Tuesday Fulham Stuff (16/01/18)...

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Jimmy Bullard gives advice to Tottenham-linked Ryan Sessegnon

Ryan Sessegnon has been admired by Tottenham for quite some time now.

Fulham teenager Ryan Sessegnon continues to be linked with Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, and Jimmy Bullard has weighed in to have his say on Sessegnon's future in his blog with BetBright.

The Daily Mirror claimed earlier this month that French giants Paris Saint-Germain had entered the £30million race to sign the 17-year-old, along with Tottenham and Manchester United.

His glowing reputation continues in England's second tier, after starring from either left-back or left-wing to score seven goals in just 30 outings this term as well as adding four assists.

With a ratio of almost one goal in every four games after scoring 14 in 60 senior appearances for Fulham, Sessegnon could leave west London and Bullard has urged him to ignore Spurs and join either PSG or United.

"Fulham youngster Ryan Sessegnon has got an important decision to make at some point in the close future, with clubs like PSG, Manchester United and Spurs all showing interest in him and I'm not surprised," Bullard said.

"If you ask me, he's got to go to a big club like PSG or United if they come in for him, because he may never get the opportunity again.

"With all due respect, Spurs aren't at the same level as those clubs, so he could go there, but it might not work out how he'd expect and then he'd have blown his chance to sign with the big boys."

Spurs have long since been interested in Sessegnon, with Mauricio Pochettino known for his faith in youth that has seen the likes of Harry Winks, Dele Alli and even Harry Kane shine since his arrival in north London.

It remains to be seen if Fulham can keep hold of their rising star, who still has more than two years remaining on his current contract at Craven Cottage.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/01/15/jimmy-bullard-gives-advice-to-tottenham-linked-ryan-sessegnon/

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Sheffield United Tickets

Our first home game of March sees Sheffield United visit SW6 for the first time since August 2015, where on that occasion the Whites ran out 3-0 winners.

Fulham will also be looking to do the double over the Blades this season following a thrilling 5-4 victory at Bramall Lane in November.

Watch the Whites under the Cottage lights on Tuesday 6th March (7.45pm), with tickets starting from £25 for adults and £15 for juniors.

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




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/january/15/sheffield-united-tickets

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Ryan Sessegnon vs Adama Traore was the talk of Fulham's win - but there's no comparison

The battle between the two was the talk of Teesside, but there isn't really a comparison between the two players

I read a lot of stuff on Sunday about Ryan Sessegnon's and Adam Traore's match up as Fulham beat Middlesbrough thanks to a last-minute Oliver Norwood penalty, and a lot of it nonsense.

I saw one Boro fan claiming Sess was a ruder version of the word 'rubbish' while others claimed Boro's rapid winger was worth more than Fulham's wonderkid could ever be.

The two came up against one another for the first 45 minutes, and Traore's sheer pace and ability with the ball at his feet was clear to see, he turned Fulham inside-out and caused Sessegnon all sorts of problems defensively.

And that's where the key issue people are getting wrong on this debate is - Sessegnon isn't being chased by the likes of Tottenham and Manchester United for his defensive abilities.

When the team sheets came out and Sessegnon was at left back again, it was clear to see that he was in for a tough time against someone like Traore, who would cause even the best left back in the league serious problems.

But for all the forays down the wing, Traore and Middlesbrough still had a grand total of zero strikes on target.

And that, for me, is where Sessegnon leaves Traore in the dust - the 17-year-old has end product, whereas Troare doesn't.

He's played 61 times for both Aston Villa and Middlesbrough since coming to England for around £7m in 2015, and the only goal he's scored in that time was a League Cup strike against Notts County for Villa.

Sessegnon, meanwhile, has played 60 times since breaking through into the first team, scoring 14 goals and is currently the side's top scorer with seven this season, including four assists.

When you look at it based on that alone, there's no comparison really.

Another thing that I saw from the game at the Riverside is the difference in conditioning between the two, it's true that Traore was the key player in the first half, but he looked a spent force in the second 45 and was barely noticed.



Sessegnon, meanwhile, has played 2,513 minutes for Fulham this season, and once he was moved to left wing continued to cause problems right through to the final minutes of the game.

It's that ability, at the age of 17, to play that many minutes first team football in the Championship, recover, and then do it all over again that makes Sessegnon so special.

Traore is a fantastic player, there's no doubting it, and if he had an end product to his game he'd be a top Premier League player, but you can't really compare him to Sessegnon, someone who is four years younger remember.

I saw someone say that if Sessegnon is rated at £50m, what does make Traore worth.

Considering the 21-year-old's transfer fees already add up to nearly £14m, I think the real question is how much does that make Sessegnon worth?



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ryan-sessegnon-vs-adam-traore-14155866

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Mugging Middlesbrough is what Fulham need to do more of
by Dan on January 15, 2018

After picking up thirteen points from a possible fifteen over the last three weeks, the Championship table provides plenty of reasons for Fulham fans to feel positive this morning. The Whites sit just a point off the top six following the late, late drama at the Riverside on Saturday and Slavisa Jokanovic, who some supporters were eager to sack only a little while ago, would be forgiven for smiling at the way in which his side are coming into form at the start of another calendar year again.

It isn't just that the Whites have accumulated 22 points out of the last thirty, but that Fulham, who had previous turned in some flat displays (think Griffin Park and the Stadium of Light for examples of pretty lamentable defeats), have begun to marry the magnificent wins, like the one at Cardiff on Boxing Day, with performances full of character. If the point gained from 2-0 down a few days later at Hull didn't offer an indication of this team's desire, then the way Jokanovic's men managed to pull off a victory at the Riverside on Saturday showed that one of the division's most entertaining sides can also register scrappy victories too.

As I've written recently, grinding out those gritty, undeserved victories is the hallmark of a promotion contender. The weekend win over Middlesbrough, who had bossed the first period and had the better of the chances throughout, was a heist of the history order made possible because Jokanovic's charges knuckled down – recognising that this was a day where their fluent football wasn't coming off – and simply refused to be swept away under a tide of home pressure. That Ollie Norwood's last-gasp penalty so enraged Tony Pulis, a man whose comments after the sickening events at the Prestfield almost twenty years ago still rankle, only served to make it sweeter.

The away success this reminded me most of was the scarcely merited win at Huddersfield in March 2015 where Kit Symons' men survived two Nakhi Wells penalties, were reduced to ten men for the last half an hour, and – having clung to the advantage that came from Alex Kacaniklic's early corner – somehow sealed the points when Seko Fofana sprinted half the length of the pitch in stoppage time. That goal arrived in the sixth minute of an added time, whilst Norwood's latest impeccably taken penalty came a minute earlier, but the feeling of unadultered joy among Fulham's long-suffering away support was just as euphoric.

The enraged reaction of one Boro supporter after the final whistle went viral on Saturday night – and it is an entertaining as anything Arsenal Fan TV could have put together following the Gunners collapse at Bournemouth yesterday. The home side were clearly in the ascendancy for much of the contest and the buoyancy of their start undoubtedly unsettled Fulham, but for all of Adama Traore's electric pace and Boro's pressure in the final third, Marcus Bettinelli was not required to make a save throughout.

Fulham's defence, superbly marshalled by Tim Ream as he notched up a century of appearances at centre back, showed a resilience they might not have managed earlier in the season. They were certainly fortunate that Rudy Gestede contrived to mess up two glorious one-on-ones and would have breathed a sigh of relief when Britt Assombalonga missed two glorious opportunities to seal the victory in added time, but the longer the game went on you could see the visitors growing in confidence.

Jokanovic, too, deserves some credit for the way he reacted so swiftly in the second half. With the Whites missing the guile of Tom Cairney and struggling to adjust to Middlesbrough's high intensity pressing and direct approach – even after his half-time team talk, the Serbian introduced Tomas Kalas at centre back and switched Ryan Sessegnon to the left wing position, where he relishes influencing a contest. That gave Fulham more of an outlet at the other end of the pitch – and an opportunity to apply some pressure on a Middlesbrough defence that had previously enjoyed a quieter than expected afternoon.

Pulis was raging afterwards that the rub of the refereeing decisions didn't go for his team. On another day, Kalas would have been penalised for his maneuvering of Martin Braithwaite off the ball in the penalty area that was akin to something you might have seen in a wrestling ring on a Saturday afternoon in the 1980s. But if Boro had buried anyone of the six or seven highly presentable chances, then their supporters wouldn't have been quite so exercised by the fact that Geoff Eltringham once held a Sunderland season ticket. Many were quick to condemn Norwood for going down easily and winning that decisive spot-kick, but a player of Grant Leadbitter's experience should have known better than to lunge recklessly inside his own box with time ticking away.

I don't know if the two managers – who held contrasting views of the key incidents – discussed them over a bottle of wine following the final whistle. Jokanovic could have recounted the phantom Burton penalty if he wanted to, but Fulham probably deserved the little bit of fortune that earned a first win on Teeside since 1984. I still remember Rob Styles pointing to the spot when Edwin van der Sar caught Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink well outside the area back in 2005 – and costing an incredulous Chris Coleman one of those rare away wins. Perhaps the bigger injustice came two seasons later at Craven Cottage when David Healy was denied a late equaliser when his stoppage time shot was smuggled out of the Middlesbrough net by a certain Mark Schwarzer.

The Serbian head coach was nonetheless right to laud his players' spirit following the slenderest of victories. Neeskens Kebano alluded to the need to believe right until the end – and it is these sort of victories that will be necessary to make headway in a league that remains so crazily unpredictable. Norwood's own determination to make the rest of the division sit up and take notice, as he told FulhamFCTV after the final whistle, is exactly the attitude Fulham must retain until May if only because nothing is settled in January.




http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/01/mugging-middlesbrough-is-what-fulham-need-to-do-more-of/

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Stifling Middlesbrough's 'incredible' Adama Traore & overcoming Tony Pulis' Riverside tactics: Fulham captain's verdict

Captain Kevin McDonald gave his verdict after Fulham ended their 34-year drought on Teesside with a controversial late win

ulham stand-in skipper Kevin McDonald admits it is an unenviable task trying to shackle "incredible" Middlesbrough winger Adama Traore.

But the Scotsman felt the Cottagers coped well and nullified Boro as the west Londoners ended their 34-year drought on Teesside on Saturday.

For Fulham, it was their first-ever win at the Riverside as Oliver Norwood's controversial late penalty sunk the hosts, who were left seething by referee Geoff Eltringham's decision not to award Martin Braithwaite a similar spot-kick earlier in the half.

Speaking to BBC Radio London after the game, McDonald hailed Fulham's win but conceded Boro's explosive talent Traore caused his team no shortage of problems.

"It was a great result for us in the end. We knew it was always going to be a tough game for us coming here," he said.

"They set up well, defended well – obviously we did as well, but it was a massive three points for us. I'm not sure if it was a penalty or not, I'll have to have a look at that, but it was a massive three points and I felt it was a good game.

"We knew it was going to be that way. We knew Traore was going to cause us problems – he's so fast, he's incredible, to be honest with you.

"They obviously played the long ball up to (Rudy) Gestede. We knew it was going to be a tough start with the fans behind them – as soon as they get a bit of momentum, it's hard to deal with.

"I thought we defended well, we battled away well enough to keep a clean sheet.

"It was always going to open up (in the second half). I felt we got more of the ball and better with the ball we looked more direct and we looked to play in the gaps and stuff.

"I thought towards the end – apart from (Britt) Assombalonga's chance – if anyone was going to win it, it was going to be us."

The result saw Fulham leapfrog Boro in the Championship standings, although the pain for Pulis' side - who have now lost two home league matches in a row on Teesside - was eased slightly by some fortuitous results elsewhere.

Fellow promotion rivals Bristol City were beaten, while Sheffield United, Leeds and Preston all dropped points, meaning Boro remain two points off the top six with 19 matches remaining.

As for Slavisa Jokanovic's side, in a similar position at this stage last season but who stormed into the play-off places after a sublime second half of the campaign, McDonald sees no reason why history can't repeat itself.

"I think we're going to be up there – there's no doubt about that," he said.

"We took a bit of time to get going but we're slowly creeping up the table and I think we're going to be there or thereabouts.

"(The Boro win) was obviously a big result and we've got to keep plugging away. We've got Burton Albion at home next weekend.

"It's a great chance to take three points and we need to go in with the same attitude that we did today."



http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stifling-middlesbroughs-incredible-adama-traore-14156057

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Marcus Bettinelli has no doubts Fulham will finish in the Play-offs after Middlesbrough victory

The team have won nine of their last 11 league games and the stopper is backing his side to finish in the end of season showpiece

Marcus Bettinelli has no doubts that Fulham will finish in the Play-offs after their 1-0 victory over fellow play-off chasers Middlesbrough.

The 25-year-old kept his second clean sheet of the season as Oliver Norwood's last-minute penalty nicked all three points from the visit to Teesside , and the stopper thinks the side need to start winning games like that if they are to achieve their goals.

It wasn't a typical Fulham performance, they dominated the possession but didn't have the chances they normally have while struggling to get their passing game together, but Bettinelli thinks coming back home with the three points is testament to his side's promotion credentials.

He said:"A lot of time when we play football, we control games and possession, and a lot of time we create a lot of chances - today wasn't one of those games.

"We're going to find games like that when we're a little bit under the cosh at times - there a good side and we've come here and done a professional job.

"It wasn't an easy game, they had a lot of chances, but it won't always be a case of us dominating games and luckily we snatched it right at the end.

"For us to get promoted or get in the Play-offs this season, we're going to have to win games like that and come through them the other side and thankfully we did.

"I have no doubts about that whatsoever, I'm not sure where we were last season but it is probably a similar position points wise so I'm positive we can definitely get Play-offs and we have to have that mentality.

"It's a big month coming up, we've got a couple of tough games and we've just got through a tough Christmas period, which was a hard one and we've got three or four wins so it's been good and we just have to keep the ruin going."

It was Bettinelli's seventh appearance of the season since he reclaimed the number one jersey back from David Button and he put in a good performance, getting his angles right to deny Rudy Gestede and Brit Assombalonga in one-on-on situations, and he's happy with how he's playing.


One-on-one: Bettinelli meets Gestede (Image: Evening Gazette)

"I'm happy to be back in, I think we've lost one in eight and drawn one since I've been back, I'm happy to be back in and support the team.

"There's times when I want to improve and want to get better but I'm doing a job at the moment, we've only lost one since I've come back in so my form has been good and the team's form has been good too.

"It's the same sort of as last season, that's obviously not down to me, the boys are picking up points and it's nice to see but I'm just glad to be part of it and playing again and long may it continue.

"I think for a long time this season we were waiting to find our feet and over the last seven games or so we've finally found them, today was one of those games, we didn't play incredibly and didn't create chances, but it's a long season and there won't always be games like that."



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/marcus-bettinelli-no-doubts-fulham-14156574

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Middlesbrough referee controversy: Why ex-Sunderland season ticket holder was allowed to officiate Fulham defeat

Tony Pulis and Boro fans were left frustrated as referee Geoff Eltringham made two decisions which both went against the hosts

The EFL have clarified the appointment of Sunderland fan Geoff Eltringham for Boro's Championship game with Fulham which ended in controversy.

The County Durham whistler came under fire from Tony Pulis and home fans after making two game-changing decisions during Boro's 1-0 defeat at the Riverside on Saturday.

Early in the second half, Eltringham waved away Boro's protests as Martin Braithwaite was barged to the ground by Fulham defender Tomas Kalas, with replays suggesting the Dane was unlawfully impeded with the score at nil-nil.

Then in the dying seconds, the referee pointed to the spot at the other end as Oliver Norwood tumbled under the challenge of Boro captain Grant Leadbitter - before the midfielder picked himself up and stroked home the winner.

Afterwards Boro boss Pulis was critical of Eltringham's performance , while supporters questioned why the referee - a former season ticket holder at the Stadium of Light before his addition to the Football League list in 2009 - was appointed in the first place.

Speaking to The Gazette this morning, the EFL confirmed that there are strict guidelines in place that prevent officials from taking charge of certain matches, but in Eltringham's case, he did not fit that criteria.

The guidelines include whether an official lives in a certain city or town, if he has played for a club previously or has any personal connections such as being married to a football club director.

Any such potential biases must be declared to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), who handle all refereeing appointments across the Premier League and EFL.

There can also be extraordinary circumstances that warrant a referee's removal, as was the case in April 2016 when Kevin Friend was initially appointed but then moved off duty for Tottenham's Premier League clash at Stoke.

The PGMOL does not pick Friend, who lives in Leicester and has attended matches at the King Power Stadium in a personal capacity, to officiate any Foxes games.

At that time, Spurs were Leicester's closest rivals for the Premier League title, so Friend was subsequently removed - with the PGMOL claiming the "timing and context" of the game warranted such a decision.

"It was felt unnecessary to add extra scrutiny on the refereeing appointment," a PGMOL statement said.

Given his ex-Sunderland connections, Eltringham is not permitted to officiate any Black Cats game, while he is yet to officiate a Newcastle match so far in his nine-year career in the Football League.

But he is able to officiate Boro games, according to the criteria, like he did back in September as the Teessiders won 3-0 at Bolton in the Championship.

He also took charge of Boro's wins over Cardiff and Burnley at the Riverside in 2015.



http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/middlesbrough-referee-controversy-ex-sunderland-14156774

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Jokanovic thriving on conflict as Fulham continue march towards play-offs with Middlesbrough win

After a slow start to the season, Fulham are challenging for a play-off spot once more

The clock had just ticked over to 4.53pm on Saturday afternoon when Oliver Norwood took a deep breath, stepped up and sent Darren Randolph the wrong way. The Riverside was still vibrating with opprobrium after the award of the penalty, Norwood himself having tumbled more in hope than expectation under a challenge from Grant Leadbitter.

The Middlesbrough captain looked incredulous, but these days that's not really a reliable indicator of whether an offence has taken place: a player could unsheathe a Samurai sword from his socks, slice an opposing winger's knees and still plead straight-faced innocence.

Tony Pulis hinted at dark forces. "He probably has his reasons why," he said about the referee's decision, not expanding on what he thought those reasons might be.

Not that Fulham and manager Slavisa Jokanovic cared. This was their fourth win in the last five, a run which has taken them to the edge of the playoff places.

Two months ago they were 17 points and 16 places behind Sheffield United: now it's one and two. It's a fine run of form that indicates the promise of this team that came close to promotion last season is still there.

They even look like they're coming close to solving the goalscoring problem which held them back earlier on in the season: Saturday may have been won with an injury-time penalty, but they had scored 12 in the previous four games. Even Aboubakar Kamara - or 'AK47' to...well, nobody but him - has chipped in with a few.

But what's particularly notable about this run of form is that it's been achieved as discord continues behind the scenes.

Earlier this month Jokanovic went on a fairly extraordinary diatribe about the club's transfer plans for January, in so many words challenging Fulham to sack him if they weren't going to bring the players he wanted to the club.

"We don't have any clear targets and for the direction of the club," he told Get West London. "I have some information that we are strong enough to fight for the important targets.

"Solution? I don't know, but probably if the coach doesn't trust that we are strong enough (but they feel we are), then probably an option that the club must be thinking about is sacking the coach and this can be a good option for the club."


Slavisa Jokanovic has started to turn things around again at Fulham (Image: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Jokanovic reportedly wants three new recruits in this transfer window but the transfer decision-makers reckon the squad is fine as it is.

"I don't know, if we don't have the money or don't want to spend the money," said Jokanovic. "But we are not competitive enough for this period what is in front of us."

A certain amount of, shall we say, 'tension' has long existed between Jokanovic and those upstairs at Craven Cottage, as the remarkable Craig Kline saga showed.

Last week Jokanovic insisted that his relationship with Kline's replacement James Lovell is "fantastic and nice", which certainly appeared to be a sincere summary of their relationship, but there are clearly still some tensions.

The sense is that Jokanovic is bluffing, using eye-catching language in an attempt to quicken things in the transfer market. He can be an impatient man, and understandably so if he believes that more recruits are required to help them push on and challenge for promotion again.

He may also attempt to leverage supposed interest in him from parts more glamourous: Jokanovic was reportedly among the names Espanyol considered to replace Quique Sanchez Flores last year. Should the Spaniard now leave, Jokanovic might be in the frame again, even more of a possibility when you consider that his family live in Spain.

All of which may well work, but it also carries a degree of personal risk too. This isn't the first time that Jokanovic has used his media appearances to try chivvying the club along with regards to transfer dealings. There's always a chance that they might grow tired of his chirping and decide someone else might be less bother.

That chance is relatively slim, but it might act as a catalyst to any decision should results start going south: nobody likes a complainer, and there is the possibility that it could erode any goodwill that exists towards him.

For the moment though, that's not a consideration. These last few weeks have seen impressive victories over Cardiff and Ipswich, and to grind out three points away to a Tony Pulis side will always be a result to hearten the spirit. That the Boro win was achieved without Tom Cairney, fit enough only for the bench, will provide further encouragement.

Perhaps Fulham are a club who thrive on conflict, who need some sort of manageable tension to succeed. Whatever it is, it seems to be working at the moment.


Fulham defender Ryan Sessegnon is wanted by a host of top clubs (Image: GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)



https://www.football.london/championship/slavisa-jokanovic-fulham-championship-middlesbrough-14156739

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Fulham now one of the favourites for promotion after two defeats in last 11 Championship games

The bookies have Fulham as one the favourites for promotion once again after their recent run of form

Fulham are now one of the favourites for promotion after a run of just two defeats in 11 games has seen them go to within a point of the Play-off places.

The side were on the pre-season favourites, but a shaky start to the season and a run of six games without a win in October saw their odds drift, but their recent run has now seen the bookies return them to one of the front runners for promotion to the Premier League.

SkyBet have Fulham priced at 18/1 for a top two finish, the sixth favourites behind the likes of Wolves, Derby, Aston Villa, Cardiff and Bristol City.

They're also priced at 11/2 for promotion overall, whether that be automatic or through the play-offs, with Derby, Aston Villa, Cardiff, Bristol and Middlesbrough all ranked above them on that particular bet.

If you fancy a flutter for them to finish in the top six come May, they're priced at 11/8, with Derby 1/9, Villa 1/3, Cardiff 2/5, Bristol 8/15 and Middlesbrough at 5/4 - so the bookies seem to think five of those places are pretty much done (including Wolves as winners) with just the last place to fight over.

Previously, west London rivals had been the favourite west London side for the Play-offs, but now Fulham are the favourites to finish top of the London mine league, with prices of 4/6 being offered, while the Bees are 5/4, Millwall 28/1 and QPR 40/1.



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-now-one-favourites-promotion-14157574

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Fulham Academy Director Huw Jennings on Slavisa Jokanovic's use of youth in the first team

Slavisa Jokanovic hasn't been afraid to use youth in his time at Fulham - something Huw Jennings thinks they do exceptionally well

Having a strong youth department at a football club is one thing, but having a first team management group ready to blood them is a completely different kettle of fish.

Fortunately for Fulham , Slavisa Jokanovic and his backroom staff have no problem in putting their faith in youth, something we've seen with the likes of Ryan Sessegnon, Steven Sessegnon, Tayo Edun, Matt O'Riley and Dennis Adeniran, to name just a few, all getting their debuts under the 49-year-old.

Huw Jennings , Fulham's Academy Director, has spoken very fondly of the relationship that the Academy share with the first team, revealing his feelings that the two departments are on the same page in terms of understanding what the Academy can bring to the senior team party.

The likes of Edun, O'Riley, Luca de la Torre all train with the senior side on a regular basis, while Jennings also revealed that one of the members of the U18 squad has been in for a couple of sessions with the first team - something that is vital for both a player's development and the ability to introduce them to a senior set up.

Speaking of the relationship, Jennings said: "We have a really good relationship with our first team staff.

"I think as they've grown to know us and I think they've grown to know and get a feel that we're on the same page in terms of an understanding of our playing strength.

"One of the things they do exceptionally well is to involve a lot of the young players in the training programme.

"So in addition to those that are playing or involved in the squad from the playing side, there are quite a few who are training quite regularly.

"We've had an U18 player this week who has been in for a couple of sessions and that's great for him and his development and I think they're very accommodating when it comes to that.

"Slav also knows that you need proven men in the Championship and I think if you look at a few of our players then, the likes of Tayo Edun for example, who can play some games and hopefully will be involved more, Luca de la Torre is another example, but they're probably not ready to start 10, 20 games in the season in the positions they play.

"Sometimes it's tough, because the young players feel they're so close, but also they're quite a long way away as well.

"What the training regime is designed for is to ensure when called upon, they're ready."

If you're every fortunate to spend time around the Academy and with Jennings himself, pathways is something you'll hear a lot of.


Matt O'Riley in possession of the ball, pressured by Oliver Norwood (Image: Darren Pepe)


Tayo Edun on the ball (Image: Darren Pepe)

It's something Jennings is keen to talk about, having pathways from the Academy into the first team is vital for any youth programme, and the early exposure that Fulham's youngsters have gotten as a result of Jokanovic is something the Cottagers have over their rivals in the south east.

The Championship is a tough league, the average age is 26.4-years-old and the pressure for success is high, meaning a lot of sides don't have any real pathway from their Academy to their senior side, and what Jennings hopes to achieve with Fulham's Academy is to show there is a consistency to the pathway they've established.

"We're well aware that there are plenty of other clubs that have done very well with that, and if you look at London, Tottenham clearly have led the way recently with some very high profile players that have got into their team," he added.

"But we think that we compete favourably and particularly with the age profile of some our players, they have benefited from early exposure to the first team to get an experience.

"I think what we have to show is that there's a consistency to this, it's not something that will happen occasionally but it's something that will happen consistently and hopefully we're developing a body of players who will grow together into the first team group.

"In the Championship, you have to be realistic, the average age of the teams is pretty high and there aren't many clubs that are blooding young players because the attritional nature of the competition means it's very challenging for young players to be able to compete with that.

"The Ryan Sessegnons of this world are the absolute exception, to be able to play in every league game when we're halfway through the season and already been competing in about 26 games, that is very much the exception.

"But if we can dip our players in and out, and hopefully over time a number can establish themselves, that is key for our success."



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-academy-director-huw-jennings-14157047

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West Brom boss Alan Pardew makes £15million move for Fulham skipper Tom Cairney

Alan Pardew is hoping to add more creativity and goals to his side in their bid to stave off relegation

West Brom are in talks with Fulham over a move for Tom Cairney.

The Baggies are ready to launch a move for the ta lent ed midfielder this month and are prepared to pay up to £15m for Cairney.

They are understood to have tested the water with an opening approach of £12million.

Cairney, 26, was the subject of a £20million bid from Newcastle last summer which Fulham rejected.

But the Cottagers are weighing up the latest interest as they consider cashing in on Cairney to raise funds to buy a striker.


Cairney in Cottagers' action (Image: Paul Burgman/Press-Photos.com)


Cairney has managed just one goal this term (Image: 2018 Getty Images)


Pardew picked up his first win at the weekend (Image: Action Images via Reuters)

Cairney was only on the bench for the win at Middlesbrough on Saturday, having been struggling with a recurrence of a knee injury.

The Cottagers skipper has made 17 appearances in the Championship this term, scoring just once.



http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/west-brom-boss-alan-pardew-11855832

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Graham Returns To Wolves

The Club can confirm that Jordan Graham has returned to parent club Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The winger joined Fulham on loan from Wolves on transfer deadline day, but will now link back up with the West Midlands outfit.

Graham made three appearances for the Whites during his loan spell, and we'd like to thank him for all his efforts during his time with us.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/january/15/jordan-graham-returns-to-wolves

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West Brom launch £12m bid for highly-rated Championship midfielder - reports

West Brom transfer news includes a link with Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney

West Bromwich Albion are reportedly in talks with Fulham over a move for Tom Cairney.

The Baggies are ready to launch a move for the talented midfielder this month and are prepared to pay up to £15m for Cairney, according to the Mirror.

It is claimed Albion have tested the water with an opening approach of £12million.

Cairney, 26, was the subject of a £20million bid from Newcastle United last summer which Fulham rejected.

But the Cottagers are weighing up the latest interest as they consider cashing in on Cairney to raise funds to buy a striker.

Cairney was only on the bench for the win at Middlesbrough on Saturday, having been struggling with a recurrence of a knee injury.

The Cottagers skipper has made 17 appearances in the Championship this term, scoring once.

Alan Pardew may be able to dip into the transfer market for reinforcements this month, without selling first, the Albion boss confirmed recently.

The Baggies have little wiggle room to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations after spending big on player wages in the summer.

But Pardew says Albion wouldn't necessarily have to sell a player before making a signing during the winter transfer window.

"I don't think that's categorically the only situation.

"The level of the player is the question, there's no point in doing any business if it's not going to impact the first 11.

"If there is finance it needs to be one we can afford and can impact the team.

"That creates a problem in itself. If that makes any sense."

Grzegorz Krychowiak, signed from Paris Saint Germain in August, is the club's only foreign loan player after Ahmed Hegazi's move from Egyptian club Al-Ahly was made permanent in December.

Pardew has identified a creative midfielder and a striker as his main priorities.

Danny Ings at Liverpool, Bournemouth's Benik Afobe and Leicester hitman Islam Slimani have emerged as possible striker targets.

Albion removed Craig Gardner, Darren Fletcher, Callum McManaman and Sebastien Pocognoli from the wage bill over the summer as well as a number of young scholars.

But six senior level players were brought in - Jay Rodriguez, Hegazi, Gareth Barry, Oliver Burke, Kieran Gibbs and Krychowiak.

Albion spent £37.5 million on transfers, including £4.5 million on Hegazi.

And plenty more cash was committed to salaries with Albion busting its well-managed wage structure to accommodate Krychowiak's £108,000-a-week pay packet.



http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/west-brom-tom-cairney-fulham-14158724

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EFL: Is Fulham full-back Ryan Sessengnon the real deal?

So here we go again, folks – the transfer window is open once more and the rumour mill is turning as freely as ever. Every window brings its own unique set of challenges and stories, but the January window always seems to be greeted with a great deal of consternation and resistance by clubs and managers desperate to resist either having a star poached from their ranks, or competing in an inflated market inflating.

This January, Fulham will be one such club hoping to avoid a high-profile sale. Even before naming the starlet in question, you'll know exactly who I'm talking about; Ryan Sessegnon. The young Englishman has become very fashionable in the last 18 months. At the tender age of 17, there seems an awful lot of fuss over the left-winger who has been linked to Manchester City, Tottenham and Southampton, but is it all justified?

Record-breaker

Well, to answer that question lets start with the basics: Sessegnon broke into the Fulham first team last term and has enjoyed a rocket ride to the top of the 'young English talent' watch list ever since. On the August 9, 2016, at the age of 16, Sessegnon debuted against Leyton Orient in the EFL Cup. Seven days later, he made his league debut against Leeds United. After another four days, he scored his first professional goal for the club, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Championship history and the first player born after 2000 to score a first-team goal. All of these accolades made for good copy from pundits and media outlets at the time and they were handed more material just a few short months later when Sessegnon scored in the FA Cup. Once again, he was the first goalscorer in that competition born after the year 2000 and was one of its youngest goalscorer.

Sessegnon scored two against eventual Championship title-winners Newcastle United, making an impressive 30 appearances, scoring seven goals and becoming the youngest ever inclusion in the Championship Team of the Season. Sports Illustrated and La Gazzetta dello Sport both named him in their top 30 under-20 footballers in Europe. All of this, it is now prudent to tell you, came from left-back.

Sessengon is a left-sided player who is usually positioned at left-back under Slavisa Jokanovic, but his best work comes when he flies forward. It seems clear to most onlookers that his best position is higher up the field where he can get more involved in the attack, break the offside trap and take defenders on. Chaining him to defensive duties can leave Fulham open down their left flank at times, but that may be the price they pay for putting such a dynamic player to defence.

A hell of a year

This season, the youngster has signed a professional deal with Fulham and has exceeded 50 appearances for the club. In fact, on his 50th appearance, he scored his first professional hat-trick in an exhilarating 5-4 win over Sheffield United – becoming the first 17 year old in English league football to score three in a game since Deli Alli in 2014. Add to his resume a Under-19s European Championship win with England, in which he scored two against Germany and finished joint top goalscorer, and you have yourself one hell of an exciting player.

Most pundits will say that his greatest strength is his pace, but personally I believe his pace is secondary to his vision and composure. His positional play for a 17-year-old is outstanding; he seems to have a far advanced understanding of movement than other players in his age bracket. No matter his situation, he always seems in control. Perhaps it's the freedom that comes with being a teenager, or perhaps there is something deeper at play. His pace allows him to move into the spaces that he knows he needs to operate in, rather than his pace leading him into fortuitous positions. Yes, the youngster is quick, but his pace is not what gets him noticed. His pace is what allows him to take advantage of his brilliant composure and sense of movement.

Where will he go?

Playing Ryan at left-back seems a product of both Jokavonic's style preference and the depth of the Fulham squad as a whole. At the time of writing, Sessengnon has scored eight and assisted three this season. Unshackled in an attacking role, Sessengon could go in the same direction as Gareth Bale, who started out as a left-back at Southampton before evolving into a wide man at Tottenham then Real Madrid.

Now, that's not to say that he will match Gareth Bale's quality. A lot of hard work will need to be done to meet a target like that. However, Ryan Sessengon's potential is far exceeds any other young English talent his age and it won't be long before a Premier League snaffles him from Craven Cottage, especially if they fail to go up this season.

So to surmise – is Ryan Sessegnon worth the hype? Yes, yes he is. Every bit of it. But as ever with young players, the most important thing for his career right now is consistent game time. The Championship and EFL are no longer grey, murky waters where players get kicked up in the air and beaten off the park. Flair players like Ryan Sessegnon can thrive there, just as Oliver Burke and Deli Alli did. Whether he remains at Fulham past 2018 or not, he must play, and if he continues to exhibit the talent he has so far then there's no reason to believe he can't be a vital part of the England national team in years to come.



https://offsiderulepodcast.com/2018/01/15/efl-is-fulham-full-back-ryan-sessengnon-the-real-deal/

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Loan Round-Up

Elijah Adebayo made his League debut this weekend when he ran out for Cheltenham Town in their League Two home loss to second placed Accrington Stanley.

Adebayo played the first 67 minutes of the match until he made way for Brian Graham.

The match finished 2-0 with Billy Kee and Jayden Jackson scoring for the visitors, and that loss means Cheltenham stay 16th in the table.

In the Championship, Cauley Woodrow was an unused substitute in Bristol City's 1-0 home loss to Norwich City.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/january/15/loan-round-up

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Report: West Brom set to make £15m move for Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney

West Bromwich Albion are in talks to sign the highly talented Fulham midfielder in the January transfer window.

According to reports from The Mirror, West Brom are in talks with the Championship club Fulham over a move for their skipper Tom Cairney.

Alan Pardew's side secured their first win in the Premier League since August last week when they defeated Brighton 2-0 at the Hawthorns.

The former Crystal Palace manager is looking to bolster several areas of the pitch in January as he looks to take the Baggies to mid-table safety with only 15 games left to play.

The reports claim that the Baggies are ready to launch a move for the talented midfielder this month, and the Premier League club are prepared to pay £15 million for Cairney.

West Brom have made an opening bid of £12 million, but are looking to increase their offer. The 26-year-old midfielder was targeted by Newcastle United last summer, and a £20 million bid from the Magpies was rejected by Fulham.

He has made more than 100 appearances for Fulham since joining from Blackburn Rovers in 2015.

However, this time the Cottagers could listen to the offer, as they look to cash in on Cairney to raise funds to sign a striker in January.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/01/15/report-west-brom-set-to-make-15m-move-for-fulham-midfielder-tom/

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Alan Pardew launches £15m bid for long-term Benitez target – & it could have big implications for NUFC

According to the Guardian, West Brom's £15m bid for Fulham's Tom Cairney is being considered by Fulham – and the Championship club plan to spend that money on a move for Dwight Gayle if he were to be sold.

It was well documented throughout our Championship campaign and over the summer that Rafa Benitez was an admirer of Fulham's Tom Cairney, however a deal never materialised to bring him to NUFC – despite Slaviša Jokanović confirming that we offered £20m for the midfielder.

He's failed to hit the heights this season after getting into double figures for goals and assists last time out, and Alan Pardew looks set to take a chance on him at West Brom, with the Guardian's Ed Aarons stating that a £15m bid is under consideration.

It could mean the ex-NUFC boss gets him for £5m less than we almost paid over the summer, however his 1 goal and 2 assists so far this season have made a few wonder if he would have cut it in the Premier League should he have made the £20m switch to Tyneside.

What's perhaps most interesting in all of this is the suggestion that Fulham could use the Cairney money to go after Dwight Gayle.

They were linked with a £15m move for him on deadline day over the summer, and given his 23-goal haul last season, you can see why a Championship side would love to have him.

Right now, with just 3 goals to his name in the league and signs that he was severely lacking in confidence on Saturday, I imagine quite a few would cash in on Gayle at £15m IF a replacement was lined up..



http://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2018/01/15/alan-pardew-launches-15m-bid-for-long-term-benitez-target-it-could-have-big-implications-for-nufc/

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Leeds flop signing for Fulham could benefit £25m star, awkward conversation ahead

Fulham have been linked with moving for Leeds loanee Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, who is on loan from Manchester United.

Fulham are keen on signing Leeds United loanee Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, according to the Daily Mail.

Borthwick-Jackson has struggled on loan at Leeds since signing from Manchester United and the Whites' buying Laurens De Bock from Club Brugge further impedes his chances of regular football.

Fulham's interest in Borthwick-Jackson comes as a potential lifeline to the youngster, and his arrival in west London could help their star left-back.

Ryan Sessegnon is arguably England's most exciting prospect, with the left-back drawing comparisons to Gareth Bale.

Borthwick-Jackson's arrival can benefit him, as it would allow him to play further forward on the wing.

Sessegnon's attacking ability has had fans calling for him to be used as a winger, and add to the seven goals he has scored already this season.

Awkward conversation

If Borthwick-Jackson leaves Leeds and begins a new loan spell at Fulham, it could make for some interesting discussions with Ryan Sessegnon.

This is because Manchester United have been strongly linked with Sessegnon, and were last month tipped by The Mail for a £25 million swoop.

Sessegnon could ask his potential new teammate about life at Old Trafford, but Borthwick-Jackson would know that if the Fulham man does make his big money move, it will rubber stamp his own exit from the Red Devils.

Borthwick-Jackson was highly promising under Louis van Gaal, playing for United's first team, but loan spells at Wolves an Leeds have been disastrous.

Fulham could be a good move for him, and see him play alongside a player who could go on to seal his Old Trafford exit.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/01/15/leeds-flop-signing-for-fulham-could-benefit-25m-star-awkward-con/

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Newcastle must break rivals' hearts and turn reported £15m bid into attacking swap swoop

COMMENT

Newcastle United's Dwight Gayl must be used in securing a swap swoop for Fulham's Tom Cairney after the striker was lined up as the Championship star's replacement.

The Guardian's Ed Aarons has claimed on his personal Twitter account that the Cottagers are lining up the Magpies' 27-year-old as the man to step into their current man's shoes with Newcastle's Premier League rivals West Brom submitting a £15million bid for the Fulham man.

However, with Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez having reportedly shown firm interest in securing the one-cap Scotland international's services in the past, the Spaniard must look to break the Baggies' hearts and secure a swap deal with the London club.

The 26-year-old attacking midfielder, who has struggled with knee injuries this season, has made 17 appearances during the current campaign, and although he has not been at his influential best, he certainly has the creative spark which Newcastle need.

Too many times this season has there been a disconnect between the midfield and attack, and despite the best efforts of Jonjo Shelvey and Ayoze Perez, both utilised in a number 10 role, the squad are screaming out for a natural playmaker, which is where Cairney could flourish.

Gayle meanwhile has not been firing on all cylinders this season with three goals to his name, and has found it difficult to keep his place in the starting XI after finishing the last campaign as top scorer.

The chances he passed up against Swansea City show that he is not the natural born finisher Newcastle desperately need up top, and while that will hopefully come later in the transfer market, the Magpies have the opportunity to snap up a figure who will help create more chances for the both the existing and future forwards at St James' Park.

With a bid of £15million tabled for Cairney, Newcastle could easily secure a straight swap, using Gayle's proven goal scoring record in the second tier as well as Cairney's lack of Premier League as reason enough to value the duo at the same amount.




https://www.footballinsider247.com/15m-bid-newcastle-must-stop-replacement-swoop-swap-deal/

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Fulham defender Michael Madl set to leave Craven Cottage

The 29-year-old has been at the club since joining on loan in 2016 but looks set to end his spell at the club

Michael Madl looks set to leave Fulham .

The 29-year-old has played in just two games this season - the Carabao Cup ties with Wycombe and Bristol Rovers - and has been frozen out of the first team picture.

Slavisa Jokanovic wants the club to sign another centre back and doesn't feel the Austrian defender fits into his first team plans, while summer signing Marcelo Djalo isn't deemed ready for regular Championship action.

Madl signed for Fulham on loan initially from Sturm Graz before making the move permanent in July 2016, and since then has made 32 appearances in total for the side.

Meanwhile, Rafa Soares could also be leaving the club, with reports in Portugal suggesting the player was back at Porto to sort out his future, but the full back can only return to his parent club if Fulham cancel the loan agreement early.



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/fulham-defender-michael-madl-set-14160316