For a fair part of last season Vic Bettinelli was looking after (that is, managing) the U18s. Today the Club have issued a recruitment advert for the job. "An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated, experienced Under-18 Head Coach to join our Academy based at the Training Ground in Surrey. A key member of the Academy Board and Management Team, you will manage the coaching activity for the U18 squad ensuring excellence and consistency at all levels whilst also meeting the highest standards required by the Elite Player Performance Plan required by the Premier League and Football League. You will have responsibility for leading the planning, management, implementation and recording of the U18 squad programme for coaching, matches, training, staffing and administration. Working closely with the Academy Director and Lead Professional Development Phase Coach, you will ensure best practice across all areas of the Academy U18 squad. A persuasive communicator you will be required to assist with the management and guidance of coaching and backroom staff involved with the U18 squad. Previous experience of working at a senior level within an Academy is essential, as well as the following qualifications: - UEFA A Licence - FA Youth Award (or working towards) - FA Advanced Youth Award (or working towards) Candidates must have attended in-service training at the Football Association for Coach Development, Safeguarding and First Aid. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute towards our Academy and be a part of our continued growth and success.If you think you can add Value to our Team please email your CV to: [email protected]. “ I just do not understand what’s going on. Why are we not 'Head Hunting' if we don't want promote from within?
I am not to happy with the direction the club are taking on many fronts. Although not the perfect way the decision to recruit a coach for the under 18s is long overdue one only has to look at their lacklustre play over the last six months,
The first of our Scholars signs up - walker@Josh_Walker10 Happy to have signed my first professional contract for Fulham. Hopefully the first of many.
Fantastic news Doriley. Won't dwell on the reasons he left and so on. Enough to say - welcome back. All of a sudden the new season just looks that much brighter. please log in to view this image
Fantastic news, Steve must have stumbled across the job advertisement. A pleasant surprise. Now all we need is Kit to fall back to U21s and Uncle Roy to come back at first team level and my dream management line up would be complete. It will be interesting to see how Wigley does with the current crop of youngsters. He was so successful last time round but he did have an embarassment of talent.
Let's hope that not too many babies have been thrown out with the bathwater in the meantime ! Welcome back Steve! We are all very, very pleased to see you again. Ali Mac/Mr Khan...keep this man, we need him; groom him for future management...even if that means agreed, contractual, temporary placements elsewhere (abroad?). Let's also make sure that we retain and capitalise on the experience and loyalty of Vic Bettinelli...back to his role churning out good young keepers (some of whom we lost after relegation).
The U18s first game of the season under 'new' boss Steve Wigley is against West Ham on 8th August. Here's a link to the full fixture list: http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/july/10/u18s-fixtures-confirmed
Southend 3 Fulham 1 (U18s) (Friendly) Ravi Shamsi scored our goal but no other details available as yet.
The younger lads followed the main squad out to Portugal this week. The group is really an Academy Squad including U21s and U18s but (I think) it’s mainly U18s so posting here. Anyway, this evening they beat Guimaraes 1-0
An U19 squad has travelled to Switzerland to take part in the FC Aesch U19 International Tournament. Most likely this will be mainly what becomes this season's U21 group but since Steve Wigley is in charge I've posted it here. We are in Group A and will play FC Basel, Juventus Turin and Red Bull Salzburg. If we finish in the top two, we will go on to the Semi-Finals where Real Madrid, Hamburg, FK Roter Stern Belgrad or FC Aesch Selection will be the opposition.
Foday Nabay who turned 17 yesterday has been given a birthday present of a new contract. No idea how long knowing the club it's probably a year or two.
The rules state that the maximum contract you can give as a first contract to a 17 year old is three years but including the season you are in so in this case we could offer a max of 3 years as he is turning 17 at the start of the season unfortunately I think the case of Roberts was that he turned 17 towards the end or half way through a season so we could only offer a two year contract, this is why Hyndman, Demebele, Betts are all running out of contract I'm sure the club would of loved to give a few of them a mega long contract but they couldn't and now we are relying on them signing new ones!!!
Fulham 3 West Ham 1 (U18s) No team or match details yet. However, the goal scorers were Aron Davies, Josh Walker and Ryan Sessignon.
Nothing from the Club yet, so here's the write up from the opposition: "The hosts made the perfect start at Motspur Park when Aron Davies found space to fire home after 11 minutes, before former Arsenal midfielder Dobson levelled matters after Jahmal Hector-Ingram had hit a post. The visitors might have completed the turnaround midway through the half, but Joe Powell saw his spot-kick saved by Fulham keeper Jake Soutter. The Cottagers made the most of their reprieve after the break, with frontman Joshua Walker and full-back Ryheem Sheckleford firing the hosts to an opening-day win. On his West Ham debut, Dobson started alongside Matt Carter in the heart of midfield, while Oscar Borg, Marcus Browne and Joe Powell, all of whom featured for the Development Squad at Canvey Island on Wednesday, supported Hector Ingram in attack. But it was the Whites who showed first, with a goal which stemmed from a set piece. Hammers stopper Tim Brown had initially repelled Ravin Shamsi’s free-kick, but Foday Nabay reacted quickest to whip the ball in across the face of the goal for Aron Davies to stab home. The Hammers, however, were not behind for long. With 19 gone, Fulham ‘keeper Soutter spilled a Hector-Ingram shot from distance onto the woodwork, which fell to the feet of Dobson, who finished confidently to restore parity. New boy Dobson was involved again three minutes later, this time being upended in the box as he prepared to shoot. Powell took charge from 12 yards but was denied by Soutter, who was smartly back to his feet to repel Browne’s follow up. West Ham carved out another fine opportunity five minutes into the second half, when Hector-Ingram slotted through to Browne, but Soutter was again on hand to smother. And Fulham made the Hammers pay for their missed chances with their second of the contest on the hour mark. Josh Walker raced in behind the West Ham backline and slotted sweetly into the corner. As Steve Potts’ side searched for a second equaliser, Declan Rice and Dobson both connected with Powell free-kicks, but neither could keep their headers on target. At the other end, Fulham went desperately close to extending their advantage. Shamsi saw his strike cannon back off the woodwork, before Brown denied Fulham’s Estonian substitute Mattias Kait on the rebound. With just five minutes left to play, Brown was again called into action, this time to brilliantly repel Walker’s header. But the second ball fell kindly for Ryan Sessignon, who slammed home to consign the Hammers to defeat."
Leicester 2 Fulham 0 (U18s) Quite a strong team selection: Rodàk, Fossey, Adebayo, Davies, Mundell-Smith, Nabay (Dolan 56, Harris 85), Paton (Shamsi 46), Adeniran, Kait, Humphrys, Walker. "Traditionally a tough place to go, the first 10 minutes were evenly matched on a bright sunny day. Five minutes later Mattias Kait hit the side-netting from six yards after meeting an excellent Marlon Fossey cross. In the 25th minute Harrison Paton shot wide from 18 yards, before the Whites saw handball claims in the box against a Leicester centre-back waved away. A spot-kick was awarded on the stroke of half-time, but to the hosts. Foday Nabay felled a Foxes winger in the box and a Leicester striker sent Marek Rodàk the wrong way from the spot. Elijah Adebayo headed over from a free-kick and Kait cleared the bar from the edge of the box in the early stages of the second half. Kait then hit the post and Stephen Humphrys saw an effort flash inches wide as the Whites piled on the pressure. On the hour mark, great play in midfield fed substitute Ravin Shamsi but his right-footed shot was too high, before the Whites were hit on the break and Leicester increased their advantage. A ball over the top wasn't cleared and fell to Leicester’s number 10 who finished in the top corner with the outside of his boot from 18 yards. Fulham refused to give up and in the 75th minute Adebayo had a header from a corner cleared off the line. Humphrys then shot marginally wide. And Fulham’s luckless afternoon was summed up when Aron Davies hit the bar with five minutes remaining.”
