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Saturday Fulham Stuff (13.02.10)

Started by White Noise, February 12, 2010, 09:59:08 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

White Noise

http://www.ealinggazette.co.uk/sport/football-ealing/fulham-fc-ealing/2010/02/12/hangeland-issues-warning-ahead-of-fulham-v-notts-county-clash-64767-25823626/

Hangeland issues warning ahead of Fulham v Notts County clash



Feb 12 2010 By Yann Tear



BREDE Hangeland has warned his Fulham team-mates that the form book goes out the window ahead of Sunday's FA Cup clash with Notts County.

The Whites are clear favourites to cruise into the quarter-finals against their League Two opponents.

However, Roy Hodgson's side only squeezed past minnows Swindon Town and Accrington Stanley in previous rounds, and Hangeland insists they'll be taking nothing for granted at Craven Cottage.

He said: "Everyone will say it's an easy tie for us, but we've learnt from Swindon and Accrington Stanley that the FA Cup is something special and the difference that should be between a team from the Premier League and League Two seems to disappear.

"We're playing a team from a lower division at home so we should win the game, simple as that. Hopefully, though, we can show that we are a better team on Sunday."

White Noise

FA Cup Team News

Friday 12th February 2010


Fulham FC News

As Fulham prepare for their forthcoming home matches against Notts County and Shakhtar Donetsk in the FA Cup and UEFA Europa League respectively, Roy Hodgson assessed the player injury situation ahead of Fulham's cup encounters.

With a fine victory over Burnley still fresh in the memory, the Fulham Manager was anticipating minimal changes to the starting line-up for the visit of David Kevan's Notts County.

"There is no reason for me to envisage great changes to the Team, certainly for the game on Sunday," Hodgson said in Friday's pre-match press conference. "Then we'll have to see what happens in that game - if we get further injuries or further problems. We'll take the selection one day at a time. 

"The injury situation at the moment is about the long-term ones that we really just have to forget about - I'm thinking about Clint Dempsey, John Pantsil, Andy Johnson and KG Dikgacoi. But we're getting back to where we should be with the others.

"The good thing is we're getting one or two players back to fitness and back into the squad which is a great help to us. Most importantly of all we'll be going into these next two games on the back of a good performance where I thought we were back to our best.

"We've got Gera and Konchesky training - although they're training outside of the actual First Team group, they're training with the fitness people. But they're both making exceptional progress. It would too early for them this weekend but I haven't written either of those two off as possibilities to play in the match against Shakhtar Donetsk."


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/February/NottsCountyTeamNews.aspx#ixzz0fMXDZzRm



White Noise

Greening's Cup Final Hopes


Friday 12th February 2010


Fulham FC News

With a place in the Quarter-Finals potentially just 90 minutes away on Sunday, Fulham midfielder Jonathan Greening is hoping the Whites will still be in the hat come Sunday afternoon.

"Getting drawn at home against a non-Premier League team is always a good draw," Greening told fulhamfc.com ahead of Sunday's match against Notts County. "Having said that it's not going to be an easy game because they've got nothing to lose. You need to be confident when you go into games like this.

"They're coming to our place and will want to put on a performance, show everyone that they're a good team and show that beating a Premier League club [Wigan] in the previous round was no fluke. We've got to make sure that we keep professional, try and stick to our game plan and get our names into the hat for the draw."

Greening came close to securing a place in the 2007/08 Cup Final when West Brom were narrowly beaten in the Semi-Final by eventual winners, Portsmouth. And having come so close, Greening is hungry to go one step further this time around.

"The FA Cup's always a nice competition to play in," he explained. "Every kid wants to play at Wembley in the Cup Final. I was close when West Brom lost to Portsmouth in the Semi-Final at Wembley. It was a great feeling being there and I hope that we can put a run together, and I'll be able to go one step further and go to the Final this season. Personally I've always wanted to be part of an FA Cup final side."


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/February/GreeningNottsCountyPreview.aspx#ixzz0fMeaT6ST

White Noise

Just the Ticket

Friday 12th February 2010


Fulham FC News


Buy Your Tickets at the Store
Fulham FC is pleased to announce that fans can now purchase their Fulham v Shakhtar Donetsk match tickets from the Craven Cottage and Fulham Road retail stores .

Tickets for all other matches will be available at the retail stores from 19th February. 

Shakhtar tickets only £10
To celebrate, fans who spend £30 or more on merchandise can buy tickets to our UEFA Europa League match against Shakhtar Donetsk at Craven Cottage on Thursday 18th February (Kick-Off 8.05pm) for just £10 for adults / £5 for juniors* .

20% Off Third Kit
With both the Craven Cottage and Fulham Road stores open seven days a week, fans can also take advantage of the 20% discount** on the Fulham FC Third Kit range!

View directions to the stores and opening times| .


* Max four tickets per customer. Min one adult ticket to be purchased with any junior tickets.
**20% off Third Kit is valid until midday Monday 15th February.

Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/February/StoreTicketSales.aspx#ixzz0fMey33Ga

White Noise

Fulham Podcast

Friday 12th February 2010


Fulham FC News


The latest edition of Inside Fulham, the Official Fulham Podcast, is now online. In this edition of the Inside Fulham Podcast, Roy Hodgson will give us his thoughts on the matches against Bolton and Burnley, plus Swedish striker David Elm tells us how it feels to get his first goal for the Club.

Download or Listen here|


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/February/FulhamPodcastNottsCounty.aspx#ixzz0fMfLbjZv


White Noise

Notts County Programme Preview

Friday 12th February 2010


Fulham FC News


Craven Cottage, home to London's oldest football club, plays host to the oldest club in the world on Sunday - in the world's oldest cup competition.

It's a game steeped in history, and a match between two clubs with a long standing tradition in the beautiful game.

This is the first time that Fulham and Notts County have met at the Cottage in the FA Cup and with the Magpies flying high in League Two and having already knocked Wigan Athletic out in the last round, they make the trip full of confidence.

So as the two teams do battle once more in our famous old ground, be sure to pick up the most traditional of football accompaniments, the matchday programme.

Packed from cover-to-cover with all the essential matchday information, the 68-page journal is the essential companion and souvenir for every Fulham fixture.

With its eye catching design and in-depth features, this week's issue includes:

Exclusive insight from Manager Roy Hodgson .
Danny Murphy's views on recent action.
Norwegian striker Erik Nevland discusses the FA Cup, progression and goals.
A peek inside the opposition's camp with Notts County defender Stephen Hunt.
Fulham's past in the Fifth Round with Club historian Dennis Turner.
Rewind with Fulham expert Ian McCulloch who digs out a classic Cup programme from the mid-1990s.
A visual journey back through time in Flashback, recalling Fulham's recent Fifth Round outings.
Match action from the cup run so far with focus on Swindon Town and Accrington Stanley. 
Through the ranks profile on African defensive starlet Cheick Touré .
Unprecedented fan interaction and tonnes of fun for younger fans too.
Plus, so much more besides!
The brilliant matchday publication costs just £3 and will be on sale in and around the ground from two-hours before Kick-Off.

If you miss your copy outside then look out for sellers on the Putney and Hammersmith Terrace, or at half-time from the programme room situated inside the Johnny Haynes Stand by Block E (opposite Turnstile 24).


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/February/NottsCountyProgrammePreview.aspx#ixzz0fMfbmVme

mattiesafer

Quote from: White Noise on February 12, 2010, 10:00:33 PM
FA Cup Team News


"We've got Gera and Konchesky training - although they're training outside of the actual First Team group, they're training with the fitness people. But they're both making exceptional progress. It would too early for them this weekend but I haven't written either of those two off as possibilities to play in the match against Shakhtar Donetsk."


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/February/NottsCountyTeamNews.aspx#ixzz0fMXDZzRm

That would be GREAT to get Konch back for Europa!

White Noise

Fulham v Notts County

FA Cup


Sunday 14 February


Kick-Off 15:00

On-sale dates
General Sale  9am Friday 29 January
Season ticket holders who are on the Home Cup Tie Scheme will automatically have their ticket loaded onto their Season Ticket Access Cards.

Advance Booking Prices    
Adults £15
Concessions £10
Juniors £5
Matchday Prices
Adults £20
Concessions £15
Juniors £5
How to Buy tickets
buy tickets online  - 7 days a week, 24 hrs a day. Save on booking fees by booking online*
by phone on 0870 442 1234 (option 1) - 7 days a week, 24 hrs a day
in person from the Ticket Office: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; non-match day Sat 10am-12pm
by fax 0207 384 4810 (download printable form )
by postal application to FFC Ticket Office, Stevenage Road, Fulham, SW6 6HH enclosing a stamped addressed envelope (download printable form )
Seatwave - the official fan-to-fan ticket exchange
Thomas Cook - match breaks for all Fulham FC home games
* Lower booking fees compared to telephone booking


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Tickets/Games/FulhamvNottsCounty.aspx#ixzz0fMftNzag



White Noise

Third Time Lucky


Friday 12th February 2010


Fulham FC News


Don't worry if you missed out on our great half price away kit sale, as ahead of our FA Cup clash with Notts County this Sunday , you will find 20% off the entire Third Kit range , including Shirts, Shorts, and Socks in all sizes.

From Friday 12th February to Midday on Monday 15th February all Fulham Official Third Kit is on offer with 20% off, available in-store or online| .

You can now purchase the shirt from only £23.99 online| or in store today. But you'll need to be quick, the offer is only valid for a few days!

Pick up your kit at our special Valentine's Day game on Sunday!

Buy now| , this offer will expire soon!


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/February/ThirdKit20OFF.aspx#ixzz0fMg7411s

White Noise

Weekend Travel Update

Friday 12th February 2010


Fulham FC News


Supporters planning on coming to this Sunday's match between Fulham and Notts County at Craven Cottage should note that ongoing works to Hammersmith Bridge and the Circle Line could affect travel times.

Hammersmith Bridge
Work on Hammersmith Bridge will continue until March 2010, the bridge will be closed to all traffic in both directions every weekend until March 15. However, the bridge will be open to cyclists and pedestrians at all times during these works.

Circle Line
There is no service on the entire line due to track replacement work this weekend. Your journey time could take up to 45 minutes extra. If you need any further information visit tfl.gov.uk| , phone 0843 222 1234 (24 hours) or speak to station staff.


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/February/NottsCountyWeekendTravelUpdate.aspx#ixzz0fMgTWPWj

White Noise

FFC Foundation Supports Sport Relief

Friday 12th February 2010


Fulham FC News


Sport Relief is back and bigger than ever and Fulham FC Foundation is proud to lend their support by challenging all true fans to get sporty, have fun and raise cash by entering the Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile in London on Sunday 21 st March .

The London Mile is one of hundreds of Sport Relief Miles taking place across the country on Sunday 21 st March 2010 and we want you to get those running shoes on and join us to make this year's event bigger and better than 2008.

Anyone taking part can choose to do one, three or six miles – and supporters are being urged to show their true colours and wear their Fulham home or away shirts with pride while taking part – along with the official Sport Relief socks, of course!

Sport Relief harnesses the power and passion of sport to change lives for the better. And, the best bit is, all the cash raised will help to transform the lives of those in desperate need across the UK and the world's poorest countries.

Fulham midfielder, Bjorn Helge Riise , said: "I am challenging all Fulham fans to do their bit for Sport Relief and enter the Sport Relief Mile in London. By taking part you will be raising cash to help people who live unimaginably tough lives every day."

Local Sport Relief miles are taking place at the following venues:

The Sutton & Ewell Nonsuch Park Mile – Epsom & Ewell/Sutton
The Redhill Mile – Reigate & Banstead
The Woking Goldsworth Park Mile – Woking 
The Daytona Sandown Park Mile - Elmbridge
The Feltham College Mile - Hounslow
The Tooting Bec Mile - Wandsworth
As well as the Mile there will also be plenty of entertainment and activities on the day, for more information and details of how to get involved visit sportrelief.com. |.


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/February/SportRelief.aspx#ixzz0fMgftY7P


White Noise

http://fulhampatsfan.blogspot.com/2010/02/fulham-play-sunday-in-fa-cup-at-craven.html

Fulham play Sunday in the FA Cup at Craven Cottage

The next game for Fulham is this Sunday February 14th, at 3PM UK Time and 10AM EST. The game will be home at Craven Cottage. The opponent on Sunday is League Two Team Notts County. A win on Sunday will put Fulham into the quarterfinals of the tournament.

According to Fulhamfc.com there is a good chance we will see a similar lineup for the team that they used against Burnley. Roy Hodgson gave a quote about the starting team. Hogdson said " There is no reason for me to envisage great changes to the Team, certainly for the game on Sunday." Also, according to Fulhamfc.com, Zoltan Gera and Paul Konchesky have come back to training. This is a good sign for Fulham.

After the FA Cup match on Sunday, Fulham play on Thursday February 18th in the Europa League at 8:05PM UK Time and 3:05PM EST. The game is against Shakhtar Donetsk at Craven Cottage. This should hopefully be a good week of football for Roy Hogdson and Fulham.
Posted by Fulham-Pats Fan at 4:13 PM

White Noise

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_5945325,00.html

Roy slams fans' 'ingratitude'

Cottagers boss blasts unappreciative supporters


Last updated: 12th February 2010    



Fulham to win 4/9, draw 10/3 or lose 6/1
First Goalscorer - Zamora 10/3, Elm 11/2 or Duff 13/2

Roy Hodgson has hit back at Fulham fans who have criticised Mohamed Al Fayed for tightening the purse strings.

The Fulham owner plucked the West London outfit out of Football League obscurity in 1997 and ploughed millions into the club en route to turning them into an established Premier League team.

Fulham enjoyed their most successful season since rejoining the top flight last term and are faring well in the Europa League this campaign, and could reach the last eight of the FA Cup if they can beat Notts County on Sunday.

While the majority of the club's fans are thankful for the progress made under Al Fayed, others believe it is time to push on and try to compete with the division's big guns.

But Hodgson believes some Craven Cottage supporters need to get a sense of perspective after citing League Two side County, who were bought by Ray Trew for £1 on Thursday with debts of more than £1.5million, and Portsmouth as examples of the dangers of crass overspending.

Lucky

"We were lucky - we had a sugar daddy, a man who was prepared to come in and put money into the club and help us," he said.

"But in recent years, certainly while I've been here, we've tried to run the club sensibly as a business.

"We are greatly indebted to Mohamed Al Fayed for all the money he has put in and the support he has given us but occasionally now you see letters from fans saying he should invest more and throw more money in and I can't believe the ingratitude.

"There we were a few years ago just about to go out of the Football League, here we are stable in the Premier League. I'd hate to see this club going the way some clubs have gone recently."

Despite all their off-the-field problems, County are in form - they have risen to seventh in League Two and have enjoyed a great cup run that has seen them defeat Premier League Wigan away.

They are 65 places below Fulham in the league ladder but Hodgson is taking nothing for granted this weekend.


Foolish

"It's been a strange season for them, hasn't it?" he said.

"The year before, they didn't do that badly in the league and people were perhaps expecting that to continue. All of a sudden, there is a massive takeover, a the dark side, Manchester City-style investment in the club, with people like Sven-Goran Eriksson coming in.

"It's been very difficult for me from distance to fully understand how these clubs think and operate.

"What I do know is they have done exceptionally well in the league and the cup recently, so irrespective of the financial problems, they have only lost once in the last eight games and have six victories.

"They have beaten Wigan at Wigan to boot. We would be very foolish not to expect a tough game from them and to not expect them to be a tough nut to crack."

White Noise

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson urges Sven Goran Eriksson to throw in the towel at crisis-club Notts County

By Tom Bellwood Last updated at 10:25 PM on 12th February 2010


Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has urged his close friend Sven Goran Eriksson to cut all ties with crisis-hit Notts County and return to what he does best - managing football teams.

Eriksson's dream of turning County into a leading force in English football came to a grinding halt on Thursday after the club was sold for £1 and prompted the Swede's switch from director of football to Honorary President.

The two have known each other for 30 years, from when they were managing league clubs in Sweden and have been friends ever since but Hodgson has urged the former England boss to move on.

Catch me if you can! County face Fulham in the fifth round after beating Wigan
'Sven's an outstanding football manager and coach, he is not a president. What does an honorary president even do? It's what he's done all his life, manage and coach football teams.

'The only other person I know who had that kind of role Lennart Johansson and he was given that after 15 in years in the years in the job, overseeing some fantastic changes within Uefa.'

Hodgson will come face to face with Eriksson before the FA Cup fifth round clash at Craven Cottage on Sunday, hoping his team can take another step towards their first cup final since 1975.

But he has conceded the saga which has surrounded County since Munto Finance, the Middle Eastern consortium, bought the club has had  a detrimental effect on the game.

Call it a day! Hodgson says Eriksson should quit County and return to management

'What is the point of dangling carrots if you can't deliver? You'd have to ask them yourselves but  I don't think this has done the club or football in general any good whatsoever.
'I'm disappointed for Sven, this was obviously a project he believed in, because he's a serious man and he wouldn't have bought in to it if he didn't believe there some hope.

'He's been let down as have the club because the promises have failed to materialise and, arguably, they are worse off than when this all started.'

Eriksson has already been linked with permanent moves away from Meadow Lane with North Korea and Nigeria rumoured to be interested in offering him the job of managing their national sides.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1250597/Fulham-boss-Roy-Hodgson-urges-Sven-Goran-Eriksson-throw-towel-crisis-club-Notts-County.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0fMi4NwdQ


White Noise

FULHAM v Notts County: Roy Hodgson to go unchanged with Zoltan Gera among absentees

By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 3:49 PM on 12th February 2010


Comments (0) Add to My Stories

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is set to name an unchanged side for Sunday's FA Cup fifth-round tie against Notts County at Craven Cottage.

Midfielder Zoltan Gera (knee) and left-back Paul Konchesky (foot) are both back in light training after recent injuries but are not in contention for this weekend, while in-form striker David Elm should continue up front alongside Bobby Zamora.

Kagisho Dikgacoi (ankle), Andrew Johnson, Clint Dempsey and John Pantsil (all knee) are all long-term absentees.

Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Zuberbuhler, Baird, Kelly, Stoor, Hangeland, Hughes, Smalling, Shorey, Duff, Murphy, Greening, Davies, Etuhu, Riise, Nevland, Okaka, Elm, Zamora.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1250586/FULHAM-v-Notts-County-Roy-Hodgson-unchanged-Zoltan-Gera-absentees.html#ixzz0fMiSq4cW

White Noise

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/leaguetwo/nottscounty/7224840/Sven-Goran-Eriksson-makes-swift-exit-as-Notts-County-count-cost-of-financial-mess.html


Sven-Goran Eriksson makes swift exit as Notts County count cost of financial mess

Sven-Goran Eriksson left his Notts County office for the last time on Friday, boxing up his few personal effects, the furniture in his rented Nottingham apartment already removed, the traces of the former England manager's brief and surreal sojourn now gone.

By Sandy Macaskill


Published: 10:08PM GMT 12 Feb 2010

So keen is the Swede to put the experience behind him, he has written off £2.5 million owed to him by the League Two club. But for County's new owners the process of forensic analysis into the club's accounts is only just beginning, a process which was accompanied by the warning that they fully anticipate the discovery of evidence of past questionable activity.

Ray Trew, the businessman who assumed control of County for £1 from former chairman Peter Trembling, has sent in a team of five accountants, who spent the day combing through computer documents, looking for discarded invoices in their attempt to unravel the mess left behind by Munto Finance and gauge the financial turmoil at the club.

Sven-Goran Eriksson flies in to give Notts County the kiss of lifeEarly discoveries have revealed that Munto changed the accounts system on their arrival in July last year. Jim Rodwell, County's new chief executive, told Telegraph Sport: "They run up huge bills that the club could never hope to pay. I firmly believe they should be taken to task for this."

Even though Trew's involvement dates back four weeks, including more than 60 hours spent at Meadow Lane this week before signing on the dotted line, due to time implications he was not able to complete adequate due diligence.

By purchasing the club through his company Contracting Solutions Group, he has structured his takeover so that administration would be simpler if the club's debts proved worse than anticipated.

Rodwell said the new board would take a decision next week, but stressed that administration was a last resort. Trembling has been vindicated of any dubious link to Munto by the new owners. "He's been hoodwinked more than anyone," Rodwell said. "Peter was very open and transparent."

Trembling has promised to take action against Munto, provided he can track them down, of course.

White Noise

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/cc_league2/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/10/02/12/manual_182225.html&TEAMHD=nationwide3

NO WORRIES FOR NOTTS COUNTY


Notts County will be at full strength in their FA Cup fifth round tie against Fulham.

Delroy Facey has returned from a loan spell at Lincoln but the best he can hope for is a place on the bench, while striker Sean Canham is cup-tied.

Caretaker boss Dave Kevan has named the same starting line-up for the last two league matches, so the likes of Ade Akinbiyi, Luke Rodgers, Graeme Lee, Jamie Clapham and Matt Hamshaw will hope to force their way into the reckoning.


Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is set to name an unchanged side.

Midfielder Zoltan Gera (knee) and left-back Paul Konchesky (foot) are both back in light training after recent injuries but are not in contention for this weekend, while in-form striker David Elm should continue up front alongside Bobby Zamora.

Kagisho Dikgacoi (ankle), Andrew Johnson, Clint Dempsey and John Pantsil (all knee) are all long-term absentees.


Fulham (from): Schwarzer, Zuberbuhler, Baird, Kelly, Stoor, Hangeland, Hughes, Smalling, Shorey, Duff, Murphy, Greening, Davies, Etuhu, Riise, Nevland, Okaka, Elm, Zamora.


White Noise

http://hammyend.com/?p=5359

Up next: Notts County (h)


by Dan on February 12, 2010

Sunday sees Notts County come to town. Fulham, who have something of a hit or miss record record in the FA Cup in recent seasons, will see this as a glorious opportunity to book a place in the last eight. Notts County, once seemingly set to make the kind of surge up the footballing pyramid that Mohamed Al Fayed's funny had funded for little old Fulham after Micky Adams' basement rescue act, now suddenly seem destined for administration. With Sven-Goran Eriksson and Tord Gripp gone on the eve of their big day out which will see 4,000 supporters of the league's oldest club travel to London, who knows what will ensue on Sunday. Is it another one of Peter Trembling's false dawns?

Mark Schwarzer eluded to the fact that, with their form on the upturn of late, Fulham would rather be playing for league points this weekend. They might have rediscovered the swagger that saw them swot Manchester United aside before Christmas, but there was an ease about the home side's football as they swarmed all over Burnley in the second half on Tuesday night. With the return of Dickson Etuhu and Bobby Zamora, the spine of Roy Hodgson's side suddenly looked stronger and the manager was moved to describe David Elm, whose summer purchase from Kalmar had been seen as something of a gamble, as a revelation.

Changes are almost certain to be made for the visit of Notts County with games against Shakhtar Donetsk and Birmingham City to follow quickly afterwards, but not as many as you might think. Hodgson has spoken this week about his desire to 'attack the FA Cup,' knowing that his team are only 180 minutes away from a rare appearance at Wembley. Stephen Kelly might get another chance to prove himself at right back and Chris Smalling could come into the heart of the defence, whilst Jonathan Greening and Bjorn-Helge Riise might feature in midfield. There's something intriguing about pairing the raw Stefano Okaka with Elm, with confidence now surely coarsing through his veins, up front.

Notts County certainly shouldn't be taken for granted, although they have fallen away from their early pacesetting form at the top of the League Two table. They plenty of players with Premier League pedigree. Eyebrows were raised that Kasper Schmeichel, so impressive when he made a top-flight impact for Manchester City a few years ago (he kept goal well in a thriller at Craven Cottage just a couple of seasons back), decided to drop down the divisions in the summer, persuaded by Eriksson's charm perhaps. Jamie Clapham has plenty of top flight and European experience from his days at Ipswich and is a tireless worker in midfield, whilst the likes of Lee Hughes, whose return to professional football from prison sparked plenty of debate and Ade Akinbiyi, sure to get a hot reception from those who remember his Gillingham antics, could be a handful up front. Fulham will certainly remember Craig Westcarr, who twice brought non-league Kettering level as they threatened to embarass us at the fourth round stage last year.

MY FULHAM XI (4-4-2): Schwarzer; Kelly, Shorey, Smalling, Hangeland; Greening, Murphy, Riise, Davies; Elm, Okaka. Subs: Zuberbuhler, Baird, Hughes, Etuhu, Duff, Nevland, Zamora.

White Noise

http://football.fanhouse.co.uk/2010/02/12/sunfulham-v-notts-county-preview/

Fulham v Notts County Preview: Roy Hodgson is Relishing his Cup Luck

12/2/2010 12:20 PM GMT By Jon West


FULHAM:
The luck of the draw is an important ingredient for any team outside the so-called Big Four hoping to progress in the FA Cup and so far Fulham have had no complaints.

Roy Hodgson's side, who are also in the hunt for Europa League glory, host Notts County, the last remaining League Two side, having disposed of League One and League Two opposition in the previous rounds.

Hodgson rarely gets excited - or at least shows it in public - but admits that getting to Wembley would be an achievement to add to the accomplishment of having turned the club from seemingly relegation certainties to European qualifiers in a short space of time.

"I don't think we can ever dismiss the fact that winning a trophy for Fulham would be a red letter day," he said. "There would be very few people putting money on us to win the Europa League given the level of competition and the fact that some of our very best players are not available to play between now and the rest of the season.

"The FA Cup? Maybe we've got a slight shout. We've been lucky with the draws. We've played Swindon, Accrington and now we're playing Notts County, so we can't say the draw has been unkind to us.

"It's in our hands and if we can do well and get through, who knows what the next round would bring. We have high hopes and aspirations. There'll be lots of tough nuts to crack before we get there and we're aware of that."

Strategy: Hodgson reckons he no longer has selection problems as he only has 18 fit players. The Whites are delighted striker Bobby Zamora is back in the starting line-up following a shoulder injury however and midfielder Simon Davies, absent since the end of last season after an operation on a foot, is also back in the fold. They know they have to be careful about County's atttacking threat, particularly from set-pieces, but expect Fulham to make a high-powered start in an attempt to make their extra pace count.

Injury update: John Pantsil, Paul Konchesky, Clint Dempsey and Kagisho Dikgacoi are all injured and out of Hodgson's plans.

NOTTS COUNTY:
The League Two side have rarely been out of the headlines this season and this week has been no exception, with the club having been sold for £1 to Ray Trew, the former Lincoln City chairman. Former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has resigned as director of football as a result but may still attend in his new role of joint life president. Now they want to make the headlines because of what happens on the pitch at Fulham - at team that are 65 places above them in the pyramid. It will be a special day for Craig Westcarr, who scored twice against the Londoners when he played for Kettering in the fourth round last season. Fulham went on to win 4-2.