the terminology used by skysports.com is interesting they seem confident a move to Fulham is in progress. article subject is 'Fulham set to bag Gooch'. It also says:
On the tfi site there is a poster called barra boy who seems to always have credible inside information. He made a post earlier about the work permit for Clint Dempsey being granted soon. Unfortunatly the post has fallen off the page (the message board format is pretty sucky) but he mentions more info to be comming soon. Normally I wouldn't post uncredited sources about this sort of thing but everyone on that board trusts what he says. Take it for what it is but it sounds like to me the Dempsey transfer is going to go through. Found the pertinent post in the archives: Click http://www.voy.com/13865/1/and search for Wahey -- Barra Boy
Looks like Montella will be a Fulham player soon: http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/jan3m.html
ESPN Soccernet has picked up the Gooch to Fulham news - citing skysports (which It's about as credible as it gets in England I must say). http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=398568&cc=5901 If Gooch joins Fulham, I will be absolutely thrilled. COYW!!!
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=439234&CPID=112&clid=54&lid=&title=FULHAM+HITCH+OVER+ONYEWU Fulham expected to make another offer it seems. Pony up the cash Mr. Harrods
It looks like it is official. Montella in at Fulham on a 6-month loan. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/f/fulham/6230473.stm 329 Appearances, 180 goals. Quite a resume. In case you want it more official - here is the AS Roma website's confirmation (but I don't read Italian) http://www.asroma.it/UserFiles/636.pdf
Montella has always been a great striker in Italy and the only reason he doesn't have much success with the national team because at his peak other great strikers were at their peak like Vieri and Inzaghi. Here's a goal compilation: [youtube]IeYhrboMomU[/youtube]
What kind of striker is Montella? How will he fare in the English game? How well does he pair up with a McBride or Helguson?
Think of Montella as a Filippo Inzaghi with way more technique and much less diving and complaining. He has qualities of a second striker but he's mainly an out and out striker. He can score ugly goals and nice goals. His record in Serie A proves he can score goals. I think he would form an interesting partnership with McBride, who is tall and can distribute the ball to the smaller Montella. Should be interesting.
From TFI -http://www.voy.com/13865/ I hope the Gooch deal goes through because I think he has the potential to be a great player. For the games I have been able to watch on FSC (yay DVR) the defense seems to be the area most needed for improvement. If they sign Gooch what do you think the chances are they offload Zat Knight?
A good start to the year for Fulham. For the poster who asked about seeing Fulham games in the U.S., it's quite helpful to be a fan of a non-Top 4 team. Because Fulham has played a lot of Monday games, and isn't part of the "first choice" game played at Saturday 3:00 UK, FOX Soccer Channel airs a good number of the games. I would expect with yet another American player (which essentially makes 4 counting Simon Elliott, who though a New Zelander played in MLS) in the squad, that FSC will choose even more Fulham games to show when it can. Just please don't sign Titus Bramble.
From TFI again. Take with a grain of salt since it is insider infromation. As a US fan signing another striker worries me about playing time for McBride, but considering his age and his priorities this is probably a good deal. McBride to MLS at the end of the year?
soccernet seems to be reporting that the Gooch deal has fallen through and that he has returned to training in Portugal with SL.
Fulham Accept Bid for Collins John 2 million pounds from an unnamed Premier League club, apparently Watford.
McBride is an American Sheringham. He'll still be playing for Fulham 5 years from now, although it might become as a top substitute rather than a starter at some point.
Hey I'm all for 5 mor eyears at Fulham. In other news: Boa Morte to West Ham for £5m and Etherington. http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premiership/article2125357.ece
I'll add the most "confirmed" source I've found on the Boa Morte - to - Hammers story. http://eurosport.com/football/premiership/2006-2007/sport_sto1046543.shtml
It is confirmed that the Boa deal has gone through from the FFC official site. Looks like Cookie wanted to keep him but Boa wanted to move on. Boa Leaves Fulham
Fresh start? who knows. But yea, why go from being on a team that's not likely to end up in the relegation battle to being on a team that's in the thick of it? Only good thing that comes out of it that I can think of is that we get some cash to play with.