Guardian Mentions Jol For Fulham Post

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Sto ... 73,00.html

The 51-year-old has attracted interest from PSV Eindhoven, but would prefer to remain in the Premier League, with Fulham one potential new employer. Lawrie Sanchez is under pressure at Craven Cottage, having won two of 16 League games since replacing Chris Coleman. The surprise choice of managing director David McNally last April, Sanchez was recently called into Harrods to explain Fulham's under-performance to owner Mohamed Fayed.

 

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I'll believe it when I see it -- at least it wasn't the Sun saying this, but this sounds like a silly rumor.

 

It is speculation by the Guardian and they're hoping to make a story with it.

 

Still, Martin Jol on the sideline wouldn't be so bad... I like Lawrie though. Let's give him a chance.

 

Did you guys see the Football Fone In last night? They ripped LS a new one. Said that he didnt have a clue - he has had the club and he is still running it the same way as Cookie - He has never had a winning record - and all around he talks a big game but doesnt bring anything to the table. Seriously - he has to go and we could do a hell of a lot worse then Jol. He did some great things at Spurs, and his sacking had more to do with their blundering of the situation then it did his ability to manage.

Anyway - My head was moving while they were saying this.... Up and down. He has had his chance. 2 wins in 16? No excuse for that nonsense.

 

The chances of hiring Jol, which I believe would be an improvement over our current manager, are slim and none, and you know where slim went....

However, just because LS is the current manager doesn't mean he's earned the right to stay the manager. Two freakin' wins over half a seasons' worth of matches is inexcusable at the professional level - and the important win came against 'pool's reserve squad.

Sure, the ref's have been brutal, and many chances blown by the players, but accountability for this mess must begin at the top with the man who brought "his" players in.

I still believe it's premature for the sack, but if Fulham enter December with only 2 or 3 measly wins, I do not see any alternative but to show LS his P45 and wish him luck in the future.

 

Wanabees or not - they make some good points. The boys should be performing much better and they are not.... LS has never had a winning record and he has nothing in his resume to suggest he can take a team about to make the drop and turn them around.

I disagree on the money end. Jol was just sacked and he wants to stay in England. Seems like you could get him on a bargain. Money does not seem to be the issue with Fulham this season anyway.

 

Gotcha, HD, and you are correct Fulham doesn't have the funds on either point.

Further, he mentioned he wanted to 'go top of the table' with his next club...in which Fulham is still a possibility, but only if the misfortune of playing in the CCC is realized by LS.

 

I see.

You are right. Fulham doesnt have the funds to bring in big name players.

But is that required to win? Look at the current Arsenal squad for example...

 

That's not totally my point, but it doesn't hurt to have funds to buy the occasional Henry...or even a Bellamy for that matter.

On the contrary, the players we have aren't rubbish and they should be producing better results, which leads back to our manager...

My opinion is that if a club such as Arsenal buy 1/2 of the world's U-17 talent every year, then the chances of producing successful youth players increases exponentially.

 

It is a mistake to think that Fulham can replicate Arsenal's youth system. Arsene Wenger's team is not cheap. Arsenal pays for the kind of scouting system they have. Arsenal also has gravitas, a legacy, and now a big time stadium. Youth players WANT to leve their homes to go and play there. There is simply way more involved in getting players to come and play for you than simply discovering them. Everybody can see who the really outstanding youth players are. Getting their signature on a contract is something else.

It is unbelievable how simple Arsenal's success looks to some people. It isn't it and certainly can't be replicated at Fulham; and it certainly can't be replicated at Fulham over the course of six months.

So if you want exceptional results out of Fulham, Fulham might not be a team you should follow.

 

I am with Lyle on this one....people are making it seem so simple and easy to model Fulham after Arsenal. IT IS NOT THAT EASY MY FRIENDS. As much as I would love for Fulham to have a great youth system with budding future big time first teamers and international players, it is unlikely to happen any time soon.

First of all, the amount of money that Arsenal spends on these youth players is way more than we even spend on new players over the summer and such. Players like Fabregas, Denilson, Diaby and Wolcott were an expensive group to buy. Fulham cannot do that.

Even the next tier of youth players down are going to cost loads of money. Fulham does not have the money, nor the prestige and management in place to make a youth player choose Fulham over the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, etc.

Perhaps this is a model that can be looked at to follow, but it is not easy to follow and with regards specifically to Arsenal, much, much credit must go to Arsene Wenger. As Don pointed out this guy can spot talent all over the world and he has a keen eye for unearthing gems. At present time we do NOT have that ability in our scouting and in our management.

One thing Arsenal has and always has had in the last eleven years under Wenger is a system and a style of play that is entertaining and does NOT change from year to year. In other words, Wenger knows the kind of player that will fit into his system and goes and gets them. Arsenal has an identity and players know that and want to be a part of it.

Fulham has no identity and developing an identity takes time. Unfortunately, I do NOT see Lawrie Sanchez developing any kind of identity with this team. Some other teams around the league have identities:

Blackburn - Physical style of play. They try to beat up opponents and win this way. Direct reflection of their manager Mark Hughes.

Chelsea - Defensive under Mourinho. They were successful because they built a team on a system that was built from the back up to the front and did not concede a lot of goals.

Manchester United- combination of youth and experience where the team likes to get up and down the flanks with speedy wingers and playmakers. Every Manchester United team in recent memory has had playmakers and difference makers all over the pitch.

These are examples of teams having systems and finding players to perform and excel in those systems. Fulham needs to find a manager to build and develop a system. Unfortunately, they will need to spend some money to get a manager and get the financial backing of Al Fayed to make this happen. That is not likely to happen though.

Is Sanchez the answer to Fulham's problems? Probably not. Is Jol? Doubtful. Is there someone out there who can put the pieces of Fulham's puzzle together? Yes. I just do not know who. Fulham and Al Fayed need to look outside the box to find a new manager and a new system for this club or we will just rot and be any old club for years and years to come.

 

Hatter,

I wasn't arguing your points. I was really arguing the other guy's rant. I melded your Arsenal points into it though.

The problem is that even Burnley can't be replicated because that worked for a vastly different king of English football. It really isn't English football anymore, but international football. It cost money to have the right scouts, pay for them, and pay for all their trips around-the-world. Guys like Arsene and Sven have special knowledge and contacts and can work the system than most, but that experience comes with a price.

Definitely, Fulham can improve its footballing infrastructure and scouting, but a lot of people in England don't want a further globilization of English football... they want English or British players. That's the one great fault of Sanchez right now is that he doesn't seem to have ANY contacts outside of Europe, other than maybe Australia and the US through his American players. To really make it in the Premier League in the future and do it cheap, you're going to have to go outside of the Commonwealth and go get players. Fulham hasn't set itself up for that yet.

 

Wait - What?

So we should follow Fulham and not talk, think, suggest, or dare I say EXPECT that the club does what it is going to take to make the club a winner? I am sorry, but I dont want to lose and I am not interested in believing Fulham can never win.

I am also not interested in the idea that we should all wear this coat of mediocrity like some warm security blanket. Like it is some badge of honor to follow a club that is shite.

That's Bullcrap!

They need to WIN damnit. Win and stop believing they cant! Lets all do that. No more excuses for why they cant win, and why they cant do something that some other club can. Who cares.

Just start winning. Whatever it takes.

 

Denmark could try to be a world power, but won't ever be one. Fulham is like Denmark.

 

Yikes.

Well - Soda league should be a good fit then. They never deserved to be in the top flight in the first place?

Maybe you are right - maybe I am wasting my time following this club if I blindly hold on to the belief that this is not true.