Frei off to Turkey

[The Old Count]

Just heard he is about to sign for Besiktas.

I always thought he was one of our best young prospects.

Jol might be good at finding them. Sure don't look like he's good at managing them.

[Roberty]

It is not possible for any manager, including Jol, to select players who are injured.

He has come back injured from International duty on several occasions during the last two season and Kacaniklic has nipped in ahead of him.

We also have several other young players pushing for a place.

Who would you drop from the match day squad to create a space for him?

[Deanothefulhamfan]

I akways liked Frei.... Jol was never really a fan... Still if we 3 million for him then its good busi ess on our part as we have mesca who is coming through now and looks equally as exciting

[MJG]

mesca who is coming through now and looks equally as exciting

We can soon coach that out of him

[epsomraver]

mesca who is coming through now and looks equally as exciting

We can soon coach that out of him

:plus one:

[alfie]

mesca who is coming through now and looks equally as exciting

We can soon coach that out of him

Sometimes i just wonder about comments on this site, sounds like you want that to happen, still if that is your way of supporting Fulham then i guess that's your choice.

[MJG]

mesca who is coming through now and looks equally as exciting

We can soon coach that out of him

Sometimes i just wonder about comments on this site, sounds like you want that to happen, still if that is your way of supporting Fulham then i guess that's your choice.

Lighten up.  I'm soomeone who want Frei, mesca, briggs, Tankovic etc all to impress, improve and move into the first team and have said so on many occasions.
My comment was a fulhamish joke ffs.  Ok with a hint of a dig at the current coaching at the club but still a bit of early morning banter.

TBH I'm really angry at the whole Frei issue. The most exciting player to appear in a long time from the youth team with his debut at 17. That first half of a season everyone wanted him to play, bring him on have a go at defences.
Last season he had injuries, a mistimed loan spell at Cardiff, called back and not really really played. 8 minutes first team football since january in the prem.

He's a one trick pony everyone says. Well why has he not improved? Why has Briggs not improved his defending? Why as Minakwitz not pushed on from his early promise?

Kaca was older when he arrived and his basic coaching has been done at Liverpool. His spells on loan have helped, but he started as a winger and now we seem to be converting him into something else.

So no I dont want it to happen to Mesca, but lets remember he's 20 and not kicked a ball in anger for us yet.

[Deanothefulhamfan]

I got the initial joke.... But I do think your right in some way, we have a great academy but I think we are the premiership club with the worst record at producing youngsters.... How does that work?

Management has no faith in youth thats apparent, but what is going on with the coaching behind closed doors.

[TonyGilroy]

I genuinely think that it's a very big step up and most promising youngsters don't make it. They may achieve decent professional careers but not at our level and the competition is such that we can't allow them to develop in the first team. Apart, of course, from the very best.

With Frei I think it's at least two things. Once other teams realised that he always cut inside his effect was greatly reduced. He has to deal with this.

The other thing is that there are clearly great cultural ties to Turkey and it may simply not be possible to keep him for that reason alone.

[Deanothefulhamfan]

As I say Tony. We are the worst club in the premier league at producing youngsters, despite us havi g the best in the country... it doesnt quite add up.

I think you are right though about Frei.... 3 million for a reserve player is good business for us

[GloucesterWhite]

Errr, hasn't the window closed? How can he sign for another club now, unless it is a loan?

[MJG]

Errr, hasn't the window closed? How can he sign for another club now, unless it is a loan?

Turkish window open to end of today or friday.

[Ruiz11]

Too lightweight for the Premier League and always wanted to come inside rather than take on the right back down the line. However, he is still a good player and should find it much easier in Turkey.

[MJG]

Too lightweight for the Premier League and always wanted to come inside rather than take on the right back down the line. However, he is still a good player and should find it much easier in Turkey.

As opposed to the 33 year old Duff who plays on the right and with all those years experience nearly always wants to turn with the ball and go inside.

[Deanothefulhamfan]

I think you hit the nail on the head without meaning too MJG he is a left sided player playing on the right hand side, you cut inside as you can cross with your better foot.

[Roberty]

As I say Tony. We are the worst club in the premier league at producing youngsters, despite us havi g the best in the country... it doesnt quite add up.

I think you are right though about Frei.... 3 million for a reserve player is good business for us

Having the best in the country is a recent thing.

Huw Jennings was appointed as Academy Director in December 2008 - presumably Roy had a lot to do with that - he was previously the Director of Southampton's academy.

These thing take time and it will yet another legacy we can chalk up to Roy.

[Deanothefulhamfan]

Fair point it is a recent development, however I still think many of the really decent youngsters are a long way off from or first team. Burn is the next one in line imo

[Joe McDonald]

I akways liked Frei.... Jol was never really a fan... Still if we 3 million for him then its good busi ess on our part as we have mesca who is coming through now and looks equally as exciting

Interesting re-writing of history there.

Jol was clearly a fan of Frei, in his first season he got quite a lot of playing time and was our breakthrough player from the academy.  Last season he was out for a long spell with injuries and other players took their opportunity.

This Jol bashing for every little thing is getting ridiculous.  Yes the man makes errors, and sometimes doesn't appear willing to make tactical changes, but we can't pin every little negative thing on him.

[Deanothefulhamfan]

Im sorry, but he had plenty of chances last season to play him when dejegah got injured but never chose to do so. Ok he gave him his first break, but never had faith to give him a run out ( along with other youngsters we have at the club)

Which players took their chance on the right hand side last season apart from dejegah, also why not give him a single chance this season, pre season etc. Without Dejegah there that is a weak position and Frei could easily have slotted in.

My "was" is probably the wrong  choice of word, because as you pointed out he once did give him a sniff of first team football.

[TonyGilroy]

I thought Frei was on international duty in the summer and therefore missed early pre season training and thus the warm up matches.

To play him he has to be ahead of Kaka, Dejagah, Duff, Taarabt, Mesca and, more controversially, Ruiz.

Personally I'd put him no higher than 5th in that list.