Next Season

Discussion in 'Fulham FC News and Notes' started by HatterDon, Mar 7, 2021.

  1. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2006
    Location:
    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    I'm still on a high after this morning's joyful victory over Liverpool, but I can't shake my concern over NEXT season. The truth is that no matter which league we find ourselves in this fall, Fulham are going to start the campaign the same way we started this season. So many of our key players were here on loan, and will be gone. I can't imagine Andersen staying with us, for one thing.

    Last season's schedule was against us from the start. Because we didn't finish 1st or 2nd, we had to do the playoff thing. During those two weeks, with no guarantee where we would find ourselves in the new season, we were unsure as to how to enhance our squad. Also, those who might have been willing to loan players to a Premier League side, probably moved past us because during this fortnight there was a real possibility of us being a Championship side again.

    The result was that we got left-overs in the transfer market. This was NOT the fault of our ownership [as was the take from probably a majority of supporters]. Had we edged out WBA in the league, we'd have gotten settled in a month earlier.

    Speaking of what the majority of the supporters were crying for during the first few months of the season was the firing of Parker and hiring Big Sam. Despite the fact that the only Fulham boss in my memory that can be compared to Parker in terms of getting his squad to play his kind of football, and play it well was Roy Hodgson, I expect the knives to come out about 6 weeks into next season -- REGARDLESS OF WHICH LEAGUE WE'RE IN.

    I hope two things for next season, Number one, we start ofl in the Prem. Number two, that we are able to keep Scott Parker. His quality and class is no secret all over Europe; folks are going to want him, and without him THIS season, we're below Sheffield United.
     
    #1
    HatterDon, Mar 7, 2021
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  2. daddude7

    daddude7 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2013
    If we stay in the Premiership, I think we'll manage to keep most of the loan players. Perhaps not Andersen. Whether Andersen stays or not, we still need more high-quality center backs. The drop off after Tosin and Andersen is too steep. Not counting on Kongolo.

    For Aina, Lemina Maja, and Areola, we have permanent options in their loan deals. If we stay up, it's a no brainer to pay up and keep them.

    Red Bull wanted 15 million pounds for a permanent Lookman switch in January. They will probably want more in the summer.

    Lyon paid 30 million Euros for Andersen. They'll also want far more. If it's 60 million, he's worth it.

    I am optimistic. First step is to stay up.
     
    #2
    daddude7, Mar 7, 2021
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  3. daddude7

    daddude7 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2013
    Oh, and Parker. I think he stays, too. He's grounded and plans for the long term. If he starts the next season in the Premiership with roughly the same personnel or better, he'll consider it an opportunity to climb into the top half of the table. Of course, I could be wrong, and he could replace Arteta at Arsenal, after which we'll never mention his name again.
     
    #3
    daddude7, Mar 7, 2021
  4. FulhamTX

    FulhamTX Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2015
    I'm not quite ready to start really getting into the nuts and bolts of next season just yet but we do have an option to buy on Areola, Aina, Lemina and Maja.
    The only of those 4 that could potentially go through regardless of league is Maja, I think he is probably a Fulham player next season. If we stay up I see no reason why we don't trigger the option on all 4.
    RLC I think will either be playing for Chelsea or be moved on permanently to another premier league team higher up the table than us.
    Andersen seems to really enjoy being at Fulham so I could see us being in the running for him but I don't know if he will choose us in the end.
    Lookman, I have no idea what to do with him. There was a report in January that he could be had for £15 mil, at that price it might be worth going for it but that price might be higher this summer and I just don't know if it would be the right move.

    Relegation could be disastrous for the club looking at a complete and total rebuild and I don't even want to contemplate that senerio unless we have to come the end of the season

    Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
     
    #4
    FulhamTX, Mar 7, 2021
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  5. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2011
    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    I think Don is right. Where would we be right now if we had Andersen, Adarabioyo, Aina, Lookman and Areola BEFORE the season started?
    As for the spectre of relegation, it will be interesting to see if any of the old hands will stay. I suspect not. Cairney, Odoi, Ream, StefJo, Betts, Mitro, Kamara...the heroes of 2017-18 and that glorious day at Wembley...will all most likely move on, don't you think? I'll be a little sad when that happens.
     
    #5
    Last edited: Mar 9, 2021
    jumpkutz, Mar 9, 2021
  6. dtowndough

    dtowndough Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2011
    Sadly, I think you are right Jump.
     
    #6
    dtowndough, Mar 9, 2021
  7. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2006
    Location:
    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    Time marches on ... dammit
     
    #7
    HatterDon, Mar 9, 2021
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