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Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 09/02/21...

Started by WhiteJC, February 09, 2021, 12:16:46 AM

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WhiteJC


WhiteJC

Tomas Soucek's red card overturned after controversial dismissal during Fulham vs West Ham

West Ham's Tomas Soucek was adjudged to have elbowed Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and was given his marching orders, but his suspension has now been rescinded

West Ham star Tomas Soucek has seen his red card overturned after his controversial dismissal during the Hammers' goalless draw at Fulham.

Soucek was adjudged to have elbowed Cottagers striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and was given his marching orders after referee Mike Dean consulted with VAR Lee Mason.

But West Ham have now confirmed the decision has been overturned.

A statement on the Hammers' official website read: "On Sunday, West Ham United confirmed that they had submitted notice to The Football Association to appeal the red card.

"The appeal against Soucek's red card was reviewed by an independent regulatory commission this morning at the Football Association and, following this process, the midfielder's suspension has been rescinded and lifted with immediate effect."

West Ham manager David Moyes was furious following the decision at the end of his side's goalless draw with relegation-threated Fulham.

"I'm embarrassed for whoever has done VAR and I'm a bit embarrassed for Mike Dean - the level of referee he is, to make that decision," said Moyes.

"It has come down to a poor refereeing decision and a poor VAR Stockley Park decision and we can't do much about it."

West Ham's point wasn't enough to keep them in fifth this weekend, with Chelsea's victory over Sheffield United seeing them leapfrog their London rivals.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/tomas-souceks-red-card-overturned-23461865

WhiteJC

Death threats sent to referee Mike Dean and his family after Soucek red card

Dean has asked to be removed from consideration for Premier League matches next week

Referee Mike Dean was the recipient of death threats against himself and his family over the weekend. It is believed that the threats were in relation to the sending off of West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek in their game against Fulham.

According to Martyn Ziegler of The Times, Dean has asked to be removed from consideration for any Premier League match next week following the threats.

Dean is still expected to referee in the FA Cup on Wednesday, where he will officiate Leicester City vs Brighton & Hove Albion.

Mike Riley, the head of the Professional Games Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL), which manages match officials involved in the Premier League, EFL and FA Cup, said: "Threats and abuse of this nature are totally unacceptable and we fully support Mike's decision to report these messages his family received to the police.

"Nobody should be a victim of abhorrent messages like this. Online abuse is unacceptable in any walk of life and more needs to be done to tackle the problem."

Soucek had been facing a three-match ban for the red card, which was given after he was alleged to have elbowed Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrović in the face.

Many deemed the elbow to be accidental, and on Monday morning the red card and suspension was overturned.

According to the report in The Times, the PGMOL are considering splitting up the officiating team of Dean and Lee Mason, who was acting as the VAR for the match at Craven Cottage.

The two, who are routinely paired together for fixtures, have been involved in a number of contentious decisions in recent weeks, such as Jan Bednarek's eventually overturned red card against Manchester United last week, as well as the decision not to award Southampton a penalty for a hand ball by Aston Villa defender Matty Cash in the Saints' previous Premier League game.

Following the match at Old Trafford, which they lost 9-0, Southampton reportedly requested that Dean not officiate any of their games going forward.



https://www.joe.co.uk/sport/death-threats-against-referee-mike-dean-sent-to-his-family-over-the-weekend-263481


WhiteJC

Flat Fulham need a conductor to find the spark
Ben looks at how a few small tweaks could make a big impact.


Games are running out quickly for our beloved Fulham, where if the tide seemed to have been turning a few weeks ago, it's seemingly stuck on the edge of the bay struggling to make the journey to shore. The Whites are drawing more than Bob Ross at the moment, but we can't turn these stalemates in to wins.

A few days ago Louis published this article putting a case together for a change of formation at Fulham. And, with a lot of excellent points too, it's definitely worth a read if you haven't already. I do, however, feel like the current formation for Fulham – whether listed as a three or five at the back – could work with a tweak or two.

The defensive dynamic
So, let's start at the back. Naturally, with another body in our defence we've conceded fewer goals, which is a huge positive. Fulham's GD of -14 is hardly impressive, but is a handful of goals better than those below and marginally behind those above, and has stabilised. The Whites hadn't lost by more than two goals since 5 December (Manchester City), before losing to Leicester. But, on the counter we need to do more. Antonee Robinson has been a revelation, but desperately needs to start weighing in with assists and improved delivery. He does create goal-scoring chances, but the end product needs to improve.

Both Tosin and, in particular, Joachim Andersen are progressive, positive passers. So often Andersen has stepped in to midfield to begin attacks with his great range of distribution. Tosin is wonderful at passing through the lines. And this is the first change; I'd like to see Fulham utilise their wing-backs more. Robinson often has buckets of space to run in to and isn't slow. On a transition-based game his speed can put the opposition on the back foot quickly, but he's often ignored. On the right, the delivery of Kenny Tete is not to be sniffed at, and often we'll try to overload this side which leaves nobody in the box to benefit from that quality. We need another central threat to reap the rewards of the changes. And that's the next tweak.

Midfield management
In the middle, we have relied on a two-man midfield to battle away against teams that often use three to counter that move. Often this means that the influence of Anguissa is severely limited and he's overrun regularly. This two-man operation in the heart of the midfield also leads to a compartmentalising of the team. Space opens up between the lines as the midfield is pushed further back under the weight of pressure. West Brom, Brighton and Chelsea all put an extra man in midfield to create a mismatch, throttling our influence on the game. A bye product of this is that possession is harder to retain when recycling or transitioning up the pitch. What we need is a "conductor" to establish a foothold in the trenches.

Some may argue that a traditional number 10 is being driven out of the English game, which is in large part true. However, the distinct feel is that Fulham need an influence on the game in a positive sense. The Spanish use the phrase "La Pausa" – a player that can take half a second to create, to be a calming influence in the chaos. Scott Parker's team need this; all too often possession breaks down as a result of attacking influences receiving the ball in isolated areas, such as wide channels or pockets. Transition is so important in the Premier League, hitting all thirds of the pitch so imperative to creating chances and scoring goals, but we don't do this well. RLC did this well at times in the West Ham tilt, and we benefited from it. Tom Cairney is the obvious choice here, and even on one leg could provide an influence in picking a better pass, or the composure to hold that ball – especially with very little defensive responsibility.

A more centralised influence could mean that runs in behind are less common, but this isn't a common trait in the team. It does, however, mean that the influence of Tete and Robinson can be felt more, and certainly means that the central striking option can focus on staying in an area that provides a better chance to finish and chances created.

Either way, we need to develop a killer instinct in order to stay in this league. Staying in games on an individual basis is good progress, but retaining Premier League status is the overall goal and this small tweak could be the first step to that goal.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-02-08-flat-fulham-need-a-conductor-to-find-the-spark/

WhiteJC

Liverpool set for Harvey Elliott transfer payout as tribunal decision imminent

Liverpool could discover on Tuesday how much they have to pay Fulham for Harvey Elliott

Liverpool could discover on Tuesday the fee they must pay Fulham for the transfer of Harvey Elliott.

The Reds were unable to agree a compensation amount with the Londoners when the then 16-year-old Elliott moved to Anfield in July 2019.

While Liverpool are believed to have offered around £750,000, it is understood Fulham wanted 10 times that amount for the highly-rated winger.

Now the Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC) will sit on Tuesday to determine the level of compensation Liverpool must pay, although a final decision could take further discussion.

Elliott is currently on a season-long loan at Championship side Blackburn Rovers, where he has impressed in scoring four goals and providing eight assists in 23 appearances.

The 17-year-old signed his first professional contract with Liverpool last term and made eight senior appearances for the Reds while becoming the youngest-ever player to start a competitive match for the club.

The PFCC are a temporary group formed when is necessary.

Nobody involved will have links with Liverpool or Fulham, with Premier League rules stating the committee will be comprised of an independent chairman with an appropriate legal background, along with appointees of the Premier League, PFA and LMA.

Liverpool have seen previous transfers go to a tribunal.

In 2016, the Reds were ordered to pay Burnley an initial £6.5m for signing Danny Ings the previous summer, while in 2018 they paid an undisclosed fee to Chelsea for Dominic Solanke having signed the forward a year earlier.



https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-harvey-elliott-transfer-tribunal-19793017

WhiteJC

Liverpool set to find out how much they must pay for teenage sensation Harvey Elliott after failing to meet Fulham's £8m demand... with tribunal to decide compensation for winger after Reds offered just £750,000

    Liverpool and Fulham are still haggling over a fee for Harvey Elliott
    The teenage winger joined the Reds from west London in the summer of 2019
    Teams must pay a compensation fee for players under 24 signed on free deals
    A tribunal on Tuesday will announce the fee that Liverpool have to pay for Elliott
    The Reds claim they want to pay £750,000 while Fulham are demanding £8m

Liverpool will discover the fee they have to pay Fulham for young winger Harvey Elliott in a tribunal on Tuesday.

The Reds signed the teenager as a 16-year-old in the summer of 2019 but could not agree a fee with the Cottagers so the matter has to be settled via a tribunal.

Elliott was not a professional player when he moved to Anfield due to his age, with Fulham demanding around £8million for the player. Liverpool claim they are prepared to spend £750,000.


Liverpool will find out how much they have to pay Fulham for winger Harvey Elliott on Tuesday


The 17-year-old forward made two top-flight appearances for Jurgen Klopp's Reds last season


Teams who sign footballers aged under 24 must pay a compensation fee if they secure the player while he is not on professional terms or once his contract comes to an end.

Elliott has made nine senior appearances for Jurgen Klopp's side since his arrival in Merseyside, with eight of them coming last season.

The 17-year-old made six cup appearances last term and appeared twice in the Reds' Premier League title-winning season. 


Elliott was sent out on loan to Championship side Blackburn by Liverpool earlier this season

But after making just one appearance since signing his professional contract last July - in the 7-2 Carabao Cup victory over Lincoln City - the winger was sent on loan to Championship side Blackburn for the season.

He is enjoying a fruitful season in the second tier, scoring four goals and registering eight assists so far this term.

Before joining Liverpool, Elliott became the youngest ever Premier League player while playing for Fulham in 2019 at 16 years and 30 days. He still holds the record.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9236439/Liverpool-pay-Harvey-Elliott-refusing-Fulhams-8m-demand.html


WhiteJC

The story of Neeskens Kebano's manic late deadline day loan from Fulham to Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough signed Neeskens Kebano on loan from Fulham on transfer deadline day to the delight of Neil Warnock

As Middlesbrough prepared to announce the arrival of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing with just hours left of the January transfer window manager Neil Warnock thought that was business completed.

And he'd have been more than satisfied with that.

The addition of Mendez-Laing - a forward who played a crucial role in seeing his Cardiff City side to Premier League promotion in 2018 - added to the earlier signings of Jordan Archer, Darnell Fisher and Yannick Bolasie to give Boro four new players in the notoriously difficult winter transfer window.

It was the arrivals of Mendez-Laing and Bolasie that Warnock wanted most - with the Boro boss desperate to bolster his attacking options to aid his side's push for a play-off spot this season.

But neither were his first choices.

Both are former Warnock players - men he knows well and has previously had success with.

That they weren't top of his wishlist had nothing to with quality, but rather fitness. Bolasie had not played a competitive fixture since February 2020, while for Mendez-Laing it was July with a full pre-season added before he was released by Cardiff on the eve of the new season.

And feeling he needed players who could make an immediate impact, Warnock did initially focus his attentions elsewhere, working hard to secure two loan deals ahead of the final week of the window.

Boro were just waiting for the green light from the two parent clubs but that approval didn't ultimately come. After Boro's bruising defeat to Blackburn a downbeat Warnock also revealed the two deals he'd worked so hard on had fallen through. They then lost to Rotherham in what was one of the lowest seven days of Warnock's Boro tenure.

That's when Warnock moved for Bolasie - securing that deal just before the Everton outcast made a move to Turkey instead. Then came Mendez-Laing on deadline day - short on match fitness but nevertheless a player Warnock knows can make things happen when he builds to full speed.

He was happy with the business and ready to attack Boro's final 19 games.

Meanwhile, in London, DR Congo international Neeskens Kebano sat watching deadline day unfold, slightly frustrated that he wouldn't be leaving Fulham despite his lack of game-time. It was around 8pm and if you'd have messaged Kebano then he'd have told you he was staying at Craven Cottage.

About a week prior he'd posted a cryptic message on his Instagram story. Something had frustrated him. Perhaps that was when he heard the news - his previous agreement to join Middlesbrough on loan had been denied by Scott Parker who felt he needed the forward as back-up.

As confirmed last week by Warnock, Kebano was indeed one of the two players Boro had a previous arrangement with. The Boro boss had described both deals as dead, so what changed?

Fulham were closing in on Josh Maja - the ex-Sunderland striker who's been playing in France with Bordeaux. They were also in for Bournemouth's Josh King - though they ultimately missed out on that one.

Regardless, to bring the new additions in, they had to create space in the 25-man Premier League squad. Kebano and another man linked with Boro who ultimately ended up in France - Aboubakar Kamara - were deemed surplus to requirements.

Fulham let Kebano's agent know to be ready. At about 8.30pm - two and a half hours of the window remaining - the forward got word something might happen after all.

"Honestly, if you'd asked me about 8pm on Monday if I thought that I was moving I would have said no," The new boy told the club website.

"It was about 8.30pm my agent phoned me and said there was a possibility for me to go out on loan.

"Before that the answer from Fulham had been that I couldn't.

"But I wanted to play games. When you come into football you do so because you want to play games.

"I was not doing so at Fulham and that's why I needed to make the decision.

"From there, everything just happened so quickly and I'm so happy to be here today."

So Kebano and his agent sat poised ready to see what came up. Phone calls were taking place but Boro, at that point, were still unaware of Kebano's newfound availability.

Warnock, believing Mendez-Laing would be his only deadline day arrival, then took a phone call at sometime around 9pm from Fulham CEO Alistair Mackintosh.

"We managed to get one at the death which was a surprise really," Warnock said.

"We didn't expect to get Neeskens in really.

"I was told the manager wouldn't let him go and it was put to bed, so I was delighted.

"It was accidental really, Alistair [Mackintosh - CEO] from Fulham rang me from thin air and the owner Tony Khan was on the phone, we just switched on one of these Zoom things in America and I had five minutes with him.

" I asked him to help us out and I would try and repay him. I think we got a really good deal out of the situation. I think Tony trusted what I said because we've got Bettinelli here as well.

"After that five minutes he agreed to my request and I was delighted really."

Deal agreed, Kebano was allowed to join Middlesbrough. It was roughly 9.30pm, with around 90 minutes of the window remaining.

With Mendez-Laing completed and awaiting official announcement though, Warnock first needed the approval of owner Steve Gibson to push through one more.

Times are tough for all EFL clubs right now, with significant revenue stripped from clubs as fans are unable to attend games. Warnock has always said he would never be irresponsible with the club's finances at such a time, but his desire and ambition meant he had to make the call.

"I had to call Steve up on Monday night when the Neeskens thing came up at half nine because I'd already got Mendez and Yannick then," he said.

"Straight away, Steve said, 'Yes, go on then'. That's the support that I've got. He knows that when you were looking behind and looking at the bench, no disrespect to the bench, but it hasn't been a bench where you could put players on to win a game.

"Whereas I do now. I think you could change a game now at the drop of a hat."

Everything had to happen quickly from there. Time was not on Middlesbrough's side.

They had recent experience too. Back in October Bolasie had come so close to joining on deadline day of the summer window only for the two clubs to miss the deadline on getting the deal complete.

There were numerous issues that proved the undoing of that deal, but the Kebano one was far more straight-forward.

It still required a lot of paperwork though, and Warnock is very thankful to Laura Nugent [senior football administrator] and Karen Nelson [club secretary] for working hard to get that complete.

"We managed to do it in the office with Karen and Laura, how they got it done in an hour and a half was unbelievable!

"That was just for one player, the amount of paperwork you have to do... so all credit to them."

And so it was, in space of roughly two hours Boro managed to get signing number five wrapped up. Kebano didn't even have time to make it to Teesside for his unveiling. The club's official announcement went out a little after 11.30pm and instead of a picture of Kebana and Warnock holding a club jersey aloft, the club website instead carried a picture of Kebano celebrating a goal for Fulham.

That's how manic deadline day can be. Things often go down to the wire and Boro were thankfully able to get this one over the line, giving Warnock plenty of attacking options now. To say he's excited is an understatement.

Kebano began training with his new team-mates last Wednesday and was straight in for his debut on Saturday. It ended in defeat to Brentford, but the 28-year-old looked bright.

The signs are positive for this deal being well worth the mad last-minute rush.



https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/story-neeskens-kebanos-manic-late-19793182

WhiteJC

Keith Hackett urges 'hapless double act' Mike Dean and Lee Mason to STEP DOWN after yet another high-profile error for sending off Tomas Soucek at Fulham... as he insists he was 'shocked two experienced referees could make such a bad decision'

    Mike Dean controversially sent off Tomas Soucek against Fulham on Saturday
    He was adjudged to have elbowed Mitrovic but that red has been overturned
    Dean consulted with VAR Lee Mason, who told him to look at pitchside monitor
    The pair have made a number of high-profile errors in recent top-flight matches
    Dean and his family received death threats over the Soucek dismissal

Former referee Keith Hackett has slammed 'hapless double act' Mike Dean and Lee Mason for making yet another high-profile error in the Premier League at Craven Cottage, claiming the pair should 'step down' from their roles.

Dean and Mason grabbed plenty of headlines again on Saturday after West Ham's Tomas Soucek was controversially sent off at Fulham in the closing stages after elbowing Aleksandar Mitrovic.

After consulting Mason, who was on VAR duty, Dean sent Soucek off following numerous checks of his pitchside monitor but West Ham have since won their appeal and the red card has been overturned.

It was a second straight match where a red card has been overturned by the FA in which Dean was referee and Mason acted as VAR, after Jan Bednarek was harshly sent off for after Anthony Martial went down in the box following minimal contact with the Polish defender at Old Trafford during the week.

And just days before that fixture, the roles were reversed and Dean was on VAR duty for Southampton's game with Aston Villa while Mason was the referee at St Mary's. Southampton were controversially denied a penalty following what appeared to be a blatant Matty Cash handball. They also had a Danny Ings goal ruled out for a marginal offside.

And after the latest error at Craven Cottage, former head of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL)  Hackett has admitted he was in disbelief at the Soucek decision.

'I think the time is long overdue for Mike Dean and Lee Mason to step down as referees following their hapless double act when adjudicating on West Ham United's Tomas Soucek,' Hackett wrote in the Telegraph.

'I would love to know the conversation that took place between the two before Soucek was shown a red card. It was clear that the contact between Soucek's elbow and Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic was accidental.

'Soucek had not used excessive force and/or endangered the safety of an opponent to meet the requirement for a sending off.

'The way Mitrovic dropped to the ground as though he had been shot probably deceived Mason at Stockley Park and led him to ask Dean to watch a replay on the pitchside monitor.'

Hackett added: 'In the case of the Soucek incident, I was shocked when two experienced referees could make such a bad decision. It is the sort of decision that makes life hard for the 27,000 referees officiating in local parks (when there is no lockdown).'

Dean and Mason came in for fierce criticism following the weekend's dramatic decision, with some refereeing displays overshadowing matches currently.

It has since emerged that Dean and his family have received death threats in the aftermath of a series of high-profile, controversial decisions and he has asked to be taken off duty this weekend.

Dean, 52, has reported the threats to Merseyside Police and has been asked to not be put in charge of a Premier League match this week. He will still take charge of Wednesday's FA Cup game between Leicester and Brighton.

Sportsmail understands the abuse was sent on social media platforms and, while Dean is known to be a resilient character within the Premier League hierarchy, the threats to his family were a step too far. 

Dean and wife Karam have two daughters and live on Merseyside.

He was scheduled to take a break from officiating duties this weekend, however it is usual for referees to stand in as the fourth official or VAR. Assignments had not yet been allocated by the Premier League but Dean requested that he not be included.

Mike Riley, managing director of PGMOL, said: 'Threats and abuse of this nature are totally unacceptable and we fully support Mike's decision to report these messages his family received to the police.

'Nobody should be a victim of abhorrent messages like this. Online abuse is unacceptable in any walk of life and more needs to be done to tackle the problem.'

Merseyside Police added: 'We can confirm officers are investigating allegations of malicious communications reported today, Monday 8 February.

'The reports relate to social media accounts and enquiries are ongoing. We monitor the internet, and if we identify any offences we will take action.

'Those who use the internet to target others, and who commit a criminal offence [eg hate crime/malicious communications], are not beyond the law – and can + will be investigated and brought to justice.'



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9237221/Keith-Hackett-urges-hapless-double-act-Mike-Dean-Lee-Mason-STEP-Tomas-Soucek-red.html

WhiteJC

Liverpool D-Day looms as Fulham seek lofty Harvey Elliott tribunal price

Liverpool will learn the fee they will have to pay Fulham for young talent Harvey Elliott when a tribunal takes place on Tuesday.

The Premier League champions signed Elliott as a 16-year-old in the summer of 2019. However, a compensation fee could not be agreed and the transfer has had to be referred to a tribunal.

The Reds are reported to have offered around £750,000 for Elliott, but Fulham wanted around £8m for the winger.

Elliott is currently on a season-long loan at Championship club Blackburn, where he has made a strong impression.

The winger has scored four goals and provided eight assists in 22 appearances for Rovers.

Elliott has also played nine times for Jurgen Klopp's men since swapping London for Merseyside.

He currently holds the record for being the youngest ever Premier League player, having made his debut for Fulham in 2019 at just 16 years and 30 days old.



https://www.teamtalk.com/news/liverpool-dday-harvey-elliott-tribunal-price


WhiteJC

The Tony Gale Column

I want to start by touching on Tosh Chamberlain, who we lost last month. We played in different eras but Tosh was always around the Club when I was there, and he continued to be a regular visitor thereafter. What a lovely man, a larger-than-life character. I'd say he's one of the players in the history of Fulham that's responsible for the way we portray ourselves to the neutral fans, as a great club. I think he typified our Club, playing football with a smile on his face. Tosh was one of the out and out jokers in football, but he was a seriously good player as well. He is a big loss to the Fulham family.

Back on the pitch, things are so close to clicking. We've been in every game but the hardest thing to do in the Premier League is turn losses into draws and draws into wins. It's very small margins. All is not lost yet. We are capable of getting out of this. We were in a situation at the start of the season where we had to change things and make ourselves harder to beat. We changed the style slightly and made it harder for the opposition to score, and we succeeded in that. Now the challenge is for us to take games to teams a bit more, and I think you saw that in Scott's thinking against West Ham. Fulham were on the front foot and clearly wanted to win the game, whereas West Ham wanted to just get over the line with a point. That's got to be the approach now, have a go against Everton and try and get the three points. But I think Scott's been instilling that mindset throughout the season really, as he always wants us to cause the opposition problems, regardless of who it is. At the moment we're just missing that composure in front of goal, or that coolness when it comes to playing the final pass. We're doing a very good job in terms of stopping teams, it's now a case of going and winning matches.

Everton are a good side and Goodison Park has never been a nice place for us in the Premier League. But without a crowd the away games are not as intimidating as they used to be, so we shouldn't even think of it as an away game. We should view it as a great opportunity to get three points. Everton are a very offensive team these days and that means, as we saw when they played Manchester United at the weekend, they give you a chance. They're a lot better going forward this season, but I do think we'll have chances against them. We can go there and win.

The signs have been good recently, we've looked stronger, more physical, more organised. Now the conundrum for Scott is do we sacrifice some of that organisation in order to go at teams a little more? Good luck to him, I can see he's kicking every ball on the touchline. I love the way Scott cares and I've got a lot of time for him. You can see that when results aren't going our way, that hurts Scott. I think he's becoming a better manager all the time.

After Everton we've got Burnley, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace before the month is out, and they're all winnable games. They're not teams that we should be frightened of, and I would say we should be aiming to get at least seven points out of those matches. I know it's a tall order but we're getting to the stage where a good draw isn't always going to be enough, and I think Scotty knows that as well.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/february/The-Tony-Gale-Column/

WhiteJC

Barcelona and Real Madrid could help Liverpool over Harvey Elliott transfer fee

Liverpool and Fulham are way apart in their valuation of the fee for talented teenager Harvey Elliott

Liverpool may find out on Tuesday just how much they will have to pay out for acquiring the services of Harvey Elliott back in 2019.

The Reds saw off competition from a host of European football's elite to land the then 16-year old from Fulham, shortly after he had become the youngest ever player to play in a Premier League match at the age of 16 years and 30 days.

Elliott, now 17, signed his first professional deal at Anfield last season and has spent a fruitful spell on loan at Championship side Blackburn Rovers so far this season, his performances already doing much to convince the Liverpool hierarchy that he will be able to step up to first team duties at Liverpool in the not too distant future.

While there is little question about the talent Elliott possesses, there is a question over just how much Liverpool will have to pay after they were unable to reach a satisfactory agreement with the Cottagers after Elliott had let his youth deal run down.

Liverpool are understood to believe the value should be around the £750,000 mark, Fulham's view differing vastly in that they want a tribunal, set for Tuesday, to order the Reds to cough up considerably more than that, almost ten times more in fact, their estimation for his value around the £8m mark.

How much Liverpool will have to pay will be determined by the Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC), an ad hoc group of four or five individuals from within the football industry who will review submissions made by clubs and then decide on an appropriate compensation package for the selling club based on a number of criteria.

The age of the player, status of both clubs, length of time at the club, fees paid upon registration, the terms on which the player was engaged, international caps and first team appearances are all taken into account. Fulham will feel they have a strong case to claim more than what Liverpool are offering by virtue of them having had Elliott in their club system since the age of 13 and having developed him to the point of making an appearance in the Premier League.

Also taken into consideration is the interest in the player from other clubs at the time, something that could well help Liverpool get nearer to their valuation than Fulham's.

Liverpool were the only English club to take a serious interest in Elliott, although they had competition for his services from the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and RB Leipzig.

If interest from another club can be substantiated and another valuation obtained then it would have strengthened Fulham's case, but Liverpool were the only club to show their hand.

While the PFCC may give an element of protection for clubs in England when losing a minor to another club in England, they have no jurisdiction over the same practice when a foreign club comes in and wants to pick off talent from English clubs.

In recent seasons the likes of Noni Madueke have made the move abroad before their 17th birthday, Madueke signing for PSV Eindhoven from Tottenham Hotspur and already making a mark in the Eredivisie. Then there is the likes of Louie Barry who moved from West Bromwich Albion to Barcelona in 2019, a move that would see the Baggies receive less than £250,000 in training compensation - all that is required by FIFA for those under 17 - despite him having spent 10 years in the West Brom youth set up.

And it will likely be a key part of Liverpool's representations to the PFCC that had Elliott decided to pursue the interest from abroad then Fulham would have been considerably worse off than the deal that the Reds have put on the table to them. Elliott's decision to leave before turning professional makes it a hard case for Fulham to prove, especially as potential doesn't really factor into the thinking as it cannot be proven.

Chelsea's Ethan Ampadu may be cited as an example.

Ampadu was 16 and playing for Exeter City when Chelsea swooped to sign him to a scholarship before a professional deal when he turned 17. That tribunal set the fee at £1.3m with the potential for it to rise to £2.5m based on a number of factors being met, such as appearances for the Chelsea first team.

Exeter chairman Julian Tagg stated in the Guardian at the time: "Above all we are disappointed for football as we feel this decision sends the wrong message in terms of financial reward for those who are producing talented homegrown players for both club and country."

With this in mind the PFCC they will likely be under some pressure to back the corner of academies and ensure that the production of talent is compensated fairly for clubs. And with Elliott's market value likely pushing towards the £10m mark already there will likely be an element of trying to meet somewhere in the middle.

But the PFCC will also be mindful of the fact that they have to try and make sure they keep the best English players plying their trade in the English game, Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham examples of talent leaving at 17, and in doing that it may mean having to ensure that acquiring such talent isn't prohibited by cost.



https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-harvey-elliott-barcelona-madrid-19793202

WhiteJC

'Would be an excellent addition' – Fulham eye up transfer move for prolific Championship forward: The verdict

This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Fulham are tracking Blackburn Rovers striker Adam Armstrong ahead of a summer move to Craven Cottage, according to The Sun.


The 23-year-old has scored 18 goals in all competitions this season, including 14 Championship goals in as many games to start the campaign.

Due to his age, goalscoring record and being home-grown, Armstrong will naturally be a Premier League target in the summer but Fulham are fighting for their survival in the league, and relegation could rule them out as a potential destination.

West Ham and Everton are also reportedly interested in Armstrong, but Fulham are a team that need a prolific centre-forward, with Aleksandar Mitrovic underperforming this season and Josh Maja only recently arriving on a loan deal.

Would Armstrong be a good fit for Fulham next season though, depending on which league they end up in?

The FLW team have given their thoughts on the potential move...

Jacob Potter
I like the sound of this potential deal.

Armstrong has shown that he can score goals consistently with Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, and he'd be more than deserving of a move to the Premier League.

Any potential move to Fulham could depend on whether the Cottagers are to retain their place in the top-flight or not though.

With West Ham and Everton both believed to be interested in a deal, it seems tough to see that Scott Parker's side will win the race to land his signature.

I'd expect Armstrong to pursue a move to either of them over Fulham at this moment in time, but that could change if they stay in the Premier League, as the Cottagers are more likely to be able to offer him regular game time.

Toby Wilding
I think there's a lot of variables to consider with regards to this one.

For starters, given the interest there supposedly is in Armstrong from the likes of Everton and West Ham, you feel Fulham will have to avoid relegation this season to have a hope of signing the striker, something which looks to be a rather tricky task at the minute.

As a result, if they are able to sign him, you feel Armstrong may well have to be confident that he can get more regular opportunities at Craven Cottage than he would at any other potentially interested clubs, meaning you would expect him to play regularly if he moves to Fulham.

However, while Armstrong has a hugely impressive record in front of goal since the start of last season, it should be noted that it does seem to be the case that the 23-year-old sometimes needs plenty of chances to put the ball in the back of the net in games, meaning it could be a risk to rely on him either in a Premier League relegation battle, or Championship promotion race, next season.

Jake Sanders
There's every chance that Fulham will be back playing in the Championship next season, so I really think this would be an excellent addition upon their return.

Whilst Armstrong has already shown he's capable of scoring at this level and would no doubt be hoping for a Premier League move, moving to a club with top flight ambitions would be a sensible move and only add to his experience and goal tally.

Fulham might have both Aleksandar Mitrovic and recent addition Josh Maja already in their ranks, but I'm not sure the Serbian striker will settle for another season in the Championship, so that would leave Armstrong fighting with the former Sunderland man for a starting place.

Armstrong has been one of the most prolific strikers at this level since moving permanently from Newcastle back in 2018, and I really this would be a step in the right direction for both parties – providing Fulham are not relegated and Blackburn don't get promoted.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/would-be-an-excellent-addition-fulham-eye-up-transfer-move-for-prolific-championship-forward-the-verdict/


WhiteJC

Aleksandar Mitrovic's role in overturning Tomas Soucek's ban confirmed

A further insight into the process which eventually led to West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek's 3-match ban being overturned has been forthcoming this evening.
Controversy at the Cottage

Soucek's dismissal, and the subsequent fallout from the incident, of course proved one of the talking points of the weekend in the Premier League.

This came when, ahead of an injury-time free-kick being delivered during the London derby clash between Fulham and West Ham at Craven Cottage, a coming together between the aforementioned Soucek and Aleksandar Mitrovic left the latter grounded.

Subsequent replays showcased the fact that the Hammers midfielder's elbow had in fact connected with Mitrovic's face, but in completely accidental fashion:

As such, the widespread assumption was that play would simply be waved on, following a VAR check at Stockley Park.

Incredibly, however, it was decided that the incident required checking on the part of referee Mike Dean, who, after a lengthy look at the pitch-side monitor, came to the conclusion that Soucek's transgression was worthy of a red card.

An inevitable backlash quickly ensued on the part of those taking in the action, amid a universal agreement that the decision was nothing short of ridiculous.
Mitrovic steps up

It therefore came as little surprise when West Ham opted to appeal the dismissal of their goalscoring midfielder, who has of course proven so key to the successes of the capital outfit of late.

In turn, swift confirmation was forthcoming on Monday that the appeal lodged with the FA had proven successful, with Soucek's impending 3-match ban for violent conduct overturned:

Upon word surfacing this morning that West Ham had indeed decided to challenge Mike Dean's decision, most correctly predicted that the Irons would have little issue in convincing the FA's disciplinary board of their case.

As outlined above, however, this did not stop one of Fulham's stars from stepping forward on Soucek's part.

The player in question? None other than Aleksandar Mitrovic – the man who sparked the entire saga after going to ground at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

As revealed by Simon Stone of BBC Sport, commendably, the Fulham hitman went on to play an 'active part' in Soucek's appeal, having spoken out in defence of his weekend opponent:



https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/aleksandar-mitrovics-role-in-overturning-tomas-souceks-ban-confirmed/