Hmm! Not quite what I expected and only for one month!? "The Club is delighted to confirm the signing of Ashley Jazz Richards from Swansea City on an initial one-month loan deal. please log in to view this image The versatile full-back made his debut for the Swans in the Championship as an 18-year-old, and has since gone on to make 48 appearances for the club. Last season saw him sample UEFA Europa League football, and he has made seven Barclays Premier League appearances this term. “I think it’s an important time for me to come and try and get some games,” he told fulhamfc.com. “I’m hoping to better myself and I think Fulham’s the perfect place to come and do that. I just want to prove to people that I can be that player that I believe I can be, and I’m hoping to do that here. Before we got promoted I played in the Championship with Swansea, and I’ve also been out on loan to Crystal Palace when they got promoted, and then Huddersfield the season later, so I know about this division and I’m looking forward to it.” The Swansea-born 23-year-old has four international caps to his name to date, and so has worked closely with Fulham boss – Wales’ assistant manager – Kit Symons already. “I’ve been with Kit with the Welsh first team under Chris Coleman so I know Kit and I know how he works,” he explained, “so that’s another thing that I’m looking forward to as well. I know George Williams here, too, and I’ve had a brief chat with him, and everything sounds good so I can’t wait to get started.”
Perhaps the club think we just need short term cover whilst trying to get Hoogland, Amorebieta and Kavanagh fit again?
So he's a "versatile full back", does this mean he can play on either side? I'm all for having a bit of competition for positions but would be harsh if he came right into the team in place of either Grimmer or Staf, neither deserve to be dropped.
I think the key word in the details is 'initial', as in initial one month loan. I suspect that there are agreements in place that we can extend the loan if it's working well, particularly as Swansea have just signed another full back in Roscafre's favourite Naughton. He's obviously a player who Kit knows well, so he be optimistic that he'll add something. Whether he's more right or left sided, I have no idea.
Wikipedia says he plays right back or midfield. Does that mean he's here to replace Grimmer, replace Zverotic as back up to Grimmer, another option in midfield, or a combination of those? The most reassuring thing is that for Kit he's a known quantity. Is it too soon to start saying, 'Trust in Kit'?
As good as Grimmer has been he doesn't offer much going forward and is a natural centre back. Zverotic is a poor back up. Seems like a good move for us, especially if he can cover the other side too.
Jazz is a good championship player that as of now not premiership standard but we have used him when short on a few occasions. He will make a premiership player but he needs games and he wont get that at Swansea very often. Fulham is a good move for him and i expect he will stay with you for the rest of the season even though it says initially a month. A good loan deal for everyone...
I guess Symons knows him through the Welsh setup, and should know if he is a what is needed as cover or to be put in straight away. My only concern is this the level of clout that Kit has within the transfer market. He needs to put his marker down now for some fans to believe he has the presence to push us forward next season. I'd like to see Kit do it as I think as 'Diddy Hamilton' says he's a Fulham man, but needs a good run to the end of the season to stop the question marks on next season.
In today's press conference Kit confirmed that he would be looking to extend Jazz Richard's loan until the end of the season. Not sure what that says about his confidence in Jack Grimmer or in his belief that Tim Hoogland will avoid another injury.
Jazz is an excellent central defender who has been pressed into being a right back. At Swansea we have an ageing but outstanding right back in Angel Rangel - Jazz Richards is a natural successor but our manager has limited experience and prefers route one from the full backs (something we haven't had for nearly 10 years) so Jazz would be wasted if he came back to Swansea. Many believe he's a first rate Premier League quality defender who just needs constant game time (certainly better than the error plagued and pedestrian Kyle Naughton) but supporters who like hoof ball and idolise Garry Monk would have you believe otherwise.
Thanks for the input Bob. Nice to know we’re playing him out of position as well. In his games for us, Jazz unfortunately hasn’t matched up to the glowing pen-picture you paint for him … not yet anyway. The point you make about him not being suited to a team that ‘hoofs‘ (not a description of Swansea’s play I’ve heard before) is possibly relevant. And that’s because the ’hoof’, while not being advocated by our manager (allegedly), is nonetheless a standard part of Fulham’s play from the back at the moment. To be honest, a lot of us haven't seen Jazz as a significant improvement on Jack Grimmer and question the merit of giving a loanee game time at the expense of developing a home grown lad. Still if his time here is extended, and he performs as you suggest he can, we’ll welcome him with open arms.
"The Club is delighted to confirm that Jazz Richards' loan deal from Swansea City has been extended until the end of the season. The right-back has made five appearances since joining Fulham in January, and he will now remain in SW6 for the remainder of the 2014/15 campaign." Source: http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/february/25/loan-extension-for-jazz That's All Folks
