Zamora Tipped For £5m Championship Exit After Jol Fall-out

[White Noise]

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/11/16/2758333/bobby-zamora-could-be-heading-for-shock-5m-january-exit-from


Bobby Zamora could be heading for shock £5m January exit from Fulham after falling out with Martin Jol


The England striker is settled in London and Championship promotion-chasers West Ham, Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion are all monitoring his situation


16 Nov 2011 08:00:00 


EXCLUSIVE

By Wayne Veysey | Chief correspondent



Bobby Zamora could be heading for a shock departure from Fulham in January following a gradual disintegration in his relationship with manager Martin Jol, Goal.com can reveal.

The England striker has had a series of disagreements with Jol over the manager's decision to rest him from some Europa League matches and is also believed to be unhappy about the progressive overhaul of the team's tactics, which is centred on phasing out a system with a support striker and introducing a Dutch-style 4-3-3 formation.

But the 30-year-old's options are likely to be reduced as the player is settled in London and does not want to leave the south-east.

Championship promotion-chasers West Ham, Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace are among those closely monitoring the situation.

"Jol has a poor relationship with Zamora and it is no secret that they do not see eye to eye," a source told Goal.com. "Fulham could be willing to listen to offers for him but it depends on what happens with the other forwards and where they are in the table in January.

"If Fulham are struggling with around 16 points, they are more likely to trust in the players who have helped keep them up quite comfortably in the last three seasons. If they have around 22-26 points, there could be some high-profile changes and you will see a gradual break-up of what is an ageing squad."

In-form Andy Johnson is out of contract at the end of the season and is holding out for a better deal than he has been offered, while speculation also surrounds the futures of Clint Dempsey, who was the subject of an enquiry from Arsenal last summer, and prize asset Moussa Dembele.

The Belgian attacker, who has been compared by Jol to Rafael van der Vaart, is the player that Fulham are most desperate to keep out of the clutches of rival clubs.

Although Zamora has maintained his position as Fulham's centre-forward under three different managers and his consistent club form was recognised with a second full England cap against Sweden on Tuesday night, he is 31 in January and the west London club could be tempted into selling if they receive an offer that matches their £5 million valuation.

Zamora has two-and-a-half years remaining on his £45,000-a-week contract and it is believed that he might be willing to drop down a division to spearhead the revival of an ambitious Championship club.

As Goal.com revealed last week, Fulham are looking to reinforce their squad in January by recruiting a fast left-winger, with Scott Sinclair top of their shopping list, a centre-forward and a right-back.

[leonffc]

"The England striker has had a series of disagreements with Jol over the manager’s decision to rest him from some Europa League matches and is also believed to be unhappy about the progressive overhaul of the team’s tactics, which is centred on phasing out a system with a support striker and introducing a Dutch-style 4-3-3 formation."

I wonder if he fell out with Capello after being asked to play a 4-3-3 last night?
 

 Lazy lazy journalism / rubbish reasons again for me although as I said in August, if Gignac came in, BZ was on his way.

[The Equalizer]

Brilliant article! You couldn't make it up!

Oh, they did.  083.gif

[BalDrick]

Very very rare for a 30 year old Prem player to drop a division unless he's not getting the games.

I wouldn't be too surprised if we got offers for him - Sunderland (because they're rubbish) and Newcastle (because they haven't really replaced Carroll, nor spent the money) would both be likely to be interested. But the wanting to stay in or near London factor probably carries some weight.

The other thing is that I feel it highly unlikely Jol will be looking to make wholesale changes mid-season if we're a) still in Europe (which we almost definitely will be) and b) are still in a poor position in the league (ditto).

So, a load of rubbish would be a shorter response.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

Bobby us going nowhere in Jan.

He CAN play as target man in a 4-3-3 as proven (again) last night.

He signed a four year contract last year, so he wont walk out.

I have no doubts that Zamora will probably retire with us.

[richie17]

Well the goal thing does square with a lot of the rumours going around, some from more than one source.  The Brighton and West Ham bit might be made up but the general principle isn't at all: if we have enough points Jol's going to rebuild.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

Well the goal thing does square with a lot of the rumours going around, some from more than one source.  The Brighton and West Ham bit might be made up but the general principle isn't at all: if we have enough points Jol's going to rebuild.

I dont understand why Zamora cannot be part of the rebuilding?

He may not see eye to eye with Jol, but until we can play well without him, it would be madness to get rid of him.

We can get rid of other, older players in Jan (AJ, Duff) and maybe look to move Zamora on in the summer, if his beef with Jol is permanent

[BalDrick]

'...if we have enough points Jol's going to rebuild.'

Ain't going to have enough points by January though, not a hope. Any rebuild will be in the summer, only departure I can see in January is Dembele, doubtless for a fraction of his worth to that spiv crook Twitch.

[richie17]

Well the goal thing does square with a lot of the rumours going around, some from more than one source.  The Brighton and West Ham bit might be made up but the general principle isn't at all: if we have enough points Jol's going to rebuild.

I dont understand why Zamora cannot be part of the rebuilding?

He may not see eye to eye with Jol, but until we can play well without him, it would be madness to get rid of him.

We can get rid of other, older players in Jan (AJ, Duff) and maybe look to move Zamora on in the summer, if his beef with Jol is permanent

I think a lot of it comes down to resale value and the type of approach Jol wants to take. He wanted to rebuild around a Ruiz/Dembele/AN Other  three, different players altogether.

[Mr Fulham]

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[richie17]

HAHAHAHHA 064.gif 064.gif 064.gif




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??

[Mr Fulham]

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??

Brighton, Crystal Palace....5m... :011:

[Logicalman]

That would be a smart decision  y Bobby, wouldn't it?

he finally gets the chance to start for his country, and decides a couple of months later to drop into the championship!!

Think on it, I'm sure Bobby will be. There are very few non-keeper call-ups  for players not in the top divisions. I guess its based on the fact that if you play against average sides week-in and week-out, how can you hone your skills to deal with the best in the world?

Sorry, how many more of these jackanories are we going to see printed? and how many more times are we going to see debates about this crap on the various MBs? Roll on Saturday, please ...  bang head

[os5889]

That would be a smart decision  y Bobby, wouldn't it?

he finally gets the chance to start for his country, and decides a couple of months later to drop into the championship!!

Think on it, I'm sure Bobby will be. There are very few non-keeper call-ups  for players not in the top divisions. I guess its based on the fact that if you play against average sides week-in and week-out, how can you hone your skills to deal with the best in the world?

Sorry, how many more of these jackanories are we going to see printed? and how many more times are we going to see debates about this crap on the various MBs? Roll on Saturday, please ...  bang head

Bullard did it, granted he never got to play, but he did it!

[Oakeshott]

If we don't win a few more games before Christmas it will be Jol that goes, not Bobby.

[aussierod]

I cant see Bobby going in January (and especially not to a championship club), that would be a ridiculously foolish move on his behalf. The club is in no need to seel him, he's still got around 3yrs on his contract and we still want/need him. I think he could be quite good with Ruiz, Dempsey and Dembele (or another winger if Dembele does in fact go) playing off him as his distribution and hold up play is excellent. It's a thankless role but it a team sport.
If West Ham get promoted and have a bit of money to spend then I could see him going there next summer (as he's a West Ham fan as far as I remember) and that would allow us to bring in a new younger, adaptable striker who fits the formation the gaffer wishes to play.
Bobby wont go in January though, Duff will go, most likely Johnson (only to QPR though as he wants to stay in London) will go, and I think Dembele may also go in summer, as he refuses to resign a new contract and looks for a 'bigger' club.

[epsomraver]

As he lives on the Surrey Kent border i would not see him wanting to go Essex again.

[horse1031]

can you imagine if he would have gone to Hull a couple of years back?  He has done some great things for Fulham... one of our best and most important players on his day.

this report is rubbish.  Bobby might have gotten angry about not playing in some Europa games but it was probably just a disagreement.  He will be here for the full season.  Going down to the championship??  wow

[Burt]

I wonder who the "source close to the club" was? Perhaps it was Uncle Tom Cobbly when he was out walking his dog Spot past the entrance to Motspur Park.

[HatterDon]

'...if we have enough points Jol's going to rebuild.'

Ain't going to have enough points by January though, not a hope. Any rebuild will be in the summer, only departure I can see in January is Dembele, doubtless for a fraction of his worth to that spiv crook Twitch.

I agree.

And I doubt we can have 40 points by January and, believe me, that's the bottom level of points to have in the bag if Jol's really going to boot Zamora, Dempsey, Duff, YoMama, etc.