Sunday Fulham Stuff - 19/06/22...

[WhiteJC]

Final agreement on Fulham signing 'in next few hours' – Player can then travel for medical

There's a couple of reports in the Portuguese media today which continue the confidence over Fulham signing Joao Palhinha from Sporting.

A Bola is the most detailed and sure of the situation. They say a final agreement, with all the details concluded, will be reached 'in the next few hours'.

That will see Fulham paying around €20m for the midfielder. He's expected to sign a contract for four seasons, and earn €2.5m a year. Football salary figures in Europe are often quoted after tax, although there's no explicit statement of that here.

Once the agreement is concluded, Palhinha will return from his vacation in Dubai and travel to London to have his Fulham medical and to get to know the London club. Then everything else on the deal will be concluded 'in the next few days', so that timeframe would be looking at Tuesday or Wednesday for an announcement.

Wolves don't even get a mention in the report, but a separate article from Jornal di Noticias could explain why they've seemingly let Fulham steal their deal. Ruben Neves' exit has stalled, and there's a chance he could sign a new deal with Bruno Lage's side.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/final-agreement-fulham-signing-next-hours-player-can-travel-medical/

[WhiteJC]

Crystal Palace's radical reinvention of history

Henry Ford never actually uttered the immortal words always associated with him, but the sentiment surrounding 'all history is bunk' stuck with him. It is, of course, errant nonsense. The past informs the present – and the modern society is made richer if we learn from previous lessons. Fulham famously don't win much, but our loveable club by the Thames has an illustrious history that dates back to 1879 – making them London's oldest professional football club.

It needs to be said at the outset that I have no particular problem with Crystal Palace. In fact, the opposite is true. They remain a wonderfully run community club, with one of the best outreach programmes into their local boroughs in the country, and were revived by the wily management of Roy Hodgson in recent years. They have benefited both from the defensive nous of Joachim Andersen and Patrick Vieira's first year at the helm, but their annual claim on the mantle of the world's oldest professional football club is starting to wear a little thin.

Palace unveiled a new club crest on their website this morning, claiming the world's oldest football club mantle because the Crystal Palace Company, who held a controlling stake in the professional club established in 1905, were linked to the team set up in 1861 for their cricketers. The amateur club was dissolved in 1876 and reformed as a new entity, which invalidates Palace's claims in the eyes of most experts. When they tried to put forward this argument last summer, the renowned historians of nineteenth century football Mark Metcalf and Clive Nicholson compiled a 84-page submission to the FA and the EFL completely debunking the idea.

The salient details are as follows:

• The Crystal Palace supporters' magazine from October 1947 is categorical: "to prevent misunderstanding, it should be pointed out that the Crystal Palace Club in existence before 1905 was a purely amateur concern and had no connection with the present club."

• Three matches in the mid-1890s under the banner of Crystal Palace all contained eight or nine players from Corinthian FC.

• It was Crystal Palace FC in name only – and only a football spectacle to entertain the crowds at the Crystal Palace.

• Reports in 1895 and 1905 said any club set up would be a new one with no mention about any connection to the 1861-1875 Crystal Palace FC.

• Press reports of a new Crystal Palace FC in the mid-1890s always reported it would be a new club.

• Claims by Crystal Palace FC that the failure at this time was due to the proposed club being barred from playing on the cricket pitch at The Crystal Palace are "shown to be wrong".

• All articles in the year leading up to and including September 1905 specifically mention this is a new club.

• The earlier claim comes up just once in a club handbook in 1906 and was then hidden for more than a century.

• Crystal Palace FC's claims are "largely hypotheses of unproven facts such as the claim that as other professional clubs were set up out of cricket clubs then so must CPFC in 1905."

We do live in a world of 'alternative facts' these days where the internet allows anyone to make excitable claims. History should be cherished – and be above cheeky clickbait. Palace have plenty to be proud of and they should stick to celebrating both their provable history and their current successes.

If any Eagles fans want to visit London's oldest professional club, they will be most welcome at Craven Cottage on May 20, 2023 when Vieira's men take on Fulham.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/06/crystal-palaces-radical-reinvention-of-history/

[WhiteJC]

Liverpool tell Neco Williams transfer stance amid Nottingham Forest and Fulham interest

Liverpool right-back Neco Williams has one eye on playing at the World Cup for Wales in Qatar later this year and is concerned about a lack of game time at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool have told defender Neco Williams that they will allow him to go out on loan next season to give him valuable game-time ahead of the World Cup.

The Wlesh international is a target for Premier League new-boys Nottingham Forest and Fulham. And the Reds are happy for the 21-year–old full-back to go and further his education with regular top-flight football.

Williams, who came through Liverpool 's academy after joining the club at the age of six, helped Wales qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 64 years this month when they beat Ukraine in the play-offs in Cardiff.

He is expected to start for Robert Page's team in Qatar in November when they face England, Iran and the USA in the group stages. Wrexham-born Williams made 23 appearances for Liverpool last season and already has a Premier League title medal. He also has Champions League experience and has won 20 caps for his country.

And both Forest and Fulham believe he can help them survive in the top-flight after winning promotion last season. Forest boss Steve Cooper spent three years as manager of Liverpool's academy, so he knows Williams well and has a reputation for working well with young players. But Fulham have already done business with Liverpool this summer after selling teenage Portuguese winger Fabio Carvalho to the Reds in a deal worth £5million plus add-ons.

Meanwhile, the Reds have brought back former midfielder Jay Spearing to work in a coaching capacity with the club's U18s. Spearing skippered Liverpool to FA Youth Cup glory in 2007, and will link up with U18 boss Marc Bridge-Wilkinson fellow coach and Tim Jenkins at the academy.


Neco Williams was on loan with Fulham last season and helped them win promotion from the Championship ( Image:
James Marsh/REX/Shutterstock)

Spearing, 33, made 55 appearances for Liverpool between 2008 and 2012 before he left Anfield for Bolton. He subsequently played for Blackburn, Blackpool and was most recently at Tranmere where he was skipper until leaving the Wirral outfit at the end of last season. Liverpool academy manager Alex Inglethorpe confirmed he will also be eligible to play for the club's U23 side alongside his coaching duties.

Inglethorpe said: "It's fantastic to welcome Jay back to the Academy and he will work with the U18s as a full-time coach. Jay will work with Bridgey and Tim and he will be actively involved on the training field with our young players. He will also be eligible to play for the U21s to provide experience for the young players when we need him. Jay is still quite young and the impact he can have around the U18s is invaluable because he is someone who lives and breathes this club. More important, Jay has played across all four divisions, so I think he will be a really good addition for us."



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-neco-williams-forest-fulham-27268484

[WhiteJC]

"A talented, talented player" – Carlton Palmer delivers opinion on Birmingham's interest in Fulham man

Birmingham City will be hoping to exit the most recent transfer window in stronger shape than they started it, with a large chunk of summer left to go.

The ongoing uncertainty around a takeover of the club could impact transfer plans as the near season edges closer to getting underway.

One player that the Midlands club have been linked with is Alfie Mawson, as per a report from Birmingham Live, with the Fulham defender set to depart the London club upon the expiry of his current deal.

Assessing whether or not it would be a good move from the Blues, Carlton Palmer told FLW: "Yeah, if he's injury free, he's a talented, talented player.

"I think he needs to play, he needs to play games, he needs to get out and get back, but he's got to stay injury free.

"It happens to players, it's unfortunate, it's part of the game you know, it's sad when it does happen but it does happen, and if you're a confidence player like he is, then you need that run of games to get that confidence going."

The verdict

Mawson certainly has the ability that is required to help Birmingham enjoy a better season next time out, with his injury record being the only slight issue.

Possessing excellent levels of physicality and defensive know-how, he is also progressive defender who has the composure and passing range to be trusted on the ball.

Unable to see too much game time with the Cottagers over the last couple of seasons, Birmingham could be an excellent destination for Mawson to rediscover form.

A lot could change at Birmingham over the next few weeks, however, that should not hinder any attempt to secure a deal for Mawson.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/a-talented-talented-player-carlton-palmer-delivers-opinion-on-birminghams-interest-in-fulham-man/