There is something fishy going on

[Forever Fulham]

RUIZ DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY FOR FULHAM Read the line over and over again until you understand it.

He has a year left on his contract. None of these current players would prefer to play for a bottom tabled Championship team with a taskmaster manager who perpetually exhausts them.  But he's under contract and has publicly stated he would honor his contract while also expressing a greater desire to play for a higher placed club.  My outdated notions of right and wrong inform that you take the good with the bad.  You honor your contract and play to the best of your abilities until it's time to go.  "Ruiz is a fine player if he has the time."  The World Cup presents a microcosm of intensity, where every game means everything to the teams playing in it, where there is no time, where players are giving 100 percent effort every minute, because there is no season of games within which to make up for an early lack of effort or production.  What he did in the World Cup shows what he can do under the most extreme pressure, where there is no time to dwell about. So let's put that theory that he's slow of foot, slow to decide and react, that he doesn't put in an honest shift, to bed.  It was the lineup, the players he had to work with, and the manager.  We have improvements this season in the players around him.  He should be on the field, honoring his contract, and making the team more productive.  We need him this year, now.  He can go when his contract is up. 

[blingo]

He has a year left on his contract. None of these current players would prefer to play for a bottom tabled Championship team with a taskmaster manager who perpetually exhausts them.  But he's under contract and has publicly stated he would honor his contract while also expressing a greater desire to play for a higher placed club.  My outdated notions of right and wrong inform that you take the good with the bad.  You honor your contract and play to the best of your abilities until it's time to go.  "Ruiz is a fine player if he has the time."  The World Cup presents a microcosm of intensity, where every game means everything to the teams playing in it, where there is no time, where players are giving 100 percent effort every minute, because there is no season of games within which to make up for an early lack of effort or production.  What he did in the World Cup shows what he can do under the most extreme pressure, where there is no time to dwell about. So let's put that theory that he's slow of foot, slow to decide and react, that he doesn't put in an honest shift, to bed.  It was the lineup, the players he had to work with, and the manager.  We have improvements this season in the players around him.  He should be on the field, honoring his contract, and making the team more productive.  We need him this year, now.  He can go when his contract is up. 

RUIZ DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY FOR FULHAM Read the line over and over again until you understand it.
RUIZ DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY FOR FULHAM Read the line over and over again until you understand it.
RUIZ DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY FOR FULHAM Read the line over and over again until you understand it.

[Forever Fulham]

Your uncertainty overwhelms me.

[blingo]

What part of it is it you can not accept? Why on earth would you want to play a player that a) does not want to play championship football and b) only has a year to run on his contract? Is it not better to build a team with players who WANT to play for us and are prepared to run 100 minutes in a 90 minute game? What do you propose, that we build a team around ruiz only for him to go at the first opportunity he gets? He never shone in the premiership and does not seem to be (imho) suited to English football. So tell me where does he fit in to our current team.

[Craven Mad]

RUIZ DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY FOR FULHAM Read the line over and over again until you understand it.

He has a year left on his contract. None of these current players would prefer to play for a bottom tabled Championship team with a taskmaster manager who perpetually exhausts them.  But he's under contract and has publicly stated he would honor his contract while also expressing a greater desire to play for a higher placed club.  My outdated notions of right and wrong inform that you take the good with the bad.  You honor your contract and play to the best of your abilities until it's time to go.  "Ruiz is a fine player if he has the time."  The World Cup presents a microcosm of intensity, where every game means everything to the teams playing in it, where there is no time, where players are giving 100 percent effort every minute, because there is no season of games within which to make up for an early lack of effort or production.  What he did in the World Cup shows what he can do under the most extreme pressure, where there is no time to dwell about. So let's put that theory that he's slow of foot, slow to decide and react, that he doesn't put in an honest shift, to bed.  It was the lineup, the players he had to work with, and the manager.  We have improvements this season in the players around him.  He should be on the field, honoring his contract, and making the team more productive.  We need him this year, now.  He can go when his contract is up.  

Good well-considered post FF.

It'll be interesting to see what happens in the next 48 hours. I think Bryan will go, but I'd be happier if he didn't.

Blingo, Bryan may currently have a preference to play Champions League football than honour his existing contractual obligations, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will happen. Should Ruiz not find an opportunity elsewhere, faced with training with the reserves (lowering his marketability during the tail-end of his prime years) or playing his heart out in the first team (putting himself in the shop-window for January suitors), I think I can predict which he'd choose..

[The Rock]

I am surprised we are leaving it so late on to get rid of Mitro, Ruiz and others. Perhaps we are holding out for the best possible deal. It is painful to have such great players leaving, though they all didn't work out for us previously. I'd rather just see them gone so we can get on with it.

Is there a chance Felix is mad enough to keep some of these players to let them rot on the bench? I'd think so.

[Craven Mad]

I am surprised we are leaving it so late on to get rid of Mitro, Ruiz and others. Perhaps we are holding out for the best possible deal. It is painful to have such great players leaving, though they all didn't work out for us previously. I'd rather just see them gone so we can get on with it.

Is there a chance Felix is mad enough to keep some of these players to let them rot on the bench? I'd think so.

Agreed.

I think the club will be saying to other clubs, "We don't need the money. We can't attract better options in this league. You either pay us what we want or we'll happily keep them".

I don't think it's a bad strategy, but I just hope it doesn't lead us to hold onto toxic characters, who'll disrupt the dressing room.

[blingo]

RUIZ DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY FOR FULHAM Read the line over and over again until you understand it.

He has a year left on his contract. None of these current players would prefer to play for a bottom tabled Championship team with a taskmaster manager who perpetually exhausts them.  But he's under contract and has publicly stated he would honor his contract while also expressing a greater desire to play for a higher placed club.  My outdated notions of right and wrong inform that you take the good with the bad.  You honor your contract and play to the best of your abilities until it's time to go.  "Ruiz is a fine player if he has the time."  The World Cup presents a microcosm of intensity, where every game means everything to the teams playing in it, where there is no time, where players are giving 100 percent effort every minute, because there is no season of games within which to make up for an early lack of effort or production.  What he did in the World Cup shows what he can do under the most extreme pressure, where there is no time to dwell about. So let's put that theory that he's slow of foot, slow to decide and react, that he doesn't put in an honest shift, to bed.  It was the lineup, the players he had to work with, and the manager.  We have improvements this season in the players around him.  He should be on the field, honoring his contract, and making the team more productive.  We need him this year, now.  He can go when his contract is up. 

Good well-considered post FF.

It'll be interesting to see what happens in the next 48 hours. I think Bryan will go, but I'd be happier if he didn't.

Blingo, Bryan may currently have a preference to play Champions League football than honour his existing contractual obligations, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will happen. Should Ruiz not find an opportunity elsewhere, faced with training with the reserves (lowering his marketability during the tail-end of his prime years) or playing his heart out in the first team (putting himself in the shop-window for January suitors), I think I can predict which he'd choose..

HIS choice would be clear Mr Craven, but with only a year left on his contract and then off on a free transfer, what would be the point in playing him in a team full of young and aspiring players,that is being built to gain promotion and then hopefully strengthen again and go on to better things? Personally it would be a no no from me if I was manager at FFC.

[Forever Fulham]

You can't underestimate the impact that a manager's personality has on each of the players in his squad. If you have a humble caretaker with skill and great man management abilities, players will run through a wall for that man.  If you have an arrogant pompous sadist who can't adapt, who can only do it one way, the way that worked for him as a player, well, you're going to get what you're going to get.  Jol was so wrong for the club.  He couldn't control Berbatov, he didn't get the players in shape, he didn't organize the formation effectively and get the most out of what he had.  Is Magath much better?  He emphasizes physical fitness and aerobic conditioning.  But as a man manager, how's he doing?  Look at all of the players who have slipped away from us.  I  wouldn't have said good riddance to all of them.  We needed them.

[Craven Mad]

RUIZ DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY FOR FULHAM Read the line over and over again until you understand it.

He has a year left on his contract. None of these current players would prefer to play for a bottom tabled Championship team with a taskmaster manager who perpetually exhausts them.  But he's under contract and has publicly stated he would honor his contract while also expressing a greater desire to play for a higher placed club.  My outdated notions of right and wrong inform that you take the good with the bad.  You honor your contract and play to the best of your abilities until it's time to go.  "Ruiz is a fine player if he has the time."  The World Cup presents a microcosm of intensity, where every game means everything to the teams playing in it, where there is no time, where players are giving 100 percent effort every minute, because there is no season of games within which to make up for an early lack of effort or production.  What he did in the World Cup shows what he can do under the most extreme pressure, where there is no time to dwell about. So let's put that theory that he's slow of foot, slow to decide and react, that he doesn't put in an honest shift, to bed.  It was the lineup, the players he had to work with, and the manager.  We have improvements this season in the players around him.  He should be on the field, honoring his contract, and making the team more productive.  We need him this year, now.  He can go when his contract is up. 

Good well-considered post FF.

It'll be interesting to see what happens in the next 48 hours. I think Bryan will go, but I'd be happier if he didn't.

Blingo, Bryan may currently have a preference to play Champions League football than honour his existing contractual obligations, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will happen. Should Ruiz not find an opportunity elsewhere, faced with training with the reserves (lowering his marketability during the tail-end of his prime years) or playing his heart out in the first team (putting himself in the shop-window for January suitors), I think I can predict which he'd choose..

HIS choice would be clear Mr Craven, but with only a year left on his contract and then off on a free transfer, what would be the point in playing him in a team full of young and aspiring players,that is being built to gain promotion and then hopefully strengthen again and go on to better things? Personally it would be a no no from me if I was manager at FFC.

Well, Felix has stated an intention to shift him. So his intention seems clear, also. My counter-view, which - admittedly - is going to be divisive, is that Ruiz is a good player (cue attack from disagreers!) who could help us win some games (his assist record in his time for us has actually been pretty good. With Ross infront of him, that would probably be better); so, if he were to be unsuccessful in his quest for new employment, I would happily see him return to the fold.

However, on yesterdays viewing,David looks like a player who can offer all Ruiz can, plus more; reinforcing your point about the promising squad we have.

As I said before though, I expect Bryan to leave.

[grandad]

You can't underestimate the impact that a manager's personality has on each of the players in his squad. If you have a humble caretaker with skill and great man management abilities, players will run through a wall for that man.  If you have an arrogant pompous sadist who can't adapt, who can only do it one way, the way that worked for him as a player, well, you're going to get what you're going to get.  Jol was so wrong for the club.  He couldn't control Berbatov, he didn't get the players in shape, he didn't organize the formation effectively and get the most out of what he had.  Is Magath much better?  He emphasizes physical fitness and aerobic conditioning.  But as a man manager, how's he doing?  Look at all of the players who have slipped away from us.  I  wouldn't have said good riddance to all of them.  We needed them.

Apart from perhaps Richardson there is not one of the players who caused our relegation that I would have back. Man for man (or boy) we have better players now & they all want to play for Fulham & Magath.

[blingo]

RUIZ DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY FOR FULHAM Read the line over and over again until you understand it.

He has a year left on his contract. None of these current players would prefer to play for a bottom tabled Championship team with a taskmaster manager who perpetually exhausts them.  But he's under contract and has publicly stated he would honor his contract while also expressing a greater desire to play for a higher placed club.  My outdated notions of right and wrong inform that you take the good with the bad.  You honor your contract and play to the best of your abilities until it's time to go.  "Ruiz is a fine player if he has the time."  The World Cup presents a microcosm of intensity, where every game means everything to the teams playing in it, where there is no time, where players are giving 100 percent effort every minute, because there is no season of games within which to make up for an early lack of effort or production.  What he did in the World Cup shows what he can do under the most extreme pressure, where there is no time to dwell about. So let's put that theory that he's slow of foot, slow to decide and react, that he doesn't put in an honest shift, to bed.  It was the lineup, the players he had to work with, and the manager.  We have improvements this season in the players around him.  He should be on the field, honoring his contract, and making the team more productive.  We need him this year, now.  He can go when his contract is up. 

Good well-considered post FF.

It'll be interesting to see what happens in the next 48 hours. I think Bryan will go, but I'd be happier if he didn't.

Blingo, Bryan may currently have a preference to play Champions League football than honour his existing contractual obligations, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will happen. Should Ruiz not find an opportunity elsewhere, faced with training with the reserves (lowering his marketability during the tail-end of his prime years) or playing his heart out in the first team (putting himself in the shop-window for January suitors), I think I can predict which he'd choose..

HIS choice would be clear Mr Craven, but with only a year left on his contract and then off on a free transfer, what would be the point in playing him in a team full of young and aspiring players,that is being built to gain promotion and then hopefully strengthen again and go on to better things? Personally it would be a no no from me if I was manager at FFC.

Well, Felix has stated an intention to shift him. So his intention seems clear, also. My counter-view, which - admittedly - is going to be divisive, is that Ruiz is a good player (cue attack from disagreers!) who could help us win some games (his assist record in his time for us has actually been pretty good. With Ross infront of him, that would probably be better); so, if he were to be unsuccessful in his quest for new employment, I would happily see him return to the fold.

However, on yesterdays viewing,David looks like a player who can offer all Ruiz can, plus more; reinforcing your point about the promising squad we have.

As I said before though, I expect Bryan to leave.

As you mention David has everything ruiz has and more and is a lot younger, fitter and more importantly WANTS to play for FFC. He wasn't happy to be subbed yesterday was he? That to me shows a passion and desire that ruiz has NEVER shown in a white shirt. Shut the door behind you on the way way Brian. See ya.

[Andy S]

I agree. The fact is last years first 11 was nowhere near good enough or young enough. Without a doubt some of the young players will fall by the way side but none of them will be able to say that they didn't get a chance. All the players that have either left or will leave had their chance and failed. Felix is not as mad as some people believe. He may be a bit of a meddler but he is not wrong for changing things when plan 1 doesn't work

[HatterDon]

RUIZ DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY FOR FULHAM Read the line over and over again until you understand it.
RUIZ DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY FOR FULHAM Read the line over and over again until you understand it.
RUIZ DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY FOR FULHAM Read the line over and over again until you understand it.

Do you have a quote from Ruiz saying this?

[Forever Fulham]

I hope you are right.  We shall see.