Craven Cottage Newsround

Yesterday it was reported that Slaven Bilic, former West Ham player and current coach of the Croatian National Team was in the running for the Fulham mangers job.

I watched a Barclays Premier League preview show with him featured on it a few weeks ago and he’s a pretty interesting guy. Went to law school, but went back to football and coaching as he always wanted. He plays in a band, speaks three languages, (although the interview he did was interpreted so perhaps his English is not very good) and said he has a very large desire to coach in the prem someday. I know his players seem to really like him and he can be very intense.

The thing that I remember most about Bilic from his playing days was his performances at WC 98 and how he faked injury when the Croatians played France in the semi-finals. He made it look like Laurent Blanc hit him when he had not and went down holding his face and rolling on the ground. After a stellar career, Blanc had to miss the final because of the antics as Laurent was incorrectly red carded. Thankfully France moved on to defeat the diving Croatians and win the the World Cup at home. But I’ve never been able to shed that anger towards Bilic in his diabolic exploits to win at any cost.

With that said, I do believe the man has great potential as a manager and I think you may see him coach in the premiership someday. It’s his dream and he’s good at managing. But he will not be managing at Fulham. At least he will not be Fulham’s new manager as he ruled himself out on Saturday.

When asked about a job share with the Croatian team he said,

I don’t really want to do a job share, whether it’s Fulham, Manchester United or a second division club in Croatia. There is absolutely no chance of me taking another job before Euro 2008.

More interesting fallout. Duncan Castles, if I’m correct, used to work for Fulham, so would have the sources to be able to tell such a story:

Fulham have stepped up their search for a new manager following the sacking of Lawrie Sanchez. The former Northern Ireland manager was ready to offer his resignation in the aftermath of last weekend’s 1-0 home defeat to Newcastle United, but was persuaded not to by advisers. He then spent most of last week awaiting dismissal until being asked to step down on Thursday night.

Although Sanchez moved out many of predecessor Chris Coleman’s playing staff, replacing several of them with members of the Northern Ireland squad, he was unpopular in the Craven Cottage dressing room. He frequently criticised the players’ attitude and is understood to have launched into an expletive-laden assault on the team at half time of the Newcastle game, accusing them of wanting to get him the sack.

Fulham flew out of the starting blocks today, had a great first half, almost threw the game away by allowing Wigan to score with their only real attack, then rescued a point with a Clint Dempsey equaliser.

It was a bristling start from the whites on a dark, cold December afternoon. Fulham got the ball down and passed, neatly and accurately. Murphy, upright and careful, Steve Davis, expressing himself at last, nice passes all over the place. Davis slipped Bouazza through down the left, and the winger’s cross fizzed across goal, first past Dempsey’s slide, then past Davies’. Not far off. Simon Davies came close again, hammering straight at Kirkland when put through, again by Bouazza. Then the Welshman fired a free-kick into the box and Kamara diverted the ball goalwards… a touch wide. Paul Konchesky had a go too: picking the ball up near halfway he looked up, saw nobody near him, so advanced. Still nobody came, so he let fly. The ball crashed onto the top of the Wigan crossbar. The crowd gasped with delight. A goal was coming.

Except it didn’t. Half-time came and stopped the white momentum. After the break we were back to the usual untidiness, as Wigan settled into the game. Chances were rare now, but as time ran on Wigan took a stunning and undeserved lead. Michael Brown’s enterprising and dextrous punt dropped beyond the Fulham defence and Marcus Bent, previously invisible, took his chance, volleying high into Niemi’s net. Unbelievable.

But the crowd roared as it hasn’t roared for a long time. Fulham, now featuring all available forwards, pressed for parity. Baird, on for Omozusi, sent a good cross to the far post, from where Kamara sent the ball back across goal. Now Dempsey arrived and stabbed a low shot through the congestion and into the net from 15 yards. 1-1, a very deserved equaliser.

The bookies make it their business to know what’s what.

Check here for updates.

Most are still closed, but Coral have Slaven Bilic racing in, now only 2-1.

The Times has a good, balanced piece today.

Some quotes:

“Lawrie behaved like a perfect gentleman,” a source at the club said. “He took the decision on the chin and admitted that the table does not lie.”

“John Collins is one of a number of names that are being considered, but it would be wrong to call him the favourite,” the club source said.

Sanchez decided that Fulham could prosper in the top flight by treating league matches as if they were cup-ties and he rolled back the years to his former days as a Wimbledon player by adopting route one tactics.

Players were told that it was a waste of time passing the ball backwards or sideways and the emphasis was put on hitting the channels and crossing the ball early in training sessions. Sanchez’s methods may have worked if Brian McBride, the club captain and main target man, had not suffered a serious knee injury while scoring in the 2-1 home defeat by Middlesbrough in August, and if some of his signings had justified their transfer fees.

“Sanchez was a nice guy but his methods did not suit the players,” another source at the club said. “The players would enjoy working under John Collins. He is intelligent, he has a lot of self-belief and he played for Arsène Wenger at Monaco.”

Some good stuff in there. I’ve singled out the above because they all tell us things we didn’t already know, which is always a bonus when a National newspaper covers the club. They’re usually not that interested in us! Anyway, sounds as though Lawrie was expecting the axe. Nice to hear that the club source was speaking well of the man, who, from a distance, never seemed to deserve the nonsense that some of our less reticent supporters metaphorically hurled his way.

http://timesonline.typepad.com/fanzine_fanzone/2007/12/the-end-of-the.html

Hard to do that as it’s all been said so often, but hopefully alright.

I tried to do a big summing up post, but frankly I’ve had enough of all this. I feel terrible for Lawrie and his family. In a funny way it might mean he can enjoy Christmas a bit more. Let’s hope so.

All of which means we’ve taken our eye off the ball. Wigan visit tomorrow, and have a new manager too. They will be without Heskey, Koumas and Melchiot, and so should be beaten soundly. Ray Lewington says he’ll change the team a bit, so that’ll be interesting to see. I can’t wait to get the game underway now. The negativity around me was oppressive last week. Hopefully it’ll be better.

And now. A new beginning. What better way to usher in a new era than a clip of loads of fighting giant dinosaurs? All set to some familiarly anthemic rompery by… er… Linkin Park. Check it out - you really won’t regret it.  Seriously.

When I was driving in today I had no idea. I actually received a call as I reached the gates of the Training Ground and was asked to come straight upstairs. I was then told that the Club wanted me to become Caretaker Manager. You always feel slightly disloyal in these situations but I felt I should do it and I was happy to accept.

The Club told me the search for a new Manager will be ongoing, and that may include me, but also I know they’ll be looking elsewhere and that’s fine. I’m happy to take on the role of Caretaker Manager and see what happens. The Club must take their time and get the right man.

The players are fine. Professional footballers are used to managers coming and going and I will put my stamp on the team which will be slightly different. That will give them something to think about tomorrow and hopefully we’ll see a good response.

It’s a really big game for us on Saturday. It’s a cliché but the phrase one game at a time has never been more important as it this weekend against Wigan. They’re a side that are down there with us - we desperately need to win our home games so this is vitally important. After this weekend, if we get a win, the other fixtures won’t look so hard. We expect to get something out of every game we play in.

-Ray Lewington-

It was also announced that Larwie Sanchez’s assistants, Dave Beasant and Terry Gibson, have also been dismissed from the club. Not uncommon practice but yet it is still a bit telling that evidently the club wanted to cut all ties with the Sanchez era.

Club statement

Fulham Football Club today announced its decision to replace Lawrie Sanchez as Manager of Fulham Football Club with immediate effect. Ray Lewington and Billy McKinlay will be in charge of the team whilst a search for a permanent replacement takes place.

Following a run of disappointing results the Club is languishing in the relegation zone of the Premier League table, and losing its Premiership status is a proposition that simply can not be contemplated at this stage in the Club’s on-going development.

The Club is confident that it will find the right replacement to increase its chances of remaining in the Premiership, which is of vital importance.

The Club would like to thank Lawrie for helping the Club through a difficult period at the end of last season, and thank him for his service over the last eight months.

No need to add to this really. We’ve all said a lot. Good luck, Lawrie, and sorry it didn’t work out.

U.S. Soccer announced on Thursday afternoon, that Fulham’s utility man, Clint Dempsey, has been honored by U.S. Soccer fans and members of the media by being voted the Male Athlete of the Year.

Fan votes count for 50% of the total while the other 50% come from national media and U.S. Soccer representatives, including National Team coaches and the National Board of Directors. This is truly quite an honor for our own Clint Dempsey.

It’s a huge compliment to win this award, especially amongst the other fantastic nominees. I appreciate the recognition and want to thank all the fans out there who voted for me.

-Clint Dempsey-

Just to change the subject, I’m reading Thomas Gilovich’s “How we know what isn’t so” (subtitled “The fallibility of human reasoning in everyday life”). I love it, and mumbo jumbo like this is why you found me arguing vehemently that the results we have been seeing need not be representative of how good this team actually is. That’s a debate that we’ve done, of course, and I’ve been proved fairly wrong on any number of levels, but I still think it’s always worth looking at these things from a range of perspectives, no matter how contrary they might be to what everyone else thinks.

Anyway, just thought I’d pass it along. You might not always agree with what Brian and (particularly) myself have to say, but we’re delighted that you’re here and making such interesting contributions to the site. Long may it continue. We’re likely to have had 5,000 visits in December by the time the month is out, which staggers and humbles us both. So thanks again. Now, what on earth is happening in the bowels of Motspur Park?

John Collins has resigned from Hibs. Rumours of happenings at Motspur Park. I’ve just bought a Spurs away ticket…

(no word so far - maybe this is just hot air - but suggestions from within the club suggest a Collins/Clark pairing - I’ll minimise this for now until we get anything concrete - otherwise it’s just speculation)

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“I’ve given you my time, which is all any man has to give”
- Henry Chinaski, Factotum

“There is some release,
in punching the clock,
when time is all you’ve got”
- Juliana Hatfield, You can’t put your arms around a melody

This week’s been weird for me. I’ve had three days off at home. Having spent weeks, months even, longing for a few days of emptiness, days where I could do whatever I wanted, I’ve just had them. And done nothing. I’m not normally one to get bored - and I haven’t been bored here - but I don’t feel all that fulfilled after my days of rest.

Okay, not nothing: I’ve cooked a bit, done a few chores (not as many as some people might have liked), read quite a lot, and generally pottered. I even went Christmas shopping today. But it all still felt a bit empty. It’s been a hard year and I’ve been seriously due some down time, but still.  There’s no doubt that I’ve been edgy these last few days.

So the question remains: what do footballers do with all their free time to stop them going crazy?

Thanks to George for the heads up in the comments.  David Pleat mentions Elliott Omozusi as ‘one to watch’ in this Guardian piece.

One to watch for 2008

DP Elliott Omozusi. Very early days but my instincts when I first saw the Fulham right-back told me he could be an Englishman to emerge. Full of composure and easy movement.

NW I anticipate Nicklas Bendtner making the breakthrough at Arsenal. The 19-year-old striker has an excellent all-round game and he has a touch of arrogance that I like.

LA If 2007 was a memorable year for Lionel Messi, then 2008 could see him move on still further. An incredible talent, the Barcelona forward could be crowned the European footballer of the year.

Nice to see Elliott mentioned next to Bendtner and Messi!  Quite something, that.

Pleat’s an interesting bloke, incidentally.  He was a pretty good manager back in the day, famous for running onto the pitch after his Luton side had won a big game (which they did, from time to time), but since then has flitted between strange Director of Football posts and his work with the media (he gets a bit of stick but I quite like what he says).    Also, I sat next to his daughter at a wedding once.

Hope is important.

Saturday was an awful day. We played badly in a terrible game of football then, somehow, contrived to concede an injury time penalty that snatched defeat from the jaws of parity. We had pegged it as a must-win game so understandably everyone was upset. I left the ground after the kick hit the net and found bustling solace in the club shop.

That evening was awful. Hopelessness. The team looked out of ideas, out of confidence, run aground. Where now? What could change this?

The flamboyant fishing star that is Jimmy Bullard returned to action yesterday. He won’t be allowed to play in the first team squad yet, but he can’t be far away. His presence on the pitch could change everything. An infectious energy isn’t enough to win games on its own though. Here are the games he played for the club before his injury:

Man Utd 5-1 Fulham
Fulham 1-1 Bolton (Bullard late pen)
Fulham 1-0 Sheff Utd (Bullard free kick, also hit post with piledriver)
Newcastle 1-2 Fulham (Bullard off by the time we scored the late goals)

So he won’t change things around on his own. But this team, this club, badly needs a lift. Jimmy can bring that lift.

Hope is important. They say that mid-life crises occur when we realise that the way things are are pretty much the way things will be. The hopes and dreams we have for the future are less and less likely to materialise, and that whoever and whatever we are is what we’re going to have to get used to. A lot of us struggle with this realisation. This sounds a lot like Fulham at the moment. The hopes we had of something special, tempered by that difficult spell when things in the real world are harder than we had expected, then striving manfully to make a good fist of where we are now, possibly not succeeding, and getting a bit down about it…

Anyway. We have a winnable game against Wigan to look forward to. Never have I been more frightened about watching Fulham.