Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 01/03/22...

[WhiteJC]

Fulham want Balotelli, say Turkish press

Here's one of those rumours that proves you can have baseless transfer speculation outside of the transfer window.

The Turkish website Star claims that Fulham want to sign eccentric Italian forward Mario Balotelli from Adana Demirspor to spearhead their Premier League campaign next season. The former Manchester City striker, recently recalled to the Italian national set up by Roberto Mancini has scored 11 goals in 24 appearances since moving to Turkey from Monza on a free transfer last summer.

The accuracy of the report is undermined in the very next paragraph when Star suggests that Balotelli will become Marco Silva's main striker next season as Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has scored 34 goals in 31 Championship appearances this season, will not be at the club next season. Fulham are set to sell the Serbian to Juventus, apparently. We'd file this in what we used to call our 'silly season' section but we can't stop laughing.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/02/fulham-want-balotelli-say-turkish-press/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham eyeing up summer transfer move for 31-year-old Italian

Championship table-toppers Fulham have emerged as summer suitors for infamous Italian striker Mario Balotelli, according to Turkish publication Star.

The 31-year-old, who has recently received a call-up back to his national squad for a training camp by Roberto Mancini, is currently plying his trade in the Turkish Super Lig for Adana Demirspor.

Balotelli is rebuilding his career after brief stints at Marseille, Brescia and Monza and he's plundered in the goals for Demirspor this season, netting 11 goals in 24 matches in all competitions.

Having penned a three-year deal with the Turkish outfit in the summer of 2021, Balotelli would command a transfer fee to switch clubs and it is believed per the report that it would take at least €10 million to prize him away.

And it is also stated that Balotelli could be the replacement for free-scoring Aleksandar Mitrovic, who is reportedly still on the radar of Serie A giants Juventus despite their capture of another Serb in Dusan Vlahovic last month.

The Verdict

Balotelli is proving to people that he's still capable of scoring goals at a decent level – even if the Turkish top flight is a bit of a step down from other leagues he's performed in in the past.

He's caught the eye of Roberto Mancini again clearly who wants to see if he can still score goals for the Italian national side, and he stands a better chance of being called up if he's playing in a league like the Premier League.

That is a division that Fulham look destined to be in next season despite a couple of months still to play yet and rumours will indeed swirl about Mitrovic due to his fantastic scoring record recently.

It's hard to see Balotelli being a direct replacement for the Serbian forward though – in-fact it would be a bit of a wildcard signing altogether but it would be one that causes a stir.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-eyeing-up-summer-transfer-move-for-31-year-old-italian/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham's Harry Wilson discusses the arrival of Liverpool's Neco Williams and makes Alexander-Arnold claim
Former Liverpool man Harry Wilson says that Neco Williams is settling in well at Fulham after making the loan switch last month.

Fulham signed Williams, 20, on loan from Liverpool in last month's transfer window. Since, the right-back has proved an important addition to Marco Silva's side featuring five times in the Championship and grabbing two assists.

Williams reunited with a former Liverpool graduate, and now Wales team-mate in Wilson.

The midfielder signed for Fulham permanently from Liverpool last summer and he too has been a keen addition to the side, with eight goals and 11 assists in his 29 league appearances so far.

Wilson recently spoke to The Athletic though about Williams' arrival at Crave Cottage, and he had this to say on the Liverpool youngster:

"I think he's getting the games I think he needs. Obviously he was at Liverpool learning from the best in Trent (Alexander-Arnold), but I think at his age and where he is in his career, coming out and playing games on loan was what he needed."

Williams made his Premier League debut for Liverpool during the 2019/20 season. He's since established himself as an important player in the Welsh national side but has struggled for game-time at Anfield.

"He has settled in well, he's got himself a couple of assists already and I know when I've got the ball, he's always around me or he is inside me, and I thought we linked up well (vs Cardiff, where Fulham ran out 1-0 winners)," Wilson continued.

Unstoppable Fulham...
Fulham sanctioned Dennis Odoi's exit last month. But Williams has since slotted into that right-back position with ease and he looks to be a really promising player for Liverpool.

His and Wilson's link up play has been impressive and it's helped contribute to an overall impressive Fulham side who look like they're going to go on and claim the Championship crown.

Marco Silva's side currently sit in 1st pace of the table and have a nine-point lead over Bournemouth in 2nd, with a home game v Blackburn Rovers coming up this weekend.



https://the72.co.uk/264357/fulhams-harry-wilson-discusses-the-arrival-of-liverpools-neco-williams-and-makes-alexander-arnold-claim/

[WhiteJC]

Rodak shortlisted for Slovakian footballer of the year

Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak has been shortlisted for the Slovakian footballer of the year award.

The 25 year-old played a key role in Slovakia's qualification for last summer's European Championships, saving a penalty from Alan Browne in the shoot-out success over the Republic of Ireland in the play-offs. Having overlooked in the top flight following the loan signing of Alphonse Areola, Rodak has reclaimed his place in Marco Silva's starting line up this season after displacing summer signing Paolo Gazzaniga. He has kept eleven clean sheets in 23 appearances this term, the latest of which came on Saturday at Cardiff.

The award will be decided by a poll of the Slovak Football Association and the Pravda newspaper and the winner will be announced on March 22. Inter defender Milan Skriniar has won the prestigious award for the past two seasons and is among the nominees again.

The eight other shortlisted players are Martin Dubravka, Ondrej Duda,Marek Hamsik, David Hancko, Juraj Kucka, Stanislav Lobotka, Peter Pekarik and Ivan Schranz.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/02/rodak-shortlisted-for-slovakian-footballer-of-the-year/

[WhiteJC]

Talking Points: Cardiff

Mitro's movement

Aleksandar Mitrović chalked up number 34 of the season at the Cardiff City Stadium – in doing so, taking himself into double figures for headed goals in 2021/22. As we worked the short corner – not the first time we have successfully done so this year – Mitro initially found himself tightly marked by Aden Flint, but peeled off at the perfect time to get a free connection on Harry Wilson's inviting delivery.

Wilson hits 20

With his lovely assist for the winner, Harry Wilson brought up 20 goal involvements for Fulham in the Championship, an impressive feat in just 29 matches. (His numbers read 22 in 31 when you include the FA Cup). Wilson has been performing well recently, but by his high standards the winger may have been disappointed to go a few matches without scoring or assisting. It was a brief drought that he ended in style in his home nation.

Marek's crucial stop

It wasn't the busiest afternoon Marek Rodák will have between the sticks for Fulham, but he had to be alert to make a vital save with the score still goalless. Seconds after Harry Wilson had drawn a save at the other end, home goalkeeper Alex Smithies sent a huge kick the length of the pitch, which ended up sending James Collins in on goal. But Rodák made himself big to win the personal duel with the Bluebirds striker.

Fortunate Flint

Fulham thought they should have had a penalty early in the second half when Neco Williams' cross was brought down by Aden Flint's upper arm. It appeared as though the Cardiff centre-back could have got it out the way, but nothing was given despite strong appeals from the boys in white. Thankfully, unlike the Huddersfield game, this decision did not affect the outcome.

Jim & Jamie's lively afternoon

Anyone following our coverage of the game on FFCtv would have heard our commentators Gentleman Jim and Jamie Reid situated close to an irate home fan. The chap in question was upset all afternoon, and it came to a head in stoppage time when a Perry Ng elbow on Ivan Cavaleiro went unpunished. The Cardiff supporter took umbrage with the referee halting play soon after, so it was left to Jim and Jamie to explain to him the rules regarding head injuries.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/february/28/talking-points-cardiff/

[WhiteJC]

Dundee United sporting director on Fulham academy link-up

Dundee United sporting director Tony Asghar has disclosed a few more details on the Scottish Premier League side's recent academy partnership with Fulham.

The two clubs announced a development link-up in January which a joint statement said would focus on 'sharing player market intelligence and knowledge, coach development exchange, games and player visits at academy level and commercial, retail and operational best practice'.

In an interview with the Courier this lunchtime, Ashgar said:

"There will be prominent opportunities to get players from Fulham and move players there. But that doesn't mean that every player they put up for loan will go to us. It has to be right for the player, right financially and for both clubs.

Similarly, it doesn't mean they automatically take the next Kerr Smith to Fulham. It's an overriding partnership that will see knowledge sharing. We will work collectively to improve from a football perspective and commercially both in retail and ticketing.

Our academy director Andy Goldie is a terrific asset to Dundee United. He is working closely between both academies to share practice and innovate. We believe it will be hugely beneficial to both clubs in the long term."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/02/dundee-united-sporting-director-on-fulham-academy-link-up/

[WhiteJC]

Harry Wilson tells Neco Williams he made right decision in leaving Liverpool

Wales international Williams signed for Championship leaders Fulham on deadline day and has already chipped in with two assists as they look to seal an immediate promotion back to the Premier League

Neco Williams could have spent the weekend helping Liverpool lift the EFL Cup at Wembley.

Instead, he was busy playing his part in another win for Fulham as they motor towards the Championship title.

The Wales international opted to sign for the Cottagers on January transfer deadline day, agreeing a loan deal until the end of the campaign. And despite missing out on a memorable afternoon as his parent club beat Chelsea in an epic penalty shoot-out, Williams seems to be enjoying himself at Craven Cottage.

Saturday saw his temporary employers seal a 1-0 win away at Cardiff City in his native Wales. It kept Marco Silva's side in command at the top of the table. They lead Bournemouth by nine points and they are 11 clear of third-placed Huddersfield.


Neco Williams is looking to help Fulham seal promotion back to the Premier League

All the signs are promising for an immediate return to the Premier League.

In the case of Williams, many would consider it a bold move to leave the comfort of Anfield but Harry Wilson, another who has followed the same path, believes it is the correct decision.

Fellow Welshman Wilson joined Fulham permanently in the summer in a £12m move and says his compatriot, who already has two assists to his name, has settled in well.

"I think he's getting the games I think he needs," Wilson said, via The Athletic.

"Obviously he was at Liverpool learning from the best in Trent (Alexander-Arnold), but I think at his age and where he is in his career, coming out and playing games on loan was what he needed.

"He has settled in well, he's got himself a couple of assists already and I know when I've got the ball, he's always around me or he is inside me, and I thought we linked up well (against Cardiff)."

Williams more than played his part in Liverpool's march to Wembley.

He featured four times in the competition, starting against Preston and Leicester before coming off the bench in both legs of the semi-final against Arsenal.

He made eight appearances in total for Jurgen Klopp's side this term, also featuring in Champions League victories over Atletico Madrid, Porto and AC Milan, as well as playing twice and scoring once for his country.

Speaking after his move to Fulham was confirmed, the 20-year-old said he was looking forward to a new challenge - and the chance to reunite with Wilson.

Williams said: "We've been speaking quite a bit. He was telling me of the plans that they have here.


Harry Wilson and Williams are good pals and international colleagues

"I was excited and when the interest came in, I didn't really have a second thought about coming. I want to show everyone what I can do.

"The gaffer here uses attacking football which is perfect for me. The style of football suits me to a tee so it was a no-brainer.

"It's my first time out on loan. There's a lot of stuff that comes with it such as living in a new city. I'll hopefully get loads of different experiences."



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/neco-williams-liverpool-harry-wilson-26346861

[WhiteJC]

Fulham's March preview: All fixtures, televised games and latest ticket info

Fulham sit top of the Championship table entering into March.

The business end of the season is fast-approaching and Fulham are looking just that – the business.

Marco Silva's side have kept their spot at the top of the pile throughout much of the campaign and now find themselves with a nine-point lead over Bournemouth in 2nd.

Through February, Fulham picked up 12 points from a possible 15 after losing at home to Huddersfield Town, and having lost away at Manchester City in the FA Cup too.

Here we take a look at what March has in stores for the Whites...

Who will Fulham be going up against in March?
Fulham's March starts with a home game v Blackburn Rovers on Saturday lunchtime, before a trip to Swansea City on the following Tuesday evening.

Silva's side then head to Oakwell for a lunchtime kick-off before two more evening fixtures against West Brom and Nottingham Forest respectively.

Which Fulham fixtures will be shown live on TV in March?
Fulham's games against Blackburn Rovers, Barnsley, West Brom and Nottingham Forest will all be shown live on Sky Sports Football.

What's the latest ticket info?
Away tickets for Fulham fans can be found here, with fixtures v Swansea, Barnsley and West Brom all on sale.

And fans can purchase home tickets for games v Blackburn and Forest here, though the upcoming game v Blackburn Rovers has limited availability left.

March will prove to be another pivotal month for Fulham – promotion looks to be inevitable for the Londoners but there's still plenty of games left to play, and plenty of teams hunting down the top two spots.



https://the72.co.uk/264388/fulhams-march-preview-all-fixtures-televised-games-and-latest-ticket-info/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham sign cooperation agreement with HNK Gorica

Fulham have signed a youth development cooperation agreement with Croatian club HNK Gorica.

Negotiations between representatives from both clubs were concluded last week and the formal agreement was signed at Craven Cottage by Fulham academy head of football development Huw Jennings and Gorica president Nenad Crnko before last Wednesday night's fixture against Peterborough.

Crnko told the Croatian press that the deal includes 'professional cooperation, joint marketing and the exchange of information around player development, scouting and possible player exchanges between both clubs'. The news follows a similar link up between Fulham and Dundee United's youth set-ups, which was announced in January.

Gorica, widely regarded as the successor side to NK Radnik who went bust in 2009, have established themselves in the Croatian top flight after years in the lower leagues, finishing fifth in their first season back in the big time. Their recent success has been the result of the cultivation of cheap foreign talent, most notably Nigerian forward Iyar Atiemwen, who was sold to Dinamo Zagreb for a club record fee.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/02/fulham-sign-cooperation-agreement-with-hnk-gorica/

[WhiteJC]

Silva: 'We haven't won anything yet'

Fulham head coach Marco Silva is enjoying the challenge of managing again in England but insists his feet are firmly on the ground – even though the Whites have taken a firm grip on the Championship's top spot.

In an interview with Eleven Sports from his native Portugal, Silva says:

"There is no club that wins anything in January or February, and we have not won anything so far. We have earned the right to be in the position we are in because we have done a lot of things well. We gained the respect of those who follow the Championship and, above all, we ourselves have felt the pleasure of getting very good results – and also in the way that we are achieving them."

Fulham are currently nine points clear of second-placed Bournemouth, who have two games in hand, and eleven points clear of the play-off places after Saturday's 1-0 win at Cardiff.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/02/silva-we-havent-won-anything-yet/

[WhiteJC]

Christie scores in Swansea win

Cyrus Christie scored the crucial clinching goal tonight as Swansea City won 2-0 at West Bromwich Albion.

The Republic of Ireland international, enjoying an impressive loan spell in south Wales, drilled in his second goal of the season from Hannes Wolf's with five minutes left to seal all three points for Russell Martin's men. Christie's predatory strike followed Joel Piroe's opener on 79 minutes to extend Steve Bruce's dismal start since succeeding Valerien Ismael at the Hawthorns.

This win was Swansea's first away victory since beating Barnsley on November 24th.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/02/christie-scores-in-swansea-win/

[WhiteJC]

Rumours suggest Fulham want Balotelli for Premier League return

Fulham are rumoured to be interested in Adana Demirspor forward Mario Balotelli as they begin to prepare for life in the Premier League again.

The West London side currently sit top of the English second tier and their place in the Premier League next season is all but guaranteed now. Significant investments will be needed in the summer in order to keep them up in the top tier, where important financial rewards are found.

As reported by Turkish outlet Star, Fulham want to bring Balotelli back to the Premier League in the summer in order to bolster their attack. The 31-year-old Italian striker is having a successful season in Turkey and was even called up to the Azzurri training camp by coach Roberto Mancini last month.

Balotelli has made 22 Super Lig appearances so far this season, for a total of 1480 minutes. In that time, he's scored 10 goals and provided three assists.



https://football-italia.net/rumours-suggest-fulham-want-balotelli-for-premier-league-return/

[filham]

Can you imagine TK paying big bucks for Balotelli when we have Mitro and Muniz both looking good, some journo needs to think before he speculates.