Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 07/04/20...

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'I'm pretty useless' – Fulham's Joe Bryan reveals what he is doing to aid his mental health

Fulham defender Joe Bryan has been mastering the arts of Yoga to help his mental wellbeing, as per the player's latest Instagram update.

Admitting he is 'pretty useless' at it, the former Bristol City man revealed he has been doing yoga for the last few months and has urged people to get involved.

As is the case at the moment, footballers are required to stay at home and carry out any fitness regimes in the comfort of their own home – with training facilities at clubs closed as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, that continues to ravage across the world.

On the pitch Bryan has enjoyed a fruitful season recording one goal and seven assists in 38 appearances for Scott Parker's side.

Fulham currently are still in the mix for automatic promotion to the Premier League with them situated in third place, six points adrift of second placed West Brom.

Though, with there no return date for the EFL set as of yet, dreams of a return to the top-flight will have to be put on hold for now.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/im-pretty-useless-fulhams-joe-bryan-reveals-what-he-is-doing-to-aid-his-mental-health/

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Sky Sports EFL Podcast: Who makes the Championship Team of the Season?

Listen to the brand new Sky Sports EFL Podcast, as our Championship experts pick their team, player and manager of the season so far.

In a two-part special of the Podcast, our pundits pick their Team of the Season, as well as selecting their own players and managers of the 2019/20 campaign.

In Part One, David Prutton, Keith Andrews and commentator Gary Weaver chat to Jonathan Oakes about their top goalkeeper, plus the defence and the manager of the season so far.

In Part Two, Don Goodman, Andy Hinchcliffe and Scott Minto assess the midfield and strikers, as well as their own choices for the player and manager of the season, before the final XI is revealed.

You can also watch both parts on our YouTube specials below!

You can subscribe via the links above, or via your regular podcast provider if you search for 'Sky EFL'.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/11969232/sky-sports-efl-podcast-who-makes-the-championship-team-of-the-season

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Fulham player recalls Wolves time – And why he'd rather live in London than West Midlands

Fulham winger Ivan Cavaleiro is featured in an interview with Portuguese newspaper Record on Monday.

Cavaleiro signed for the Whites on a loan deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer, with the move being made permanent in January this year.

Asked about his first season at Craven Cottage, the winger says it's been a little hard for him to leave a club which was full of Portuguese players.

"It wasn't easy. I really liked being there, but I preferred to leave because I didn't have many chances to play in Premier League," Ivan Cavaleiro told Record. "I found it strange, but I quickly got used to it. I integrated easily because the dressing room is good."

Still, about his preference for London or Wolverhampton, he says he'd rather live in the capital: "I prefer to be in London, because here I have more Portuguese childhood friends. I think I have more family here than in Portugal [laughs]."

Cavaleiro has also praised Fulham fans, saying they already have a chant for him: "The relationship is good, they push me during the games. Yes, there is a song, I've heard it a few times."

Just like in every conversation these days, the story had a part about the Coronavirus crisis, and the impact it's had on the Championship season.

Cavaleiro was first quizzed if he agrees that the season should be paused for a while, and sounded pretty convinced about it.

"Of course yes! It is a very big risk for players and their families, as well as for fans.

"I don't know if I believe in its continuation until there's a vaccine, a cure for the virus. There are more and more infected. But I would like to finish the championship, of course."

Regarding the pay cuts which players have been taking, he said: "There is a lot of talk about salary cuts and there are some teams that have already made them in the Championship. They haven't proposed it to us yet, but I understand if they do."



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-player-recalls-wolves-time-hed-rather-live-london-west-midlands/

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'It wasn't easy' – Fulham winger opens up on move to Craven Cottage from Premier League side



Fulham will be hoping they can finish this year's campaign strongly when they return to competitive action later this year.

The Cottagers are currently sat third in the Championship table, and will be keen to hold their nerve in the race to win promotion into the top-flight this term.

But their bid for promotion into the Premier League has been put on hold due to recent off-the-field events, which have called sporting events across the UK to an abrupt halt for the time being.

One player that has played his part in their push for promotion this season is Ivan Cavaleiro, who made his loan spell a permanent one at Craven Cottage during the January transfer window.

The 26-year-old has six goals and seven assists to his name in all competitions this season, and he'll be keen to add to that tally as the season heads towards a conclusion.

Speaking in an interview with Record, Cavaleiro admitted that he it was a tough decision to leave Wolves, but feels as though he made the right call in his pursuit to find regular game time. He also stated that he prefers to live in London compared to his time in Wolves, revealing that he has more of his childhood friends closer to him now near Craven Cottage.

"It wasn't easy. I really liked being there, but I preferred to leave because I didn't have many chances to play in Premier League. I found it strange, but I quickly got used to it. I integrated easily because the dressing room is good."

"I prefer to be in London, because here I have more Portuguese childhood friends. I think I have more family here than in Portugal."

The Verdict:

He'll be keen to build on some impressive performances for Fulham this season.

There is a serious amount of competition in Scott Parker's squad this term, and Cavaleiro will know that he has to be at the top of his game to be a regular in the starting XI for the remainder of this year's campaign.

I think Fulham have got too much to do to make up the gap that the top-two have created in recent months, so they'll have to switch their focus to the play-offs.

It's going to be a closely-fought battle to win promotion via the play-offs as well, as there are a number of strong teams still battling it out with nine games remaining in the Championship season.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/it-wasnt-easy-fulham-winger-opens-up-on-move-to-craven-cottage-from-premier-league-side/

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Leeds reject Tom Cairney has blossomed into a Championship star

Leeds United's decision to let Tom Cairney leave the club prematurely back in 2007 has looked more and more like a disastrous piece of business over the past few years.

The midfielder was with the west Yorkshire outfit for nine years but was released for being deemed "too small" despite only being a 16-year-old. His 5 foot 1 frame grew to 6-foot, and he's not looked back since.

This rejection at such a tender age "crushed" the Scotland international to the point of it being his motivation and thus, over the course of his career as proven those decision-makers at Elland Road wrong. Ever so wrong.

Former Hull City boss Phil Brown took a punt on him following his departure where he played several times in the Premier League during his debut season before landing a move to Blackburn Rovers – the place he really made a name for himself.

But what is he up to now?

Where is Cairney now?


Well, now 29, Cairney has become one of Fulham's star players as he's been trusted with the armband by Cottagers boss Scott Parker.

He has enjoyed five seasons at Craven Cottage, including another foray into the English top-flight, and who knows, they could well join Leeds there should the third-place outfit reach the other automatic spot or go up via the playoffs.

The box-to-box maestro has been in fine nick this season, scoring eight times whilst laying on three assists too, via Transfermarkt.

Would Tom Cairney do well at Leeds today?
Per WhoScored, he is even averaging an impressive 1.8 key passes, 1.4 tackles and an 89.6% passing success rate for the promotion hopefuls.

Such performances have seen his stock rise to £13.5m, which positions him nicely in second-place for the division's most valuable player, behind teammate Aleksandar Mitrovic, who is worth more at £22.5m.

Of Leeds' contracted players, Kalvin Phillips matches it with Helder Costa tagging behind at £9m.

Cairney has made United pay on a couple of occasions, and as seen above, he loves a goal against his former club.

The decision to let him depart west Yorkshire so early has clearly been hugely senseless in hindsight, but then again, they could have given him a platform to shine first. He was only a teenager.



https://www.footballfancast.com/leeds-united-news/lufc-reject-tom-cairney-career-blossom-mvp-transfer-value