Wednesday Fulham Stuff (13/02/19)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Maxime Le Marchand: 'The Merchant' of doom for Fulham


Le Marchand has struggled to find his feet in the Premier League

While Manchester United wouldn't have been expected to have too much trouble putting Fulham away on Saturday, their task was made much easier by the London club's horrifyingly incompetent defenders.

Despite the odds being stacked against them, the home side started the game brightly and created some decent half-chances in the first few minutes. But after that, it was mostly smooth sailing for United, who ended up winning 3-0 thanks to excellent performances from Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial.

While Claudio Ranieri's side possess some really talented attacking players, it is their defensive performances which will ultimately determine whether or not they get relegated this season.

The worst performer on the pitch was their French defender Maxime Le Marchand. Signed from Nice in the summer, the 29-year-old has endured a torrid time in the English top flight so far.

It is no secret that Fulham have the worst defense in the league, and Le Marchand is at the heart of it. The Cottagers have conceded 58 goals from their 26 games so far. The team with the leakiest defense in the Premier League last season was Stoke City, and they conceded 68 goals in the entire season. Fulham are only 10 goals away from that mark, with 12 games to go.

In a team that is struggling defensively, one would expect the defenders to stick to the basics i.e. stay compact, maintain their shape, and not take unnecessary risks. Unfortunately, it didn't look like Le Marchand wanted to comply with this school of thought.

In the 7th minute, he tried to bring the ball forward from the back with 3 red shirts around him, and inevitably lost the ball to Paul Pogba. Even though United failed to score from that move, the warning signs were there.

And in the 14th minute, Fulham's worst fears were realized when Le Marchand had his pocket picked by Luke Shaw in a dangerous area. The resulting United move ended with a wonderful goal by Pogba, who beat Sergio Rico at his near post to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. 9 minutes later, Fulham's woes were compounded.

With right-back Denis Odoi caught upfield, they lost the ball in the middle of the park. Phil Jones played in Anthony Martial, who had taken up an excellent counterattacking position. Le Marchand found himself exposed in a perilous position.

With his compatriot running straight at him in full flight, he took the rash decision of dangling his left leg out in a weak attempt to stop him. Martial got past him with remarkable ease, and made it 2-0 with a superb curling effort.

Le Marchand's naivety had proved extremely costly for his team. And things would go from bad to worse for the Frenchman in the second half. After Cyrus Christie was brought on early after the break, Fulham switched to a back 5, with Le Marchand playing at the center, Tim Ream moving to the left center back position, and Odoi to the right.

In the 64th minute, Ander Herrera played a pass into the feet of striker Romelu Lukaku who was standing near the halfway line. Bizarrely, Le Marchand and his fellow center back Tim Ream were both in the left center back position. The two of them challenged Lukaku together, and almost ran into each other. But neither of them won the ball.

The Belgian striker came away with the ball, and ran at an exposed and disorganized Fulham defense. After entering the penalty area, he squared the ball to Juan Mata, and a recovering Le Marchand brought the Spaniard down as he attempted to turn away from him.

Referee Paul Tierney pointed to the spot without hesitation. Pogba dispatched the penalty with great composure to seal the victory. The damage could have been even greater for Fulham. Later on in the second half, Le Marchand inexplicably tried to head the ball square towards Denis Odoi near his own penalty area.

The ball was intercepted by Alexis Sánchez, and he only had the goalkeeper to beat. But Sergio Rico produced a good save, and Le Marchand's blushes were spared. The center back had an afternoon to forget, and doesn't seem to possess enough quality to thrive in the English Premier League.

The reality is harsh, and there is no escaping it. Fulham's defense is in a state of chaos. Players are unsure of their positions, and lack quality and spatial awareness. For most sides battling relegation, their struggle is due to a lack of goal scorers.

But that is not the case at Fulham, who possess talented attacking players like Mitrović, Schürrle, and Vietto. But if their defensive woes continue, Claudio Ranieri's side will need a miracle to stay clear of the bottom three places at the end of May.



https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/maxime-le-marchand-the-merchant-of-doom-for-fulham?key=newsnow

[WhiteJC]

 
Follow Fulham Away

Tickets for Fulham's London derby with West Ham United next Friday have now sold out – thank you as always for your terrific support!

You can, however, still secure your seat at the Whites' subsequent two away fixtures, against Southampton and Leicester City.

Our match at St Mary's comes just five days after our trip to the East End, and despite it being an evening game, fans can still get a return train home that night; the 10.30pm from Southampton Central takes a little over 90 minutes to Waterloo, and is currently priced at just £20.40.

Leicester away is also a fairly convenient jaunt to watch the Whites, with trains from St Pancras on Saturday 9th March taking just an hour.

Saints tickets are available for fans to purchase on General Sale now, with the City game following suit from 10am on Wednesday 13th February.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/february/12/follow-fulham-away

[WhiteJC]

 
Members News: Hats Off To 'Cov.Kid' Cyrus Christie!

Top flight footballers on massive wages, sometimes with massive egos often get a bad press for losing track of their roots. We can confidently say that CCFPA member and popular former Sky Blue attacking full back Cyrus Christie, born and bred in Coventry, is made of different stuff.

The evidence is in a recent Facebook post from Marcus and Helena Billing about the tremendous kindness and concern shown by Cyrus recently about recent tribulations faced by another family close to them. The words of Marcus and accompanying photo say it all! We are in no way surprised and take our hats off to our 'Cov Kid' FP member.

"I must highlight a true act of kindness from one of our Coventry born footballers. A few months back one of Copsewood U12s girls footballers Alyshia lost her mum tragically to cancer. She had also unfortunately already lost her dad some years before her and her 22 year sister also faced uncertainty about where they were gonna live. Cyrus Christie, ex Coventry City and now a Fulham footballer heard about Alyshias plight and heard she was a massive Man Utd. fan.

Today [i.e.Last Saturday] he took Alyshia, my daughter and my wife to watch Fulham v Man utd at Craven Cottage, giving them all VIP treatment, getting them to meet Manchester Utd players and then arranging a lift home from London. They've had the best day and Alyshia has not stopped smiling! Premiership Footballers sometimes get bad press but this lad deserves huge credit for what he's done. I have total respect to Cyrus Christie and I thank him so much".

Cyrus began his career as a Sky Blue trainee in 2010 and quickly made his name in the Sky Blues first team squad as an attack minded full back. By the time he left the Ricoh at the end of the 2013-14 season for Derby County he had clocked up 119 appearances in the CCFC shirt in all competitions and scored three goals. Coincidentally that is the exact same number of appearances he made for the Rams (but two goals)!!  Cyrus was the East Midland club's 'young player of the year' in 2015-16 and quickly established himself as a key first-team member. In July 2017 Cyrus completed his transfer from Derby to north-eastern outfit Middlesbrough for a fee believed to be £2.5m with a 15% sell-on clause! He scored his first goal for the Tees-siders in a 1-1 draw with Fulham on 23 September 2017) and before moving to that very club in January 2018 having clocked up 26 appearances and one goal for the 'Boro.

Since joining Fulham for an undisclosed fee Cyrus helped their successful promotion push last season and, at the time of writing, Cyrus has made 29 first team appearances for Fulham scoring once (though the Cottagers are struggling currently in the top flight).

Cyrus' international career (he qualifies for Ireland through his Dublin-born grandmother) took off after moving to Derby. He won his first Ireland call-up for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland and the friendly against the USA in November 2014 and currently holds 22 caps (2 goals).

Thanks to the Billings to drawing our attention to Cyrus' good works (though we are sure he wuld be embarassed by the publicity)!

We look forward to Cyrus coming back to see us at his home-town club whenever his playing commitments allow.



http://www.ccfpa.co.uk/?p=39750

[WhiteJC]

 
England's 1966 World Cup heroes then and now as Gordon Banks sadly passes away

Gordon Banks, who played in every game of England's triumphant 1966 World Cup campaign, has passed away aged 81

Gordon Banks, England's World Cup-winning goalkeeper, has died aged 81.

The legendary shot-stopper, perhaps best remembered for his superb save from Pele at the 1970 World Cup, passed away overnight.

Banks played in every game of the Three Lions' 1966 World Cup campaign, which ended in an historic 4-2 win over West Germany in the final at Wembley.

The class of 1966 still remain England's sole senior side to lift a trophy at a major tournament - and here, we run the rule over what England's men did next after that World Cup triumph.


World Cup winner Gordon Banks (centre) has died aged 81 (Image: PA)

GORDON BANKS - 1937-2019

Went on to win 73 England caps and make 628 club appearances in a 15-year career. Still famed for his stunning save from Pele's header in England's 1970 World Cup clash with Brazil.

Helped Stoke to the 1972 League Cup though lost the sight in one eye in a car crash in October later that same year, that ultimately ended his professional career.

Enjoyed a brief managerial stint with Telford United.

Passed away in February 2019, with former England striker Gary Lineker hailing Banks as "an absolute hero of mine" .


Gordon Banks is considered England's greatest ever goalkeeper (Image: Getty)

GEORGE COHEN - 1939-present

Fulham defender Cohen was forced to retire through injury aged 29, having amassed 459 appearances for the Craven Cottage club. Cohen struggled with bowel cancer for 14 years in the 1980s.

He later opted to sell his World Cup winner's medal, though Fulham purchased the item to display it at Craven Cottage. Nephew Ben Cohen helped England win the Rugby World Cup in 2003.

He was awarded the MBE in 2000 and in 2016 Fulham unveiled a statue of Cohen at Craven Cottage to celebrate their former player.


George Cohen was awarded the MBE in 2000

JACK CHARLTON - 1935-present

Made 629 appearances for Leeds and collected 35 England caps, before turning attention to a successful managerial career.

After stints with Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday and Newcastle , Charlton stepped up to lead the Republic of Ireland. Charlton led the Irish to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup, his side falling 2-0 to Holland.

Appointed an OBE in 1974 and awarded honorary Irish citizenship in 1996, being made a freeman of the city of Dublin in 1994. Still lives in his native north east.


Jack Charlton collected 35 England caps (Image: Getty)

BOBBY MOORE - 1941-1993

Widely accepted as England's greatest centre-half and one of the best anywhere of all time, the World Cup-winning captain died from bowel and liver cancer in February 1993, aged 51.

Won 108 caps for England, representing West Ham with distinction, before enjoying spells at Fulham and in America.

Moore's widow Stephanie founded the Bobby Moore Fund in 1993, to raise money for research into bowel cancer and raise public awareness of the disease.


Bobby Moore - captain, leader, legend (Image: Getty)

RAY WILSON - 1934-2018

England's left-back kept the lowest profile of the 1966 winners.

Wilson built a successful undertaker's business in Huddersfield after his football career, but retired from his second career in 1997. Passed away last May, aged 83.


Ray Wilson went on to build a successful undertakers business in Huddersfield

NOBBY STILES - 1942-present

Midfielder Stiles ended up with 28 England caps but went on to rack up 392 appearances for Manchester United before a move to Middlesbrough in 1971.

A career in coaching followed, with two stints at Preston, before a short-lived tenure at West Brom.

Stiles worked as a youth team coach at Manchester United between 1989 and 1993, helping oversee the development of the renowned class of '92 that included the likes of David Beckham and the Neville brothers.


Nobby Stiles, England's talented midfielder, helped guide Man United's Class of '92 (Image: Getty)

ALAN BALL - 1945-2007

Ball died of a heart attack in April 2007, aged 61.

The combative midfielder excelled in stints with Blackpool, Everton and Arsenal , while also winning 72 England caps.

After more than 800 club appearances Ball then moved into management, twice taking charge at Portsmouth along with stints at Southampton and Manchester City .


Alan Ball sadly passed away at the age of 61 in 2007

SIR BOBBY CHARLTON - 1937-present

Jack's younger brother Bobby continues to sit on Manchester United's board of directors, remaining a fixture at Old Trafford matches. The 81-year-old Ashington native racked up 106 England caps between 1958 and 1970, before short managerial stints with Preston and Wigan.


Bobby Charlton racked up 106 caps for his country (Image: Getty)

MARTIN PETERS - 1943-present

Moved into the insurance business after retiring from football in 1983, following 67 England caps and lengthy stints with West Ham, Tottenham and Norwich.

Sat on Tottenham's board of directors in the late 1990s and continues to attend Spurs matches even though he has since stepped down from his formal role. Was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016.


Martin Peters scored in the 1966 World Cup final (Image: Getty)

SIR GEOFF HURST - 1941-present

Still the only man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, Hurst made more than 400 appearances for West Ham and won 49 England caps.

Short-lived managerial stints with Telford United, Chelsea and even a foray into club management in Kuwait punctuated work in the insurance trade after his playing career. Lives in Cheltenham.


Geoff Hurst is the only man to have ever scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final (Image: Getty)

ROGER HUNT - 1938-present

Liverpool stalwart Hunt made more than 400 appearances for the Anfield club, along with winning 34 caps for England.

Held Liverpool's club scoring record until overhauled by Ian Rush.

Joined his family's haulage business after retiring from football.

SIR ALF RAMSEY, MANAGER - 1920-1999

The former Southampton and Tottenham full-back continued at the England helm until 1974, after the 1966 triumph. Ramsey lost his national job after England failed to qualify for the 1974 World Cup.

Stints at Birmingham and Panathinaikos followed, before he spent his retirement in Ipswich.

Ramsey died in April 1999 aged 79, less than a year after suffering a stroke, and after battling Alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer.


Top row left to right: trainer Harold Shepherdson, Nobby Stiles, Roger Hunt, Gordon Banks, Jack Charlton, George Cohen, Ray Wilson, Manager Alf Ramsey, and bottom row, Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst, Bobby Moore, Alan Ball and Bobby Charlton (Image: Getty)



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/englands-1966-world-cup-heroes-13987644

[WhiteJC]

 
The 11 Fulham youngsters who can give fans a reason to be positive ahead of next season

The mood around Craven Cottage is glum - but there's specs of hope in the form of the Academy

This season has been one that has lacked in positives for Fulham for the most part as they stare immediate relegation from the Premier League square in the face.

There's been only four wins to see while they side have scored just 25 goals in 26 games, form that has left them 19th in the division and eight points off safety.

Craven Cottage is not a happy place at the moment - but if you look hard enough away from the first team there's small signs of encouragement you can take in the form of the club's Academy.

While the pathway to the first team may have eroded under Claudio Ranieri somewhat, there's still a number of youngsters in the U23 team who were on the verge of the senior side that will be biting at the bit to show the club they are ready to make that step.

After the defeat to Manchester United and with the mood at one of the lowest points since the last relegation five years ago, looking towards the future is probably the best thing to do.

The U23s beat Colchester United 5-0 on Monday night in the Premier League Cup, with Matt O'Riley the star performer once again as he netted and assisted twice.

With that in mind, we've taken a look at an XI of Fulham youngsters that will give fans something to be positive about in the near future.

Goalkeeper

Luca Ashby-Hammond


CHESTERFIELD, ENGLAND - MAY 04: Luca Ashby-Hammond of England in action during the UEFA European Under-17 Championship Group Stage match between England and Israel at Proact Stadium on May 4, 2018 in Chesterfield, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images) (Image: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

One of Fulham's most promising goalkeepers in the Academy, Luca Ashby-Hammond is a regular for the U23 side at just 17-years-old.

He's trained with the first team in the past, most notably at the end of last season, and has gained international recognition after being called up by the England U17s and, most recently, U18s.

Ashby-Hammond is everything you want in the modern keeper - he's comfortable with the ball at his feet while his distribution is one of his standout chracterisitcs.

And let's not forget his penalty taking skills - he's more than happy to step up to the spot and smash a spot kick into the top corner, doing so with both Fulham U18s last season and England U17s in the Euros.

There's a strong goalkeeping pedigree in Fulham's Academy with Marcus Bettinelli the poster boy for aspiring keepers, there's certainly a well-trodden pathway to follow.

Ashby-Hammond has all the time in the world to progress too, but should Fulham go down this season there's no reason to suggest he can't do a job at Championship level.

Defenders

Steven Sessegnon

There's not much to say about Steven Sessegnon that most people reading this won't already know.

With the struggles at right back this season the 18-year-old is one of the players that some fans feel should be pushing for a first team slot, with a feeling of frustration coming through that he's not making the bench.

Under Slavisa Jokanovic, he was involved heavily with the first team, starting the 3-0 victory over Millwall in the Carabao Cup while finding himself on the bench numerous times, including in the league against Arsenal.

Under Ranieri, those appearances have all but evaporated and although he is still training with the first team, he's played more and more U23 football, including in Monday's win over Colchester.

Those performances in the cup showed he's more than capable of playing senior football - if Fulham are relegation bound, they need look no further than Sessegnon.


(Image: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Marlon Fossey

For me, Marlon Fossey was one of the stars of Fulham's pre-season.

The 20-year-old had been training with the first team at the back end of last season and found himself starting in a fair few of the pre-season games as Jokanovic filled his threadbare squad with youth players.

He looked comfortable on the ball, got down the wing well and was strong in the tackle and by all accounts looked like he was going to play some part in the Serbian's squad.

But he's had terrible luck with injuries and suffered a torn ACL at the start of the season that ruled him out of this entire campaign.

However, his quality was clear for everyone to see and hopefully with a good pre-season under his belt he can kick on next season.


Marlon Fossey against Sampdoria (Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Mortiz Jenz

A 19-year-old defender who arrived at Fulham from Tennis Borussia Berlin, where scouts noticed him after the two sides competed in the Sparkasse & VGH Cup - an indoor tournament that the Academy regularly competes in.

Jenz was with the first team during pre-season and played for the first team during the early stages of their summer schedule.

He's 6ft 2ins, strong in the air and extremely talented on the ball - he had one of the best pass completion rates for the U18s and U23s a couple of seasons ago.

Jenz could probably be called the Denis Odoi of the U23s (not for his height though) - he is comfortable playing across the back four and has featured and both right and centre back during this current campaign.

There's a lot of time for Jenz to develop, but he's certainly one to keep an eye on in the defensive side of things.

Cody Drameh

Another 16-year-old who has been featuring regularly for Fulham's U23 team - Cody Drameh got himself noticed by the wider football world with a stunning goal against Norwich U23s.

Drameh regularly plays at right back and is gaining plaudits for his performances in Mark Pembridge's squad this season, with it being believed that he's attracting the interest of a number of other Premier League clubs.

He was another of the standout players in last night's 5-0 victory, although he switched flanks to the left with Sessegnon playing at right back and scored the second goal for his side.


(Image: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)

He only turned 18 this year so there's plenty of time for Drameh to kick on from his early scholar years.

Midfielders

Matt O'Riley

O'Riley was the star of the show for the U23s on Monday night and demonstrated his wide range of abilities that has him billed as one of the Academy's most exciting prospects.

Jokanovic was a big fan of O'Riley and had the youngster involved in all aspects of the first team last season, from being on the bench to being part of the matchday squad when he wasn't included in the 18.

It looked like the 18-year-old was on the verge of a breakthrough, but the promotion to the Premier League and the sacking of Jokanovic and hiring of Ranieri has put the brakes on that somewhat.


Matt O'Riley battles with George Evans during the pre-season friendly between Reading and Fulham (Image: Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

He's played regularly for the U23s and has ran the show from his midfield spot, getting attention from some of the big clubs on the continent, including Borussia Dortmund, as they look for English youth to follow in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho.

Fulham will need to be careful with their management of O'Riley - he's clearly ready for first team football and in my opinion, if they get relegated this season, they should build their new side and philosophy around the talented midfielder to become the new Tom Cairney of the side.

Out of all the youngsters on this list, O'Riley should be playing first team football next season.

Harvey Elliott

By now, I think most of the UK has heard of Elliott after his appearance in the Carabao Cup, with the papers the next day full of pictures of him and how he had been taking tests in the day at school before playing for the side in the evening.


(Image: Steve Bardens/Getty Images))

I don't know if it's because I'm getting older or what, but the age at which footballers start to make their marks on senior sides seems to be becoming younger and younger nowadays.

Technically gifted, able to beat players for fun and with a lovely shot on him, Elliott has the makings of a star and has been linked with the likes of Chelsea and Barcelona already.

He's been playing in both the U18s and U23s this season and has just returned from international duty with England U17s, where he enjoyed a fine tournament and continued to make a name for himself.

The potential for Elliott is unbound and while next season is still too early for him as he focuses on his studies, Fulham have a really exciting talent on their hands.

Tyrese Francois

Tyrese Francois is one of the most technically gifted footballers the Academy has on their books at this moment in time.

The 18-year-old likes to sit in the hole in midfield, pick the ball up from the centre backs and distribute it, much like the role that Cairney plays in the first team.

He's pacy, while he has a strong reading of the game that means he is able to win the ball and be in the right place at the right time in the deep lying midfield role.

Francois impressed in two mid-season friendlies with Southampton last season and travelled with the squad to Murcia during the first international break as Jokanovic gave him more exposure to the first team, alongside the likes of Elliott and Matt O'Riley.

He's had some of Europe's big names looking at him too, with the likes of Werder Bremen having a look at him recently, but next season can be a real chance for Francois to go for a first team spot.

Fabio Carvalho

Another youngster playing well above his age group, Fabio Carvalho is a regular for the U23s despite being just 16-years-old.

He's been capped by England at both U16 and U17 level, but also qualifies for Portugal through his family who chose to relocate to England when he was young.

A very capable number 10, Carvalho possesses a great touch as well as possessing all the necessary technical skills to flourish in that midfield role for the Fulham youth teams.

He's been tracked with some of the giants of Portuguese football, including Benfica, but he signed a scholarship deal at Craven Cottage at the start of this season to commit his future to the club.

Like Elliott, Carvalho is a very exciting prospect at Fulham and was out on U17 duty with the Three Lions in the past week.

Sonny Hilton

While we're on the subject of young, exciting prospects that are already playing for England, let's talk about Sonny Hilton.

Fulham fought off Premier League suitors to sign Hilton from Tranmere Rovers two years ago and he has impressed in the youth teams ever since.

He's now a regular at both U23 and U18 level and his ability to dictate games and grab a match by the scruff of its neck and turn it into his side's favour are real standouts.

Hilton has represented England at U16 level and is another that the club have high hopes for - he signed his first pro deal in 2017 and signed another deal in the summer of this year.

He also holds a black belt in Taekwondo.

Striker

Jean-Pierre Tiehi

The 17-year-old striker has struggled with injuries since joining the club from a small club in northern France last season, but when fit provides everything you'd want from a striker.

His physicality is unrivalled at his age level and his explosiveness is something that defenders in the U18 age group struggle to deal with.

He signed his first professional deal recently, committing to Fulham until 2021.

Tiehi is very raw, but there's so much potential for growth in the Academy and while he's a long-term project, he could well be the next big striker to come through the youth ranks.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/11-fulham-youngsters-who-can-15818473

[WhiteJC]

 
Neil Etheridge's Cardiff heroics expose Fulham's biggest mistake

Fulham released Neil Etheridge in 2014 and now the goalkeeper is starring in the Premier League with Cardiff City.

While Fulham are seven points adrift and looking doomed, Neil Etheridge is inspiring Cardiff City's survival dreams.

The 29-year-old goalkeeper has been a revelation between the sticks for the Bluebirds since they were promoted back to the top flight, establishing himself as one of the Premier League's most underrated glovesmen with some impressive virtuoso performances.

The most recent of those came against Southampton at St Mary's as Cardiff triumphed 2-1. Kenneth Zohore's stoppage time winner made him the hero but the win would have been impossible if it wasn't for another excellent performance from Etheridge.

And the form of the Phillipines international only rubs salt into Fulham's wounds. The Enfield-born shot-stopper started his career with The Cottagers but he was released in 2014 after making just one first-team appearance for the West London outfit.

"The team had just got relegated to the Championship and it had been a really tough season for me being injured for the majority of it," Etheridge told Planet Football in December.

"But when I got released it was a shock to be honest. The new manager wanted to change things so I found myself not really knowing what to do. I was forced out of my comfort zone."

Etheridge has had to be patient for his chance at the top level but he has certainly seized his opportunity with both hands – quite literally.

Fulham, meanwhile, are stuck in the relegation zone having conceded more goals than any other side in the Premier League (58) with Sergio Rico, Marcus Bettinelli and Fabri all struggling to plug the gaps during stints between the sticks.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/02/12/do-neil-etheridges-cardiff-city-heroics-exposes-fulhams-biggest/

[WhiteJC]

 
Equality & Diversity Survey

The Club recently emailed supporters an equality and diversity survey. Thank you to those of you who have already completed the survey, there has been a great response so far with many fans taking part and providing their feedback.

This survey is due to close this Friday 15th and we encourage participation. There will be one more formal reminder email sent tomorrow morning. We will then refrain from sending any further reminders but hope that you choose to share your views with us.

We explained in the initial email the reasons behind this survey, which is anonymous. It will assist us to gather information on our supporters so that we can further improve the prospects of the stadium for those who are most in need. For instance, if we understand that a high proportion of our supporters consider themselves to have a disability it would be likely that we would make provision for additional 'access' based resources.

It may also be that we find we are under-representative of the LGBT community within our supporter demographics. We know that many other clubs have very strong links with their LGBT supporters groups and we would like to encourage the same and understand why we are under-represented – if indeed we are.

Please note that the emailed survey is entirely optional.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/february/12/equality-and-diversity-survey

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham player listed as option for Juventus, competition in Premier League

Although the transfer rumours which used to surround Ryan Sessegnon seem to be getting quieter, the Fulham player is still a target for several European clubs.

This Tuesday, Turin newspaper Tuttosport brings a big story about Marcelo and the chance Juventus have to sign him in the case he manages to leave Real Madrid to reunite with Cristiano Ronaldo.

But such a big target always requires a plan b, and it's been a while since the Old Lady have listed some alternatives for that position. Even because Alex Sandro's stay at the club has never been guaranteed.

That's when Tuttosport says Junior Firpo from Real Betis is the main alternative, with first contacts already made. And Sessegnon remains an option as well.

Tuttosport doesn't write much about the Fulham player, but makes it clear there's big competition to get him, especially between Premier League clubs, as he has a 'big market' there.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-player-listed-option-juventus-competition-premier-league/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham's pre-season preparations set the tone for this season's disappointment

Fulham's preparation for life in the Premier League under Slavisa Jokanovic set the tone for a season of underachievement.

(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Fulham's preparation for life in the Premier League under Slavisa Jokanovic set them on the way for a campaign of disappointment, according to a report by Football.London.

They report that Jokanovic was only able to take ten of the players who ended up starting his side's first game back in the top flight on the Cottagers' pre-season tour.

That was due to incoming transfer business coming in late as Fulham toiled to replace the host of loanees who helped get them promoted and led to the lack of familiarity that has come to characterise their season.

The report also lifts the lid on the discontent around Craven Cottage at present; despite the stats showing that Claudio Ranieri has improved Fulham at both ends of the pitch, fans are unhappy that he has ripped apart the club's identity.

Many of the issues apparently revolve around the prolonged omission of Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon, which is further symbolic of the way the gameplan that got the Whites back into the top flight has been ruthlessly cast aside.

But Jokanovic was always fighting a losing battle; late arrivals, a poor pre-season, too much player turnover and substandard recruitment all contributed to his downfall – the identity wasn't necessarily the biggest issue.

Now, Fulham have ripped it apart, ignoring the fact that circumstances conspired against Jokanovic, leaving them with an expensively-assembled, unbalanced squad with a manager who likely has no desire to manage in the Championship.



https://tbrfootball.com/fulhams-pre-season-preparations-set-the-tone-for-this-seasons-disappointment/

[Woolly Mammoth]

Fulham's pre-season preparations set the tone for this season's disappointment

Fulham's preparation for life in the Premier League under Slavisa Jokanovic set the tone for a season of underachievement.

(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Fulham's preparation for life in the Premier League under Slavisa Jokanovic set them on the way for a campaign of disappointment, according to a report by Football.London.

They report that Jokanovic was only able to take ten of the players who ended up starting his side's first game back in the top flight on the Cottagers' pre-season tour.

That was due to incoming transfer business coming in late as Fulham toiled to replace the host of loanees who helped get them promoted and led to the lack of familiarity that has come to characterise their season.

The report also lifts the lid on the discontent around Craven Cottage at present; despite the stats showing that Claudio Ranieri has improved Fulham at both ends of the pitch, fans are unhappy that he has ripped apart the club's identity.

Many of the issues apparently revolve around the prolonged omission of Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon, which is further symbolic of the way the gameplan that got the Whites back into the top flight has been ruthlessly cast aside.

But Jokanovic was always fighting a losing battle; late arrivals, a poor pre-season, too much player turnover and substandard recruitment all contributed to his downfall – the identity wasn't necessarily the biggest issue.

Now, Fulham have ripped it apart, ignoring the fact that circumstances conspired against Jokanovic, leaving them with an expensively-assembled, unbalanced squad with a manager who likely has no desire to manage in the Championship.



https://tbrfootball.com/fulhams-pre-season-preparations-set-the-tone-for-this-seasons-disappointment/

That says it all in a nut shell, absolutely spot on.
The perfect analysis of the reasons why this season has turned out the way it has.

[David I]

Fulham's pre-season preparations set the tone for this season's disappointment

Fulham's preparation for life in the Premier League under Slavisa Jokanovic set the tone for a season of underachievement.

(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Fulham's preparation for life in the Premier League under Slavisa Jokanovic set them on the way for a campaign of disappointment, according to a report by Football.London.

They report that Jokanovic was only able to take ten of the players who ended up starting his side's first game back in the top flight on the Cottagers' pre-season tour.

That was due to incoming transfer business coming in late as Fulham toiled to replace the host of loanees who helped get them promoted and led to the lack of familiarity that has come to characterise their season.

The report also lifts the lid on the discontent around Craven Cottage at present; despite the stats showing that Claudio Ranieri has improved Fulham at both ends of the pitch, fans are unhappy that he has ripped apart the club's identity.

Many of the issues apparently revolve around the prolonged omission of Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon, which is further symbolic of the way the gameplan that got the Whites back into the top flight has been ruthlessly cast aside.

But Jokanovic was always fighting a losing battle; late arrivals, a poor pre-season, too much player turnover and substandard recruitment all contributed to his downfall – the identity wasn't necessarily the biggest issue.

Now, Fulham have ripped it apart, ignoring the fact that circumstances conspired against Jokanovic, leaving them with an expensively-assembled, unbalanced squad with a manager who likely has no desire to manage in the Championship.



https://tbrfootball.com/fulhams-pre-season-preparations-set-the-tone-for-this-seasons-disappointment/

That says it all in a nut shell, absolutely spot on.
The perfect analysis of the reasons why this season has turned out the way it has.

Absolutely agree...... Joka didn't stand a chance. It's common sense really.

[Bluebird23]

Members News: Hats Off To 'Cov.Kid' Cyrus Christie!

Top flight footballers on massive wages, sometimes with massive egos often get a bad press for losing track of their roots. We can confidently say that CCFPA member and popular former Sky Blue attacking full back Cyrus Christie, born and bred in Coventry, is made of different stuff.

The evidence is in a recent Facebook post from Marcus and Helena Billing about the tremendous kindness and concern shown by Cyrus recently about recent tribulations faced by another family close to them. The words of Marcus and accompanying photo say it all! We are in no way surprised and take our hats off to our 'Cov Kid' FP member.

"I must highlight a true act of kindness from one of our Coventry born footballers. A few months back one of Copsewood U12s girls footballers Alyshia lost her mum tragically to cancer. She had also unfortunately already lost her dad some years before her and her 22 year sister also faced uncertainty about where they were gonna live. Cyrus Christie, ex Coventry City and now a Fulham footballer heard about Alyshias plight and heard she was a massive Man Utd. fan.

Today [i.e.Last Saturday] he took Alyshia, my daughter and my wife to watch Fulham v Man utd at Craven Cottage, giving them all VIP treatment, getting them to meet Manchester Utd players and then arranging a lift home from London. They've had the best day and Alyshia has not stopped smiling! Premiership Footballers sometimes get bad press but this lad deserves huge credit for what he's done. I have total respect to Cyrus Christie and I thank him so much".

Cyrus began his career as a Sky Blue trainee in 2010 and quickly made his name in the Sky Blues first team squad as an attack minded full back. By the time he left the Ricoh at the end of the 2013-14 season for Derby County he had clocked up 119 appearances in the CCFC shirt in all competitions and scored three goals. Coincidentally that is the exact same number of appearances he made for the Rams (but two goals)!!  Cyrus was the East Midland club's 'young player of the year' in 2015-16 and quickly established himself as a key first-team member. In July 2017 Cyrus completed his transfer from Derby to north-eastern outfit Middlesbrough for a fee believed to be £2.5m with a 15% sell-on clause! He scored his first goal for the Tees-siders in a 1-1 draw with Fulham on 23 September 2017) and before moving to that very club in January 2018 having clocked up 26 appearances and one goal for the 'Boro.

Since joining Fulham for an undisclosed fee Cyrus helped their successful promotion push last season and, at the time of writing, Cyrus has made 29 first team appearances for Fulham scoring once (though the Cottagers are struggling currently in the top flight).

Cyrus' international career (he qualifies for Ireland through his Dublin-born grandmother) took off after moving to Derby. He won his first Ireland call-up for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland and the friendly against the USA in November 2014 and currently holds 22 caps (2 goals).

Thanks to the Billings to drawing our attention to Cyrus' good works (though we are sure he wuld be embarassed by the publicity)!

We look forward to Cyrus coming back to see us at his home-town club whenever his playing commitments allow.



http://www.ccfpa.co.uk/?p=39750

This is absolute class, what a guy.

Well done, Cyrus!