Thursday Fulham Stuff (21/12/17)...

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Fulham to travel the furthest over Christmas as Fulham Supporters' Trust slams fixtures

Fans of the club will be looking at travelling 748 miles if they want to see the side take on both Cardiff and Hull over the Christmas period

Fulham fans will find themselves travelling the furthest distance out of all the Championship clubs over the Christmas period if they want to watch their side take on Cardiff and Hull.

The Whites travel to Cardiff on Boxing Day, the fifth time in a row the club have had to play away on December 26, while they also make the trip to the KCOM four days later to face Hull City on December 30.

That's 748 miles, and research from the Football Supporters' Federation and Virgin Media has concluded Fulham fans will end up paying, on average, £368.94 to watch their side (the analysis includes ticket, travel and food costs, plus journey times, incurred by supporters of all 92 clubs across the Premier League and English Football League for festive fixtures played between Boxing Day and January 4 2018).

Fulham are putting on free coach travel to the Boxing Day game to Cardiff, but the Fulham Supporters' Trust have slammed the decision that sees the club playing away from home for the past five years.

A statement read: "Fulham fans have had to travel to Boxing Day games for the last five years.

"This season's trip to Cardiff is only made possible for most fans by Fulham's free coach travel and is followed by another away game at Hull.

"Such scheduling at Christmas is another unfortunate example of the fans being taken for granted by the football authorities."

Meanwhile, Kevin Miles, Chief Executive, FSF said: "Despite money being tight around this time of year, supporters will be travelling up and down the country over Christmas and New Year to back their teams in remarkable numbers once again.

"Away fans are a huge part of our match-going tradition and that shouldn't be taken for granted, so clubs and sponsors can and should do more in making football as affordable as possible."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-travel-furthest-over-christmas-14061889

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Fulham Allocation Almost Sold Out

Saints took an extra allocation for the game at Fulham, but with those extra tickets now flown quickly out of the ticket office door, there are only a small number available.

Saints fans who want to go to Fulham need to be quick, the club took an exta block of tickets on Tuesday but all but a handful of these went in just over 24 hours meaning that there are now only a hundred or so tickets remaining out of an allocation of over 4,000 and most of these are in the front few rows which have been recently released.

Whether Saints are able to get any more from Fulham is unclear, the Putney End at Craven Cottage sees away fans share with a neutral section and it will be down to whether Fulham have sold any tickets in this area.

So it could be that Saints could get more tickets or alternatively Saints fans could buy tickets directly from Fulham in this area.



https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/news/47127/

[WhiteJC]

 
Ryan Sessegnon to Spurs: The real story behind Tottenham and Manchester United transfer rumours

Latest Tottenham Hotspur transfer news includes an update on Ryan Sessegnon

It is just over a week until the transfer window opens up once more and teams can begin their flurry of million-pound moves as they look to finish the season strong.

After a busy summer, there could still be some big moves in the winter window and one man who has everyone talking is Fulham fullback Ryan Sessegnon.

The teenager has once again been linked with some top Premier League clubs, with Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United believed to be the most likely destinations.

Liverpool were also said to be interested in the 17-year-old during the summer as Spurs apparently had a bid turned down by Fulham to take the defender to the north side of London.

But what is really going on with Sessegnon at the moment? Where does his future lie?

Ryan O'Donovan, Fulham FC Writer for our sister site getwestlondon, was kind enough to break down the situation for us and separate the fact from the fiction with regards to Ryan Sessegnon and his twin brother Steven. Here's what he had to say.


Ryan Sessegnon battles Callum O'Dowda

Tottenham and Ryan Sessegnon is the transfer saga that just won't go away - after months of speculation during the summer transfer window, links have raised their heads again as we head into January.

There are still two weeks until the transfer window opens but that hasn't stopped the national press from going crazy about Fulham's 17-year-old wonderkid from Roehampton, linking him with moves to both Tottenham and Manchester United.

Even his twin, Steven, has found himself thrown into the mix now after winning the U17 World Cup with England in the summer.

But what is the truth, and what is merely speculation at this stage?

Tottenham are interested in Sessegnon, that much is a certainty, and have been for a while - Mauricio Pochettino is a big fan of the youngster and would love to make him a Spurs player.

They also bid in the summer for him, reported to be £25m, but that was rejected and Ryan Sessegnon, along with Steven, both signed three-year deals at Fulham to commit their futures to the club.

They're also both happy at their boyhood club for the moment, and the Cottagers are pretty confident they can keep hold of the pair of them and believe that fans will see both the Sessegnon twins in a Fulham first team XI sooner rather than later.


Ryan Sessegnon celebrates scoring for Fulham in the FA Cup fourth round last season

Fulham want a new left back in January, yes, but that's not because they're 'preparing to lose Ryan Sessegnon' - it's because they still haven't properly replaced Scott Malone, with Rafa Soares not having the impact the club would've liked when he was brought in on loan.

Slavisa Jokanovic wants to employ Sessegnon further forward, and hasn't been able to do so with the lack of left back so far, so signing one would allow him to do that, like he did with devastating effect at Bramall Lane.

Now, let's look at some of the myths that have been flying about in the past couple of weeks.

One report suggested that Manchester United were preparing a £50m bid for Sessegnon with Fulham preparing to find his replacement.

Another has suggested that Tottenham are preparing a £20m bid for Ryan and a further £10m bid for Steven, who would then be loaned back for 18 months.

£50m, £25m, £20m, same thing, right?

Steven returning to Fulham on loan would also do nothing for either party - Steven is currently in the U23 squad under Peter Grant and has featured twice for the first team this season, both in the Carabao Cup, while sitting on the bench in the 1-1 draw with Derby.

This isn't to say there won't be bids made in January for Sessegnon, or that he will still be a Fulham player when the window shuts - there's still a lot of time between now and then and things change, but at the moment Sessegnon is happy at the club.



http://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/transfer-news/spurs-manchester-united-ryan-sessegnon-14052897

[WhiteJC]

 
Who will be the next Swansea City manager? Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic, Ryan Giggs and Ronald Koeman among contenders

These are the early names in the frame and their odds after Paul Clement is sacked by Swansea City

Paul Clement's tenure has come to an end at Swansea City following a disastrous start to the Premier League season.
And the big question for the fans is who's next for the Liberty Stadium hot-seat?

Attention immediately turns to the Swans' hunt for Clement's successor.

Here we go through the early runners and riders — and throw a few outside names into the mix.

THE MAIN CANDIDATES
Slavisa Jokanovic
Age: 49

Previous management jobs: Partizan Belgrade, Levski Sofia, Hercules, Watford, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Fulham (current).

Odds: 25-1


Slavisa Jokanovic, Head Coach of Fulham

The Serbian led Watford to the Premier League in 2014-15 but never got the chance to manage the Hornets in the top flight. He was replaced by Quique Sanchez Flores so instead continued to make his name with Maccabi Tel Aviv and more recently with Fulham, where he is still in charge.

After a fine 2016-17 season at Craven Cottage in which Jokanovic earned plaudits for Fulham's free-flowing style, relationships have become strained.

Fulham have been inconsistent this season and currently sit in mid-table, some distance from the promotion mix.

Jokanovic's stock remains high, however, and his name has been linked with a number of Premier League jobs.

Tony Pulis
Age: 59

Previous jobs: Bournemouth, Gillingham, Bristol City, Portsmouth, Stoke City, Plymouth Argyle, Stoke City, Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion.

Odds: Evens


Pulis shares a joke with Swansea boss Paul Clement

Being a Welshman has always provided an obvious link between the former West Brom boss and Swansea, but given the league position the Swans find themselves in, Pulis to SA1 makes even more sense.

He has a fine record of keeping teams afloat in the Premier League, with his work at Stoke City, Crystal Palace and the Baggies proving what he's all about.

A stereotypical Pulis side may not produce the most eye-catching football, but when you're fighting for top-flight survival, picking up points has to be the priority.

Out of work and available, but is he the man to unlock Swansea's creativity? Also wanted by Wales.

Ronald Koeman
Age: 54

Previous jobs: Netherlands (assistant), Barcelona (assistant), Vitesse, Ajax, Benfica, PSV, Valencia, AZ, Feyenoord, Southampton, Everton.

Odds: 5/1


Koeman took Sigurdsson from Swansea to Everton in the summer (Image: @Everton Twitter)

After a disastrous start to the season with Everton, Koeman was relieved of his duties on Merseyside in late October.

However, he successfully guided Southampton to a seventh and sixth-placed finishes in the Premier League, with 2015-16 campaign marking Southampton's best ever league season.

That period on the south coast showed that Koeman is capable of producing the goods in arguably the world's most testing league. Premier League experience can be very important in a relegation scrap, which would make Koeman a solid candidate.

He was linked with a move to Swansea after the sacking of Michael Laudrup in 2014 — and now might be the time to give Koeman the call.

Frank de Boer
Age: 47

Previous management jobs: Ajax (youth), Netherlands (assistant), Ajax, Internazionale, Crystal Palace.

Odds: 25/1


Frank De Boer

De Boer may be similar to Koeman in that he's a Dutchman with management experience in the Premier League, but their success levels differ significantly.

De Boer was appointed Palace manager in the summer, but was given just 450 minutes of time in a top flight dugout before he was relieved of his duties, making his reign the shortest in Premier League history in terms of minutes managed.

He was been linked with a move to SA1 at the same time as his compatriot Koeman, but wasn't considered.

De Boer is touted to become an outstanding manager in the future, but the Swans can't afford to plan for the future; surviving the relegation fight this year is the most important matter, making the appointment of the Dutchman a big risk.

Brendan Rodgers
Age: 44

Previous management jobs: Chelsea (youth), Watford, Reading, Swansea City, Liverpool, Celti c (current).

Odds: 16/1


Brendan Rodgers has worked wonders at Celtic

The ex-Swansea manager's stock keeps rising.

He guided Celtic to a record-breaking undefeated domestic campaign, a run that has only just come to an end north of the border.

The Northern Irishman was at the Swans from 2010 to 2012, where he guided his enterprising side to promotion from the Championship, before securing safety in their first season in the top flight.

Given his current success, acquiring the services of Rodgers may prove to be more difficult for the Swans than others on this list.

He was so close to succeeding Francesco Guidolin in the summer of 2016 but the return never materialised. Rodgers also claimed Swansea had been in touch in November to sound out his thoughts on a Liberty return.

Ryan Giggs
Age: 44

Previous management jobs: Manchester United (interim)

Odds: 10/3


Ryan Giggs

Giggs was previously in the running to become manager but the Welshman failed to impress during his interview, meaning the job went to Bob Bradley.

His only previous experience in management came during a brief spell at Manchester United, following the sacking of David Moyes.

Given Giggs' experience has largely been limited to roles as an assistant, his appointment could fit the mould for Swansea. Their appointment of Clement — a serial No.2 — underwhelmed many at the time but proved to be successful in terms of sealing survival last term.

Giggs would certainly be an investment, but it's up for debate whether he could make the necessary immediate impact.

Marcelo Bielsa
Age: 62

Previous management jobs: Newell's Old Boys, Atlas, America, Velez Sarsfield, Espanyol, Argentina, Chile, Athletic Bilbao, Marseille, Lazio, Lille.

Odds: 20/1


Marcelo Bielsa (Image: FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)

The hot-headed Argentinian boss who is known as 'El Loco' has been linked with the Swans for a while now.

After the departure of Garry Monk from the Liberty Stadium in December 2015, Bielsa was at one point the bookies' favourite to become the new manager through the door at Landore. He even said that he was "already assessing the Swansea City squad", showing just how close both parties came to a deal.

He doesn't have Premier League experience, but very few can rival his prestigious list of former clubs, despite a few failures of late — most recently receiving his marching orders from Lille.

But having been a manager since 1990 — including six years as international boss of Argentina and Chile — he could yet land the Swansea job.

Either way, if Bielsa was appointed, we can expect fireworks from one the game's most colourful characters.

OUTSIDERS — men who could come in from nowhere
Graham Potter
Age: 42

Previous jobs: Ostersunds FK (current)

Odds: 100/1


Ostersund football club's head coach Graham Potter

Not many would have heard of Potter, but the Solihull-born man is pulling up trees in Sweden, where he has revolutionised Ostersunds FK.

It's rare that English managers take up opportunities outside of home shores, but Potter has bucked that trend.

He took the reigns of Ostersunds FK in 2010, when they were a struggling team in the fourth tier of the Swedish football pyramid. Fast-forward seven years to 2017, his side are in the Europa League knockout stages, where they have beaten the likes of Galatasaray, PAOK and Hertha Berlin.

Still only 42 years old, Potter has many years left in the game, but it can't be too long before English clubs come calling - could Swansea be that club?

A risk — but Swansea know about them.

Dennis Bergkamp
Age: 48

Previous management jobs: Ajax (assistant)

Odds: 100/1


Ajax Assistant Coach, Dennis Bergkamp (Image: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

The Arsenal and Netherlands legend has been the assistant manager at Ajax since 2011, and has expressed interest in becoming a manager.

The Dutchman has a statue outside of the Emirates stadium and many see him becoming the eventual manager in North London.

That being said, he needs to gain experience as a manager first and taking up an opportunity at Swansea could be a good start for Bergkamp.

If he coaches teams the way he played the game, then a Bergkamp-managed side would be a joy to watch. Like many though, he's probably not the most suitable option at this stage in the season for the Swans.

Quique Sanchez Flores
Age: 52

Previous management jobs: Real Madrid (youth), Getafe, Valencia, Benfica, Athletico Madrid, Al Ahli, Al Ain, Getafe, Watford, Espanyol (current).

Odds: 100/1


Watford's former Spanish manager Quique Sanchez Flores (Image: IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)

Flores has spent the majority of his career managing in Spain, but was given an opportunity to take over Watford in June 2015.

He led them to a respectable mid-table finish as well as an FA Cup semi-final, which they lost to Crystal Palace. Given the squad and limited resources he had at his disposal, his tenure at Watford is very impressive for a manager taking up his first position in English Football.

His Espanyol side might be loitering in the bottom half of the La Liga table, but his time in England has shown hiring the Spaniard wouldn't be a bad bit of business for the Swans at all.




http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/who-next-swansea-city-manager-14064739

[WhiteJC]

 
Jokanovic To Make 1 Major Change – Predicted 4-3-3 Fulham Line-Up To Face Barnsley

Predicted Fulham Line-up To Face Barnsley In EFL Championship
Fulham were poor in losing to a struggling Sunderland last time out at the Stadium of Light and need a big improvement here.

A team most of us like to watch; it's more and more frustrating every single week that Slavisa Jokanovic does not play Ryan Sessegnon in a forward position where he belongs, but alas I think we'll see him line-up here at left-back once again.

It's hard to believe there won't be a change or two after the Sunderland defeat, though yet again we are likely to see Cairney played out of position but an ineffective Rui Fonte replaced. It could be Kamara's turn up front this time in the 4-3-3 formation we are now used to seeing, but which I'm not certain works at all for this bunch of players.
Formation: 4-3-3
Manager: Slavisa Jokanovic
GK – Marcus Bettinelli

Winning the battle of the 'keepers again at Fulham for now and may well start once more.
RB – Ryan Fredericks

An attacking full-back played in his correct position; at least one side of this team is balanced.
CB – Thomas Kalas

May yet be a Premier League defender but is playing in a side where he perhaps has to display his skills a little too much.
CB – Tim Ream

Forms one half of a well-established centre-back pairing and brings plenty of experience to the side.
LB – Ryan Sessegnon

Every game that this lad plays at left-back, Fulham are missing out on goals. It's that simple.
RCM – Tom Cairney

Played wonderfully well in the No.10 role in a 4-2-3-1 formation last season and really needs to be back there.
CM – Kevin McDonald

Solid enough at this level but yet again, he is another player who was better last year with Johansen as a central partner in the 4-2-3-1.
LCM – Oliver Norwood

A decent addition to the squad but one who helps Jokanovic's decision to change the formation to squeeze him in.
RW – Sheyi Ojo

Playing well just now and learning his trade just fine; Ojo will provide good balls from the right as long as Fulham have a decent finisher on hand to take the chances created.
LW – Stefan Johansen

Yet another player inconvenienced by this formation, Johansen is better when breaking from a deeper, more central position.
ST – Aboubakar Kamara

Fulham need a proper no.9 in January but for now though, they are most likely to fiddle about with various options and it may be Kamara's turn once again this week.




http://soccersouls.com/2017/12/21/jokanovic-to-make-1-major-change-predicted-4-3-3-fulham-line-up-to-face-barnsley/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham FC Submits Planning Application for Stadium Redevelopment

Plans include new leisure facilities, apartments, green spaces and riverside walk

Fulham Football Club has submitted a planning application to H&F Council for the redevelopment of its riverside stand, raising Craven Cottage's seating capacity and adding nine new apartments, new leisure and retail facilities and a new public section of the river walkway.

The application is as follows:

Demolition of the Riverside Stand and partial reconfiguration of the Putney Stand (western end) and Hammersmith Stand (western end), and removal of four floodlight masts; and the development of a new Riverside Stand providing two tiers of seating (creating an overall seating capacity of up to 29,600); a new extended section of riverside walkway; basement; leisure/retail provision for A1, A3, A4, A5, D2 use classes; 9 serviced apartments (Use Class C1); parking; a new river wall; a temporary construction river platform and construction compound; and associated landscaping (including boundary work), lighting (including new and replacement floodlighting) and ground works and all ancillary or incidental works and structures.

It can be seen in full, along with 201 supporting documents here.

The application follows a public consultation held in September, which invited the public to view plans for the redevelopment, which were then being finalised by architects Populous.

As well as better seating and facilities for fans, the club announced its new stand would include 'riverside pubs and restaurants, event facilities and green spaces', as well as improving the riverside walk.

Club chairman Shahid Khan used gardening analogies to explain his vision. "We are a club with ambition to grow, but to grow you must protect and never damage your roots," he said. He pledged that a new stand would be 'iconic and beautiful', blending history and modernity and added: "It won't be long before we'll be sharing some of the architectural elements and designs."

Now the formal application has been submitted, local residents can tell the council what they think about the club's plans on the council's website.

Craven Cottage currently holds 25,700, with the current riverside stand housing the VIP seats and corporate hospitality, the camera gantry and dugouts.

The Stevenage Road stand, opposite the riverside stand was designed by Edwardian stadium specialist Archibald Leitch and listed in the 1980s to protect it from developers.

Also listed was the famous two-storey pavilion dating from 1905 at the corner of the ground built as an afterthought by Leitch when he realised he'd forgotten to include changing rooms in his original design.



http://www.putneysw15.com/default.asp?section=info&page=planningffc003.htm