Friday Fulham Stuff - 23/10/20...

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Reported Newcastle and Fulham target will allegedly cost £20m in January

Newcastle or Fulham will have to pay £20 million to sign Phil Jones from Manchester United in January, even if the England international has fallen well down the pecking order, according to the Sun.

It sums up the way Jones' career has gone at Old Trafford that, ahead of Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League triumph at Paris Saint-Germain, his name was entirely absent from any pre-match discussion.

One of Sir Alex Ferguson's final signings would, once upon a lifetime, have been a guaranteed starter in a crucial European clash.

But, after being left out of Ole Gunnar Solkjaer's European roster for 2020/21, Jones' once-promising United career looks destined to end with a whimper.

And when you add in the fact that he has not kicked a ball in any competition this season, the £20 million price-tag slapped on his head feels nothing short of a liberty.

That would actually see United make a £4 million profit on a player who joined as a muscle-bound teenager all the way back in 2011.

The Chronicle reported earlier this week that Newcastle are 'likely' to make a move for Jones in January, having expressed an interest over the summer (Telegraph).

Steve Bruce has prioritised proven, experienced Premier League talent at St James' Park and the 28-year-old, who would offer some much-needed competition at centre-half, fits the bill nicely alongside new recruits Jeff Hendrick, Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser.

The Sun adds that Fulham were also keen on the £100,000-a-week forgotten man.

Yet the recent arrivals of Joachim Andersen, Terence Kongolo and Tosin Adarabioyo have given Scott Parker's struggling side a dash of defensive depth.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/10/22/reported-newcastle-and-fulham-target-will-allegedly-cost-20m-in-january/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham v Palace full match details

Crystal Palace are in Premier League action against Fulham at Craven Cottage, and you can find everything you'll need on the fixture below - including how to follow it live.
Match details

    Saturday, 24th October
    15:00 BST
    Craven Cottage
    BT Sport Box Office

Can supporters attend?

No. Premier League matches will still be played behind closed doors until further notice.
When will team news be released?

On the day, team news for both sides will be released on the dot of 14:00 on cpfc.co.uk and our official Twitter, and follows on the official Palace app and across our other social media channels immediately after.

Turn on notifications within the app or on our Twitter to be the first to hear who makes the squad.
How to follow on TV

Fulham v Palace will be shown live in the UK via BT Sport Box Office. Coverage starts from 14:45 BST.

To purchase a pass to view this match, supporters have several options:

    Online or on the app
    You can watch on mobile devices, Mac or PC with the BT Sport Box Office app for iOS and Android. Got Chromecast or Airplay? You can watch on the big screen too.
    Buy or sign in by clicking here.

    BT TV
    Buy on your TV box now. Go to the BT Player or channel 495.

    Sky TV
    Get BT Sport from BT? Buy on your Sky box now. Go to channel 494.
    Get BT Sport directly from Sky? Buy on BT Sport Box Office here.
    Don't have BT Sport on Sky? Buy on BT Sport Box Office here.

    Virgin TV
    Buy on your TV box now. Go to the On Demand section and select from Live Events.

I don't wish to/cannot watch live

Supporters who cannot watch this game live can purchase a Palace Audio pass to listen to live commentary instead. Buy yours and find further information by clicking here.

There are also a number of ways to follow this clash from pre- to post-match for FREE through the club...
Follow for FREE

You can start your pre-game build-up with the club well in advance of matchday.

On cpfc.co.uk, the club's official website, and the official Palace app, we bring you exclusive interviews and features, all the information and stats you need in the Palace Preview and breaking news from Roy Hodgson's pre-match press conference.

On our social channels, you can get into the matchday mood with nostalgic footage, behind the scenes in training, live press conference updates and everything else to prepare you for the upcoming clash.

Finally, Palace TV delivers Hodgson's press conferences in full, extended interviews with the first-team squad and a detailed run-through from those in the know.
Pre-match

Before kick-off, you'll be able to fill the time with every watch and read across cpfc.co.uk, the Palace app and social media.

Then attention turns to team news.

The club shares team news on the dot - exactly one hour before kick-off (14:00 v Fulham). This can be found on cpfc.co.uk and our Twitter account instantly, and follows across other social media platforms and the Palace app just moments after.

On Instagram, we'll be showing all the behind-the-scenes arrivals from pre-match in our Instagram Stories.
Mid-game

Twitter is the place to be mid-match. With running updates, the best images and eye catching extras, it makes for the best alternative to watching in person or on a broadcast.

You can turn post notifications on to not miss a trick and, with the official app, you'll receive key match updates direct to your phone! Simply make sure you have notifications turned on.

To follow commentary of the game as it's happening, grab yourself a Palace Audio pass here!
Post-match

Every club channel fills with content post-match, right from the final whistle.

An instantaneous match report will be available on cpfc.co.uk and the official app and you'll also be able to vote for your eToro Man of the Match just minutes after full-time.

Our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram will bring you the best shots and match action from the day as well as all the player responses, stand out stats and every article shared on the site.

Palace TV is busy grabbing post-match interviews and each manager's press conference, while two-minute highlights are available that evening and full match highlights follow shortly afterwards for free.

So don't miss out on upcoming matches and keep a close eye across Crystal Palace's official channels!



https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/2020/october/fulham-v-crystal-palace-match-information---kick-off-time-date-and-how-to-watch/

[WhiteJC]

Kostas Mitroglou: the signing story that gets weirder over time
Charles Jones tells the tale of Kostas Mitroglou – a story that gets more twists and turns as the years roll on.

Jean-Michael Seri's omission from our 25-man squad this week puts him in contention to be named Fulham's worst signing ever. But the man bought for a reported £30m a little more than two years ago has stiff competition for that title.

Kostas Mitroglou has to be considered our worst signing of all time – and every year the legend of his time at Fulham grows.

£12m down the drain
On Deadline day in January 2014, we were deep in the relegation mire and desperate for a new striker.

Steve Sidwell topped our goalscoring charts that year – and that tells you all you need to know about our scoring woes.

Luckily, there was a solution flying in from Greece. And his name was Kostas Mitroglou.

A club-record fee of £12m was enough to secure the Olympiacos hitman's signature, but as the weeks went on it became very clear that we'd made a grave error.

He never managed to get fit, appearing just three times for us and failing to score in any of those appearances. We were relegated with a whimper, and rather than cashing in while the iron was (relatively) hot, we decided to loan him out, first back to Olympiacos (where he rediscovered his goal-scoring form, obviously), and then to Benfica, where he eventually signed permanently. 

What could've been
We can get over a last-minute panic buy of an unfit forward not working out, but this move was made all the more bitter by the fact that one of our potential alternatives was a little-known attacker called Antoine Griezmann.

You don't need telling what he's gone on to achieve since then; he's a World Cup winner, a European Championship Golden Boot winner and one of the most expensive players in history.

Whether or not Griezmann would have had enough to single-handedly save us with Felix Magath at the helm is up for debate, but he surely would have been better than Mitroglou.

Perfectly picked out
It wasn't hard to see why we chose to sign the man known as 'Mitrogoal'.

He'd scored 16 goals in his first 24 appearances in the Greek Super League that season, as well as three goals in the Champions League, but five years after we signed him, it emerged that we'd done so based purely on his FIFA stats.

Former Whites captain Danny Murphy told the story back in 2017, at a data journalism talk for Opta, claiming that he had it on good authority that this was the case.

We know that Fulham's analytics approach towards transfers is ripe for criticism at the best of times, but going off of FIFA stats is literally unheard of. Of course, we all know that Football Manager is the only way forward.

Not just hungry for goals
For all of the criticism Mitroglou gets for his time at Fulham, we can't deny that the excitement was palpable before he was announced on that fateful deadline day.

The Greek attacker was snapped in Domino's in London just hours before he signed for the club, and unfortunately, his pizza shop antics were just a sign of things to come.

Steve Sidwell didn't hold back when talking about Mitroglou last year and he revealed that the striker didn't just have an appetite for goals.

"This fucker, he did not stop eating." Sidwell said.

"He was a big boy. And you know the protein bars, every time you'd see him, he'd be walking around the training ground with a loving protein bar."

Lessons to be learned
And so ends the mythical tale of Kostas Mitroglou's plight at Fulham (unless there are more revelations to come).

Every single year something new seems to come to light about the Greek forward's time at the club to the point where nothing could surprise us anymore. And while he may be Fulham's worst signing ever, there are lessons to be learned.

This shouldn't need saying, but football clubs shouldn't sign players solely on their stats on a video game. And if your new £12m striker is heading to Domino's straight after getting off the plane, maybe he's not got the right attitude to single-handedly steer you clear of a relegation battle.

Contrastingly, little is known about Seri, cast out into the cold of the under-23s this week. Even his transfer is shrouded in mystery amid reports of dodgy payments and makeweight players. But the end result, so far, has been similar; relegation and a loan lifeline. We'll all be watching the next chapter of this tragic tale closely.




https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2020-10-21-kostas-mitroglou-the-signing-story-that-gets-weirder-over-time/

[WhiteJC]

Excellent news as Harvey Elliott stars on Blackburn Rovers debut

Liverpool have had some special youngsters come through the ranks over the years. Trent Alexander-Arnold is the msot recent example of a teenager turned superstar. One of our most promising youngsters at the minute was brought in from the Fulham academy. In excellent news for Liverpool, Harvey Elliott started for Blackburn Rovers this week and starred on his debut.

Liverpool and Harvey Elliott
The signing of Harvey Elliott from Fulham was an exciting one to say the least.

The teenager joined from Fulham last year, along with Sepp van den Berg he was one of only two outfield signings in the summer window.

Since joining he has made appearances in the cups and in friendlies, he made his Premier League debut for the Reds in January of this year, replacing Mo Salah against Sheffield United.

Harvey Elliott at Blackburn
Liverpool loaned Harvey Elliott to Blackburn Rovers on deadline day this month.

The youngster has joined the Championship side for the entire season as the Rovers chase promotion back to the top flight.

It is thought that the Reds sanctioned the move after the side was knocked out of the EFL cup by Arsenal.

Given that Xherdan Shaqiri stuck around and there was no cup competition for the youngster to star in, the decision was made to loan him out to nearby side so that he could get regular first team football.

Harvey Elliott stars on Blackburn debut
n excellent news for Liverpool, Harvey Elliott started for Blackburn Rovers against Watford this midweek.

The Rovers fell to a 3-1 defeat but Elliott gave a thoroughly good account of himself on his Championship debut.

The right winger was unlucky not to bag an assist after his threaded through ball for his striker in plenty of space, the Watford keeper pulling out a fingertip save to deny the goal.

It is encouraging that the 17-year-old played the full 90 minutes just days after joining the club and is surely a sign of what his role in the side will be.



https://www.rousingthekop.com/2020/10/22/excellent-news-as-harvey-elliott-stars-on-blackburn-rovers-debut/

[WhiteJC]

'Looked like blackmail' – Club had 'total agreement' to sell player to Fulham, then it got messy

Fulham's desperate search for a central defender during the transfer window saw them linked to endless options around European football.

A lot of the claims felt like more than simply the work of the rumour mill, with talk of several players travelling for medicals with the Premier League club.

Deals collapsed at the last minute, one of which was for Marlon.

Sassuolo were keen on the sale because it would have given them the funds to then move for Empoli's Samuele Ricci. Gazzetta dello Sport report there was 'total agreement' between the Serie A club and Fulham.

Marlon was set to move for €15m and the transfer was so advanced that Barcelona, the defender's former club, had given their approval. Presumably the Catalan side have some kind of buyback clause.

According to the claims, Fulham then told Sassuolo there'd been a problem with the medical, and to go through with the signing they wanted a discount and to be able to pay the transfer fee over a longer period of time.

For Sassuolo this 'looked like blackmail' and they were simply unwilling to reduce the value of the deal.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/looked-like-blackmail-club-total-agreement-sell-player-fulham-got-messy/

[WhiteJC]

NEW FOF'cast 🎙🎧 You cannot be Seri-ous?

In this episode of FOF'cast, we are joined once again by our regular guests Gerry Pimm and Owen Smith, as we discuss the following Fulham FC topics:

1 – The 1-1 draw with Sheffield United.

2 – Mitro's nightmare, and the striker situation.

3 – Sheffield United Man of the Match.

4 – The Premier League PPV.

5 – Joachim Anderson injury.

6 – Return of Terrance Kongolo.

7 – The 25 man registered squad.

8 – The up and coming Crystal Palace game.

9 – Crystal Palace predictions.

Thanks once again for taking the time to listen, and your feedback is always appreciated, to help us develop future shows.

We are now registered on iTunes, so please make sure you subscribe to our Podcast.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/friends-of-fulham-podcast/id1535958097



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=1488

[WhiteJC]

Reed looks unlikely to return against Palace

Fulham are unlikely to risk Harrison Reed against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The former Southampton midfielder has been training "for a couple of days" according to Scott Parker, but the head coach has plenty of cover in the shape of Mario Lemina and Andre Frank-Anguissa.

Central defender Joachim Andersen suffered ankle ligament damage in training a few days after he signed on transfer deadline day and is set to be out for at least another month.

Likewise, right-back Kenny Tete has a torn calf, while Josh Onomah has been left out of the named Premier League squad of 25.

The young midfielder has a knee injury that will keep him out of the squad another two months, if not the remainder of 2020.

Onomah was sidelined last season when on loan with Whites. He picked up a knee injury in Fulham's Championship defeat by Barnsley on 15 February and required surgery, and next appeared on June 27 against Leeds.

He has already made four appearances this campaign before pulling up short – the last in the 3-0 Carabao League Cup exit to Brentford on October 1.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-midfielder-expected-to-miss-out-against-crystal-palace

[WhiteJC]

Parker: Seri could still make an impact at Fulham

Boss Scott Parker insists Jean Michael Seri can still make an impact at Fulham.

The Ivory Coast international was one of four senior players omitted from the Premier League squad of 25 this week, and along with Kevin McDonald, Stefan Johansen and the injured Josh Onomah.

Seri and defender Maxime Le Marchand cost a total £25m when signed at the beginning of 2018-19, but the former struggled to gain a foothold at Craven Cottage.

He was loaned to Galatasary last season and seemed certain to leave before the transfer window closed.

His brother, who also acts as his agent, laid bare Seri's desire to find a new club – and claimed Inter Milan were interested.

But when it mattered, no club wanted the midfielder on a permanent deal.

His two appearances this season were in the Carabao Cup, the last against Brentford on October 1 when he wasted a glorious chance to level before Bees added a couple more to ensure Fulham's exit.

But Parker reckons Seri can make a comeback when the squads are resubmitted later in the season.

He said: "It's not been easy but these decisions to leave players out is what I have to do.

"Mika starts a new slate. He's got to train well over the next nine weeks, that's all it is, and got to get me thinking there's an option with him.

"He's a top-quality player. There's no place for him now – but that can change. It will depend on how he reacts to this decision.

"When he was here and we got relegated it didn't go so well, but that's not to say his (Fulham career) is dead and buried".



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/parker-seri-could-still-make-an-impact-at-fulham

[WhiteJC]

Scott Parker: 'We must keep working hard as there is no magic formula'

Scott Parker insists there is no "magic formula" for rock-bottom Fulham as they look to build on their first point of the Premier League season when they take on Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The promoted Cottagers secured their first point in a 1-1 draw at Sheffield United last time out, having suffered defeats in their opening four matches.

Despite Fulham's disappointing start, which has brought back memories of their last Premier League campaign in 2018-19 when they were relegated in April, Parker is determined not to let the experience affect his players.

"There is no magic formula," the Fulham boss said, adding: "There's no magic formula to all of a sudden (stop) errors that are occurring or what did occur.

"If that could instantly change then life would be pretty easy but that's not the case. What is normally the case is it's a process, it's stick to what you know is right and work hard and keep improving.

"Of course you all hope that it happens quicker and that's down to me of course it is but ultimately I don't want to push that onto the players – I'll never push that onto the players.

"I know where we are, I know fully where we are. I know early on there was noise around us and there will be noise around us because that's what comes with the last time we were in this division and what we spent and what goals we let in.

"I get that there's a little bit of a noise and I get that that's going to influence how people see us this year."

A number of players from Fulham's last Premier League venture, including Stefan Johansen, Kevin McDonald and Jean-Michael Seri, have been left out of Parker's 25-man squad.

From a group of 31, the 40-year-old had to trim down his squad to fit the league rules, but believes he has made the right decision as Fulham bid to extend their stay in the top flight.

On the final squad, Parker said: "Yeah very hard, it's a tough decision. Obviously we were left with a lot of numbers and I've had to make a decision on what I think is best and how we need to go about it.

"So a tough decision because I know there are players left out who can help us as well really. But these things are in place and I was left with a number of players to make a call on.

"So of course it's not been easy but it is what it is and those are the decisions you have to make and we've made them now and we now go with the 25 that I've selected."




https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/crystal-palace/news/scott-parker-we-must-keep-working-hard-as-there-is-no-magic-formula_419367.html

[WhiteJC]

Pre-Palace Press Conference

Saturday sees one of Fulham's all-time greats return to Craven Cottage, someone that our current Head Coach holds in the highest esteem.

Scott Parker was part of Roy Hodgson's England squad at Euro 2012, and has only good things to say about a man whose managerial career began before he was even born.

"It's absolutely remarkable," Parker said of the Crystal Palace boss. "Take aside how successful Roy's been, to think he's had the horsepower and the drive for a long, long time now, it shows you how good he is at what he does, and what he has done – it's remarkable.

"He's doing a fantastic job. I played under Roy for a short space of time with England. He's a well-detailed, organised coach. I think you see that in his Crystal Palace team.

"Full credit that he's still looking as young as he is, after all these years of being a manager and the stresses that brings. He's done remarkably well.

"I have full respect and admiration for Roy and what he's doing at Crystal Palace. I think everyone knows that when you come up against a Roy Hodgson team, you come up against a well-disciplined, well-organised team that can cause you problems."

The weekend's London derby is our first match since the Club submitted our 25-man Premier League squad list.

With 29 senior players in the First Team setup, midfielders Jean Michaël Seri, Stefan Johansen and Kevin McDonald all missed out, while Josh Onomah was ruled out through injury.

"It was a tough decision, obviously," Parker admitted. "We were left with a lot of numbers and had to make a decision on what I thought was best and how we need to go about it.

"It's a tough decision because the players left out, I know can help us as well. It's not been easy, but it is what it is, it was a decision we had to make, and we now go with the 25 I've selected.

"Mika is a top quality player and now it's down to him in the next nine weeks – and that's all it is, nine weeks – to train well and get me thinking, come January, that there's an option.

"Stefan and Kev have been here for a long time and have contributed a lot to this football club, and the same goes for them. I've had to make a decision here, and they understand that decision.

"And I have no doubt that both of them will be exactly the same as Mika in that sense. They'll work hard over the next nine weeks and try and prove that decision wrong."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/october/Pre-Palace-Press-Conference/

[WhiteJC]

Scott Parker insists there is no 'magic formula' as Fulham look to climb table

Scott Parker insists there is no "magic formula" for rock-bottom Fulham as they look to build on their first point of the Premier League season when they take on Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The promoted Cottagers secured their first point in a 1-1 draw at Sheffield United last time out, having suffered defeats in their opening four matches.

Despite Fulham's disappointing start, which has brought back memories of their last Premier League campaign in 2018-19 when they were relegated in April, Parker is determined not to let the experience affect his players.

"There is no magic formula," the Fulham boss said, adding: "There's no magic formula to all of a sudden (stop) errors that are occurring or what did occur.

"If that could instantly change then life would be pretty easy but that's not the case. What is normally the case is it's a process, it's stick to what you know is right and work hard and keep improving.

"Of course you all hope that it happens quicker and that's down to me of course it is but ultimately I don't want to push that onto the players – I'll never push that onto the players.

"I know where we are, I know fully where we are. I know early on there was noise around us and there will be noise around us because that's what comes with the last time we were in this division and what we spent and what goals we let in.

"I get that there's a little bit of a noise and I get that that's going to influence how people see us this year."

A number of players from Fulham's last Premier League venture, including Stefan Johansen, Kevin McDonald and Jean-Michael Seri, have been left out of Parker's 25-man squad.

From a group of 31, the 40-year-old had to trim down his squad to fit the league rules, but believes he has made the right decision as Fulham bid to extend their stay in the top flight.

On the final squad, Parker said: "Yeah very hard, it's a tough decision. Obviously we were left with a lot of numbers and I've had to make a decision on what I think is best and how we need to go about it.

"So a tough decision because I know there are players left out who can help us as well really. But these things are in place and I was left with a number of players to make a call on.

"So of course it's not been easy but it is what it is and those are the decisions you have to make and we've made them now and we now go with the 25 that I've selected."



https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/scott-parker-insists-there-is-no-magic-formula-as-fulham-look-to-climb-table-1603378959000

[WhiteJC]

Fulham boss Scott Parker says there is no 'magic formula' for Premier League's bottom side

A number of players from Fulham's last Premier League venture, including Stefan Johansen, Kevin McDonald and Jean-Michael Seri, have been left out of Parker's 25-man squad

Fulham head coach Scott Parker insists there is no "magic formula" for the Premier League's bottom side as they look to build on their first point of the season when they host Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The promoted Cottagers secured their first point in a 1-1 draw at Sheffield United last Sunday, having suffered defeats in their opening four matches.

Despite Fulham's disappointing start, which has brought back memories of their last Premier League campaign in 2018-19 when they were relegated in April, Parker is determined not to let the experience affect his players.

He said: "There is no magic formula. There's no magic formula to all of a sudden [stop] errors that are occurring or what did occur.

"If that could instantly change then life would be pretty easy but that's not the case. What is normally the case is it's a process, it's stick to what you know is right and work hard and keep improving.

"Of course you all hope that it happens quicker and that's down to me of course it is but ultimately I don't want to push that onto the players - I'll never push that onto the players.

"I know where we are, I know fully where we are. I know early on there was noise around us and there will be noise around us because that's what comes with the last time we were in this division and what we spent and what goals we let in.

"I get that there's a little bit of a noise and I get that that's going to influence how people see us this year."

A number of players from Fulham's last Premier League venture, including Stefan Johansen, Kevin McDonald and Jean-Michael Seri, have been left out of Parker's 25-man squad.

From a group of 31, the 40-year-old had to trim down his squad to fit the league rules, but believes he has made the right decision as Fulham bid to extend their stay in the top flight.

On the final squad, Parker said: "Yeah very hard, it's a tough decision.

"Obviously we were left with a lot of numbers and I've had to make a decision on what I think is best and how we need to go about it.

"So a tough decision because I know there are players left out who can help us as well really. But these things are in place and I was left with a number of players to make a call on.

"So of course it's not been easy but it is what it is and those are the decisions you have to make and we've made them now and we now go with the 25 that I've selected."



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/12111377/fulham-boss-scott-parker-says-there-is-no-magic-formula-for-premier-leagues-bottom-side

[WhiteJC]

Benjamin Odeje: The 'Boy Pele' who was England's first black footballer

England's first black footballer? Was it Laurie Cunningham? Viv Anderson? It was neither...

Benjamin Odeje has fought for decades to be recognised as the first black footballer for England at any level.

Now, as the Three Lions reached the landmark of having 100 black players represent the country during the recent friendly against Wales, Odeje reflects on his forgotten legacy.

"I remember ITV did a programme in which they congratulated Viv Anderson for being the first black footballer to play for England at any level", Odeje told London Football Scene.

"When I heard it, I rang ITV and spoke to one of the producers where they quickly tried to pacify me."

While Anderson is widely known as the first black player to be capped at senior level in November 1978 with Cunningham appearing for the Under 21s a year earlier, it is Odeje who is English football's black trailblazer.

Back in 1971, Odeje's scoring record as a 15-year-old schoolboy from South East London not only earned him the nickname of 'Boy Pele' but also the attention of the England Schoolboy selectors.

Nevertheless, Odeje was still placed in the fourth team out of four in Bisham Abbey trials but defied all the odds to earn a call up to the England Schoolboys team, going on to make his debut against Northern Ireland.

Unbeknown to him at the time, Odeje was writing footballing history as he helped the Three Lions to a 1-0 win in front of a Wembley crowd of 70,000 fans – a whole six years before either Cunningham or Anderson burst onto the international scene.

"It was something I can't describe now. No words can describe how I felt apart from being extremely happy," recalls Odeje.

"The mere fact that I didn't realise I was making history; all I wanted as a player was to play football."

The fact history has been rewritten since is not only a stolen sense of pride that has haunted Odeje throughout the rest of his life but also affected the school lives of his daughters as well.

"The class would make fun of them and say they were lying," Odeje said. "They used to cry because their friends used to call them liars.

"They actually wanted to stop going to school because they were labelled as the girls who wanted to claim fame."

With his daughters doubting him, Odeje stressed the importance of the BBC's intervention in May 2013 to correct the mistake with the Football Association corroborating the story.

"From then on they could proudly go to school with their heads held up high because they realised their father was the first," Odeje added.

Despite the achievement, Odeje downplays his role as a black footballing pioneer, "I'm not going to say I was the one that introduced black players to the English League. But before I played, the number of black players were very limited."

As a player, Odeje had a natural talent for goal scoring and holds a remarkable tally of over 400 goals in three seasons: "I would score for the fun of it. I don't know how many goals there were but whoever managed to ascertain those figures, please leave it there!"

It was no wonder many compared him to Brazilian great Pele at the time, with Odeje recalling a situation when both players' paths momentarily crossed for the briefest of moments in 1973..

"I idolised him (Pele) and I remember watching him play a friendly match, I will never forget this day," Odeje said.

"Santos actually played against Fulham at Craven Cottage. I remember watching that guy and just marvelling at the things he used to do with the ball.

"I was standing beside the tunnel because I wanted to see what this God of Football was like. I remember at half-time him coming back through the tunnel and I touched him.

"I didn't wash my hands for days. This is the hand that touched Pele, I am not going to wash it."

This once in a lifetime moment seemed almost dreamlike for a boy that used to imitate the Brazilian legend as a child.

Domestically, Odeje was at Charlton Athletic under the tutelage of the late Theo Foley with the future looking increasingly bright when Colin Murphy, his former secondary school PE teacher became youth coach at the club.

But despite playing a prominent role in the Addicks' 1972-73 FA Youth Cup run, Odeje was eventually released without ever playing for Charlton's first team.

To this day, Odeje admits to being 'shocked' at the decision, but holds no regrets or bitterness: "One minute I was up there doing what I was supposed to do, and the next I was down at the bottom.

"My days at Charlton were time well spent but not as lucrative or as positive as I would have wanted."

There was similar confusion when Odeje was dropped from the England Schoolboys team – such a shocking decision at the time that one of the Board of Directors at a local South East London school resigned in protest.

Although later reinstated to the side, and eventually going on to make five England appearances in total, Odeje's footballing career failed to hit the same heights and euphoria again.

Spells at non-League football level in the London area for clubs including Hendon, Clapton and Dulwich Hamlet followed before taking up a coaching role at QPR and going on to become a PE teacher.

Whatever difficulties Benjamin Odeje may have had in transitioning from talented youth team hopeful to the senior men's game, his place is rightfully written into English football's history books as: Benjamin Odeje, England's first black footballer.

Benjamin Odeje has worked in coaching for over 25 years and currently runs a soccer school in Queens Park, North West London for children who find it difficult to access the national curriculum due to misbehaviour.



https://londonfootballscene.co.uk/2020/10/22/benjamin-odeje-the-boy-pele-who-was-englands-first-black-footballer/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham will forever regret not signing Jan Oblak in 2009

Fulham's defensive woes this season have been there for all to see, but perhaps they wouldn't have been in this mess if they'd have gotten one thing right over a decade ago.

The Whites were on the trail of one of the best young goalkeepers on the planet back in 2009 as they had 16-year-old Jan Oblak on trial, but for one reason or another, the Slovenian rejected the chance to sign for the London club.

Oblak instead opted to head back to his home country to continue his development with Olimpija Ljubljana, and Fulham have to be kicking themselves whenever they see him performing at the very highest level with Atletico Madrid these days.

Oblak is now rated as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, he has been ranked as the number one stopper on the planet by FourFourTwo and transfermarkt have him down as the most valuable goalie in the game right now, rating him as an £81m player.

It's hard to believe that Fulham faced an impossible task in trying to ply him away from Olimpija back in 2009, and if they'd have thrown bigger wages at him they would have landed one of the biggest bargains in the club's history.

Fulham have a history of great goalkeepers at the club, Edwin van Der Sar ranks amongst the greatest of all-time, while Mark Schwarzer was one of the most consistent stoppers of the Premier League era.

Alphonse Areola is the Cottagers' current number one, and despite having the pedigree of being PSG's first choice a few years ago, it's impossible to argue that Oblak wouldn't be the better option.

11 years have passed since Oblak had a trial at Fulham, and it must be incredibly painful for anyone involved with the club to look back on that and not be absolutely gutted that they couldn't secure his signature.

Oblak is certainly the one that got away in recent times at Fulham.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-news/fulham-transfers-jan-oblak-signing-trial

[WhiteJC]

Aina delighted to reunite with former Chelsea teammate Loftus-Cheek at Fulham

The Nigeria international has spoken of his excitement to link up with the 24-year-old at Craven Cottage

Ola Aina has expressed his delight to reunite with his former Chelsea teammate Ruben Loftus-Cheek at Fulham.

The Nigeria international spent 12 years at Stamford Bridge after joining the club as a schoolboy before leaving permanently to team up with Serie A side Torino after impressing during a loan spell.

The 24-year-old wing-back played along with Loftus-Cheek in the youth set up and featured prominently as the Blues won the Uefa Youth League in 2015.

Aina returned to England in September, joining the Cottagers on a season-long loan from Torino with an option of making the deal permanent.

Loftus-Cheek, meanwhile, signed for the Craven Cottage outfit earlier this month for the remainder of the 2020-21 campaign.

"When I saw it on Sky, I texted him and I didn't get a reply for a couple of hours so I just put two and two together - he's definitely here so that was good," Aina told the club website.

"Literally [I have spent] most of my life with Rueben and I know how Ruben likes to play, I know what type of passes he likes.

"It was kind of familiar and comfortable just having Reuben there on the right side a little bit, it was good as well, it was a good feeling."

Aina and the England international were handed their debuts in Fulham's draw against Sheffield United on Sunday.

The defender admitted he was not at his best in the encounter as he is still adapting to the playing style of the Cottagers.

"The debut was a difficult one, it was my first game and I was just trying to find my feet on how the team plays," he continued.

"In training, we are getting comfortable with each other and every player knows what we like and don't like."

Aina could make his second appearance for Fulham when they take on Crystal Palace in their next Premier League game on Saturday.

The wing-back featured in 32 league games for Torino last season and will hope to continue his consistent performances, this time with Fulham.



https://www.goal.com/en/news/aina-delighted-to-reunite-with-former-chelsea-teammate/pcaxdybmu5qh1p6dktl34qkrv

[WhiteJC]

Premier League predictions: Lawro v legendary Style Council drummer Steve White

Manchester United have bounced back from their 6-1 home defeat by Tottenham with impressive wins over Newcastle and Paris St-Germain, but can they continue their good form against Chelsea on Saturday?

"United have had a good week, just when questions were starting to be asked about Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's future as manager," said BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson.

"Ole has been under pressure but he was proven right to play Harry Maguire against Newcastle. Then, against PSG, he had to change things at the back when Maguire was ruled out and he got that one right too.

"But what United need on Saturday is another good performance, because it still feels like they are too inconsistent at the moment. No-one is quite sure what to expect."

Lawro is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

This weekend, he is up against legendary Style Council drummer Steve White.

The band's greatest hits anthology 'Long Hot Summers: The Story of The Style Council' is out at the end of this month.

White, who has also played with Paul Weller, Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene and The Who among many other bands, is a lifelong Charlton fan.

"I had no choice in the matter," White told BBC Sport. "My first Charlton game was against Bolton in 1971. I went to The Valley with my dad and my grandad, and I was never allowed to go anywhere else.

"There have been plenty of ups and downs since then. It just seems to be that we have had our unfair share of people coming in to run the club in the past and making promises that they can never keep.

"Hopefully we have got a more stable future, because we have got a fantastic ground and a fantastic fanbase - we are a fantastic club and we should not be in League One."

It is 13 years since Charlton were last in the top flight but White still watches a lot of Premier League football. His wife is Mancunian actress and TV presenter Sally Lindsay and their twin sons are Manchester City fans.

"They come to The Valley with me but they are City fans, without a shadow of a doubt!" White said.

"What has happened to City, and also clubs like Leeds and Southampton, shows how you can recover if you fall down the divisions.

"But what you really need are the right people in charge. It might sound odd coming from a Charlton fan, but what Steve Parish has done at Crystal Palace is fantastic.

"There are good people running lots of clubs, but what has happened to us in recent years shows how there needs to be more stringent checks on people that are potentially investing in football clubs, before they take control.

"All this talk of a closed shop at the elite level of football is wrong as well. It gets boring otherwise.

"And also, what I don't like and what you are beginning to start to see is the elevation of clubs into global brands, where the fans don't actually matter anymore.

"For me, having been a Charlton fan all my life, it is about the experience on the day as much as how well the team is doing. We all want to go to play-off finals again, we all want to be back in the Premier League too, but I go with my dad, who is nearly 80, and I have been going with him for nearly 50 years.

"My eldest son and my twin boys go too and we meet people down there. I kind of have an afternoon off from music and watch the Reds. Maybe I'm a bit naive or old school but that is what football is all about for me - that experience, and the fans and the banter.

"Even now, my two 10-year-olds are playing for a team and I am involved in the refereeing - I really enjoy it.

"Obviously, with the coronavirus pandemic we have not been allowed to watch Charlton, but watching kids' football, I have been getting that same feeling of just the passion and the fun. That's what I think it is all about really."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Fulham v Crystal Palace (15:00 BST)
Fulham have got a point on the board after their draw with Sheffield United last week, but it is hard to make a case for them getting anything from this one.

The Cottagers will probably have more of the ball but I don't see them breaking Palace down, or keeping the Eagles out at the other end.

Lawro's prediction: 0-2

Steve's prediction: It's great to see Ademola Lookman back in the Premier League with Fulham. He possibly left us a little early [he left Charlton for Everton in 2017 when he was 19] because he could have done with another season at The Valley before he moved up. He scored on his debut for Everton against City and that was meant to be the start of big things for him but he has had to take a few sideways steps. It's really good to see him playing well again. Palace are wobbling a bit but I still don't see Fulham winning this one though. 0-2



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54604140

[WhiteJC]

Parker: Mitrovic needs to answer doubters

Aleksandar Mitrovic was searching for the black cat he ran over after Sunday's 1-1 draw at Sheffield United.

Firstly, last season's Golden Boot winner in the Championship missed a rare penalty.

Then he gave away one at the other end from which United equalised, and finally he implored the heavens to explain how he squandered two very good chances at the death.

His manager reckons it's what the Serbian international does next against Crystal Palace on Saturday that is the real test.

Scott Parker said: "He very quiet after the game and very quiet the following day.

"There's massive pressure and he's had it on his shoulders for a long time, but the top players relish that.

"Last week was disappointing for him. No-one puts more pressure on him than himself.

"You're going to be judged on the adverse reaction. People will put you under pressure and see if you will buckle – and that's the world we live in.

"They're seeing if you'll fold a little bit and you need to relish that they're calling you out, and you need to show you can come out the other side.

"What gets him through it is what he's made of – and he's made of the right stuff."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/parker-mitrovic-needs-to-answer-doubters

[blingo]

Benjamin Odeje: The 'Boy Pele' who was England's first black footballer

England's first black footballer? Was it Laurie Cunningham? Viv Anderson? It was neither...

Benjamin Odeje has fought for decades to be recognised as the first black footballer for England at any level.

Now, as the Three Lions reached the landmark of having 100 black players represent the country during the recent friendly against Wales, Odeje reflects on his forgotten legacy.

"I remember ITV did a programme in which they congratulated Viv Anderson for being the first black footballer to play for England at any level", Odeje told London Football Scene.

"When I heard it, I rang ITV and spoke to one of the producers where they quickly tried to pacify me."

While Anderson is widely known as the first black player to be capped at senior level in November 1978 with Cunningham appearing for the Under 21s a year earlier, it is Odeje who is English football's black trailblazer.

Back in 1971, Odeje's scoring record as a 15-year-old schoolboy from South East London not only earned him the nickname of 'Boy Pele' but also the attention of the England Schoolboy selectors.

Nevertheless, Odeje was still placed in the fourth team out of four in Bisham Abbey trials but defied all the odds to earn a call up to the England Schoolboys team, going on to make his debut against Northern Ireland.

Unbeknown to him at the time, Odeje was writing footballing history as he helped the Three Lions to a 1-0 win in front of a Wembley crowd of 70,000 fans – a whole six years before either Cunningham or Anderson burst onto the international scene.

"It was something I can't describe now. No words can describe how I felt apart from being extremely happy," recalls Odeje.

"The mere fact that I didn't realise I was making history; all I wanted as a player was to play football."

The fact history has been rewritten since is not only a stolen sense of pride that has haunted Odeje throughout the rest of his life but also affected the school lives of his daughters as well.

"The class would make fun of them and say they were lying," Odeje said. "They used to cry because their friends used to call them liars.

"They actually wanted to stop going to school because they were labelled as the girls who wanted to claim fame."

With his daughters doubting him, Odeje stressed the importance of the BBC's intervention in May 2013 to correct the mistake with the Football Association corroborating the story.

"From then on they could proudly go to school with their heads held up high because they realised their father was the first," Odeje added.

Despite the achievement, Odeje downplays his role as a black footballing pioneer, "I'm not going to say I was the one that introduced black players to the English League. But before I played, the number of black players were very limited."

As a player, Odeje had a natural talent for goal scoring and holds a remarkable tally of over 400 goals in three seasons: "I would score for the fun of it. I don't know how many goals there were but whoever managed to ascertain those figures, please leave it there!"

It was no wonder many compared him to Brazilian great Pele at the time, with Odeje recalling a situation when both players' paths momentarily crossed for the briefest of moments in 1973..

"I idolised him (Pele) and I remember watching him play a friendly match, I will never forget this day," Odeje said.

"Santos actually played against Fulham at Craven Cottage. I remember watching that guy and just marvelling at the things he used to do with the ball.

"I was standing beside the tunnel because I wanted to see what this God of Football was like. I remember at half-time him coming back through the tunnel and I touched him.

"I didn't wash my hands for days. This is the hand that touched Pele, I am not going to wash it."

This once in a lifetime moment seemed almost dreamlike for a boy that used to imitate the Brazilian legend as a child.

Domestically, Odeje was at Charlton Athletic under the tutelage of the late Theo Foley with the future looking increasingly bright when Colin Murphy, his former secondary school PE teacher became youth coach at the club.

But despite playing a prominent role in the Addicks' 1972-73 FA Youth Cup run, Odeje was eventually released without ever playing for Charlton's first team.

To this day, Odeje admits to being 'shocked' at the decision, but holds no regrets or bitterness: "One minute I was up there doing what I was supposed to do, and the next I was down at the bottom.

"My days at Charlton were time well spent but not as lucrative or as positive as I would have wanted."

There was similar confusion when Odeje was dropped from the England Schoolboys team – such a shocking decision at the time that one of the Board of Directors at a local South East London school resigned in protest.

Although later reinstated to the side, and eventually going on to make five England appearances in total, Odeje's footballing career failed to hit the same heights and euphoria again.

Spells at non-League football level in the London area for clubs including Hendon, Clapton and Dulwich Hamlet followed before taking up a coaching role at QPR and going on to become a PE teacher.

Whatever difficulties Benjamin Odeje may have had in transitioning from talented youth team hopeful to the senior men's game, his place is rightfully written into English football's history books as: Benjamin Odeje, England's first black footballer.

Benjamin Odeje has worked in coaching for over 25 years and currently runs a soccer school in Queens Park, North West London for children who find it difficult to access the national curriculum due to misbehaviour.



https://londonfootballscene.co.uk/2020/10/22/benjamin-odeje-the-boy-pele-who-was-englands-first-black-footballer/

Clyde Best for West Ham was before this kid surely.

[bill taylors apprentice]

Clyde Best for West Ham was before this kid surely.
[/quote]

But he didn't play for an England team did he?

[blingo]

Interpreted the header incorrectly