Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 02/06/20...

[WhiteJC]

Liverpool have signed 'Messi-like' talent who has wowed senior stars

Harvey Elliott has earned comparisons to Lionel Messi and is destined for a major career at Liverpool, according to Fulham's academy director Huw Jennings.

The 17-year-old moved to Anfield from Fulham last summer in a deal still to be settled and for a fee that could reach a record sum.

And Elliott has already made his mark on Anfield, having featured seven times for the first team this season and leading both Jurgen Klopp and former Under-23s manager Neil Critchley to lavish wholesome praise on the teenager.

Earlier this year, an interview staged by Pep Ljinders claimed the Reds manager 'fell in love' with Liverpool's 'little diamond' the first time he watched him in training, giving a hint of the big things we can expect to see from the player in the years to come.

And those claims have been backed up by a report in The Athletic, who claims Elliott "raised eyebrows" and "wowed" Liverpool's senior stars during his first week at Anfield.

It's also that talent that once saw Jennings compare Elliott to the greatest of them all in Barcelona superstar Messi, with the Fulham academy director also confirming that the teenager was wanted by Real Madrid, Manchester City and Arsenal once it became apparent he would be leaving Craven Cottage last summer.

Elliott, in fact, did go out to travel to Madrid for talks with Real, but their efforts to sign him backfired when they tried to get Sergio Ramos to meet with the player; something that did not go down well with the self-confessed Liverpool fan after the Spaniard injured his favourite Mohamed Salah in the 2018 Champions League final.

Real's loss was very much Liverpool's gain and Ljinders admitted the Reds knew they had a serious talent on their hands the very first time they saw the then 16-year-old in action.

"We were like 'OK, that's quite impressive for a 16-year-old," Ljinders recalled.

"When we do the counter-press rondo you see straight away if a player can handle the speed and the decision-making because there's such a small space in which to play our game.

"What a surprise he was when he came for the first sessions. Some players, they play as if they are already, say 28 or 29. He's a player who sees so much around him before things happen.

"Everyone sees what a great player he is but behind that player is a great human being and a great addition to our squad. He's our little diamond of the team."

Elliott admits Liverpool inspiration

While the comparisons to Messi from Jennings is perhaps placing too high an expectation on Elliott's shoulders, the player himself does admit that he sees Steven Gerrard as his biggest inspiration in the game.

When asked about his Anfield ambitions in February, Elliott told the Liverpool website: "To win everything with this club.

"I strive to be like Steven Gerrard, to be as big of a legend here as him.

"I want to win the Premier League and the Champions League with this amazing club.

"For me, that's what I strive towards and I want to help the club in every way possible to accomplish these things."



https://www.teamtalk.com/news/elliott-lionel-messi-like-star-already-wowed-liverpool-senior-stars

[WhiteJC]

Fulham's Tom Cairney reacts to recent EFL update on 2019/20 season

The EFL have recently confirmed that Championship fixtures will get back underway on the weekend of the 20th June.

Off-the-field events brought an abrupt halt to the sporting calendar in the UK, with the race for promotion in the second tier being put on hold.

One team that will be hoping they can put together a positive run of results when competitive action returns is Fulham, who are managed by Scott Parker.

The Cottagers are currently sat third, and are six points adrift of second-placed West Brom with just nine matches remaining in this year's campaign.

One player that has played a key role in their push for promotion into the Premier League this season is Tom Cairney, who has made 34 appearances in all competitions this term.

The midfielder has chipped in with eight goals and three assists for Fulham this season, and will be keen to guide his side back into the top-flight.

Cairney took to Instagram to issue his thoughts on the scheduled return to action, and is keen to 'finish the job they started'.

Fulham are unbeaten in their last four matches, which makes for impressive reading given the fact that all of those games were against teams challenging for a top-six finish in the Championship this season.

The Verdict:

Fulham supporters will be hoping he can play his part in their push for promotion.

Cairney has often been relied upon to provide the creative sparks for Fulham, and he'll know that there is no room for error if they want to win promotion automatically in the Championship.

It seems a though ask to achieve that though, and they might have to battle for promotion via the play-offs instead, although they'll have fond memories of their last season concluding in the play-offs.

I think Fulham will win promotion this term, but they face a real battle to do it in the top-six this season.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulhams-tom-cairney-reacts-to-recent-efl-update-on-2019-20-season/

[WhiteJC]

Supercomputer predicts final Championship table for Reading FC, Leeds United, Fulham and others

Data analysts FiveThirtyEight have predicted how the final Championship table will look as football in the second tier is set to return later this month for Reading FC

Reading FC are set to finish the Championship season in 14th place, according to a supercomputer.

The Championship season has been paused since the start of March due to the coronavirus outbreak but plans are now in place for the league to resume later this month, with Saturday, June 20 outlined as the date football will return to the second tier with all remaining matches played behind closed doors.

As such, attention now turns to the remaining fixtures and which teams will be promoted and relegated, with Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion currently occupying the automatic promotion spots.

FiveThirtyEigh t has now created to a data model to predict the rest of the season and it's good news for the Whites and the Baggies, who will be heading up, according to the prediction.

Brentford, Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Millwall are all being tipped to make up the play-offs, which look set to be played at the end of July.

Reading FC are predicted to finish in the position they currently occupy in the table; 14th.

At the other end of the table, Charlton Athletic, Luton Town and Barnsley are all predicted to be relegated.

How it works

Five Thirty Eight predict the outcome for the season using SPI ratings, which the website says are their best estimate of a team's overall strength. Each team is given an attacking rating that represents the number of goals it is expected to score against an average team, and a defensive rating to represent the amount of goals it would concede.

Those ratings produce an overall SPI rating, which represents the percentage of points it would be expected to take on average from a game. Those ratings are then compared to an opposition's rating to simulate the outcome of a match.

From that, it is possible to simulate the outcome of a whole season.

Predicted Championship table

1. Leeds United

2. West Brom

3. Brentford

4. Fulham

5. Nottingham Forest

6. Millwall

7. Preston North End

8. Cardiff City

9. Bristol City

10. Swansea City

11. Blackburn Rovers

12. QPR

13. Derby County

14. Reading

15. Birmingham City

16. Sheffield Wednesday

17. Stoke City

18. Huddersfield Town

19. Wigan Athletic

20. Middlesbrough

21. Hull City

22. Charlton Athletic

23. Luton Town

24. Barnsley



https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/supercomputer-predicts-championship-table-reading-18341167

[WhiteJC]

Championship fixtures: When EFL season restarts, and key dates to look out for
Second tier set to resume on 20 June despite 10 positive coronavirus tests

Championship fixtures are set to return on 20 June after the EFL agreed on a provisional return date.

The decision follows the Government's announcement to allow elite sport to return behind closed doors.

"We must stress that at this stage the date is only provisional and will only be confirmed once we have met all the requirements, as the health, safety and wellbeing of all participants, staff and supporters remains our top priority," said EFL chairman Rick Parry.

"Clearly completing the season in a safe manner is going to require a significant effort by all concerned and, whilst not unprecedented, it will need clubs to play a significant number of matches over a relatively short period of time."

Championship return timeline


    EFL has set provisional return date of 20 June
    108 regular season games left to play plus play-off semi-finals and final
    Play-off final expected on or around 30 July

Which fixtures will be on TV?

With all matches being played behind closed doors, the EFL hopes to broadcast all 108 matches plus the play-offs on Sky Sports, iFollow or a club's equivalent streaming service.

All to play for



Leeds and West Brom sit in the automatic promotion places, while Charlton, Luton and Barnsley are in line for the drop with nine matches remaining each.

Fulham, Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Preston occupy the play-off spots but clubs as low down as Birmingham in 16th could make a late push.

Key fixtures still to play

Dates TBC

Promotion race:

    Brentford vs West Brom
    Fulham vs Brentford
    Leeds vs Fulham
    West Brom vs Fulham
    Nottingham Forest vs Fulham
Play-off chasers:

    Blackburn vs Bristol City
    Preston vs Cardiff
    Preston vs Derby
    Nottingham Forest vs Bristol City
    Derby vs Nottingham Forest
    Bristol City vs Cardiff
    Preston vs Nottingham Forest
    Brentford vs Preston
    Swansea vs Bristol City

Relegation scrap:

    Hull vs Charlton
    Huddersfield vs Wigan
    Stoke vs Middlesbrough
    Wigan vs Stoke
    Hull vs Middlesbrough
    Stoke vs Barnsley
    Luton vs Barnsley
    Huddersfield vs Luton
    Wigan vs Hull
    Hull vs Luton
    Charlton vs Wigan

Coronavirus latest

The EFL announced on Saturday that 10 positive Covid-19 tests had been returned in the Championship, including Preston's Jayden Stockley, an unnamed Fulham player, a member of staff at Cardiff and one unnamed individual at Middlesbrough.

Eight Championship clubs returned positive tests, from a total base of 1,058 tests, while seven more cases came in League Two from just 135 tests across four clubs. League One does not currently have a testing programme in place.

League One and League Two clubs will have the chance to decide whether to curtail the season amid the coronavirus pandemic on June 8.



https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/championship-fixtures-efl-restart-when-date-table-tv-schedule-2870499

[WhiteJC]

Championship fixtures: Leeds United boast easiest run-in of promotion hopefuls

Every Championship teams' remaining fixtures have been assessed, and it's good news for Leeds United in their quest to reach the Premier League, but less so Fulham in their bid to peg back the top two

Leeds United have the easiest run-in to the end of the season of any side in the top six, on paper at least.

The Championship will be returning on June 20, the EFL has announced.

It means that Leeds will be able to win promotion, and possibly the title, on the field rather than having it handed to them by points per game or any other method.

The positive news for Leeds when you look through the fixtures of every club chasing promotion comes in the fact that Marcelo Bielsa's side have, on paper, the easiest run-in out of all the clubs in the top six.

Leeds' nine remaining opponents have an average league position of 14.6.

That's lower than Fulham (9.4), Preston (12.1), West Brom (12.4), Nottingham Forest (12.6) and Brentford (13.3).

Bristol City, just outside the top six, also have a tougher run-in than Leeds, with their opponents having an average league position of 12.6.

Leeds only have one game left to play against the top seven - versus Fulham at home.

The other promotion hopefuls aren't so lucky when it comes to top seven opposition:

Brentford: West Brom (h), Preston (h), Fulham (a)

Bristol City: Fulham (a), Nottingham Forest (a)

Fulham: Leeds (a), Nottingham Forest (a), West Brom (a), Brentford (h)

Leeds: Fulham (h)

Nottingham Forest: Bristol City (h), Fulham (h), Preston (a)

Preston: Nottingham Forest (h), Brentford (a), Bristol City (a)

West Brom: Brentford (a), Fulham (h)

Looking at the rest of the division, only Wigan (14.7), QPR (15.1), Reading (15.1) and Millwall (16.7) have an easier set of remaining fixtures than Leeds.

In the division as a whole, Derby County have the toughest set of encounters, with their remaining opponents having an average league position of 7.2.

That's followed by Sheffield Wednesday (9.3), Fulham (9.4), Barnsley (11.2) and Cardiff (also 11.2).

Remaining fixture difficulty
Team | Average position of opponents

Derby County | 7.2

Sheffield Wednesday | 9.3

Fulham | 9.4

Barnsley | 11.2

Cardiff City | 11.2

Charlton Athletic | 11.8

Blackburn Rovers | 12.0

Swansea City | 12.0

Huddersfield Town | 12.1

Preston North End | 12.1

Stoke City | 12.2

Birmingham City | 12.4

West Bromwich Albion | 12.4

Bristol City | 12.6

Nottingham Forest | 12.6

Middlesbrough | 12.8

Luton Town | 13.1

Brentford | 13.3

Hull City | 14.0

Leeds United | 14.6

Wigan Athletic | 14.7

Queens Park Rangers | 15.1

Reading | 15.1

Millwall | 16.7



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/championship-fixtures-leeds-united-boast-22120915

[WhiteJC]

2019/20 Match Tickets Update

Following confirmation from the EFL that while all parties remain committed to fulfilling the remaining fixtures of the 2019/20 season since the campaign was paused on 13th March owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, when matches do resume these will be played without crowds and behind closed doors.

Further information can now be provided to supporters who have purchased tickets or hospitality packages for the outstanding 2019/20 matches at Craven Cottage or previously scheduled away fixtures.

MATCH TICKETS

General Admission - Automatic Refunds Process

We do not require you to send in your match ticket(s).

From Wednesday 3rd June the Ticket Office will automatically process full refunds (including booking fees) for match ticket purchases for Fulham's final four home fixtures, away games against Leeds United and Queens Park Rangers, as well as official coach travel bookers, back to the original credit/debit card used for payment.

For those supporters who purchased tickets paying cash, a bank transfer refund will be arranged by our accounts team – those who paid by cash will be contacted by the Fulham Ticket Office in the coming days. 

Those supporters who purchased in person at the Fulham Ticket Office by credit/debit card using a PDQ (chip & pin) machine, the Ticket Office will also contact direct to obtain your full card details, to arrange the refund. Please be advised we will require you to provide your BACs details.

We politely request that at this busy time fans do not contact the Fulham Ticket Office directly and, if applicable to your situation, wait to be contacted. We aim to complete this process within two weeks and supporters are advised refunds may take up to fourteen (14) working days to appear back in your account.

Match-by-Match Hospitality Purchasers
As above, we do not require fans to send in their match ticket(s). From Tuesday 2nd June the hospitality team will contact each individual purchaser, to discuss both credit and refund options.

Donations to Fulham FC Foundation
During this difficult time Fulham FC Foundation has and will continue to support the local community with a variety of initiatives in areas of health, wellbeing and inclusion.

If you would instead wish to donate your refund to Fulham FC Foundation, you can do so by emailing the Ticket Office via [email protected] by 5pm on Tuesday 2nd June. Please provide your Client Reference number. Your donation will help support the most vulnerable.

SEASON TICKETS & SEASONAL HOSPITALITY

More information regarding the next steps for 2019/20 Season Tickets and Seasonal Hospitality packages will be communicated in due course.

We thank supporters for their understanding, patience and continued support. The Club acknowledges that the health and wellbeing of our players, fans and staff is of paramount importance and respects the decisions of the EFL and governing bodies.

Please continue to respect and adhere to the latest Government and medical advice and keep safe.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/june/01/match-tickets-update

[WhiteJC]

 Championship clubs raise concerns over restart as Barnsley sound the alarm of financial failure
Barnsley call for "one-time parachute payments" for relegated clubs; Luton want training guidelines from EFL

Championship strugglers Barnsley have written to the EFL to sound the alarm over the "potential failure of their enterprise", as several other clubs raise concerns over the proposed restart date of June 20.

The Tykes, who are bottom of the league, are calling for increased parachute payments to be made if they are relegated - an eventuality they say would be "unfair and unlawful" if the remaining games are not concluded.

The club's letter to EFL chairman Rick Parry - obtained by Sky Sports News - proposes scrapping relegation in the Championship, League One and League Two, if those matches are not complete.

The letter goes on to say that, if they are, the £7.4m received by each Championship club should be paid to the three relegated teams next season, to help them survive the lack of income caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Their letter reads: "If the 19/20 season is completed, it will be completed with a lack of sporting integrity. Some clubs will have unbalanced squads compared to competitors due to ending player contracts.

"Some clubs will lose home-field advantage for matches behind closed doors in respect to the reverse fixture earlier this season. This is especially true with big rivalries and the loss of the respective revenue.

"Those clubs unfairly and unlawfully relegated to a lower division would face further uncertainty and potential failure of their enterprise.

"The only way to secure against innumerable damages in the case of relegation would be a one-time parachute payment to the affected clubs representing the loss of one season of television revenue."

The letter comes after the EFL called for clubs to put forward any changes to their regulations no later than 2pm on Tuesday, and also proposes similar payments are given to the teams relegated from Leagues One and Two.

The letter goes on to propose that similar payments are given to the teams relegated from Leagues One and Two: "If the season is completed and relegation is upheld, each relegated club from the Championship, League One, and League Two receive equal shares of solidarity and basic award due if they retained their divisional status from the 19/20 season."

Clubs who are relegated from the Championship, League One and League Two already receive a percentage of the previous year's funding, but not at the levels requested by Barnsley.

Last week, The Guardian reported that Barnsley had written to the EFL, warning of legal action if the EFL's financial disciplinary hearings against Sheffield Wednesday and Derby County were not concluded before the question of relegation was settled.

The Championship's bottom club, who remain seven points from safety, believe the potential points deductions facing the two clubs could have a significant effect on which clubs are relegated whenever this campaign ends.

Concerns at Luton
Fellow relegation-threatened Luton also have concerns, despite welcoming the proposed restart date, including how training will be stepped up across all clubs over the next few weeks.

The Hatters want guidelines from the EFL that ensure fairness, amid concerns some clubs could put their own protocols in place to try to gain an advantage.

There is also a feeling at Kenilworth Road that they will be playing too many matches in too short a period; that trying to compress the remaining fixtures and play-offs into six weeks is asking too much of the players, risking injuries. The club would rather see the season played out over six weeks instead, with the play-offs in August.

Derby's 3-0 win over Blackburn on March 8 was the last Championship game before coronavirus halted football.

Clubs are yet to return to full contact training but plan to do so later this week with the EFL now given the green light to return on Saturday, June 20.

QPR criticise EFL's restart plan
Queens Park Rangers, meanwhile, said they were "appalled" by the announcement of the restart date, with chief executive Lee Hoos accusing the governing body of conducting "absolutely no consultation with individual clubs".

Manager Mark Warburton says QPR have been "blindsided" by the EFL's proposed resumption of the Championship season on June 20.

Warburton, whose side are 13th and five points off the play-offs with nine games remaining, says the start date causes him "great concern" and is at least one week too soon.

Asked whether the announcement could damage the relationship between the EFL and its clubs, Warburton told Sky Sports News: "To get caught blind-sided last night, 40 minutes before the public are told, is just inappropriate. We are all for finishing the campaign, but give us the time to prepare the players to avoid the injury risk. We have to make sure we avoid the medical chaos in the injury room."

Warburton, who is hopeful his squad can begin contact training from Tuesday, added: "Now suddenly last night, without any consultation, we get told that we are starting in less than three weeks which I just find to be ludicrous."

Charlton players 'won't play' upon season return
At Charlton, three players including star striker Lyle Taylor, who is out of contract at the end of this month, have refused to play, along with Chris Solly and David Davis, who has been on loan from Birmingham.

Manager Lee Bowyer told Talksport: "We have nine players whose contracts finish at the end of June and, unfortunately for us, three of them have said that they're not going to play.

"Lyle's one of them and that's tough for us and for me as a manager. Lyle has said that he's not going to play because of risk of injury. Chris Solly has said the same. David Davis, who's at Birmingham, says he doesn't want to come back and play games."



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/11998790/championship-clubs-raise-concerns-over-restart-as-barnsley-sound-the-alarm-of-financial-failure

[WhiteJC]

'He said I wasn't 'his type of person'': Wes Foderingham slams Rangers manager Steven Gerrard after goalkeeper's Ibrox exit and claims they priced him out of a move last summer

    Steven Gerrard has selected Allan McGregor as his number one goalkeeper
    Wes Foderingham was frozen out at Rangers and his contract has expired
    Foderingham says Gerrard 'questioned his willingness to fight for a position'
    The 29-year-old also believes he was priced out of a move away last summer

Departing Rangers goalkeeper Wes Foderingham has expressed his frustration at being 'priced out of a move' after Allan McGregor took over his role as number one.

Foderingham made a total of 130 appearances in his first three seasons at Ibrox but made only 13 in two campaigns under Steven Gerrard.

The 29-year-old, who has previously played for Swindon Town and Fulham, is now a free agent after his contract expired.


Wes Foderingham claims Rangers manager Steven Gerrard said he wasn't 'his type of person'


Gerrard has selected Allan McGregor as his number one goalkeeper since arriving in 2018

'I knew by bringing him (Gerrard) in as manager and some of the players we were linked with, we were going up another level,' the goalkeeper told the Open Goal podcast.

'When McGregor came in, it was always the club's intention to sell me that summer. I was never told that but that's what happened, I got a call from my agent.

'I found it strange. I had a meeting with the manager and he said I wasn't "his type of person", which I found quite strange.

'He didn't go into any great depth but he just kind of questioned my willingness to fight for a position, which I don't think I showed anything to suggest I wasn't happy to fight for my place.

'I have fought for my place my whole career. The decision was made and at this point I wasn't even training with the main team.'

Gerrard took over at Rangers in the summer of 2018, and has opted to consistently stick with 38-year-old McGregor in between the sticks. 

'I trained with the goalies but when we went into the main session I had to stay over. I couldn't believe what was happening. But sometimes a manager doesn't take a liking to you.

'I thought I was away that summer but I spoke to my agent and he said the club wanted X amount for me but no-one was biting at that amount.

'The club said I wasn't going on loan, they wanted that figure. In all honesty, I was priced out of a move at that point. They tried to drop it slightly but it was never a realistic figure.'



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8378487/Wes-Foderingham-slams-Rangers-manager-Steven-Gerrard-goalkeepers-Ibrox-exit.html