something we all know?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham's problem is recruitment: The wrong players, now finding a manager to work with them

"Risk free" was a strange way to describe Claudio Ranieri's appointment, especially given Shahid Khan learned the hard way that risk in English football is much greater than the relegation-free NFL, where he also has skin in the game.

The American billionaire owner of Fulham had his words thrown back at him on Wednesday at Craven Cottage via the classic bed-sheet protest banner, and a day later that once risk-free manager was on his way.

"Risk free? Are you watching Tony Khan" was the question posed by disgruntled Fulham fans to Shahid's son Tony, the youthful vice chairman and director of football operations at the club, although strictly speaking not in charge of managerial appointments.

Like Ranieri once did, Tony answers direct to his father, the Fulham chairman, and that was why the Italian's sacking and Scott Parker's promotion was not announced until the afternoon of Thursday. Fulham's big calls are made on US time, not GMT.

They face Chelsea today with Parker the third manager of the season, ten points from safety at a club where the weather can change quickly. The Khans' intention was always to tame this unpredictable sport with the prioritising of data analysis in recruitment, Tony Khan's specialism. As things have turned out, Fulham have been just as prone to the vicissitudes of the game as any other but that does not mean they are in any mood to change.


Fulham's fans raided their well-stocked linen cupboards in midweek CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

The banner was right: the responsibility lies with Tony Khan, who has brought to English football the principles developed by his TruMedia data analytics company which Fulham apply in their "both boxes ticked" recruitment. The other box is traditional scouting, overseen by Brian Talbot who has very much bought into the Khan era and its data-led approach, and whose son Daniel is the club's European scout.

Talbot senior has realised what it has taken others at the club much longer to understand: Tony Khan's approach to recruitment will not change, the question is whether there is a manager out there capable of working with it. In their defence, the Khans believe that that they have a squad for the long-term, with a good age profile including those like Jean Michael Seri whom they are planning to keep in the event of relegation. As for a squad fit for the 2018-2019 Premier League season, Fulham, behind only Liverpool and Chelsea in summer spending, have fallen short.

Unpicking the failure of that £100million summer investment in 12 new players, four on loan, is not straightforward. Slavisa Jokanovic was never happy with Tony Khan's approach to recruitment and he was rarely afraid to say so. When he arrived in the Premier League he persisted with the more expansive style that had worked in the Championship and the club felt it had no choice but to appoint a more pragmatic manager.



https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/03/03/fulhams-problem-recruitment-wrong-players-now-finding-manager/

[Statto]

The Telegraph has had the inside track on FFC throughout the Khans' tenure. Hope they're right about this:

"the Khans believe that that they have a squad for the long-term, with a good age profile including those like Jean Michael Seri whom they are planning to keep in the event of relegation."

[filham]

Yes, just read it all in the Telegraph with my breakfast.
A good article but the new items to us are that Parker is going to have to live with the failed stats based recruitment system which is tough on him, the surprising news is that the club expect to keep Seri in the championship.
Keeping Seri must mean that they accept they are going to lose Cairney as surely there will not be room for both of them in a Championship team.

[ALG01]

If that is informd reporting it just confirms the Khan's do not know what they are doing.
Slav was not given a chance to show pragmatism, he didn't have a defence and was trying to figure that out.

Pragmatism would be to change the transfer policy

[ffcthereligion]

My banner! Very proud

[@jolslover]

The Telegraph has had the inside track on FFC throughout the Khans' tenure. Hope they're right about this:

"the Khans believe that that they have a squad for the long-term, with a good age profile including those like Jean Michael Seri whom they are planning to keep in the event of relegation."

Would be brilliant

[Statto]

Yes, just read it all in the Telegraph with my breakfast.
A good article but the new items to us are that Parker is going to have to live with the failed stats based recruitment system which is tough on him, the surprising news is that the club expect to keep Seri in the championship.
Keeping Seri must mean that they accept they are going to lose Cairney as surely there will not be room for both of them in a Championship team.

The formation I, and I believe most on here, envisaged playing this year was the same 4-3-3 as last year with Anguissa and Seri replacing McDonald and Johansen respectively. I also strongly suspect that was the club's intention when they signed those two. Due to injuries, settling-in issues and a poor defence behind them, it hasn't worked this season but I see no reason why we can't do that in the Championship.

[bill taylors apprentice]

This is the frightening comment as far as I'm concerned.

"Tony Khan's approach to recruitment will not change"

There will be occasional positive outcomes using his approach to recruitment I'm sure but then even a stopped clock is right twice a day!

But if Talbot and son have bought into it as well for whatever reason, its going to be more of the same duff signings  for infinity!

[gezkc]

The only thing that will change Tony Khan's approach is his dad. If Shahid Khan decides it's not working, he needs to step in and make a decision.

You can't blame Brian Talbot for buying into the stats based system if that's what Fulham insist on using. I'm sure he'll be equally happy to move away from it if that's what's decided in the months ahead.

[filham]

If that is informd reporting it just confirms the Khan's do not know what they are doing.
Slav was not given a chance to show pragmatism, he didn't have a defence and was trying to figure that out.

Pragmatism would be to change the transfer policy

Sorry , don't agree. Jocanovic showed no sign of changing his tactics to stop us leaking goals galore.

[ScalleysDad]

My banner! Very proud

Well done. Was it at St Mary's and not the Cottage as stated?

[Asotosyios]

Yes, just read it all in the Telegraph with my breakfast.
A good article but the new items to us are that Parker is going to have to live with the failed stats based recruitment system which is tough on him, the surprising news is that the club expect to keep Seri in the championship.
Keeping Seri must mean that they accept they are going to lose Cairney as surely there will not be room for both of them in a Championship team.

The formation I, and I believe most on here, envisaged playing this year was the same 4-3-3 as last year with Anguissa and Seri replacing McDonald and Johansen respectively. I also strongly suspect that was the club's intention when they signed those two. Due to injuries, settling-in issues and a poor defence behind them, it hasn't worked this season but I see no reason why we can't do that in the Championship.

Totally agree, but perhaps the new manager wants to use a different formation.

[I Ronic]

The only thing that will change Tony Khan's approach is his dad. If Shahid Khan decides it's not working, he needs to step in and make a decision.

You can't blame Brian Talbot for buying into the stats based system if that's what Fulham insist on using. I'm sure he'll be equally happy to move away from it if that's what's decided in the months ahead.

TK's stats system has been discussed at length on here and that most clubs use stats. So what would be the alternative? If Slavisa really had no input into transfers, why didn't he quit after winning promotion when his stock was high. Just like he did at Watford? The stats system the club is using along with Talbot snr and jnr would of identified more players than the ones we brought. So I'm guessing if the system was rubbish they'd have more evidence than just the disjointed shambles we've all been subjected to. I just can't believe anyone would stand ideally by and watch their kid ruin a very expensive commodity.
Our reliance on loans needs addressing. Too often we've been stuck with players that just aren't good enough and buying injured players !!! Ok if you have good cover and they're one for the future but first year back in the top league is just madness.
That's far more wrong at the Club than TK and stats.

[Whitesideup]

Yes, just read it all in the Telegraph with my breakfast.
A good article but the new items to us are that Parker is going to have to live with the failed stats based recruitment system which is tough on him, the surprising news is that the club expect to keep Seri in the championship.
Keeping Seri must mean that they accept they are going to lose Cairney as surely there will not be room for both of them in a Championship team.

One of the main problems appears to be that even if there's room for both in a premier league team, it hasn't worked very well.

[MikeTheCubed]

If that is informd reporting it just confirms the Khan's do not know what they are doing.
Slav was not given a chance to show pragmatism, he didn't have a defence and was trying to figure that out.

Pragmatism would be to change the transfer policy

Sorry , don't agree. Jocanovic showed no sign of changing his tactics to stop us leaking goals galore.

Dropping Seri against Liverpool and playing two defensive midfielders seemed like a positive step in this direction, albeit too late and without yielding a result.

[epsomraver]

If that is informd reporting it just confirms the Khan's do not know what they are doing.
Slav was not given a chance to show pragmatism, he didn't have a defence and was trying to figure that out.

Pragmatism would be to change the transfer policy

Sorry , don't agree. Jocanovic showed no sign of changing his tactics to stop us leaking goals galore.

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[Statto]

Our reliance on loans needs addressing. Too often we've been stuck with players that just aren't good enough and buying injured players !!! Ok if you have good cover and they're one for the future but first year back in the top league is just madness.

Loans have disadvantages but also obvious, huge advantages. You can get a good player for very little expenditure and if it doesn't work out, send them back.

Could we have afforded to spend an extra £40m to buy Kalas, Piazon, Mitrovic, Norwood and Target last year? No chance. So we simply would not have got promoted without heavy reliance on loans.

Similarly this year, would we be happier if in addition to the £100m already spent, we'd also spent an extra £60m on Rico, Chambers, Fosu-Mensah and Vietto as permanent signings? Thank f*** we didn't because I wouldn't want any of them. We dodged 4 bullets there.

I agree there's an argument to say perhaps we got that balance slightly wrong last year so perhaps we'll see 2-4 instead of 5 next year, but there should, and always will be some use of loans.

That's far more wrong at the Club than TK and stats.

Like what?
(Other than loans)

[bobby01]

Loaners drive me mad, Babel already done a deal to be off next year, Schurrle off, Rico can definitely go in my opinion, Chambers to good to stay I think.

[I Ronic]

I'm not rejecting the loan system. I am rejecting a season long loan for a player who wasn't that great for Palace. Continuing with Kalas and Targett if that had been possible. As they knew the Club/system etc. Even buying Targett at an inflated price would of been a better option than another new face (Bryant).

[Statto]

I'm not rejecting the loan system. I am rejecting a season long loan for a player who wasn't that great for Palace. Continuing with Kalas and Targett if that had been possible. As they knew the Club/system etc. Even buying Targett at an inflated price would of been a better option than another new face (Bryant).

Well on that I agree with you 100%