Sunday Fulham Stuff - 02/08/20...

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Tom Cairney sends message to Fulham fans ahead of Play-Off Final

Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney has admitted that he feels sorry for supporters of both teams competing in the play-off final.

The Cottagers take on Brentford in an absolutely massive game for both sides with the winner earning promotion to the Premier League.

It's a west London derby in the final, and one that is sure to attract a lot of attention not just in England but around the world.

Fulham defeated Cardiff City in order to get to the final whilst Brentford beat another Welsh side in Swansea City meaning they will take battle against each other at Wembley on Tuesday.

Cairney has admitted that he feels sorry for the supporters who are unable to go due to lockdown restrictions, but he knows it is still a special day for everyone.

Speaking to the Evening Standard, Cairney said: "It's an all-London final, a derby. It could have been an all-Wales final, but it's turned out to be all-London, so it's a big day, a special day.

"That's why I feel for the fans again, because a play-off final, a local derby – it could have been a special occasion."

The Verdict

It's set to be a brilliant play-off final, and it would have been even better if supporters of both clubs were allowed to go as the atmosphere between the pair in a derby is always a spectacle.

It'll now be of interest to see how both sides handle the pressure, and whether Brentford can earn promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history.

A lot of the Fulham players have been in this position before and Cairney scored the winning goal the last time they were at Wembley, and he'll be hoping he can do the same once more.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/tom-cairney-sends-message-to-fulham-fans-ahead-of-play-off-final/

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Five Thoughts: Fulham 1-2 Cardiff City (3-2)

Cardiff City travelled easterly from Wales' capital to England's with one core motivation in mind. Humbled in their own back yard, Neil Harris encouraged his fold to take nothing for granted and to express themselves and to their credit, they conducted themselves superbly. 2-1 on the night to the Bluebirds, 3-2 on aggregate to Fulham, both squads portrayed their best and their worst in a riveting Play-Off semi-final face-off.

Played at a frantic tempo, Thursday's encounter hosted every emotion known to the senses. Despair was cancelled out by jubilation, doubt was veiled by optimism and whilst we lost, we won. That is all that matters. The Whites rallied under tension, Cardiff flaunted the cutlass but we are off to Wembley.

One more dance with fate, that's all that stands between us and the Premier League. Brentford will feel this is their time to evolve, although after a dismal 2017-18 campaign in the top-flight, we have a substantial score to settle. Questions will be asked, maybes and what ifs will be pondered upon but now, more than ever, living in the moment is golden. We're here, we've made it this far, so let's look forward to one last crack of the whip under the planet's most famous sporting arch. Come on you Whites!

Counting On Commitment
Under immense pressure, knowing that one slip in the closing stages could be fatal, Fulham puffed out their collective chest, locked horns and deflected Cardiff's incessant onslaught on our 18-yard box. A convincing force in the first-half, the Whites felt the heat after the interval and were taken hostage by the visitors. The Bluebirds had nothing to lose and found another level to their game, infiltrating and bombarding the penalty area with Sunday League-inspired long balls and lofty throw ins modelled on Rory Delap – doesn't sound effective in the modern game, although the Bluebirds are certainly masters of their policy.

Lee Tomlin turned home in the 47th minute after a corner pin balled in the 6-yard box and from that key instance onward, Fulham had a perilous task on their hands. Denying Cardiff burdened our philosophy, our defence has been unmasked many times this season due to similar strains and expectations to perform but cooperating as a unit, a stubbornly formed mechanism, we somehow, someway, survived to progress to Wembley Way once again. A mixture of heart, spirit and resolution thwarted the visitors, who paralleled our unyielding morale, although we dug extremely deep and did just enough to stifle our opponent's productivity.

Thursday evening was never going to be a gentle stroll through Bishops Park. Even before a ball was kicked the media, the fans, the engrossing atmosphere surrounding the encounter proposed a choppy, uneasy narrative. A rousing preview for the Sky Bet Championship, Fulham clamoured through adversity, much like we did against Derby County in the 2017-18 Play-Off campaign, to earn their place in the Final. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't comfortable, although after 180 minutes of gruelling football, we edged it. For a squad that's faltered, for a manager that's faced stinging criticism, Fulham, as a whole, advertised a resilience worthy of recognition and also a spot in the richest game in football.

Neeskens Strikes Again
The hottest attacker in world football turns heads and bulges nets in SW6 for Fulham. Rising from the fringes to the forefront of our offensive spearhead, Neeskens Kebano fixed another performance of regal supremacy to maintain our prevalence over two legs and his full, glowing potential has well and truly been awoken. Though he trudged off at half-time clutching an ice bag to his hamstring, the DR Congo international was the catalyst behind our cause and his inclusion on Tuesday evening will be essential.

Terrorising Leandro Bacuna, as he did in the first leg, Kebano roamed the left channel with a liveliness, a spring in his step that is completely unplayable. Rather than shirking a foot race, Kebano relishes one-on-ones with the byline in sight and in order to stamp out his influence, Cardiff stuck two men on him and in Aleksandar Mitrovic's absence, the 28-year-old was evidently the man the visitors were wary of. He's fashioned a capability to heighten the tempo in the flick of a switch and now he's incorporated a deadly prowess to his game, Cardiff were right to be cautious.

No more than 20-odd seconds after Cardiff lodged the opener, Fulham responded. Wasting no time to collect their composure, the Whites engulfed Cardiff with sharp interchanges and with tempting pockets to inhabit within the penalty area, Kebano made his move. Bobby Decordova-Reid whipped an enticing ball inbound from the right and from the opposite side, Kebano ghosted into a prime scoring position and with one deft flick, parity was restored. That's a new feature of his craft, he's now drifting into menacing zones from the flanks and as we knew he could be, he's a hazardously proficient deadeye in front of the target.

AK47's Explosive Outing
Our left side was where we were creating chances throughout the evening and entering the fray in place of Kebano, Aboubakar Kamara added raw intensity to our attack and Cardiff didn't know how to handle him on the break. Graced with blistering pace, AK47 churned up turf and charged with a threatening motive and if it wasn't for Smithies, the bamboozling Frechman would've laced a seriously impressive brace.

Abou' shifted in from wide and swung his right boot at ball, twice, and on both occasions, the Bluebirds' stopper derailed the makeshift striker's celebrations with two outstretched fingertip saves. The strikes were ferocious and the reward was justified but Smithies wasn't caught napping, he was primed and ready. Kamara stepped into Kebano's shoes and altered our offensive phases from sluggish to searing and if we're in need of an injection of power, he's our go-to option.

Over the years, Kamara's developed into a beneficial team member, banishing the days where gaffed first-touches and wayward efforts from advantageous vantage points. Built like an Olympic sprinter, Abou' nudged the ball into vacant quadrants and hared after it, leaving ill-equipped defenders trailing in his wake. Cutting inside, biding his time, the 23-year-old flashed in crosses – one of which was diverted behind by Curtis Nelson – tested the target and utilised the afterburners to stretch Cardiff's rearguard and without that impulsiveness, Fulham would've been penned into their own half for the long-haul He may not be a secret weapon but he's a destructive option, so I fancy an explosive appearance from the bench at Wembley.

Rodak's Defining Moment
He'd be disappointed to conceded two goals, any 'keeper would be, although Marek Rodak should be ecstatic with his distinguished outing between the sticks down by the river. Cardiff's stopper won notable plaudits and so did our Slovakian first-choice because without his match-saving agility, we would've surely fallen short of the mark. In both legs, in fact, Rodak's alertness preserved our foothold but in the second 45 at the Cottage, he showcased why he's the division's best in his department.

Lanky striker Robert Glatzel fired from close range, a goal and extra-time was imminent, but Rody dropped to the deck to rebuff the German's effort and seconds later, Will Vaulks unleashed a treacherous half-volley from just inside the 18. Clambering to his feet following his initial stop, Rodak sprung into action again to tip the Welshman's projectile away from his top right corner, a phenomenal double save that's simplistically ordinary by his peerless standards.

His distribution still needs a little TLC, perhaps he could command his box with a touch more authority at set-pieces but for reflexes, for point-blank reactions, there is nobody better at this level than Rodak. A sturdy 'keeper isn't a given, they're relatively hard to come by, but I'd say our academy graduate's the closest we've had to a complete goal mouth guardian since Mark Schwarzer. We've many players that are capable of scoring at one end, although we've only one individual that's qualified to spare blushes at the other. He's a remarkable talent and hopefully we've many more years of his dedicated services ahead of us yet.

One Final Dance
You've got to be kidding. A west-London Derby at the home of English football with no fans in attendance? I know we're still effectively within the Jaws of a global pandemic, but they could let us off for one evening, couldn't they? Brentford are the new kids on the block in terms of Premier League contention and they've earned the right to be where they are today. Take nothing away from the rivalry between both clubs, but the Bees will bring a style of play that's destined for bigger and better things, but it's up to us to negate their blueprints with our own infectious programme.

I say infectious, but that's only on the odd occasion and Tuesday evening will not cater for conserved patterns and muted spells on the counter – we must equal Brentford's enthusiasm if we're to proceed to the top-flight. Having said that, there's no clear favourite for me. Before Brentford switched on the style on Wednesday, they're lost 3 consecutive matches. Prior to our defeat against Cardiff, Fulham were unbeaten in 8 and now, with lessens learned, both camps will take to the turf with valid points to prove. A coin toss, or "toin coss" as Parker put it so eloquently to Sky Sports, but the odds are split straight down the middle.

Thomas Frank's the local villain, the snarky, arrogant Dane talks a good game but he also gets the very best out of his men, and they administer some of the most eye-catching football I've seen since Slavisa Jokanovic's promotion-clinching class of 2018. We have to tread carefully. Parker's fair assessment following Thursday's defeat was sobering and mature, he admitted our flaws but recognised our strengths, deliberating between each and every hindrance and advantage. We have work to do on the training field but Brentford's recent abject run of form would indicate that they also have cracks to fill, too. The Bees may hold the bragging rights where our previous meetings are concerned, but they're not impenetrable and these one-off showdowns at Wembley never follows a script.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2020-08-01-five-thoughts-fulham-1-2-cardiff-city-3-2/

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Tom Cairney reveals the sacrifice he would make to help Fulham reach Premier League

Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney has said he would sacrifice his side's pretty style of play in Tuesday's play-off final if it meant securing their spot in the Premier League.

Scott Parker's men progressed to the final against Brentford following their 3-2 aggregate win over Cardiff in the play-off semi-final on Thursday, with Fulham holding on to their lead in the tie despite a 2-1 defeat on the night of the second leg.

They will now be pitted against west London rivals Brentford who saw off another Welsh side in Swansea on Wednesday evening, and Tuesday night's winner will confirm their spot alongside Leeds and West Brom in next season's top flight.

Speaking to Mail Online, Cairney was under no illusions over his side's edgy performance against Cardiff in the play-off second leg, but he would be willing for his side to produce the same against Brentford if it would take them to the top tier.

"It was just about getting over the line," he said.

"No one remembers the performance...they just see that Fulham have got to Wembley. I would take another one of those performances if it would mean winning next Tuesday."

Cairney played the full 90 minutes of both play-off legs against the Bluebirds, while he has been a regular under Parker this season which has seen him make a total 42 appearances in all competitions.

The Verdict

Some might argue Fulham were fortunate to reach the final after losing the second leg on the night, but it should be remembered that they produced a dominant performance to see off Cardiff with a 2-0 victory in the first match.

This shows how the Cottagers are able to produce strong displays in addition to being able to grind out successes, and this is definitely a trait that could prove useful over the course of Tuesday's match against an exciting Brentford side.

It seems very much possible that Fulham will need to produce another gritty display to restrict opportunities for Brentford's front three in the final, but Parker also has a number of attacking threats at his own disposal.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/tom-cairney-reveals-the-sacrifice-he-would-make-to-help-fulham-reach-premier-league/

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[Image] Predicted 4-2-3-1 Fulham XI to face Brentford – Can the Cottagers achieve PL promotion?

Predicted Fulham XI to face Brentford in the Championship playoff final

Fulham are set to face Brentford in the Championship playoff final on Wednesday as they seek to return to the top-flight.

Despite Scott Parker's men underperforming in the last outing against Cardiff City, they managed to reach the finals with a better aggregate. But this time, they cannot afford to put in a sloppy performance. They need to get back to their best form if they are to achieve their goal.

Brentford, on the other hand, have been in brilliant form and this game will definitely be a test for the Cottagers.
Team News

The manager would be happy to see that all of his payers are available for selection. None of the squad members is injured or suspended.
Probable Fulham XI
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Marek Rodak (GK)

Despite struggling in the first half of the campaign, the Slovakian has managed to claim the spot for himself. He has already kept 15 clean sheets throughout the campaign and would be hoping to keep another one in the final.

Cyrus Christie (RB)

The Irish international started in both the legs of the semifinals ahead of Denis Odoi. He is expected to make it to the starting XI on Wednesday and should be at his best against Said Benrahma.
Michael Hector (CB)

The former Reading ace is currently in a good run of form and started in both the games against Cardiff City. He is likely to get the nod ahead of Alfie Mawson.
Tim Ream (CB)

The 32-year-old USA international has been a regular starter throughout the campaign. He is one of the undisputed starters in the game and should be able to keep Ollie Watkins quiet for 90 minutes.
Joe Bryan (LB)

Bryan has been excellent for the Cottagers this season, providing 7 assists. He will be expected to continue at his best and put in crosses for the strikers.
Tom Cairney (CM)

Tom Cairney is immense and is a crucial figure in this Fulham team. He has led the team brilliantly as is one of the best players in the squad. He should start for sure.
Harrison Reed (CM)

The Southampton loanee has made the best use of his loan spell, featuring regularly. He has been a shield in front of the frontline and will be key in cutting out Brentford's string of attacks.
Josh Onomah (AM)

The 23-year-old played a significant role in Fulham reaching the final. He will be expected to break open the Bees defence and should manage to create a lot of opportunities for the forwards.
Anthony Knockaert (RW)

The Frenchman has been in sensational form for Fulham, scoring 3 goals and 5 assists. He is expected to start against the Cottagers as he did in the semifinals.
Neeskens Kebano (LW)

The former Genk man is currently in a rich vein of form and has made the difference, scoring a goal in each of the semifinals. He will be expected to carry the team forward once again.
Aleksandar Mitrovic (ST)

The Serbian has returned to training after missing the last two games. He will be leading their line and will be heavily depended upon for the goals.

https://www.mediareferee.com/2020/08/02/fulham-predicted-xi-to-face-brentford-in-championship-playoff-final/

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Michael Hector determined to help Fulham reach Premier League

Fulham defender Michael Hector hopes to fulfil his Premier League dream as he finishes his topsy-turvy season with a Wembley play-off final.

Hector missed the first half of the season as his £8million move from Chelsea came a few days after the summer transfer window.

But the Jamaica international feels that break benefited him – and Fulham – in the long run as he got to know his new team-mates on the training ground and in meeting rooms before entering the heat of Sky Bet Championship battle.

Hector has since been a stand-out player as Fulham have progressed to a Wembley date against London rivals Brentford on Tuesday.

"It was a strange time not signing in the summer window," said Hector, who Fulham fans have compared to Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk and christened 'Virgil Van Mike'.

"But training with the team from September to January helped me settle in.

"Before I've been in (situations) where I've had to go straight into the team and not found out players' strengths and weaknesses.

"But I was able to going to team meetings when I wasn't playing and that helped me find out about my team-mates.

"I was watching what they were doing in games and watching the games back with them. I felt when I did come in I could help them with certain aspects of the game, whether that was talking a bit more or making tackles."

Hector has had a curious career with no fewer than 10 loan spells after starting out at Reading and signing for Chelsea in 2015.

Aldershot, Barnet and Shrewsbury may be unglamorous stops, but there have been high points along the way.

There was a play-off goal for Cheltenham and an FA Cup semi-final appearance for Reading against Arsenal at Wembley.

And for Eintracht Frankfurt there was a German Cup final appearance in 2017 and the task of keeping Christian Pulisic and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang quiet in a game Borussia Dortmund won 2-1.

"I loved it, the atmosphere was crazy," Hector said.

"But it's about playing the game, because sometimes people can get caught up in the occasion and get lost in it.

"You don't really take it in. If you do take it in, that's when it hits you.

"Don't play the occasion and that's when you play well. But when I look back at it, then it was special moments playing at Wembley and Berlin."

Hector joined Chelsea for £4m in 2015 but failed to break through at Stamford Bridge.

As well as Eintracht, he was loaned out to Reading, Hull and Sheffield Wednesday before making the short journey across west London.

"All my loans were learning curves," Hector said.

"I learned the hard way with certain mistakes, but it's all part of the game and I've become a better player for it.

"I've not played in the Premier League – it wasn't to be at Chelsea, the team I supported and signed for – and it would be a dream to do that.

"Growing up you strive to do that and we're just 90 minutes away."

Brentford finished above Scott Parker's Fulham on goal difference to take third spot.

The Bees also claimed a Championship double over Fulham, including a 2-0 win at Craven Cottage when football resumed after the coronavirus lockdown in June.

"Brentford are a high-scoring team and you have to respect that," Hector said.

"But we go into the game full of confidence. With the team we have, we back ourselves to beat anyone on the day."



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/chelsea/news/michael-hector-determined-to-help-fulham-reach-premier-league_408780.html

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Leeds eyeing £30m transfer raid for star to rival Patrick Bamford but need Fulham favour
Leeds are keen on Brentford's Ollie Watkins and could look to steal the Bees striker if they lose the Championship play-off final on Tuesday night.

Leeds United will look to steal Ollie Watkins away from Brentford if Fulham beat the Bees in the Championship play-off final on Tuesday night. The Cottagers are looking to immediately return to the Premier League while their London rivals have not played in the top flight since 1947.

And whoever is victorious at Wembley will join Leeds, who won the Championship title and will play in the Premier League for the first time since 2004, in taking on the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Marcelo Bielsa's men only managed three less goals than the free-scoring Brentford but while the Bees' goals have been spread across the 55-goal trio of Watkins, Said Benrahma and Bryan Mbeumo, Leeds only had one player in double digits.

That was first-choice frontman Patrick Bamford, who managed 16 strikes in the second division but was also guilty of wasting goalscoring opportunities throughout the campaign.

Sky Sports have suggested that Leeds will keep the faith with the ex-Chelsea and Middlesbrough man Bamford despite his lack of goals in his previous stint in the Premier League.

But as Marcelo Bielsa looks to strengthen his side, the Sunday People say he could look to add Watkins - who has been crucial to Brentford's promotion push this term.

The former Exeter attacker's 26-goal return in the Championship has only been matched by Fulham's Aleksandr Mitrovic.

And as well as his goalscoring contributions, the 24-year-old has also reportedly impressed Bielsa with his movement and versatility, while he is capable of providing the kind of link-up play the manager likes from Bamford.

Watkins can play out wide in a 4-1-4-1 or 4-2-3-1, with the Argentine having primarily played Helder Costa and Jack Harrison out wide this term.

But Watkins' prolific campaign this term has come while playing as a centre forward for Thomas Frank's team.

And it is surely there where Bielsa would deploy him, having starred in that role at Griffin Park, if the opportunity to sign him arises.

The Sunday People say that if Brentford win the play-off final then Bielsa is aware his chances of taking Watkins to Elland Road are extremely slim.

The Leeds manager will however look to pounce if Fulham are victorious and it is said that his valuation will be around £20million to £30m.

Any deal could make him the Whites' record signing, and a £30m sale would see Brentford make well over 10 times profit on the £1.8m they paid for him in 2017.

Leeds are meanwhile looking to get out of a deal to sign Jean-Kevin Augustin from RB Leipzig, with the Frenchman's loan stint having seen him disappoint in Yorkshire.

The 23-year-old made just three appearances since his temporary switch to London but Leeds agreed as part of the deal to sign him for £18m in the summer.

They are now eager to get out of the agreement having refused to extend Augustin's loan due to fitness problems and also, according to the Sunday People, concerns over his attitude.



https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1317393/Leeds-transfer-news-Brentford-Ollie-Watkins-Fulham-Patrick-Bamford-Premier-League

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'You have to look higher than just staying in the Premier League': Brentford defender Pontus Jansson claims Bees must aim to replicate Sheffield United if they defeat Fulham in play-off final and earn top flight promotion

    Brentford are hoping to reach the Premier League for the first time
    Bees will take on west London rivals Fulham in the Championship play-off final
    Jansson believes promoted teams should aim to be like Sheffield United
    The Blades finished first season back in the top flight a highly respectable ninth

Pontus Jansson says if Brentford do not make it to the Premier League this summer, it will not be for a lack of positivity around Griffin Park, which hosted its final game after 116 years when the Bees beat Swansea last Wednesday to reach the Championship Playoff final.

Thomas Frank's side will face west London rivals Fulham at Wembley on Tuesday, after overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit to beat the Swans 3-1, and Jansson says it was an emotional speech from their young French striker Bryan Mbeumo that fired them up for victory.

The 20-year-old forward had recovered from Covid-19 during lockdown and played an important part in Brentford's push for an automatic promotion spot, which failed on the final day.


Pontus Jansson has demanded Brentford to aim high if they earn Premier League promotion

Mbeumo scored his 16th goal of the season to effectively kill off Swansea in the second leg, and Jansson revealed how the France Under 21 striker had fired them up beforehand.

The words he gave us, which he read from his phone, came from his heart and it was very emotional. I don't want to say exactly what he said, but it is always special when it's a guy that is not very fluent in the language,' said Brentford's Swedish captain.

'At start of Coronavirus he tested positive and he missed his family because he has been in London a long time. He's only 20 so of course it's tough for him. But he works extremely hard. I was so happy when he scored that goal - that was one of the proudest moments for me, I said it was like a father celebrating with his son. So, his was a very good speech that helped us a lot.'

Frank is also a great motivator, and Jansson compares him with his former manager at Leeds, Marcelo Bielsa, admitting the Argentinian still uses an interpreter for his team-talks, while the Dane delivers them in English and fills his players with confidence.

'He's a fantastic guy and a fantastic coach. He's always happy, always positive. You always have small issues with every coach you work with, but I really can't find anything negative about Thomas.'

That positivity was one of the main reasons that prompted Jansson to choose Brentford when he was released by Leeds after their own play-off defeat by Derby last season. He was also fascinated by the statistics-based 'Moneyball' approach to recruitment implemented when Rasmus Ankerson became director of football five years ago.

'My agent called them, and you know how they work at Brentford, he had to send my name and input the data and all those things they like to have. Two minutes later they called and said yes, we're ready to take Pontus.'

Though he has a close relationship with Frank and Ankerson, he still does not know the full workings of their unique model, which may now be copied by other clubs after the financial impact of Covid-19.

'I talk a lot with Rasmus because we are both Scandinavian but how they really work? That's also something I want to know about so as soon as the season is over, I want to learn all I can, because I am really interested.

'What they have done at this club is just unbelievable. I'm pretty sure it doesn't stop here now. We know we have a new stadium to forward so hopefully the future is bright for this club.'

Brentford will move into a brand-new 17,500 capacity stadium close to Griffin Park in September, whether in the Championship or Premier League. And Jansson is aiming high.

No play-off winner has lasted more than one or two seasons in the Premier League since Crystal Palace, who won at Wembley in 2013, but Jansson says they must be positive, if they beat Fulham on Tuesday. 'You have to look higher than just staying in the Premier League. Look at Sheffield United.

'When I came to Brentford and was talking to Rasmus I said there is no point looking for a top six finish, it's better to look at the top two, and then there is a higher chance of being in the top six. Of course it's a big thing to say if we go up we want to be in the Europa League, but if you look high, then you have a bigger chance to stay up.'

But first come Fulham, who have yet to score against Brentford this season. Centre-back Jansson lives by the motto 'desire to defend' and says he loves clean sheets, but he cost one for his side and unnecessary tension by attempting a backheeled clearance that allowed Swansea to score on Wednesday. As a converted forward, he admitted: 'I was striker until I was 20, so these stupid things are still my head.

'As a defender at Leeds I used to have one or two mistakes a season in me. I tried to play on the edge which is maybe not always the best way! I wouldn't say that I'm a showman but when it is a full stadium I like to get things going, but now with empty stadiums, my age and experience and also as a captain you need to lead by example so try to take those things away. Hopefully I've made my one mistake for this season and can go out on Tuesday and have a solid game.'



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8584869/Brentford-defender-Pontus-Jansson-claims-Bees-target-Premier-League-survival.html

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Fulham defender Michael Hector dreams of playing in the Premier League after failing to break through at Chelsea... now the 'Championship's Virgil van Dijk' hopes to end long wait by seeing off Brentford in play-off final

    Michael Hector failed to make a Chelsea appearance in his five years at the club
    Defender joined Fulham in January and is on the cusp of Premier League dream
    He has been nicknamed the 'Championship's Virgil van Dijk' after Liverpool star
    The 28-year-old is confident his side can overcome Brentford in Tuesday's clash

Most of Michael Hector's five years with Chelsea before signing for Fulham were spent on loan.

He marked Robert Lewandowski in Germany, played an FA Cup semi-final for Reading and faced Celtic during a spell with Aberdeen.

The one glaring omission has been playing in the Premier League – something the impressive central defender can correct if Fulham beat Brentford in Tuesday's Championship play-off final at Wembley.


Michael Hector is hoping to finally earn a chance of playing in the Premier League with Fulham if they defeat Brentford in Tuesday's Championship play-off final

'It's my dream. Something I have strived to do all my career,' reflects 28-year-old Hector ahead of the biggest game of his life.

'I have been close and now we are 90 minutes away. I grew up in west London supporting Chelsea and Gianfranco Zola was my hero. I signed for them from Reading and would love to have played a first-team game but the opportunity never came.

'The closest I came was 2016 when they gave me the No 30 shirt in pre-season. Then David Luiz signed and took the number, and I went on loan to Eintracht Frankfurt!'

Frustratingly, two of Hector's other loan clubs Hull and Sheffield Wednesday drew Chelsea in the FA Cup whilst he was there, but rules meant he was ineligible so he's still waiting for his first game at Stamford Bridge.


Hector joined boyhood club Chelsea in 2015 but failed to play a competitive game before switching to Craven Cottage back in January

He'll never get a better chance than this. Fulham and Brentford finished level on points in the regular season but the man supporters dub The Championship Van Dijk is confident Scott Parker's side can have the edge, and bounce back into the Premier League at the first time of asking.

'Brentford beat us 2-0 at Craven Cottage but we had the better chances. If we'd taken them it would have been a different story but we switched off right at the end,' asserts Hector, who officially signed for Fulham in January though Chelsea had let him train there from September.

'We know what's at stake but it's all about playing the game rather getting lost in the occasion..

'Having been on so many loans before, I feel I have found my home at Fulham. We can beat anyone on our day.'


Nicknamed the 'Championship's Virgil van Dijk', his defensive displays were crucial in the Championship play-off semi-final victory over Cardiff City

Victory would be the third consecutive year Fulham have either been promoted or relegated from the Premier League, confirming their status alongside West Brom, Charlton and others as proper yo-yo clubs.

Whilst opponents and west London rivals Brentford haven't been in the top flight since 1947, Fulham rose through the leagues when Mohamed Al-Fayed and Kevin Keegan were at the helm, later reaching a European final under Roy Hodgson.

Life has been more mixed under current owners Shahid and Tony Khan. They won promotion via the play-off final under Slavisa Jokanovic but were then relegated last season following an ill-advised spending spree.

Parker, a former Footballer of the Year with West Ham, has steadied the ship, promoting a possession game with striker Aleksandar Mitrovic providing the cutting edge, though the Serbian is an injury doubt for the final having missed both legs of the semi-final win against Cardiff with a hamstring injury.


Hector will now return to Wembley where he has previously appeared for Reading in an FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal in 2015

Talking about Parker, Hector says: 'He has done an unbelievable job to get us in the play-offs. I don't think he gets enough credit for what he's done.

'It's his first job in management. The Championship is a tough league, Saturday-Tuesday. To get a relegated team up there challenging isn't easy. You see clubs like Huddersfield come down and have another relegation fight.'

The traditional Fulham family feel is back. They missed the deadline to sign Hector in the summer but to make him feel wanted, they arranged with Chelsea for him to train after September and was involved in all the team meetings to learn about his new club until he was able to play from the start of 2020. His own previous Wembley experience came in 2018 when Reading were beaten 2-1 by Arsenal.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8584903/Fulham-defender-Michael-Hector-dreams-playing-Premier-League.html

[WhiteJC]

From Chelsea's forgotten man to the brink of Premier League dream with Fulham after 15 loans

The centre back is one win from being a top-flight player after a difficult season and nomadic existence before finding his home in a different corner of West London


Michael Hector has been outstanding for Fulham since January. (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)

Michael Hector has had to bide his time. The 28-year-old centre back joined Fulham from Chelsea in September but was not allowed to play until his registration received clearance in January.

Then, as the Jamaica international who has had 15 loan moves in a nomadic career began to hit his stride at a club that he could finally call home, coronavirus shut everything down for three months.

Now his moment has potentially arrived: Tuesday's play-off final against Brentford at Wembley offering the East Londoner a shot at finally reaching the Premier League.

From Horsham to Eintracht Frankfurt, via Dundalk and Didcot, Hector has worked hard during every temporary stay and maintained an arguably unrivalled patience but the weight of expectation and pressure of his dream being one win from realisation does not seem to weigh too heavily.

He is speaking to a small number of reporters the morning after Fulham scraped past Cardiff City on 3-2 aggregate and seems remarkably level-headed considering the context.

There are no grand statements about his elongated journey towards the Premier League, though the past has undoubtedly shaped him.

Instead Hector is very much living in the present having become one of the most important players in Scott Parker's squad.

Fulham have kept clean sheets in 11 of Hector's 24 appearances, his coolness and efficiency shoring up a leaky defence that had threatened to underwrite the squad's attacking value.

No wonder he has been given the nickname "Virgil van Mike" by Fulham fans, a moniker now used frequently inside the dressing room.

"It's a bit of banter with the fans," Hector says. "They have just been happy with my performances since I came in.

"Virgil [van Dijk] is one of the best centre halves in the world so to be tarnished with that kind of player is great. Obviously, I'm my own player but it's a positive — it's nice, but I try to be my own man."

Yet, perhaps too modestly, Hector says that there were doubts over whether he could even get into the starting XI once eligible in January.

He had been training with the squad since September but any footballer will tell you that it is impossible to match the intensity without being involved in competitive action.

"Obviously I was in the meetings," he tells football.london. "I wasn't playing but I was still going to team meetings to see what they were doing in games, watching games back and stuff like that. I felt that when I did come back I felt I could help them in certain aspects of the game, whether talking a bit more or making tackles — things like that.

"For me it's about the quality of players we have — it's frightening at times. It didn't feel like I would come straight into the team because the team is full of quality players. I had to work hard and it was basically doing my best to keep my place in the team. I've done that so far."

And more. Hector has been ever present since his debut in an FA Cup win over Aston Villa on January 4 and Fulham's record speaks for itself.

Half of his 22 Championship appearances ended in shut-outs with 20 goals conceded. Before his introduction, Fulham shipped 30 in 26. And there have been a cluster of goal-saving moments such as the last-ditch challenge to deny Robert Glatzel in the first leg against Cardiff last Monday.

How much of that form is down to being at a permanent home, the assurance of a more than fleeting future with one squad fuelling his confidence?

"Every loan club I have been at I have taken as my parent club," he says. "I have never given less than 100 percent wherever I have gone and I have become a supporter of the club. I have always wanted to do well for the club and staying another year was always the plan.

"But for me I have found my home now at Fulham. I am from London, my family is from London and I do feel at home here.

"It's a slightly different feeling from Reading, where I was signed, because I'm older, I know the game a bit more and the staff here all support me very well, so yes, I do feel at home."

Now Hector is one win from coming up against Chelsea, Virgil van Dijk and a host of superstar attackers. His task seems simple but daunting: if he can silence Brentford's fearsome front three of Said Benrahma, Ollie Watkins and Bryan Mbeumo then Fulham will likely be returning to the top flight at the first time of asking.

"It's a dream," he says. "I've not played in the Premier League before, I've been close, so it's a dream. I've grown up striving to play in matches like that and now we're 90 minutes away from being there and that's what we have been striving for all season.

"I would love to play against Chelsea, the team I supported growing up. I signed there and it wasn't to be but I've found a home now at Fulham and I can't wait for us to play in games like that hopefully next season."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/chelseas-forgotten-man-brink-premier-18701705

[blingo]

All London final? Last I knew Brentford was in Middlesex, not West London and Fulham is SW6 LONDON.

[WhiteJC]

All London final? Last I knew Brentford was in Middlesex, not West London and Fulham is SW6 LONDON.

blingo, some commentators think that both Reading and Watford are in London or that Brighton v Crystal Palace is a local derby, I'm guessing that geography has been dropped from the school curriculum?