Does he have a role to play next year? Do we keep him in the squad or try to ship and recoup funds?
Pretty expensive asset to have around and wonder what part you all think, if any, he will play next year.
My own view is he has talent, but will never bag loads of goals and is better as part of a front 2 centrally. When we tried him on the right he just wasn't direct enough. Seemed to have a great attitude though despite being rightly frozen out. He made the bench for the second Derby game and final (after missing out on the squad for Derby away) so something tells me we haven't seen the final chapter on his Fulham days, but that obviously depends largely on how recruitment goes this summer.
Not good enough,terrible signing along with a few others last Summer,move them on.
I am hoping that Fonte will actually find a bit more space in the Prem. He is undoubtedly talented and did show all too brief moments of that talent. But I can't see him as an out and out striker. We needed a more physical player like Mitro. In the Prem he may be able to find the form that attracted the club to him in the first place.
I'm afraid i agree he's definately not good enough. Being a person with feelings i'm so loathed to slag him off. but he's been tried on many occasions and in different slots but alas the lad doesnt fit.
As the central striker he has no role for us
But has skill and has shown a great attitude
but
1) IF we play 2 up I can see him as a 10 with Mitro as 9
2) In our current formation it would also be interesting to see him play in the Johanson role .
Though if I was offered what I paid to sell him on I would take it .....
He clearly cares for the club, his impact in the dressing room exceeds his impact on the pitch.
The PL is a different ball game to the Championship, far less physical, and technical ability thrives over strength. Give him a 2nd chance to show what he can do.
Stop the illusions now, please!
Fonte couldn't even sniff a sub role in the Championship. He got the benefit of doubt early on as our big 9m signing, but failed to show anything. Good teammate or not, the quality just isn't there. At least for English football.
Another myth I can't listen to anymore is about the PL being less physical than the Championship! PL defenders are not only stronger and faster, but in general they are better in just about every area than your typical wooden Championship defender. Even slightly below average PL defenders wouldn't lose any sleep over Fonte.
I don't see Fonte featuring in the PL. Have a gut feeling that it won't be easy to offload him either. Only chance I see is loaning him back to Portugal with us still paying a good part of his salary. Or we find a Championship club that is desperate for a striker on deadline day, just like we were usually.
Not willing to write him off yet. Let's wait and see. Ream won everyone round when same criticism of him was going on. Not physically strong enough, can't jump and win headers , no pace. Just won player of the year.
The difference between the Championship and the premier league is huge. Players are fitter, quicker, and technically and tactically more adept. Fonte couldn't deliver in the lesser division so what makes anyone think he will deliver in the prem? He will not have "more space", defenders do not politely sit off in the prem, they just tend not to need to resort to physicality as much due to their other attributes.
Dream on those who see Fonte as contributing at this level.
sadly he s just too lightweight. But agree with MJG you never know ,he could turn it around.
Sentimental tosh talked on here,yes that will win us games him being a lovely fella...We were had paying 9 million for him.
Why not keep them all Williams, Woodrow, Dajo,Cisse,
Button,Ojo,and whoever,all lovely fellas.
Nonsense.
Quote from: MJG on June 13, 2018, 02:27:58 PM
Not willing to write him off yet. Let's wait and see. Ream won everyone round when same criticism of him was going on. Not physically strong enough, can't jump and win headers , no pace. Just won player of the year.
Ream is a rare exception. Probability of 1 in 100, if not more, that a player who's been playing horrible for the better part of 2 seasons suddenly turns into Beckenbauer.
I just don't see Fonte succeeding with us. He is too weak for attack, too slow for midfield, and doesn't posess other special abilities that would justify playing him. It's not like he has the creativity of Bryan Ruiz, who is much faster btw. Fonte is a solid technician, but nowhere near Cairney or even Johansen. He certainly doesn't have the power of Johansen which you need in midfield these days. Too slow for the wing, like a lesser version of Piazon.
Fonte's track record in Portugal wasn't very good either. At 28 years, odds are he doesn't turn into a serviceable PL striker.
Quote from: Madman Maddle on June 13, 2018, 02:48:42 PM
Quote from: MJG on June 13, 2018, 02:27:58 PM
Not willing to write him off yet. Let's wait and see. Ream won everyone round when same criticism of him was going on. Not physically strong enough, can't jump and win headers , no pace. Just won player of the year.
Ream is a rare exception. Probability of 1 in 100, if not more, that a player who's been playing horrible for the better part of 2 seasons suddenly turns into Beckenbauer.
I just don't see Fonte succeeding with us. He is too weak for attack, too slow for midfield, and doesn't posess other special abilities that would justify playing him. It's not like he has the creativity of Bryan Ruiz, who is much faster btw. Fonte is a solid technician, but nowhere near Cairney or even Johansen. He certainly doesn't have the power of Johansen which you need in midfield these days. Too slow for the wing, like a lesser version of Piazon.
Fonte's track record in Portugal wasn't very good either. At 28 years, odds are he doesn't turn into a serviceable PL striker.
I'm not saying he will succeed, just not willing to write him off yet.
Ream is not the only player to play better and win back/over fans after a poor start and certainly not 1 in 100.
I like the man.Think he may be more suited to the Prem.The main thing is what does the manager think.Never really had the chance to cement his place so difficult to say really.
I don't think Fulham will keep him, if the manager doesn't think he's capable of doing a job.
I'd like to see Fonte succeed, if only to pay back the investment we've made in him.
If he's still with us after the summer, we'll know that the manager obviously thinks he can do a job for us in the Prem. He might well surprise a few people.
Quote from: Mince n Tatties on June 13, 2018, 01:06:51 PM
Not good enough,terrible signing along with a few others last Summer,move them on.
+1, don't know how many times the subject of Fonte has to be brought up on here?????
Quite happy with him as 3rd choice forward behind Mitro (fingers crossed) and Kamara. Squad is thin right now and he looks like he enjoys it. Give him another season.
I wrote Ream off last year - what do I know - This year he got my vote for Player of the year. Am I the only one?
What ever SJ decides is fine by me.
Worth a second chance. Too soon to write him off. Hayles, Ream, Conroy... so common for players to have a bad first season and come good in the second. Clearly got a good attitude, which suggests he might be able to turn it around. That said, if we got what we paid for him , I'd take it.
I actually had a dream last night that we'd sold him, and I'll be honest I was dissapointed to wake up and find out we hadn't!
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Quote from: davew on June 13, 2018, 05:05:06 PM
Quote from: Mince n Tatties on June 13, 2018, 01:06:51 PM
Not good enough,terrible signing along with a few others last Summer,move them on.
+1, don't know how many times the subject of Fonte has to be brought up on here?????
Could be the worst 9million we have ever spent, pound for pound.
I would like him to succeed, because I doubt if we could give him away at the moment let alone get any money back for him.
I would like to know whose error of judgement was it to decide to spend that kind of money on a player that currently has so many short comings, they should pay it back to the club out of their own wages.
As we will not be able carry any passengers in the English Premier League.
So he either gets his act together ASAP like yesterday, or we off load him from the payroll, as he is not giving value for the obscene money he is earning.
Common sense indicates that Fonte is going to struggle to find a place on the bench in the Premiership. Sell him ASAP and use any small transfer fee we get to build up the offer for Mitrovic.
Common sense indicates that Fonte is going to struggle to find a place on the bench in the Premiership. Sell him ASAP and use any small transfer fee we get to build up the offer for Mitrovic.
I agree. He hardly lit the Championship up did he, what makes people think he will suddenly be a hit in the EPL? As nice a fella as he appears to be we can't afford the luxury of keeping him in case he suddenly makes an improvement. He just didn't work out for us, better for both parties that he be moved on and removed from the wage bill and whatever funds are recouped can then be better spent elsewhere.
We do not know, it's All opinions obviously but I would say, if a decent offer comes in, and I suggest we let it know we would be prepared to sell, then let him go. If not, he fights for form and a place in the squad.
He is not a poor player, he has a fantastic attitude and could be a good squad player. Don't write him off, but if we can get some good money back, off he goes with our best wishes.
Unless he decides to being more selfish on the pitch, he will be a good candidate to give up the #9 shirt depending on who/what position we sign. I think it would be the best thing for him. He can play in midfield or as a second striker. Prem is a different beast than championship. Much more variety of play styles, so who knows.
When it comes to picking the players Jokanovic wants in his squad he shows no sentimentality. Fonte knows that as well as anyone, but, last season, there were times when our coaches were indulged in making patchwork quilts because they had little options elsewhere. I really don't get the 'rubbish' tags as Fonte clearly has skill, ability and, perhaps latent, talent. Much depends on what happens over the next several weeks as a first team core begins to appear. I am happy to let SJ make the decisions about who is or isn't good enough.
Quote from: Lighthouse on June 13, 2018, 01:13:00 PM
I am hoping that Fonte will actually find a bit more space in the Prem. He is undoubtedly talented and did show all too brief moments of that talent. But I can't see him as an out and out striker. We needed a more physical player like Mitro. In the Prem he may be able to find the form that attracted the club to him in the first place.
+1
Quote from: bog on June 14, 2018, 08:55:05 AM
Quote from: Lighthouse on June 13, 2018, 01:13:00 PM
I am hoping that Fonte will actually find a bit more space in the Prem. He is undoubtedly talented and did show all too brief moments of that talent. But I can't see him as an out and out striker. We needed a more physical player like Mitro. In the Prem he may be able to find the form that attracted the club to him in the first place.
+1
Absolutely no chance. More space, do you really think defenders politely stand off in the Prem? They are less physical for much of the time because they are better players; speed and timing into the tackle, fitness, pace, ability to steer forwards away from the danger areas, etc. Fonte will not have a prayer.
I remember Steven Davies at Fulham and how a lot of people thought he was too light weight but he's done well at Southampton over the years. Fonte is obviously a team man and I along with a few others hope he takes his chances and proves he's got something to offer.
If Fonte has been a free transfer or for a modest fee, I would probably be more sympathetic. But allegedly 9m is criminal. So unless he has something up his sleeve, or preferably in his boots, and he starts playing like a 9m footballer, then in the cold light of day, unfortunately his wages do not justify having him on board ship, and he has become a very expensive mascot.
Mitrovic could not get into Toons, so there is always a chance things could turn around for him.
I would keep him for another season and see what progress he made in the Prem. I don't think we can rely to heavily on him though
Quote from: Twig on June 13, 2018, 02:41:57 PM
The difference between the Championship and the premier league is huge. Players are fitter, quicker, and technically and tactically more adept. Fonte couldn't deliver in the lesser division so what makes anyone think he will deliver in the prem? He will not have "more space", defenders do not politely sit off in the prem, they just tend not to need to resort to physicality as much due to their other attributes.
Dream on those who see Fonte as contributing at this level.
Players run more and further in the Chanpionship compared to the Premiership. That's statistically proven.
Players in the Premiership are far more intelligent and are thus in the right positions far more often than players in the Championship.
As for sprint stats, I'm not sure. Players in the Premiership may well rack up more sprints in 90 mins.
Of course it may be difficult to sell Fonte, he is probably on a good contract and is happy to stay and fight for a Premiership place rather than move to a lower league and a less attractive contract.
I don't think the club will keep him on unless they think he can contribute as a player.
Quote from: Woolly Mammoth on June 13, 2018, 06:32:24 PM
Quote from: davew on June 13, 2018, 05:05:06 PM
Quote from: Mince n Tatties on June 13, 2018, 01:06:51 PM
Not good enough,terrible signing along with a few others last Summer,move them on.
+1, don't know how many times the subject of Fonte has to be brought up on here?????
Could be the worst 9million we have ever spent, pound for pound.
I would like him to succeed, because I doubt if we could give him away at the moment let alone get any money back for him.
I would like to know whose error of judgement was it to decide to spend that kind of money on a player that currently has so many short comings, they should pay it back to the club out of their own wages.
As we will not be able carry any passengers in the English Premier League.
So he either gets his act together ASAP like yesterday, or we off load him from the payroll, as he is not giving value for the obscene money he is earning.
Yet again so on Woolly.
Having seen Tim Ream go from wet lettuce impersonator to POTS, I'll cheerfully admit to knowing diddly squit about whether a player will improve significantly from one season to the next.
Granted TR was doing it without a change in division. Rui Fonte's situation is a bit different. But I know that TR did what he did, in part, because he's a humble and determined character. Evidence suggests RF has similar characteristics.
Good luck to him, whatever happens
A lot of us would have to eat a lot of humble pie if Fonte came good but I would be quite content with that, indeed I would be pleased because we really do need more strength up top.
Like him as a person,can he get better at this level ?the jury's out.
It could be the making or breaking next season for him
I had a dream the other night about Rui Fonte scoring a brilliant goal at Wembley in Fulham's away kit......
