My apologies Captain, I understood it to mean that we are allowing other teams to make the mistake signing them instead of ourselves. I suspect you are right as I watch Southampton a lot more than any other Championship team, and while there is no denying that at times this season they have faltered, and badly (Blackpool away comes to mind) for the most part they have led the table from day one with not only impressive results but attractive football to match. Out of the three teams coming up, I can see them finishing the highest, maybe not as impressive as Swansea but certainly not as low as QPR.
No problem, Bandit. I'm not so sure about Southampton's prospects. I think West Ham (sadly) will be the safest of the three newcomers. They've still got a core of experienced Premier League players, plus the most experienced of the managers (and one who hasn't really failed in the Premier League, for all the criticisms of his style of play). Add in their infrastructure and I can see them re-establishing themselves fairly swiftly. As for Southampton and Reading, I think each of them could either flourish, or crash and burn. It's interesting that fewer newly promoted teams seem to be hopelessly out of their depth these days, so maybe you're right. Time will tell!
Indeed and healthy with it. Tend to agree with your West Ham sentiments, Captain. Will be equally interesting to see how last year's newcomers fare - second year syndrome and all that. Could be that taking on new managers could be a blessing disguise for Norwich and Swansea, who have signed up Michael Laudrup. Can see said ML getting into the transfer market; so perhaps even more interesting.
Laudrup is a good move for them and of course he has impressive contacts in the football world and a wealth of knowledge and experience across Europe. Plus he is a fashion icon. He wears the same shirt/cardigan/jacket combo as Guardiola. Phwoar.
Danny Murphy - can you really see him working for Kean ??? http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/9765613.Rovers_plot_ambitious_move_for_Murphy/
It said in the linked article that Kean worked with Murphy at Fulham - didn't Kean leave with Coleman? Danny was a Sanchez signing, unless my memory is playing tricks on me. Did they ever overlap? More than anyone (except, perhaps, DemPele), Murphy is the one I want us to keep this summer, even if he is 103 years old.
Having signed up Michael Owen, Stoke are now chasing, allegedly, Etuhu. But the Club are said to want £1.5m (that's what we paid for him wasn't it?) which is presumably why the £700k offer from Reading fell through. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4375636/Stoke-eye-swoop-for-Fulhams-midfield-star-Dickson-Etuhu.html Personally, I know which club would be best for our man. Simply guessing but the difference is about 6/7 month's of Dickson's wages. If he's not in Jol's plans, surely FFC should do the decent thing, if only for his Euro contributions.
Burak Yilmaz http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_and_tottenham_target_considering_offers_from_three_clubs_1_1412942 We've been linked with this guy off and on for a wee while -tall striker, 26yrs and scored 30+ this year in Turkey. He apparently has a 'get out' clause in his current contract around £5m
Jordan Rhodes From the Sunday People "HUDDERSFIELD hot shot Jordan Rhodes will have crunch talks with chairman Dean Hoyle this week - as FULHAM try to snap him up. Rhodes and his agent are set to speak to Hoyle about the striker's future and what the Terriers want for him amid rumours of a £8million valuation. Rhodes, 22, did not rock the boat in the last window - but he may be ready to move now. Fulham are leading the race and keen to do business at around £5m. " He has the same agent as Dempsey. Just thought I'd mention that.
The Pog I posted Reading's interest a while back but it has resurfaced - http://www.people.co.uk/sport/football/football-hotline/2012/06/17/reading-in-the-race-to-sign-pavel-pogrebnyak-102039-23897258/ I don't think his 20 minute cameo performance for Russia did him any favours but their is the obvious Reading owner's Russian connection. Fair play I say if they want to offer him a longer contract and more money.
Cheers for the updates, C58. The talk of Rhodes excites me, there's been enough of it to suggest something is going on there.
Pierre Aubameyang This one is a bit out on the left field in that there are no definite sources (that is, journalist speculation) but ... http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/profil/spieler_58864.html
Not a striker or a right back. However the Club have again acnowledged interest in the 25 year old CB - http://translate.google.se/translate?hl=sv&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.estadiodeportivo.com%2Fsevilla.php%3Fid%3D29466 He's valued at £3.5m http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/federico-fazio/profil/spieler_45314.html
Alexander Buttner We've apparently made a £1.6m bid for the 23 year old Dutch left back http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/7830733/ Seems srange that this news comes out the same day that Club do a fairly large article singing the praise of Matthew Briggs http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2012/June/BriggsBreakthrough.aspx
The Vitesse Arnhem website has him down as a midfielder: http://www.vitesse.nl/en/speler/alexander-ba-ttner/342
I do believe you are correct, fulhamish. Here's a taster of him on video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRGb9JS_-OU
Rumours are that Reading, having nicked the Pog, are showing interest. Also, because Rhodes is in the Olympic squad, that Huddersfield are suggesting to him to delay a decision on his future hoping to get maximum advantage.
Toni Vastic The latest rumour - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2162922/Fulham-make-moves-bring-Blackburn-striker-Vastic-Bayern-Munich.html He's played for the Austrian U19's but not sure there any legs to this story. Here's potted resume - http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/toni-vastic/profil/spieler_82544.html
I see a number of websites today stating Big Maart is going to return with an improved offer for Rhodes after they rejected our initial £3.5 mil offer. I also see Reading are after him too. I’ve love it if we got Rhodes I think he is quality. http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/fresh-striker-battle-on-cards-for-jol-1440029.html? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...lham-signing-Huddersfield-hotshot-Rhodes.html I’ve also seen more stories about Danny Murphy moving to QPR to join Mark Hughes’ Granddad army. Looks like Hughes is only interested in signing players over 30 years old… Zamora, Cisse, AJ, Green… http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=285269 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...3/Danny-Murphy-offered-coaching-role-QPR.html
Alexander Buttner According to Dutch papers Vitesse would like a bit more than the 2m euros we are offering. Also that QPR are also showing interest - tab down to the 1st 'Latest News' item in this article - http://www.goaly.nl/open/222317/naast-fulham-hoopt-ook-qpr-en-werder-bremen-op-buttner
