Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 02/03/21...

[WhiteJC]

Is new Sheffield United boss Jokanovic about to ruin QPR's chances of signing Johansen?

Reports suggest new Sheffield United boss Slavisa Jokanovic could target some of his former Fulham players – and that is potentially worrying for QPR.

Rangers are very keen to agree a deal with Fulham to sign Stefan Johansen on a permanent basis this summer after he impressed while on loan with them during the second half of the season.

They will be hoping their chances of signing the Norwegian, who has a year remaining on his contract at Craven Cottage, are not scuppered by Jokanovic pitching up at Bramall Lane.

Jokanovic signed Johansen for Fulham and he was a vital player in their promotion-winning team of 2018.

The Serbian therefore knows all about the midfielder's quality – not to mention his significant Championship experience.

Johansen seems like an obvious player for Jokanovic to target as he looks to build a team capable of winning promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking.

One Fulham player Jokanovic has been strongly tipped to target is Tom Cairney, who was his captain at the Cottage.

But Cairney has three years left on his contract and Yorkshire Live have reported that he could cost United as much as £10m if Jokanovic wants to sign him.



https://londonfootballnews.co.uk/qpr/is-new-sheffield-united-boss-jokanovic-about-to-ruin-qprs-chances-of-signing-johansen/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham: Interest intensifies in Tom Cairney

Interest is intensifying in Fulham central midfielder Tom Cairney ahead of the summer transfer window.

What's the talk?

That's according to a report by TEAMtalk, who claim that Sheffield United are considering a move for the 30-year-old Fulham captain this summer.

It is reported that the Blades' new manager, Slavisa Jokanovic, is desperate to secure a reunion with this former player at Bramall Lane ahead of his side's Championship campaign, with the Cottagers believed to be demanding a fee of around £10m to part with the Scotland international.

While Cairney did not feature all that much for Fulham this season, something that is largely down to the fact the midfielder spent a considerable amount of time on the sidelines due to a knee injury, the £8.1m-rated man nevertheless proved just how important he is within Scott Parker's side over his limited time on the pitch.

Over his 10 Premier League appearances this term, the 30-year-old scored one goal, registered one assist and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.7 key passes and taking 1.2 shots per game.

The £27k-per-week midfielder also highly impressed with his range of passing, completing an average of 54.8 passes per game – with a 92% accuracy rate – as well as making an average of four successful long balls and 2.9 successful chipped passes per appearance.

These metrics saw the player Parker has dubbed as "outstanding" earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.28, ranking him as the club's best performer in the Premier League by quite a considerable distance.

As such, considering just how crucial the midfielder appears to be within the side, if Fulham were to lose the services of Cairney ahead of their Championship campaign, it would undoubtedly put a huge dent in the club's chances of securing an immediate return to the Premier League come the end of next season, especially if they lose him to a direct promotion rival like Sheff United.

And, with failure to achieve promotion next term being something of a disaster for Parker and his team, it would seem highly advisable for the 40-year-old to do all he can to keep hold of Cairney this summer.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-transfer-rumours/fulham-transfer-news-tom-cairney-scott-parker-slavisa-jokanovic-sheffield-united-the-championship

[WhiteJC]

How the 2021/22 Championship table is predicted to look for Cardiff City and Swansea City as Fulham, West Brom and Bournemouth tipped for success

The new Championship campaign gets under way on Saturday, August 7

The 2020/21 Championship campaign gets under way in little more than two months.

Cardiff City will be bidding to challenge for promotion next season while Swansea City hope to go one better having lost in the play-off final to Brentford last time out.

Sheffield United, Fulham and West Brom will all feature in the division, having been relegated from the Premier League.

As for those coming up, Hull City, Peterborough United and Blackpool have all gained promotion from League One and will play in the upcoming second tier campaign.

Understandably, those who dropped out of the top flight are being tipped to challenge at the top end of the Championship next season.

Paddy Power have Fulham as the 11/2 favourites to top the table while the Cottagers are closely followed by West Brom at 6/1 when it comes to finishing first.

Then come last season's beaten play-off semi-finalists Bournemouth, who are at 9/1 to win the title. The Cherries are closely followed by Sheffield United who are at 10/1.

In fifth are Swansea City - who have secured back-to-back top six finishes - at 12/1 (9/2 to go up) while Middlesbrough, Cardiff City, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley are all further back at 16/1 to win the league while they are all at 6/1 to be promoted.

As for the other end of the table, Blackpool - who defeated Lincoln City 2-1 in the League One play-off final at Wembley - are being tipped to go down.

Peterborough United are also fancied to be relegated while Luton Town and Huddersfield Town are among those expected to struggle.

Fixtures for the upcoming campaign will be released at 9am on Thursday, June 24.

The new Championship season begins on Saturday, August 7, although the EFL have confirmed it is likely that one match will be televised on the night of Friday, August 6.

How the 2021/22 Championship table is predicted to look

1. Fulham (11/2)

2. West Brom (6/1)

3. Bournemouth (9/1)

4. Sheffield United (10/1)

5. Swansea City (12/1)

6/7/8/9. Middlesbrough, Cardiff City, Nottingham Forest & Barnsley (16/1)

10/11. Reading & Stoke City (20/1)

12/13. Blackburn Rovers & Queens Park Rangers (25/1)

14. Hull City (33/1)

15. Millwall (33/1)

16. Birmingham City (33/1)

17. Bristol City (40/1)

18. Derby County (40/1)

19/20. Preston North End & Coventry City (50/1)

21/22. Luton Town & Huddersfield Town (50/1)

23. Peterborough United (66/1)

24. Blackpool (80/1)

(Table based on Championship winner odds courtesy of Paddy Power, correct at time of publishing. Sides separated using promotion odds where required)




https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/how-202122-championship-table-predicted-20715366

[WhiteJC]

Vote Ola For Premier League Goal Of The Season

Ola Aina's stunning strike against West Bromwich Albion is in contention for the Premier League's 2020/21 Goal of the Season award.

The vicious hit from Aina on his weaker foot claimed the Prem's monthly prize for November, and is now in contention for the annual trophy.

He has competition from West Ham United's Manuel Lanzini, Jesse Lingard and Sebastien Haller, James Maddison of Leicester City, Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur), and Manchester United pair Bruno Fernandes and Edinson Cavani – the latter of which was one of the better illegal goals in top-flight history.

Voting is open from now until 6pm on Thursday.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/june/Vote-Ola-For-Premier-League-Goal-Of-The-Season/

[WhiteJC]

3 ideal Aleksandar Mitrovic replacements Fulham should consider as his future remains uncertain

One players whose future looks set to be the subject of much speculation over the course of the summer transfer window, is Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Following the Cottagers relegation from the Premier League, the Serbian is a player looks set to be in demand this summer, as interested clubs aim to take advantage of Fulham's drop out of the top-flight.

Indeed, Roma, Fenerbahce and Genk have all been linked with Mitrovic in recent weeks, as interest in the 26-year-old emerges from across Europe.

Should Mitrovic leave Craven Cottage this summer, then you would imagine Fulham will be keen to bring in another striker to fill the void left by the Serbian in the squad.

So with that in mind, we've taken a look at three ideal replacements for Mitrovic that Fulham should consider, if the striker is to leave this summer.

Adam Armstrong
One player who Fulham have already been linked with heading into the summer transfer window, is Blackburn Rovers' Adam Armstrong.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed an outstanding campaign during the season just gone, scoring 28 goals in 40 league appearances for Tony Mowbray's side, proving his ability to get goals at Championship level.

With his contract expiring next summer, Rovers could be open to selling the striker for the right price in the coming months – to ensure they do not lose him for free at the end of next season – and amid claims of Premier League interest in Armstrong, it would be a coup for Fulham if they could pull this one off.

Lucas Joao
Another Championship striker who could be worth considering for Fulham in their search for a potential Mitrovic replacement, is Reading's Lucas Joao.

Like Armstrong, Joao is a player who has demonstrated his ability to get goals at Championship level in the season just gone, netting 19 times in 39 league games across the course of the campaign.

The 27-year-old's height and physicality also mean that he could be capable of offering a similar presence upfront to Mitrovic at Fulham, meaning he too is one that pose a big threat for the Cottagers in the final third, while seven assists this season shows he can create chances as well as finish them too.

Charlie Wyke
A somewhat left-field option, but one that may be worth considering for Fulham nonetheless, is Sunderland's Charlie Wyke.

Across the course of the season just gone, Wyke netted 31 goals in 54 appearances in all competitions for the Black Cats, often showing the same predatory instincts to those possessed by Mitrovic to do that, meaning he could be capable of filling a similar role to the Serbian.

It could also be pointed out that Wyke is out of contract with Sunderland this summer – it remains to be seen whether he will agree to the Black Cats offer of a new contract – and if he doesn't, then he would also be available on a free transfer, which may be useful for Fulham in terms of freeing up funds to spend on other areas of the squad.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-ideal-aleksandar-mitrovic-replacements-fulham-should-consider-as-his-future-remains-uncertain/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham Season Review: A Campaign With Glimpse of Hope Ultimately Ended With Relegation

The 20/21 Fulham season always looked likely to end in relegation. They kept fighting but the inevitable eventually caught them earlier than it should have. Performance wise, Scott Parker's side rarely looked a team destined for the Championship, but this is a results business. And when it came to results, Fulham just didn't get over the line enough times.

Each game, they'd be in the perfect position to strike, thanks to their modern-day approach of play, but lacked the end product and killer instinct to make it count. Come the end of the season, the only two people that came out looking better were Scott Parker and Ademola Lookman.

Parker took a Fulham side, not built for the Premier League, and had them playing some of the best football in the bottom half of the table- even securing them some famous wins along the way. So, in a way, it proves that there can be good moments in a season of dismay; a campaign of relegation.

Though, let's not hide away from the truth here, there were still plenty of moments to forget.

Fulham Season Review
Moment to Remember
When thinking of Fulham's moment of the season, it's hard to look past their win at Anfield. Liverpool were on a torrid run of form at the time in the Premier League, but looked back to themselves in Europe. Many expected the Reds to finally get back on track against Parker's side.

Instead, Fulham added to Liverpool's Anfield woes, inflicting a 1-0 defeat courtesy of a Mario Lemina strike. In truth, it could have been more, too, with Parker's side often cutting through a vulnerable Liverpool team with ease. And that is how they played for the majority of the season. They just did not get enough results to compliment their style.

There was a stage when it looked likely that they'd stay up and Newcastle United would, instead, face the drop. Yet, when it came to crunch time, the Cottagers lost their form completely to all but end any hopes of Premier League football.

At one point, they went on a five game unbeaten run which included a draw with Liverpool at Craven Cottage. But, how many points did they accumulate in that run? Five. Five games, five draws in five must win games. That statistic, right there, sums Fulham's season up.

Moment to Forget
As alluded to before, it was a season that showed promise but ended with the negativity of relegation. Therefore, naturally, there were plenty of moments to forget.

The most heartbreaking moment came with four games to go against Burnley; the game that confirmed their place in the Championship; the game to put an end to their slim hopes of survival. It should have been a winnable game, but, by this point, the Fulham heads had clearly dropped. They had confined themselves to relegation and the loss just confirmed it.

The first-half goals from Ashley Westwood and Chris Wood meant that it was over relatively quickly. There was no Fulham comeback. By this point, you probably couldn't have even convinced the Fulham players that they were capable of netting three times in one game.

In fact, the one time they did score three goals was in a 4-3 loss to Leeds United at the beginning of the season- proving just how difficult Parker's side found it in front of goal.

Fulham Player of the Season
Finding a player of the season in a relegated side can be difficult, but not in this case. Ademola Lookman easily takes the award. He was the one bright spark in a relatively dim Fulham side. After a good season, he'll be hoping to get an opportunity back at parent club RB Leipzig or maybe even a permanent move back to the Premier League. The 23-year-old was involved in eight goals.

Had he been around better players, Fulham could have survived. If other loanees such as Ruben Loftus-Cheek turned up, Scott Parker would still be a Premier League manager.

Fulham were not relegated due to the system they play or the manager they have. They were relegated because not enough individual stood up and made themselves counted when needed the most. It should never be an easy task to pick a player of the year, but such is the failure of the players around him, Lookman takes the award with relative ease.

Fulham will hope to bounce back at the first time of asking again next season, but it will be a hard task in the Championship, as they know all too well.

Whether Scott Parker or other players will be around to play in England's second tier is anyone's guess. Fulham will certainly hope that, at the very least, Parker sticks around for one more season.



https://lastwordonsports.com/football/2021/06/01/fulham-season-review/

[WhiteJC]

Worrying claim regarding Scott Parker's Fulham future emerges

Scott Parker's future at Fulham is appearing increasingly uncertain.

What's the talk?

That's according to a report by TEAMtalk, who claim that the Fulham hierarchy are unsure if the 40-year-old is the man they would like to lead the club in the Championship next season, as they have been left far from happy with Parker's comments suggesting he felt let down by the club's transfer business last season.

It is reported that the former Tottenham Hotspur star's future at Craven Cottage is shrouded in doubt following his remarks, and it does not appear certain that the manager will still be in charge of the club come August.

Worrying news

Considering the job that Parker has done since taking over at Fulham back in February of 2019, guiding a side that had suffered relegation from the Premier League in their 2018/19 campaign immediately back to the top flight in the 2019/20 season, the prospect that the club could be looking to part with the 40-year-old this summer will undoubtedly come as gutting news for fans.

Despite Parker being unable to steer his side to Premier League survival this season, the fact that the young manager stuck to his ideals and footballing philosophies – notably playing out from the back and keeping possession of the ball – is an extremely promising feather in his cap, as the longer he stays with the team, the more his players will understand how they should be playing the game, bringing a greater chance of success.

Furthermore, with Parker having already proved that he is more than capable of guiding Fulham out of the Championship, sacking a manager with a track record of success in the division prior to a campaign in the second tier, just because of some comments about transfer strategy, would appear to be an extremely petty and, quite frankly, idiotic reason to sack the 40-year-old.

However, only time will tell which way the Fulham owners fall on their decision regarding Parker's position at the club, during which time fans of the club face a rather anxious wait to see whether the 40-year-old will still be in charge at Fulham come next season.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-news/fulham-news-scott-parker-future-the-championship

[WhiteJC]

Bowie praises 'inspirational' McDonald

Kieron Bowie has heaped praise on Fulham midfielder Kevin McDonald and credited the veteran with playing a key part in his own excellent first season in London.

Bowie admitted that he initially struggled with homesickness after making the move from Raith Rovers last summer but went on to have an outstanding first campaign in Fulham's under 18 side. The teenage forward highlighted McDonald's influence as a coach with the younger sides as well as his personal input into Bowie's own development.

"Kevin is always ready to give me advice in terms of my own game, or just if I want to talk about something while we are in the gym. He's really down-to-earth and I don't even think of him as a coach — he's just one of the boys, passing on his experience and leading by example on the training pitch. And he's not lost a step, either. What a player!

"I've got so much respect for him and he can relate to what I've been through because he has been on that same journey, coming through in Scotland and then making a big move to England. Kev has been there, done it and when he speaks, you listen. He's just a really inspirational guy, on and off the pitch. I think he'll be a top manager if that's what he wants to do. Sometimes on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, he'll take our session and his knowledge of the game is unbelievable."

Bowie revealed that he find elements of the move to London difficult at first, but now feels he has adapted well to life with Fulham.

"I struggled with homesickness a lot at the beginning. Being so far from home was really tough. I had never lived on my own; I had never been without that support from my mum in the same house. That was a big adjustment. I'm still only 18, so that was the biggest factor in the first couple of months. It's a massive learning curve — especially away from football — and I've grown up a lot. When I was playing for Raith, that was my club, in my town and you feel a lot more comfortable in that situation. This was a big leap into the unknown, but I got there in the end.

Around Christmas, I started to feel a little bit more settled and find my rhythm. I was enjoying myself, started to build confidence and I was scoring goals. I kicked on from there. All the boys are top players."

The Kirkcaldy-born youngster scored fifteen goals in twenty league appearances as Steve Wigley's side secured a second consecutive Premier League U18 South title.

"Of course, we'll lose games and have the odd disappointing performance, but we learn from that and the aim is for us all to become better players. But, there's no denying that winning trophies is a nice bonus when you are trying to develop and get that winning mentality."

Bowie's fine first campaign with the Cottagers has been rewarded with a first call up to Scott Gemmill's Scotland under-21 squad, which came as something as a surprise. The eighteen year-old is in line to make his debut against Northern Ireland in Dumbarton tomorrow night.

"I'm incredibly proud to be in the squad — and a little bit stunned, to be honest. I've only been in the Scotland under-19 squad once so I never imagined I would be in the under-21s — a good two years ahead of my age group. I'm just pinching myself.

"Shaun Maloney was the guy I looked up to when I was watching Scotland as a kid. He was the man doing the bits of magic, scoring the goals and I'd watch him thinking: "I'd love that to be one day." There's no pressure on me because I'm just one of the younger players in the group. It's a bonus at the end of the season and I can go, work hard and try to express myself and show what I can do."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/06/bowie-praises-inspirational-mcdonald/

[WhiteJC]

Rodak stars for Slovakia

Marek Rodak warmed up for Euro 2020 with an impressive display between the sticks as Slovakia drew their first pre-tournament friendly with Bulgaria tonight.

The Fulham goalkeeper started on the bench with Lechia Gdansk custodian Dušan Kuciak preferred in goal. He was beaten inside nine minutes when Atanas Iliev punished some slack defending to put the visitors in front in Austria. The Bulgarians, who failed to qualify for Euro 2020, looked by far the better side until midfielder Laszlo Benes equalised from close range just before the break.

Rodak was handed his sixth senior international cap when he was introduced as a substitute immediately after half-time. After being a spectator for much of what had proven to be a particularly dour contest, the 24 year-old was called into action when he turned a fierce drive from Dominik Yankov onto the post. Such an excellent reaction save will have done Rodak's chances of being included in Stefan Tarkovic's 26-man squad – due to be named tomorrow morning – no harm at all.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/06/rodak-stars-for-slovakia/

[WhiteJC]

PSG Mercato: Alphonse Areola's Agent Wants the Paris SG Goalkeeper With AS Roma

Keylor Navas is the goalkeeper for the foreseeable, and so there's no place for Alphonse Areola does not enter into Paris Saint-Germain's plans.

The 28-year-old is coming off a successful loan stint with Fulham FC, despite the club heading down to the Championship following their relegation.

Now Areola looks to find his new home, and his agent, Mino Raiola, is busy working the phones. One club that Raiola wants to see his client at is AS Roma.

However, Italian media outlet  Gazzetta dello Sport (via Canal Supporters) states that Roma has other plans for their goalkeeping position.

The report states that new Roma manager José Mourinho wants to pursue Gianluigi Donnarumma, who will be leaving AC Milan on a free transfer this summer.

Raiola needs to continue to work the phones to find Areola a landing spot as it appears for Roma he might be either Plan B or C should their pursuit of Donnarumma fall short.



https://psgtalk.com/2021/06/psg-mercato-alphonse-areolas-agent-wants-the-paris-sg-goalkeeper-with-as-roma/

[bog]

Will Cavani be up for the best offside goal of the season?  :022:

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[filham]

So rumours are running a bit wild about Jocanovic taking our best players.
Seems we need to pack and gift wrap Mitro, Stefjo and Cairney into one big parcel and send quickly to Sheffield in return for an affordable fee.
Just hope the fee for the three would be no less than £50m which would be beyond United's means.

[grandad]

So rumours are running a bit wild about Jocanovic taking our best players.
Seems we need to pack and gift wrap Mitro, Stefjo and Cairney into one big parcel and send quickly to Sheffield in return for an affordable fee.
Just hope the fee for the three would be no less than £50m which would be beyond United's means.

No way would I want SU to have any of our players at any price. They will be one of our fiercest rivals &
I  wouldn´t want them to have one over us. I would tell them to do one. We don´t need to sell anyone we don´t want to.

[Bill2]

So rumours are running a bit wild about Jocanovic taking our best players.
Seems we need to pack and gift wrap Mitro, Stefjo and Cairney into one big parcel and send quickly to Sheffield in return for an affordable fee.
Just hope the fee for the three would be no less than £50m which would be beyond United's means.

All the players being linked to Sheffield are on good contracts, so there is the players price plus their wages which I feel will put them outside of SU's reach.