Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 30/03/21...

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Harris leaves Fulham after 11 years following Parker exit

FULHAM Head of Performance Alastair Harris has left the club after 11 years along with manager Scott Parker and four other members of his backroom staff.

The Cottagers announced that Parker and his five assistants had departed on Monday. Bournemouth subsequently announced that the former England international had replaced Jonathan Woodgate as their manager and his staff are expected to join him on the south coast.

Harris joined Fulham as an intern in 2010 and rose to become Head of Sport Science in June 2016 and then Head of Performance three years later. The other staff to have exited are first-team coach Matt Wells, goalkeeper coach Rob Burch, analyst Jonathan Hill and physical performance coach Charlie Moore.

All four had worked with Parker at Tottenham, where he was Under-18s coach, prior to his appointment as permanent manager at The Cottage in May 2019. Assistant manager Stuart Gray has taken interim charge of the side before they make a permanent appointment, with joint U23 coaches Mark Pembridge and Colin Omogbehin stepping up to help him.

Bournemouth's interim boss Woodgate announced this week that he had left the club after his contract was not renewed.



https://trainingground.guru/articles/harris-leaves-fulham-after-11-years-following-parker-exit

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Parker signs three-year contract at Bournemouth

Scott Parker has signed a three-year contract at Bournemouth after leaving Fulham earlier today.

Parker told afcbTV tonight:

"I believe this is the perfect fit for both parties. I'm familiar with Bournemouth because of my relationship with Harry Arter. It's a football club I know well from watching him over the years.

"The ethos, the reputation, the journey and the challenge here is something that's very exciting for me and my staff. We want to build a team the fans can be proud of and one they feel represents them. We can't wait to get started."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/06/parker-signs-three-year-contract-at-bournemouth/

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Report says Eddie Howe 'not interested' in Fulham job

Fulham saw manager Scott Parker depart the club yesterday, landing the Bournemouth job just hours later. Now though, it's reported that former Cherries boss Eddie Howe is not interested in the Craven Cottage job.

Parker guided Fulham to promotion from the Championship last year. His side beat Brentford in the Wembley play-off final but would succumb to relegation from the top flight for a second time in three seasons.

Amid a rumoured fall out with the club's board, Parker's exit from Fulham has been rumoured for a while but now it's been confirmed, and so too has his appointment at Championship rivals Bournemouth.

But a recent report from The Athletic has clarified some ongoings at Craven Cottage, with one of those being Howe's stance on potentially taking over at the club.

Famed for his work on the south coast with Bournemouth, the 43-year-old was this summer poised to take over at Celtic before he pulled out of the move at the last minute.

But Howe is not thought to be interested in the Fulham job, as per Pete Rutzler and Oliver Kay.

Thoughts?
There's plenty of managers on the market right now. Howe is an obvious candidate for most jobs but seems to have his sights set on a Premier League return, leaving Chris Wilder as a strong candidate.

Cooper is obviously being closely linked with the Fulham job but after Parker's move to Bournemouth, 'Wilder to Fulham' is already making headlines.

He'd be a really strong candidate given his promotion experience with Sheffield United, and his exciting brand of football might just be a good fit for Fulham.



https://the72.co.uk/240868/report-says-eddie-howe-not-interested-in-fulham-job/

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'He would do very well' – Pundit makes Fulham managerial claim

Football pundit Jamie O'Hara has taken to Twitter to suggest that Fulham should give Jonathan Woodgate the job of manager at Craven Cottage.

The 41-year-old coach was recently put out of work, with Bournemouth dispensing of the former Real Madrid player in order to bring in Scott Parker from the Whites as their new boss.

As a result, Woodgate is now in the market for another role after doing a solid job with the Cherries last season as they just missed out on promotion back to the Premier League.

Now, O'Hara has moved to suggest that the former defender would be the ideal candidate for Fulham to turn to after Parker's reign in West London came to an end, as he stated the following on Twitter:

Aside from his stint with the Cherries, Woodgate also managed Middlesbrough for a period of just under a year and is still very much making his way in the game after first venturing into senior management two years ago.

A move to Fulham would be a shock but it is still within the realms of possibility after his positive showings whilst in charge of Bournemouth.

The Verdict

I'll be the first to admit that I was never convinced by Woodgate during his time at Boro and as a result of this, I was sceptical when he bagged the Bournemouth job.

But fair play to him, he did a brilliant job to get the club as far as he did in such a small amount of time and maybe in another year, they would've won the play-offs.

Ultimately he didn't reach the target of promotion and it has cost him his job, but it has in turn enhanced his reputation ten fold.

Any manager worth their salt would be interested in taking the Fulham job and it could well be one that he enquires about if he feels that he is ready to jump back into management straight away.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/he-would-do-very-well-pundit-makes-fulham-managerial-claim/

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Timeline of Fulham's search for Scott Parker replacement and stance on Swansea figure detailed

Fulham hope to have their replacement for Scott Parker in place by the end of the week, according to BBC Sport's Simon Stone.

The west London club confirmed yesterday that Parker had left the club by mutual consent, with the 41-year-old announced as the new Bournemouth boss not long after.

There are less than six weeks until the start of the Championship season, with Fulham set to face Middlesbrough in their first game since relegation from the Premier League, and it seems the club want to give their new boss as much time as possible to prepare.

Stone has reported that the Craven Cottage outfit hope to appoint their replacement for Parker by the end of the week.

Recent reports have indicated that Swansea City boss Steve Cooper is top of Fulham's list of candidates while Chris Wilder and Eddie – who have both won promotion to the Premier League previously – remain out of a job.

It is understood, however, that Howe is not interested in taking charge and that it would cost £3.5 million in compensation to prize Cooper away from Swansea – a fee that Fulham are believed to be not keen to pay.

The Verdict

Fulham fans will love to hear that their club are hoping to have a replacement for Parker appointed by the end of the week.

The 41-year-old's exit and move to Bournemouth has seemed on the cards for some time now but it has dragged on and now leaves the west London club managerless with less than six weeks to go until the start of the season.

Cooper appears the frontrunner and given his impressive two-year spell with the Swans would be a fantastic addition, though Wilder would also make a lot of sense.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/timeline-of-fulhams-search-for-scott-parker-replacement-and-stance-on-swansea-figure-detailed/

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Alan Nixon names Fulham's 'first choice' manager as ex-Sheffield United boss Wilder storms into contention

Fulham saw Scott Parker leave for Bournemouth last night and now the club's managerial search will get hastily underway.

Parker to Bournemouth became something of a saga following Fulham's relegation from the Premier League.

It was their second relegation from the top flight in three seasons and both times it was under the guidance of Parker, though he was in place as a caretaker manager at the time of their 2019 relegation from the Premier League.

After some reported disagreements with the Fulham hierarchy, Parker has now officially left his position and taken over at Championship rivals Bournemouth.

Swansea City boss Steve Cooper has been strongly linked with the Craven Cottage vacancy but after Parker's exit was confirmed, former Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder's name stormed into headlines.

Commenting on Fulham's managerial situation, The Sun's Alan Nixon said:

Cooper is first choice. But there’s a big compo. That’s the dynamic. https://t.co/j1MqZEdQRg

— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) June 28, 2021

Last month, Cooper was being closely linked with the Crystal Palace job and Alan Nixon wrote in The Sun on Sunday (30.05.21, pg. 59) that Cooper and his coaching team in South Wales have a £4.5million compensation fee in place.

That's the compensation 'dynamic' which Nixon refers to above and whether or not Fulham are willing to pay that, when the likes of Wilder are currently on the market, remains to be seen.

Earlier in the month, The Sun reported that Fulham were refusing to pay Parker any severance pay and it's now unclear whether he leaves the club with any pay-off, or indeed if Bournemouth have had to pay him out of Craven Cottage.



https://the72.co.uk/240889/alan-nixon-names-fulhams-first-choice-manager-as-ex-sheffield-united-boss-wilder-storms-into-contention/

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Fulham might be biggest winners of Parker saga

It's hard to see why Bournemouth were so intent on getting Scott Parker. Fulham will shed no tears.

Far more often than not, protracted managerial sagas – like actual football matches – produce a clear winner and a clear loser. In the curious case of Scott Parker's long-awaited and tedious switch from Fulham to Bournemouth, it is difficult for any of the three parties to stake a claim for victory.

With the majority of their divisional rivals already planning for the Championship season, the months-long chase to tie the Cottagers' chief down to a stint on the south coast has seen both Fulham and Bournemouth lag far behind the other 22 sides in the league with preparations for next season well underway for the majority of those clubs.

Fulham meanwhile are left searching for a new manager to lead their charge into a third Championship season in five years by the River Thames, while down on the south coast, Bournemouth have ended their wait for a permanent manager with the arrival of Parker, who has very quickly gone from 'decent young manager looki

There is something to be said for a club going all in on its top target and remaining steely-eyed and focused until they get their man. Rather than settle for second best through the door in a far quicker timeframe, the Cherries have stuck to their guns in pursuit of Parker.

Though quite why the south coast club have gone all out for the 40-year-old remains to be seen. On the surface, one promotion from one Championship season is a record to be admired, and while you can't lay two Premier League relegations at Parker's door – the first came during his admirable caretaker stint in 2018/19 – there has been more bad than good during the former midfielder's two-year permanent reign by the Thames.

A promotion via the play-offs in the Covid-hit 2019/20 campaign was well earned but anything less than an immediate return to the top flight would have almost certainly cost Parker his job, and there has been little in the intervening 12 months to suggest that Bournemouth are getting an innovator.

They will actually be getting the manager who guided the Cottagers to excellent results against the likes of Liverpool and Everton to put them in prime position in a two-horse race with Newcastle United, only to take two points from their last 10 games, finishing 11 points adrift of 17th place.

Young though he may be, and still with plenty of time to suggest he could improve on that record, there is little to suggest Parker is the right man in the medium to long term for Bournemouth, but what if he were to repeat that one-for-one record from his time in west London? Like everything, it is of course possible, but Bournemouth maintaining their record of hiring average English managers is unlikely to revive even the faint hope of star winger Arnaut Danjuma sticking around, while key midfielders Jefferson Lerma and Philip Billing already look destined for returns to the Premier League.

In his sole Championship season with Fulham, Parker was afforded a squad blessed with Joe Bryan, Anthony Knockaert and most pertinently, Alexsandar Mitrovic, who if not quite a Championship cheat code, certainly offers the closest thing to assurances of finishing in the top six.

At Bournemouth, there is now a need for a restock in numerous positions while sticking to Financial Fair Play with just one more season of parachute payments to follow this campaign. Parker is yet to show anything approaching the nous required to make up the gap in quality between his Fulham side and this new Bournemouth outfit.

The difference between a good manager and a great manager can often be found in their basic tactical outlook. During Fulham's defensive struggles in the 2020/21 campaign – which ultimately ended in relegation – Parker flirted with a back three seemingly in the belief it would automatically make his team better at the back.

In fact, three-man defences often allow for a more attacking set-up with wing-backs designed to attack more than stay back, while Parker had little in the way of centre-backs capable of playing in such a system. It was a move which ultimately yielded little in the return of positive results. It was a move which signalled Parker's inability to be the difference between staying up and going down, between play-off semi-final defeat and promotion the next season.

In Jonathan Woodgate, Bournemouth had a decent manager with obvious limitations. In Parker, they have waited over a month to land a man whose only upgrade is in the fashion department, but dapper looks do not make up for the lack of improvement Parker is likely to bring to Dean Court.

Had the Cherries cast their net a little wider than their usual circles, they could have spun the bottle onto a much more exciting choice. As it is, Bournemouth have dedicated the entirety of their pre-season thus far to chasing a manager who offers no notable improvement over what came before. In short, a month's more planning at this stage of the summer with Woodgate would have Bournemouth undoubtedly looking better come the opening day – and most likely come matchday 46 – than they do right now.

For Fulham, this feels like a get out of jail free card. Lightning looked unlikely to strike twice and now they are set to gain a manager with a lesser record on paper in Steve Cooper, but who in actual fact, grants them a far more promising future. They too have lost much of the summer to this protracted saga, but come out of it smelling nicer than Parker and his new employers.



https://www.football365.com/news/fulham-biggest-winners-scott-parker-saga-bournemouth

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Why did Parker swap Fulham for Bournemouth?
Louis analyses some of the possible reasons why Scott was tempted to coach on the south coast.

News broke of Scott Parker's temptation to leave the banks of the River Thames for the sandy shores of the South East more than a month ago, after a flirtation with the Tottenham vacancy. Now, with the move for the young English manager finalised at the expense of Jonathan Woodgate, we've got to ask: why would you swap one for the other?

Why did Bournemouth want Parker?
The Cherries are looking for a young manager who they can build another long-term project around, much as they did previously with Eddie Howe. However, following their play-off final defeat last season, they are looking at those who have experience with promotion. This narrows down the list somewhat, with few names offering the media-based clout of Scott Parker.

Fulham's 2020/21 season was tumultuous, with many fans desperately unhappy after having watched what they deemed to be tediously slow and overly safe football all season – especially considering the perceived lack of interest from the club's hierarchy to stop the rot and avoid becoming a yo-yo team.

However, Parker finished the season with praise streaming out from pundits and opposition fans alike, with many impressed with his ability to even remotely bring Fulham into the scrap for survival given the stigma that his side was not up to that standard.

Whites fans did not hold Scott's managerial ability on the same pedestal, although it's easy to see how a little luck or the provision of an in-form striker, such as Ivan Toney, at the start of the season could have changed the perception of him given football fans' fickle nature.

And why does Scott want Bournemouth?
Initially, the reasons why Scott would want to manage Bournemouth over Fulham are hard to understand. The Cherries are often deemed a "smaller" club by football fans, with a stadium that will be nearly one third of the size of Craven Cottage following the completion of the Riverside Stand. The seaside club also holds only a Category 3 academy and have also recently halted work on a new £35 million training complex, with no date for resuming construction currently in sight.

The Cherries also don't host the financial clout of the Khans, with their Russian oligarch owner, Maxim Demin, still reportedly worth an impressive $900 million. However, the red and black side does hold a few advantages over Fulham.

For starters, the Cherries are focused on becoming a Premier League side, accepting that lessons needed to be learnt following the end of their previous spell in the top flight and with no ambition to simply bounce between the leagues.

Bournemouth's ambitious plans are reflected in their squad, although this is likely to be torn apart this summer, as well as by their Technical Director Richard Hughes, who has recently been linked to the Director of Football post at Celtic. Their FFP balance also will likely look much better than Fulham's, which looks tight following relegation, giving Parker more freedom to work with their philosophy or purchasing young talent from the lower leagues.

Therefore, Parker will be able to mould the side to his liking, alongside Hughes, with little pressure to conform to the playing styles of previous managers. This is a big attraction for a young manager, such as Scott, who wishes to prove themselves and their managerial philosophy on the World's biggest stage. Bournemouth may offer him this freedom and opportunity, while Fulham, ultimately, may not.

Parker's followed in in his brother-in-law's footsteps, with Harry Arter enjoying three years on the coast before leaving for Nottingham Forest. The seaside town is just two hours away from London, whether driving or going by train, meaning that Parker's family can remain in the capital if they prefer.

However, the beautiful beaches would provide a much quieter life away from the hustle and bustle of London and would also open up the opportunity for his children to join some of England's best schools, such as Cranford.

Finally, while the seaside is famous for fish and chips, Bournemouth hosts one of the country's best Asian restaurants in Dorshi, which could surely satisfy Scott's Chinese takeaway cravings following any south coast successes.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-06-29-why-did-parker-swap-fulham-for-bournemouth/

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Scott Parker leaves Fulham

Fulham manager Scott Parker has left his position at Craven Cottage.

What's the latest?

That's according to a report by Sky Sports, who confirmed late on Monday evening that the 40-year-old had left his role as manager of the Cottagers by mutual consent, with Parker being installed as the new AFC Bournemouth boss shortly after his departure from west London.

The former England international's exit brings an end to what had looked to be turning into something of a messy break-up between the two parties, with The Sun reporting that Shahid Khan was reluctant to pay Parker the £2m compensation fee the coach was owed for the remainder of his two-year contract at Craven Cottage.

However, with his departure now confirmed, it would appear as if Khan and the 40-year-old eventually reached an amicable agreement regarding this settlement, with Fulham now being able to fully turn their attention towards appointing Parker's successor at the club.

With reports of something of a fallout between the Fulham hierarchy and Parker, as well as the issue of his compensation fee, the fact that the 40-year-old is no longer tied to the club is sure to have left Khan buzzing.

Indeed, with the coach departing well before pre-season at the club is scheduled to begin, as well as plenty of time remaining in the summer transfer window, the Fulham owner now finds himself with the luxury of being able to consider each candidate for the role carefully and methodically rather than being rushed into making a decision due to time constraints.

Having said that, it would be advisable for Khan to not let the search drag on too long, and, considering it is reported that he has already drawn up a list of potential targets for the position, it would seem as if the sports tycoon has his eye firmly on the ball.

In any case, with Parker's exit now confirmed, both Khan and Fulham supporters can look forward to a new chapter in their club's history, one that hopefully brings with it a great amount of success.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-transfer-rumours/fulham-transfer-news-manager-search-scott-parker-shahid-khan-tony-khan-the-championship

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Newcastle United sent Tosin Adarabioyo transfer message

Newcastle United and Arsenal have been linked with a move for Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo who has a reported release clause of £10m this summer

Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo could rise to the challenge of playing for Newcastle United.

That's the view of Magpies legend Steve Howey, who believes the former Manchester City prospect could raise his game alongside 'solid' team-mates at St James' Park.

Adarabioyo enjoyed an impressive campaign despite Fulham's relegation to the Championship, and could be available for £10m this summer due to a reported release clause in his contract.

Newcastle and Arsenal have both been credited with an interest in the 23-year-old, with Steve Bruce understood to be keen on signing a new defender in this window.

Kristoffer Ajer has been strongly linked with a St James' Park switch, but Adarabioyo is one of a host of other names reportedly being considered by the Magpies.

The centre-back managed to form a reliable partnership with loanee Joachim Andersen, helping Fulham record a solid defensive record despite their results and a bottom-three finish.

Howey believes Adarabioyo is a 'decent' defender who could take his game to the next level if Newcastle come calling.

He told Transfer Tavern : "Normally what tends to happen is clubs that get relegated, other clubs will pick the carcass off it and they just pick the best players. Look at what happened to Bournemouth last year, for example.

"Decent player. Could he perform even better with some solid players around him? You know, possibly."



https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-transfer-tosin-adarabioyo-20926034

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Sources: Fulham ace's chances of staying improve after Parker exit

Aleksandar Mitrovic's chances of remaining at Fulham have improved after the exit of manager Scott Parker to Bournemouth, Football League World can reveal.

The Serbian attacker's future has been a topic of real speculation in recent weeks and it still remains to be seen if the forward is going to stay at Craven Cottage for next season or, indeed, leave the club this summer.

However, Football League World can reveal that the forward's chances of remaining in SW6 have improved after Scott Parker's exit to Bournemouth, with the pair enduring a strained relationship during their time together at the club.

The former West Ham and Spurs player joined the Cherries earlier this week after increasing speculation that he was going to swap south-west London for the south coast.

Indeed, his and Mitrovic's relationship was at the point where, if the manager had stayed, the striker was going to push for an exit but now, given Parker's departure, the forward is a little more open to remaining at his current club – though he is still considering his options.

Nothing is as yet certain with the former Newcastle United forward and where he wants to be playing for next season but staying at Fulham as an option has increased in terms of viability for him, as we wait and see who will succeed Parker in the Craven Cottage dugout.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sources-fulham-aces-chances-of-staying-improve-after-parker-exit/

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Fulham: Fans react to manager news

Fulham fans have been reacting on social media to the news that manager Scott Parker has left the club.

Parker's departure from the club had been one of the worst-kept secrets in football, with him reportedly having talks with the club for the past week and following the announcement, Parker has been unveiled as the new manager of Bournemouth.

Fulham's official Twitter account tweeted the news of Parker's departure. describing it as 'leaving at mutual consent,' and fans were quick to share their feelings on the matter.

"No matter what an FFC legend"

Credit: @Cayden65585821

"Thanks for everything Scott and best of luck with your new chapter"

Credit: @Flo_ho__

"I for one will miss him."

Credit: @Baxterfront

"He's going to be great someday."

Credit: @michaelg0428

"Nooooooooo"

Credit: @Chrissickema

"Oh hell no."

Credit: @AshardLorraine

Judging by the responses, many Fulham fans are gutted to see the back of Parker, who will now face up against the Whites when they are due to meet Bournemouth in early December.

Parker originally took over as the manager of Fulham on an interim basis but was given the job permanently in May 2019 having replaced Claudio Ranieri in the hotseat. Parker then guided Fulham to the Championship play-off final, which they won, placing them back in the Premier League, but unfortunately for Parker and the club, he was unable to keep them in the top-flight.

The 40-year-old managed 96 games for Fulham as permanent boss and leaves the club with a points-per-game ratio of 1.32.



https://thisisfutbol.com/2021/06/blogs/premier-league/fulham/fulham-fans-react-to-manager-news/

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Steve Cooper wants Fulham job

Steve Cooper is interested in taking over as Fulham's new manager at Craven Cottage this summer.

What's the talk?

That's according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, who claimed in a recent post on Twitter that the only thing holding up Fulham's move to appoint Cooper is the compensation fee the Cottagers would have to pay Swansea City, a figure believed to be around £3m.

It was previously suggested that Shahid Khan was not willing to shell out this amount in order to land the 41-year-old, however, with Scott Parker's departure from Fulham now being confirmed, the west London club's owner faces a rather big decision on the matter.

When asked by a fan whether Cooper was interested in the job, as well as if Fulham would be willing to pay the fee for the Swans boss, Nixon said: "It's down to the figure... that simple."

While it remains to be seen whether or not Khan will indeed go on to pay the £3m fee in order to appoint the Welshman as the club's next manager, the fact that Cooper appears to be interested in taking over from Scott Parker at Craven Cottage is something that should delight the Cottagers fan base.

While Parker is a young and progressive coach in his own right, as well as having what would seem to be a bright future ahead of him in management, the argument could easily be made that the current Swansea gaffer is actually a step up from the 40-year-old.

Having developed as a coach in the Liverpool academy set up, before taking over the England U17 side and leading them to victory in the U17 World Cup back in 2017, Cooper has proven in his relatively short time at Swansea that he is more than capable of being a success in adult football too.

Indeed, the 41-year-old has rather remarkably guided a largely unfancied Swansea side to back to back top-six finishes in the Championship since taking over from Graham Potter at the Liberty Stadium back in 2019, on both occasions being unfortunate to meet Thomas Frank's Brentford in the play-off semi-final and final respectively.

However, what makes this feat all the more impressive is that the Welshman achieved this with the sixth-youngest squad in the second-tier, demonstrating both his faith in and success with fielding youth prospects.

As such, if given the opportunity to take over a squad that boasts a considerable amount of Premier League experience, as well as a side that has a history of developing their own extremely talented home-grown academy products, the sky would appear to very much be the limit if Cooper were to be given a chance at Fulham.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-transfer-rumours/fulham-transfer-news-manager-search-steve-cooper-alan-nixon-shahid-khan-the-championship

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Ex-West Brom boss Slaven Bilic tipped to make Championship return

West Brom's former manager, Slaven Bilic, could be back in the Championship himself next season

Slaven Bilic, West Brom's former head coach, is currently the favourite with one bookmaking outlet to become the new manager of Fulham.

Bilic left Albion in December of last year with the club in the Premier League relegation zone, having led them to promotion from the Championship in his first season in charge.

Since his Hawthorns exit, the Croat has been appointed as the manager of Beijing Guoan in the Chinese Super League. They have won two of their opening five league games.

Yet Bilic, who has also managed West Ham, Besiktas and Lokomotiv Moscow as well as his native Croatia at international level, could be sounded out as a potential successor to Scott Parker, who also won promotion from the Championship in 2020 but who also suffered relegation immediately back to the second tier at the end of the recently concluded campaign.

Interestingly, Parker has decided to leave Craven Cottage for Bournemouth, another side who are being tipped to challenge at the top end of the division this coming season - and Albion's opening day opponents at the Vitality Stadium.

That move has opened up a vacancy in west London, though, and Bilic is currently the 2/1 favourite with Bet Victor, ahead of Chris Wilder, to land the job after his odds were slashed this week.

Such an appointment would see him come up against the Baggies within a year of parting ways - Albion visit Craven Cottage in October, before welcoming the Whites to The Hawthorns in March next year.

Steve Cooper, the Swansea manager, Eddie Howe, Nathan Jones of Luton Town and Marco Silva are the other names at the top of the market as the Cottagers search for a new leader ahead of pre-season.

Albion, of course, have ticked that box after agreeing compensation with Barnsley for the appointment of Valerien Ismael; they're set to return to pre-season training this week and meet the Frenchman for the first time.



https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/ex-west-brom-boss-slaven-20929279

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Scott Parker is a snake. Good riddance.
You've heard why Parker could be considered a legend. Now, for the counter argument, courtesy of Mike.

The Fulham and Scott Parker story is finally over. A querulous end was fitting given the relationship between club, fanbase and Parker since his days as a player and then manager. Is this a case of a young manager who has lofty opinions of himself, or of a club not appreciating a young managerial talent?

Parker the player
Our glorious leader has decamped to pastures new. Knitted cardigans neatly folded, Charles Tyrwhitt shirts and trousers stowed away, Scott Parker has decided that Bournemouth is the place for him. His departure, an acrid one, illustrates the antipathy that many Fulham fans hold toward him.

Fulham signed Parker in 2013.The club probably saw him as an experienced sage that could use his seniority to instil solidity both on the pitch and off it. If he could replicate even half of the success that we had with Danny Murphy then he would have been a good signing.

Unfortunately, after many injuries throughout his career and at the age of 33, Fulham got a much stilted version of Parker. After playing QPR and Fulham off each other to get a better offer, he eventually opted for Fulham and signed a big three-year deal. It was going to be three years of misery for Fulham.

Relegation and two subsequent battles to avoid the drop in the Championship were enough for Parker to be associated with some of the poorer times in our recent history.

Of course the capitulation from stable Premier League team to Championship relegation candidates is not solely Parker's fault. However, he was one of the few senior players who had stayed throughout the three campaigns and was on a big contract. The implication of failure by association would continue to linger over him, carrying on through to his coaching career with us.

Parker's transition
After contributing to Fulham's play off push that saw us lose out to Reading in the semi-finals, Parker finally hung up his boots. The uneasy relationship was finally over – but only for about 12 months.

Promotion achieved the following season, without Parker, Jokanovic reorganised his backroom staff. Stuart Grey was let go and Parker was poached from his Tottenham under-18 job to become first team assistant.

Parker by this point had already been using the media to bolster his coaching career prospects with The Guardian already running a positive piece on his future.

It was a car crash of a season with the managerial revolving door finally settling on Parker to see out the campaign. He managed to put a dollop of respectability on a sour season by winning three games on the trot. This earned him the job on a permanent basis but was met with much scepticism.

The scepticism was directed at both the board for hiring the easy and cheap option, and at Parker for his lack of managerial experience.

Parker the manager: what can Bournemouth expect
Against this backdrop of bemusement within the fanbase, also a holdover from his time as a player, Parker also had to heal a "fragile" dressing room. That's quite a difficult assignment for any manager, let alone one in his debut season.

If football is a results business, then Parker deserves immense credit for securing an immediate return to the Premier League. However, if you care about how the objective was achieved, then he has much less credit in the bank.

Dull, insipid, conservative, milksop, benign, safe, and boring are some of the adjectives that could be used to describe his style of play – sardonically known as "Parkerball". Possession for possession's sake. Managing the ball to manage the game. This type of tactic was seen throughout the season – he was rarely willing to take risks.

In the Premier League he tried implementing the same type of tactic at the start of the season, but that was quickly abandoned for a more pragmatic approach after a few resounding defeats. This new style focused on shoring up the defence and counter attacking.

For a manager that tries to look as refined as possible on the touchline he might need to redirect his refinement to on-pitch matters. If Bournemouth are getting the "Parkerball"' version, they should be hoping he can tweak the tactic to attack more on the front foot as he will not have a 26-goal Mitrovic to bail him out.

The final word
Despite finishing 11 points from safety, winning only two home games all season, and not winning any game from the last 10 matches, Parker has come under little scrutiny.

He's cleverly shielded himself from any blame by pointing the finger at our director of football.

Happy to take the job knowing our odd recruitment structure, he was happy to use it as an excuse when he failed to deliver. After promotion he said, "You can't build teams with drastic changes... This team has been around myself now for the best part of 15 months and they have improved and improved and improved. I'm happy with where we are."

After a desperate start to the season he was quick to change his tune and happily used the powers-that-be as scapegoats.

For promotion, he was rewarded with a reported £5 million a year contract. If the reported compensation is true, this would see Parker earn more than the likes of David Moyes, Sean Dyche and Ralph Hasenhüttl. Fulham received less than value for money.

Yet Fulham were happy to keep him. Not once during the Premier League season did Fulham waiver in their loyalty to Parker. They trusted him to find a passage to survival. Recruitment issues aside, he was backed off the pitch with his new contract and Fulham also poached Nathan Gardiner from Tottenham to bolster his backroom staff.

It is Parker that has angled for a move away, but demanding compensation to do so. He wanted to be compensated for wanting to resign to take over a rival. This ensured that no quick action could be taken, reminiscent of Parker's time at Fulham, and has now seen Fulham without a manager at the start of preseason.

Parker has finally got his wish and is free of Fulham. Free of the club that gave him his last big contract as a player. Free of the club that gave him his first opportunity as a manager.

For a man who prides himself on commitment and loyalty, he has shown precious little to Fulham. Happy to blame recruitment for relegation, but whose fault is it that Parker was unable to eke out any bit of form from Mitrovic or Loftus-Cheek?

He is a decent manager and could do well at Bournemouth, but his exit has left a sour taste. It's not a case of feeling jilted, more of a case of disrespect from someone who the club has rewarded handsomely over the years.

Buyer beware, Bournemouth, Buyer beware.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-06-29-scott-parker-is-a-snake-good-riddance/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham handed Harrison Reed transfer boost

Fulham have been dealt a boost to their hopes of keeping Harrison Reed at Craven Cottage this summer.

What's the talk?

That's according to a claim made by The Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth, who revealed in a recent Q&A session on the newspaper's website that Leeds United do not currently have the 26-year-old on their list of summer transfer targets, despite him being a player who is admired by the club.

This news comes following a report by the Daily Mail earlier this month that suggested Marcelo Bielsa's side were plotting a summer swoop for the £9m-rated Fulham man, however, following Smyth's update, this does not appear to be the case.

Considering just how important Reed has become within the Fulham team over the past two seasons, the news that the midfielder looks on course to remain at Craven Cottage ahead of next season should leave fans of the club buzzing.

Indeed, over his 25 Championship appearances during his debut season with Scott Parker's side back in 2019/20, the £31k-per-week man registered one assist and created one big chance for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.9 tackles and winning 4.5 duels per game.

These returns saw the former England U20 international earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.81, ranking him as the club's joint 16th-best performer in the league, with his displays helping the Cottagers earn promotion to the Premier League.

Over his 31 top-flight appearances the following season, Reed provided two assists and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.6 interceptions, two tackles and winning four duels per match.

These returns saw the man Shane Long dubbed an "immense" player earn an improved average SofaScore match rating of 6.90, ranking him as Parker's 11th-best player in the Premier League.

As such, it would very much appear as if keeping Reed at the club this summer is key to Fulham's hopes of going on to secure an immediate return to the top flight of English football next season, meaning that the news Leeds are not considering a move for the 26-year-old is fantastic for everyone involved with the Cottagers.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-transfer-rumours/fulham-transfer-news-leeds-united-harrison-reed-graham-smyth-the-championship

[WhiteJC]

Moving on from Scott Parker

So the summer's most soporific managerial saga has finally come to an end. Scott Parker has got his move to Bournemouth and Fulham are searching for a successor less than five weeks before their Championship campaign is due to get underway. To say that is less than ideal is something of an understatement.

Parker polarised opinion amongst the Fulham fanbase. I shan't be attempting to analyse his reign here, but the quality of the football he oversaw and the way Fulham collapsed in the final ten games having engineered an opportunity to remain in the top flight – a scenario that seemed unthinkable in the early weeks of the season – makes me wonder if a change is such a bad thing. This Football 365 article summarises why Fulham might be well served by having a fresh face in the dugout.

There are clearly deeper structural issues to solve at Craven Cottage as well. Shahid Khan's stern words at the conclusion of Fulham's statement announcing Parker's departure barely disguised his disappointment at the manager's eagerness to jump ship, but a clear-eyed assessment of how the club has managed to yo-yo so consistently between the top two divisions in recent years in long overdue. That must include a look at whether Tony Khan is the most suitable figure to fulfil the vital director of football role but whether that discussion has taken place in Jacksonville is anyone's guess.

I've written before about the opportunity Fulham have to optimise the biggest asset at their disposal – the Category one academy that continues to churn out terrific young talent and the expertise of Huw Jennings – and a progressive manager with a track record of bringing through young players would seem to be the perfect fit. That's why the suggestions of Steve Cooper being Fulham's frontrunner seem to make a lot of sense.

At first glance, the descriptions of Cooper's cautious football in south Wales might have those sick of what they've come to see as 'Parkerball' seeking a lie down in a dark room. But his achievements in his first job in senior management – guiding Swansea to two sets of play-offs whilst having to sell their prized assets – shouldn't be underestimated. If Cooper has had to adapt his tactics in order to grind out results, then that should viewed as a positive given that the objective is get out of a highly competitive league as quickly as possible. I'd also cast doubt on the idea that a man who counts Jose Segura as his major influence would adopt a wholly negative approach.

It is perhaps Cooper's roles in nurturing young talent at the Liverpool academy and as the coach of England's under 16 and 17 sides that are as interesting too. He had the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Raheem Sterling under his wing in their formative footballing years as his under 18s reached the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup in 2013. His work with the England youth set-up was revolutionary – famously winning the Under 17 World Cup with Steven Sessegnon a key part of his team in 2017 – and the most telling part of his discussion of that role is how he sees his job as a 'facilitator' of modern players. He views management very differently to some others in the profession. 'The days are gone, for me, where everything is the coach telling the player, that's finished'.

Of course, managerial searches are never easy – just ask Daniel Levy or Mike Rigg, who conducted a seemingly endless pursuit of Kit Symons' successor before the club settled on Slavisa Jokanovic. I'm sure most Fulham fans feel pretty jealous of Blades' fans preparing for a season of the Serbian's very watchable brand of football. New names seem to be floated every day at the moment and I'm certainly not relying on the betting markets to offer any clarity, given the miniscule size of any 'next permanent Fulham manager' market. I can't see Chris Wilder being particularly keen to work under a director of football but his record shouldn't be unduly tarnished by what happened at Sheffield United last season – especially as he has delivered impressive results wherever he has managed.

The bottom line is that whoever is appointed probably will inherit a strong squad at Championship level. It is interesting to read in Peter Rutzler's recounting of Parker's last days at Motspur Park that the now departed manager and the club hierarchy vehemently disagreed on the size of the surgery that would be required on the playing staff over the summer. The suggestion that Parker would have been happy to allow Aleksandar Mitrovic to leave the club is not a surprise given how the Serbian striker was criminally underused last season but seems genuinely baffling given how prolific he was in the Championship.

There will obviously be outgoings as Fulham adjust to the financial reality of being outside the top flight – probably several given how close the club are to breaching the EFL FFP limits. But the sheer number of players still in the first team picture should allow a new boss to field a side comparable with any other in the Championship before he considers integrating some of Fulham's young starlets. The most reassuring thing I saw this week was Stuart Gray's presence on the training ground as the Whites returned to pre-season training. He's a safe pair of hands as the powers-to-be consider who will fill the hotseat next.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/06/moving-on-from-scott-parker/

[filham]

Right now we are without any coaching staff, just hope there is someone at the club in a position to resist the transfers of top players like Tosin , Reed, Mitro and Cairney who surely must be central to our team for next season.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Please relax The Rational Fan says there is nothing to worry about as long as TK is still here as he is our leader and saviour and talisman, our knight in shining armour with all the charm that runs in accordance with it. He has his well manicured finger nail firmly on the clubs pulse 24/7 so there is nothing to worry about now that we have had that qualified reassurance, or perhaps I have missed something.
Hold on i may have to get back to you.