Although I haven't given up complete hope with Palace beating Chelsea and us losing at home again it is more than likely we will start next season in the championship. I would like to say my favourite season supporting Fulham not including Europe was our promotion season from the championship, so let's discuss how we should go about it. Firstly the championship is a tough league to get out of but we are an established premiership club, we are debt free thanks to uncle Mo, have a billionaire owner and parachute payments plus a highly rated youth system. let's keep Magath I don't want another change of manager, he appears to be giving the youngsters a chance and he has a reputation of getting his teams fit which will be needed and arguably what has been missing this season The three main options are 1. Keep most of the squad chairman picks up the wage bill for one year and pray we go straight back up (west ham and qpr model) 2. Clear out most of the high earners but keep 3/4 of them to mix in with youngsters 3. Massive clear out of everyone but the youngsters Option two is the surely the route to go down Players In keepers - Stockdale, bettenelli Defenders - Hangeland, Burn, Grimmer, Amorebieta , Riether Midfielders - Kasami, Kaca, Roberts, Dejagah, Richardson, Kvist, Sidwell, Diarra, Tunicliffe, Cole Forwards - Dembele, Woodrow, Trotta, Kotas, Tankovic Players out ( my choice or unrealistic) Stekelenburg Heitinga, Riise, Zverotic, Briggs Parker, Duff, Ruiz, Holtby, Boateng Bent, Rodders
possibly keep Briggs as we need a left back but looking at our squad I don't think we would need a lot even after losing the 12 players mentioned above!!! I would spend on a good young left back, let's just pay Ipswich the 4 mill the want for Cresswell and that's it. Also if Kostas goes we should splash out on a star striker, not that I don't want the youngsters in but generally in the championship the teams with a star striker have the edg, although I have feeling Kotas may stay! Grimmer and Trotta are both on loan at League one clubs and apparently doing very well also I know Accrington fans are delighted with Bettenelli in goal so he would be ok for back up.
With so many contracts expiring, I would have thought the decision has already been made for us and that the majority of over 30's will leave. Let's hope the rest have clauses in their contracts in regards to relegation/wages etc. Kostas will leave, no doubt about that, hopefully we can recoup the money we paid for him. Could it possibly be worth loaning out a few of our 'better' players next year ala QPR in the hope that we come straight back up? I could see a few clubs picking up the likes of Kaca/Dejagah/Stek. Relegation is never a good option to have, we just have to make the most of the opportunity given to us, the same way Southampton/West Ham/Newcastle have done. When the likes of Wolves/Bolton/QPR went down you could see it was going to be a disaster, but we have everything in place to come straight back up, not saying we will, but we should be there abouts.
I'd be quite happy to keep Heitinga as well, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Hangeland leave if the feeling at the club is that he's past his best. Heitinga is two years younger (30 compared to Brede's 32) and is possibly a more natural partner for Burn or Hangeland than the latter two are for one another. I think we only signed him until the end of the season, so if he isn't happy to play in the Championship or to accept the kind of wages we're likely to offer the decision may be taken for us. I also suspect that Mitroglou may well stay. He seemed very keen to come to Fulham, turning down more money from West Ham, so it may well be that he's the kind of character that doesn't just want to take the easy option. Time will tell. I'm also not sure whether we'll make Kvist's deal permanent if we go down (I certainly hope we do). Like Bandit, I don't see relegation as ever being a good thing, but I certainly think good things can come out of it. We're better prepared than most clubs in our situation. Because of that, I don't think we need to be loaning people out. QPR were desperate to get people off the payroll and were willing to do so in whatever way they could. By contrast, most of our dead wood is going to be out of contract and can be let go without fuss or cost.
As said in the 'Contract Deals on Hold' thread most of the first team contracts don't expire until summer 2015.
keepers - Stockdale Defenders - Heitinga, Burn, Grimmer, Amorebieta Midfielders - Kasami, Kaca, Roberts, Richardson, Kvist, Holtby, Tunicliffe, Cole Forwards - Dembele, Woodrow, Trotta, Kotas, Tankovic Players out Hangeland (old), Riether (old), Dejagah (old), Sidwell (old), Diarra (old), Riise (old), Parker (old), Duff (old), Ruiz (crap), Boateng (not sure why he's in the team), Bent (old crap you were all warned about) , Stekelenburg (unreliable)
I'd keep Hangeland on the basis that both Heitinga and Amore are released/sold. Letting Brede go leaves just Burn as our only recognised CB. Riether has had a poor season and he's only 30, which is hardly 'old' for a defender. If Grimmer or Passley are ready to make the step up then sell Riether (I notice he's the first FFC player to declare his non-committal future to FFC for next season anyway) Dejagah? Old? You've got to be joking. He's also one of our best players. Absolutely keep 100% if we can, as he'll be one of our only first team players who will attract PL attention. I'd probably release Sidwell, despite how good he's been this year for us. He will want a two year deal at least, and on a decent wedge, and in the Championship, you just can't do that. Agree with Diarra/Riise. We are stuck with Parker unfortunately. Whoever thought of giving him a three year deal must have been smoking crack. I'd try and sell but at his age and with the wages he's on, not to mention injury problems, nobody will bite. Duff will be released. Ruiz I feel would have stayed had we stayed up but he will be sold and sadly not for anything near the amount paid. Boateng will be sold to a Championship team, Bent will go back (thank God) and Stek will more than likely be sold in order to keep his place in the Dutch team, although Stockdale will be an able replacement. More names I feel will be for the chopping block. Briggs surely has got to go, Kara will retire gracefully, hopefully we will keep Kaca, I think a year in the Championship could do wonders for him, as well as Kasami. Can see Mitro being sold. If we start next season with these players at the core of our team, we can push for promotion. Stockdale Hangeland Burn Richardson (who'd have thought it eh) Kasami Kacaniklic Dembele Roberts Woodrow Dejagah
I would keep Sidwell as Diarra would not last the season. He is experienced and wants to play football. Briggs I would keep and try to develop as a winger rather than a FB. The rest I agree. If we could get rid off Parker. Let's hope QPR want him if they get promoted! Lol In any case, either in PL or Championship we need a clear out and investment! Kostas I expect to stay, something similar to Ings.
I agree with this list and would add in Tunnicliffe and Cole as keepers (not goalkeepers, obviously). Briggs has not convinced and seems to have been "a prospect" forever without ever delivering. Probably best for us and him to move on.
Having seen a couple of brighton games this year, the standard of football is ok. There tends to be a lot of long balls played up front. Burn will be great for us at the heart of defence and he links well with Brede, so definately keep Brede IMO. I would agree with bandy's summary although I suspect a player of Parker's experience may be useful. Retaining control of the centre of midfield will put in a good position in a lot of games. His ability to break up play and provide some leadership will help the younger members of the team. Tunnicliffe and Kasami could partner him as a central 3. Tunnicliffe will bring experience of the championship if we go down. I guess regardless of where we play or who we play in whatever league, one thing remains the same ; we will all be supporting the team come Saturday afternoon and spending the week dissecting the performance, so business as usual then !!!! COYW
A few people have mentioned above about keeping Heitinga and Holtby which would be amazing but Heitinga will want to much money and Holtby is far to good to come on loan to the championship. Dejagah is still in his twenties I think (29) so not to old Sidders I would keep Although slight differences we all pretty much agree on a core of players and the point is I don't think we need to much to have hope of a good season, a new left back, a new centre back if Hangeland leaves and a new striker if Kotas leaves
Theres the nucleus of a really good side there with experience and youth. Get rid of the journeymen and loans. Keep the youngsters that are going to give us a fighting chance of promotion. As I mentioned in a previous thread, relegation will give the club a chance to regroup and define the vision for the next 10 or so years. If the marketing department do a decent job they'll subsidise season tickets to keep gate numbers up. I'm not worried by going down, that's football, someone has to go down. I'd keep FM as well. I reckon he's a very good manager and he's bought in to using the youngsters which i think is good on 2 counts - 1. Experience playing in the prem. 2. Gives him a chance to see if they can really play. It's a gamble but to be honest, for me, it's worth it. Good on him. He also plays with a straight bat in terms of telling everyone, fans and players, how it really is. Bit like Woy. Captain, get the cakes ready ol' son. We're coming to Bournemouth (I think).
Keep him then. For some reason, I thought he was 30+. He is a good player, that's for sure. But assuming we'll be in the Championship, I don't think we should keep anyone 29 or older. And since Holtby's on loan and is unlikely (IMO) to play out a year or more in a lower league, we'll probably lose him, too.
I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that AFCB don't keep their current form coming. If they manage to sneak into the play off places, they just might go up. Quite apart from missing out an an easy away day (walking distance in my case), the thought of being in a lower division than all the Cherries fans I know is too horrifying for words.
Captain after last night's result with spam beating Sunderland although it seems we are down I have a feeling, yes again, that we might escape.... Off to Villa on Saturday! Anyone else going?
It's not impossible four wins would give us an outside chance if we play like the Everton game at home to Norwich Hull and Palace that could be three just need to beat villa or stoke away as well, our big problem is that Palace and Cardiff lay each other and west Brom Norwich as well
What we need for next season whichever League we're in is a strong captain. Among the names being bandied about for retention, I'm struggling to identify one with the right character. With the exception maybe of Diarra. But for a number of reasons I can't see that happening. Should this be among our buying priorities?
