Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 17/03/20...

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Bristol City fan view: Fairest way to solve play-off situation is to give third-placed Fulham promotion

Our fan in the stands on the coronavirus suspension


Fulham celebrate winning the 2018 play-off final (Image: Getty Images)

It was no surprise on Friday when the Premier League and English Football League made its decision on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic to postpone all games until the start of April at the earliest.

One of my favorite football quotes of all time is the quote by former Liverpool Boss, Bill Shankly. The Anfield legend is quoted as saying that "Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that."

As much as I love that quote, of course it's not true and there was only one course of action that the football authorities could take.

The truth is that at this moment in time, we just don't know when things could return to some sort of normality.

Personally I would be surprised with everything that I have read, if matches recommence at the start of April. This could go on for a lot longer than we think.

Today the media is reporting that over-70s could be asked to self-isolate for up to four months. It is also being suggested that the government may table legislation that would ban gatherings of more than 500 people.

This is an unprecedented situation, and if the suspension continues past April, what will happen? There is every likelihood that the Euro 2020 tournament will be postponed and so potentially the English League could be extended.

If things improve maybe we have to play Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday until all games are completed.

There was many a season in my days as a youth team manager for the great Warmley Rangers that we would have to do this due to weather postponements earlier in the season. Although, I appreciate that it's not the same.

Of course there is the possibility that the league campaign cannot be completed but what happens then?

Some have talked about the 2019/2020 season being voided but that just doesn't feel right. How can Liverpool in the Premier League not be crowned champions? I'm far from a Liverpool fan but they are 25 points clear of Manchester City in send place.

It's at the other end of the table with teams separated by only goal difference that you could see legal challenges being made if that was what was decided.

What about in the EFL, where we have play-off places and games? Would it be decided that the third place team gets the final promotion spot?  We sit in seventh place but I have to say for me, I cannot see any fairer decision.

Where you are in the table is where you are.  But it gets even more complicated in those play-off and relegation positions when teams have not played the same number of games.

It's also been suggested that if players, managers, coaches  and stadium staff could be afforded a degree of protection, that games could take place behind closed doors.  Not for me, all of these people have family and friends and they shouldn't be put at any greater a risk than me or you.

I'm not making light of this. We know that clubs could go to the wall and peoples businesses and livelihoods will be affected.  However, at the end of the day; football is just a game.

We all know that there is a far greater concern than whether a football season is finished or not.

We all hope that the course of action being taken will see an improvement in the situation.

We need to follow the scientific and medical advice and please look after yourselves, your family and your friends.



https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bristol-city-fan-view-fairest-3953200

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'No doubt': Club chief not surprised by Aston Villa's links with £10m star

Premier League Aston Villa are reportedly battling Championship duo West Brom and Fulham for Huddersfield Town striker Karlan Grant.

Huddersfield Town are more than aware of the speculation surrounding star striker Karlan Grant, according to the Examiner, amid claims that Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham are planning a summer swoop.

Where would the Terriers be right now if it wasn't for their former Charlton Athletic talisman? Danny Cowley's side are just three points above the Championship relegation zone despite the best efforts of Grant, who has netted 16 times in 34 league games in 2019/20.

Life without the 22-year-old next season looks a realistic possibility, however, with Sky claiming that Villa, West Brom and Fulham are all interested in snapping him up during the upcoming transfer window.

While Huddersfield chief executive Mark Devlin believes his side are not under financial pressure to cash in, he knows that the West Yorkshire outfit will have a challenge on their hands as they look to keep a proven goalkeeper at the John Smith's Stadium.

"Karlan is one of those players I have no doubt will be feted and that there will be interest. We know there is interest out there and we will deal with it when it comes to it," Devlin said.

"Let's be really honest, a guy like Karlan is going to attract interest - goalscorers will attract interest. We don't have to sell him and, if Karlan decided he wanted to be part of our group longer term, then that would delight us.

"At the moment, I am delighted to say Karlan is really throwing himself into his work, so to speak, and is doing everything he can to help us make sure we are nice and safe in the Championship."

Interestingly, Villa, West Brom and Fulham are all facing uncertain futures right now as it remains to be seen whether they will be Premier League or Championship teams by the time the 2020/21 season kicks off.

Should Villa go down and West Brom go up, hypothetically speaking, the Baggies will obviously have an advantage over their Midland rivals. So this is one to keep an eye on.

The Sun reported (4 October, page 61) recently that Grant is valued at £10 million.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/03/16/do-no-doubt-club-chief-not-surprised-by-aston-villas-links-with/

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Ex-Fulham defender Briggs joins Dartford

Dartford have signed former Fulham defender Matthew Briggs.

Now 29, Briggs became the Premier League's youngest player when he made his league debut for Fulham at 16 years and 65 days in May 2007.

The London-born Guyana international has since played for the likes of Millwall, Colchester United and Chesterfield. Briggs has most recently been in Denmark with second-tier HB Køge.




https://nonleaguedaily.com/ex-fulham-defender-briggs-joins-dartford/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ex-fulham-defender-briggs-joins-dartford

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Club set for talks with Fulham in near future over signing player in summer

According to Turkish website Fotospor, Galatasaray have already started to look towards the next transfer window, despite the uncertainty with the Coronavirus outbreak.

Gala are looking to sign Sivasspor's Mert Hakan Yandas in the summer transfer window, whilst it's also reported the Turkish side will again knock on Fulham's door for Jean Michael Seri.

The Ivorian midfielder has been a revelation for Galatasaray in the second half of the season and his performances have helped the Super Lig side enter the title race after a poor first half of the campaign.

It's reported that Galatasaray will again try to loan the 28 year old and negotiations with Fulham will begin in the near future.

Seri has made 29 appearances for Galatasaray in all competitions this season, scoring one goal.

His contract with Fulham will expire at the end of June 2022, although his future with the Craven Cottage side looks uncertain. He arrived with high expectations from Nice but failed to deliver in his debut season in England.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-set-talks-fulham-near-future-craven-cottage-player/

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84 appearances for Fulham: Hugo Rodallega – How is he getting on these days?

At the age of 34, former Fulham forward Hugo Rodallega is still plying his trade out in Turkey five years after leaving the Cottagers to experience the Super-Lig for the first time.

The Colombian striker arrived at Craven Cottage on a free transfer from Wigan Athletic in July 2012, after his impressive showings for the Latics in previous seasons saw him become a striking target for a number of top-flight clubs.

Rodallega was one of six new additions that Martin Jol elected to bring to the club that summer, and the third player that joined as a free agent, along with Mladen Petric and Giorgos Karagounis.

Although he was a regular feature for Fulham in his first season at the club, the forward found goals hard to come by, finding the net just three times in all competitions in 2012-13. Fulham finished the season in 12th place.

However, the following campaign saw his first-chances reduced, as he made just thirteen league appearances for the Cottagers as they were relegated after finishing the season in 19th place.

His first season of Championship football followed, and it proved to be his best campaign for Fulham, as he found the net 10 times in 34 games. Despite that, he was one of nine players released by the club that summer.

Belediyespor, where he remained for two seasons before he moved on to Trabzonspor.

He still plays in Turkey to this day, and is now at his third club there – newly promoted Denizlispor.

Rodallega proved he still has it, in this clip shared on social media by The Football League Paper, where he scored an outrageous effort:

In just under six full seasons in Turkey, the Colombian has scored 65 times.

Although the forward did not live up to expectations at Fulham, he still scored some important goals for the Cottagers, and the fans will not forget him in a hurry.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/84-appearances-for-fulham-hugo-rodallega-how-is-he-getting-on-these-days/

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1 assist: This Fulham man hasn't been the creative outlet that Parker would've been hoping for

Denis Odoi has had a contested season at Fulham.

The man who almost scuppered Fulham's chances in the 2018 play-off final with his sending off has become an important player under Scott Parker.

Since that game, Fulham fans have always had a tainted view of Odoi but in the earlier parts of this season, he looked really effective in Parker's new brand of football, and looked as though he could have a strong season.

But he's been in and out of the first-team. A simply stupid sending off at Preston earlier in the season threw him out of contention for a while, and at times he's been filling in at centre-back.

But he's again starting to lock-down that right-back position, and here's how his season has panned out so far:

There's no doubting his defensive abilities. Odoi is regarded as a modern-type wing-back who favours the attack, but these types of defenders often get lambasted for their inability to defend.

Odoi isn't like that – he's managed to win 2.2 aerial duels per game this season, impressive considering his height, and has averaged 1.2 tackles and 1.1 interceptions.

Those above numbers make for good reading, but Parker and certainly Odoi himself, would've been expecting a greater influence with assists. He's just the one all season, and that compares to left-back Joe Bryan who has seven.

Bryan is quality in what he does, and maybe Odoi sacrifices some attacking runs in favour of Bryan getting forward. Despite the critique of his season, Odoi has featured 26 times in the Championship for Fulham, and has been an ever-present since the New Year.

Without him this season, Parker would've struggled. Fulham have the prospect of Steven Sessegnon at right-back, but he's again showed that he's not quite ready to make the step-up into the first-team.

Whilst Cyrus Christie has also had a mixed season, and has rarely been favoured ahead of Odoi at right-back. At 31-years-old, Odoi seems to be getting better with age, and Parker can expect a few more seasons out of him yet.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/1-assist-this-fulham-man-hasnt-been-the-creative-outlet-that-parker-wouldve-been-hoping-for/

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How the sports world is using break in action to do good

Steph Curry has donated to feed school children

Athletes suddenly have a lot of time on their hands. Some of them are using it to help out their communities.

Across the NBA, Premier League and cricket, some athletes and teams are doing what they can to help out others who are being affected by sports postponements or other effects of the coronavirus spread.

Football clubs offer their help...

Watford on Monday released a statement asking fans to come together to help out the elderly, vulnerable and those who become house-bound - whether by offering chats or with shopping.

"We're making a general appeal to Watford fans who're in a position to help others to show our famed community ethos and come forward with their offer to volunteer," the statement says.

Aston Villa, Brighton & Fulham all donated hundreds of meals to local homeless charities after fixtures were postponed over the weekend.

Food had already been prepared for supporter kiosks and hospitality lounges and the clubs made sure they were not wasted.

In a similar gesture, Liverpool backed the organisation Fans Supporting Foodbanks, with a £40,000 donation during the league suspension while Everton, due to be Liverpool's opponents in Monday night's postponed Merseyside derby, have also done their part.

Everton, through their official catering partner, donated more than 635kg of food originally intended for the match to North Liverpool Foodbank.

Steph Curry helps schools...

The Golden State Warriors' Steph Curry and his wife Ayesha announced over the weekend that they would be donating money, through their foundation Eat Learn Play, to help feed school kids in Oakland after schools were shut there - meaning that school meals would not be an option.

Curry says that more than 18,000 students in Oakland rely on their school for two or more meals per day.

NBA players donate to help Arena workers...

After NBA matches were postponed, a number of players pledged to donate money to help staff at sports arenas.

MVP favourite Giannis Antetokounmpo pledged to donate to staff at the Fiserv Forum where the Milwaukee Bucks play their home games.

Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans' wonderkid, Zion Williamson, has pledged to donate his salary to staff at the Smoothie King Center for the next month.

Kevin Love, of the Cleveland Cavaliers, went public to say he'll be donating $100,000 to arena staff too.

The Brooklyn Nets also put out a statement pledging to offer relief to staff at the Barclays Center.

JJ Watt and Kealia Ohai donate to Houston Food Bank...

NFL player JJ Watt and his wife, Chicago Red Stars footballer Kealia Ohai Watt have reportedly donated $350,000 (£284,039) to the Houston Food Bank, which could provide a reported one million plus meals for people in need.

Watt's JJ Watt Foundation helped raise over $41 million in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

Cricketer Sam Billings lends a hand...

England and Kent County Cricket's Sam Billings is offering to help deliver shopping for people who may be struggling at the moment.

That's your weekly big shop in good hands.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/51913578

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'It's vital that it's completed': Leeds United desperate to finish Championship season as they chase promotion to Premier League and club reveal they are even willing to play games behind closed doors

    Leeds United believe majority of EFL clubs want to complete the current season
    Leeds' managing director, Angus Kinnear, says clubs need income from games
    Marcelo Bielsa's side could miss out on promotion if the season is cancelled
    Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

Championship leaders Leeds United believe it is 'vital' for the current season to be finished and are prepared to play behind closed doors to do so.

Marcelo Bielsa's side lead West Brom by one point and are seven clear of third-placed Fulham as they bid for a return to the Premier League after 16 years outside the top flight.

The impact of coronavirus on the football calendar threatens to delay or possibly derail their promotion hopes and, in response, the club have come out and declared their desire for the campaign to be played to a conclusion, even if that means without supporters inside the stadium.


Leeds' managing director Angus Kinnear (r) says it's vital Championship season is completed


Leeds on verge of Premier League promotion and would miss out if campaign is cancelled


Marcelo Bielsa and his players have continued to train despite fixture postponements

The EFL is currently suspended until April 3 and that date is likely to be put back as the number of people infected by the virus increases daily.

Leeds managing director Angus Kinnear, however, feels a solution should ultimately be found to complete the league fixtures.

He said: 'From our perspective, we think it is vital that it is completed.. I think there is a growing sense across the football family that this is the right thing to do.

'It is difficult to speculate on timelines and now is the time for patience and cool heads. I think for the integrity of the football pyramid and the financial security of the clubs, finishing the league is the right thing to do.


Kinnear says EFL clubs need the financial income from remaining games in order to survive


Bielsa's squad have trained in half groups and believe training ground is safe for players

'You have already seen La Liga and Serie A come out and say they want the leagues completed and they want Euro 2020 suspended so that they can do that. I think that is probably the right decision.'

Bielsa's squad are continuing to train in half groups and will review their schedule at the end of the week. Given that none of the players or staff have displayed symptoms of the virus, the club believe their Thorp Arch training ground is the safest environment for their players to be at present.

And they are open to the idea of playing their nine remaining fixtures behind closed doors.

Kinnear told Sky Sports News: 'If it is the choice between not finishing the league and playing behind closed doors, we would like to play behind closed doors but, ultimately, we really think we owe it to our fans, and fans across the country, to complete the league.

'That would be the ideal but it needs to be in a situation where it is safe to do so. From a fan perspective I think it would be the right decision to try and play the games with supporters there.

'There is obviously a danger that self-interest will play a part but I have actually been refreshed by the fact that most of the football family are looking at safety and health and well-being first. That is the main priority.'



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8117991/Leeds-United-desperate-finish-Championship-season-chase-promotion-Premier-League.html

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Club responds to Fulham interest in 16-goal striker

Huddersfield Town interim chairman Mark Devlin has responded to interest from Fulham and other Championship clubs in striker Karlan Grant.

The Yorkshire side reportedly turned down a £15m bid during the January transfer window, with Scott Parker's side said to be interested.

Grant joined the Terriers in January 2019 from Charlton Athletic for £2m and has now scored 20 goals in 47 appearances.

Amid interest from Huddersfield's championship rivals, Devlin was defiant and claimed the club did not need to sell their prized asset.

"Let's be really honest, a guy like Karlan is going to attract interest – goalscorers will attract interest and I have no doubt Karlan will be feted in the summer," said Devlin (via Yorkshire Live).

"We don't have to sell him and if Karlan decided he wanted to be part of our group longer term, then that would delight us.

"We have to look at that, though, when it comes to the time.

"At the moment, I am delighted to say Karlan is really throwing himself into his work, so to speak, and is doing everything he can to help us make sure we are nice and safe in the Championship."

Huddersfield are braced for further bids for Grant this summer, with Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion having also been linked to the 22-year-old.

The verdict

This has been a tough season for Huddersfield and the form of Grant has been a rare bright spot.

Given his all-around play and record in front of goal it is no surprise there is interest in him and this could spell trouble for the club come the summer.

With Premier League sides and teams on the brink of promotion linked, it is likely Grant could push for a move and that puts Huddersfield in a very tricky position.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/club-responds-to-fulham-interest-in-16-goal-striker/

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The emergence of this 23-y/o has been a saving grace for Scott Parker at Fulham this season: Comment

Marek Rodak has been a revelation at Fulham this season.

If the season is ended before it resumes, then Scott Parker's introduction and the subsequent revelation of Rodak will go down as one of his biggest successes.

His Fulham tenure so far has been as expected – Fulham are in the mix for automatic promotion, if a little behind, and Parker could well deliver an immediate return to the Premier League after seeing them to relegation last time around.

Rodak though has been a saving grace for Fulham this season. Parker's side have been no strangers to criticism this year, from fans and the football world alike, but Rodak has drawn a lot of praise.

Fulham's main critique has been that, given the squad of players that they assembled going into the season – the summer additions of Ivan Cavaleiro, Anthony Knockaert, Bobby Reid and so on – they should really be storming this league.

Little influence has been placed on youth promotion and development this season, but rather in throwing everything they have at an immediate return to the top-flight.

That's made Rodak's emergence all the more special. The Slovakian has been with the club since 2013 but has had to wait until now to make his league debut.

He'd spent the past few seasons on-loan, most notably spending the last two seasons with Rotherham United, winning promotion to the Championship in 2018 and playing all but one of their league games last year.

It was Marcus Bettinelli who began the season at Fulham's no.1. As expected, Bettinelli was a steady-choice in goal but sprung up nothing out of the ordinary.

It prompted Parker to take a gamble on Rodak, and a huge gamble it was – replacing a proven, Championship-level goalkeeper in Bettinelli for a much younger, much more inexperienced Rodak.

The change excited fans, who saw Rodak in action for the first-time against Luton Town back in October. He gave a good account of himself on his debut, and it looked like an incisive decision by Parker.

But after seeing red in his next game, Rodak's competence was called into question – it didn't look great on Rodak who's since picked up three yellow cards for Fulham, but he bounced back, and proved his worth.

Ever since, Rodak has been one of Fulham's best performers. He's kept them in countless games and has kept 10 clean sheets in 26 appearances so far.

With the level of performances that Rodak has been putting in, it's easy to forget how young he is – he turned 23 in December last year. Two days after his 23rd birthday though, he had his worst showing to date in a Fulham shirt, being at the heart of the blame for Fulham's 3-0 defeat at home to Barnsley.

That game was a turning point in his season – it'd prove to be the making or breaking of him and so far, it's been the making.

He's bounced back with some top-performances, notably in the game immediately after where he claimed the Man of the match award in the 1-0 win at Blackburn.

A fine prospect, and Parker needs to be accredited with his development.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/the-emergence-of-this-23-y-o-has-been-a-saving-grace-for-scott-parker-at-fulham-this-season-comment/

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Leeds United: Gary O'Neil delivers scathing verdict on Whites promotion amid coronavirus scares

Speaking to talkSPORT via motleedsnews.com, pundit Gary O'Neil has delivered a scathing verdict in regards to Leeds and West Brom automatically going up even if the season isn't completed – with the former Middlesborough winger insisting it wouldn't be right.

O'Neil, who has been speaking to talkSPORT surrounding the coronavirus football suspension which will see a delay in match action until April 3rd at the earliest, debated on the Jim White Show over how the Premier League and EFL will deal with remaining fixtures. However, when asked if Leeds and West Brom should automatically go up given their league standings, O'Neill lambasted the suggestion while citing the fact that both teams aren't 'safe' yet in regards to their promotion chases. Instead, O'Neil suggests that the season should be completed but only when it is safe to play.

"They're not safe yet. What about Fulham? Do we bring then up too?" asked O'Neil on talkSPORT. "I don't think you can nominate two teams to get promoted. The best idea, if we can manage it, when it's safe for the players and the public is to finish the season. Finish the season when it's safe and then move onto next season when it's finished."

Given the controversy which could potentially surround finishing the season abruptly, especially given the fact that many accolades are still undetermined, O'Neil could be correct in his verdict – but there is no doubt that many Whites fans would definitely take an automatic promotion at this stage.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/championship/leeds-united/leeds-united-gary-oneil-delivers-scathing-verdict-on-whites-promotion-amid-coronavirus-scares/

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Top six Championship clubs ready to launch legal challenge if season is declared null and void

A great amount of uncertainty surrounds the remainder of the 2019/20 Championship campaign

The Sky Bet Championship's current top six clubs are ready to launch a legal battle against their Premier League counterparts if they try to declare this season null and void and deny them a chance to secure promotion, a report by The Times has revealed.

The Championship's current top six - Leeds United, West Bromwich Albion, Fulham, Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Preston North End - held a meeting in secret on Monday to discuss the position they currently find themselves in.

It is also reported that a further follow-up meeting, which will involve all 24 of the Championship's clubs, will take place on Tuesday, which will be held via a conference call.

The clubs are said to be "seething" about some of the statements coming from certain Premier League clubs, who are calling for the season to be scrapped following the decision to suspend all elite-level football in England until April 3 at the very earliest because of the severity of the outbreak of coronavirus.

Understandably, the Championship's promotion hopefuls want the season to be completed, even if it means that the start of the 2020/21 campaign has to be delayed as a result. They also want all three promotion places - the two automatic slots and the play-offs winner - to be protected in response to the news that Leeds and West Brom - the current top two - could be promoted to form a 22-team Premier League for next season.

An unnamed Championship club said: "It's time to park our tanks on the Premier League's lawn."

This development has come as a result of the Football Association giving its support to Uefa's plan to postpone this summer's Euro 2020 until the summer of 2021 and the Women's European Championship, which will be hosted in England, to be pushed further back to 2022.

Over the weekend, West Ham United vice-chairman Karen Brady had called for the season to be voided in her weekly Sun newspaper column. She said: "The only fair and reasonable thing to do is declare the whole season null and void."

On Monday, the Aston Villa sporting director, Jesus Garcia Pitarch, also left himself open to potential accusations of being motivated by self-interest when he claimed that the majority of top flight clubs want Liverpool, who are currently 25 points clear at the top of the table, to be declared Premier League champions and then call a halt to the season at this current moment with no relegation taking place.

He said: "The most reasonable thing that everyone thinks is that, if the league has to be stopped, that there are no relegations. There is a certain unanimity that there should be no descent.

"The biggest discussion is on whether to determine the European positions, to take as a reference the previous season or as it stands this season."

Currently, there is nothing in the Premier League rulebook that deals with an issue like the one football is dealing with at this current moment in time, meaning any attempt to rob Championship clubs the opportunity of promotion would be greeted by a legal battle.



https://www.football.london/championship/championship-season-suspension-coronavirus-postponements-17935927