Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/05/20...

[WhiteJC]

KARLAN GRANT'S FOOTBALL MANAGER CUP DREAM IS OVER

Huddersfield Town beaten by Fulham in the Football Manager Cup

- Karlan Grant's Football Manager Cup run comes to an end
- Grant relieved of his duties to focus on his playing career
- Town were beaten 5-2 by Fulham in the Quarter-Finals

Huddersfield Town's Football Manager Cup journey has come to an end after Karlan Grant's side was beaten by Fulham in the Quarter-Finals of the competition.

Karlan made two changes to his starting XI bringing in Steve Mounié, who's bagged two goals already this tournament, and Lewis O'Brien into the middle of midfield.

It was Town who created some early half-chance. Emile Smith Rowe fired a 25-yard free-kick into the wall before Christopher Schindler glanced over the bar after meeting a free-kick.

Despite the early openings for Town, it was Fulham who took control of the game and really tested Jonas Lössl.

It took until the 35th minute, though, for Fulham to break the deadlock. A deep free-kick into the Town area was glanced in by Tim Ream.

Set pieces were a real strength of Charlie Cooper's Fulham and they doubled their lead from an Anthony Knockaert set piece. His free-kick, this time, was head in by Michael Hector.

The second half got off to the worst possible start for Karlan and Huddersfield Town. Centre-midfielder Jonathan Hogg was sent off for a dangerous challenge, giving the Terriers a huge mountain to climb.

The red card saw a change of tactic from Grant, which worked immediately. Steve Mounié latched onto a long ball from Jonas Lössl and placed the ball past the on-rushing 'keeper to give Town a way back into the game.

As Town looked for a second, they were caught in possession in the middle of midfield and Fulham, ultimately, bagged their third. Cavaleiro had his effort save by Lössl at the near post but Kamara tapped in the rebound from close range.

With just seven minutes to go, the game was put completely out of Town's sight. Knockaert picked out Cavaleiro in the area, who volleyed past Lössl.

Two minutes later, Mounié pulled a goal back for Town firing in from close range. That seemed to spur on Karlan's side, who almost grabbed a third in the 89th minute, with the ball being hooked off the line following a corner.

In the fourth minute of added on time, however, Cavaleiro bagged his second of the game. He fired a rocket past Lössl from 25 yards out.

Following the end of the tournament, Karlan Grant left his role as Virtual Manager of Huddersfield Town.

After blanking in front of goal in the Football Manager Cup, Karlan has decided to focus on his playing career and, in particular, penalties.

Everyone at Huddersfield Town like to thank Karlan for all his hard work.

Mental health charity, Mind, are the official charity partners of the Football Manager Cup. They need your help right now as the Coronavirus pandemic is having a huge impact on the nation's mental health. Insecurity, coupled with less access to the things that help us stay mentally well, including football, alongside daily struggles with finances, work and home schooling is taking its toll.

CLICK HERE to help support the fantastic work done by Mind. Have Your Mate's Back.



https://www.htafc.com/news/2020/may/karlan-grants-football-manager-cup-dream-is-over/

[WhiteJC]

Anthony Knockaert says it was tough leaving Albion fans

Anthony Knockaert has revealed he found it tough adapting to life away from his adoring Albion public.

The on-loan French winger says his season on loan to Fulham has so far been "mixed".

And he reckons getting used to life away from the Seagulls, where he was the "darling" of the fans, might be the reason.

Fulham are third in the Championship with the season on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Knockaert joined the Cottagers on loan last summer and will almost certainly convert that into a permanent deal.

He believes that could yet be on the Premier League stage on which he shone occasionally - but arguably not often enough – with Albion.

But he is very honest when discussing what he has added to Fulham so far.

The winger said: "If I am honest with myself, personally I have had quite a mixed season.

"Was it down to the adaptation to the club?

"It has been a big change because I came from Brighton, where I was a little bit the darling of the supporters.

"I had always been loved from the first day there.

"I had some extraordinary times in that town and with that club.

"For me, that was the club where I have enjoyed the best moments of my life up to now.

"It was hard for me to realise I was leaving Brighton and arriving in a new environment.

"I'll be honest, I've not had the best season of my career.

"But I have brought what I can because, you know me well, I am someone who never cheats on the pitch.

"In terms of desire and determination, I have always brought my best.

"In terms of stats and performances, it has not been the best season I have had."

Knockaert now lives in Wimbledon and made the short trips to support both Albion's under-21s when they visited the Dons and the seniors when they were at Chelsea.

He has started 24 league games for Fulham and come off the bench in a further nine, scoring three goals and adding four assists.

The 28-year-old Frenchman told beIN Sports in France: "Collectively we have had a quite an average season given the squad we have.

"When the season was ended (for now), for me we should have been top with the squad we have.

"When you look at the players, on paper it's mind-blowing but we have been really inconsistent.

"If I could give you a word for our season, it would be 'inconsistent'.

"There have been periods when we have won three matches in a row and then, boom! We lose three.

"It has been full of highs and lows but we are still there.

"We are third and there are nine matches left.

"We are six points off second and we still have got to go to Leeds and West Brom.

"They are big matches and we are in the race.

"We would rather play matches like that - and play them away from home. They will have the pressure on them to get a result and we were already prepared to go into the play-offs."

The destiny of the current Championship season remains uncertain, as does the issue of promotion should matches not continue.

If action resumes, loan players such as Knockaert and those out of contract will have deals extended to see out the season, proving all parties agree.

That is likely to be fairly academic for the former Leicester man, who expects to be at Fulham next season whatever happens.

The ruling is of more relevance to Ben White at Leeds, Matt Clarke at Derby, Jayson Molumby at Millwall and Christian Walton at Blackburn, all of whom will be expected to return at end of the current campaign and at least compete for an Albion squad place next season.

Viktor Gyokeres and Leo Ostigard are at St Pauli, who resume their second-tier Bundesliga season on Sunday.




https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/18444345.anthony-knockaert-says-tough-leaving-albion-fans/

[WhiteJC]

Exclusive: Fulham chasing free signing, agent confirms approach from clubs in England and France

Fulham and Bordeaux are looking at Petrus Boumal, Sport Witness has been informed.

The defensive midfielder is currently with Russian side Ural Yekaterinburg and his contract with them will expire in the summer.

Ural Yekaterinburg wanted to retain the Cameroonian by offering him an extension. However, he has decided against signing a renewal and has set sights on changing clubs in the upcoming window.

"I am at age where I have more experience and believe I can take the next step. Maybe trying to find a better club, see where I can go and test my limit," Boumal told Sport Witness.

"They proposed a new contract. They wanted me to sign a contract. I decided not to sign a contract. But I respect the club and also the president. He did a great job with me and he has always been good to me. He treated me very well. I wish the club all the best."

Discussion with Fulham are in the preliminary stage. Despite being available on a free transfer and interest from the Championship club, the 27-year-old did not talk about clubs who have approached for him.

"Now I'm free, so it's easier. I take time and see what options I have. I let my manager deal with it," he added.

"We are going to choose what's the best option for my career. I am looking for something where I can enjoy football, where I can play or I can have some goals. I believe I can do something great.

"Why not in England or Germany and I hope I can reach there. I want to push myself and see where I can go."

Boumal's representative Gregoire Akcelrod has confirmed being approached by clubs in England and France.

"Petrus' profile is similar to that of Alex Song. He is strong physically, a clever player, has nice technique, very good passing and is not scared when he has the ball," Akcelrod told Sport Witness.

"His contract situation makes him a very interesting prospect because of the Coronavirus crisis. I have been approached by clubs in England, both from the Premier League and the Championship and also from France."

Boumal was previously wanted by Everton and Nottingham Forest, but a move to England never materialised because Ural Yekaterinburg were reluctant to let him leave.

The player will no longer have a hindrance from his club, if he wants to make a move elsewhere in the summer.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/exclusive-fulham-chasing-free-agent-agent-confirms-approach-clubs-england-france/

[WhiteJC]

'Get rid,' 'He is terrible' – Many Fulham fans urge club to move on 2018 addition

Fulham will be eager to see the Sky Bet Championship season resume as soon as it is safe to do so as they look to hunt down West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United in the top two.

The Baggies are six points ahead of Fulham in second place in the league and can easily be caught if the campaign does play to a natural finish.

That, though, is still up in the air at the moment and all Fulham's players can do is concentrate on making themselves as prepared as possible for a season resumption.

Scott Parker will be hoping his players manage to do that, then, but one man who's future at the club could well have little left in terms of time is Maxime Le Marchand.

Cottagers HQ took to Twitter to ask supporters what they thought the future might have in store for the 30-year-old and this is what they had to say:



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/get-rid-he-is-terrible-many-fulham-fans-urge-club-to-move-on-2018-addition/

[WhiteJC]

You may be surprised where these 5 ex-Fulham players are playing now

Fulham are no strangers when it comes to making high-profile signings, as has often been the case for the London club over the past couple of years.

The Cottagers spent well over £100m as they returned to the Premier League last season, but relegation soon followed, and many of those signings were on their way out of Craven Cottage almost immediately.

Scott Parker went back into the market this season, too, spending big on the likes of Bobby Reid and Ivan Cavaleiro in an attempt to get the London back on the road to Premier League football.

In football, some signings just fail to work out, and Fulham have bid farewell to a number of players over the years.

Here, we take a look at five ex-Fulham players who are plying their trade elsewhere, which may surprise a few...

Ashkan Dejagah
Dejagah scored five goals in 43 Premier League appearances for Fulham between 2012 and 2014, before joining Al-Arabi in 2014.

Nowadays, the Iranian winger plays in his home country for a team called Tractor FC, after a rather failed spell at Nottingham Forest.

Hugo Rodallega
Rodallega scored 20 goals in 88 appearances for Fulham, with the Colombian making a real impact at Craven Cottage and becoming a fans' favourite.

After his Fulham departure, the 34-year-old moved to Turkey, and he's stayed there ever since, plying his trade for Denizlispor at present.

Steed Malbranque
Malbranque was a fantastic servant for Fulham, making over 200 appearances for the London club during a six-year spell at Craven Cottage.

The midfielder is mostly known for his time in England with Fulham, Spurs and Sunderland, but he's now back in France playing at the age of 40.

He's playing for a team called Monts d'Or Anse Foot in the French lower leagues.

Barry Hayles
Veteran forward Hayles made over 200 appearances for Fulham during a six-year stay at Craven Cottage between 1998 and 2004.

The striker netted 57 times for the Cottagers before joining Sheffield United in 2004, and at the age of 47, he's still playing.

He plays for Merstham FC, who currently play in the Isthmian League.

Mousa Dembele
Fulham signed Dembele as a youngster from AZ Alkmaar, before making 74 appearances for the club during a two-year stay at Craven Cottage.

The Belgian then made the switch to Spurs, spending seven years in North London and becoming a hugely popular player for the club.

Now, at the age of 32, Dembele is playing in China for Guangzhou R&F.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/you-may-be-surprised-where-these-5-ex-fulham-players-are-playing-now/

[WhiteJC]

Former Watford man Micah Hyde urges the club to sign Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic

Micah Hyde believes that Watford should sign Fulham star Aleksandar Mitrovic in order to solve their goal conundrum.

Free-scoring Mitrovic is the Championship's top scorer so far this season with 23 strikes to his name as opposed to Watford's total tally of 27 goals.

Hyde said that the reason Watford have been floundering in the bottom six has its roots in the fact that goals from their main centre-forwards have dried up.

Strikers Troy Deeney, Andre Gray and Danny Welbeck have only managed eight goals between them whereas Mitrovic's heroics in front of goal have led Fulham to the cusp of promotion.

And despite playing a big part and netting once in the 3-0 win over Liverpool in March, Hyde claimed that Deeney's influence on games is waning as time is slowly but surely catching up with him.

"Watford need a centre-forward and if I was to suggest one name, I'll say Aleksandar Mitrovic. Go and get him," said Hyde.

"He has a proven record but has something to prove still because he didn't do too well the first time in the Prem, but he can score goals and I think he would do well for Watford. We need someone like Mitro to challenge and possibly put Deeney under more pressure.

"We create several chances in every game but we need someone to finish them. I think Deeney hasn't done enough and scored enough goals for me this season and we need someone to help Troy because he isn't getting younger. Mitrovic is the name I suggest.

"Other than that, Watford also need also need a top class midfielder and a centre-half as well, this is a Premiership team! We have Cathcart, Kabasele and Dawson but we need another, possibly younger centre-half."

A shortage of goals is not the only reason Watford have been struggling this campaign and Hyde acknowledged that the 6-0 demolition at the hands of Manchester City in the FA Cup final last summer and a miserable run of form towards the end of last season took a toll on the players.

"That game against Man City affected the beginning of this season and therefore we are in the position we are in, because of that final," he said.

"But also because in the back end of last season, when we were losing too many games in a row.

"Watford were having a good season last year but in my heart of hearts I knew when they went into the FA Cup final that it was gonna be hard and I hoped City would have an unlikely day off. I said to myself that day: 'I hope we do not get beat too heavy today".

" But on that day we played against a team that can play and move the ball so well while we was in a very bad form going into that game, we were in a downward spiral where we were losing too many games in a row. However, I don't think that Heurelho Gomes was the issue that day. He is a good goalkeeper and a fantastic servant to the club. Gomes, Foster or whoever was in goal that day would the scoreline have been different? I don't know think so.

"It was the mentality and you can't take that mentality into a final against Man City, so it didn't surprise me to see them get bettered. But that's nothing to be scared or ashamed of to see it and admit but I saw it coming.

"But the club now has to move forward because that's what football is about and I think Nigel Pearson should only be offered a new contract if he keeps them up."



https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/18446296.former-watford-man-micah-hyde-urges-club-sign-fulhams-aleksandar-mitrovic/

[WhiteJC]

Mark Schwarzer: European Heartbreaks, Clashes with McClaren and Fulham's Juve Miracle

Last season, our Socios at patreon.com/grahamhunter got an exclusive interview with Mark Schwarzer. For the first time, here's the full episode.

Mark had a love affair with the UEFA Cup/Europa League, reaching the final of each with Middlesbrough and Fulham respectively, and, sadly, losing both. But this remarkable man is disarmingly philosophical about both defeats. In part two Mark also describes the incredible encounter against Manchester City that clinched Boro's UEFA place, in which he crucially saved a late Robbie Fowler penalty in a match in which fellow goalie David James wore an outfield shirt! Mark describes his fraught relationship with Boro boss Steve McClaren, being part of Fulham's incredible comeback against Juventus and the euphoria of Australia qualifying for the 2006 World Cup.



https://grahamhunter.tv/mark-schwarzer-european-heartbreaks-clashes-with-mcclaren-and-fulhams-juve-miracle/

[WhiteJC]

EFL: Championship clubs aim for 25 May training date after conference meeting

Leeds and West Brom, the Championship's top two, will be keen to try to complete their promotion bids

Championship clubs hope to gain government clearance for a 25 May return to regular training, as part of plans to resume the 2019-20 season.

It is understood a target restart of 6 June has been discussed but clubs still anticipate a more likely 13 June date, in line with the Premier League.

All 24 clubs held a conference call on Wednesday, after an EFL board meeting.

League One and Two clubs will speak on Friday, when the prospect of ending the season seems certain to move closer.

The plan for the Championship is still to complete the season, thereby avoiding avoid a potential legal minefield around promotion and relegation if the campaign ends early but the Premier League plays to a conclusion.

BBC Radio Manchester has acquired a copy of the EFL's 'return to training' draft protocols, which are based around current government guidelines for Covid-19 protocols.

These requirements are very similar to those of the Premier League, around disinfecting football equipment, keeping communal areas of the training ground such as gyms and changing rooms closed, and no tackling or contact sessions.

Clubs must appoint a specialist Covid-19 officer, and draw up an operational policy which players and staff must sign
Twice weekly coronavirus antibody tests and temperature screening protocols for players and staff - a positive test means the training group self isolates for 14 days
Players must arrive already changed and provide their own drinks
No 'manual therapy treatment' such as massages. Only essential medical treatment allowed with minimum staffing and provision of personal protection equipment
All tactical sessions and session planning that does not require physical presence should be done by tele/video conference
Training will be phased, small groups through to full squad sessions. Each training group allocated one pitch, and maximum of five per group, plus three staff. Seventy-five minutes per training session. Thirty minutes' gap between each training group session
No tackling, opposed activities of any kind or congested training are allowed
Clubs can provide takeaway food options for players
An EFL statement, released following Wednesday's board meeting, pointed to a need to acknowledge the financial shortfall that would accompany the game restarting behind closed doors.

While the resumption of competition would satisfy commitments to broadcasters, the costs related to meeting hygiene and testing protocols, as well as a lack of regular matchday income, have to be taken into account.

"The EFL will continue to undertake consultation with our members before the next steps are determined," the statement read.

"Current attention is clearly on the immediate next steps, but the long-term impact on the league and its clubs remains as stark as previously outlined, and solutions are still required to fill the financial hole left by the crisis. The consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic will not be rectified simply by a return to play behind closed doors.

"In addition, the EFL is mindful of the pressing need for clarity in a number of areas, including the practicalities and timeframes of clubs being able to facilitate a return to training. To address this, clubs have today been issued with the latest draft of the EFL's 'return to training protocols', so that they can prepare appropriately.

"However, until all outstanding matters are concluded, including finalising a comprehensive testing programme on matchdays and non-matchdays, the EFL board has informed its clubs that a return to training should not take place until 25 May at the earliest."



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52651502

[filham]

I don't like the talk of Mitro to Watford, it is no doubt just journalistic speculation but if Watford are not relegated and we are not promoted it could fit both player and club.

[Fulham 442]

I don't like the talk of Mitro to Watford, it is no doubt just journalistic speculation but if Watford are not relegated and we are not promoted it could fit both player and club.

Relax, with nothing much going on the journos are speculating even more than normal!!

[Bassey the warrior]

I don't like the talk of Mitro to Watford, it is no doubt just journalistic speculation but if Watford are not relegated and we are not promoted it could fit both player and club.

The only way he goes there is they sell Deeney,  there's no room for both.