Friday Fulham Stuff (22/12/17)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham transfers: Have the summer signings been a hit or a miss so far?

Use our gadget to go through which players have been hits and which have been misses since signing at the Cottage

Fulham brought in 11 players during the summer transfer window as they looked to strengthen for the upcoming Championship.

Fast forward to December, and things haven't really gone as planned.

Slavisa Jokanovic's side sit in 12th, eight points off the play-off places, losing as many games as they've won with the recent defeat against Sunderland a particularly hard one to take.

Now, with the January transfer window just around the corner, we want to know which of the 11 signings you think have been a hit, and which have been misses.

We've included all the loanees on the list, including returners Tomas Kalas and Lucas Piazon, for you to have you say on - all you need to do is use the gadget below and pick which have been misses, and which have been hits.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-transfers-summer-signings-been-14066000

[WhiteJC]

 
Pochettino wants to make star a Spurs player in January, but club confident of keeping him

Tottenham Hotspur maintain an interest in Fulham rising star Ryan Sessegnon, but Fulham are confident of being able to keep their prized asset at Craven Cottage this January, according to Football London.

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino puts credence in giving young English players a chance in the club's first team, with the likes of Dele Alli and Harry Winks excellent examples.

Tottenham reportedly had a £25 million offer for Sessegnon rejected in the summer, as per The Telegraph, but since then the left-back's reputation has grown further thanks to some exemplary performances for the Championship club.

With continued speculation over the future of Danny Rose, the Fulham youngster would be an ideal addition for the North London club.

In an interview with Football London, Fulham writer for getwestlondon Ryan O'Donovan provided an insight into the chances of Sessegnon joining Tottenham next month.

However, despite Pochettino's continued interest in the flying wideman, the journalist stated that he believed the star would stay at Fulham for the time being.

"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," O'Donovan said.

"They also bid in the summer for him, reported to be £25m, but that was rejected and Ryan Sessegnon, along with (his brother) 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."

Tottenham will surely have competition for Sessegnon's signature from other Premier League sides should there be a hint that the 17-year-old could leave Fulham.

As such, Spurs will need to act fast if they are to land the defender.

An offer that would include Sessegnon going back to Fulham on loan for the next 6-18 months could well be a way to convince the Cottagers to consider a deal for the left-back.

Or, the London side could offer a fee to get the first option on the star when the Championship side are ready to part company with him.

Pochettino's track record of helping English youngsters improve would surely be a drawcard for the player – but Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will need to work his magic to make a potential deal a reality.



https://ninetyminutesonline.com/pochettino-wants-make-star-spurs-player-january-club-confident-keeping/

[WhiteJC]

 
Barnsley Tickets & Hospitality

Join us for our Christmas fixture this weekend as Fulham host Barnsley at Craven Cottage!

There will be a festive feel for the entire family to enjoy, around the Cottage, with activities on Stevenage Road, and Santa himself in attendance, greeting fans in and around the ground along with our very own Billy the Badger!

Enjoy Christmas at the Cottage with match tickets available to supporters on General Sale and starting from just £20 for adults and £10 for juniors.

Secure your seat today online, by phone on 0203 871 0810 (opt. 1) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.

Enjoy our Christmas fixture in style with Matchday Hospitality

With lounges decked in Christmas cheer, treat your loved ones to an afternoon of entertainment, with a limited number of Matchday Hospitality packages available to purchase this weekend. Choose from festive fine dining in the George Cohen Lounge, to the relaxed setting of our sports bar, McBride's.

What's more, guests will be able to meet selected members of the First Team around the lounges, as well as post-match entertainment with our Christmas DJ in McBride's.

Packages start from £99 per person (+VAT) and can be purchased online, by phone on 0208 336 7555 (9am-5pm) or by email on [email protected]



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/december/21/barnsley-tickets-,-a-,-hospitality

[WhiteJC]

'Slav in' campaign are the silent majority
by Lydia on December 21, 2017

After the dismal performance against Sunderland at the weekend, Hammyend.com put out a poll on Twitter asking for fans opinion on the manager situation at Fulham. With so many people calling for Slavisa Jokanovic's head on social media, I was surprised to see that the results were drastically in his favour. Of the 688 people who took part, 81% want the club to keep Slav for now and give him another transfer window. While 688 people obviously doesn't represent the whole of the Fulham fanbase, it does give us an indication of fan opinion. There were also a number of other polls asking the same question, and the results of each show overwhelming support for Slav, so it is fair to say that the 'Slav out' campaign isn't quite as big as you would believe.

Now, I am not saying that everyone who would rather he stayed is happy with how things are at Fulham at the minute. In fact, I'd say that no one is content with the performances and results so far this season and, frankly, why should we be? However, the majority of people seem to agree that sacking Slav isn't the answer. My recent article on this outlines my opinion on this so I am not going to repeat myself, but I will add a reason to why I am firmly in the 'Slav in' camp while explaining what I think needs to change for Fulham to start picking up points.

My additional reason comes off the back of last night as I watched an impressive Bristol City side knock holders Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup in dramatic fashion thanks to an injury time goal from Korey Smith. It was in no way a smash and grab from the Championship side, and they had taken the lead earlier on in the match through Joe Bryan before Zlatan Ibrahimovic equalised. It was a remarkable performance, and just another impressive display from the Bristol side. The win last night was City's fifth in a row, in a run that has seen them rise to 3rd in the table with just one defeat in eleven outings. The job that Lee Johnson has done is brilliant, especially considering he was very close to getting sacked last season after a 5-0 drubbing against Preston North End that left them just one point above the relegation zone in April. Instead, the Bristol City bosses decided that Johnson was their man, and they stuck with him even when times were very tough. City are just another example of a club who are reaping the rewards for having faith in their man. Yes, I would agree that Slav needs to go if there is no improvement come the end of the season, but sacking him now would be counter-productive, and would only pave the way for another manager who is likely to have another bad stint resulting in another sacking. We saw this in motion in our final year in the Premier League, so sticking to Slav for now is the best answer.

Having said that, it is clear that something has to change at the club. The performance against Sunderland was probably the worst I have ever witnessed as a Fulham fan and the time and money that went into the trip just added salt into the wounds. Plain and simple, it was dismal. The main thing that I would change, and it seems to be on everyone's lips, would be to have players play in their best positions. It's not rocket science, is it? Play your best players in their favoured positions and you give yourself the best chance of winning matches.

Ryan Sessegnon should be playing as a left winger (or at left wing back if needs be) and not a flat left back as we have seen recently. When was the last time that he played as a winger? When we beat Sheffield United 5-4 in that crazy game away from home with Sessegnon scoring his first senior hat-trick.

Stefan Johansen, a central midfielder, should not be playing in a false nine position. I felt incredibly sorry for Stef on Saturday as he just looked injured and had been asked to play in a position that he is in no way made for. If put in an awful performance and I think he needs a break over Christmas to allow him to get over his current injury.

Rui Fonte and AK47, either or, should be playing as strikers, not wingers. Fonte is another player who I feel sorry for. I think he has had a very tough time adapting to life in England and hasn't been helped by playing out of position. I still reckon he will come good if he is given a chance to play up front properly, but for now, he just runs about and doesn't make an impact on games.

Each of these changes have been talked about on a number of Fulham outlets and it is clear that as a fan base we want these changes made. It is hard to watch a team that was so clinical last year become a side who can't penetrate even the weakest of defences.

Next up we face Barnsley at home in another game that is now a must win. Barnsley sit 20th in the table and are in a horrible run of form with 4 defeats and 1 draw from the last 5 games. Like Sunderland, this is a game that we really should be winning so hopefully we can show much more of what we can do on Saturday.

#COYW



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/12/slav-in-campaign-are-the-silent-majority/

[WhiteJC]

 
Head Coach press conference

Slaviša Jokanović is targeting the festive period as an opportunity to move closer to the Play-Off places.

The Whites are currently eight points off the top six, but four league matches in 11 days provides the chance to string some positive results together.

Speaking in his pre-Barnsley press conference, Jokanović said: "In this period that's in front of us we are going to play four games and we must take this chance to win the maximum number of points to be in a better position at the beginning of January.

"We know we can offer a better performance, and the Barnsley game is a chance to show more confidence, more quality, and be competitive and push all together to win the game.

"They are not at an especially good level in this moment, but it's a team who is organised, who can be dangerous for us if we are not at our highest level.

"Every game in the Championship is tough. If you play against the top team or the bottom team, not that many differences exist. After these 22 games that we've played, the only team that in some way destroyed us or was completely better than my team, was Wolves."

Jokanović has been boosted by the news that Neeskens Kebano, Floyd Ayité and Lucas Piazon are all back in training now, but he stopped short of confirming their involvement at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

"Floyd Ayité started working with the team this week, and he can be available for the game," Jokanović revealed. "Kebano started today and we must assess him.

"Lucas Piazon, this is his second week working with the squad, and he is another player who soon can be part of the team."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/december/21/head-coach-press conference

[WhiteJC]

Jokanovic demands 'better performance' from Fulham
by Dan on December 21, 2017

Slavisa Jokanovic expects a better performance from his Fulham side this weekend at Barnsley as he seeks to get the Whites' season back on track following last Saturday's set back at Sunderland.

The Mackems recorded their first home league victory for 364 days thanks to former Fulham academy striker Josh Maja's first senior goal at the Stadium of Light – and Jokanovic was damning about the failings of his side following a defeat that ended a positive run of form in the Championship.

The Fulham head coach told his Motspur Park press conference this afternoon:

    It was a poor performance at Sunderland. We didn't do enough and weren't clinical. We now must take this chance to win a maximum number of points. We've had many ups and downs, but I expect we will find our highest level and we will have plenty more ups this season.

    All the games in this league are tough. There's not a big difference between the top and bottom teams. We know we can offer a better performance. We have a chance to be competitive and push together to win against Barnsley.

Jokanovic's mood has been boosted by the return of several injured players to training ahead of the festive period. Winger Floyd Ayite, who has been sidelined for a month since injuring his hamstring in that incredible 5-4 win at Sheffield United, is now available for selection again, whilst Neeskens Kebano, who also suffered a hamstring strain shortly after setting up the winning against Birmingham City last month, will face a fitness test before the visit of the Tykes.

The Serbian is also excited by the return of Lucas Piazon from a broken leg after the Brazilian came through training this week ahead of schedule:

    Floyd Ayite has started working with the team and can be available for the weekend. Neeskens Kebano started working with the team today and we will assess his fitness later on. Lucas Piazon has been working really hard to be available to help us.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/12/jokanovic-demands-better-performance-from-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss discusses using Stefan Johansen in the false nine position ahead of Barnsley

The 26-year-old has found himself being used as the false nine in recent weeks and Slavisa Jokanovic has been discussing his use of the Norway captain

Slavisa Jokanovic has explained his decision to use Stefan Johansen as a false nine - insisting it allows the two wide players to attack the space the Norwegian creates.

Since Floyd Ayite's injury at Sheffield United, the head coach has employed the 26-year-old at the top of a midfield diamond, flanked by two offensive players, something that has not gone down well with some sections of the Craven Cottage support.

Fulham are finding goals hard to come by at the moment and the move to play Johansen in the false nine position came as a result of finding a solution to that problem.

Although the defeat at Sunderland proved fruitless in terms of goals once again, Jokanovic was quick to defend using Johansen in the position, stating he had the most shots on the pitch.

He said: "I play with Johansen like the top of the diamond and play with two more offensive players and I play with players who can attack the space and try use the Stefan like players who can give us option to colloborate.

"In the past, we had some wide players who can play in the gaps, now our wide players try play and use the space.



"This is the decision that I take dependant on the different situation, Johansen, at top of the diamond or fake striker, he had more shots in the last game against Sunderland than any player in my team and he makes some offensive jobs for himself.

"Barnsley game is different game, we didn't expect we will find so many space behind defensive line and we don't expect we can attack space behind the centre back like where I am talking about in the Sunderland game.

"This game, Barnsley play little bit different and there exists a possibility that we can find some space behind the centre backs and try attack.

"At the end we are thinking about what is best option for us for game in front of us, and we are going to try like always to find best solution for the team."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-boss-discusses-using-stefan-14069429

[WhiteJC]

 
Why Is It The Right Time For Fulham To Swoop In And Sign Liverpool's Exciting Winger

Ryan Kent

Why Fulham Should Swoop To Sign Liverpool's Ryan Kent

Liverpool winger Ryan Kent is very highly thought of for the future and is reportedly being chased by a host of Championship clubs including Leeds United, Middlesbrough and now Fulham, ahead of the January transfer window.

Kent played 44 times in the league for Barnsley last season and was sent out on loan again by the Reds on a season-long deal to Freiburg in Germany during the summer. But he has gone on to make only 6 Bundesliga appearances including one start.

This lack of pitch time has been a concern for Jurgen Klopp and the Anfield boss is thought to be considering recalling the 21-year-old and allowing him another go at Championship level for the remainder of this season.

Kent's 3 Championship goals last season did not do justice to his overall performance level and its felt he would be even better in this league now. The winger also made his senior Liverpool debut in 2016 when he played in the FA Cup, but has not appeared for the Reds since then and is desperately in need of game time to continue his development.

Still highly rated by Liverpool, Kent was handed a new long-term contract with the club in the summer before joining Freiburg, with the player acknowledging at the time that the move was a big achievement for him, though it has not gone as per plan.

Freiburg's lack of willingness to play Kent in their first-team is far from ideal for Liverpool and Kent, and it seems like a run in England's second tier is what is needed. With that in mind, Fulham would be getting hold of a player who is desperate to show what he can really do and feels that already he is on a recovery mission following his disappointing spell in Germany's top league.

There would be a little healthy competition for a spot in future Liverpool teams too; Sheyi Ojo is also on loan from the Merseyside club and is also a wide man.

If Slavisa Jokanovic absolutely insists that he won't return to last season's successful 4-2-3-1 and that Ryan Sessegnon will not be involved in the front three or four, then he needs another winger who can perform on the wings.

In Ryan Kent, he would have that and it would be in the shape of a player who has already done it at this level.



http://soccersouls.com/2017/12/22/why-is-it-the-right-time-for-fulham-to-swoop-in-and-sign-liverpools-exciting-winger/

[WhiteJC]

The sorry end of Lawrie Sanchez
by Dan on December 21, 2017

Eleven years ago this evening, I was in a fairly important meeting. It was in the days before I possessed a smart phone and I was sat with my colleagues in a semi-circle listening to a sober external speaker going the importance of auditing. My role wasn't a financial one – but my boss had given clear instructions that everyone was to attend.

Fifteen minutes into the presentation and my phone started beeping like crazy. I apologised profusely and put it on silent – whereupon it continued to vibrate. My boss sidled over to me and whispered into my ear, 'It seems important. Why don't you deal with it and then come back and join us?'

I stepped outside onto Tottenham Court Road and saw that I had seven missed calls, all eminating from people who I knew from Saturdays spent at the Hammersmith. I returned Ron's call – as he was someone who had been going down the Cottage for decades. He was also never the most positive of souls ('the bloody Whites knocked the positivity out of me in the 80s,' he'd forever tell me and many others).

Ron answered almost instantly, which was unheard of – and he was uncharacteristically cheerful. 'Have you heard?' he asked. 'They've done it. They've finally sacked the clown'. The jester to whom he was referring was Lawrie Sanchez, who had apparently just been relieved of his duties. It turned out all those phone calls – and several subsequent messages were to inform me that Fulham had got rid of the former Northern Ireland manager.

Looking back now, you could construct quite a compelling case to say that Sanchez was unlucky. Several of his signings – Aaron Hughes, Chris Baird and Danny Murphy – went on to become Fulham legends. Another who didn't, David Healy, had the clearest of goals ruled out after Mark Schwarzer pulled his shot back from behind the Putney End goal-line in stoppage time after Brian McBride had badly injured himself in the act of scoring. The Whites had a clear penalty appeal waved away at Villa Park that would have put them 2-0 up. It seemed as if Sanchez never got the breaks.

By the end of his reign, the football was dire and Sanchez's direct approach totally bypassed the midfield technicians like Murphy and Steve Davis in search of Healy, who was never likely to win much in the air. We never saw much of Lee Cook and Shefqi Kuqi looked so our of place leading the line it was laughable. What wasn't as funny was Fulham being cut adrift in the drop zone after six winless weeks.

Indeed, Sanchez had only mustered two league wins all season and a backs-to-wall effort against Newcastle by the River Thames ended with Joey Barton stroking in a late penalty. That left him with a league win percentage of 14% – the worst of any permanent Fulham manager in the modern era. Hope was in short supply that evening as we walked away from the Cottage – but now good old Ron was almost buoyant. And with good reason, in retrospect, when you think what Roy Hodgson did next.

The euphoria amongst my mates was widespread, but even they would have called for the men in white coats had I suggested that Fulham would contest a European final three and a half years later. Sanchez's reign was blissfully short but the mess he left behind should be remembered when you read some of the online comment of late advocating the axing of Slavisa Jokanovic.

I walked back into my meeting after about ten minutes. My concerned boss asked, 'How are you doing? Everything okay?' I thought for a moment about how to sum up the emergency that had required me to leave. 'Never been better,' I replied – and left it at that.




http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/12/the-sorry-end-of-lawrie-sanchez/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss reveals new details over discussions for Spurs and Man United target Ryan Sessegnon

The teenager is one of the most sought after players in England

Slavisa Jokanovic doesn't want to lose Ryan Sessegnon in the transfer market but has admitted that Fulham have already opened discussions over the 17-year-old's value and the potential windfall the Cottagers could receive for the player if they cash in.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are the two leading suitors to the teenager, widely regarded as one of the most promising talents in his age group across Europe.

An attacking left-back who can also play on the wing, the Roehampton-born has had an eventful 2017. In the summer he helped England to win the Under-17 European Championship title and scored his first senior hat-trick earlier this season for Fulham.

Mauricio Pochettino has built up a reputation for bringing through and developing homegrown talent at Southampton and now Spurs and his advocates claim that Sessegnon would be better off joining his squad to follow in the footsteps of Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Harry Winks to play regular first team football, especially if Danny Rose leaves the club.

United have already tried to solve their left-back problem with one highly-rated and expensive young England star in Luke Shaw. They are also reportedly interested in Rose while Spurs have been linked with a move for Shaw who played his best football under Pochettino during their time together on the south coast.

Speaking ahead of Fulham's Championship clash with Barnsley, Jokanovic outlined his position and the situation behind the scenes with regards to his young prodigy's transfer status.

"If we want to be competitive we must keep our important players," he said in response to a question regarding his confidence over keeping the player, as reported by Get West London.

However, the Serbian also revealed that there have been conversations over the value that the club places on the youngster who has been priced up as being worth more than £30million according to some reports on the rumours surrounding his future.

"All the questions are what the value of this player is, but myself, as a coach, I prefer to stay with the more important players for the competition that is ahead of us, but on the other side I can understand the business side too," said the Fulham boss.

"In this moment, I am not thinking of being without him for the season, but it is not under my control."



http://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/transfer-news/fulham-boss-reveals-new-details-14070672

[Twig]

The sorry end of Lawrie Sanchez
by Dan on December 21, 2017

Eleven years ago this evening, I was in a fairly important meeting. It was in the days before I possessed a smart phone and I was sat with my colleagues in a semi-circle listening to a sober external speaker going the importance of auditing. My role wasn't a financial one – but my boss had given clear instructions that everyone was to attend.

Fifteen minutes into the presentation and my phone started beeping like crazy. I apologised profusely and put it on silent – whereupon it continued to vibrate. My boss sidled over to me and whispered into my ear, 'It seems important. Why don't you deal with it and then come back and join us?'

I stepped outside onto Tottenham Court Road and saw that I had seven missed calls, all eminating from people who I knew from Saturdays spent at the Hammersmith. I returned Ron's call – as he was someone who had been going down the Cottage for decades. He was also never the most positive of souls ('the bloody Whites knocked the positivity out of me in the 80s,' he'd forever tell me and many others).

Ron answered almost instantly, which was unheard of – and he was uncharacteristically cheerful. 'Have you heard?' he asked. 'They've done it. They've finally sacked the clown'. The jester to whom he was referring was Lawrie Sanchez, who had apparently just been relieved of his duties. It turned out all those phone calls – and several subsequent messages were to inform me that Fulham had got rid of the former Northern Ireland manager.

Looking back now, you could construct quite a compelling case to say that Sanchez was unlucky. Several of his signings – Aaron Hughes, Chris Baird and Danny Murphy – went on to become Fulham legends. Another who didn't, David Healy, had the clearest of goals ruled out after Mark Schwarzer pulled his shot back from behind the Putney End goal-line in stoppage time after Brian McBride had badly injured himself in the act of scoring. The Whites had a clear penalty appeal waved away at Villa Park that would have put them 2-0 up. It seemed as if Sanchez never got the breaks.

By the end of his reign, the football was dire and Sanchez's direct approach totally bypassed the midfield technicians like Murphy and Steve Davis in search of Healy, who was never likely to win much in the air. We never saw much of Lee Cook and Shefqi Kuqi looked so our of place leading the line it was laughable. What wasn't as funny was Fulham being cut adrift in the drop zone after six winless weeks.

Indeed, Sanchez had only mustered two league wins all season and a backs-to-wall effort against Newcastle by the River Thames ended with Joey Barton stroking in a late penalty. That left him with a league win percentage of 14% – the worst of any permanent Fulham manager in the modern era. Hope was in short supply that evening as we walked away from the Cottage – but now good old Ron was almost buoyant. And with good reason, in retrospect, when you think what Roy Hodgson did next.

The euphoria amongst my mates was widespread, but even they would have called for the men in white coats had I suggested that Fulham would contest a European final three and a half years later. Sanchez's reign was blissfully short but the mess he left behind should be remembered when you read some of the online comment of late advocating the axing of Slavisa Jokanovic.

I walked back into my meeting after about ten minutes. My concerned boss asked, 'How are you doing? Everything okay?' I thought for a moment about how to sum up the emergency that had required me to leave. 'Never been better,' I replied – and left it at that.

http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/12/the-sorry-end-of-lawrie-sanchez/

Nice piece, I can relate to that.

[kiwian]

Why does almost every "-day Fulham Stuff" have an article about (usually Spurs) chasing Sess??