According to some of todays newspaper reports WBA are in for AJ (not soon enough for me) I cannot see RH bidding more than 5mil for him,if we could secure this amount,+ say another 3mil,for Gera, Pansil,Greening,added to the reported 10/12mil pot MAF is reported to be giveng, a couple of decent players could be obtained.possibly making 2011/12 season an exciting one.
Are you suggesting a combined fee of ã3m for greening, gera and pantsill? Because I think we cold get a lot more than that. I could see gera returning to the baggies (ã3/4m) pantsill going somewhere like blackpool or wigan if they stay up (ã1.5/2m) and greening going to a decent championship club or a newly promoted premier league team for around ã1m or so perhaps? AJ should go but only if we get a decent offer as we don't want a situation next season where players of eddie johnson and kamara's standard are starting games!
I thought Pantsil and Gera were out of contract, in which case I don't think we get anything for them.
Buy some quality players? Is AJ not quality? I could see him and bobby becoming a ethal partnersip upfront. With a midfield of Dempsey Sidwell Dembele Duff/Davis, we could be a formidable attacking team.
Yeah, Valjing, I read that, too. If WBA wants Gera, Andy Johnson, Pantsil and Greening, they can have them. Gera and Pantsil seemed to have falling on MH's bad side. Greening is good, but he's a backup player. Johnson cost us 8 or 9 million (as I recall), if we could get half that or more back, I'd be in for it. He's a quality player, but he's only been fit about 1/3 of the games for us. There's no reason to think that will change at age 30. We can probably replace Johnson with a like-for-like player without breaking the bank. The teams headed for the championship will likely shed some players. **** The biggest worry for me is all the speculation about Mark Hughes going off to bigger clubs like Villa or Bayern Munchen. Apparently we only signed him to a two year contract and he's got an opt-out clause that would allow another team to snatch him up if they're willing to pay. Of course, he's "pledged his future to Fulham", but that means nothing when a big club comes calling.
Don't see Bayern as the problem. It's Villa that worries me. False position this year without a doubt and he could fancy a crack at them as he would certainly be given money by Randy. Probably quite a bit, I guess. Would hate to see him go and have no idea who might be around of the quality we need to replace Hughes.
Benitez to replace Hughes???? John and Zoltan are definitely out of contract so zilch - can't understand why Hughes didn't re-new in January, even if he knew he was going to offload them.
Benitez???? In all of our dreams. However, he would never come to fulham. Despite being a good football team, we are not a big club. I personally feel we did fantastically well to attract hughes, and am beginning to love our team under him. however, I can see us again loosing our manger at the end of next season, after we perform unexpectedly well. IMO we need to prove to the masses that we are a good team, not an average tetaem doing well under a good manager. Until then, i feel we will loose any big name at our helm if we perform "unexpectedly" well. COYW
Spot-on Gilly - I seem to be in the minority in wanting AJ to stay. Frankly, I do not think that he and Bobby have really had a good chance to play together under MH, thanks to their respective injuries. My frustration at AJ was only te tactic of long/high balls up to him. The goal at Wolves was a good example of their teamwork. Eider is cover only for Bobby. And I do not want us to ever have to rely consistently on third-rate attackers - e.g. at The Emirates. As to Benitez, no thanks. We are not big enough for him, nor do we have the big players necessary to make him succeed - the antithesis of Fulham over the past 15 years.
Have to agree. Benitez would be a total failure at Fulham - not that he would come - but his style just isn't what we do and the players wouldn't adjust, I'm sure. Anyway, having thought about it a bit I believe MH will stay regardless.
Benitez would be simply weird at Fulham, and have to agree with the above comments. In my opinion, Hughes will stay for the next season, but I do not see him being at Fulham for the long run.
Sorry guys - just joking about Benitez - wouldn't have the rotating, neurotic, negative sod at any price. Thankfully MH seems to be showing more passion for the club of late (evidence his water bottle rant) so perhaps he'll stay, especially if he gets a crack at Europe. Fear though that he's another one that believes we're not big enough for him. Call me cynical but all of his posturing recently about an extension to his contract smacks of trying to up the anti and/or raising his availability exposure with others.
Maybe I'm being naive, but I honestly don't think Hughes is going anywhere this summer. Even if the likes of Villa or Everton come sniffing around, I don't think he's the type to hastily jump ship after just one season. It might be different if a Chelsea or Man Utd wanted him, but they will be after bigger fish them him if they need a new manager. Long term, Fulham are always going to be a club who runs the risk of successful managers being attracted to the top clubs. Hughes has got a lot of criticism all season for a number of things and I don't think he deserved most of it. I think his comments about a contract aren't about putting himself in the shop window, they were more likely about getting a longer contract because he wants to stay here and carry on with the job he's started. Unlike some other managers (Steve Bruce and Paul Ince are two that come to mind), there's nothing in Hughes' track record to suggest that he is quick to jump ship without serving a decent length of time - he spent five years or so at Blackburn before taking the Man City job. In contrast to last year, I think we're in for a summer of progress and stability. Relax and enjoy.
I'm sure that while he would like to be at a bigger club, his treatment at city might will have made him appreciate the value of stability and how in football management you take nothing for granted. If we get into europe, then we would be a very suitable club for him as a good run would raise his profile without the extreme pressures of one of the top clubs. He should stay till the end of next season at a minimum.
Evening all, For me Hughes is going nowhere. We are a great club who reward success. MAF will see that Hughes is doing well and that the squad is happy. As a result he will be reasonable to Hughes' requests. The chance to build a young team to follow on from our more senior players must be an exciting prospect for any manager. Added to which, I think Hughes needs to ply his trade a bit before embarking on a major club, if in fact any would want him. As for Benitez, no thanks, too many very dodgy signings. Just been reading that Man City are interested in signing Alexis Sanchez. If this were to happen would it be beyond the realm of possibilities that we could get James Milner on season long loan ? We be amazing to see him in a Fulham shirt. Finally, did anyone watch the Barcelona vs Real Madrid game last night ? If so what the hell happened to Javier Mascherano. For someone who was probably one of the hardest players in the prem whilst at Liverpool, he has turned into a right wuss. It was truly embarrassing watching his histrionics.
I think with the success that the academy team has had this season, and the development of Criss Smalling at Man U, there will possibly be many other clubs sniffing out our young talent. For those of you who have seen some of them play,potentially who is going to make it. for me its Trotta, Frei, Sanchez, Joronen, Minkwitz. (all acadamy players ) Other views,and rational re:choice.
Valjing, I completely agree. I have seen the under 18's just the once. Sanchez was excellent as was Karim Frei. I am not sure who our other full back was but he too looked useful. Trotta is clearly a talent who can score goals, but could do with some experience in the lower leagues first I think. The one who I think may be around next season may be Marsh - Brown. Pacy winger I think, just what we need.
Frog-meister ... you're right, a pacy winger would be a nice thing to have on the team. IMO pace is the one thing lacking in Fulham, at least when AJ is off the pitch. Every time I watch Arsenal or Villa, I find myself wishing we had that deadly counter-attack pace of players like Walcott, Young or Agbonlahor. I was still playing center back last year (old man's league in Germany) and the one thing I feared was some pacy young guy getting behind me. Big and strong - no problem, but pace is a problem for defenders. That's why I like having Kakuta on the pitch late in a game - even if it means pulling dempsey, davies or duff off and losing some power and skill.
Demps like you I think that Kakuta has been of great benefit to us as a club. I hope he will still be with us next season and that may be a few more like him may follow. I think pace will be the solution to our dire away record, the ability to counter attack at pace is what the top teams do away from home.
