6 months left on their contracts- (14 players) Andy Johnson - 7th August 2012 (4 years)(30) Bjørn Helge Riise - 22nd July 2012 (3 years)(28) Danny Murphy - Summer 2012 (1 year)(34) Mark Schwarzer - Summer 2012 (1 year with option of another year)(39) Stephen Kelly - 1st July 2012 (3 years)(28) Zdenek Grygera - Summer 2012 (1 year with option of a further year)(31) Csaba Somogyi - Summer 2012 (1 year)(26) Alex Kacaniklic - Summer 2012 (2 years) (20) Danny Hoesen - Summer 2012 (1 year with option of a further year)(20) Jesse Joronen – 30th June 2012 (3 years)(18) Alex Smith - 25th June 2012 (3 years) (20) Buomesca Tué Na Bangna - Summer 2012 (1 year with option of a further year)(18) Jonathan Cosgrove - 30/06/2012 (2 years)(18) Richard Barroilhet - Summer 2012 (18 months)(19) So who will get a new contract ? Can't see many of the top group getting new contracts Kelly ? maybe Schwarzer BH Riise needs game time, but won't get it at Fulham, too many in front of him ? and you would think Murphy might be looking at a media or management job. I suppose the young players at 20 years old have to look if they are going to break into the team or would they be better off elsewhere.
Murphy probably will but on the terms to play less, and Schwarzer. Potentially Kelly as squad player. The rest probably better without. No much info on the youngsters to have an opinion.
I honestly can't see any of them getting new contracts. Jol will buy a new right back in January and Baird will be used as back up, or the other way around. I don't know why the Swedish youngster from Liverpool hasn't been loaned out like LDV and Trotta.
Yeah I'd keep Kelly and Murphy. AJ will probably go this month anyway. Don't know much about the youngsters, that Danny Hoesen lad seemed promising but i'm not sure?
I'd definitely like to see Kelly given an extension. He's come in and done a great job for us on the right.
It's also worth keeping an eye on those with 18 months left as those are the players whose services the club will need to secure before next season to avoid the risk of losing them for nothing the following year. These include Dempsey, Dembele, and Senderos of the current first team regulars as well as Duff, Hughes, Davies, and Baird. I've a feeling Duff will leave in January anyway as may Hughes. I tend to think we're seeing Dempsey's last season at Fulham as well - he's 29 this year so if he wants to fulfil his ambition of playing in the Champions League he doesn't have too many years left to do it.
If Johnson takes a pay cut, I'd keep him. Schwartzer and Kelly I'd definitely keep. Frankly, I think Kelly's done a good job of late, at least on the defensive side. His crosses aren't great, but he's go the pace to catch just about anyone on the pitch and he's got pretty good touch for a defender. I think he's as good as Baird as a right back. ... I was reading the "50 hottest Transfer" list on the BBC site and not one Fulham player was there, including Zamora and Dembele. (I think it's funny how often the TV presenters say "Dembele could easily fit in on a big four team" forgetting the fact that he's got one goal this whole season. I'm not saying he's not contributing, but just looking at the Fantasy League ratings of players, Dempsey's ranked fifth amongst all midfielders just below Gareth Bale, Nani, Van Der Vaart and Silva. The next closest Fulham player is Danny Murphy. Dembele performs magic with the ball at his feet, and he creates a few chances for people, but I can't see this guy cracking the starting 11 at any of the big five teams.)
Johnson won't take a pay cut, especially when moneybags Blackburn and QPR are willing to offer him even more than he's on right now, and first team football to go along with it. Kelly has done a decent job I agree, but I still feel Baird is the better player, and I'm not sure Kelly would be prepared to be our second choice as he is good enough to be first choice at Fulham and certainly at a few other teams in the league. I feel Jol will bring in a right back either in January or in the summer to replace Grygera, which could spell the end of Kelly. Schwarzer again the same as Kelly, I think Stockdale should take over the reigns, but Marky is too good to be a second choice. I would offer him a contract extension to help Stockdale's progression but I'm not sure he would settle to see out his career as second choice. Dembele is not ready for a big team, he still has a long way to go, improving on his end product would be a good starting point. The guy can dribble as good as anyone in the league but his shooting is about as good as Heskey's. I also find him to be a rather selfish player, but these are all things that can be improved in time.
The thing is if Jol brings in either a centre back or right back then that means one of Kelly or Baird will have no place in the team. I don't particularly want to get rid of either as both are decent players but if I was to choose between the two I would keep Baird for his versatility.
I don't think it's simply a case of which one he will chose to keep, Kelly or Baird. Every manager likes a versatile player like Baird who can play anywhere across the backline or in midfield. I think Kelly will be kept as he's the best right back at the club and has done well so far this season. I'd keep them both and I think Jol will too.
He will keep both if he doesn't buy a right back in this transfer window or the next. I already said that.
I think Jol will buy a right back and keep both. The right back he buys may well be a youngster to back Kelly up. Kelly started slow in our new playing style but he seems to adapted well. He got an assist against Arsenal I think?
I don't remember Kelly getting an assist, Senderos got the assist for Sidwell's header, and the cross for Zamora came from the left side didn't it? I heard Gunter's name being mentioned in regards to a new right back, for near on £3 million, do you see him being a starter or a back up for Kelly?
Maybe I remembered wrong. Pretty sure he was involved in some build-up though. As far as Gunter goes, for a player who hasn't convinced many fans plying his trade in the Championship I'd rather not see him at all.
I don't think his teammates at Forest are helping him though. It's hard to make yourself look good when your team is doing poorly, take Stockdale for example. He was letting in goals right left and centre due to his defence, who is to say that Gunter is Forest's weak link?
I'm not saying he's a weak link, just I can't see much to say we should go out, blow £3m on him and stick him in the starting XI. We knew Stocky was good before we loaned him out.
AJ has turned down club FFC offer of contract extension. Sky say that QPR have started the bidding at £1.5m. Blackburn are said to be prepared to take offers for Hoilett, whose contract runs out in the summer, and with Kean having reportedly declared an interest in AJ would deal here be in our best interests?
