Does Zamora actually dislike us Fulham fans?

[Whiteroom]

Its something that I have been thinking about for a while. He was given a rough time, not by me I hasten to add, by a lot of fans, and he did definitely feel a certain level of resentment. Is he over that or does he still think were idiots? He has definitely toned his anger down recently. I love the man, and it saddens me to think that he doesn't feel any sort of loyalty to the fans. Your thoughts.

[Rupert]

Unfortunately, there is a small, but vociferous, section of our support which seems to like picking on players who are not playing as well as we expect.
It's a long list, going back at least as far as Dean Coney, Peter Watson (special one haired Scottish forward, just in case I've got his name wrong), Gary Brazil, Micky Conroy, etc, etc.

Some players are able to ignore it (no, seem to be able to ignore it, for all we know it cuts deeply), some never turn out to be the stars we all hoped (perhaps the abuse contributes to this), others do succeed eventually, but they must remember the abuse and it must effect their relations with the fans.

Bobby Zamora is unusual in that he has, from time to time, given the abuse back, and this seems to upset some of our fans. Presumably some of those upset fans are the very same ones who dished out the abuse in the first place, which makes their apparant hurt feelings all the more astonishing, nay, hypocritical.

Now I am in a small group who, last season, when things were not going too well for BZ, wrote him a letter telling him that we could see what he brought to the team and he had our support, so he is probably aware that his tormentors do not speak for all of us (presumably others wrote to him too), thus he does not dislke us all. However, I believe, from his actions, that he holds part of our fanbase in deep contempt. Whether or not you think he is justified in this is a personal matter, I find it difficult to blame him for doing so.
You may have noticed that just recently the goal celebrations have started to take on a slightly self-mocking tone, BZ starting to celebrate, doing the cupped ear thing and the likes of Duff running up to him with the finger to the lips, so from that I think he knows he has got the message across.

So, no, he does not dislike us, just a small section of us.

Maybe a more difficult question would be, does he like us at all? Or just accept we come with the job?

[KCat]

people who attended the DINNER will tell you that Bobby sold tickets, was chatty to everyone and a delightful soul, unlike some of the others .......
I do not give a rats if he likes us or not .................in fact I would like him to get good and mad and score a couple tomorrow night ........

OiH !!!Zamora you couldnt hit the goal if it was the width of the pitch you big girls blouse    :027:

[WhiteJC]

I think we'll find out this summer, I'm sure that a number of clubs will be enquiring about his availability, if he goes to someone outside of the top 10 then we'll know the answer

[Yarden]

I love the guy and if he stays with us through the summer I will get his name on the back of our next home shirt!

[Logicalman]

I just wonder if Roy has set him up to channel his anger on the field and take it out on the opponents. That said, there always has to be some manner of venting, and so he gives a little back.

You will always have the boo-boys in every club, just look at the tarts on the offal who slate BZ every possible chance they get, and then make up stories to slag him off even more (a little like the Robin Hood tales, but in reverse), and don't forget, they ARE Fulham fans as well and provide an insight to the representation we might find on the terraces on any given week.

[epsomraver]

I think he does dislike the fans and it is just a job for him, his whole attitude at the end of the games home or away speak volumes, at the whistle he is off head down no acknowledgement of the crowd at all.

[cebu]

BZ might be annoyed with certain individuals in the crowd and give them the shush-shush-finger. But it isn't aimed at the fans in general. He also did the same thing to certain sections of the crowd when at West Ham. I don't think that meant he hated all West Ham fans.

[bobby01]

I think he does dislike the fans and it is just a job for him, his whole attitude at the end of the games home or away speak volumes, at the whistle he is off head down no acknowledgement of the crowd at all.

Bobby is not the only one who does that though.

[RidgeRider]

Unfortunately, there is a small, but vociferous, section of our support which seems to like picking on players who are not playing as well as we expect.
It's a long list, going back at least as far as Dean Coney, Peter Watson (special one haired Scottish forward, just in case I've got his name wrong), Gary Brazil, Micky Conroy, etc, etc.

Some players are able to ignore it (no, seem to be able to ignore it, for all we know it cuts deeply), some never turn out to be the stars we all hoped (perhaps the abuse contributes to this), others do succeed eventually, but they must remember the abuse and it must effect their relations with the fans.

Bobby Zamora is unusual in that he has, from time to time, given the abuse back, and this seems to upset some of our fans. Presumably some of those upset fans are the very same ones who dished out the abuse in the first place, which makes their apparant hurt feelings all the more astonishing, nay, hypocritical.

Now I am in a small group who, last season, when things were not going too well for BZ, wrote him a letter telling him that we could see what he brought to the team and he had our support, so he is probably aware that his tormentors do not speak for all of us (presumably others wrote to him too), thus he does not dislke us all. However, I believe, from his actions, that he holds part of our fanbase in deep contempt. Whether or not you think he is justified in this is a personal matter, I find it difficult to blame him for doing so.
You may have noticed that just recently the goal celebrations have started to take on a slightly self-mocking tone, BZ starting to celebrate, doing the cupped ear thing and the likes of Duff running up to him with the finger to the lips, so from that I think he knows he has got the message across.

So, no, he does not dislike us, just a small section of us.

Maybe a more difficult question would be, does he like us at all? Or just accept we come with the job?

Very good post and have a hard time disagreeing with anything your wrote. Well Done.

[MrCheviot]

IF you watch any of his highlights via youtube, you'll see smatterings of rather aggressive/retaliatory celebrations in both his Brighton and West Ham days.. including both the "SHHH" and "Ear Cup".

On a side note, can we ditch some of these smileys and get emoticons for goal celebrations? That'd be stellar.

[WhiteJC]

Bobby came over to us (well wandered in our direction as we were at the other end of the ground) and acknowledged the fans during the warm up, so perhaps he quite likes us after all