Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo fears the club could effectively lose its England stars Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard in January.
The pair will be free to sign pre-contract agreements with rival clubs in the new year if they do not agree new deals ahead of their current contracts expiring in the summer.
On 31-year-old left-back Cole, who has won 99 caps for England, Di Matteo said: "He's a fit boy. He can play every game, so he still has many years in front of him.
"My point is that I would like him to stay here and be here with us."
Midfielder Lampard, 34, has scored 188 goals in more than 600 appearances for the Blues since signing from West Ham for £11m in 2001.
Cole maybe, Lampard no.
Wages too high anyway.
yes to both of them, Lampard maybe getting on a bit but he still one hell of a player, i could not care less they play for Chelsea, it's just another club.
Lampard. But yeah...wages.
We are a proper Premier League club. We are NOT a Championship team whose fans should get excited by the prospect of an over-the-hill England international from a BIG London team playing for us.
Lampard, apart from being a first-class jerk, is slipping. Cashley, apart from being a no-class jerk, has lost the step that made him a great player. Signing over-the-hill players is a good way to boost a small team's box office. The thing is, we are a proper Premier League club, and there are no empty seats that need filling.
I'd take Cole, but this is a non issue.
Both want big wages and big contracts for the end of their careers. Simply not going to happen
So that's a no HatterDon?
Spot on post sir. As usual.
We are not in need of taking their current Clive Walker, Doug Rougvie's anymore
:plus one:
Quote from: HatterDon on October 28, 2012, 12:27:16 PM
We are a proper Premier League club. We are NOT a Championship team whose fans should get excited by the prospect of an over-the-hill England international from a BIG London team playing for us.
Lampard, apart from being a first-class jerk, is slipping. Cashley, apart from being a no-class jerk, has lost the step that made him a great player. Signing over-the-hill players is a good way to boost a small team's box office. The thing is, we are a proper Premier League club, and there are no empty seats that need filling.
...saved me the bother to say the same thing (and with more eloquence than I could muster)...
Ashley Cole is still a world class player no matter what he does off the pitch, but they'd both be on ridiculous wages we couldn't afford
Another ride on the weasel-worded, £sign-adorned, agent-stirred, bullshitterama that is a daily part of PL life.
If De Matteo is so keen to retain the super-fit, infinitely durable player then a suitable contract offer might be in order. No?
Ashley Cole to Fulham? Well maybe if all other no. 3s in the known universe, from John Arne Riise to Jason Leonard were to be suddenly abducted by space aliens we might take a deep breath and then say....'Hey, Stephen Kelly, what's your left peg like?'
Lampard hates us due to a Fulham fan breaking into his house and Spay Painting on the wall FFC or something like that.
"Frankie wherever you may be, you better change the locks because we've got your key"... dunno the whole song, that's why when he plays us, he kisses the badge and celebrates in front of the Fulham Fans
Erm...nope.
Would prefer to put faith in up 'n' comers instead.
Lampard
None of them...
Quote from: DiegoFulham on October 28, 2012, 01:18:36 PM
Lampard hates us due to a Fulham fan breaking into his house and Spay Painting on the wall FFC or something like that.
"Frankie wherever you may be, you better change the locks because we've got your key"... dunno the whole song, that's why when he plays us, he kisses the badge and celebrates in front of the Fulham Fans
Does that mean if we give him back his telly he'll stop scoring against us?
Both. Cashley is class.
No thanks.
There will be no premiership clubs bidding for these two, except perhaps QPHa.
If they are looking for contracts of two or three years then they have to look to the Championship,the States ,China or somewhere similar.
Yes great idea, why not throw in John Terry for good measure
Never in a million years...they can both do one to each other...mind you they probably already have...
Would I take the best left back in the world? Hmmm tricky one that. I'll get back to you on that one.
And Lampard? Why not.
Quote from: HatterDon on October 28, 2012, 12:27:16 PM
We are a proper Premier League club. We are NOT a Championship team whose fans should get excited by the prospect of an over-the-hill England international from a BIG London team playing for us.
Lampard, apart from being a first-class jerk, is slipping. Cashley, apart from being a no-class jerk, has lost the step that made him a great player. Signing over-the-hill players is a good way to boost a small team's box office. The thing is, we are a proper Premier League club, and there are no empty seats that need filling.
You read my mind man.Agree with everything u wrote in your post.
Both a class above.
Quote from: filham on October 28, 2012, 05:04:12 PM
No thanks.
There will be no premiership clubs bidding for these two, except perhaps QPHa.
If they are looking for contracts of two or three years then they have to look to the Championship,the States ,China or somewhere similar.
There was quite a buzz last summer about Lampard leaving for our MLS over here after this season. I wouldn't be surprised to see this happen.
His Mrs has her tv career in the uk and his kids are based in Spain (I think- maybe here). Can't see him going stateside
Quote from: DiegoFulham on October 28, 2012, 01:18:36 PM
Lampard hates us due to a Fulham fan breaking into his house and Spay Painting on the wall FFC or something like that.
"Frankie wherever you may be, you better change the locks because we've got your key"... dunno the whole song, that's why when he plays us, he kisses the badge and celebrates in front of the Fulham Fans
Did they really ?? I thought they just took several of his plasmas
Quote from: KCat on October 28, 2012, 11:57:46 PM
Quote from: DiegoFulham on October 28, 2012, 01:18:36 PM
Lampard hates us due to a Fulham fan breaking into his house and Spay Painting on the wall FFC or something like that.
"Frankie wherever you may be, you better change the locks because we've got your key"... dunno the whole song, that's why when he plays us, he kisses the badge and celebrates in front of the Fulham Fans
Did they really ?? I thought they just took several of his plasmas
Having his plasma's stolen could explain a lot ;-)
The amount of times Lumpard has gone to the Fulham end to kiss that joke of a badge right in front of us! I'm surprised he never sparked a riot!! And yet some of you would take him? :doh: fp.gif :dead horse:
