drags his foot, it can't move and his knee turns and you see it pop. It's awful to watch.

'It seems to be happening more and more.

'Maybe it's time for league managers to sit together and I would have an opinion to see if we can do anything medically, because how often do we see players getting their feet stuck in the ground?

'There is nothing worse to see and we all wish Valencia a speedy recovery.'

What do the managers think?
Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United)
It's possibly down to the speed of the game. Also the pitches are so good — on Tuesday we thought maybe Valencia's studs caught in the turf which is so thick at the moment. The players wear studs, we don't use blades.

Mark Hughes (Fulham)
Maybe in the beginning of the season pitches are a bit firmer. There is not that give you get in winter months that allows joints and ankles to go with the turf, which gives you an opportunity to avoid serious injury. No-one really knows.

Roy Hodgson (Liverpool)
IT'S quite strange how these freakish things happen. In Switzerland, I had four players with cruciate injuries in five months. I'd only had four in the previous 25 years. Dirk Kuyt's shoulder is my fourth like that this year.

Carlo Ancelotri (Chelsea)
It could be the training, the fatigue, other things. The most important thing is to give players good recovery. When I played, we trained hard, we couldn't move after training, and we had no recovery, so we had a lot of muscle injuries.

Chris Hughton (Newcastle)
Certainly one area, I don't know how prevalent it is, but you look at the changes in the pitches, they're a lot firmer than a good few years ago. Footwear's different and whether that's part of the reason I don't know.

And here's what the expert says ...
'Tired bodies and tired minds can cause injuries. If you're tired and the neuro pathways from your brain to your muscles slow, even if it's only by a millisecond, it delays the reaction time of those muscles which, for example, might stop you turning your ankle.' Leading physio Mark Leather


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1313067/Modern-boots-bad-luck-Whats-injuries.html#ixzz0zrbAA22X

[WhiteJC]

http://www.sportingpreview.com/matches/10110324.php
BLACKBURN v FULHAM
UPDATED TEAM NEWS

Fulham winger Damien Duff has recovered from a calf injury and should be available for Saturday's Premier League clash with Blackburn.

Bobby Zamora is out for five months with a broken fibula and ankle ligament damage but Andrew Johnson is just three to four weeks away from a first team return.

Rafik Halliche and Fredrik Stoor are both doubtful with groin injuries while Philippe Senderos is a long-term absentee.

Diomansy Kamara is back in training but David Stockdale will be on the sidelines for three more weeks.

Ryan Nelsen and Michel Salgado are doubts for Blackburn after both limped off against Manchester City last weekend.

Nelsen suffered a kick to the instep and Salgado a thigh injury and both will have fitness tests just before the match. Keith Andrews is still out.

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce is not likely to be offered the Real Madrid job anytime in the near future. A spokesman for the Bernabeau club was quoted earlier: "Sam who?"

Blackburn Squad: Robinson, Bunn, Olsson, Samba, Givet, Nelsen, Salgado, Jones, Pedersen, Nzonzi, Kalinic, E-H Diouf, M B Diouf, Emerton, Hoilett, Chimbonda, Grella, Dunn, Benjani, Roberts, Linganzi.

Fulham Squad: Schwarzer, Zuberbuhler, Kelly, Pantsil, Salcido, Baird, Hangeland, Hughes, Halliche, Gera, Murphy, Duff, Riise, Etuhu, Dempsey, Greening, Davies, Dikgacoi, Elm, Dembele, Briggs.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.sportingpreview.com/matches/10110334.php
BLACKBURN v FULHAM
HUGHES SAYS ALLARDYCE IS A CONTENDER FOR ENGLAND JOB

Fulham boss Mark Hughes says that Sam Allardyce will be a strong candidate for the England job when Capello finally leaves at the end of Euro 2012.

Allardyce has done himself no favours at all this week with his petulant outburst against Arsene Wenger and his ridiculous claims that he is more suited to Real Madrid than Blackburn, a comment that would have been unlikely to have pleased Blackburn fans.

Hughes said: "Sam's record in the Premier League stands comparison with any British, England or foreign manager at the level of the clubs he's been at.

"He's a successful Premier League manager and the view at this time is that England need an English manager.

"I also hold that view because it's important that a country is led by someone of the same nationality.

"Sam has made his mark in the Premier League, which is the strongest league in world football.

"If you can get positive results in this league you're a good manager.

"Whether the way Sam sets up his team lends itself to international management is a debate for another day.

"But certainly his record in terms of game won makes him a strong candidate."

Winger Damien Duff returns against his former club after recovering from a calf injury, but Fulham will be missing Bobby Zamora for at least five months.

The England striker suffered ankle ligament damage as well as a broken fibula in last Saturday's 2-1 win over Wolves.

"The operation showed there was ligament damage, which we hoped there wouldn't be. We're probably looking at five months plus," said Hughes.

"There's no concern over his ability to get back and play to the same level that he was at before the injury.

"To lose him for the length of time we are means other players will have to step up to the mark."

[Jimpav]

Dickson Etuhu: Losing Zamora is a blow that we can now overcome
Steve Cording


Dickson Etuhu has not been able to bring himself to watch the highlights of the win over Wolves last Saturday. Fulham maintained their impressive unbeaten start to the season with a 2-1 victory at Craven Cottage — but it came at a price.

Etuhu's close friend and team-mate Bobby Zamora was carried off in agony following a crunching challenge by Wolves captain Karl Henry.

The striker was immediately ruled out of action until Christmas and yesterday came the news Fulham manager Mark Hughes dreaded. Not only has Zamora broken his ankle, he has ligament damage as well and won't play again until February at the earliest.

Etuhu, 28, was one of the first to visit Zamora in hospital as the England man came to terms with the injury that has wrecked his season.

"Everyone at Fulham has been left shattered by what happened to Bobby," Etuhu told Standard Sport.

"He is more than just a good player, he is also one of the biggest personalities in our dressing room.

"He is such a comedian and a joker and you can always hear him from the car park as soon as he arrives at the training ground. Without him around the next five months are going to be so boring, he just makes everyone so happy.

"I went to see Bobby in hospital straight after the game with Wolves and understandably he was very down. I saw the pain he was in on the pitch and knew straight away it was bad; none of the players wanted to look at his ankle."

Zamora had just enjoyed his best season as a player as he helped Fulham reach the Europa League Final. He was capped by England against Hungary last month and signed a new four-year contract a week ago — three days after Etuhu had done the same.

"Bobby will be back, of that there is no doubt in my mind," the midfielder added. "We have all made sure that he has been looking on the bright side and trying to take the positives out of what is a very difficult situation for him and have promised not to let our standards slip while he is sidelined.

"He has never had a serious injury in his career so he has to hope that this is his one and only.

"Ironically, we both put pen to paper on four-year deals to stay at Fulham last week and we were actually joking that we had to be careful walking down any stairs in case we fell and got injured. Bobby even suggested we sleep at the club's training ground to make sure that nothing happened to us before we signed.

"People don't realise what a precarious profession being a footballer is. Just look at what has happened to Nuno Valencia at Manchester United this week who is now out for most of the season. You can be at the high point of your career and feeling that life is fantastic and that nothing can go wrong and then in a split second you are in the totally opposite position.

"Bobby had a huge smile on his face when he walked into Craven Cottage on Saturday morning, he had signed a new deal, was an England international and look at him now, sat on his bed with a broken ankle.

"But he knows there is no pressure on him to get back to playing again and that is a huge weight off his shoulders. I told him he should use the time to make sure he comes back fitter and stronger than ever."

The loss of such a crucial player at this early stage of the season would have hurt Fulham in the past yet

Hughes's team are now a different proposition.
Etuhu, born in Nigeria but raised in Peckham from an early age, played at this summer's World Cup, as did Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and American striker Clint Dempsey, who can now expect to be the focal point of the attack in Zamora's absence.

"Bobby has been the main man for us but the great thing about Fulham at the moment is that we have the players to come in and fill the gap while he is out," Etuhu said.

"Clint Dempsey played so well last season and I am really excited about our new signing, Moussa Dembele, who came in a did so well with two goals against Wolves. Andy Johnson is also very close to regaining his match fitness as well, so it shows what a healthy squad we have built up."

The 28-year-old believes that Hughes is also the perfect man to help Fulham re-focus on football, starting with tomorrow's clash with the team he used to manage, Blackburn.

Etuhu, who has had spells at Manchester City, Preston, Norwich and Sunderland before arriving at Craven Cottage for £1.5million in 2008, believes Hughes's appointment this summer as Roy Hodgson's replacement will ensure last season's success is not a one-off.

"The whole club have been so upbeat since he took over from Roy and excited about what we can now achieve," he said.

"My brother, Kelvin, was at Manchester City with Hughes and told me a lot of good things about him before he arrived at Fulham. I was still quite shocked at what a good manager he is, the football he believes in and the way he carries and presents himself.

"We all wear suits now to every game, home and away, which might only seem like a small thing but it helps in our mental preparation.

"He is a very different boss to Roy, who was more interested in looking at the shape of the team and wanted us to sit back and defend and stay in our positions and then break forward.

"Mark Hughes is more dynamic and explosive and wants pace and power and to take the game to our opponents. We are more excited about this because we know we are going to get more goals this year and we are going to be more unpredictable."

Etuhu was still sad to see Hodgson, a manager he credits with rebuilding him as a player, leave for Liverpool in the summer but the freedom he now enjoys under Hughes has helped to soften the blow.

He only scored two goals last season but has already netted in this campaign with the late equaliser in the 2-2 draw at Blackpool.

He said: "I have a lot to thank Roy Hodgson because he helped me a lot and almost coached me from the beginning again — and I understand football better now because of him.

"Everyone knew under Roy Hodgson that we were going to play a solid 4-4-2, the strikers would come back and work hard, but now we are going to be pro-active.

"The new manager has encouraged me to get into the box as much as possible because he believes I can score a few goals this year."

Hughes was also a success at Blackburn and Etuhu fully expects him to receive a warm reception tomorrow.

"I know that he is still held in very high regard at Ewood Park because he did such a good job," he said.

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http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Blackburn-v-Fulham-preview-Brede-Hangeland-is-destined-for-a-move-to-the-Premier-League-elite-according-to-Morten-Gamst-Pedersen-article582803.html
Pedersen: Hangeland won't be at Fulham for long

Morten Gamst Pedersen reckons it is only a matter of time before Brede Hangeland lands a move into football's elite ranks.

Blackburn ace Pedersen has watched the Fulham defender develop into a top-class stopper after first noticing his talents on duty with Norway.

And he is not the only one impressed with Hangeland's ability to cope with Premier League strikers – Arsenal and Liverpool are just two of the big guns who have checked him out.

A switch to a top four side has yet to materialise but Pedersen will not be surprised if today marks the last time he faces the big Norwegian in a Fulham shirt.

He said: "He will get a bigger club.

"He is professional and if he continues performing like he has been doing, it is hard to see him not being hunted down with a big club.

"There has been loads of ­speculation already. I don't know what the facts are but you get that speculation because he is a good player. There was talk about whether he would go with Roy Hodgson to ­Liverpool.

"It is only a matter of time before clubs will buy him.

"But he is happy at Fulham and isn't the sort of guy who would try to run away."

Personal ­friendships aside, winger Pedersen comes face to face with old boss Mark Hughes, under whom he enjoyed his best spell at Ewood Park.

However, he believes Sam Allardyce is finally bringing back the spirit that was almost destroyed when he left for Manchester City in 2008 and during the disastrous Paul Ince era.

He added: "There are different players and ­characters but the confidence is back now. People believe we can play against the big boys again and get a result.

"It was a blow to lose Mark. We were down and the one we got in we didn't do so well with. Sam has got us on the up again."



Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Blackburn-v-Fulham-preview-Brede-Hangeland-is-destined-for-a-move-to-the-Premier-League-elite-according-to-Morten-Gamst-Pedersen-article582803.html#ixzz0zrdO1yQr
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http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/konchesky-how-fulham-beat-utd


Konchesky: How Fulham beat Utd


18th Sep 2010 - Latest News


15 Comments 


Paul Konchesky believes Liverpool can claim a memorable victory at Old Trafford on Sunday - by copying tactics employed by Fulham last season.

The defender starred as his old club thumped Sir Alex Ferguson's men 3-0 during last season's festive period.

And he believes Roy Hodgson will attempt to use the same game-plan this weekend.

Konchesky told Liverpoolfc.tv: "It was down to the team structure the manager had at the time, and he's trying to bring that here.

"The work ethic between the team and the players was key. We all knew what we needed to do and we stuck to our jobs.

"We need to start well with it being at Old Trafford. We need to silence the fans. We'll try to pinch an early goal, then our fans will be on top and we'll take it from there."

Despite featuring in the top flight with Charlton, Tottenham, West Ham and Fulham, Konchesky has never played in a league game quite like this north-west derby.

But he claims there won't be any butterflies beforehand.

"I don't get nervous," he said. "I take every game as it comes. I know this is going to be a tough game, it's been spoken about a lot this week and I want to see what it's all about.

"It's going to be a great game. It's obviously a massive game for Liverpool and I'm looking forward to being part of it. These are the kind of games that you watch when you are not a player here. Now I'm looking forward to playing in a big rivalry game.

"No disrespect to Fulham but you don't get to play in massive games like this every week."

Click the image below to watch our interview with Konchesky

Konchesky would normally expect to be up against Antonio Valencia until the winger broke his leg in a Champions League draw with Glasgow Rangers on Tuesday night.

The 29-year-old believes United will feel his absence.

"Especially at home it's a big loss for them because it's a big pitch," said Konchesky. "He's a strong lad and he's quick, but they've got other players who can play there.

"That's why they are there or thereabouts every year. People can come straight into the team. It could be Nani or they could play Fletcher there."

Konchesky's opposite number on Sunday lunchtime will be Patrice Evra, a left-back he admires.

"I rate him really highly," said our new boy. "He's one of the best left-backs in the Premier League and he settled in really quickly at Manchester United. He's one of their most consistent players and is probably one of the first names on the teamsheet."