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Daily Fulham- Willian returns and a road trip to Wigan
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Gavin looks back on the final events of the transfer window before previewing Fulham's fourth round FA Cup tie with Wigan Athletic.
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Transcript
Introduction to the Daily Fulham Podcast
00:00:05
Speaker
sports podcast network work What's up everybody, welcome back to the Daily Fulham Podcast, my name is Gavin Ruffle and the weekend starts right here.
Fulham's Transfer Window Insights
00:00:15
Speaker
No Premier League action as the FA Cup takes centre stage and I will be given a brief preview of Fulham's trip to Wigan Athletic in the fourth round, but I'm going to start with transfers, seeing as the window has recently slammed shut.
00:00:27
Speaker
and it was a very quiet transfer window for Fulham wasn't it bringing in just the one player well the one player into their first team setup and even that that was that was completed outside of the window given the fact that William is a free agent yep William has returned to Fulham after six months away he's made his return after not such a glorious little spell in olympiacos where his contract was terminated at the end of last year since then he's been training with Fulham for the last few weeks and given the situation given the problems they have in that area with the injury to harry wilson marco silver has expressed his desires to bring in someone to fill that void and he's got his man willian has returned to the club
00:01:11
Speaker
It was announced on Thursday morning, a short term deal until the end of the season.
Willian's Return: Asset or Risk?
00:01:16
Speaker
What can he bring? Well he brings experience doesn't he? He's 36 years old. He knows the Premier League. He knows the players. It was great to see the video full and put out on the socials of him being welcomed back and he's obviously got a good relationship with all the players there. He's a very popular figure.
00:01:31
Speaker
And he brings a lot of knowledge with him, doesn't he? Which will go a long way to helping some of the younger players. Can he still perform a role for Fulham? Well, I guess only time will tell. I remember when he signed last time there was a lot of skepticism about it, a lot of doubt about what he could contribute for Fulham, maybe given his spell at Arsenal which didn't quite go according to plan but in the two seasons he had at Fulham I think I speak for everybody in saying it was very successful and his legs hadn't gone now he is a couple of years older have his legs gone Marco Silva in his press conference and in the build up to this game has said he's he's not quite up to fitness yet he'll need to be in better shape than he is now in order to get his way into that Fulham team but
00:02:14
Speaker
There's no doubt that he will add something for Fulham, his experience, and he's he' a class player, isn't he? I think he's ah he's been an underrated player. I think Tom Kearney was on the Monday Night Football a few weeks ago when he expressed how William is probably the best player he's played with, and I think certainly during his time at Chelsea he was an important member of that team. Probably went under the radar a little bit with the likes of Eden Hazard maybe taking much of the glory, much of the limelight. but He's been a fantastic player. He clearly loves the area, then he clearly loves Westland. We saw him, didn't we, on ah Monday night going to Stamford Bridge. and so I saw some Fulham fans repping arms about that, which I don't know why. he's He's a bit puzzling me. Man lives life outside of Job. He's fully entitled to go to whatever game he wants to. his own No problem with that, but it is a short term basis until the end of the season. I feel like it's a low risk move, of course.
00:03:03
Speaker
Fulham fans would have wanted to see their team do a bit more business. They were linked with certain players. We know they were in the market and hunt for a right back, given the injury to Kenny Tettie.
Chukwueze Deal Collapse: Consequences
00:03:13
Speaker
But nothing quite came about there. It was talk, on wasn't there, on deadline day about Samuel Triquasi possibly moving? Got everyone excited, didn't it? Another Nigerian possibly linking up at Fulham to join Iwobi and Calvin Bassi.
00:03:26
Speaker
There's conflicting reports, but what we gather is that Fulham were looking at a loan there with a potential to buy, but the deal fell through due to time constraints. And that's the danger, isn't it, of trying to do deals so so late on in the transfer window that if things go awry, then there's no plan B after that, is there?
00:03:44
Speaker
But with registered interest in the player that you wonder if that is something that Fulham might look at again in the summer. I suppose it's dependent on how the rest of the season goes ah for Shaquasi with AC Milan. The better he does the more unlikely it is for Fulham to go in for him again or he might be priced out of a move for Fulham. So for Fulham fans if you do want Shaquasi to move in the summer then You probably hope he stay he stays on the bench at AC Milan, but he's no doubt a talented player, a very young, exciting player, ah maybe hasn't had the best time of it this season, but he's a player that with the rumours emerging on deadline, they got everyone excited, only for it to fall through. as As is often the case, as I said, if you try and do things last minute, then that's always likely to be the case. No right backs brought in, despite Silva expressing that they were certainly on the lookout to strengthen in that position.
00:04:30
Speaker
Again, talk of certain players. Bright Osei Samuel from Fearna Batche. If you follow Fulham in the transfer transfer a window in recent times, his name seems to pop up every time. There was talk about Fulham and Fearna Batche agreeing the deal, but that was blocked by Jose Mourinho. And Vladimir Sufao was another player who, of course, was involved in league action on Deadline Day as Westland played Chelsea. There was talk of him possibly going to Fulham later on.
00:04:57
Speaker
but nothing materialised there. I think for Tim, if he could stand you now, that position is his now. He's been under a little bit of pressure recently with performances, but I think that was a big second half for him against Newcastle, much improved from the first half where he was given a bit of a run around by Anthony Gordon. So hopefully our second half performance can give him a bit of confidence knowing now that he's got a run in the team with Kenny Tettie out injured. the ah We can see that player that we saw last season, which was keeping Kenny Tettie out of the side.
00:05:25
Speaker
Yeah, I was a little bit surprised that Fulham didn't bring anyone else in, especially on a short-term loan. They only have one loan player at the club being Rhys Nelson. So yeah, and there wasn't much movement. They weren't the only club that were quiet during this window. Certainly affecting the first team squad, there wasn't much movement. Bits and pieces here regarding the under 21s.
00:05:45
Speaker
There was talk of Godot possibly going out on loan to Watford but he ended up staying put and that's probably due to the problems Fulham have in that position which I might elaborate a little bit further on as we go into the preview for the Wigan encounter.
00:06:03
Speaker
but all in all it was a very quiet January. Transfer spending in the Premier League 370 million but about half of that was Manchester City so for clubs across the board there wasn't much going on throughout the month. More on the transfer window to come but before then let me tell you a little bit about our sponsors.
00:06:25
Speaker
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January Transfers: Pressure and Pitfalls
00:06:50
Speaker
I talked about it there, didn't I, that it was a quiet month for the majority of the clubs, Fulham only bringing in the one player and that was outside of the window and there were certain clubs that didn't bring any players in at all and it doesn't seem to generate that same buzz, that same excitement, does it? The deadline today, they can talk it up, hype it up on Sky Sports News, I remember back in the day it was a really exciting day to follow all the in-goings and out-goings, there seemed to be a lot more going on and always used to just have it on Sky Sports News throughout the day for Deadline Day and they'll constantly be scrolling through Twitter but it just seems like a non-event these days and there's various reasons why that might be the case. I think PSR has had a big impact. We've seen the ramifications of PSR and the threat of points deductions, well we've already seen that enforced on certain clubs, not on Forest. Obviously their aggressive spending in the past couple of seasons leading to a points deduction last season ultimately didn't have much of an effect as they stayed up and
00:07:44
Speaker
they're doing well this season and they weren't active in the transfer window were they? So I think PSR has been a ah major reason why we're not seeing certain clubs do business. I do think as a business model you should look to do the majority of your transfers across the summer. I think that's the way to go about things because any business you do in January it should just be for emergencies in my honest opinion or if someone's out, someone's out for the rest of the season then to fill a gap.
00:08:09
Speaker
I feel like a lot of panic spending is done in January, especially teams down the bottom. They recognise the need, the want to stay in the Premier League and how big it is for your club to survive. That that leads them to bring in a lot of players. And we saw Ipswich were one of the busier clubs in the window as they look to keep hold of their top flight status. And the majority of the business done was by clubs probably not enjoying the seasons they would like. And obviously what's happened, what's gone on in the first half of the season it's kind of led to that need that extra desire to bring in players to make up for lost time or to make up for what's gone on before and Manchester City again they won't be happy with the season they're having they're long way off the pace and I think what you've seen there the fact that they are the biggest spenders in the transfer window is it's a rebuild job for Pep isn't it it's an indication that his squad
00:09:02
Speaker
the success they've enjoyed over the last few years it's almost run its course now it's come to an end and they've invested a lot in the squad but on unproven younger players but you'll see be a part of that squad for the years to come even if they're not necessarily goingnna make an immediate impact straight away they're what you call plays for the long term astin villa were in over club that were busy ish towards the end of deadline today some higher profile signings the likes of Marcus Rashford who needed a move he needed to get out of Manchester United didn't he and Marco Asensio who is a player with great repute having played for big clubs like Real Madrid and PSG and they're probably just a little bit off the pace in the league they're going well in the Champions League but if they want to get back there then they're going to have to go on a run so
00:09:50
Speaker
the need for them to bring in signings was much greater than some of the other clubs. You look at the clubs that are enjoying successful seasons, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, again some of this is to do with PSR but another factor is that maybe they don't need the extra players and sometimes bringing in players is just the way to appease fans. You feel like you have to make signings because there's such a will from the fanbase for you to do so.
00:10:15
Speaker
And it's always said, isn't it, how January can be a tough month to do business in? And again, there's factors that contribute to that, isn't there? Because some of the players that there's major clamour for, well, their clubs are just unwilling to let them go mid-season, are they? And that's why you're often priced out of players. Players' value suddenly becomes greater than what it ordinary would be, what it would be in the summer.
00:10:36
Speaker
and a Champions League club isn't going to sell to another Champions League club. A Champions League club isn't going to buy for another Champions League club because that player would then be cup tied for the knockout stages of that competition. So from a transfer side of things, there wasn't much to speak about was there? There was no Van Dyke signing or it's not what we saw in the past. Merbino going to City on deadline day, Berbatov going to Manchester United on deadline day. It doesn't generate that same buzz, that same excitement for the fan on the sofa who just wants to sit in in front of the TV and watch deadline day unfold. There's no Peter Oden Wingy rocking up outside Loftus Road. Those days seem to have gone. Very quiet month falling all. Not much has happened and just throwing things back to full. I think for full I'm Yes, in an ideal world, you probably would have wanted another winger or you would have wanted the crazy signing because again it comes down to appeasing fans and there's a player maybe that has a long-term future at the club rather than signing on a player on a short-term basis that can do a job until the end of the season and the desire probably to bring a right back in just because of the injuries that's occurred in that position but I said it at the start of January and I'm saying at at the start of February now there was no real need to tinker
00:11:48
Speaker
the need only became greater because of injuries to certain players who you hope will be back before the end of the season anyway so from a full-on perspective I don't think there's any need to worry and I've seen people talking about lack of ambition I don't see it like that at all across the board across the 20 Premier League clubs there's no club other than Manchester City that's gone out there and spent a great deal of money and in Manchester City's case that's for the long-term future not for the near future to rectify their season so For me, January transfers can always involve panic signing in and just to appease the fans ah for the sake of bringing in new players when it isn't necessarily needed. So I've just got to get on with it now. The squad's assembled for the rest of the season, we know who's there. Obviously, at the start of the transfer window there was a lot of talk concerning Andres Pereira and his situation, whether he would go back to Brazil, but Marco Silva kept talking about his
00:12:37
Speaker
want for the player to stay at the club he still thinks he's got a big role to play so any outside noise now you just put that on the back burner players should focus on his football fans as tough as it is get behind the player and get behind all the players the squad is what it is and they can still enjoy a successful end to the season can't they especially if they can come through saturday's clash against we're going to progress to the next round of the f fa cup which I'll be looking at in a little bit greater detail in the next part. But before I do that, let me just point you all in the direction of GSPN. The Global Sports Podcast Network is changing the face of football podcasts. With dedicated daily content for every Premier League team, women's football, fantasy football and a daily Premier League wrap-up broadcast in five different languages, it's your one-stop shop for your daily football fix. Find GSPN wherever you find your usual podcasts.
FA Cup: Fulham's European Quest
00:13:33
Speaker
Onto the weekend's game now and I feel there is an extra importance on this fixture now given Fulham's position in the league, 9th in the league table but I feel like European aspirations are probably unlikely now just given the nature of the season how Fulham have not necessarily been able to string a run of consecutive wins together go on a streak that can catapult them up in the league So as far as Europe is concerned you would say the best chance of getting there is via the FA Cup and there's no reason why Fulham can't progress a long way in the competition if they take it seriously enough if they don't overlook their opponents on the weekend. It would have been some disappointment last season going out at this stage of competition losing at home to Newcastle and this came off the back of the League Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool so disappointing few days for Fulham there and their season kind of petered out after that didn't they so
00:14:21
Speaker
If you're still in the FA Cup then you're still fighting for something and it still gives you that boost, that energising boost that you need going into the end of the season rather than ticking the games off and not necessarily being involved in anything. I feel like for Fulham now they can absolutely target this competition and and given a good draw, not to say that they've won this game, if they can take care of business in ah in this game then they could perhaps go a long way, get back to Wembley if all things go well.
00:14:48
Speaker
It's actually their first visit to the Britt Community Stadium. Can't believe it's called that now by the way. It'll always be the DW Stadium or JJB Stadium as far as I'm concerned. And if I've lost anyone under the age of 25, just ask your dad about JGB Sports. But it's Fulham's first visit to Wiggins Ground since July 2020. And yeah, you heard that correctly, July 2020, because that was the COVID season. So fixtures were still taking place at that stage. And it was only a few weeks later that Fulham had that great day at Wembley beating Brentford in the playoff final.
00:15:22
Speaker
Fulham actually have a terrific record in recent time against Wigan stemming back to 2007 they're actually unbeaten in the last 19 meetings many of those being in the Premier League but they are poles apart the two sides right this moment in time Fulham ninth in the Premier League Wigan contrasting the 16th in league one they are in similar positions in the fact that they are secure in the league but maybe too far off pursuing anything more significant so they can throw all their eggs in the one basket in the FA Cup and hopefully they can both put out strong sides, give themselves the best chance of progressing to the next round. It's another encounter for Marco Silva against one of his former charges in Sean Maloney. He must be starting to feel a bit old now because this is actually the second time in the FA Cup after the third round meeting against Watford when he come up against Tom Cleverley, who of course he managed at Watford,
00:16:15
Speaker
And now in Sean Maloney, he's coming up against the player who he managed during his first venture in England when he took charge of Hull in the Premier League. Sean Maloney, of course, has got great FA Cup pedigree. He was the one who took the corner for Ben Watson's headed goal in 2013 when they pulled off that great upset in the final beating Manchester City. And you'd have to say, looking back, that's one of the big FA Cup shocks, isn't it? You'd probably put that on a similar level with Wimbledon beating Liverpool way back when and but it was a bittersweet season for Wigan wasn't it as they got relegated. What's probably forgotten is the year after they won the FA Cup they got all the way to the semi-finals again at Wembley and only lost out to Arsenal in the penalty shootout. Sean Maloney was involved again there but he was an unused sub so they do have good pedigree in the competition in recent years certainly better pedigree than Fulham you would say.
00:17:05
Speaker
Then there are connections between the two clubs. We'll see players coming up against former sides here. ah And there may be a rare opportunity to see twins come up against each other. We were denied the prospect of seeing father against son in the last round when Everton played Peterborough.
00:17:20
Speaker
Ashby Young not playing against his son Tyler who was an unused sub as Peterborough were trying to get back in the game so he didn't see any action. There's a rare chance here we might see twins come up against each other. Steven of course coming through the ranks as a young boy along with Ryan. um So how unique would that be for those two to possibly come up against each other at some point in the game and be a proud moment I'm sure for all the Cessignon family. But there's other links as well Anthony Robinson One of the best full-backs, one of the best left-backs in the Premier League this season. He's coming up against the former side, isn't he, as well, spent two seasons at Wigan Athletic. And the final player, final full-on player that has links with Wigan is Marshal Godot. Godot, with things that worked out differently, might have got that move to the Championship on loan, but he's remained at Craven Cottage. He enjoyed the very successful loan spell at Wigan last season. So there does appear to be a good relationship between the two clubs.
00:18:17
Speaker
What team will we see Fulham put out? while michael silvery taught He always talks about and expresses the importance of the cup competitions and recognises what it means to fans, but then he does that and he normally makes 10-11 changes. um Well in the last round we saw a bit it was a bit of a mix wasn't it? We saw some players get given minutes, get given opportunity to make ah a rare start.
00:18:36
Speaker
but he also was respectful enough to the opposition that he did play a lot of his first team players and I'm sure he will see a mix again. I hope it's not 11 changes because as I've mentioned I feel like this is an important game for Fulham. If they do get knocked out here against low league opposition it could really have a detrimental effect to the end of the season. I never buy into the fact that when you go on a cup run, people see it as ah as a distraction because if all the success in the FA Cup is reaching a semi-final or final, then does it really matter if they finish 11th, 12th, 13th or whatever? you know Does it make much of a difference for in finishing one or two places higher in the league and if if you were to get knocked out on the weekend? I don't think it makes up for that. So hopefully he puts out a strong enough team and as long as they show the right attitude and application,
00:19:20
Speaker
along with the commitment needed in this game, then hopefully their quality will prevail and see them come out come out winners. But no doubt in my progression is is very important here on the weekend.
00:19:31
Speaker
as it it generates a good feeling, it generates a buzz and feeling of confidence and I think that's what you need to look at, not that the FA Cup is in a distraction, the fact that winning breeds confidence, if you can win your FA Cup side then take that into the next game and hopefully you can go on a run.
Player Fitness Concerns
00:19:46
Speaker
As far as some of the some of the team news, well will William play? Probably not judging what he said about the player in his press conference, that he needs to be in better shape.
00:19:55
Speaker
I think that was pretty damn in there, what he said about the play. And it's understandable, isn't it? I mean, he left the Olympiacos after not having a great spell there. Despite training for the last few weeks with Fulham, he's obviously not going to be a match fit. So will we see him in the squad? Possibly. Do I expect him to start? Absolutely not. And there's one other key bit of team news that emerged from that press conference and it's the news about Reece Nelson.
00:20:21
Speaker
Riese Nelson, it seemed like he was nearing a return to action. The Newcastle game came a bit too quickly for him, not in contention for that, but there was every sign that he might be involved. Beyond that, unfortunately, some bad news has come out. He's suffered a setback in recovery, not from the existing injuries, picked up a new injury.
00:20:41
Speaker
which looks like he's going to keep him on the sidelines for a long period of time. I'm not quite sure when this news emerged but with the knowledge of his injury now and Harry Will's injury maybe there was that extra extra need to bring in another winger and ultimately that's probably why martial god always stayed at the club hasn't it because they are short in that position.
00:21:00
Speaker
Harry Wilson, he's out he's undergone surgery and it looks like he's not back until April, at the very early. So yeah, just going back to Reece Nelson there. It's a real shame for the player there. he was He was making an impact, wasn't he, before he suffered that injury, going to Fulham, getting some game time.
00:21:17
Speaker
and I think he was becoming a real fan's favourite and linking up well with some of the other Arsenal players in the squad. So that's a bitter blow for the player. You you really feel for him and now and um you just want to kind of put an arm around the player at that at this moment in time and just give him the support he needs because the injuries are set back but mentally, psychologically, it must be a blow for him as well.
00:21:37
Speaker
Other than that, there seems to be a fresh bill of health, so I do expect some change. I expect you to see Rodrigo Muniz start this one, maybe and in place of Jimenez, might see another run-out for Cuencon. And Harrison Reed is someone that hasn't played a lot of football recently, having that long-term injury, so it could be an opportunity to start him. But I feel like Fulham should give Wigg and their due respect, give the competition the respect, and not overlook them. If they show the necessary commitment and work great along with the attitude and application then you feel like they should have too much for Wigan on this occasion and and I feel like they will run out 3-1 victors and secure their passage into the fifth round of the FA Cup. That'll wrap it up for today's preview and a recap of all the events of the transfer window. Thank you once again for listening. I've been Gavin Rufford, your host as always and be sure to catch me next time on the Daily Fulham Podcast.
00:22:35
Speaker
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