Who's The Rat/Mole/Stool Pigeon?

[White Noise]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4011366/Bobby-Zamora-news-Martin-Jol-says-Zamora-reports-a-cause-for-concern.html


Zamora reports a cause for concern


Published: 20 Dec 2011


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MARTIN JOL is becoming increasingly concerned about reports regarding Bobby Zamora's future.

There has been mounting speculation over recent weeks that the pair's relationship is fraught, leading to suggestions the England international could leave Craven Cottage in January.

Jol has constantly batted back such talk and was forced to once again today after a report that Zamora was told to train with the reserves yesterday.

Jol said: "There was no reserves yesterday because we have a game today.

"We always train with a rest group (those not involved in the match against Bolton) so Aaron Hughes was there, [Pajtim] Kasami, [Marcel] Gecov. All the players who were not involved in the game.

"That is the normal thing to give them extra loading.

"I don't know what they are on about and it was not with the reserve team coaches.

"There is no rift, Bobby is Bobby.

"He was fine yesterday, he trained with all the players who didn't start.

"Those 14 did a session to load them, and he was fine."

The Dutchman added: "I'm only concerned that this sort of thing is coming up all the time.

"I don't know but for me there is no problem."

Jol will be able to welcome Zamora back for tomorrow's match against Manchester United, having missed Saturday's 2-0 defeat of Bolton with a medial ligament injury in his left knee.

[White Noise]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/fulham/8969293/Fulham-manager-Martin-Jol-denies-rift-with-Bobby-Zamora-ahead-of-Manchester-United-clash.html


Fulham manager Martin Jol denies rift with Bobby Zamora ahead of Manchester United clash


Martin Jol has denied any rift with Bobby Zamora but admitted that the England forward cannot be sure of a place in Fulham's starting team even when he is fully fit.


Back in contention: Bobby Zamora trains with the Fulham squad having recovered from injury Photo: REUTERS

By Jeremy Wilson

11:00PM GMT 20 Dec 2011

Zamora is available for Wednesday's match against Manchester United But Jol would not guarantee that he will play, instead emphasising his range of attacking options and how the team had been working on combinations involving Clint Dempsey, Moussa Dembele and Bryan Ruiz.

Jol described Zamora as "more of a target man" but did say that he wants to keep the entire Fulham squad together until at least the end of the season. It is understood that Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers are among the clubs monitoring Zamora's situation.

A major concern for Zamora will be the need for regular football as he tries to secure a place in England's Euro 2012 squad.

Zamora trained on Monday with others, including Aaron Hughes, Steve Sidwell and Damien Duff, who did not feature in Saturday's 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers, with Jol insisting that did not amount to a gathering of reserves. The full first-team squad, including Zamora, trained together on Tuesday in a tactical session involving 11 against 11.

"The first team, I've got a big group, say 24 players," said Jol. "Eleven players are starting every match. We had a rest group of 13 players. That is not my reserves. It is the first team and they need training, they need loading. The other group is doing a recovery session. He [Zamora] was involved. The only time he was not involved is if he's got an injury."

Asked if Zamora would make his best team, Jol said: "Bobby would have started the last match but he wasn't fit so I had to play Andy Johnson. It would be silly when you've got 24 players to say, 'this is my best team'. If you work hard and have a good mentality that's important.

"Even if you would like to start with a certain forward line you have to change it week by week almost. Bobby is fit to be in the squad."

Of his own relationship with Zamora and the suggestion that the striker might leave next month, Jol said: "There is no rift. I want to keep the players we've got. I'm happy with my squad."

[White Noise]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/dec/20/fulham-martin-jol-bobby-zamora



Fulham's Martin Jol denies rift between him and Bobby Zamora



• Striker no longer first choice at Craven Cottage

• Manager confident ahead of Manchester United visit


Jamie Jackson

guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 20 December 2011 23.00 GMT Article history 


Fulham's Bobby Zamora, left, appears to have fallen out of favour of late. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images


Martin Jol has warned Bobby Zamora he is no longer the "No1" striker in the Fulham attack but denied there is any rift between the pair.

The England forward has recovered from the knee injury that ruled him out of the 2-0 win against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday and although he is available for selection against Manchester United on Wednesday evening, Zamora appears to have fallen out of favour at Craven Cottage of late.

Asked if Zamora would be in his strongest lineup when all his forwards are fit, Jol said: "He was at the start of the last match but he was not fit so I had to play Andy Johnson, which in hindsight was a good decision. It would be silly when you've got 21 players to say: 'This is my best team.' I can remember games when we played with certain players and I thought: 'It would have been better to start with somebody else.' And the next week it was different. That is football. You have to work hard and have a good mentality, that's important."

Zamora, who is a regular in Fabio Capello's England squad, has previously been Fulham's main striker when fit. But asked if the 30-year-old was happy now competing with Johnson, Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembélé, Jol said: "You don't know all the team formations. There are a lot of other players – [Eidur] Gudjohnsen, [Zoltan] Gera and [Diomansy] Kamara – and I don't think you could say: 'That was our strike force'

"How many times did Bobby play with Andy Johnson in the last three or four years? Six or seven times. Even if you would like to start with a certain forward line you have to change it week by week, almost. Bobby is fit to be in the squad [against United] so we will make a decision on the team tonight."

Regarding whether there is a problem between him and Zamora after he had previously been left out of the squad that played at Swansea City on 10 December Jol said: "There is no rift. Bobby is Bobby and he'll always have that. He was fine yesterday, he trained yesterday with all the players who didn't start [on Saturday], including Aaron Hughes. Today, everybody was there so we played a team tactical session, 11 v 11. It's the same group but the other group who started against Bolton joined. He was involved. The only time he was not involved is if he's got an injury. Then we exclude him."

Jol said he does not think Zamora may move on in next month's transfer window. "I'm not concerned. For me it's not a big problem. I'm only concerned that this sort of thing is coming up all the time [in the media]. I don't know but for me there is no problem."

Fulham have enjoyed a good record against United at Craven Cottage in recent years. "We had a 3-0 win [in December 2009] and a 2-2 draw [last season] so we seem to do well against them," said Jol, who did not mention a 2-0 win in March 2009. "I think it could be coincidence but it could be our style as well."

[White Noise]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2076782/Martin-Jol-Bobby-Zamora-choice-Fulham.html



Zamora can't always be No 1 at Fulham, warns Cottagers boss Jo

lBy Laura Williamson

Last updated at 12:37 AM on 21st December 2011


Martin Jol has told Bobby Zamora no player can expect to be granted an automatic place in the starting XI at Fulham.

The striker missed Saturday's 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers with a knee ligament injury and trained on Monday with other players, such as Steve Sidwell, Aaron Hughes and Damien Duff, who did not feature at the weekend.

Zamora, 30, is back in the squad to face Manchester United and was involved in an 11 versus 11 tactical session for the whole of the first team on Tuesday.


Star man? Bobby Zamora goes close against Odense

But Fulham boss Jol refused to single out the England striker as his first choice forward and insisted Zamora has not necessarily been the main target man under his predecessors, Mark Hughes and Roy Hodgson.

Jol said: 'It would be silly when you've got 21 players to say: "This is my best team". If you work hard and have a good mentality that's important.

'There have been a lot of other players – (Eidur) Gudjohnsen, (Zoltan) Gera and (Diomansy) Kamara – and I don't think you could say: "That was our strike force".

'How many times did Bobby play with Andy Johnson in the last three or four years? Six or seven times.

'Even if you would like to start with a certain forward line you have to change it week by week, almost.'


No guarantee: Martin Jol has told Zamora he will not play every week

The Fulham manager went on to praise Bryan Ruiz, who finally showed his potential with a stunning individual goal and an assist last Saturday.

Jol said Ruiz has struggled since his £10.6million move from FC Twente on deadline day owing to a knee injury but compared the 26-year-old's talent to Chelsea star Juan Mata, who has impressed since moving from Valencia last summer.

The Dutchman said: 'Ruiz was a star in Holland and you saw against Everton, Arsenal and Bolton that he is somebody who can make the difference.

'I feel his best position is probably infield in a 4-3-3 like Juan Mata. It's one thing we have to think about in the future. He can play with a flank player, on the right himself or even as a second striker.

'When he came over he had an injury. I couldn't expect him to do the business from the start. Of course you want that, but it was impossible.

   'Then after three weeks he had an injury again – the same one, the knee. But he will say: "I'm fit now".

'Ruiz will be an important player for us. If you talk about the season after next season it would be a bit late. Hopefully he can show his productivity in the next couple of months.'



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2076782/Martin-Jol-Bobby-Zamora-choice-Fulham.html#ixzz1h7tsXQiW

[HatterDon]

To answer your question: Jol/Jol/Jol

Anybody else love the irony of a Murdoch rag expressing concern over leaks to the media?

[NorthernWhite]

I think it's Bobby's agent running off the The Mail every time seeing as they're the main culprit.

The QPR message board below are convinced he's off to them although I very much doubt one of our physio's would be spouting off about the situation.

Just my own opinion but I do think he's off in Jan and is agitating for a move and it wouldn't surprise me if Bobby and/or AJ had been tapped up by QPR.

http://www.wearetherangersboys.com/forum/showthread.php?t=122886

[HatterDon]

It's an old sports management trick to turn the fans against an important player to make it easier to sweep him out the door. I think this is happening at The Cottage right now.

We were going to lose Bobby sooner or later anyhow, so if he goes, that's the way it is. I just hope we [and by we, I mean the club] are not counting on his replacement being an injured striker in the French league who has no experience with the pace and physical requirements of the Prem.

[ImperialWhite]

I just hope we [and by we, I mean the club] are not counting on his replacement being an injured striker in the French league who has no experience with the pace and physical requirements of the Prem.

I'm biased (being a Ligue 1 fan), but I think you're being a touch harsh on the French league - the gulf between our two leagues isn't so great, especially if the player is one who's playing style is built on pace and strength as Gignac is. I concede that he would be a big gamble, given his price tag, but I have a good feeling that he is just the player we need (and shipping Zamora to get Gignac would take 5 years off our squad age). My suspicion is that the injury is bogus - something to keep Gignac out of the squad for transfer purposes.