Thursday Fulham Stuff (31/01/19)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Hoffenheim's Nordtveit on his way to Fulham?

Fulham are reportedly in talks to sign Håvard Nordtveit from Hoffenheim.


Håvard Nordtveit.   Photo: Hoffenheim

Hoffenheim's Håvard Nordtveit could join Fulham before the transfer window closes, TV2.no understands.

According to the Norwegian news outlet, the two clubs are currently in talks over a transfer and hope to strike a deal before the transfer window slams shut.

The Norwegian centre-back, who can also play as a right-back and as a defensive midfielder, has made 11 appearances for Hoffenheim this season.

Nordtveit left Norway to sign for Arsenal in 2007. He then moved to Germany to join Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2011.

The 28-year-old then returned to the Premier League when he signed for West Ham in 2016. But after just one season at the London club, he made the move back to Germany as he signed a deal with Hoffenheim in 2017.



https://bulinews.com/news/1837/hoffenheims-nordtveit-on-his-way-to-fulham

[WhiteJC]

Out-of-favour Augsburg centre-back linked with Frankfurt and Fulham

FC Augsburg defender Martin Hinteregger, who was recently suspended by the club, is being linked with Eintracht Frankfurt and Fulham.


Martin Hinteregger.   Photo: Ailura, CC BY-SA 3.0 AT

Martin Hinteregger is set to leave FC Augsburg after he was handed a suspension by the club on Tuesday, Bild reports.

According to the German tabloid, a move to Eintracht Frankfurt is a possibility. At the Commerzbank-Arena, Hinteregger would reunite with his former coach Adi Hütter with whom he won the Austrian championship with Red Bull Salzburg in 2015.

Meanwhile, Fussball Transfers understands that Fulham are interested in the Austrian international.

Hinteregger was suspended by the club and handed a fine on Tuesday after he criticized Augsburg coach Manuel Baum in the wake of a 0-2 defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach last weekend.

"I can't say anything positive about him, and I will not say anything negative," the centre-back told Bayerische Rundfunk.

According to Bild, Hinteregger held a meeting with Augsburg sporting director Stefan Reuter for more than three hours yesterday. They ultimately decided that the 26-year-old will leave the club.

Hinteregger joined Augsburg from Red Bull Salzburg in 2016.



https://bulinews.com/news/1839/out-of-favour-augsburg-centre-back-linked-with-frankfurt-and-fulham

[WhiteJC]

 
Zaha's frustration, Hodgson's transfer hint and Fulham test - Crystal Palace talking points

Crystal Palace news takes a closer look at the 1-1 draw against Southampton

Zaha's frustration

The headlines today should centre around arguably the best player outside the top six doing what he does best for Crystal Palace.

Instead all the talk is about his sending off. Yes, he shouldn't have sarcastically applauded referee Andre Marrnier just seconds after being shown a yellow card, but you have to discuss the events leading up to the situation.

He was constantly fouled at St Mary's and was barely offered any sort of protection from the officials. So with all that pent up frustration something like this was bound to happen. After all, he is human and we sometimes can lash out if there's a feeling of injustice against us.

Zaha's frustration

The headlines today should centre around arguably the best player outside the top six doing what he does best for Crystal Palace.

Instead all the talk is about his sending off. Yes, he shouldn't have sarcastically applauded referee Andre Marrnier just seconds after being shown a yellow card, but you have to discuss the events leading up to the situation.

He was constantly fouled at St Mary's and was barely offered any sort of protection from the officials. So with all that pent up frustration something like this was bound to happen. After all, he is human and we sometimes can lash out if there's a feeling of injustice against us.

At the same time, the level protection from referees needs to improve.

'Roy-ball'

The Eagles have been scoring some fine goals of late.

There's the thumping volley by Andros Townsend at Manchester City of course, that will go down as one of the goals of the season. Luka Milivojevic netted a fine strike against Leicester City too.

Those were individual efforts, but goals against Liverpool and Southampton shows they can mix it up with the best and score some goals that are very much pleasing on the eye that even neutral supporters can enjoy.

The opener against the Reds at Anfield 12 days ago somewhat slipped under the radar. It started deep in their own half, instead of hoofing the ball up field they played out from the back, managed to get Wilfried Zaha goalside of James Milner and he then squared for Andros Townsend to slam the ball past Allison.

If that had been Manchester City or Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur it would have been replayed time and time again.

Proving that was no fluke Palace scored a fine goal against the Saints. Some nice one touch passing in and around the area and this time Townsend teed up Zaha to score.

Wan-Bissaka for England?

Sooner rather than later Aaron Wan-Bissaka will get a call-up to the senior England squad. Based on his form in the past year it's inevitable.

Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate was in attendance at St Mary's and other than the Palace right-back, it's not all that clear as to who he could have been keeping an eye on.

He could quite easily have been there to keep up with Alex McCarthy's progress, but he must have been impressed with Wan-Bissaka's showing.

Barring one mis-timed tackle which earned him a yellow card, the 21-year-old defended well and provided some good attacking moments when given the chance.

With Kieran Trippier going through a rough patch and Kyle Walker's dip in form across the festive period, maybe a senior call up for Wan-Bissaka is just around the corner.

Deadline day

Of course it's officially deadline day and some Crystal Palace fans will be glued to the TV all day just waiting on information of a new signing or two.

It's been a busy month for the club, particularly in terms of outgoings as Jason Puncheon, Alexander Sorloth and Nya Kirby are among those to have left on loan, while Jonny Williams and Sullay Kaikai have departed on permanent deals.

Young Brazilian goalkeeper Lucas Perri has arrived on loan with a view to a permanent deal, but as Roy Hodgson made it clear during his post-Southampton press conference, that's more of a signing with regards to the future rather than right now as Vicente Guaita, Wayne Hennessey and Julian Speroni are all above him in the pecking order.

The other signing is the return of a familiar face to Selhurst Park. Bakary Sako is back at the club just a few months after leaving and the Eagles boss is certain the winger can make a big impact during the second half of the season.

But will Palace be active today?

Judging by Hodgson's comments when asked about deadline day, fans shouldn't really get there hopes up as the 71-year-old is pleased with his squad and seems against the idea of doing last minute deals just for the sake of it.

With that said, deadline day is known to throw up one or two surprises.

Fulham test

It wasn't a bad point for Palace at Southampton. The frustration will come from the fact they were winning, had chances to extend their lead and the goal they conceded was avoidable.

They're now four clear of the relegation zone following a strange midweek of results which saw Burnley get a point away at Manchester United and Newcastle United come from behind to shock champions Manchester City.

Next up is a London derby against Fulham at Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon in a reverse of this season's opening day fixtures.

The Cottagers will be bouncing ahead of the game after coming from 2-0 down to beat Brighton and Hove Albion, and will be boosted by the fact that Palace will be without their talisman in Zaha.

A win for Claudio Ranieri's side reduces the gap between the two sides to just three points and all of a sudden the relegation battle becomes a lot more interesting.

Hodgson said it was too early to label the Saints game as a 'six-pointer' but the Fulham test in a couple of days is shaping up to be just that.



https://www.football.london/crystal-palace-fc/news/latest-crystal-palace-news-zaha-15757766

[WhiteJC]

Fulham, Cardiff target deal for Manchester United youngster Demetri Mitchell?

Fulham and Cardiff City have both reportedly identified Manchester United youngster Demetri Mitchell as a possible signing before the end of the January window.

Both clubs are fighting to avoid relegation from the Premier League, but it appears that the pair are looking to add defensive-minded player Mitchell to their squad.

According to Football Insider, contact has been made with United regarding the potential recall of the 22-year-old from his current loan spell in Scotland with Hearts.

Mitchell has made a total of 20 appearances during his time at the Edinburgh-based club, and both the Cottagers and Bluebirds would be prepared to offer the player an opportunity in England's top flight.

A permanent deal would need to be pushed through with each club having already made two loan signings from English sides this season.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-utd/transfer-talk/news/fulham-cardiff-to-battle-for-mitchell_348761.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Join Burnley and Southampton In Push For Championship Striker

Fulham have joined the deadline day race for Birmingham City striker Che Adams, who has also been subject to interest from Burnley and Southampton, according to Sky Sports News HQ.

The 22-year-old striker has netted 14 Championship goals this season and Birmingham have made it clear that they do not want to sell the player at the moment.

But the Blues have been coming under immense pressure from several Premier League to sell Adams, with Burnley and Southampton tabling bids for him in recent hours.

The two clubs are also prepared to offer him a significant rise in wages to snare him away from Birmingham, but there seems to be more Premier League interest in Adams.

It has been claimed that Fulham have joined the proceedings to make it a three-way Premier League race for the striker on deadline day.

The club are keen to put in a bid and further test Birmingham's resolve to hold on to the striker.

Adams has said little to push for a move but with the clock ticking down and big money on offer, the pressure on Birmingham will only mount in the coming hours.

Burnley, Southampton and Fulham are set to keep the Blues under the cosh in order to get them to sell him on deadline day.



http://www.insidefutbol.com/2019/01/31/fulham-join-burnley-and-southampton-in-push-for-championship-striker/408176/

[Bill2]

Stephens: Mitrovic's second shouldn't have counted but Brighton only have themselves to blame for Fulham defeat

Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Dale Stephens felt Fulham's third goal should have been disallowed last night but added the Seagulls only had themselves to blame for the defeat.

Albion led 2-0 at half-time of the Premier League game through a double from Glenn Murray but Fulham hit back in the second half to claim a 4-2 win. Brighton felt captain Lewis Dunk was fouled by Aleksandar Mitrovic as the Fulham striker headed in his second goal to make it 3-2 and Stephens said afterwards: "I think it's a foul. I think he jumps on Dunky's back. Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't.

"But overall we're disappointed with what we produced in the second half, rather than blaming anybody else."

Reflecting on the match, Stephens said: "I thought we played well in the first half and deserved our lead at half-time.

"We went away from what we were doing and they've got a lot of quality in their team and they showed it in the second half but it was all our own undoing in the end.

"Taking a two goal lead into half-time is where you want to be away from home. Everyone is disappointed with the way we defended and conceded goals in the second half."

Stephens added the Seagulls have to quickly move on from the defeat and said: "We've got some tough and important games coming up. We've got to move on from this one tonight and fully focus on Watford at the weekened."



Read more at: https://www.brightonandhoveindependent.co.uk/sport/football/albion/stephens-mitrovic-s-second-shouldn-t-have-counted-but-brighton-only-have-themselves-to-blame-for-fulham-defeat-1-8790666

If he thinks it was a foul it was exactly the same as he or his team member did to Mitro earlier in the game. So we should have had a penalty.

[snarks]

Stephens: Mitrovic's second shouldn't have counted but Brighton only have themselves to blame for Fulham defeat

Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Dale Stephens felt Fulham's third goal should have been disallowed last night but added the Seagulls only had themselves to blame for the defeat.

Albion led 2-0 at half-time of the Premier League game through a double from Glenn Murray but Fulham hit back in the second half to claim a 4-2 win. Brighton felt captain Lewis Dunk was fouled by Aleksandar Mitrovic as the Fulham striker headed in his second goal to make it 3-2 and Stephens said afterwards: "I think it's a foul. I think he jumps on Dunky's back. Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't.

"But overall we're disappointed with what we produced in the second half, rather than blaming anybody else."

Reflecting on the match, Stephens said: "I thought we played well in the first half and deserved our lead at half-time.

"We went away from what we were doing and they've got a lot of quality in their team and they showed it in the second half but it was all our own undoing in the end.

"Taking a two goal lead into half-time is where you want to be away from home. Everyone is disappointed with the way we defended and conceded goals in the second half."

Stephens added the Seagulls have to quickly move on from the defeat and said: "We've got some tough and important games coming up. We've got to move on from this one tonight and fully focus on Watford at the weekened."



Read more at: https://www.brightonandhoveindependent.co.uk/sport/football/albion/stephens-mitrovic-s-second-shouldn-t-have-counted-but-brighton-only-have-themselves-to-blame-for-fulham-defeat-1-8790666

If he thinks it was a foul it was exactly the same as he or his team member did to Mitro earlier in the game. So we should have had a penalty.

But chambers scored from the knock down so I would rather have had the goal

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham outcast Aboubakar Kamara arrives in Turkey to fanfare ahead of loan move to Yeni Malatyaspor after arrest for allegedly attacking Premier League club's security guard

    Aboubakar Kamara's lack of discipline has seen Fulham send him out on loan
    He has arrived in Turkey ahead of sealing a switch to Yeni Malatyaspor
    Earlier this month, Kamara was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a guard

Fulham finally look set to rid themselves of a headache by shipping off striker Aboubakar Kamara to Turkish side Yeni Malatyaspor on loan until the end of the season.

The 23-year-old Kamara was pictured touching down in Turkey ahead of completing a move to the Super Lig side and posing for pictures with supporters.

Kamara was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a security guard earlier this month following a shocking fight at the club's training ground.


Aboubakar Kamara is set to join Yeni Malatyaspor on loan until the end of the season


Kamara's departure rids Fulham and Claudio Ranieri of a major problem in his squad

Kamara had been banished from first-team training by manager Claudio Ranieri for being a disruptive influence, but Sportsmail sources said he arrived at the training ground intent on resolving his future with Fulham chief executive Alistair Mackintosh.

The visit ended with Kamara being arrested by police, who were called to the scene as the player became embroiled in a violent confrontation with the security guard.

It was the latest in a series of clashes Kamara had been involved in - and the final straw.

He argued with team-mate Aleksandr Mitrovic in a team yoga session prior to the training-ground incident, which had prompted Ranieri to move the striker out of his squad. 

An on-pitch spat with Mitrovic over a penalty in the win against Huddersfield in December was another contentious incident.

Kamara took the ball off assigned taker Mitrovic to take a spot-kick but ended up missing, much to the disgust of Ranieri. Mitrovic saved Kamara's blushes by scoring a winner in stoppage time.

The striker signed for Fulham in 2017 from Amiens in France for £5.4m.

He scored seven goals as Fulham earned promotion from the Championship last season and has three goals to his name in the Premier League in this campaign.

Fulham are 19th in the Premier League, six points from Chelsea. They are away to Crystal Palace on Saturday.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-6652299/Fulham-outcast-Aboubakar-Kamara-arrives-Turkey-ahead-loan-Yeni-Malatyaspor.html

[WhiteJC]

 
"Hopefully everything will be good" – Fulham player to have medical later today ahead of transfer

Yeni Malatyaspor's potential new signing Aboubakar Kamara finally arrived in Istanbul last night.

The Fulham player has been linked with the Super Lig clun throughout this transfer window and it seems he will make the move to Turkey sometime today.

After arriving at the at the airport, Kamara spoke to the media and said he's excited about the move.

He added, as covered by Ajansspor: "Hopefully, everything will be good. I've always heard great things about Turkey and let's see what happens."

Transfer Merkezi also report Yeni Malatyaspor will sign Kamara until the end of next season, on a loan deal, and the player will sign his contract when he passes his medical today.

It always seemed likely the player would leave Fulham in this window after an incident with a club member of staff last week.

With the arrival of Ryan Babel from Besiktas a couple of weeks ago the forward has dropped down the pecking order at Craven Cottage.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/hopefully-everything-will-good-fulham-player-medical-later-today-ahead-transfer/

[WhiteJC]

 
Manchester United starlet wanted by Cardiff City and Fulham in deadline-day swoop - reports

His path may be blocked at Old Trafford

Cardiff City and Fulham are reportedly both interested in signing Manchester United defender Demetri Mitchell.

The youngster is currently out on loan at Hearts, but could be recalled if parent club United receive a suitable offer for a permanent move.

According to Football Insider, both clubs have made contact with the Old Trafford outfit about Mitchell's availability and are working on getting a deal done before Thursday's 11pm deadline.

The England Under-20 international is highly-rated at United, but he is well down the pecking order to break into the first-team with the likes of Matteo Darmian, Diego Dalot, Luke Shaw and Ashley Young all ahead of him

As such, United are open to considering offers for the full-back.

Both Cardiff and relegation rivals Fulham have monitored Mitchell's progress at Hearts this season.

And the report suggest that both clubs see the 22-year-old as a star in the making who could boost their respective defences.

Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock is keen on adding some defensive options to his side before the January window slams shut, with top target Almany Toure seemingly edging closer to a move to Eintracht Frankfurt.



https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/manchester-united-starlet-wanted-cardiff-15758664

[WhiteJC]

 
Notes from January meeting with Fulham Football Club
Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 10:40AM

HEADLINES

    Plans submitted for training ground extension
    Plans submitted for Cottage building improvements
    Heritage area proposed for Johnny Haynes stand
    Season ticket upgrade policy will not change this season
    Club approach to safeguarding and diversity explained
    Work ongoing on Riverside season ticket holder relocation

JANUARY MEETING NOTES

On Monday 14 January 2018, Alistair Mackintosh (AM, Chief Executive Officer), Carmelo Mifsud (CM, Media Relations Manager), Peter Spartin (PS, Head of Commercial Development), Nicola Walworth (NW, Supporter Relations Manager) and Eleanor Rowland (ER, Safeguarding 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.

Motspur Park redevelopment plans

AM confirmed that planning permission had been submitted for Fulham FC's proposals to redevelop the former BBC site opposite their current Motspur Park training ground with Kingston Council. You can view the plans here. AM suggested that the Club's current thinking is to potentially move the first team training facilities to the new site. This would mean that the Under 23 side and the academy set-up would remain on the current site. The main benefit of the new training facilities is to provide additional pitches, with only five grass pitches and one astroturf pitch at Motspur Park.

In response to questions from the Trust, AM said that there were no firm timetables for the start of the building work as the Club were only at the initial planning application stage to date. He confirmed that the construction of further training facilities would help the Club to retain their current status as a category one academy within the EPPP.

Craven Cottage

AM confirmed that progress continued to made with regards to the Riverside Stand redevelopment. The Club had submitted an application for listed building consent for the Cottage itself. You can view the details of this here. This would help to provide more usable space there, including a manager's lounge in the roof space.

In response to questions from the Trust, there was a discussion around wider issues at the ground. The Club recognises the difficulty of movement under the Hammersmith End, due to space constraints, and especially during half-time. AM revealed that the Club have considered removing the mound at the Hammersmith End, but this is a difficult structure to remove given how the stand had been built. Research had suggested that this wouldn't greatly improve the access and flow at the Hammersmith End as additional stairs are needed. AM concluded that the general cost of use of the Hammersmith End is high, largely to do with ongoing repairs, such as removing and replacing rotting wooden flooring at the front of the stand.

The Club are considering proposals for the ongoing use of the old press lounge following the Riverside Stand development. It is envisaged that the press would be housed in a new location and this could create an opportunity to establish a fans' heritage area, where supporters could view memorabilia and has the benefit of being directly accessible from the street. AM considers this a plus as upgrading the existing facilities would keep a focus on the unique heritage of Craven Cottage once the modern Riverside Stand is built. The Club also suggested that this space could potentially be used as a meeting and social space for supporters prior to games.

AM and PS explained the complexities of planning for operating a ground without the Riverside Stand for two seasons. In addition to relocating all season ticket holders, the Club needs to find space for several other groups, including sponsors (both the Club's and the league partners), players' families, broadcast partners, match officials and their guests, agents and hospitality box holders. PS and AM also said that the Club would shortly be compiling a survey for supporters which will tackle a number of topics, including the Riverside Stand. Supporters will only receive the survey if they have opted in to the Club's official communications, which you can do by visiting this link.

AM confirmed that the specifics of how the Putney End should be segregated and stewarded during the transition phase remains an open question. Whilst the Club have views and would like to retain much of the same arrangements, there will be significant input from the local Safety Advisory Group and the police. PS felt this would be an easier discussion to have once progress had been made on relocating the existing Riverside season-ticket holders. The Trust will continue to monitor this through a range of channels, including the new police Independent Advisory Group at which we represent Fulham supporters. The Trust reiterated that current Riverside season-ticket holders should be afforded priority to return to the redeveloped stand when it is completed. AM added that there was no specific building update since the last meeting and that he would keep the Trust appraised of any further developments.

SAFEGUARDING

Eleanor Rowland, Fulham's head of safeguarding and the Club's lead on equality and diversity, joined the meeting to talk about her work. ER said that she had joined Fulham two years ago from the NSPCC and was responsible for safeguarding of all under-18s throughout the Club, including working with the host families for under-18 players.

ER said every Fulham FC staff member undergoes safeguarding training laid down by the FA, which specifically focuses on best practice, language and conduct. Much of her work is cultural, including encouraging everybody to draw attention to any issues and she has a particular focus on protecting the mental health of young people, especially players. She works very closely with her colleagues at the FA on helping Fulham players called up for international duty.

ER also highlighted her work on matchdays, including training between twelve and fifteen stewards in safeguarding. The Club's minimum age to attend matches unaccompanied is 12 years old and this varies from club-to-club. ER also reminded the Trust that the stadium is a public place and anyone taking under 12s to a game should exercise the same caution as they would elsewhere, such as in a cinema or at a supermarket. The Trust fed back on some excellent stewarding concerning young people in the Hammersmith End earlier this season.

ER also chairs the Club's equality working group, which is designed to help the Club's workforce be as diverse, forward-thinking and approachable as possible. Fulham are currently identifying ways to lead amongst the Premier League clubs around equality and AM said that this was particularly important to him. ER revealed that the Club will shortly be surveying supporters on equality and diversity at Fulham Football Club. This survey will also only be sent to supporters who have opted in to the Club's official communications. You can opt in here. ER and AM kindly invited a member of the Trust Board to attend the Kick it Out 25th anniversary dinner next month and the Trust has accepted the invitation to represent Fulham supporters.

MATCHDAY ISSUES

The Trust presented feedback from a large number of supporters on their experiences before the recent FA Cup third round tie against Oldham Athletic. The lack of turnstile operators caused significant queuing and delays to entry for supporters and the Trust reminded the Club that they had promised to learn from the serious issues that had occurred prior to the League Cup home fixture against Exeter City earlier in the season. AM and PS felt that the issues were caused by an unexpectedly high number of late walk-ups prior to kick off, but assured the meeting that this was part of an ongoing post-match Club view. The Club have committed to taking on board feedback around the number of turnstiles that were open, the positioning of the cash sales turnstiles and will take advice from the Trust before the next home Cup game.

MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS

CM confirmed that a story circulating on social media about Fulham donating the entirety of the FA Cup gate receipts to Oldham Athletic was untrue. The Club had received feedback from Oldham and their fans about how well they were received at Craven Cottage by Fulham officials and supporters.

A recent story published in the tabloid press around the high price of season ticket financing was incorrect. The Club clarified and corrected an erroneous press release circulated by a media agency and, in most places, the story was republished online giving the correct figures. CM also confirmed that a recent story about the price of being a mascot at Fulham were based on data that was at least five years out of date. NW and AM confirmed that mascot opportunities were offered to participants in the Fulham FC Foundation's scheme as per previous discussions between the Club and the Trust.

TICKETING

PS confirmed that the Club had decided there would be no change to the season ticket upgrade policy for the remainder of this season. PS reiterated that the initial decision had been taken because of serious abuse of the system, but recognised that genuine supporters do lose out as a result. It was felt that the policy was too complicated to change mid-season as it would require a considerable amount of manual intervention, but the Club committed to undertake a review of policy over the summer and take the Trust's advice. The Trust is disappointed in this decision which we have continually reminded the Club penalises genuine supporters.  We will ensure that it is fully discussed before plans are made for the 2019-20 season.

AM also reiterated that no decisions had yet been taken about the levels of season ticket or matchday prices for next season.

The meeting finished at 2.46pm

TRUST RIVERSIDE STAND UPDATE

On 3rd January 2019, a delegation from the Fulham Supporters Trust met with representatives of Fulham FC's commercial and communication teams at Motspur Park to discuss the relocation of Season Ticket Holders during the redevelopment of the Riverside Stand.  The Trust were briefed on the club's potential strategy for the relocation of Riverside Stand Season Ticket Holders.  The club were keen to stress the logistical challenges around relocating Season Ticket Holders and other stakeholders whilst remaining at Craven Cottage during the redevelopment period.

The Club were happy to receive feedback from the Trust on the plans to date, with those Trust members who volunteers to form a part of the Riverside Stand Working Group having the opportunity to help provide comment.  Both in the meeting and subsequently the Trust have taken the opportunity to stress the importance of clear and effective communication with Season Ticket Holders.  We have also relayed the importance to Season Ticket Holders of the club providing reassurance to those relocated fans that they will have a right to return to the redeveloped stand upon its completion.

The Club hope to be in a position to confirm their plans shortly and the Trust will continue to work with the club as effectively as possible throughout the relocation process.

EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE

The Trust have been made aware that some supporters may have received phishing emails from a Fulham Football Club email account following an attempted cyber attack against the football club. The Trust have been informed that the Club have conducted an investigation, locked the account in question and reported the matter to the Information Commissioner's Office. Anyone who has any queries about this matter is advised to contact the Club's data protection team on [email protected]



http://fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2019/1/31/notes-from-january-meeting-with-fulham-football-club.html

[WhiteJC]

 
The Tony Gale Column

I was in the studio doing Swansea v Birmingham so I missed Tuesday's remarkable match against Brighton. I saw we were 2-0 down and feared the worst, but that's some response and belief the lads showed to come back out for the second half and score four goals. Hopefully that is the catalyst. You're looking for a trigger in the season, and hopefully that can be ours.

You have to show character to come back from two goals down. Of course it worrying that we went two goals down in the first place, but fair play to Claudio for changing things around. The introduction of Tom Cairney early on was pivotal. It meant a change in the system, and it worked. Watching and listening to games as a Fulham fan, you want to see TC on the pitch because he's exciting, he's our most creative player. I understand that we've got to be tighter at the back and everything, but you've still got to get goals up the other end. Mitro needs that supply line, and Tom's the best form of that.

Personally, I want to see him start on Saturday. He made such a difference against Brighton and we didn't really sacrifice any defensive stability as we didn't concede a goal while he was on the pitch. You've got to always think what's the best system you can use that's going to get the most creative players in it, and then put the workers in and around them. Okay, at the end of the day being tight and hard to beat is what's going to keep us in the league, but you've still got to score goals, which Tom nearly did when he hit the bar twice.

My good pal Tony Cottee was covering the game for Sky Sports and he said Mitro was excellent. And Tony is no mean judge of a striker. He said Mitro was different class, bullying Shane Duffy and Lewis Dunk all night long. And they're not the two type of guys who you'd think would be bullied, but he said he was brilliant. I watched the highlights later on and his two headed goals were superb. They really showed that he's up for the fight and he's ready for it. That's what spurs people on, winning headers like that. His physicality is top drawer and we used it to great effect on Tuesday.

I was at Southampton-Crystal Palace last night, and the evening couldn't have gone much better from a Fulham perspective. Both those sides are looking over their shoulder so a draw was a good result for us, plus Palace ended up with some selection problems ahead of our match at the weekend. Wilfried Zaha was shown a silly red card that he'll be regretting now, and James Tomkins and Cheikhou Kouyate went off injured. Maybe our luck is finally changing? We'll face a Palace side that's going to be depleted but they've still got players like Scott Dann, Jeffrey Schlupp, Connor Wickham and Christian Benteke who can come into the team, so they do still have options, but their record is nowhere near as good when Zaha isn't playing.

Despite drawing at St Mary's, Palace played well and probably should have won. I would say, performance wise, they're a top half side, but they just lack a finisher. But all their football, their approach play, is good and – for me – they're in a false position. They've been fairly consistent with how they set up in matches but they might be forced into not only a change of personnel, but a change of formation for our game as well depending on who's available, because they haven't got the biggest of squads.




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/january/31/the-tony-gale-column

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham expect Ligue 1 defender to arrive in next few hours - EXCLUSIVE

Fulham are preparing to sign Youssouf Sabaly on transfer deadline day and are in the process of arranging his travel from Bordeaux, Love Sport has learned.

Sources within the club have spent the last week fretting that Ryan Babel might end up being the only signing Fulham make during the January transfer window.

Having spent more than £100million over the summer, the Cottagers have still failed to assemble a competent defence and have shipped 53 goals in the Premier League so far this season.

Manager Claudio Ranieri is understood to have scouted Sabaly and is looking to bring the Senegal international to England this afternoon to sign for the relegation-threatened Londoners.

A private plane will fly Sabaly, who will likely compete with Cyrus Christie for the right-back slot, over to London for a medical and a contract signing before the window slams shut at 11pm tonight.

Fulham had tried to sign Gary Cahill from Chelsea earlier this month only for the move to break down over wages.

But Ranieri insisted there were other options earlier this week and appeared confident he would be able to get a defender over the line before the window closed.

"I don't know if Cahill is [still] on our lists. We have alternatives and I am sure the club will try to do the best for the team," Ranieri said.

"We are looking for good opportunities.

"If somebody come in the battle will be very hard, but we are always positive and never give up and we are ready to make the maximum effort.

"I think the recruitment, Tony Khan and everybody are working hard to give us the opportunity for me to choose the best for the team."



https://www.lovesportradio.com/news/love-sport-exclusives/fulham-expect-ligue-1-defender-to-arrive-in-next-few-hours-exclusive/

[WhiteJC]

 
Good for Fulham: Crystal Palace's double injury blow

Crystal Palace vs Fulham

Crystal Palace host Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday.

Will the Eagles be sucked into the relegation mire?

Roy Hodgson's Eagles have 23 points on the board after 24 matches this season.

Palace are 15th in the table, ahead of Southampton and Burnley on goal difference.

Palace have a four-point cushion above third-bottom Cardiff City.

As for Fulham, the Cottagers are second-bottom of the division.

Fulham boosted their survival hopes in midweek when they beat Brighton 4-2 at Craven Cottage.

Crystal Palace's double injury blow

Palace drew 1-1 away at Southampton on Wednesday night.

Wilfried Zaha was sent off for the Eagles in the final stages of the game. That means that Palace's best player will be missing against Fulham through suspension.

But will Palace also be missing two other key players?

Both Cheikhou Kouyate and James Tomkins are doubts for the Fulham match after suffering knocks at St Mary's.

Kouyate received a ankle injury against the Saints. He was forced out the match in the 71st minute, while Jeffrey Schlupp was introduced off the bench.

In the final stages of the match, Tomkins suffered a hamstring setback. The centre-half was replaced by Scott Dann.



https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/good-for-fulham-crystal-palaces-double-injury-blow/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham take a firm stance, won't let player leave in this transfer window

Sozcu's Fenerbahce reporter Sercan Hamzaoglu claims the Turkish side have upped their interest in signing midfielder Stefan Johansen but Fulham are not prepared to let the Norwegian leave in this transfer window.

Hamzaoglu says the possibility of a transfer now seems low but also states there may be some surprises before the transfer deadline.

In recent weeks Fenerbahce have been linked with a move for the Norway international, with the story popping up every couple of days or so.

Fenerbahce would need to clean a space in their foreign quota and the Turkish journalist says this could be a problem for the Istanbul club.

Johansen has also been linked with a move to fellow Turkish club Galatasaray in this transfer window.

The former Celtic player is under contract at Craven Cottage until 2019 but Fulham have the option to extend it by another season.

This season Johansen has made 12 Premier League appearances for the West London club.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-make-stance-wont-let-player-leave-transfer-window/

[WhiteJC]

 
Workflow Group Partnership

Fulham Football Club is delighted to welcome Workflow Group as its Official Printer Supplier for three seasons.

Workflow Group has signed an agreement with Fulham to provide printer solution services to the club. As part of this new Partnership Workflow Group have worked with the Club to identify and deliver a new managed print solution offering a reliable print infrastructure.

Chris Pollard, Director, Workflow Group, said: "We have been providing Fulham with a comprehensive Managed Print Solution since July 2018, so we're delighted to now be an official partner of the Club. We look forward to continuing to help them drive document efficiency and optimise data security – and we look forward to watching some great games of football too."

Casper Stylsvig of Fulham FC added: "We welcome Workflow group to our growing list of Club partners. Through the integration of their proposed solution we have seen an immediate improvement in reliability of our print operation which is crucial across the business on both match and non-matchdays. We look forward to developing this partnership further."

In addition to providing technical services to the Club, the collaboration will provide Workflow group introductions and networking opportunities with businesses within Fulham's Business Club network. Workflow Group will also benefit from hospitality at Craven Cottage throughout the season.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/january/30/workflow-group-partnership

[WhiteJC]

 
Report: Fulham could sign Augsburg's Martin Hinteregger for £8m

Bundesliga strugglers Augsburg are keen to sell Austrian defender Hinteregger with a move to Premier League outfit Fulham a possibility.

Fulham are still looking to sign a centre-back before the transfer window closes tonight with FC Augsburg's Martin Hinteregger an option, according to Fussball Transfers.

The Austria international is understood to have been put up for sale by the relegation threatened Bundesliga side after falling out with management, including head coach Manuel Baum.

In quotes reported by Fussball Transfers, general manager Stefan Reuter has claimed that Augsburg would look to sell if they received an acceptable offer.

"Should a serious inquiry arrive, we will consider it."

The ball is in Fulham's court then. It is no secret that The Cottagers are crying out for a new defender, having conceded more goals (53) than any other side in the Premier League since they were promoted back to the top flight.

And it is reported that a bid of £8 million could be enough to see Hinteregger make the move to West London.

The 26-year-old has been plying his trade with Augsburg since he arrived from Red Bull Salzburg three years ago, via a loan spell at Borussia Monchengladbach.

He has 37 caps for Austria and scored a brilliant volley in a pre-World Cup friendly against Germany last year.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/01/31/report-fulham-could-sign-augsburgs-martin-hinteregger-for-8m/

[WhiteJC]

Rumour Mongering: Divock Origi to Fulham or Wolves
Liverpool aren't actively shopping the striker but would be willing to let him leave today for the right price.

It's transfer deadline day. For some clubs, that will mean a flurry of activity. For Liverpool, it means waiting to see where Ben Woodburn ends up on loan and whether Lazar Markovic gives up on the final six yearsmonths of his contract to head to Mexico.

It could also, according to a smattering of reports doing the rounds thanks to The Express, mean a departure for Divock Origi, though finding a new home for their third-choice depth option at striker is not something the club are actively looking for.

Rather, if one of those other clubs—the ones doing the flurrying activity—is desperate enough to throw a big fee at them for him, Origi would be free to leave with Jürgen Klopp content to ride out the season with his other existing options.

Fulham and Wolverhampton are said to be the two sides that have shown interest in Origi, and while it doesn't seem especially likely, a deal to take him to one of those before the end of the day isn't outside the realm of possibility—for the right price.




https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/liverpool-fc-transfer-news/2019/1/31/18205035/liverpool-fc-transfer-news-divock-origi-fulham-wolves-deadline-day

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavia Prague Confirm Player Has Permission To Speak To Fulham

Slavia Prague have given the green light to Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui to travel to London to negotiate terms with Fulham.

Ngadeu-Ngadjui has been the subject of interest from several clubs, including Fulham, during the winter transfer window this month.

And Slavia Prague have announced that the defender has been allowed to travel to London to enter into negotiations with Fulham ahead of a permanent switch before the transfer deadline.

The 28-year-old has a release clause attached to his contract with Slavia Prague and Fulham could trigger it to take him to Craven Cottage.

Ngadeu-Ngadjui has proved to be a stand-out performer for Slavia Prague so far this season after helping them cement their place at the top of the league and booking a berth in the knockout stages of the Europa League.

The Cameroon international has notched up 24 appearances in all competitions so far this term and is equally adept playing as a central-midfielder, if required.

Fulham, who have conceded the most number of goals in the division, will now face a race against the clock, as they aim to pull off an agreement with the player.

Ngadeu-Ngadjui has earned 24 caps at senior level for Cameroon since making his debut in 2016.



http://www.insidefutbol.com/2019/01/31/slavia-prague-confirm-players-has-permission-to-speak-to-fulham/408265/

[WhiteJC]

Club confirms Fulham have matched defender's release clause, player travelling to London

Fulham, who have been scrambling around all month trying to bring a centre-back in to help Claudio Ranieri's defence, could be on the verge of getting their man.

Linked with the likes of Domagoj Vida rather incessantly, the Cottagers are now officially in talks with Slavia Prague in the Czech Republic for the signing of Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui.

The move was confirmed by the selling club's official website on Thursday, who revealed the Cameroon international had been given permission to travel to London ahead of his potential switch to Fulham after the Premier League side matched his release clause.

As things stand, the fee hasn't filtered, but if the player has been allowed to go to England to sort out his contract, a medical shouldn't far behind unless a surprising turn of events takes place.

The 28-year-old joined Slavia Prague from FC Botosani in Romania back in 2016, has made 24 appearances in all competitions this season, including playing every single minute of every single game in their Champions League qualifiers and subsequent Europa League fixtures.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-confirms-fulham-matched-defenders-release-clause-player-travelling-london/