“are you really going to let me go? you could put up a fight you know”
- Some Girls, Partner in Crime, from “Crushing Love”
Today this message appeared on the Fulham website:
Fulham Football Club can confirm that it has agreed a fee of £5million for the sale of Bobby Zamora to Hull City. Further details will follow…
The Tigers have been granted permission to open talks with Fulham striker Bobby Zamora over a possible move to the KC Stadium.
Fulham and Zamora are currently on a pre-season tour in Australia and talks will commence upon the player’s return to England this weekend.
And so may end one of the more confusing, enfuriating seasons in recent memory. Zamora has presumably had little to do with this – he’s in Australia after all – so we might question the club’s actions here. Presumably this is has been done to force the matter through; making all this public somewhat forces Zamora’s hand.
Summing up his Fulham career so far, Zamora was playing shortly after this was made public, started a game, came off at half time and watched Erik Nevland bag a hat-trick. It’s only Perth Glory, but credit where it’s due – you’ve still got to put them away. Interesting to see comments on TiFF about this though: I remember last season Seol did quite well pre-season, but because they were pre-season games people weren’t interested and he was still public enemy number one; now Nevland’s got goals pre-season games are very relevant. Hmmm.
Anyway, our man Eddie Johnson was instrumental in setting up the goals so hopefully he’s starting to progress. I see good in most players and generally want everyone to succeed, but players like Johnson, so routinely written off on the message boards, are particular favourites. He looked shocking in his debut against Man Utd but I thought he actually did very well in an important win over Everton, and if he didn’t shine in the few games he did play, well, at that point we were a Championship club in waiting. And perhaps his spell at Cardiff didn’t pull up any trees either, but maybe this’ll be the year he gets to grips with things. Or not, who knows, but I can’t see any reason to do anything other than wish him well.
In other news, Roy has ‘hit out’ at WBA’s dismissal of our Jonathan Greening bid:
“I think it’s sad when people make those sort of comments because I can assure you the offer was by no means derisory,” he added.
“It may not have been the kind of offer they were looking for, but that’s another matter.
“To use the word derisory is very strong and as far as I am concerned, I know what the offer was, for a player that is 31 years of age and is in the Championship looking to get back into the Premiership, it was anything but a derisory offer.
“I am hoping that there may still be some dialogue between the two clubs because I know that Jonathan is very keen to join us and he would be a good addition to our squad, with his experience and quality, going into the season we are going into.”
Exactly. I am starting to see as a kind of Roman Emperor type, the kind of man who is head and shoulders above his peers and whose impeccable judgment is spoken of in hushed tones throughout the world. Greening would be a fine squad player and I hope we can sign him.
From a Perth report:
“Perth were made to pay dearly as Fulham substitutes Edward Johnson and Nevland ripped the game wide open with several dazzling pieces of interplay as Glory’s defence imploded under the pressure.”
I like the sound of it. A new alternative strike partnership perhaps. I saw the Melbourne game and thought EJ looked quick and somehow seems to have bulked up. I’m sure Roy, Erik and AJ can teach him a thing or two. Whether he has the capacity to take in the lessons is the critical question.
Comment by Mike H — July 16, 2009 @ 12:48 am |
“[Eddie Johnson] looked shocking in his debut against Man Utd…”
As would just about any player who had never played at the Premier League level, was not fully match fit, and was playing out of position, for a relegation-threatened side, in a match against the eventual league champions. I love Roy as much as the rest of us but he wasn’t exactly setting EJ up for success here.
Comment by Josh — July 16, 2009 @ 2:46 pm |
“Anyway, our man Eddie Johnson was instrumental in setting up the goals so hopefully he’s starting to progress. I see good in most players and generally want everyone to succeed, but players like Johnson, so routinely written off on the message boards, are particular favourites.”
I tend to agree with this, and I thank you, as I have really been souring on Johnson. I’d hoped, as an American, to have yet ANOTHER of ours playing regular football, and thought he had tremendous potential a couple years ago. I’ve stated recently that it’s time Fulham move on and let him go. This is, indeed, encouraging to think he might be playing better. I’d hope this seeming improvement also shows for our national side.
Good to see CCNR back in publication, I missed you.
Comment by TommyBB — July 16, 2009 @ 7:09 pm |
thanks, Tommy. I have little to say these days but hopefully when the season starts that’ll change!
Comment by weltmeisterclaude — July 16, 2009 @ 8:34 pm |
Wow. I have to say I’m surprised at the EJ praise. I’m with TommyBB 100%. EJ looked incredible when he first hit the US National team, albeit against some of the CONCACAF minnows, but he never seemed to regain any form after his “turf toe” woes.
It seemed to me that he had lost the confidence to attack and take guys on.
Any possibility that his resurgence lead Fulham to drop Zamora?
Comment by Derek — July 16, 2009 @ 8:20 pm |
I wouldn’t think so. This may be the first steps back towards a career in the Prem, but I’d say it’s still more likely he ends up at Crystal Palace than plays much for Fulham.
Comment by weltmeisterclaude — July 16, 2009 @ 8:33 pm |
Would be great to see EJ playing at Fulham, but I’ll believe it when I see it. He’s got the ultimate motivation in making the 2010 WC team for the US because right now, he’s on the outside looking in.
That’s just a great response by Roy to the Baggies. I’m sure that his message was intended just as well to Greening and his agent that they need to start laying the groundwork with West Brom for this move.
Comment by George H — July 16, 2009 @ 10:28 pm |
It’s my impression that EJ is well down on Bob Bradley’s pecking order. One would hope it would be motivation enough to bust his arse in training and on the pitch, wherever that may be.
Comment by TommyBB — July 17, 2009 @ 2:39 pm |
it isn’t over yet!
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=668822&sec=transfers&cc=5901
Comment by davidgrantsinclair — August 19, 2009 @ 10:17 pm |