Fulham v AJ

[SCFulhamFan]

"Johnson, who has scored 11 goals this season, has missed the last two games with a groin injury but is thought to be upset by Fulham’s offer.

He wants to stay at the club he joined in a £10.5m move from Everton in 2008 but feels he should not have to take a further pay cut following a reduction in terms last year.

Martin Jol’s side are short of strikers following Zamora’s departure and Pavel Pogrebnyak’s delayed arrival due to work permit issues."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... z1lk12k3lL

11 goals. Hey that is great. Wait. When did he score those? Europe/QPR. Hrmmmm... Has AJ been a great up front player for us, sure. Do I get a bit turned off with his whole "They must be crazy" gesture, sure. So, where does that leave us? Do we sign AJ who we have rebuilt twice to a long term contract (2.5 years, yep that is long term) or do we let him go on a free over the summer. Maybe a promoted side pick him up, maybe a side that just made it by. But at the end of the day is he going to produce for Fulham?

I add my two cents and say let's see the metal of Trotta (not currently out on loan), Pog (oh goodness will he ever come), Dalla Valle (Blondie we stole from Pool), and Grimmer (yet another teen talent we acquired).

Jol's SOP was get the age of the side down. Let's say "side" means the first team and take a leap of Fulhamish and start the lads this weekend. No Huth, better chance they won't catch a cleat to the face.

[VegasJustin]

Let him leave if he won't accept the terms. He is useless unless he plays against shit competition. He gives us a bit of pace, but I could find dozens of forwards who could do the same thing at half his wages. I would rather see what Trotta can do rather than keep him on the bench so AJ can miss chances.

[DCHeather]

So far, I wouldn't give him a new contract. He hasn't done enough for the team to justify giving someone his age 2.5 more years. Let him play for a new contract for the rest of the season. That old free agent thing could get him outperforming his current stats just like US athletes do before their contract is up. Fulham need to get younger; so if goes, I'm fine with it. If he stays, it better not be for a lot of money.

[jumpkutz]

I agree. As has been pointed out, ad nauseum, his stats were primarily against Europa League minnows and QPR. Time to move on.

[HatterDon]

It's kind of harsh to judge AJ only on his goals. He opens and spreads defenses with his running. Our very best performances this season have been with him on the pitch. Without him, we're too static and immobile [read: easy to defend].

Here's what I think is going on: Fulham don't want AJ anymore, but with Bobby gone, they don't want to be seen ushering their only striker with real Premier League experience out the door at the end of the season -- especially with our Russian alleged striker only signed until May. It would make them look bad, would further highlight the decision to ditch Bobby without an incoming striker with any recent form, and might even cause people to become concerned over Fulham's future in the Premier League.

Instead, they have relied upon the propensity of sports fans to resent athletes and what they receive in pay. They are saying, "AJ, we don't want you any more; you make too much money, and you're getting older. But, to cover our asses, we're going to make you look like a greedy, ungrateful prima donna who doesn't care about the fans."

It's working.

[SoCalJoe]

HD, if that is indeed what they are doing, then I'm beginning to wonder about Fulham's immediate future in the Premiership. The club is sitting in 15th, has precisely ZERO strikers available that have Prem experience except for AJ. There are some bad teams down at the bottom, but we've all been around enough to know those teams will start scratching out W's. Why would you jerk around the only experienced forward we have??? It's beyond stupid. Seriously, is the goal to eek out 17th place? Keep going down this road, throw in a injury to Clint and we're looking at trips to the Bristol City and Watford next fall (and those 2 aren't on my list to get promoted).

Professional athletes above all things appreciate straight talk. You sit down AJ and tell him that he's not in the club's future plans, but that he will be given the opportunity to showcase his skills the rest of the way and can leave on the free. Honest talk gets honest effort. Bottom line, the club is not in a position to have continued dissension in the ranks.

[tim]

It definitely seems as though Jol is making a concerted effort to reform this team as he sees fit. Bringing in Ruiz and Pog, sending Bobby on his way, and the unorthodox (well, for us) formations and squad selections. And it seems AJ doesn't fit in those plans.

Agree with Joe - if that's the case, then just be honest about it; sit him, play him, but don't make up stories about why he will/won't be around next season. Hoping this is the press blowing something out of proportion, but it seems they were right all along about Bobby.

Which brings up the very real concern about the next few months, to Joe's point. How quickly can we expect this team to be remade to Jol's liking? By this time last year, we had turned things around and were getting results. If we continue to flounder, I'm going to have to invest in some antacid.

[DCHeather]

It's kind of harsh to judge AJ only on his goals. He opens and spreads defenses with his running. Our very best performances this season have been with him on the pitch. Without him, we're too static and immobile [read: easy to defend].

Here's what I think is going on: Fulham don't want AJ anymore, but with Bobby gone, they don't want to be seen ushering their only striker with real Premier League experience out the door at the end of the season -- especially with our Russian alleged striker only signed until May. It would make them look bad, would further highlight the decision to ditch Bobby without an incoming striker with any recent form, and might even cause people to become concerned over Fulham's future in the Premier League.

Instead, they have relied upon the propensity of sports fans to resent athletes and what they receive in pay. They are saying, "AJ, we don't want you any more; you make too much money, and you're getting older. But, to cover our asses, we're going to make you look like a greedy, ungrateful prima donna who doesn't care about the fans."

It's working.

Not sure you're right about that Don. I haven't interpreted things this way. I think Fulham we're supposed to get someone in addition to Pog, who was to be Bobby's long term replacement. However Fulham could not work out a deal or deals with said player(s). I have no concrete evidence of this, just speculation regarding Barrios. Plus, Fulham was linked with some other respected strikers during the window. Yes, there is usually a lot of smoke and no fire on the back pages in regards to transfers.

In respects to AJ, I believe he hasn't been playing lately due to a groin injury? And that's another thing that is going to happen to AJ as he's getting older. He's going to be more injury prone and will require more time to heal. That's the nature of aging, nothing AJ or Fulham can do about it. And it's probably the biggest concern Fulham have in these contract negotiations, and why resign him now? He's been injured and underperforming for the amount of money spent. The wisest thing to do is what others, including you and I, have mentioned...Let him play for a new contract. I'm sure that's the intention as I've seen anything yet to counter that...Yet.