Introducing Matt Wells

[Friendsoffulham]

Introducing Matt Wells



We caught up with Fulham's First Team Coach to discuss working with Scott Parker, his footballing philosophies, and his granddad Cliff Jones' time spent at Craven Cottage.


Having followed Scott from Spurs to Fulham, presumably you two have good chemistry?

We've got an incredible relationship, we just clicked as soon as Scott came in [at Tottenham]. We both see football in a very similar way. Scott came in with incredible playing experience, and I think we both really helped each other. I could help translate some of his ideas into sessions and how we deliver that to the players. We just struck up a really good relationship, probably a friendship first and foremost because as people off the pitch we're very close, and in a footballing sense with the way we view the game tactically.



What sort of footballing ideologies do you possess?

Very much the same as Scott in that I want us to be the proactive team on the pitch every time we play. We want to dominate, but also plan well in terms of how we press the opposition. We're both of the mind that you have your principles and your way of playing, but every opponent requires a certain tweak and a different way of attacking or defending, because everyone has their unique strengths and weaknesses. We both crave that control of the ball, we both want to be the team asking the questions, and making the other team react to us. That's something that will certainly take time here, but it's something that already in training we're trying to impress upon the players.



What have you made of the three matches you've been involved in?

I think what we've asked of the players tactically and in terms of a mentality and approach to the games, we can't fault them because they've been excellent in that sense. Probably the first half against Leicester was the most disappointing period that we've overseen. Chelsea, with very little time to work beforehand, the mentality and the performance was so impressive. Against Leicester the impressive facet was the reaction second half. We changed things tactically and obviously Floyd came on and scored the goal quickly, and we were disappointed for the players because there was a period where we were so in control – you could feel the Leicester fans had turned against them a little bit – and then a mistake leads to a goal. That's the Premier League. And then of course the game against Liverpool, I think tactically we were very impressive. We'd studied them, and in every game they've caused teams problems through the middle of the pitch and their runs behind, and we didn't really suffer any situations like that. But again we gave two goals away that hinged on small details which we really should have done better with, and that's something which we have to keep working at.



There really is some quality in the squad, though, isn't there?

They're really impressive. I've come from Tottenham where I've watched a hell of a lot of first team training over the last eight years, and you can see the quality that we've got here in the squad. The players are adapting to the demands that Scott puts in place and the intensity and consistency of the work to go and go again every day. The word that Scott keeps using is 'standards,' referring to the standards put in place and the standards we demand of them. It does take time, but then it becomes habitual and translates to a mentality, and then you become that team that just drives and pushes every day. And that moves into games where, regardless of the circumstances, you keep pushing and fighting. You can see that in all three games so far; what's been most impressive has been the second half, or certainly periods around the midpoints of the second halves where we've been the stronger team. The players will get fitter and stronger with the way we're working, so I've been really impressed so far and I'm of the same belief as Scott that if we keep working in that way, results will definitely be a by-product of the process. Obviously it's been disappointing because we want the points, and we do have belief going into every game. That's what we're trying to instil into the players, believing that we can win regardless of the opposition.



Your granddad Cliff Jones is a Spurs legend, but he also spent a couple of years at Fulham at the end of his career...

It's funny really because he was at Tottenham and then he came to Fulham, so bizarrely I've followed the same path in a coaching capacity. He's been an amazing support for me throughout my career, always willing to give me advice and tell me stories. He's got an unbelievable long-term memory, he can tell me every half-time team talk that Bill Nicholson delivered. Bill was obviously an incredible manager, and it's great to have that in the family. My grandad has told me numerous times what a great club Fulham is. He loved it here, he just wishes he'd played a little bit better he said! It was the tail end of his career and he did say he probably wouldn't be the most popular with the fans because they weren't his best performances, but as a club and a place he loved his years here. He always speaks about what Johnny Haynes was like in training, about the quality of the man. He loved the club and obviously wishes me the best here.

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/march/20/introducing-matt-wells

[SWSixer]

Nice read. Cheers for that.

[SWSixer]

Anyone remember much of Cliff Jones?

[Woolly Mammoth]

We signed Cliff Jones a winger from Spurs in the late 60s, I think he played about 2O+ matches for Fulham, by then he was in the evening of his career. He was part of Bill Nicholson Double winning Spurs, in the early 60s.

[Cambridge Pete]

Cliff Jones in his day was an excellent player. After the death of John White Spurs tried to buy Haynes. In a way a shame as in that side he would have won some trophies.

[ScalleysDad]

So now we have "standards", some of the players have a spring in their step and key players seem to be supportive. Blimey. Can't wait to see TK claim all of those things in his end of term report.

Good luck then young Matt. Shall we start with shooting practice?

[filham]

Anyone remember much of Cliff Jones?

Cliff Jones was a member of the great Spurs push and run  team, an outstanding winger in the days when wide men concentrated 100% on attack and were full of trickery and pace. He was past his best when he came to Fulham but we were flattered to have such a big name in our team.

[bog]

Anyone remember much of Cliff Jones?

Cliff was a fantastic left winger for Spurs who was also a good header of the ball. He was past his best when he came to us but always gave his all. I think he had a butcher's shop after.

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[toshes mate]

Anyone remember much of Cliff Jones?

Cliff was a fantastic left winger for Spurs who was also a good header of the ball. He was past his best when he came to us but always gave his all. I think he had a butcher's shop after.

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+1
It would probably be unethical for anyone to ask Matt to ask his grandfather if he remembers the day when, playing for our North London rivals, he got in the way of a goal bound shot at the Hammersmith End whilst standing on the goal line.  The Sunday newspapers at the time all reported it as the most obvious handball of all time unseen by only one person in the ground - the referee.  Some things never seem to change in football no matter how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise....     

[bog]

Anyone remember much of Cliff Jones?

Cliff was a fantastic left winger for Spurs who was also a good header of the ball. He was past his best when he came to us but always gave his all. I think he had a butcher's shop after.

092.gif   

+1
It would probably be unethical for anyone to ask Matt to ask his grandfather if he remembers the day when, playing for our North London rivals, he got in the way of a goal bound shot at the Hammersmith End whilst standing on the goal line.  The Sunday newspapers at the time all reported it as the most obvious handball of all time unseen by only one person in the ground - the referee.  Some things never seem to change in football no matter how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise....     

Tosh, was that not Peter Baker their right back? Never forget that, but I didn't recall it being Cliff. It may be me though.  :022:

[toshes mate]

Hi Bog, the only reason I have to name Cliff Jones is because I kept scrapbooks of newspaper articles during my teen years and there is photo with the caption naming Jones as the culprit.  My memory of it is a long distance photo from the Putney End, and it was saved on the right hand of the goal in what would have been the defensive left flank but I recall there were a few players parked on the line.  I was at the game standing a few rows back from touchline midway along the riverside terracing and remember all the mutterings around me when a penalty wasn't given, but I don't remember who I thought it was at the time.   A nephew of mine has had the scrapbooks for years now and so I'll ask him if he can find and copy the page so that I can post it here. 

[H4usuallysitting]

Wells out.....he didn't come through the stats route - so, he can't be any good

[bog]

Hi Bog, the only reason I have to name Cliff Jones is because I kept scrapbooks of newspaper articles during my teen years and there is photo with the caption naming Jones as the culprit.  My memory of it is a long distance photo from the Putney End, and it was saved on the right hand of the goal in what would have been the defensive left flank but I recall there were a few players parked on the line.  I was at the game standing a few rows back from touchline midway along the riverside terracing and remember all the mutterings around me when a penalty wasn't given, but I don't remember who I thought it was at the time.   A nephew of mine has had the scrapbooks for years now and so I'll ask him if he can find and copy the page so that I can post it here.

Thanks for that Tosh. I do recall another game v Spurs and one of our players went clean through at the Putney end, it may have been Allan Clarke, but then Dave Mackay grabbed him round the waste then stood with his arms out 'What me ref?'

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[b+w geezer]

Cliff Jones was past it by the time he came here, but at his peak was one of the stars of the best team at the time -- Double winners, European trophy winners. Juventus tried to buy him for what would have been a world record fee. Fleet-footed, goal-scoring winger.

Fun fact: I  briefly taught a daughter, who is Matt Wells' aunt. Jones himself had to earn a living teaching P.E. for decades after. Hardly something his later equivalent, Giggs, needed to consider. How frustrating it must have been to miss out so narrowly on the huge financial rewards.

[Stoneleigh Loyalist]

Both from personal memory and the newspapers of the day showing a clear photo it was Peter Baker who jumped and fisted the ball over the bar and not Cliff Jones.
As I have previously said on here at the post match interview their Captain the great Danny Blanchflower said that'it was always better to have two goalkeepers than one'