Wednesday Fulham Stuff (15/12/10)...

[WhiteJC]

http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/3721/0/exclusive-–-speed-wales-door-open-retired-stars

Exclusive – Speed: Wales door open for retired stars

New Wales manager Gary Speed has told talkSPORT his door is open to a host of retired stars.

Speed has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract to boss the national team he played for a record 85 times, after quitting Sheffield United.

And he's revealed his first job will be trying to tempt a number of players out of retirement, with Ryan Giggs, Simon Davies and Danny Gabbidon among those who have called a halt to their international careers in recent years.

"I think the next couple of days will be spent largely on the phone," he told Hawksbee and Jacobs. "I'll be ringing current players, former players and managers so I'm sure I'll be speaking to lots of players. And that will probably include players that have retired."

Speed admits he was attracted to the job because of the huge potential in the squad. The likes of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Ledley have all come through in recent years.

And Speed added: "The age of the squad is such that they've got the potential to be together for the next ten years or so.

"That can only be a good thing and it's my job to make sure they gel together and be successful but it's certainly an attractive proposition when you look at some of the players that are in the squad.

"I've been watching Wales consistently over the past three or four years after I finished playing and's only this year that Gareth Bale's come to prominence with Spurs but to be honest he's been playing like that for Wales for quite a long time. So, it's no surprise to me that he's playing as well as he is for Spurs now."

[WhiteJC]

http://www.ealinggazette.co.uk/sport/football-ealing/fulham-fc-ealing/2010/12/15/hughes-makes-fulham-vow-64767-27831663/?

Hughes makes Fulham vow

MARK Hughes has promised Fulham fans the best is yet to come – because history says so.

The Whites have won just twice in 17 games to leave them languishing near the foot of the Premier League table.

But former Blackburn and Manchester City boss Hughes reckons his side have got the legs to stave off the threat of relegation and climb up the table.

He said: "My teams have always been stronger in the new year.

"Obviously there's a sense of frustration because we haven't had the reward our performances deserve.

"But I prepare them to be stronger in the second half of the season and I can take comfort from that."