Interesting desicion to interview Chris Martin on FFCTV

[Chutney]

He signed a new contract with another side while a Fulham player. He also faked injury to try and force a move away from us, followed by running to the press with a hugely disrespectful interview about the situation. He is one of only a very small handful of players in our history who deserve to be booed on their return to the cottage.

He's also widely known as not a very nice person. Fortunately we only have to see him in Fulham colours up until the play offs.

I fully understand what you are saying, and I probably agree with you. As the team are now at the stage where there are 5 cup finals to go to reach the top six. Then at least three more to reach the promised land. Then it's every team for themselves, survival of the fittest, dog eat dog. It's a great opportunity, we have to give it our best shot, we may not get a better chance, as who knows what the future may bring. We have not got the deepest squad, and if Martin is prepared to roll his sleeves up and sweat blood for the cause then let's use him for our own reasons, there are few alternatives providing he is prepared to earn his wages. It may or may not make a difference in the end, but let's throw all our cards on the table and see what happens.
If Martin scores the winner at Hillsborough to send us into the play offs, or even the winner at Wembley, then it's all been worth it, if he doesn't, well at least  Fulham under the circumstances can hold their heads up, and we move on.

Yes, you are right Wooly Mammoth, everything possible has to be done in the next five matches to ensure that we maximise our chances of good results and having Martin available as an option in attack is one of them. He of course should be motivated by the thought of a play off match at Wembley and being in a promotion team.
I would rather do it without him but then again leaving him out and missing the play offs and having to admit that Martin could have made a difference would not be very good.

As much as it pains me, I agree with both of you. Use him to get promotion then send him right back down at the soonest possible opportunity would be the ideal situation.

Can I also state that the martin situation in January was when I really started to back Jokanovic, he wasn't afraid to speak his mind and didn't bow to either Martin or Derby. I was genuinely proud of our manager during the events. Ideally the club would of signed a striker to allow us to send Martin on gardening leave, but as you both say, that didn't happen and Martin is our only striker.

[Neil D]

This has been said before by me and others but the key benefit of having Martin in the side is that it gives Jokanovic some tactical flexibility.  This was apparent on Saturday and Martin said much the same in his interview: Bettinelli had the option to go long when it suited him and Martin did very well with nod-downs and lay-offs.  Tactically you can't put a cigarette paper between Ayite, Aluko, Kebano and Cyriac.  Martin adds a different and necessary dimension.

[NJFulham]

I stlll think they want him to be here next season.

[Fulham Tup North]

I have been one of the most vocal Anti-Martin fans on here,  but no-one can disagree with how he performed on Saturday and the fact that he gave us other options. He held the ball up very well and bought others into the attack. If he were to get a couple of goals in the next couple of games, I might even be heard singing his name!!!!!!
Now that sticks in my throat a bit, but credit where it's due.
COYW

[hovewhite]

I believe slav wants him here on a permanent basis even after his shananigins.

[Beamer]

I find it hard to believe that we are not already out there looking for a replacement for next season. Probably one if we get promoted and another if we don't.
Assuming we can avoid the farcical situations we have seen on more than one occasion with actually getting the signing done then we can move onwards and upwards from there.
Martin probably wouldn't want to stay anyway if we don't get promoted and I personally don't think he is Premiership quality. So let's get the best out of him for the rest of the season and  wave him farewell when it is over.

[Chutney]

I believe slav wants him here on a permanent basis even after his shananigins.

Doesn't matter, Martin wants to go to Derby so we have to be looking at other options.

[Chutney]

I find it hard to believe that we are not already out there looking for a replacement for next season. Probably one if we get promoted and another if we don't.
Assuming we can avoid the farcical situations we have seen on more than one occasion with actually getting the signing done then we can move onwards and upwards from there.
Martin probably wouldn't want to stay anyway if we don't get promoted and I personally don't think he is Premiership quality. So let's get the best out of him for the rest of the season and  wave him farewell when it is over.

I'll wave him Good riddance, but I certainly will not hope that he fares well.

[toshes mate]

I find it hard to believe that we are not already out there looking for a replacement for next season. Probably one if we get promoted and another if we don't.

I am hopeful they actually already know who the targets are, and, hopefully, have done all the prep work necessary.  The Martin situation is entirely in his hands, unless we choose to play hardball and get caught in a costly storm.  I think SJ is doing things behind the scenes we may not hear about unless and until someone decides to write a book about it. 

[westcliff white]

I believe slav wants him here on a permanent basis even after his shananigins.

Doesn't matter, Martin wants to go to Derby so we have to be looking at other options.

could be that Martin signed a new deal with Derby in order to get a better deal from us. Personally want him in the team performing well for the rest of this season and the playoffs (he suggested in the interview he was here for the play offs). Don't like what he has done but he has a role to play and we need him

[Riverside]

Whether we like or dislike him we have to agree that fit and motivated and playing well he improves us as a team .
Lets focus to getting that out of him for the rest of the season .

Then who knows what the real deal is .
- if we have paid £3million towards £9million already and he could be signed for effectively £6 million. I would sign him if we could .
- then I would consider whether to keep him
- or to sell him on for £12 million which in todays market is what he is worth despite his history .

[Chutney]

Whether we like or dislike him we have to agree that fit and motivated and playing well he improves us as a team .
Lets focus to getting that out of him for the rest of the season .

Then who knows what the real deal is .
- if we have paid £3million towards £9million already and he could be signed for effectively £6 million. I would sign him if we could .
- then I would consider whether to keep him
- or to sell him on for £12 million which in todays market is what he is worth despite his history .

He signed a new contract with Derby in January, his mind is made up, if he could go back today he would. I agree, make use of him this season and hopefully he can give more performances like his last (which have been few and far between), but he desperately doesn't want to be here and therefore will not be signing on for next season. Regardless of if we pay the required fee or not, he won't sign for us and that is that.

[cmg]

The certainty with which some write about other people's feelings, motivations and thought processes never fails to intrigue me.

Personally, I think that Martin's signing of a new deal might well be seen as a logical and intelligent insurance policy against Fulham deciding not to exercise their option at the season's end.

We have no way of knowing the personal terms of Martin's deal with us. But if they were (are) better than his old Derby deal then it would make sense for him, once he knew that we were not going to exercise the option in January, to look for a better deal at Derby in case we decided not to exercise it in June either.

[toshes mate]

[Martin] signed a new contract with Derby in January, his mind is made up, if he could go back today he would.

That was probably close to fact just before the Reading game when impossibilities manifested themselves in Martin's mind, but since the window there have been signs of change.  One of the strangest things about life is how affections change over time, for goodness, badness, or indifference.  I think Martin's have slipped slightly from last to middle and now slightly in favour of goodness.   He he could go back to Derby today I don't think it would be quite so easy for him to walk out on his 'mates'.  If SJ persists in giving him more of the ball then it may get even harder to choose.  We change minds faster than we change underwear.

[Chutney]

"I am thankful that the board only allowed the move on a temporary basis, because I really didn't want to leave Derby and my family is settled in the area too.

"Derby County is a fantastic club with so many things going for it and driven desire to reach the Premier League. I am very happy that the club and the manager see me as part of the long-term future. I am committed to being as successful as I possibly can be with Derby County." - Chris Martin, less than three months ago.

He will not stay with us next season, even if given the option. He even says he is happy that he was "only allowed the move on a temporary basis" which is a pretty insulting thing to say while still a Fulham player.

He essentially said that he is glad he's only here temporarily.

I get that he had a good game last time out, but please don't forget the way he treated the fans, his colleagues and the manager by refusing to play for us. He even went as far as to fake an injury and was immediately called out on it by Jokanovic.

Yes he's a good player, yes we can use him while we have him and hopefully he continues to perform (when he can be bothered). But as soon as we can, we need to get rid. Jokanovic has slated him in the press, Aluko even stated publicly that Martin had made his bed and needs to lay in it. The fact that this is the way his team mates and his manager talk about him like that in the public eye doesn't send a good message.

If he continues to perform then use his goals to get the play offs, but as soon as his loan is up cut all ties. He should never be given the honour of playing for Fulham again once his loan is up.

Martin will be one of the only players I won't give  people a hard time about booing should he return to the cottage. I normally believe in respecting our ex-players, but only if they returned the favour during their time with us.

[MaidenheadMick]

Should Chris Martin score the winner in the playoff final, what would the haters reaction be? Probably hail him as a god whereas a few weeks earlier he was a Pariah.

[Chutney]

Should Chris Martin score the winner in the playoff final, what would the haters reaction be? Probably hail him as a god whereas a few weeks earlier he was a Pariah.

I am fairly sure his loan ends before the play offs.

[Chutney]

Should Chris Martin score the winner in the playoff final, what would the haters reaction be? Probably hail him as a god whereas a few weeks earlier he was a Pariah.

I am fairly sure his loan ends before the play offs.

incorrect

Well that isn't helpful. The original agreement was until the end of the season (not including play off dates), has it been extended? I have not seen any news on this.

[toshes mate]

Should Chris Martin score the winner in the playoff final, what would the haters reaction be? Probably hail him as a god whereas a few weeks earlier he was a Pariah.

I am fairly sure his loan ends before the play offs.

incorrect

Well that isn't helpful. The original agreement was until the end of the season (not including play off dates), has it been extended? I have not seen any news on this.

I think there is a thread from around Xmas time that confirmed the season, from EFL point of view, ends after the play-offs have been completed and not before.  But if you remain unconvinced let's hope the lads get a chance to prove it to you.