With a number of contracts up in the summer, Jol has specifically referred to these two. Sounds like a little reminder to them whose in the driving seat these days. http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/1596/29/jol-planning-new-fulham-deals-murphy-and-johnson
To be honest I could live with us being without these two next season. AJ has never lived up to his price tag despite giving 100% and even though Murphy has been a great servant for the club, he has been on the decline now for the past two seasons. I'd say Dempsey and Dembele's contract extensions are more important than these two.
I agree, Bandy, that Dempsey and Dembele are possibly more important, but that doesn't mean that signing Murphy for another year isn't a valuable signing. As for AJ, at the risk of giving Valjing a relapse (anyone heard how he's doing, by the way?), it all depends on what kind of wage deal he'll agree. If the money is realistic (which probably means lower than his current deal), then I wouldn't mind him being around next season. I suspect if he is it will be as a back-up squad player though, not a regular starter. I suspect that Pog will sign permanently and he won't be the only striker who gets brought in. I certainly hope so, anyway.
Agree, Dembelle and Dempsey more important. They are the future of the club, the other two soon to be the past. If not this summer one of the following.
Johnson tries hard but it's probably the right time to let him go. It might be worth looking at adding a coaching dimension to Murphy's new contract and offering him a lower basic with higher performance fees.
Agree that tying down Demps and Dembele is very important for the clubs and will show the intention that we have. They are rightfully going to want a significant increase in their salaries, whether we have the funds to make this happen, who knows ? A lot will depend on our run in. If we can really push on from the position we have worked hard to get to, then I would like to think that football would prevail and both Demps and Dembele will stay. As for Murphy, I think it is crucial we keep hold of him, he still pulls the strings in the midfield. Yes he is another year older but his game is not about running. Anyone who has a pass completion of 83% from 1643 passes is worth his weight in gold. Jury is out on AJ. He should sign, he still owes us for the time he was injured. I think we have a natural goal scorer in Pog, so someone with AJ's tenacity and engine would be an asset for the team.
Definately looking forward to having Danny Murphy sign a new contract. Yes, he may make a few more obvious mistakes, but he is clearly still pulling the strings (as Froggy says) and makes some great pinpoint passes. We would be silly to let him go. C O Y W
Captain .. you and your mind games. I'd be in for offering Murphy and Johnson another year each. They're both still playing well, and even with Sidwell waiting, we don't have an adequate replacement for Murphy yet.
Potentially we have the space in our budget structure for both. 45k less from BZ and similar amount from AJ if he goes. If Dempsey is on 25k, make that 45k and leaves another 25k to play around. That's without releasing AJ. In that case there is 70k headroom.
Agree that both can still do a job for us next season, but are they wanting more than a 1 year contract on high wages. I agree, have to concentrate on getting contracts sorted on Dempsey and Dembele, but I think their heads will be turned by talks of bigger Clubs. I'd keep Murphy on and offer a coaching job at the end of a 1 year contract. I doubt he has the legs in him for another full season, playing every game. But he has the experience and a good brain, and could pace himself over cup games and at least half the league games. I fancy a cup run next year. With AJ I just feel we have to move on, and get new strikers in for the future, if we get some new signings can't see AJ being that involved as a primary striker. He doesn't seem to want a 1 year deal, and didn't sign one so we'd get a fee, so let him go. His over-all Primary Striker record for us is poor, and he is injury prone.
dempseys gone, we should accept it and thank him for the way in which he has served us. let's just hope our promising youngsters come good.
That's the spirit guys. Dempsey gave an interview a few days ago where he stated that he would want to play for a club in the Champions League, but he said he's taking the risk of the club going out at an early stage, so therefore the move not being worth it.
Give us, and him, a break! He's not gone, but might decide not to renew - It's not the same. He may go to find a CL chance, but he also wants regular 1st team place, which he might not get in a Top-4 Club so might have to think abroad. So not so certain. We'll deal with it when it happens, MJ will have a plans to keep him, or replace him. C O Y w
GeraScores talks sense, again. All we can do is wait and see what happens with Dempsey. All the club can do is try to get him to agree a new contract, but if they can't find terms that suit him and us then chances are he's gone. Whichever happens, we'll deal with it at the time. If he does go, I don't think anyone can begrudge him his chance or argue that he has dealt poorly with Fulham. Good luck, Clint, but I hope you're here for a few more years yet. If not, we'll be okay.
Dempsey thrives at Fulham because a) he has the green light to shoot any time he likes, and b) he doesn't put as much effort into his defensive responsibilities as he ought. He's effectively Fulham's designated shooter and not much more is expected of him; I think the extra effort of his teammates affords Dempsey a degree of freedom he almost certainly WOULD NOT find at a big five club. And when you talk about Dempsey moving to a big five club, you have to ask which player would he replace. So let's take a look at the contenders. ManC: Nasri, Milner and Barry ... uh, no! Tottenham: Bale, Parker, Lennon Van der Vaart ... not a chance. Arsenal: Walcott, Arteta, Benayoun, Chamberline ... OK, maybe, Dempsey is marginally better than Arteta, but that's it. ManU: Giggs, Nani, Valencia, Anderson ... hopeless. Liverpool: Gerrard, Maxi, Adam Downing ... he's a slight improvement over Downing, but hardly worth the move. Again, I just don't see it happening.
Deary me boys, Dempsey may well go but in order to consider him gone we need some solid speculation of a specific club making an offer (or at least preparing one) for him. Have we got that? Not to my knowledge. Until he's signed for another club, he's here, so lets make the most of that.
