The sale of Ruiz does not bode well

[Rupert]

Haha I knew I recognised his style of writing! The Daily Mail you are absolutely right West!

So, you admit to being a Daily Mail reader, do you?
How else would you recognise the style, eh?

I for one had no idea that young Nicky writes in the style of the Mail. Indeed, I had no idea that there was such a thing as the Daily Mail. Indeed, what is the Daily Mail? Eh? Is it some sort of bus, or a train carrying the post from York to London?

[Rupert]

The Post I would like to see brought to London is the Goal Keepers left hand post at Huddersfield Town whereupon they twice hit Marcuses post on that day we snatched three points in a highway robbery. That Post deserves to be in my rear garden.

But surely that post would be best utilised at the Cottage, where we can use it to cover our goal? It would involve moving the post to the other goal at half-time, which we could explain to suspicious opponents as a quirky little superstition we have at the Cottage, and nothing for them to get too concerned about.
Of course, should anyone get wise to this and change ends before kick-off after winning the toss in an attempt to gain the advantage, then we would need a diversion (perhaps a mammoth goring a boring supporter to death on the half-way line) whilst the ground-staff hurriedly swapped posts before the game started.
Would you be up for it?

[bill taylors apprentice]

Posts such as this prove only one thing.

There are people who spend a lot of time and effort following Football who actually know very little about how its played and how its run.

Oh there's a second thing, flowering up their posts with fancy words etc does not make a well written, articulate piece either.

[YankeeJim]

I've heard that claptrap before.  I have an opinion same as you do and UNLIKE YOU, I am deeply concerned about our current situation.

Obviously your "happy as a sandboy" complacent optimism is thoroughly baseless as the facts differ from the events which have unfolded (we bought 1 defender, sold 1 international standard playmaker).  I heard the same rubbish when we were relegated of which I forwarned then to similar distain.

As for my writing style, one cannot help prosing articulately and unlike many, I prefer to uphold the King's (Queen's) English grammatically whenever I post.  Modern (slang) culture is much to blame for the simplification of syllabication standards one feels.

For one who states his opinions with such certainty & force, you seem a bit touchy. If you are stating your opinions as such, then defend them with the same power. If you are trolling, then just go away.
I tend to believe that you are sincere in your posts. Given your "writing style", you shouldn't take offense when others respond in kind. Others have opinions as well and you shouldn't be offended by that. The same irritation you feel when criticized, others feel when they hear the constant drumbeat of doom.
Life is short. Even shorter when you only see the worst.  092.gif

[Twig]

What total garbage.  "One" imagines that Nick is an attention seeking 15 year old English student?

[Roberty]

What total garbage.  "One" imagines that Nick is an attention seeking 15 year old English student?

Naaa - 15 year old English students sometimes get their facts right

[Lighthouse]

Once again Fulham offload their best players who are in demand on the cheap, as it were, while we retain all the unwanted and unskillful first-teamers who have almost taken us down another division.

However we still have yet to make any major signings; one relatively unknown defender does not impress and if anything Fulham are WEAKER than we were at the end of last season.

For those who continually flaunt the FFP rules to cover the poor show from the club's administration, namely Alistair Mackintosh, one feels this is a lame excuse.   I am getting tired of bashing Ali Mack and I do not mean to, but he agreed to buy Bryan Ruiz for an alleged £11m and now sells a few years on for around £3.5m, while we have no skillful playmaker as replacement.  Are Fulham going to hoof long balls from now on!!??  In my view, anyone holding Fulham back from the goal I beleive we should be aspiring for will be castigated while I am allowed to do so.

It really does come under one's vision of what you beleive Fulham are.  I feel we are a premier league club who have been dreadfully mis-managed to now reside at this low level.  This is regarded as a FACT, and stated  by many observers, so it is not simply my opinion.

Some on here probably have no such ambition nor vision of us restoring the position we recently held.  These supporters constantly defend the pen-pushers who are holding us back and it has to change radically before the season starts.

Fulham need to make at least THREE marquee signings to add to what we have and we have much more financial clout at our disposal regardless of the FFP rules. The players we can attract are out there, one just wonders if Alistair Mackintosh is still up for the job!!?!

Nobody will argue that we weren't mismanaged in the death throes of the Prem corpse. But you can't really back up the argument that we are weaker now then we were at the end of last season. Buying 5 players with Championship experience makes us better than we were this time last season. Ruiz was never suited to the Championship and rarely shone in the Prem. For the first time since Mark Hughes jumped ship we are beginning to reverse the decline both on and off the pitch. The facts may have fitted the argument last season and the previous seasons. But now we seem to have turned a corner.

Time will tell and I don't talk about success just the end of decline.

[Nick Bateman]

I've heard that claptrap before.  I have an opinion same as you do and UNLIKE YOU, I am deeply concerned about our current situation.

Obviously your "happy as a sandboy" complacent optimism is thoroughly baseless as the facts differ from the events which have unfolded (we bought 1 defender, sold 1 international standard playmaker).  I heard the same rubbish when we were relegated of which I forwarned then to similar distain.

As for my writing style, one cannot help prosing articulately and unlike many, I prefer to uphold the King's (Queen's) English grammatically whenever I post.  Modern (slang) culture is much to blame for the simplification of syllabication standards one feels.

For one who states his opinions with such certainty & force, you seem a bit touchy. If you are stating your opinions as such, then defend them with the same power. If you are trolling, then just go away.
I tend to believe that you are sincere in your posts. Given your "writing style", you shouldn't take offense when others respond in kind. Others have opinions as well and you shouldn't be offended by that. The same irritation you feel when criticized, others feel when they hear the constant drumbeat of doom.
Life is short. Even shorter when you only see the worst.  092.gif

Most of the Americans who post here sound more intelligent than you, sir, no offense!  I reacted as I did in response to anytime I have a view some IDIOT claims I am "baiting" or attempting to seek attention.  This trivialises my view which I believe has been arrived with validity considering Fulham has lost a Premiership, indeed International quality player without any adequate replacement.  We have had TWO concurrent seasons of mis-management yet you seem to think they will not follow the same trend given the recent evidence.

Unlike some, I do respect other people's opinions but in the end, they are merely opinions not facts.  We shall only know if my alarm bells were rung prematurely erroneously, or if the GAGGLE of complacent Khan-Mackintosh "die hards" who relied solely on 'blind faith' were in fact, incorrect.  

But the only blind faith I respected was a rock band from the 70s!

As for Brian Ruiz, I think it is in the best interest of all parties that he departs at this stage, despite his skill and technique, he couldnt foul a  foot path or tackle a boiled egg, and he never really came to terms with English Football.
All the new signings have been astute and good business, and are all of a certain age, with Championship experience which is vital.
We are where we are, and we have to think Championship and what it takes to build a squad from square one, or thereabouts, to prepare to challenge on how to get out of this Division, and The likes of Ruiz isnt going to fancy that kind of challenge. We need players with the right mentality for starters.

To answer Mammoth's retort, I believe any failure on Ruiz's part was mostly down to the manager and bad deployment or training/preparation.  

Last season, Ruiz was languishing on the bench many times while a 'bog standard' Tunnicliffe or Hyndman kept him out.  When Ruiz was deployed he played too deep because Kit Symons was too negative or pessimistic about attacking our opponents.  We should instead have used him as a "Pirlo", conducting our moves and the team needed to practice this throughout the week: when I saw Fulham it almost looked as though they had just met up on the day!

In a quality team, like Costa Rica, Ruiz was a STAR, as he proved in the last World Cup against the best England could offer!

[Nick Bateman]

Once again Fulham offload their best players who are in demand on the cheap, as it were, while we retain all the unwanted and unskillful first-teamers who have almost taken us down another division.

However we still have yet to make any major signings; one relatively unknown defender does not impress and if anything Fulham are WEAKER than we were at the end of last season.

For those who continually flaunt the FFP rules to cover the poor show from the club's administration, namely Alistair Mackintosh, one feels this is a lame excuse.   I am getting tired of bashing Ali Mack and I do not mean to, but he agreed to buy Bryan Ruiz for an alleged £11m and now sells a few years on for around £3.5m, while we have no skillful playmaker as replacement.  Are Fulham going to hoof long balls from now on!!??  In my view, anyone holding Fulham back from the goal I beleive we should be aspiring for will be castigated while I am allowed to do so.

It really does come under one's vision of what you beleive Fulham are.  I feel we are a premier league club who have been dreadfully mis-managed to now reside at this low level.  This is regarded as a FACT, and stated  by many observers, so it is not simply my opinion.

Some on here probably have no such ambition nor vision of us restoring the position we recently held.  These supporters constantly defend the pen-pushers who are holding us back and it has to change radically before the season starts.

Fulham need to make at least THREE marquee signings to add to what we have and we have much more financial clout at our disposal regardless of the FFP rules. The players we can attract are out there, one just wonders if Alistair Mackintosh is still up for the job!!?!

Nobody will argue that we weren't mismanaged in the death throes of the Prem corpse. But you can't really back up the argument that we are weaker now then we were at the end of last season. Buying 5 players with Championship experience makes us better than we were this time last season. Ruiz was never suited to the Championship and rarely shone in the Prem. For the first time since Mark Hughes jumped ship we are beginning to reverse the decline both on and off the pitch. The facts may have fitted the argument last season and the previous seasons. But now we seem to have turned a corner.

Time will tell and I don't talk about success just the end of decline.

One hopes you are right Lighthouse, but your last line gave away your expectations.  "The end of decline" rather than SUCCESS - that is where we differ as I DEMAND success or heads must finally roll until we get it.

I do not wish to spend anymore than one season in this miserable division dominated by Northern "long ball" merchants with brutal "ecky thump" tactics the London-jealous referees encourage against us "soft" southerners.  The sale of Ruiz suggests Kit Symons' answer to those 'merchants' is if one cannot beat them, we will join them!

[RaySmith]

Ruiz has wanted to leave Fulham for some time now.

Kit would always play him, and expected him to do a professional job, unlike Magath, and Ruiz always did this, but you can't keep an unhappy player if there is a reasonable offer.

[AnotherVicHalomLoveChild]

Of course Nick you may well get your wish of spending no more than one (more) season in this miserable Division
Just hope we aren't relegated!
One hopes that the Ruiz departure & a solution to the Greek "bearing gifts" will @ last give us the room to manouvere & purchase some real quality
Thereby improving on the 4 or 5 signings so far
That would be progress & also give Kit ample opportunity to demonsrtate what his team can do rather than what he inherited
Game on!

[Skatzoffc]

I'm reasonably pleased with the signings thus far.

But I agree with Nick that we should not stop now. If we get rid of Mitroglu for a decent fee we need to buy some class to push for promotion spots. The longer we stay in this division the worse it will be for FFC.

I fear Ally Mac will sit on the money now and plead FFP restrictions so he can get s pat on the back from Mr Khan for banging the "sustainability drum"

A drum that no-one else in this league appears to give a fig about.

Ho hum.

[Blanco]

Why do you highlight words? SEEMS unnecessary.

[God The Mechanic]

If we played two concurrent seasons then it's no surprise we performed so poorly.  Can't believe the club could let that sort of thing happen!!

[ToodlesMcToot]

I like Ruiz a lot as a player. He's from the Concacaf region and I support him not only because he is a Fulham player but also because he is representing football from our part of the World. I have nothing but good wishes for him and the remainder of his career because of those things but, especially because of the way he conducted himself while he was unhappy playing at our new league level. Pure professional.

Having said that, the idea that he is somehow indispensable or ever truly has been over his tenure with us is hogwash. He's occasionally been able to put his talents on full display but, for the most part, his contributions could have been reproduced much more cheaply IMHO.

He's gone now. Fulham maximized their return on investment by taking up his option and selling for what they could get. I applaud them for it.  

[J]

Nick is  wrong. This is regarded as a FACT, and stated by many observers, so it is not simply my opinion.

[Craven Mad]

I've heard that claptrap before.  I have an opinion same as you do and UNLIKE YOU, I am deeply concerned about our current situation.

I heard the same rubbish when we were relegated of which I forwarned then to similar distain.

As for my writing style, one cannot help prosing articulately and unlike many, I prefer to uphold the King's (Queen's) English grammatically whenever I post.  Modern (slang) culture is much to blame for the simplification of syllabication standards one feels.

As you take such care with your prosing and prefer to "uphold the King's English", I thought I'd draw your attention to a few mistakes you made [to distain is to remove dye from clothing - I think you meant disdain; forewarned has an e].

I've drawn your attention to the issues with your grammar. Many others have already drawn your attention to the issues with your opinions.

Keep fishing, Nick.  :hook:

[Nero]

I know fancy selling Ruiz for some money instead of letting him go on a free and as we are all aware of how much Ruiz wanted to stay at the club as well , the club is doomed,

[HatterDon]

Wow! Well into the third page on this nonsense. Well done, Mr. Watch.  065.gif

[ToodlesMcToot]

Wow! Well into the third page on this nonsense. Well done, Mr. Watch.  065.gif

He's done a fine job with this one, to be sure. Where he's lacking is his timing. There have been a few lulls with the signings this window where a bit of this has been needed to keep the board "stirred up". But Nick (I'll call him Nick) hasn't come through with a juicy wind-up. If he can maintain the quality and up his timeliness, I'll be more complimentary.

I do enjoy the "King's English" nonsense.....a nice touch.

He's gotten quite good at this.