Friday Fulham Stuff (16/11/18)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Ranieri must return Sessegnon to the wing after spell in defence under Jokanovic

(Photo by Huddersfield FC/Getty Images)

Slavisa Jokanovic did wonderful things for Ryan Sessegnon's career, showing immense faith in the young Englishman and setting him on the path to stardom.

But as the Whites invested heavily in the playing staff and Jokanovic attempted to keep Sessegnon in his starting team where possible, the Serbian began squeezing him in at left-back in certain games.

Sessegnon can play there but it's not his best position and playing at full-back is a steep learning curve for a young man making his way in the game.

It also removed his direct running and goal threat from Fulham's attack, so while the move was in order to further Sessegnon's development by keeping him in the side, it didn't help the team or the player.

So Claudio Ranieri must reverse Jokanovic's recent positional switch and move Sessegnon back to the left wing as he seeks to turn Fulham around.

As he did at Anfield, Maxime Le Marchand could come across and offer a sturdier option at left-back, while freeing up Sessegnon to add his pace and directness to an attack that has gone stale in recent weeks.

He took the bull by the horns at Anfield and showed Ranieri what he can offer on the wing. It's time for the Italian to end the full-back experiment.



https://tbrfootball.com/ranieri-must-return-sessegnon-to-the-wing-after-spell-in-defence-under-jokanovic/

[WhiteJC]

 
U18s: Omogbehin & De Havilland Reaction

Colin Omogbehin was disappointed with the nature in which his side fell at Arsenal in the PL Cup.

The Under-18s lost 4-0 to a strong Gunners side after the game was finely poised at 0-0 on the hour mark.

Two headers from Bayli Spencer-Adams, a Josh Martin strike and Florian Balogun's stoppage time thumping effort sealed the win. The result puts the Young Whites out of the PL Cup after being dealt a tricky hand in Group D.

Another tricky test will follow as Chelsea visit Motspur Park when the Under-18s return to league action.

"I felt our performance, our shape, our ability to create chances was good." He told fulhamfc.com. "Similar to last week, we had to play a bit on the counter attack, but we still created chances as a result of that. The disappointing thing for us is that we didn't take them."

"We need to be more resilient, we will have to talk to the boys about that, showing a bit more character, cause last week the boys were great. We have been consistently showing a bit more character, last week proved that, but this week when we went one two goals behind and we capitulated."

Ryan De Havilland returned to action after a long injury lay-off and is keen to make his mark on the team for the visit of Chelsea.

"In the first half, we had some good chances which we couldn't finish. Arsenal had their chances as well but we were in the game. Going into the second half we needed to have our spell and keep the ball a bit better with some sloppy goals conceded.

"The creativity this side has had has been unbelievable. If we can combine the end product with tightening up defensively, we can be more solid as a unit.

"Both defensively and going forward we need some improvement. But getting those wins in the league boosted morale. It was disappointing on Saturday but we can get that out of our heads and move on.

"In the league, we have won with strong performances along with clean sheets. There is nothing but positives in the league. So, if we put the PL Cup out of our minds we can give anyone a game. Chelsea will provide a stern test for us but one we will be happy to meet.

"I'm very happy to be back and join the team, especially when morale is high. It's good to be out of the gym and back on the pitch getting minutes. The players coming back are only going to improve us. Jean-Pierre and Showkat give us a different dimension to attack others."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/november/15/u18s-arsenal-reaction

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham regressed under Slavisa Jokanovic after promotion, says Danny Higginbotham
Slavisa Jokanovic deserves "a little bit of sympathy" after big-money summer recruitment drive failed to deliver results, says Sky Sports expert Danny Higginbotham

Fulham regressed under Slavisa Jokanovic after promotion despite spending over £100m on new players, says Danny Higginbotham.

The club sacked the Serb on Wednesday and replaced him with Claudio Ranieri with the team languishing at the bottom of the Premier League table, having earned just five points from their first 12 games.

The Cottagers finished third in the Sky Bet Championship last season and gained promotion via the play-offs. Despite spending over £100m in the summer transfer window, they now have the worst defensive record in England's top division.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Higginbotham believes Fulham have gone backwards under Jokanovic this season and were actually a better side six months ago than they are now.

He said: "I would probably say that the team they had in the Championship is better than the team they've actually been playing at the moment.

"There's been a lot of money spent in the summer and a lot of people have said it was nothing to do with Jokanovic, so you do have to give him a little bit of sympathy there.

"But the one thing I would say is that more often than not when you're at a football club as a player, the people who get the biggest money are the attacking players, and that's because the hardest thing to do in a football match is to create and score a goal. Therefore defending is easier, so that's why you always build from the back."

Fulham have conceded 31 goals in their first 12 Premier League games this season, conceding twice in 10 of those fixtures. They have also made 33 changes to their starting XI, the most of any other side, something Higginbotham feels must change in order to turn their fortunes around.

He added: "The simple fact is that Jokanovic didn't have a clean sheet this season and never played the same back five in consecutive games. You will not have anything defensively if you don't have consistency and if you don't have continuity.

"From Ranieri's perspective, he'll look at this and think this is something which can be solved quite quickly.

"I look at Fulham and think 'have they got a good squad and have they got good players? Yes, 100 per cent.' So I've always thought if a manager comes in, gets them set up better defensively - not just as a back four but as a whole unit - then they will be stronger.

"That's the biggest thing they've got to overcome at Fulham - making sure that they're set when they're in possession and when they're attacking so they can't get done on the counter attack like they have been."



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11554809/fulham-regressed-under-slavisa-jokanovic-after-promotion-says-danny-higginbotham

[WhiteJC]

The Sean Davis Column

Something you see quite a lot when you're down the bottom of the table is that you don't seem to get any luck or rub of the green, and that was certainly the case at Anfield on Sunday. The decisions that went against us brought the whole VAR argument up again, and it's something I'm still a bit on the fence about – although obviously I wish it had been in use at the weekend! I don't mind the concept of VAR, as long as it doesn't take too long. You don't want your football to become stop-start all the time. Obviously with decisions like the Mitrović one it would be great, but it's got to be swift, it's got to be sharp, and we've got to keep the game moving. One of the best things about the Premier League is how fast and intense it is. I think if VAR was in use then our goal would have been given and the whole rolling ball from Alisson wouldn't even be a thing.

If we had gone into half-time in front, who knows what would have happened. It would have been a different team talk for both managers, so the game would have changed. We would have defended more and tried to hit them on the counter attack, and with how well we kept our shape in the first half, I would have backed us to see the match out and come away with a result. These are all ifs and buts though, and I think the main thing we need to take out of it is that we looked a lot more solid.

I know we conceded two goals but it was a much better display from the lads. We looked more solid and created chances. Liverpool away, obviously you want to go there and get some points, but it's a bit of a bonus game almost. The fact that we've gone there and put in a performance, and all the post-match chat is ifs and buts, that's a sign that things are moving in the right direction, and something which we need to take into the next game.

The work rate against Liverpool from the team was exceptional, but that should be a given. You should always, always give 100 per cent, always run your socks off. You should come off the pitch knackered. For the fans, the least you can do as a player is give 100 per cent. I've been in games playing for Fulham where I seemed to give the ball away every time I got it, but the fans didn't boo me because they could see I didn't stop running and making tackles – and kicking people! They are a very intelligent crowd, they know when someone's trying and when someone's not.

I did an interview with Talksport where they were asking me about Fulham and I said I thought the players were doing alright considering how much of an overhaul there was to the squad over the summer. It's difficult to get them all to knit straight away and perform, it is tough. I think our target should be to try and make sure we're out of the bottom three by Christmas. Nobody expected us to get anything at Liverpool, but the fact we gave them a proper run for their money means we've got something we can build on now.

Sergio Rico won Man of the Match again, and he's had some good performances since coming into the side. He would have expected to be busy at Liverpool and he did end up having to make a lot of saves. He didn't have any chance with either of the goals. There are three quality goalkeepers at the Club and I think that can only help because they know there's some stiff competition breathing down their neck. I thought Betts did well when he had the shirt, and now Rico is going to have to continue performing to the best of his abilities if he wants to keep it.

We saw Calum Chambers come back into the fold at the weekend, and I thought he impressed in that midfield position. He's one of those centre-halves that is quite good on the ball and so can perform in the holding role. Because of his upbringing, his first thought is defence, that's his mentality. He knows the role of centre-half, so knows what the guys behind him need from a central midfielder, which made it was a good fit.

Our next fixture after the internationals is a massive game against Southampton at home, one that I think we'll be looking at as must-win. They were similar to us at the weekend in that they put in a good performance but had a big decision go against them, so they'll be just as keen to bounce back with three points.

That's also the official Foundation matchday for this season, where they're encouraging everybody to bring a pound to the ground. The Foundation does so much good work, I've always felt privileged and humbled to be a part of it on occasions such as the 10K and the cycle to Amsterdam. With Fulham being in the Premier League I think it's now even more important to continue the good work in the community. At the end of the day, Fulham is a family club – we've always been that way and long may it continue, so please remember to contribute on the day!



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/november/14/the-sean-davis-column

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League summer transfer window to close a day before new campaign

The Premier League has announced a reduced summer transfer window will continue next year and will close the day before the start of the new season.

The move was rubber-stamped at Thursday's shareholders' meeting at which all 20 Premier League clubs were represented.

In an effort to reduce disruption and allow clubs to focus on their football, this season's window was shortened, ending on August 9 rather than the traditional deadline at the end of August.

Fourteen clubs voted for the early closure of the transfer window at a meeting in September 2017, but five clubs, Manchester United, Manchester City, Watford, Swansea City and Crystal Palace, were against the change.

A shortened window went ahead this year after a number of Premier League managers and club officials complained about the negative impact of transfer uncertainty and speculation on their players.

During the summer before last season, Alexis Sanchez, Diego Costa, Philippe Coutinho and Virgil van Dijk were just four of a list of players who did not play for their clubs as they pursued exits.

EFL clubs followed the Premier League's example last year by bringing their transfer deadline forward but foreign leagues did not, resulting in two transfer deadlines last summer.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/11555001/premier-league-summer-transfer-window-to-close-a-day-before-new-campaign

[WhiteJC]

 
Ranieri: Unfinished Business

Despite having a Premier League title on his CV, Claudio Ranieri feels he still has unfinished business in England.

The Italian masterminded one of football's greatest ever triumphs three seasons ago, when he guided Leicester City to glory at odds of 5,000-1.

Now, though, a new challenge awaits.

"I felt I needed to come back to England," Ranieri told fulhamfctv in his first interview since his appointment.

"I went abroad last season to finish my story, but my feeling for English football is so strong that I felt I had to come back.

"When I met Mr Khan, [I saw] he is an ambitious man and a good Chairman, so I want to give him what he desires.

"I hope we can be safe this season and then from there we follow the way of our Chairman and his son to try and grow up and become stronger.

"What I've achieved is in the past. I always look forward and want more, I hope to do a very good job."

Ranieri is a regular visitor to Craven Cottage – a ground he holds in high regard – and admitted his surprise at the Whites' struggles this season.

"Craven Cottage is amazing," he enthused. "When I first arrived here I thought, 'Wow!' It is a story in itself.

"Often I came to watch matches at Fulham because of my love of football. I came to the very first game of the season against Crystal Palace.

"Fulham showed very good football and it was unbelievable how they conceded two goals. Often this season Fulham have conceded too many goals.

"As an Italian manager, the defensive way is the best method of the team. It is important to have a strong vision of how to work defensively.

"It's not only the full-back, or the goalkeeper. When you attack, you attack as 11, when you defend, you defend as 11."

Despite our position in the table, Ranieri has seen enough in his squad to suggest we can reverse our fortunes this season, starting against Southampton next Saturday.

"There is plenty to work with here," he explained. "I watched some games against Manchester City and Liverpool and the quality is high here.

"There is a good group here and fighting spirit is very important. Southampton are a good team but it is important to be prepared.

"Now we have to think about what we can do to improve the team. Then we think about other things from there.

"I hope our fans can push behind us. We need the strength of all the fans because we need their support. We will never give up."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/november/16/claudio-ranieri-unfinished-business

[WhiteJC]

 
"It's bad news for me" – Fulham star particularly hit by Slavisa Jokanovic exit

Slavisa Jokanovic leaving Fulham hasn't been a source of outright joy for Fulham fans.

With the club at the bottom of the table, although still only three points away from Crystal Palace and Southampton in 16th and 17th, there was clearly a feeling at the club that something needed to be done.

The most damning aspect of it all for the Serbian was goals conceded. With the opposition finding the back of Fulham's net on 31 occasions in 12 Premier League games, there's a clear need to tighten up at the back.

At the other end they've scored 11 goals so far and five of those have come from Aleksandar Mitrovic, who helped the club gain Premier League promotion last season.

For the Serbian striker it's particularly upsetting to see the back of his compatriot, and and he's been speaking to the media in his own country whilst away on international duty.

Mondo quote Mitrovic as saying: "It's bad news for me, since everyone knows what impact he had on me and on my career in the previous year – and the year after. He did a lot for my career, we heard yesterday, I can say that it is heavier for me."

The Fulham player has no doubt his former manager will quickly find a new job and won't have to take a prolonged enforced holiday.

On new manager Claudio Ranieri, Mitrovic said: "He has a lot of experience, he won the Premier League with Leicester and worked at big clubs. I'm happy to get to know him and I hope he will help us get out of the crisis."



http://sportwitness.co.uk/bad-news-fulham-star-particularly-hit-slavisa-jokanovic-exit/

[WhiteJC]

 
Here's how Claudio Ranieri could revive a disjointed Fulham

With Ranieri taking over at Fulham, the ex-Leicester coach could bring his style of play to Craven Cottage

Claudio Ranieri has officially taken over as manager at Fulham. The Italian is famous for his storybook run with Leicester, winning the Premier League during the 2015/2016 season. His style of play was fascinating to watch and frustrated even the elite clubs in England.

Ranieri is inheriting a Fulham side that is sitting at the bottom of the Premier League table. Fulham has not recorded a league win since matchday three against Burnley and has lost seven straight since September 29th.

The club is in desperate need of change, so Ranieri is just the right man to bring in. Ranieri could use a similar formula with Fulham if he decides to set up similar to his Leicester side. With a few changes, things could really pan out for the newly promoted club.

One player that could really thrive under Ranieri is Aleksandar Mitrovic. The hardworking Serbian is similar to Shinji Okazaki in that both players run until there is nothing left in the tank. Sticking Mitrovic up top with Luciano Vietto could be the partnership Ranieri starts with.

Sticking with the 442 theme that Ranieri holds dear to, a midfield four of Ryan Sessegnon, Jean Michel Seri, Andre Anguissa, and Andre Shurrle would be ideal. The flat four behind the two dangerous strikers would be able to create plenty of chances out wide while staying well rounded in the middle of the pitch.

The change from the usual 433 would force Tom Cairney out of the midfield, but Ranieri could easily slot him into the flat four instead of Anguissa. He is more of an attacking midfielder, though, so Seri would have much more work to do.

Sticking with the back four of Maxime Le Marchand, Alfie Mawson, Denis Odoi, and Cyrus Christie would not be much of a shock. It would also not be surprising if Ranieri looks to Timothy Fosu-Mensah or veteran Tim Ream to slot into the back four for youth and experience respectively.



https://playingfor90.com/2018/11/15/claudio-ranieri-revive-disjointed-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

 
SLAVIŠA JOKANOVIĆ STATEMENT

"My time as manager of Fulham Football Club came to an end yesterday. It is always disappointing when this happens, but I reflect on my spell at Fulham with immense pride and gratitude, looking back on great memories following my appointment at this fantastic football club almost three years ago now.

"We have been on an exciting journey together. It all started when we avoided relegation to League One in my first season, before reaching the play-offs in my second year and then achieving promotion to the Premier League on an unforgettable day at Wembley back in May. I feel that we gave the club's fans a footballing identity and a team to be proud of. I was still confident that we would have been able to turn things around after our slow start to the season, just as we had done in previous years, but I respectfully accept the club's decision.

"I would like to express my gratitude to Shahid Khan for giving me the opportunity to manage this great club and for his kindness. I extend my thanks to everyone at Fulham Football Club. It has also been a real pleasure to work with the players, and my staff and I wish to thank the squad for all of their effort and dedication. Finally, I am extremely grateful to the Fulham fans for their support since I arrived at the club and their very kind messages following my departure.

"I want to wish everyone connected with Fulham Football Club all the very best for the future."



http://www.leaguemanagers.com/news/lma-latest/slavisa-jokanovic-statement/

[WhiteJC]

 
'Owls fans would love this' – 50-y/o as potential Luhukay replacement at Sheff Wed: The verdict

Following the fall-out of Slaviša Jokanović's sacking at Fulham, struggling Championship clubs could well be put on alert with their thoughts turning to whether the Serb could do the job he did at Fulham last season for them.

The 'powers at be' at Sheffield Wednesday must fall into this category, with the hard earned point in the Steel City derby papering over the cracks at Hillborough, that have seen the Owls pick up only one point in their last five matches.

So would Jokanović be a good appointment at Wednesday?

We discuss.....

Jay Taylor

I think it would be, and he would have the players there to be able to implement the system he was so successful with while at Fulham.

The two would seem like a good fit, but having left the Premier League side yesterday, I find it hard to believe he will walk straight back into a job, especially at the expense of another manager.

But if I think it will happen; it could well do, it would be a good fit.

Gary Hutchinson

Absolutely, Owls fans would love this.

He did a great job at Fulham last season.

It might be a little more difficult seeing as there's no Ryan Sessegnon at Wednesday.

I'm surprised he's gone. It isn't six months since he was being touted as a possible Chelsea boss.

George Harbey

100%.

He did an exceptional job at Fulham and could transfer his skills over to Wednesday.

The Owls have many exciting players in their ranks, and Jokanovic could get the best out of them.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/owls-fans-would-love-this-50-y-o-as-potential-luhukay-replacement-at-sheff-wed-the-verdict/

[WhiteJC]

 
This could be very bad news for Aleksandar Mitrovic – Fulham fans, you have been warned..

With fellow Serbian Slavisa Jokanovic now sacked by Fulham, this coupled with the arrival of Claudio Ranieri could be seriously bad news for Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Not only was Jokanovic the man who brought him to Craven Corttage TWICE over the last year, but he was a manager who was clearly happy to allow his team to revolve around the big Serbian, making sure his team was set up to play to his strengths.

Unfortunately for Mitrovic, there's a fair bit of evidence to suggest Claudio Ranieri will A) not do this and B ) adopt a style and system that Mitrovic may not find quite so suited to his abilities.

It may have been a one off season, but the tactics Ranieri deployed during his time at Leicester and their famous title win were reliant on high energy, mobility and excellent movement. He may adopt completely new tactics at Fulham (although that seems unlikely to me), but it's fair to say Mitrovic's game would NOT suit these demands.

Not only that, Mitrovic clearly needs a manager who has complete faith in him, with Jokanovic clearly being that man who would start him no matter what, make him Fulham's main man and always be there to put an arm around his shoulder.



http://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2018/11/15/this-could-be-very-bad-news-for-aleksandar-mitrovic-fulham-fans-you-have-been-warned/

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League clubs agree to pay £5m bonus to outgoing chairman Richard Scudamore

Premier League clubs have agreed to pay a £5m bonus to outgoing chairman Richard Scudamore over the next three years.

Scudamore, who is stepping down from the position after almost 20 years in charge, will be kept on in a consultancy role.

Susanna Dinnage has been confirmed as his successor, joining from media organisation Discovery where she has been the global president of the Animal Planet channel, and will begin her new role in January 2019.

The decision regarding Scudamore's payment package "was made by the Audit and Remuneration Committee and the Non-Executive Directors, supported and endorsed by the clubs", a Premier League statement read.

The Premier League said the payments were in consideration of three important areas. "It was vital that a comprehensive set of non-compete clauses were extended, to ensure the best possible protection for the future of the Premier League," the statement read.

"It was agreed that it is crucial for the League's ongoing success that Richard's unique knowledge and experience remain available in an advisory capacity.

"The payments are in recognition of the outstanding work Richard has carried out over the last 19 years."

Earlier on Thursday, Premier League clubs had been urged not to agree to the £5m payment by the Football Supporters' Federation.

When announcing his departure, Scudamore paid tribute to the "enormous commitment" of broadcast and commercial partners across the world in steering the Premier League's success.

"That number will run into hundreds, they have all contributed to our story and I would like to thank them enormously," he said. "However, I am sure they will forgive me for singling out Sky for special recognition.

"Back in 1992 they were the catalyst for the start of the Premier League journey and have backed us all the way since, joining forces to see off regulatory and other challenges throughout whilst setting global standards in broadcasting excellence that others have strived to replicate."

The Premier League also released a statement on Thursday to announce that the top-flight clubs have agreed in principle to introduce Video Assistant Referees (VAR) to the competition in 2019/20.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/11554944/premier-league-clubs-agree-to-pay-5m-bonus-to-outgoing-chairman-richard-scudamore

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic says Fulham could have turned things around under him
Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic says Jokanovic's departure is "bad news" for him

Former Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic says he "respectfully accepts" the club's decision to sack him but had remained confident he could "turn things around".

Jokanovic was replaced by former Chelsea and Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri on Wednesday, after managing just one win from their opening 12 league matches following promotion from the Championship, leaving them bottom of the table.

It is understood Jokanovic was told about his dismissal via a phone call from Fulham owner Shahid Khan on Wednesday morning.

He was surprised by the decision, Sky Sports News has been told, but the 50-year-old revealed in a statement on Thursday that he leaves with "immense pride and gratitude".

"It is always disappointing when this happens, but I reflect on my spell at Fulham with immense pride and gratitude, looking back on great memories following my appointment at this fantastic football club almost three years ago now," he said.

"We have been on an exciting journey together. It all started when we avoided relegation to League One in my first season, before reaching the play-offs in my second year and then achieving promotion to the Premier League on an unforgettable day at Wembley back in May.

"I feel that we gave the club's fans a footballing identity and a team to be proud of. I was still confident that we would have been able to turn things around after our slow start to the season, just as we had done in previous years, but I respectfully accept the club's decision.

"I would like to express my gratitude to Shahid Khan for giving me the opportunity to manage this great club and for his kindness. I extend my thanks to everyone at Fulham Football Club.

"It has also been a real pleasure to work with the players, and my staff and I wish to thank the squad for all of their effort and dedication. Finally, I am extremely grateful to the Fulham fans for their support since I arrived at the club and their very kind messages following my departure.

"I want to wish everyone connected with Fulham Football Club all the very best for the future."

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has also addressed Jokanovic's departute and says the decision was "bad news" for him.

"He did a lot for me and when we spoke yesterday Jokanovic was consoling me more then I consoled him. I am very sorry about it," Mitrovic said.

"It is a bad news for me considering the good influence that Jokanovic had on my career for the last year and the half.

"I feel bad for him, so does everybody at the club, they are disappointed because they love him and have respect for him because he did a lot for the club and helped them to advance to Premier League from the Championship."



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11555065/slavisa-jokanovic-says-fulham-could-have-turned-things-around-under-him

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic gives classy response after being replaced by Claudio Ranieri as Fulham boss

The Serbian boss was dismissed from his post at Craven Cottage to be replaced by Claudio Ranieri.

Slavisa Jokanovic gave a typically classy response after being replaced as head coach of Fulham.

The west London club confirmed on Wednesday morning that the Serbian boss has been dismissed from his post at Craven Cottage and was to be replaced by Claudio Ranieri.

Taking to his social media account, Jokanovic could only say positive things about his time with Fulham and expressed his gratitude to owner Shahid Khan for the opportunity.

Speaking on Twitter, he said: "My time as manager of Fulham Football Club came to an end yesterday. It is always disappointing when this happens, but I reflect on my spell at Fulham with immense pride and gratitude, looking back on great memories following my appointment at this fantastic football club almost three years ago now.

"We have been on an exciting journey together.

"It all started when we avoided relegation to League One in my first season, before reaching the play-offs in my second year and then achieving promotion to the Premier League on an unforgettable day at Wembley back in May.

"I feel that we gave the club's fans a footballing identity and a team to be proud of. I was still confident that we would have been able to turn things around after our slow start to the season, just as we had done in my previous years, but I respectfully accept the club's decision.

"I would like to express my gratitude to Shahid Khan for giving me the opportunity to manage this great club and for his kindness.

"I extend my thanks to everyone at Fulham Football Club. It has also been a real pleasure to work with the players, and my staff and I wish to thank the squad for all of their effort and dedication.

"Finally, I am extremely grateful to the Fulham fans for their support since I arrived at the club and their very kind messages following my departure.

"I want to wish everyone connected with Fulham Football Club, all the very best for the future."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/slavisa-jokanovic-gives-classy-response-15421585

[WhiteJC]

 
Charming Fulham and affable Claudio Ranieri being so ruthless leaves sour taste

Way Fulham sacked and instantly replaced Slavisa Jokanovic with Ranieri could be called business-like but lacked class

When it was reported by the Mirror just over a fortnight ago that Slavisa Jokanovic had a couple of games to save his job, Fulham owner Shahid Khan ridiculed the idea.

In his programme notes for the home match against Bournemouth on October 27, Khan, who would soon have been the owner of Wembley Stadium had some fuddy-duddy FA members - or tosspots as Greg Dyke referred to them - not harboured reservations, had this to say.

"As for the sensational and fictional headlines relating to Slavisa this week, I'm equal parts amused, astonished and disappointed."

Eighteen days later, very, very few were equal parts amused, astonished and disappointed that Jokanovic had been sacked.

Khan either had an abrupt change of mind, or he was telling fibs back then.

Or maybe it was Sunday's defeat at Anfield, where Liverpool last lost a Premier League home game on April 23, 2017, that clinched the deal.

Whatever the case, Khan's pronouncements on football can clearly be taken with a pinch of salt.

Maybe the tosspots had a point.

Khan has moved on to Claudio Ranieri while Jokanovic, such was the quality of the job he did at Fulham in his three years there, will not be short of gainful employment for long.


Owner Khan wrote off the Jokanovic era after Sunday's away loss to Liverpool (Image: PA Wire)

No need to worry about him putting bread on the table.

Yet this is a dismissal that tarnishes a widely-respected football club, or at least leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

Fulham, who played with a youthful, wonderful swagger last season, are confirmed as Just Another Club and the affable Ranieri is as ruthless as the next out-of-work manager.

A guy who got dumped when a spectacularly glorious achievement was still fresh in the memory takes the job of a guy who got dumped when a glorious achievement was even fresher in the memory.

In many ways, the League Managers Association has a thankless task, urging clubs to have patience with their members when their members are happy to talk to clubs who still have a manager.

It is the way of the world, and there is a strong, business-like case for not sacking your manager until you have one lined up to take over within the hour, as Ranieri did on Wednesday.

But talking to potential successors while Jokanovic was preparing his team for the Anfield trip is still not still particularly palatable. Not from Khan, not from Ranieri.

On purely footballing grounds, the decision is also questionable.

Ranieri will always have one of the most magnificent footballing achievements on his CV but not all the reasons why this is his 18th managerial post are positive.

"Risk-free and ready-made," said Khan.

In other words... available and desperate for the gig, unlike a few of the others we chatted to.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/charming-fulham-affable-claudio-ranieri-13595261

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic: Former Fulham boss confident he would have turned things around

Slavisa Jokanovic: "We have been on an exciting journey together"

Slavisa Jokanovic said he was adamant he would have kept Fulham in the Premier League, in a statement issued a day after he was sacked by the club.

The 50-year-old was dismissed with the Cottagers bottom of the table with five points from their opening 12 matches.

"I was still confident that we would have been able to turn things around," said Jokanovic, who guided Fulham to promotion last season.

He was replaced by Claudio Ranieri, who helped Leicester win the title in 2016.

Jokanovic added: "We have been on an exciting journey together. It all started when we avoided relegation to League One in my first season, before reaching the play-offs in my second year and then achieving promotion to the Premier League on an unforgettable day at Wembley back in May.

"I feel that we gave the club's fans a footballing identity and a team to be proud of."

Ranieri's first game in charge will see Fulham host Southampton at Craven Cottage on Saturday, 24 November.

"I know this team is very capable of better performances, which we will work on straight away as we prepare for Southampton at the Cottage," said the Italian after he was appointed.


Slavisa Jokanovic tweeted the statement which was also published on the League Managers' Association website



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46227940

[WhiteJC]

 
No Room for Sentiment

I don't think that I have ever seen a response to a managerial change quite like the one in the aftermath of Fulham's announcement yesterday. While things were looking ominous on the pitch, Jokanovic seemingly had the support of those in high places at Craven Cottage. The reaction to the sacking hasn't been one of relief that we sometimes see with these things, but was one of sadness. What Slavisa Jokanovic did for Fulham was incredible. From being in danger of slipping down to League One, to getting promoted to the Premier League through the play-offs was an epic turnaround. Some of the football we have played over the past few years has had us nearly drooling but for some reason it just hasn't worked in the top tier of English football. I'll get to where things maybe went wrong further down the piece, but for now I want to try and sum up why my overwhelming emotion about the news of Jokanovic's sacking is sadness.

The loss of our project manager- I've said before that I love the idea of a manager taking on a job with the view to a long term project. Football has become a place where job security doesn't exist. Look at our new manager for example; he led Leicester to the Premier League in what was possibly the greatest football underdog story of all time, but was sacked within a year! Clubs are so scared of getting relegated that often logic doesn't come into decisions regarding managerial jobs and so often managers are hired as a short term solution to a long term problem. This is where Fulham have gone against the status quo a bit with Jokanovic's reign. He very easily could have been sacked last year after our miserable start, but the Khan's chose to stick with their man and we were rewarded with promotion. For this reason, I am gutted that our project manager is gone. He fixed things about our club and that resulted in the best day of my footballing life at Wembley back in May but it was only after he had made mistakes along the way.

Recruitment, recruitment, recruitment- When I try and think about what has went wrong this year, I keep coming back to the same answer-recruitment. People will harp on about 100million this and 100million that but ultimately we ended up with a very unbalanced squad. I have no doubt that we have extremely talented players at our club, but the team as a whole in how it plays is poor. One of the problems was that we have relied on loans over the past few years so when these came to an end we were left with just 12 first team players at the club. And it wasn't like we got rid of the fringe players- no, these were players who had a huge impact on our promotion journey. Players like Tomas Kalas and Ollie Norwood have been huge losses given our rocky back four and the injury to Cairney. These might not be world class players, but I believe that the consistency might have helped this season. Jokanovic found himself in a position were he not only had to acclimatise to the huge step up in class, he also had to incorporate a staggering eleven new players into the club. Looking back, I don't think it was ever going to end well.

Acceptance- While I am really sad about Jokanovic's sacking, I can understand it. There are only so many times that you can recover from a slow start, and this is Jokanovic's third season in a row were there have been question marks over him. I backed him to the hilt last year but, admittedly, I have found it harder and harder to back him 100% this time around. I wanted more than anything for him to do well, but his stubbornness and his sometimes baffling line-ups made me begin to think that he had lost his way a bit. While I didn't want to read that he had been sacked (not yet anyway) I do understand the decision. The problem was that he gave the Khan's a decision to make, and if you do that you are in  dodgy territory. I think that I would find this much harder to take if we ended up with Sam Allardyce or Alan Pardew leading the club, but Claudio Ranieri is undoubtably a great manager. You don't win the Premier League by accident and while I know that's certainly not our target, we can be relieved that it's him and not someone else. The key now for us is to continue to support the team.

Memories- I could write a book about all the memories I have over the past three years alone supporting Fulham. We have had heartbreak, but we have also had the most surreal day back in May. We have watched our team playing some beautiful football but have also seen some calamitous decisions. Instead of going through a lot of things, I think I'll focus on just one match that I think summed us up in a nutshell. When we went to St James Park in the 2016-17 season, we all knew that it would be an incredibly tough game. We were, after all, going to take on the league leaders in front of 50,00 odd passionate Geordies with Rafa Benetiz in charge. We were on a good run of form, but nobody there that day expected us to go 3nil in front, with 16 year-old Ryan Sessegnon silencing everybody apart from the 1000 Fulham fans in the clouds up on the top tier. We absolutely tore the league leaders apart and it was probably the best performance that I had witnessed from Fulham in some years. To make it fulhamish, however, we conceded a stupid goal before missing an injury time penalty. Yes, we won the game 3-1, but we managed to make an impressive victory a bit difficult for ourselves. While we all went home happy, I feel that it sums us up under Jokanovic really well. We played some sizzling hot football, yet defended slightly naively and then made the crazy decision to get centre back Tim Ream to take a penalty and miss, instead of letting a 16 year-old kid have the chance to score his first professional hattrick. It was a wonderful day, but done very much in the style of Jokanovic's Fulham.

To close I just want to say this; I'm devastated that it hasn't worked out for Jokanovic this season, but unfortunately there is no room for sentiment in football any more. He will always be welcome back to the Cottage by me, but for now we have to say "Best wishes, Slav and welcome, Claudio."

#COYW



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/11/a-wave-of-sadness-but-a-positive-future/

[WhiteJC]

 
Hojbjerg motivated for Fulham clash

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been discussing how he is motivated to help Southampton defeat Fulham after the international break.

As quoted by the Daily Echo, the Denmark international looked ahead to the game at Craven Cottage, with Southampton looking to push their way out of a relegation scrap.

Fulham are currently sat at the foot of the Premier League table but are sure to have their tails up following the arrival of Claudio Ranieri as the club's new manager.

Ranieri was appointed on Wednesday morning after Fulham opted to dismiss Slavisa Jokanovic from his duties.

Hojbjerg reflected on Fulham's decision to part ways with Jokanovic and replace him with Ranieri, insisting that the Saints will be ready for the test that their London counterparts will provide. The Southampton midfielder said:

    It's good for Fulham. They are going to have some fresh ideas and fresh minds, and a coach they want to prove themselves to.

    But it makes me more motivated for what is a huge game.I know we will be 100 percent ready. Those games are nice. They are high-intensity, high nerves, and you learn a lot from that as a football player.

Hojbjerg has been a mainstay in the starting line-up under Mark Hughes and will hope to continue when the Saints travel to Fulham.



https://readsouthampton.com/2018/11/15/hojbjerg-motivated-for-fulham-clash/

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic deserved more time to transform Fulham's fortunes

All too often the very manager who brought success is the one who makes way at the first bump in the road

The fact we had entered November and not seen a single manager sacked in the Premier League made for a refreshing change. All too often, dismissals are made in a panic and without the long-term good of the club in question taken into proper consideration. This season it appeared a sense of calm and rational thinking had taken over. All managers seem to have been given time.

That was until Wednesday, however, when Fulham sacked Slavisa Jokanovic and immediately announced Claudio Ranieri as his successor. Unfortunately, normal service has been resumed.

Don't get me wrong, it is great to see Ranieri back in the Premier League. He comes across as a very good man and, of course, is the one who led Leicester to one of the greatest sporting achievements of all time. I was as shocked as anyone by Leicester's decision to sack him less than a year after they had stunned all and won the Premier League.

But it is unfortunate that Ranieri's return is a direct consequence of Jokanovic losing his job because I feel the Serb deserved more time to turn around Fulham's fortunes. Too often, the very manager who brought success to a club is the one who makes way at the first difficult bump in the road, challenges that should be expected in the Premier League. Jokanovic brought Fulham up – he should have been backed rather than sacked.

My brother, Sone, spent one season playing under Jokanovic at Fulham and describes him as being a calm presence in the dressing room and someone who is able to command the respect of all players. Looking in from the outside, it is clear that Jokanovic is a man with a strong belief in an attractive, possession-based playing style as well as in giving young players a chance. Just look at how well Ryan Sessegnon has developed under his charge.

Jokanovic should have been given until at least Christmas to try and prove he could establish Fulham in the Premier League. Arguably, though, he made that almost impossible after openly criticising his players before the game against Liverpool at the weekend, accusing them of not showing enough effort and application. It is never a good idea for a manager to criticise his players in public as it creates a lack of trust between both parties. Those conversations should always be done privately.

It can also be argued that by sacking Jokanovic, Fulham's owner, Shahid Khan, is displaying ambition – clearly he is not happy with the team sitting at the bottom of the table after 12 games and, having invested more than £100m in players over the summer, he wants to see them much higher, much sooner. That is his prerogative and suggests he has big plans for the club, in the immediate and long term.

What is for sure is that Fulham were leaking far too many goals under Jokanovic and so Ranieri's first task will be to make them more organised. Fortunately for them, he has a record of doing just that. He is an inherently defensive-minded coach, seen best in his success with Leicester, when the title was won by being solid at the back and ruthless on the counterattack.

It is important for any team that is promoted to be strong at the back. They cannot go toe-to-toe with many of the sides they will come up against and so have to be able to defend first and foremost. Burnley are a good example of a team that have managed to do that successfully over a number of seasons, establishing them in the Premier League. Fulham could do worse than follow their example, although it would be a shame if under Ranieri they completely abandoned the attacking style that made them one of the best teams to watch in the Championship. I, for one, was consistently excited by the prospect of watching Fulham play, at Craven Cottage or elsewhere, last season.

What is for sure is that they have plenty of time to escape relegation. It is early days in the season and there is very little separating Fulham from the sides immediately above them. Indeed, they are only four points behind Newcastle in 14th.

That closeness has formed part of a discussion in recent weeks regarding the lack of competitiveness in the Premier League. For sure there is a stark gap between the clubs at the top and those at the bottom, but for me this is because Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea are so good, rather than Fulham, Huddersfield and Cardiff being particularly bad.

It has always been difficult for the have-nots to beat the haves and that is even more the case now because the standard has been raised. If anything, we should count ourselves lucky that we are able to watch exceptional sides led by exceptional managers perform week in, week out in the Premier League. Personally, that is what I want to see – high-level football, and if that means some sides struggling to accumulate points, so be it.

Finally, I was on Sky Sports News this week speaking about life in Turin. I really enjoyed doing the feature and hope that people who watched it back home got an insight into a footballers' life in Italy, in particular my fellow professionals. I said in a previous column that I would love to see more British players open their mind to the possibility of playing abroad, and seeing how well it's going for me will hopefully persuade some to do just that. The experience thus far has been an incredibly enriching one, personally as well as professionally.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/nov/15/slavisa-jokanovic-fulham-manager-time

[WhiteJC]

 
Can Ranieri turn £30m Anguissa into a Kante-like midfielder?

Fulham have recently decided to part ways with Slavisa Jokanovic and replace him with Claudio Ranieri.

The Cottagers lie at the bottom of the Premier League table, three points adrift of safety.

Jokanovic was sacked after only managing one win in 12 top flight games.

His replacement, Ranieri, has won the Premier League as recently as 2015/16. And while no one is expecting him to repeat that feat, he is being tasked with keeping Fulham alive in the top flight.

Fulham have a handful of good players but some need improving, such as Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.

The 22-year-old joined Fulham from Marseille in the summer for a club record £30m transfer fee.

But so far, he has been slow to adapt to life in England and he has not justified his price tag just yet.

However, Ranieri could be the perfect man to drill some discipline into the Cameroon international and get him playing to his full potential.

In fact, Ranieri will be identifying Anguissa as his man to play the role that Ngolo Kante played under him when Leicester City won the Premier League.

If Anguissa can perfect the holding midfielder role in a similar fashion to Kante, then that would allow Fulham's other midfielders to thrive.

With added protection, Jean-Michael Seri and Tom Cairney can operate further forward, pulling the strings and making things happen.

Ranieri could be the man to squeeze the best out of Anguissa and perhaps Fulham fans might start to see some value for money.



https://tbrfootball.com/can-ranieri-turn-30m-anguissa-into-a-kante-like-midfielder/