What are your views on AJ stalling on the signing of new contract, ! Could it be that if he does not sign. A free next summer would allow him to obtain the 40k per week salary he is now on. If we sold I could not see us getting more than 2 mil,but it would free up the 4mil+ 2 year wage bill. The only club,that has shown any real interest is WBA but I believe they only offered 1 and a half ,plus a much low wage. I feel that if we are in the mire at Christmas both he and BZ will go,this may also apply if we have a good run without them on the score sheet. Your views on this subject.
I think AJ has been playing to walk away on a free transfer. He's been in contract talks for about a year now, I doubt whether Fulham are prepared to give him more money on his contract, and probably he has found out other clubs are not prepared to up his wages unless his transfer fee is low or free. In the summer there were rumors about moves to QPR, West Ham, WBA and Leicester. I would think Fulham were trying to sell him, to get a fee. I would think Zamora will be looking to move on for one last pay day and signing on fee. Fulham would look to a get a good fee, but the problem for Zamora is going to a 'bigger club' the expectations on him will also be bigger, and in the past he hasn't made the grade.
I think a lot has to do with Jol's approach not to offer long term contracts to players close to 30 and above (1-2 yr). And I see the reason. Out of the current contract AJ has played something more than 50% due to injury. Probably the club is not willing to pay £40k per week for 2 years and nobody can blame them. But can't see other clubs paying as much either. So far he only scored 3 goals against QPR!! Based on current performance I can't see many teams coming in for Zamora, but if Ruiz is not a CF as Jol said, can't see him leaving.
I suspect that whether or not Zamora leaves depends to some extent on who comes in during January. I could see that going either way. Whether AJ leaves depends on what offers are on the table. If we're offered any kind of fee, the club might well take it. I don't think it's fair to criticise AJ for playing for a free transfer. Whenever he's been fit, he's put in an honest shift. His goalscoring record (before this season) hasn't been what we would have hoped for, but he's always worked hard and done his best for the team. The injuries aren't his fault.
AJ has certainly been unlucky with injuries. Starting when he joined in the summer of 2008 and it was October before he got going; scoring his first, for us coincidentally, against Wigan. In Fulham's 123 premiership games since he joined he has been constantly hampered and only managed 73 apppearances. Just a few more stats - in those games he's had 126 attempts on goal; 58 on target of which 13 were goals. There's no doubting his professionalism and this year in particular he has put in 100% in every game he's played. But the current stalemate is not about today or the past, it's about where he and the club see AJ being a year from now. An impasse unlikely to be resolved before January so it will be decided on offers made then.
Adverse comments notwithstanding - I do like AJ's workrate. The recent goals have been a good reward.
Good post C58 (our resident statto). Re: the last point, I think by January we'll have a much clearer idea of whether we'll want to keep him. As things stand, with Ruiz apparently not being a striker, we'll need him on board.
