Saturday Fulham Stuff (17/11/18)...

[WhiteJC]

 
"No Match For The Footballing Wisdom Of..." – Southampton Fans React To Opposition Change

With Fulham struggling slightly more than Southampton in the Premier League battle of 2018/19, some fans have been watching developments at Craven Cottage with interest.

Although real football takes a rest and plays second fiddle to the November international break with friendlies and Nations League games taking precedence, when the lull is over we return to action against Fulham and whilst manager Mark Hughes remains firmly in place at St Mary's Stadium, Fulham unceremoniously parted company with Slavisa Jokanovic earlier this week despite him leading them to promotion and they have replaced him with one time Premier League winning manager Claudio Ranieri.

The Tinkerman has the break now to work with most of his squad and if Leicester are anything to go off, he'll have them tightening up at the back, and quick on the front foot when it comes to the counter-attack and some of their players I imagine will lap up that type of football.

What it means for us is open to debate, but we'll be hoping the first team group have taken confidence from the Watford showing and that they keep their anger at the result and put it right.



https://southampton.vitalfootball.co.uk/no-match-for-the-footballing-wisdom-of-southampton-fans-react-to-opposition-change/

[WhiteJC]

 
These 2 Fulham players must be begging for a 2019 exit

To say that Fulham's return to the English top-flight has been a disaster would probably be a slight understatement.

The Cottagers currently sit in 20th in the Premier League on -30 goal difference (the worst in the league), and are already one manager down following the sacking of Slavisa Jokanovic.

Claudio Ranieri is the elected man to take on the impossible mission, which he's no stranger to following his 5000/1 Title win, but is this a bridge too far?

Indeed, there's only so much a manager can do to change a club's fortunes. And, if Ranieri fails to rally his players in the next set of fixtures against Southampton, Chelsea, Leicester City and Manchester United, we suspect his job of motivating the players and squeezing performances out of them will be made 10x harder.

With so much talent in the Fulham squad, fans might find themselves watching a number of the better players abandoning ship come 2019.

Here are two players we expect will be begging for an exit next year...

Jean Michaël Seri
We expect Seri's journey through English football will be similar to that of Idrissa Gueye. Arrive from a French club in the summer, play as the standout performer, see your team relegated, and then get poached by one of the more solid sides in the Premier League.

There's no doubt that Seri is one of the few footballers in the Fulham squad that actually possesses sufficient quality to play in the Premier League. He's agile and industrious, knows how to find a pass, and is incredibly effective on the ball. A complete midfielder, if you will.

Seri won't be short of suitors if Fulham are relegated at the end of the season.

Ryan Sessegnon
Ryan Sessegnon earned himself a place in the EFL Team of the Season last year, alongside the title of Championship Player and EFL Young player of the Season, but hasn't managed to find his groove so far.

Despite the young winger being the subject of interest from a number of top club's this summer, including the likes of Tottenham, he opted to stay and help at his current club and reject a move away.

Unfortunately, his loyalty doesn't seem to have paid off. And he may already be considering his options for a move away.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/fulham/these-2-fulham-players-must-be-begging-for-a-2019-exit/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham must take advantage of Ranieri connection and swoop for Danny Drinkwater

Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri is best known for engineering one of the greatest title seasons in football, leading Leicester City to the Premier League crown in 2015/16.

One of the key components of that side was Danny Drinkwater, and the Whites must swoop for the central midfielder in January.

The Englishman has been utterly frozen out of the Chelsea squad this season under Maurizio Sarri and will be desperately looking for playing time.

Normally, fringe players such as Drinkwater feature in the League Cup, Europa League, or in cameo appearances off the bench. Yet the midfielder has not played a single minute all season for Chelsea in competitive fixtures; his lone chance on the pitch came in the Community Shield back in August.

At 28 years of age, the midfielder still has plenty to offer in the top flight, and his ability to break up play and showcase his impressive passing range will be welcomed in the Fulham side.

The squad is currently lacking in the central midfield department, with big-money signings Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Jean-Michael Seri struggling to adapt to English football.

The addition of Danny Drinkwater to Fulham's side would be excellent news, as Claudio Ranieri would coax the best out of the Chelsea outcast.



https://tbrfootball.com/fulham-must-take-advantage-of-ranieri-connection-and-swoop-for-danny-drinkwater/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham's Claudio Ranieri feels he 'needed to come back to England'
Watch Ranieri's first Fulham press conference around 3pm on Friday on Sky Sports News and follow our live blog on the website and app

Claudio Ranieri felt that he "needed to come back to England" after being announced as Fulham's new manager on Wednesday.

The 67-year-old Italian was sacked at Leicester in February 2017, just nine months after leading the Foxes to the Premier League title at odds of 5,000-1.

Ranieri is set for his first full press conference as Fulham manager around 3pm on Friday, live on Sky Sports News, while it will also be blogged on the Sky Sports website and app.

However, speaking to Fulham's official website, he said: "I felt I needed to come back to England.

"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.

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

"Craven Cottage is amazing. 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.

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

Ranieri, who managed Chelsea between 2001 and 2004, has already met the Fulham players after taking charge of his first training session at Motspur Park on Thursday.

He says his priority upon taking over at Craven Cottage is to sort out Fulham's leaky defence which has seen the club slip to rock bottom in the Premier League table, with one win in 12 games, conceding 31 goals in the process.

Danny Higginbotham told Sky Sports News that Fulham have gone backwards since winning the Sky Bet Championship play-off final last season and has backed Ranieri to get them out of trouble.

Fulham approached former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger before appointing Ranieri, while ex-boss Slavisa Jokanovic claims he could have "turned things around" before his sacking on Wednesday.

Ranieri's first game in charge will come after the international break at home to fellow strugglers Southampton, before games against two of his former clubs, Chelsea and Leicester.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11555533/fulhams-claudio-ranieri-feels-he-needed-to-come-back-to-england

[WhiteJC]

 
Ranieri targets defensive improvements at failing Fulham

Improving a defence that has failed to keep a clean sheet this season is top of the agenda for new Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri.

Claudio Ranieri will make defensive improvement a priority after taking charge of the Premier League's bottom side Fulham.

Ranieri was named by chairman Shahid Khan as Slavisa Jokanovic's replacement on Wednesday, signing a "multi-year" contract at Craven Cottage.

The Italian's arrival comes with the Cottagers having lost six straight Premier League games, winning only once and conceding 31 goals, the most in the division.

While Fulham have shown attacking capability, downing Burnley 4-2 in their sole success, they have been particularly poor at the back and are yet to keep a clean sheet since sealing promotion from the Championship.

Ranieri memorably rewarded his Leicester City squad with pizza when they kept a first clean sheet of the campaign under his leadership in a remarkable 5,000-1 title triumph in 2015-16.

And Ranieri suggested fixing a leaky defence will be towards the top of his agenda at Fulham, with his first game at home to fellow strugglers Southampton a week on Saturday.

"Craven Cottage is amazing. When I first arrived here I thought, 'Wow!' It is a story in itself," Ranieri told Fulham's website ahead of his unveiling on Friday.

"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 [a 2-0 defeat].

"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."

Ranieri completed one of football's fairy-tale stories by leading Leicester to their first ever league title, but he feels he has unfinished business in the Premier League after the Foxes sacked him in the following season despite still being in the Champions League.

"I felt I needed to come back to England," said Ranieri, who spent 2017-18 in Ligue 1 with Nantes. "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 [Tony, vice-chairman and director of football operations] 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."



Read more at https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/ranieri-targets-defensive-improvements-failing-fulham#uOO46kg2BDkBUYDA.99

[WhiteJC]

 
International Success For Sess

Ryan Sessegnon was heavily involved in England Under-21s' 2-1 win over Italy Under-21s.

The winger delivered a pinpoint cross to allow Dominic Solanke to open the scoring for the Young Lions in Ferrara. The win stretches the unbeaten run to 21 games under Aidy Boothroyd as they will return to action on Tuesday against Denmark.

The game was finely poised for the most part as the forward's finish was cancelled out by a powerful Moise Kean header just before the break.

Solanke restored the advantage eight minutes into the second half with a side-footed finish from inside the six-yard box.

Sessegnon was substituted after 70 minutes, making way for Tammy Abraham.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/november/16/sess-success

[WhiteJC]

 
West Ham United Hospitality

Enjoy all the build-up to our London derby in the company of Fulham legend Brede Hangeland.

The Whites take on West Ham United at Craven Cottage on Saturday 15th December, kick-off 5:30pm.

Join us at the historic Fulham Palace and listen to tales from our former Club captain, as well as discuss all the pre-match talking points.

Steeped in history, Fulham Palace is located just a brief walk from Craven Cottage in the heart of Bishop's Park.

Following pre-match hospitality head to Craven Cottage, taking in one of the most picturesque walks to a football ground.

Priced at £249 (+VAT) per person, find out more and book your place today by calling our Hospitality team on 020 8336 7555 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) or emailing [email protected]

Season Ticket Holder Offer

18/19 Season Ticket Holders can also take advantage of this fantastic Matchday Hospitality package by upgrading their match ticket for just £149 (+VAT).

The Fulham Palace Hospitality package includes;

    Prosecco on arrival
    Q&A with Brede Hangeland
    Two-Course Buffet
    Inclusive beer, house wine, and soft drinks
    Matchday Programme
    Seat in the Putney End
    Half-time drinks voucher



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/november/16/west-ham-hospitality

[WhiteJC]

 
These Newcastle Fans Expect Former Player To Flop After Recent Decision

With some in the Newcastle United fanbase semi-split on the decision to sell striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to Fulham following his successful loan spell with them in the Championship as they won promotion to the Premier League, it's fair to say any split in reality is based purely on his goal return for them, given our own return in front of the net this year.

The 24-year-old put in mixed performances for us, but he did hit 17 goals in just over 60 appearances, but almost half of those showings were from the substitutes bench as he struggled to establish himself.

His record at Fulham spoke for itself during the loan spell, and we received good money for him over the summer. In 2018/19 so far he's returned five goals in 13 appearances but he hasn't scored in the last five games.

With their decision to can Slavisa Jokanovic and replace him with Claudio Ranieri – well, the expectation is he'll be asked to fulfil a more Newcastle like role once again as he was under Rafa Benitez and that's not his strong point.



https://newcastle.vitalfootball.co.uk/these-newcastle-fans-expect-former-player-to-flop-after-recent-decision/

[WhiteJC]

 
Ranieri must ensure Mitrovic's attitude isn't a problem after Jokanovic's sacking

(Alan Martin/Action Plus via Getty Images)

Aleksandar Mitrović has done so much for Fulham since his January move that it is easy to forget his attitude problems that ensured he didn't realise his potential at Newcastle.

It was reuniting with his countryman Slavisa Jokanovic and being the centre of the Whites' promotion hopes that focused his mind and saw him rediscover his goalscoring touch.

Mitrovic started the season on fire but has not scored since September and that lack of potency was one of the reasons Jokanovic was sacked this week.

Now Claudio Ranieri has taken over and he must ensure that Mitrovic's attitude does not slip to what it was at Newcastle; where a team so desperate for goals was prepared to let him go.

He did not shine in Rafa Benitez's counter attacking style and that is also something Ranieri must be wary of as he seeks to introduce the solid blueprint that won Leicester the Premier League.

Luciano Vietto may be an alternative up front if Ranieri cannot get a tune out of Mitrovic but the Italian would surely rather reinvigorate his first-choice striker.

Now we'll see whether Mitrovic truly loved Fulham last season or working with Jovanovic.



https://tbrfootball.com/ranieri-must-ensure-mitrovics-attitude-isnt-a-problem-after-jokanovics-sacking/

[WhiteJC]

 
English Premier League: Fulham brings in Claudio Ranieri to save their Cottage

When I say it's about time, I am putting it mildly. Long overdue was the dismissal of Slavisa Jokanovic and the appointment of a new man at the helm in, Claudio Ranieri.

What  an announcement for the Cottages during the third international break. One can go on in saying – it's the perfect timing with December approaching, Ranieri has a January transfer window to look forward to because of this impeccable timing.

This gives him the whole of December to decide on who stays and who goes. The current state Fulham's in, nobody should stay. Everybody needs to be shipped out. But hey, the English Premier League could have been a giant to big for Slavisa Jokanovic to conquer.

It was the best idea to bring him in knowing a new comer couldn't deal with the English pressures. They went after somebody who is more than familiar to the league and is more than equipped to stop the hurt and bring some positive results back to Craven Cottage.

The season is far from over
Fulham first 12 fixtures has seen them only manage one victory out of the lot. That victory happened all the way back in August. Since then, they've only managed two draws, and a run of seven straight losses.

Cause for concern is a nice way of putting it. Thankfully, the concern was taken serious enough by the hierarchy and a change was made with enough time to save the season, and even push on to levels Fulham was to mooted to reach afore the season kicked off.

Ranieri has a knack for stealing points and as we know from recent times, make the impossible, possible. In the remaining seven games of the first round of Premier League fixtures, Ranieri takes charge before they take on two of the EPL's top-six and then face teams they can likely take a point or more from.

A fun fact for us...
It was no secret that Fulham was the first club to get promoted and spend over £100 million on transfers. This was a sign for great things to come. Little did we know, they were no match for any of the teams they faced, besides three of them.

Now with the Italian at the helm, he will and should get the best out of the top-quality players they brought in and had at the club already. Gladly for all, we will get to see the best of players like Andre Schurrle, Jean Michael Seri, and Ryan Sessegnon.

I am most excited to see this squad reach its full potential before plunging down to the Championship again. That's if they do, which could be unlikely now with the new manager installed in, Claudio Ranieri.



https://thetopflight.com/2018/11/16/english-premier-league-fulham-brings-claudio-ranieri-save-cottage/

[WhiteJC]

 
Ranieri: I'm lovin' it at Fulham

Claudio Ranieri is thrilled to be back in the Premier League as Fulham boss, but warned that his promise of pizza to players for keeping a clean sheet may no longer be enough and instead pledged a trip to McDonalds to his players.

Fulham owner Shahid Khan on Wednesday sacked Slavisa Jokanovic and replaced him with the 67-year-old former Chelsea and Leicester boss.

Ranieri told a media conference on Friday: "I'm very happy to come back to a country of football. For me it's the best league in the world. I'm very happy Mr Khan called me and now we work together."

The Italian famously used the incentive of pizza for Leicester to claim clean sheets.

Asked if he would use the same ploy at Fulham, he added: "I have to promise something more. Pizza is not enough now. Better everybody to McDonald's."

Ranieri had a season-long spell with Nantes in Ligue 1 after being sacked by Leicester in February 2017.

He will face two of his former clubs in his first three games, with the December 2 trip to Chelsea followed by the visit of Leicester on December 5.

He said: "I think only of Southampton. In this moment it's important. Don't think about other things,  Southampton, Southampton. And then after Southampton, Chelsea."

The Cottagers are bottom of the Premier League table with five points from 12 matches, having lost their last seven games in all competitions.

Italian Ranieri, who memorably led Leicester to the title in 2016, has been given a "multi-year" contract and his first match in charge is the November 24 clash with Southampton.

Ranieri, who managed Jokanovic at Chelsea when he was a player, said: "Joka was a fantastic player and also as a manager he made very good things.

"He made fantastic things here in Fulham, but that is our life, the life of the manager or coach, when something goes badly, you have to change.

"It happened to me in Leicester, not only Leicester. It's normal."



https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2018/1116/1011418-ranieri-im-lovin-it-at-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

 
Notes from November meeting with Fulham Football Club

On Monday 12 November 2018, Alistair Mackintosh (AM, chief executive officer), Carmelo Mifsud (CM, media relations manager), Katy Brecht (KB, head of ticketing), Rob Padden (RP, head of matchday sales), David Daly (DD, non-executive director) and Nicola Walworth (NW, supporter relations manager) of Fulham Football Club met with Ian Clarke, Dan Crawford and Sue Couch of the Fulham Supporters' Trust at Motspur Park as part of the ongoing structured dialogue between both parties.

RIVERSIDE STAND
The Trust representatives asked for an update on the progress with the Riverside Stand. AM informed the meeting that the Club now have selected a lead contractor and are working with that contractor on the specifics of the proposals going forward. The lead contractor will be announced formally before the December meeting between the Trust and the Club on December 10th. On the details of the process, AM revealed that the Club's due diligence whittled down the number of potential lead contractors from 21 to a preferred partner. Some potential lead contractors were supplied by supporters and AM ensured that all parties were approached, but several were not interested in taking on the job.

The preferred lead contractor's role covers approximately 40 per cent of project, with sub-contractors envisaged to cover the remainder. The next phase of the scheme will be to complete tendering by the Club and the lead contractor for the various subcontracted elements of the build. The Club are still planning to knock down the existing Riverside Stand when this season finishes and work to a two-year schedule for the building of the new stand. It remains the Club's intention to stay at Craven Cottage for the duration of the project.

AM recognises that supporters would like simple answers to contractual and planning questions, but said that this is a complicated process, with the number of marine, construction and planning specifics to finalise. AM was clear that with May looming, there is a lot of work to do in order to progress the project.
AM and DD reiterated that the Club are particularly open to ideas from supporters about what should go in the new stand. The Club are sending officials and staff to visit a number of stadiums to benchmark the best ideas but would welcome ideas from Trust members around specifics. These could relate to non-matchday facilities and the sort of food and drink offering that could feature within the new stand.

AM firmly stated that the Khan family were good owners for Fulham Football Club who will deliver on their stated intentions with the new stand and emphasised the importance of Craven Cottage to them. He also referenced Shahid Khan's recent programme article on the Riverside Stand to stress the Club's continued commitment to the Cottage.

The Trust representatives also thanked DD for leading on the project to represent Fulham's history in the new Riverside Stand after a successful first meeting between DD and Fulham fans to discuss ideas. He envisages further meetings before making a presentation to AM and the Club board on proposals.

HOME TICKETING
The Trust raised the strong concerns of the Trust members and Fulham fans following the publication of the price for tickets for the forthcoming home fixture against West Ham United. AM reflected on the discussion of ticket prices during the October meeting and reiterated that the Khan family are still subsidising the day-to-day running costs of the Club to a considerable degree.

AM insisted that Mr. Khan and himself want the Club to self-sufficient and believed that this was one of the Trust's long-term goals as well. AM stated that the Club are not experiencing problems selling tickets this season and believes that the atmosphere at Craven Cottage is excellent. He cautioned that a decision to bring down the price of match day tickets would see him brought under pressure to increase season ticket prices.

The Trust voiced concern about the long-term impact of such high pricing potentially pricing out previously loyal supporters who have a lower level of disposable income. AM said he had sympathy for this argument but felt that the Club does do a lot to reward fan loyalty and bring through the next generation. He believes that the Club's season ticket prices for this season were very generous and pointed out that the Club offered 2,500 very cheap junior season tickets as part of a 'create a generation' strategy.

AM and KB also referenced the recent move to limit the number of away supporters in the mixed zone in order to get more Fulham fans in the ground. He highlighted the work of the Fulham Foundation to provide tickets for younger, under-privileged fans. The Trust representatives stated that it was important to bring the views of the supporters to the attention of the Club – and that they would continue to do so.

SEASON TICKET UPDGRADE POLICY
The Trust representatives re-opened the discussion on number of season ticket upgrades allowed per season and pointed out that the Club's current policy is losing them revenue. AM and KB reiterated the reasoning behind putting in place a limit – due to touting and misuse – but accepted that misuse by a few does in this case punish the many honest and loyal supporters.
The Trust shared extensive research on the policies of other Clubs in the Premier League and tabled a formal request for the current cap to be increased from two evening games to a higher number. AM and KB agreed to discuss this internally and come back to the Trust with a decision in due course.

TICKET EXCHANGE SCHEME
Following previous discussions with the Trust, KB, RP and AM confirmed that the Club intend to launch a ticket exchange scheme for the second half of this season. It will operate for sold out fixtures and offer season ticket holders the opportunity to sell their season ticket for games where they cannot attend. The Club believe that the introduction of this scheme will help to alleviate some of the current upgrading issues.

NEUTRAL ZONE AT THE PUTNEY END
The Trust drew attention to recent changes to how tickets are sold in the Putney End. KB replied that the Hammersmith and Fulham Safety Advisory Group and the Metropolitan Police have insisted on firmer restrictions on away supporters in the neutral zone, to avoid this becoming a de facto away end.

In practice, as with the recent home game against AFC Bournemouth, this means that away fans from non-London teams won't be able to buy in this area (e.g. Bournemouth, Leicester) by checking postcode.  This also means that tickets for home London derbies will not be going on general sale. Fulham fans can still buy tickets for away fans in mixed zone as long as they effectively vouch for them and KB assured the Trust that Putney End stewards will know that some away fans are allowed in via this route, but will seek to act against any misbehaviour.

HALF SEASON TICKETS

In response to a question from the Trust, KB confirmed that the Club are currently discussing internally whether to offer half season tickets for the remainder of this season and that a decision on this will be communicated publicly in due course.

AWAY TICKETING
The Trust thanked the Club for their work on non-standing seats for the forthcoming away game at Chelsea. KB said that there had been a good take-up of these seats to date. The Trust and the Club will monitor progress.

The Trust reiterated the fans' disapproval of the current system for away ticketing, with a lack of a pick your own seat option, run by Ticket Master. KB and RP detailed the problems with the current Ticket Master software. The current Ticket Master contract runs for another season after this one. KB stated that she hoped for progress at that point, if not before, and had already been examining other potential options.

The Club confirmed that they were happy to place more detailed information on away sales on their website and Twitter accounts as suggested by the Trust. The Club have already implemented a template suggested by the Trust, including the order in which blocks are sold for each away match, with details of the number of tickets sold updated daily. This information is now viewable via the Fixtures page on the Club's website.

The Trust raised the forthcoming Premier League decision over whether to continue with the current £30 cap on league tickets for away supporters, which is due to be taken to a Premier League meeting in February. AM asked for the Trust's view – which was to retain the current ticketing cap. He felt that the feedback of supporters would determine the Club's stance on this issue. AM believed that the large away followings this season had been appreciated by the team and that the Club were likely to support the retaining of the £30 cap.

KB, RP and AM recognised that many supporters had experienced problems with their loyalty points updating prior to being able to book Chelsea and Manchester United away tickets last week. They also recognised problems with Old Trafford blocks appearing in the Chelsea away allocation. Both of these were Ticket Master problems. In response, the Club have now set up a daily overnight loyalty point data feed to alleviate this problem and have commenced testing to identify other issues. KB and RP confirmed that the Club does not have access to a separate testing system so they have to do this testing live.

CRAIG KLINE
AM strongly denied the series of allegations that have surfaced recently from former Club employee Craig Kline. He stated that the Club and Mr. Kline are currently in the process of 'private arbitration'.

COACHING CHANGES
The Trust raised queries about the number of members of Slavisa Jokanovic's coaching staff who have left the Club since the start of the season. AM said that all of these decisions were taken by Jokanovic himself and that this was an indication of the head coach taking steps to try and improve the team's performances. He denied that any internal process had been placed on Jokanovic to make these changes and that many of them involved difficult personal decisions for him.

SLAVISA JOKANOVIC
The Trust asked about Slavisa Jokanovic's future, following speculation in the press. AM insisted that the Club remained supportive of Jokanovic and wanted him to be successful. He stated that the Club had won promotion due to Jokanovic's leadership and coaching methods and that they wanted Jokanovic to be the man to steer the Club through this difficult run of form. He referred to the recent coaching changes as evidence of Jokanovic taking difficult decisions to try and improve the team's performance and reiterated Shahid Khan's recent public statement of support.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS
NW, AM and CM informed the Trust representatives that the next home game against Southampton on Saturday 24 November would be the Fulham Foundation's annual charity match. The Trust would be keen to hear from members and Fulham supporters who would be willing to support the fundraising work of the Foundation on the day. Please do email the Trust if you are interested.

Following a series of questions on merchandising, it was agreed that the Club would invite Sean Davies, the Club's head of retail, to answer questions on merchandise at the December meeting. The Trust will welcome specific questions on merchandising ahead of next month's meeting.

CM and AM referenced the Club's desire to facilitate the formation of an independent Disabled Supporters' Association to consult with disabled supporters about forthcoming improvements to their matchday experience at Craven Cottage. Any supporters interested in giving their feedback or getting involved should contact the Trust.

The meeting finished at 1.51pm



http://fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2018/11/14/notes-from-november-meeting-with-fulham-football-club.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Farewell to the Oblivion in Slaviša Jokanović's Eyes
The recently sacked Fulham manager's horrified gaze has been the most startling visual feature of the season so far.


Illustration: Dan Evans

Oblivion. It is there all around us, waiting silently to encroach upon life wherever it can. Don't be fooled. One day you and all that you love will be consumed by oblivion, become dark, powdery fuel for its parched sinuses. It will inhale the oceans, the lost dogs, the weekends and the roses. It will hoover up the ice-cream men and birds sleeping on the wing. When its nostrils are full and fat, it will cut a hole in its trousers and hoik you around in the vice-like grip of its anus, reducing you to a visual prop in a depraved one-man-band skit performed solely for the amusement of other abstract concepts in the shadow realm where oblivion lives, concepts like shame and Tatler and lacrosse. 'At least it had the decency to shove me up here face-first,' you'll think to yourself. 'At least they can't see how it hurts me. At least oblivion spared me the indignity of that.'

This basic rule – that everything must, one day, fall in line and dutifully march off into the abyss – applies to English football as much as it does anything else in the universe. As the Premier League succumbs to yet another international break, it's difficult not to feel plagued by thoughts of a harrowing footballing farewell that this week has finally come to pass.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. It is time to say goodbye to Slaviša Jokanović's eyes.

Slaviša Jokanović's eyes have been the most startling visual feature of a Premier League season that has so far only flirted with the idea of being memorable, a pair of eyes that with every Fosu-Mensah pratfall and Le Marchand mis-kick have come more and more to resemble nuclear blast sites, the flesh surrounding them fleeing in all directions. Slaviša Jokanović's eyes have seen oblivion, and now they are dutifully marching towards it, eyes that have spent the last few months living inside that Mr Krabs motion-blur meme, Vietcong-birthday-cake PTSD-dog eyes, big fish, little fish, cardboard coffin box eyes, eyes that have been let down too many times by people they've put their trust in, eyes that have nurtured and protected ideas of salvation all week, only to watch them drown horribly out on the pitch. If eyes truly are the windows to the soul, then Jokanović's look like they've just been smashed through by a pair of confused and dying swans.

And remember: swans mate for life.

The first time I really noticed Slaviša Jokanović's eyes was during Fulham's away game in Cardiff on the 20th of October. It was a game his side would go on to lose 4-2, but even before half-time, with the score poised at two-all, they'd taken on a haunted quality rarely seen in the English game, or indeed in English public life, scanning the pitch for survivors as his mouth tried to eat itself.

Whatever Jokanović said during the interval didn't work. Watching the highlights back, it's difficult to think of a worse defensive performance since Arsenal were emasculated by Bayern Munich in March last year, the 1-5 second-leg home loss putting the seal on a memorable 10-2 aggregate castration in front of their own traumatised fans and a watching audience of millions. Time and again against Neil Warnock's Cardiff, Fulham turned their guns on their own dicks – and there, screaming at the heart of the chaos, was that man Tim Ream.

Tim Ream, Tim Ream. Unlucky 13. You have to feel a bit sorry for the American centre-half, who seems to be a perfectly level-headed and pleasant bloke, but also somehow falling over at all times, to the point where you suspect there's an old woman with a grudge and a SportsAccess subscription doing bad things to a little dolly Tim Ream in a trailer park somewhere in rural Nevada. The players alongside him in that cursed image of a defence have barely been better. Maxime Le Marchand and Timothy Fosu-Mensah have made error after error. Calum Chambers should've been sent off at least twice in the last few weeks, once for a professional foul during that hammering in South Wales and again versus Liverpool on Sunday for a horrible studs-up lunge into Mo Salah's planted ankle. All three goalkeepers look totally poo. Dennis Odoi looks out of his depth. Alfie Mawson looks like a man who's just lost his kids in a shop.

"We are definitely not doing enough good work in our box," said Jokanović through his big, sad eyes after the Cardiff mauling. "Even when we defend with four or five centre-backs, we didn't find the solution." Ultimately, that solution was never found, and that is why – despite leading the club to glorious promotion just six months ago – Jokanović is oblivion's now, his replacement Claudio Ranieri surely capable of doing better simply because it would be harder for Fulham to get much worse, even if they decide to play with six or seven or eight centre-backs from now on, a panic for defensive security, which, while we're on the subject of oblivion, has something of the doomsday prepper about its maniacal survivalist zeal.

None of this is said with the intent of being too harsh on Jokavonić, a dignified man who released a dignified statement in the wake of his undignified sacking, and who – it should be remembered – saved Fulham from relegation just one season prior to leading them and his chairman Shahid Khan to the Premier League's sunlit uplands. But his departure speaks to one of the immutable laws of elite football: once the end starts living in your eyes, your time is up. Fulham spent over £100 million on seven new players in the summer, as well as welcoming five loanees. The idea that this has much to do with that money, though, feels wide of the mark – as we've seen this week, with the £5 million pay-out to Richard Scudamore, football cares much less about wasting money than it does the risk of oblivion, the idea of things bottoming out, falling apart, the bubble being pricked.

One thing that has been remarkable about Jokanović's departure is the lack of dissenting voices. It's been the norm over the past few years for the infinite watching faces that orbit the Premier League to decry any pre-Christmas sacking as "out of order", the hasty and improper act of a Bond villain owner with an inevitable comedy moustache and ants in his pants. There seems to be more understanding this time round that, for all the dents Jokanović was able to make in Fulham's folklore, football is no longer a game ruled by the head or even the good parts of a man's heart, but by the dark and vaulting impulses that come rising up out of the gut, that deep and unlit place where the shame lives. Nothing is ever final in football; the game abhors an end, which is why it doesn't, wiping the slate every year so the whole circus can start over, something that will provide succour and redemption to Fulham's deposed general. But all the same, it still has to make the odd blood sacrifice from time to time in order to sate oblivion, keep oblivion's rat-eyed glare at bay, oblivion: the twitching coke fiend in the night club toilet queue of life, life the exception, oblivion – always – the rule.



https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/bjenq5/farewell-to-the-oblivion-in-slavisa-jokanovics-eyes

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Claudio Ranieri says Fulham cannot rely on miracles to avoid relegation

Claudio Ranieri has warned Fulham fans to expect no miracles this season, after replacing Slavisa Jokanovic at Craven Cottage.

Jokanovic was sacked on Wednesday with Fulham bottom of the Premier League, having taken just five points from their first 12 games back in the top flight.

Ranieri achieved one of the greatest upsets in the history of sport by leading 5000-1 outsiders Leicester to the Premier League title in 2016.

However, the Italian says Fulham cannot rely on miracles to avoid relegation this season.

"We have to work hard," said Ranieri. "That was a bonus, a fairytale. Forget it. Now it is important to not think about miracles.

"There will be a lot of battles. It is important to be ready together - the club, the players, the fans, all together.

"They have to support us in the bad moments. This is a bad moment."

Fulham have already conceded 31 goals in the Premier League, the most of any team in the division, and Ranieri says he is willing to abandon the club's attacking style of football if it leads to better results.

"Fulham concede a lot of goals," he said. "I am an Italian manager and for us Italians, it is important to maintain a clean sheet."

He added: "At this moment it is important to forget what happened yesterday and look forward. It is important to win points.

"I hope we can play well but if we play well and lose the match, it is a big problem.

"Fulham played so well against Manchester City, for example, and lost. They played so well against Liverpool, and lost the match.

"I hope to play worse than in these two matches and win the match. That is most important."

Fulham return to action after the international break with a home game against Southampton, with only three points separating the two teams in the table.

Ranieri famously promised his Leicester squad pizza if they achieved clean sheets, but the Italian says he has a different reward in mind for his new players if they keep out the Saints.

"I have to promise something more, the pizza is not enough," he said. "Maybe it is better for everybody to go to McDonald's!"



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11555862/claudio-ranieri-says-fulham-cannot-rely-on-miracles-to-avoid-relegation

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'Fulham concede a lot of goals... and I am an Italian manager': Claudio Ranieri vows to shore up Premier League's leakiest defence which has conceded 31 times in 12 matches

    Fulham are on course to have worst defence in 38-game Premier League season
    It led to the sacking of Slavisa Jokanovic, with Claudio Ranieri his replacement
    Ranieri promised to add Italian steel to the defence at Friday's press conference

Claudio Ranieri has promised to tackle Fulham's defensive woes as his first priority after taking over the Premier League's bottom club.

Ranieri, who won the league with Leicester City in 2016, took charge at Craven Cottage this week after Slavisa Jokanovic was dismissed.

Fulham have conceded a division-high 31 goals in 12 games, and Ranieri vowed to introduce some traditional Italian defensive steel at his first press conference as boss.


Claudio Ranieri has promised to tackle Fulham's defensive woes as his first priority


Fulham have conceded a division-high 31 goals in 12 Premier League games this season

He said: 'Fulham concede a lot of goals, and I am an Italian manager. For us Italians it is important to maintain the clean sheet.

'For us, when you are to play in the defensive way, it is from the strikers, it is important everybody is involved.

'It is the same when you try to score goals.You look at Liverpool [in their 3-0 win over Fulham], their first goal was from the goalkeeper, a long pass and goal. Everybody must be involved in this job.'

Ranieri replaced Jokanovic, who he made his first signing when he was Chelsea manager in 2000. The veteran Italian praised the Serbian for his work with Fulham, who he got promoted via the play-offs last season.

He said: 'Joka was a fantastic player, and in his start as manager has done very good things. I think he did fantastic things here, but that is our life as a manager.

'When something goes badly, you have to change. It happened to me at Leicester, and not only Leicester, that is normal.'



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6398137/Claudio-Ranieri-vows-shore-leagues-leakiest-defence-Fulham.html

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Ranieri promises 'Italian' Fulham

Claudio Ranieri has vowed to  bring an Italian edge to Fulham. "For us Italians, it is important to maintain a clean sheet."

Ranieri's arrival at Fulham comes just two years since he led Leicester City from the bottom of the Premier League to the first title in their history but also at a time when the Cottagers are leaking goals, with 31 conceded in their opening 12 games.

"We have to work hard," said the former Juventus, Roma and Inter boss at his official unveiling on Thursday.

"That was a bonus, a fairytale. Forget it. Now it is important to not think about miracles.

"There will be a lot of battles. It is important to be ready together - the club, the players, the fans, all together.

"They have to support us in the bad moments. This is a bad moment. Fulham concede a lot of goals.

"I am an Italian manager and for us Italians, it is important to maintain a clean sheet.

"At this moment it is important to forget what happened yesterday and look forward. It is important to win points.

"I hope we can play well but if we play well and lose the match, it is a big problem.

"Fulham played so well against Manchester City, for example, and lost. They played so well against Liverpool, and lost the match.

"I hope to play worse than in these two matches and win the match. That is most important."



https://www.football-italia.net/130785/ranieri-promises-italian-fulham

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Claudio Ranieri: Fulham must play like Liverpool to survive relegation

Claudio Ranieri has said he will take inspiration from Liverpool as he attempts to keep Fulham in the Premier League.

Ranieri took over from Slavisa Jokanovic this week with Fulham at the bottom of the table, having won only once and conceded 31 goals in 12 games.
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And the former Leicester manager said their problems could be solved by defending and attacking as a unit in the way that Liverpool do under Jurgen Klopp.

"Fulham concede a lot of goals -- a lot of goals," Ranieri said. "I'm an Italian manager, and for us Italians it's important to us to keep clean sheets.

"We have to play in a defensive way, and when I say defensive I mean from the strikers. Everybody has to be involved, the same way as we have to score goals, right from the goalkeeper.

"Look at Liverpool's first goal [in their 2-0 win over Fulham last week] - it started from a long pass [from the goalkeeper], and then a goal."

At Leicester, Ranieri offered to buy his team pizzas if they kept a clean sheet, but he said: "I have to organise something more -- the pizza is not enough now. Let me think ... everybody to McDonalds.

"I have to forget about what I did at Leicester. We have to look forward, forward, forward. I'm an ambitious man.

"We have to work hard. Leicester was a bonus, a fairytale. Forget it. Don't think about a miracle -- it's important to think about a battle, and it's important to be ready. The players, the fans, the club have to be together.

"I have a lot of good players, but now I have to choose the players who will give me a fighting spirit.

"It's important to make the players understand my philosophy, play well, but when they lose the ball I want to see them like pirates."

Ranieri recently travelled to Leicester to pay his respects to his former chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who died in a helicopter crash outside the club's King Power stadium.

"Vichai made a fantastic team," Ranieri said. "What he did with the city, with the people, the fans, everybody. He had a big heart. When I think how many times I took the helicopter ... it's unbelievable."



http://www.espn.co.uk/soccer/fulham/story/3701652/claudio-ranieri-fulham-must-play-like-liverpool-to-survive-relegation

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Ranieri 'very interested' in Watford forward for Fulham, player has 'no intention' of staying at club

Very much forgotten at Watford, Stefano Okaka could be on the verge of bouncing back in the Premier League thanks to Claudio Ranieri.

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, the newly appointed Fulham manager is a big fan of what the Italy international has to offer, likely to provide Aleksandar Mitrovic with some competition up top.

Despite featuring for the first time in a while a couple of weeks ago for the Hornets, coming on for a 13 minute cameo against Newcastle, Okaka has 'no intention' of remaining at Vicarage Road.

As for Fulham, the idea here could be to acquire the 29-year-old on loan with a view to buy at the end of the season, with Ranieri 'very interested' in the player, knowing him from their time at Roma together.

Bought for £5.4m from Anderlecht in 2016, the Cottagers' alleged target has never managed to fully break through at Watford, regardless of who has been in charge.

Playing just 38 minutes of professional football so far this season, Okaka started just three Premier League games last season, more often than not coming off the bench.

If a chance of reviving his career comes along, he should take it.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/ranieri-interested-watford-forward-fulham-player-no-intention-staying-club/

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25% Off Home & Away Shirts

Take advantage of an exclusive 48 hours of 25% off all 2018/19 Home and Away Shirts!

Available until midnight on Sunday 18th November, pick up your Home or Away replica shirt with this offer available across all adult and junior products, as well as the Home Mini-Kit.

Also included in the flash sale are the Home and Away Goalkeeper tops.

Be ready for club football's return next week, and show your colours ahead of our clash with Southampton at Craven Cottage on Saturday 24th November.

Don't miss out! Fans can purchase online now or at the Stadium Store all weekend!*

*Open 9am-5pm Friday and Saturday, and 11am-4pm on Sunday.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/november/16/home-and-away-shirt-offer

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Ranieri confident of pulling 'quality' Fulham out of the mire

Claudio Ranieri said Friday that he was confident that he can drag rock bottom Fulham out of relegation danger after taking over at the newly-promoted Premier League side this week.

Ranieri, the manager behind Leicester's incredible 2016 league title win, took over from sacked Slavisa Jokanovic on Wednesday after his Serb predecessor only managed one win in 12 matches in his debut season as a coach in England's top flight.

Fulham have lost nine times on their way to gaining just five points, but Ranieri believes there is still hope for a team bolstered with around 100 million euros ($114 million) of summer signings after winning promotion from the Championship last season.

"When I watched some matches I said this team has enough quality to be safe ... I need fighting spirit," said Ranieri to reporters on Friday.

The Italian wants to combine that talent -- owner Shahid Khan splashed out on Jean Michael Seri Andre Schuedefensivesrrle, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Alfie Mawson -- with the grit that saw his Leicester team overcome all the odds two years ago.

"Quality with fighting spirit we can do a good job. If there is only quality, without organisation, defensive tactics, it's difficult to help the players to maintain the clean sheet," added Ranieri.

"Now for me it's important to put in the brain of my players this philosophy. Play football, play well, but when you lose the ball I want to see you with an anchor, like pirates."

- McDonald's replacing pizza -

Ranieri returns to England as a coach for the first time since being sacked by Leicester in February 2017 after a disastrous title defence.

He was in Leicester last weekend to pay his respects to Foxes owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and the four others killed in a helicopter crash last month.

However Ranieri played down suggestions of creating another miracle by winning the title with Fulham.

"Forget what happened yesterday, that was a bonus. A fairytale I forget," the 67-year-old said of his and Leicester's first ever league title win.

"Now it's important, don't think about the miracle. It's important there will be a lot of battles and it's important to be ready together."

Asked whether he would reward his Fulham players with pizza when they kept clean sheets like he did at Leicester, Ranieri joked: "Pizza is not enough now. Better everybody to McDonald's."

He will face two of his former clubs in his first three games, with the December 2 trip to Chelsea followed by what will be an emotional return to Leicester three days later.

He said: "I think only of Southampton. In this moment it's important. Don't think about other things, Southampton, Southampton. And then after Southampton, Chelsea."



https://www.afp.com/en/news/3955/ranieri-confident-pulling-quality-fulham-out-mire-doc-1aw5nv3