Fulham’s search for a new manager continues today after Ajax manager Martin Jol decided to stay with the Dutch side.

“‘Ajax let me know they didn’t want me to go. And I don’t think I can bring myself to leave Ajax at this time. I came here last summer to be successful, to build a good team and to have fun. And those three things are what I am interested in achieving next season. It was always my intention to build Ajax further. It is full speed ahead and we all need to roll up our sleeves. That is essential.”

Fulham were left standing at the alter after having agreed personal terms with Jol.

“The club can confirm that it has ceased negotiations for the release of Martin Jol from his contract with the Dutch club,’ said Fulham in a statement. Although Fulham had agreed personal terms with Martin Jol, Ajax were not willing to allow him to leave under any circumstances, and have held him to the terms of the contract he signed last summer. When Fulham commenced negotiations with Martin Jol, the club was informed that an exit clause existed in his contract with Ajax. Subsequent negotiations revealed that the clause was no longer valid and Ajax position remained steadfast in their desire to keep their manager, therefore dialogue between the two clubs has now ended. Since Roy Hodgson indicated that he wanted to leave Fulham, a short list of potential managers was identified, and the club is committed to ensuring that the right candidate is brought on board to continue the club’s progress, in the soonest time-frame possible.”

With the Premier League season starting in a little over three weeks, there is not much time left for Fulham to get a new boss in place, and have the team playing his style of football.

Sven-Goran Eriksson was linked with the job before Jol, and was former Manchester City manager Mark Hughes. But Jol became Fulham’s top choice after Roy Hodgson joined Liverpool on 1 July.

Interestingly, it is Cardiff City boss Dave Jones who has has been installed as the new favourite with bookmakers. Jones is an ok manager, but he is not in the class of Jol, Eriksson or Hughes.

Could be a tough season for Fulham fans this season if they don’t get a new manager in place soon.

photo credit: nicksarebi

Roy Hodgson will be named Liverpool manager Wednesday after agreeing a two-year deal to replace Rafa Benitez worth around £3million a year.

It has been a month since Benitez has left, but after interviews with Manuel Pellegrini and Didier Deschamps, Liverpool decided that Hodgson was their man.

Hodgson has been brilliant at Fulham and he will need all his experience to navigate through a tough off-season at Anfield. First decision for Hodgson will be what to do with Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

Gerrard is a target for Real Madrid while Torres is on both Manchester City’s and Barcelona‘s wish list. If Hodgson can keep both Torres and Gerrard at Anfield next seaons then Liverpool have a chance to compete for a top four position.

Without them both and it could well be a rebuilding year or two for Liverpool.

Surprisingly, Alan Curbishley is the bookies favorite to replace Hodgson as manager of Fulham. Also on the short-list are Sven Goran Eriksson and Mark Hughes and I expect Hughes to eventually get the job.

photo credit: Nigel Wilson

It’s been ten days since Rafa Benitez officially joined Inter Milan and his replacement could set up a couple of managerial changes in the Premier League.

From all accounts Liverpool have decided that Fulham’s Roy Hodgson is the man they want to replace Benitez. Hodgson has done a fantastic job at Fulham and he has to realize that last season was probably as good as it will ever get at Fulham. His star is flying high and this might be his last opportunity to manage a big club.

If Hodgson goes to Liverpool, then I would expect that former Manchester City boss Mark Hughes will take over there. Hughes would prefer a job in the North of England, but he is not going to get the Liverpool job, and I don’t see another club big enough for him. Fulham will give Hughes a chance to get back into managing in the Premier League which is something he really wants.

Fulham’s owner Mohamed Al-Fayed recently sold Harrods for £1.5billion so Hughes will have some cash to splurge on new players this summer.

The potential spanner in the works here is of England get knocked out of the World Cup next week. There will be a lot of pressure on Fabio Capello to walk away from the England job if that happens.

Roy Hodgson has a lot of admirers at the FA as well as experience managing national teams. He would love to finish his career as manager of England which is one reason why he has not taken the Liverpool job yet. He is waiting to see what happens with Capello.

If Hodgson goes to England then Liverpool are back to square one in their hunt for a new manager.

Former Liverpool boss Benitez believes that Liverpool should look inward for their next manager it should be Anfield great Kenny Dalglish, who managed Liverpool for six years between 1985 and 1991.

“I think Liverpool should look at Kenny Dalglish,” he is quoted as saying in The Sun. ”He is the man for the job. The owners should listen to the fans because they are unhappy. No one knows the club better than Dalglish and he would be perfect there. He wants the job and in my opinion he should get it.”

The Premier League season starts in less than seven weeks, but I expect several managerial changes between now and then.

photo credit: nicksarebi

Fulham has risen to a new level of success by reaching the Europa League final.  They’ll play Atletico Madrid today in Hamburg for the trophy and it seems that they may have carved a brand new direction for themselves under the leadership of Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson even has a role model–which is very helpful since so many coaches are SO egotistical:

“To follow a manager like Bobby Robson would be fantastic because as you know, we were friends for many years.  He was a great man, a great manager and it would be very nice to think I could follow him.”

“I was very proud to get to that final with Inter but I’m even prouder to be here with Fulham because we were much less fancied in the tournament than Inter were in 1997.”

“Secondly we’ve had a tougher passage to the final. When I think back to the teams Inter eliminated along the way, they weren’t the big names that we’ve beaten here. I’m hoping the bad memories of 1997 will be expunged by a good victory.”

I like that Hodgson has a little melancholy guiding him and that he doesn’t forget the past even though he doesn’t let it eat him up.  I think that’s a big distinction for people to understand.

Some guys live in the past and never come back.  Other guys just go back there when they need a little motivation. 

That motivation should take Fulham over the top.

Fulham-3   Atletico – 2

photo credit: nicksarebi

When Fulham and Atletico Madrid walk out onto the pitch in Hamburg on Wednesday for the Europa League Final, it will be a meeting of two unlikely foes. Buy Europa League Final Tickets

Atletico Madrid will be chasing their first European title since the 1961/62 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup while Fulham are in their first European final of any sort.

For Fulham, the final will be there 19th European game this season, one short of the record of 20 set by FC Girondins de Bordeaux in 1995/96. Their record in 18 European games this season reads W11 D4 L3, scoring 30 goals and conceding 16.

Fulham’s journey to Hamburg started last July in the third qualifying round when they played FK Vėtra of Lithuania. The journey to the final has been a memorable one for a Fulham team that has overcome a lot of adversity. In the group stages it took a tense 3-2 win at Basel 1893 to even progress to the knockout stages. There Fulham beat last season’s UEFA Cup winners Shakhtar Donetsk, before producing a memorable four-goal comeback to stun

Juventus. After overcoming Wolfsburg in the last eight, the semi-final against Hamburg also proved fraught with a road trip of nearly 1,000km required due to the flight ban, before they summoned two goals in the last 21 minutes to see off the visitors in the return.

Atletico Madrid has had their own ups and downs on their travel’s. Atletico started the season in the Champions League play-off round and only just managed to finish ahead of APOEL to even qualify for the Europa League. This will be Atletico’s 17th European game fixture. Their record in 16 European games this season reads W4 D8 L4, scoring 17 goals and conceding 22.

Except for beating Galatasaray 3-2 on aggregate in the first knockout stage with a last-gasp Diego Forlan strike, all their victories have come on away goals; they drew both legs in the round of 16 and quarter-finals. To put that streak another way, Atletico Madrid are playing in a European Cup Final after having won only two European matches since the start of the UEFA Champions League group stage. They beat 2-1 at Galatasaray and then defeated Liverpool 1-0 at home in their semi-final first leg.

Prediction
How can you not vote for Fulham and Clint Dempsey, who will become the first player from the United States to play in a major European final? If Bobby Zamora is fit, I think that Fulham will be to strong for Madrid. Fulham 1 Atletico Madrid 0.

photo credit: nicksarebi

Fulham’s reward for their stunning victory over Juventus is a Europa League quarter-final with German side Wolfsburg. The first leg will be played in London on April 1 with the return game at the Volkswagen Arena on April 8.

Roy Hodgson’s side recovered from losing the first leg 3-1 and conceding an early goal in the second leg at Craven Cottage to secure a memorable 5-4 aggregate win against the Italian giants.

Wolfsburg now await in the last eight after the German champions beat Russian outfit Rubin Kazan 3-2 on aggregate in the last 16.

Fulham defender Chris Baird believes the Juventus result was a career high for most of the players, but feels they still have the quality to progress further.

“To get to the quarter-finals of the Europa League is a massive achievement for the club,” he told fulhamfc.com. ”‘I got a text from one of my mates saying ‘You don’t get much bigger than that’ and to be fair I don’t think we’ve had bigger than that in our careers.”

Wolfsburg coach Lorenz-Gunther Kostner welcomed his side’s draw, although he is aware they are coming up against a proven force in the competition this season.

“This is a good draw,” he said. “We will do all we can to reach the next round. English football could suit us. But of course we are warned – Fulham have beaten Basle and Juventus already. Therefore, we are going to have to put in a top performance.”

Wolfsburg managing director Dieter Hoeness is also wary of the threat of Fulham.

“They have not only beaten teams like Juventus and Shakhtar Donetsk, but they have beaten Manchester United 3-0 already too. Fulham have some really strong players like Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff.”

The Cottagers could face another German club in the semi-finals with a clash against Hamburg or Belgian outfit Standard Liege the reward if they can continue their European adventure.

Quarter-finals April 1:
Fulham v Wolfsburg – Buy Fulham v Woldsburg Tickets

Quarter-finals April 8:
Wolfsburg v Fulham - Buy Wolfsburg v Fulham Tickets

Manchester United have agreed terms with Fulham to sign England Under-21 central defender Chris Smalling, with the 20-year-old set to join Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad during the summer.

“Chris has agreed personal terms with the club and will join for the beginning of the 2010/2011 campaign,” United said in a statement. “He will remain at Fulham until the end of the current season.”

It is amazing that Smallng was playing non-league football for Maidstone just over 18 months ago and this summer he will be heading to Old Trafford.

While Smalling is an England Under-21 central defender, the question arises where will he play at United with Ferdinand, Vidic and Evans all established players ahead of him in the team.

photo credit: wonker

Chelsea and ManU have had issues with lesser clubs this season and including Chelsea’s draw of West Ham we also have to include their recent draw to Birmingham.  Manchester United has had their own issues (like losing 3-0 to Fulham) but this brings up the great paradox in pro sports:  Why do good teams have a hard time with bad teams?

For me, it’s pretty simple.  Pro athletes look ahead WAY too much.  (This explains, a little, the sullen nature of a guy like Bill Belichick because he doesn’t want his team to get too excited) but sometimes that sullen nature leads to sullen play.  So, the idea that these players have to ride a fine line between being jubilant and dead silent.  Why do you need to keep this kind of focus?  (Just look at Chelsea drawing two bad/mediocre teams and ManU losing 3-0 to Fulham.)

So, how do they not look ahead but still enjoy the moment and have a good time and give the fans the enjoyable soccer matches that they pay their hard-earned money to see?  This explains another oft-used phrase in sports that I never understood until just now…

“We need to play within ourselves…”

I mean, how long have I been hearing this one and NEVER understood it?  When players want to “play within themselves” they want to have fun, play hard, win, and not get so carried away with what’s coming next.  The best players who play within themselves ALWAYS know what’s coming, but never stare it right in the face until it’s directly upon them.  One could easily argue that knowing your schedule is a detriment to your play and having a long schedule (like they do in European Soccer) only makes it harder.  There are so many derbies, el classicos and leagues to play in that you can circle just about every game on the schedule and say “Oh, we gotta win that one!”

I even heard Mark Schlereth on the 4-letter network talking about his days in the NFL and he basically said that he hardly knew who he was playing until the week of the game because that became his focus ONLY on the week of the game.  This would never work but…

If you didn’t disclose the schedule and just shipped the teams around and they didn’t know who they were playing until they were in the city limits of their opponent then “looking ahead” would be obsolete and “playing within yourself” would be the prime factor in all professional team sports.  I know it’s crazy, but…

a guy can dream, can’t he?

photo credit: wonker

With Chelsea “accepting” a draw with Fulham and ManU getting blasted by West Ham I have 3 questions to ask (and yes, this goes back to the “picking the wrong team to crumble thing”.)

1.  What does it say about the 2 best teams in the Premier League that they took a draw to a team that is pretty close to being relegated and losing (badly) to a team that will most likely be relegated?

Well, what it says is that neither Chelsea nor ManU is mentally prepared to complete the season in the manner in which they started it.  This also means that they will have issues STARTING the postseason…not finishing.  They’ll both probably have pretty bad opening matches (that they’ll end up winning anyways) and then one of them will get hot and take the whole thing.  Who will that be?  Probably Chelsea.  Why?  John Terry is their captain.  I bet he’ll keep saying to his club “We’re going to get to 90 points if it kills me!” 
(and you know what?  They’ll believe him!)  I don’t think ManU has a player like that…sorry boys.

2.  What does it say about the chances that Aston Villa, Arsenal and Tottenham have?

Well, it tells me that these clubs are fighting for 2nd place.  Since I’m taking Chelsea to make it to the final match and discounting ManU then one of these 3 “stragglers” is going to be hoping they don’t get destroyed by Chelsea in the Final.  I’ve seen them all play and right now I’d take Aston Villa because they’re so tenacious…but that’s just me.

3.  How in the world did ManU lose to West Ham?  (a team that might be most famous because Russell Peters likes them.)

Lack of leadership…the same reason they’ll crap out before the final.  Sorry again boys, but you don’t have John Terry standing up and saying “We will make it to 90 points.”  Teams in England need a “mouth” and there really isn’t a “mouth” for ManU…not a good one anyways.

PS – I don’t care about the drama with the penalties in Chelsea’s draw.  We know the officials are pretty bad, but teams like Chelsea should still win those matches if they want to get to 90 points…

photo credit: wonker

There’s something about a 3-0 win for Fulham over Manchester United that just rubs me the wrong way.  Long ago I predicted that Real Madrid would be the “Super Club” to fall apart at the seams (and though I’m still waiting for that prediction to come true) I’m starting to wonder if I chose the wrong club.  ManU is right there with Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table and they just gave away points to a team that really shouldn’t even be on the same field as them.  Fulham is only 10 points away from being relegated and now they beat the defending Champions 3-0?

ManU is in the unique position where they can’t lose everything right now but they can get far enough behind that they will seriously impact their chances of catching back up to Chelsea.  Given Chelsea’s confidence in their ability to get to 90 points then ManU needs to get it in gear before they fall into a hole that gets too big to climb out of.  (Granted, right now that hole isn’t that deep, but it could EASILY get that deep if they keep stinking up the joint the way they did against Fulham.

Menawhile, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Aston Villa are holding steady in the Top 5 of the table.  If you asked me I’d say that those teams aren’t going anywhere because they held fast in their slots while Man City faded.  Clearly, Man City’s early season success was a fluke because they just dropped another match AND fired their manager.  That’s pretty big stuff for the middle of December.

Now, because ManU gave up a bad loss and 3 other teams in the Top 5 are hanging in with them the boys in red need to decide if they want to be in 2nd or 5th because from where I’m standing their going to be in one position or the other.  2nd place if they rebound from the Fulham loss and find themselves and 5th place if they lose another bad one and let Aston Villa, Tottenham, and Arsenal get comfortable.

The last team in the League that should be showing blood is the defending champs…that gives the other clubs hope…hope they shouldn’t get until ManU loses in the postseason…