Tuesday Fulham Stuff (07/05/19)...

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How next season's Championship table is predicted to look so far as Cardiff City, Swansea City, Fulham and Stoke among early favourites

Bookmakers are already making their predictions for the 2019/20 Championship


Cardiff City and Swansea City both want to get promoted from the Championship next season

Cardiff City and Swansea City are among the early favourites to be promoted back to the Premier League next season.

The Bluebirds have been installed as third favourites for promotion at 11/4 with Sky Bet, while Swansea are joint sixth at 4/1.

Relegated Fulham and Stoke City are joint favourites at 5/2, with Huddersfield and Middlesbrough at 3/1 and Brentford and Sheffield Wednesday at 4/1 alongside the Swans.

In terms of winning the 2019/20 Championship title, Cardiff are 10/1, with the Swans at 16/1.

The current odds, of course, do not include the four play-off teams, Leeds United, West Brom, Aston Villa and Derby County, who will battle it out for a place in the the top flight over the coming weeks.

Whichever of those three big hitters don't make it will be among the favourites for promotion next time.

Barnsley, who have been promoted from League One for next term, are 2/1 favourites for relegation, with Luton Town at 5/2.

You can get 12/1 on Swansea going down and 16/1 on the Bluebirds to suffer a second consecutive relegation.

Both Welsh teams will have ambitions to challenge for promotion, with much depending on what happens during the summer transfer window as Cardiff come to terms with the financial realities of life outside the Premier League and Swansea remain hamstrung by their own money issues.

The odds on the 20 confirmed Championship teams being promoted next season

Fulham 5/2

Stoke 5/2

Cardiff 11/4

Huddersfield 3/1

Middlesbrough 3/1

Brentford 4/1

Sheffield Wednesday 4/1

Swansea 4/1

Bristol City 5/1

Nottingham Forest 5/1

Blackburn 7/1

Birmingham 8/1

Hull 8/1

Preston 8/1

Barnsley 9/1

Luton 9/1

Millwall 9/1

QPR 9/1

Reading 9/1

Wigan 9/1



https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/how-next-seasons-championship-table-16232496

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Arsene Wenger rejects Fulham job for SECOND time this season as they aim to appoint big-name manager despite relegation to Championship

    Fulham made a fresh attempt to convince Arsene Wenger to join them
    He rejected an approach from the Cottagers when they hired Claudio Ranieri
    They will turn to Scott Parker if they cannot appoint a big name instead

Fulham have failed with a fresh attempt to persuade Arsene Wenger back into management.

Former Arsenal manager Wenger turned down an approach from the Cottagers in November before they appointed Claudio Ranieri.

Undeterred by that knock back, the ambitious Londoners asked the question again of Wenger again more recently despite being Championship-bound.


Fulham have failed with a fresh attempt to persuade Arsene Wenger back into management

Once again Wenger, who left Arsenal a year ago after 22 years in charge, said no following the enquiry.

Wenger is continuing to ponder if and where he will make a return to football.

Meanwhile Fulham have been weighing up their managerial options, including the new Wenger approach, while caretaker Scott Parker has been making his own case to land the job full-time.

Sportsmail understands ambitious Fulham have been keen to see if they can tempt a big-name manager to take over at Craven Cottage.

They are ready to turn to Parker and hand him his first full-time managerial job if those attempts ultimately prove unsuccessful.

Parker was handed the caretaker reins in February following Ranieri's dismissal and, with most of the damage already done by then, he was unable to prevent their relegation.

He did lead Fulham to three straight wins and clean sheets before Saturday's 1-0 loss at Wolves, a run which enhanced his claims to land the job on a permanent basis.

Fulham's players are backing Parker's bid to become the club's next full-time manager.

Captain Tom Cairney said: 'I've said for a long time that I think Scott has done an incredible job and, in my eyes, I think he is the right man for the job.'


They will turn to caretaker Scott Parker if their attempts to hire a big name are unsuccessful



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6997371/Arsene-Wenger-rejects-Fulham-job-SECOND-time-season-aim-appoint-big-manager.html

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The financial gulf between Premier League and everyone else is grim - look at Bolton

Bolton Wanderers could be expelled from the Football League while Premier League clubs lap up all the money

Inside twelve months, Premier League clubs spent £260million on agents' fees and Bolton Wanderers, a footballing institution with 145 years of history, is going to the wall.

Let. That. Sink. In.

Alexis Sanchez is a bit-part player earning an annual £26million at Old Trafford and Bolton Wanderers, a team that beat Manchester United in 1958 to win their fourth FA Cup, cannot afford to pay the cleaners, never mind the footballers, so could face extinction.

Let. That. Sink. In.

The last two rounds of television deals for the Premier League, if you include overseas rights, have brought in the best part of £15billion and Bolton Wanderers, a founder member of the Football League, became so potless, they could not fulfil their fixture obligations.

Let. That. Sink. In.

Having been unable to meet their playing obligations and, essentially, forfeited a match, Bolton will be punished by the EFL.

The most likely sanction will be a points deduction that, on top of the penalty it will get when it inevitably goes into administration this week, will condemn the club to another relegation next season.

But expelling the club has to be an option.

First, Bolton fell into the yawning, ever-widening, chasm between the Premier League and the Football League - now, they face the drop into oblivion.

They go back to court on Wednesday to try and avoid a winding-up order.

Nat Lofthouse will be shoulder-charging his coffin lid.

How has it come to this? Years and years of financial mismanagement at the club, of course. That goes without saying.

And badly-run football clubs are not there to bailed out every other year.

But the financial disparity between the behemoth that is the Premier League and the rest of football is such that more cases of the severity of Bolton's are inevitable.

Especially vulnerable are those that have been in and left the Promised Land.

Apparently, Richard Scudamore had a jocular way of greeting newcomers, or returning old friends, to the Premier League.

"Here is the thing," he would tell the chairman or chief executive of a promoted club. "We are going to give you loads of money ... now make sure you go out and spend it."

There was a smile but you suspect he pretty much meant it.

Spend loads of money, get loads of new players, Premier League looks even more like the place to be, next TV deal goes through another roof. Drinks all round.

Clubs who are promoted and hardly spend a cent have a peculiar interest for a short while but are, as a rule, not welcome.

With the spending comes the wages that can make relegation catastrophic.

Just look at Sunderland's recent accounts. A £20million loss for their first season back in the Championship in 2017-18.

Bolton are over £40million in debt and that is with past owner Eddie Davies having written off nearly £200million in loans before his death in September of last year.

The debts of Football League clubs are eased by a 'solidarity' payment from the Premier League.

Last season, that payment for a Championship club was just over £4million. No more than a gesture.

Their own cavalier and incompetent financial management are the root of clubs' troubles.

And Bolton's history does not make then any more deserving of help than others who have teetered on the brink recently.

Coventry City, for example.

But as a symbol of the dire problems the financial gulf between the Premier League and everyone else can cause, none are more toweringly grim than Bolton Wanderers.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/financial-gulf-between-premier-league-15004538

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REVEALED: Cardiff City, Fulham and Huddersfield Town are set to become the worst bottom three in Premier League history... unless they all win their final games of the season

    Cardiff, Fulham and Huddersfield are already relegated to the Championship 
    They combine 72 points in this campaign, seven points short of existing record
    Trio would all have to win final game to avoid becoming worst relegated sides
    Relegated teams have never taken more than six points on the final day

The Premier League title race may already be setting new standards points-wise, but the battle against relegation is poised to record new lows.

Ahead of the final game of the season, the bottom three are already confirmed in the top flight with Cardiff's defeat by Crystal Palace on Saturday condemning them to the Championship along with Fulham and Huddersfield next term.

Despite Neil Warnock's side battling to the penultimate weekend to stay up, they are set to become part of the worst set of relegated teams in Premier League history.


Cardiff were relegated to the Championship on Saturday after defeat by Crystal Palace

   
Cardiff will join Fulham and Huddersfield Town in being relegated from the Premier League

The trio currently have 72 points, which as it stands would be a record low.

That means to avoid setting a new low benchmark, Cardiff, Fulham and Huddersfield Town would all have to win their final game of the season to avoid becoming the ultimate 'terrible trio.'

Two wins and a draw would ensure they match the existing record, but on the final day of the season relegated sides have never taken more than six points from their combined fixtures.

By comparison, Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland set the existing record in 2006, with the Baggies taking one point from the possible nine on the final day of the season at Everton.

Burnley, Hull and Portsmouth then avoided setting an outright new record on the final day of the 2009-10 season, with Burnley defeating Tottenham and Hull drawing against Liverpool.

Taking nine points appears a tall order for this season's bottom three. Cardiff visit Manchester United on the final day, while Fulham host Newcastle and Huddersfield travel to Southampton.

Historically the bottom three in the Premier League usually eclipse 86 points. Aside from the seasons mentioned, the only time this has not occurred was in 2007-08.

However, this included a Derby County team that set the record low-points finish with just 11 that campaign - dragging Reading and Birmingham City into a combined 82 points.

The greatest combined total comes at 144 points from 1994-95 - but that featured four relegated teams from a 42-game season. From a three-team system, the record stands at 133 from the very first Premier League campaign, but that was also a 42-game season.

Over 38 matches the most points from three relegated sides is 113 points set by Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest in 1996-97.

Intriguingly, that season also combines with the fewest points ever recorded by the champions, with Manchester United winning the crown with only 75 points.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6997559/Cardiff-Fulham-Huddersfield-set-worst-relegated-teams-Premier-League-history.html

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Fulham have done the right thing by tying down this energetic 28-year-old star to a new contract – Agreed?

Fulham Opinion: Cottagers have struck gold by securing Tom Cairney's future

According to the London Evening Standard, Fulham captain Tom Cairney has signed a new five-year deal with the Cottagers, which should keep him at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2024, with the option of a further one-year extension.

The news regarding Cairney committing his future to the club should bring a big smile on the faces of the Fulham fans, who are preparing for a season in the Championship following their relegation from the Premier League.

Cairney scored the winner in last year's playoff finals against Aston Villa and helped his team secure promotion to the Premier League but he hasn't had the most fruitful of campaigns in the top-flight this time around, with injuries forcing him to spend large chunks of the season on the sidelines.

Nevertheless, he has made a total of 31 appearances for the Cottagers in all competitions this season, registering only a solitary goal and an assist in the process.

The 28-year-old Scottish international, who made his move to Fulham from Blackburn Rovers back in 2015, has made a total of 161 appearances for the west Londoners in all competitions, accumulating 28 goals and 24 assists.

Fulham are set for a massive squad overhaul at the end of the season, with several of their big-money signings from last summer, including the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Andre Schurrle, Luciano Vietto, Jean Michael Seri and others expected to leave the club.

The Cottagers will be under pressure to trim their wage bills significantly and they just cannot afford to have such big names on their books in the Championship. Ryan Sessegnon is another player who might move on at the end of the season, with so many top clubs courting the teenager.

To put things into perspective, Cairney's new deal couldn't have come at a better time for Fulham and the news should certainly be a massive boost for the Craven Cottage faithful. The Cottagers have a massive rebuilding job on their hands this summer and Cairney's presence should allow them to build a team around him.

The 28-year-old has been Fulham's midfield general for the last three seasons and he is arguably the most creative central midfielder that they have in their ranks at the moment.

Had the 28-year-old chosen to depart Fulham at the end of the season, there would have been no shortage of interest from the Premier League clubs. However, Cairney signing a new deal is a clear indication of the fact that he believes Fulham can make it back to the Premier League in the foreseeable future, if not, in the first time of asking.

Given that the Scotsman has pledged his loyalty to the club, despite having other options on the table, the fans at Craven Cottage should start loving him a bit more.

Noted for his stamina, work-rate, creativity, vision and versatility, Cairney doesn't get the credit that he often deserves but few can argue that he is a wonderful footballer with remarkable footballing intelligence.

Be it picking out the right pass, making a well-timed run into the box or cutting out the attacks – Cairney always seems to have that extra bit of time on his side to do the needful.

The 28-year-old will hold the key to Fulham's chances of securing promotion back to the Premier League and it is not difficult to see why they have actually struck gold by securing his long-term future at the club.



https://www.mediareferee.com/2019/05/06/fulham-have-done-the-right-thing-by-tying-down-this-energetic-28-year-old-star-to-a-new-contract-agreed/

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Fulham goalkeeper unlikely to return to Rotherham United for a third time

Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodák is unlikely to return to Rotherham United next season.

The 22-year-old shot stopper has spent the past two seasons on loan with the Millers but is part of Fulham's first-team plans for the next campaign, as per a report by the Rotherham Advertiser.

Rodák, who is a former Slovakia Under-21 international, has impressed for Paul Warne's side over the past two years. He helped them gain promotion from League One in his first loan spell but has been unable to prevent them from relegation from the Championship this season.

Warne has admitted he wants to bring him back to South Yorkshire this season but it is unlikely: "I had a conversation with Fulham and they were saying that they wanted Marek as part of their squad next year. It's like I'm pushing a door that's locked."

"I'll still have another conversation. Marek has been a big part of us for two years and I'm grateful to Fulham for allowing him to develop here. But as I sit here now I don't think him coming back here is happening."

Rodák joined Fulham in 2013 having previously played for FC VSS Košice as a youngster. He has played once for the London side in a League Cup tie against Wycombe Wanderers in August 2017.

The 6ft 4inc 'keeper has gained plenty of first-team experience out on loan at Farnborough, Welling United, Accrington Stanley and of course Rotherham.



https://the72.co.uk/130218/fulham-goalkeeper-unlikely-to-return-to-rotherham-united-for-a-third-time/

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Liverpool linked with another Fulham prospect

There continues to be speculation over the future of Ryan Sessegnon – and now another promising Fulham youngster has been linked with a move away from the club.

Liverpool are among the clubs to have been linked with Sessegnon, who has a year remaining on his contract at Craven Cottage and has been tipped to move this summer.

And the Daily Mail say Liverpool are eyeing another Whites prospect in 17-year-old right-back Cody Drameh.

The Mail say Liverpool scouts have watched Drameh in action for Fulham's Under-23 side and have liked what they have seen.

He has been compared to Reds and England full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold and it looks like Fulham could face a fight to keep hold of Drameh as well as a number of first-team players this summer.

As for Sessegnon, top European clubs are keen on the left-sided player, including Tottenham.

The Mail have suggested that he would prefer a move to Spurs because of boss Mauricio Pochettino's record of developing young English talent.

Manchester United are also said to be keen to snap up Sessegnon, as are French giants Paris St-Germain.

There have also been reports that Borussia Dortmund would be keen to snap him up if he sees out the final year of his Fulham contract.



http://londonfootballnews.co.uk/fulham/football-wls-liverpool-could-be-set-to-snap-up-two-fulham-prospects/

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West Ham United Identify Fulham Forward As Carroll Replacement: Wise Move For The Hammers?

According to a recent report by the Daily Star, West Ham United are interested in securing the services of Aleksandar Mitrovic from Fulham during the summer transfer period. The same source has revealed that the Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini is preparing for a summer overhaul of his squad and could recruit the Serbian centre-forward as a replacement for Andy Carroll who is set to leave the club at the end of this campaign.

Mitrovic's Breakthrough Season In The Premier League

Mitrovic has enjoyed another impressive campaign at Craven Cottage after putting in some match-winning performances for the Cottagers thus far. It is also worth noting that this season with Fulham has been a breakthrough year for the Serbian frontman personally as he has finally managed to prove his worth in the Premier League even though his employers have suffered the agony of being relegated last month.

The former Newcastle United striker has featured in 38 matches for the London outfit this term, registering 11 goals while providing three assists across multiple competitions. He is also vastly experienced at the international level having represented Serbia in 47 international matches while scoring 23 goals for his nation so far.

What Will He Bring To The London Stadium?

Mitrovic will undoubtedly be an upgrade over Carroll as he is more prolific and doesn't have a poor track record with injuries. Mitrovic is an aerially dominant centre-forward up top and can be a real handful for any defender when playing with confidence on the pitch.

The Serbian international has remarkable strength which helps him win a lot of aerial duels in the final third. He has also managed to score goals even with limited service at Craven Cottage which is easier said than done especially in the English top-flight. However, the jury is still out on whether he can break into the 'world-class' bracket as his one-dimensional playing style can sometimes be quite easy to predict.

Mitrovic's Acquisition: Wise Move For Pellegrini?

The addition of a forward like Mitrovic will improve Manuel Pellegrini's frontline significantly ahead of the new season. Furthermore, the striker will also receive better service at the London Stadium as he will have more proven players playing alongside him.

No doubt recruiting Mitrovic could be a shrewd move for the Hammers as he will be a decent fit for Pellegrini's style of play at the East London club.



https://the4thofficial.net/2019/05/west-ham-united-identify-fulham-forward-as-carroll-replacement-wise-move-for-the-hammers/

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Five Thoughts: Woverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Fulham

Our last away fixture of the campaign and our penultimate meeting of the 2018-19 campaign ended with a 1-0 defeat at the paws of Wolverhapmton Wanderers. Nuno Espirito Santo's Wolves hunted in packs and restricted Fulham to scraps throughout the confrontation, and if the home contingent had a sharper bite, the score line could have been gruesomely unflattering for the Whites and their plump, penetrable underbelly.

Scott Parker's reinstated an identity and resilience, our previous three fixtures will vouch for that, but the Cottagers weren't equipped for the challenges that resided within the confines of Molineux. It was a game that made you "meh", in fact. We are a Championship squad and Wolves were tailing a Europa League place, one reality blatantly outweighs the other, doesn't it?

Wolves, incidentally, are now guaranteed 7th spot, the highest finish they've ever achieved in the top-flight. It's painful to recognise that they were in the same division as us last season, albeit victors of said domestic dwellings, but their rise from bleak mediocrity in recent years is nothing more than palatable inspiration for Shahid Khan and his band of backroom chums. We're in for a summer of vast adjustments and transitional rejigs – with Scotty P in the dugout, a philosophy similar to Wolves can be formulated and adhered to. You don't go 23 games unbeaten for no good reason and there's got to be an old coaching manual of Slavisa Jokanovic's laying about somewhere. Whatever's put into practice, please, keep Steve Clarke out of our club. We were once referred to as the "Barcelona of the Championship", not the overachieving runts of the SPL.

Muted Mitro's Misery
Aleksandar Mitrovic has not scored from open play since Fulham's turbulent 4-2 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the end of January. The Serb may have dispatched a game-clinching penalty at the Vitality, but his muted existence in front of the target during offensive sequences is a notable concern. Pitted against a robust back three of Ryan Bennett, Wily Boly and Conor Coady, clear-cut instances for the 24-year-old to test Rui Patricio's reactions were few and far between, and once a prime opportunity arose, the goal shy striker snatched wildly.

Wolves' defensive representatives aligned a stifling pincer procedure, a method that directly contained Mitro in the final third. Accustomed to venturing into the central quadrant of the park, Mitro's physicality naturally enables his midfield colleagues to construct convincing sequences in possession, but as the misfiring attacker was shadowed and constricted throughout the duration of the encounter, Fulham couldn't devise and implement a credible offensive strategy, in order to breach the hosts' resolute structure.

Just after the hour mark, Cyrus Christie slipped Ryan Sessegnon into an advantageous position in the edge of the 18-yard box and the youngster, alive to Mitro's presence, instantaneously prodded the ball into the expectant hit-man's path. Only an outspread Patricio stood between Mitro' and breaking the deadlock but from 12 yards with the net at his mercy, he blazed the ball, comfortably, over the Portugal international's crossbar. If the forlorn marksman had found the net, the complexion of the encounter would have drastically altered, and while points are worthless to the Whites cause, Mitro's despairing escapades may well have cost us a potential second away triumph of the campaign. Ho-hum.

Welcome Home, Frailties
Fulham have been the master of their own downfalls over the course of the 2018-19 season and at Molineux, with a highly-proficient Wolves to detain, the Whites recklessly spoon fed their opponents a smorgasbord of delectable opportunities to devour. Parker's inherited set-up had seemingly ousted perilous passing, but to our bitter dismay, wayward swipes at the ball and lackadaisical inclinations reared its ugly mug once again after a brief vacation.

If Diogo Jota had been more clinical, Wolves could have waltzed away with a comprehensive drubbing. Efforts whistled wide of the mark by a matter of inches and woodwork was rattled, and though Wolves' midfield architects don't require a second invitation to supply ammunition, the Cottagers gift wrapped an extensive catalogue of free hits, due to their erratic tendencies at the back.

Calum Chambers pirouetting on the parameter of the 18-yard box whilst being hounded. Tim Ream skewing routine clearances into orbit. Sess' tamely squandering elemental patterns, the deficiencies were boundless. But it's the negligent manner in which we eventually conceded that's deeply agitating and, well, familiar. A loose ball from Maxime Le Marchand (surprise) was picked off and Wolves proceeded to dismantle our statuesque composition. Ghosting into an ominous position, Leander Dendoncker, unopposed, acquainted Matt Doherty searching cross from the right with a sumptuous volley. It was liquid football, no denying that, but virtually every member of Fulham's set-up was rooted to the turf during the build-up and that, having been relatively alert and observant beforehand, is inexcusable.

Still Sergio's Supporter
So, the illustrious clean sheet streak is no more. Courtesy of fellow pod favourite Nick MacNee's stats wizardry, Sergio Rico had not conceded a goal for 360 minutes until Dendoncker's hammer blow, although the Spaniard safeguarded his goal mouth supremely from start to finish at Molineux and is undoubtedly deserving of glittering praise and plaudits. He's not the complete article just yet, but the 25-year-old's an exquisite shot stopper that's capable of winning matches and stunting further bloodshed.

Rico relied on every inch of his rangy frame to deny Jota in the 11th minute, after the illusive attacker stroked towards the 'keeper's bottom right corner. A deft flick of the fingertips diverted a certain goal out of play for a corner. Neves, in the 66th minute, launched a distinctive projectile but Rico was prepared to beat the ball away from his target. From the resulting corner, an unmarked Doherty nodded at the foot of the post, although Rico's primed boot halted his quickfire header.

Following Wolves critical opener, the Sevilla FC loanee continued to flex his dexterity between to sticks. Having fought so valiantly, Rico dusted himself down and readied his palms for action – the home side weren't finished. Cracking a fierce thunderbolt, Jota could have registered the game's second in some style, but Rico's sensational agility deflected the ball onto the crossbar.  If given the chance to snag his services permanently, I would donate a month's worth of my own wages to initiate negotiations. Rico, however, could easily ply his trade for a top European power, if he's to depart Los Hispalenses in the summer transfer window.

Admiring Bryan's Attitude
There's nothing I relish more than a player that's visibly loving football in a Fulham jersey. Joe Bryan epitomises that and his display along the left channel was admirable. He's had to answer his critics in recent weeks but for me, he's been one of our most effective players this season, if not our most improved player after a shaky start to life in SW6.

Exploring his respective flank determinedly, Bryan brandished flashes of beneficial qualities in the final third. Alternating with Ryan Babel and overlapping accordingly, the 25-year-old fullback arced and fizzed tantalising crosses into threatening areas, although Mitro' and company were unable to connect on various occasions. Little fruition came from his ingenuity but nevertheless, he's always a constant outlet and offensive tool.

Now, Bryan's been criticised somewhat for allowing Joao Moutinho and Doherty to combine so freely before the game's only goal, but let's be honest, he was utterly helpless. No one filed in behind Bryan to shield a potential cross and those situated in the penalty area were passive bystanders. Bryan isn't the strongest defender in many respects, but to be a modern fullback, you have to roam the touchline tirelessly and systematically, even if you're merely offering an extra dimension without being an integral necessity. Effort in abundance, this season has been a sobering experience for Bryan and, periodically, it's been a minor car crash. But, invested and hungry, the enthusiastic will learn and grow from his maiden season in the top-flight. Basically he's an asset that'll almost certainly flourish next term, now that he's seemingly settled.

Harvey 'Record-Breaker' Elliott
A late, late cameo, Harvey Elliott became the Premier League's youngest ever competitor in the 89th minute, replacing Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa. As proceedings were whittling down to the closing seconds, the attacking midfielder of 16 years and 30 days old couldn't make a solid impact but, as it's a historic moment in our club's history, as well as the top-flight's, it rightfully demands attention. Step aside, Matthew Briggs.

Elliott's self-belief is magnificent and now that he's earned his stripes in the first-team, even for a matter of moments, the sky is the limit for our latest fledgling prodigy. highly revered at Motspur Park, seeing the teenager, man bun intact, spring onto the pitch was an oddly proud moment because it meant that despite relegation, Fulham will still be relevant to top-tier football as a result of his anticipated emergence.

Vibrant, intelligent, exalted, the schoolboy's allegedly been tracked by the likes of La Liga giants FC Barcelona and Manchester City in recent months and in terms of international prospectus, Elliott's a mainstay within England's U17 camp. A regular component of Steve Wigley's U18 fold, Elliott's rapidly developing into a mature, essential cog within the Whites' youth system and his ambition is both refreshing and markedly promising. With Sessegnon to emulate, Elliott's got to trust his flourishing skill set if he's to succeed but, as the Whites entrust gifted teenagers that excel, it's fair to predict that he'll feature more frequently next term in the Championship as his footballing education progresses.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2019-05-07-five-thoughts-woverhampton-wanderers-1-0-fulham/