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Moussa Dembele is turning away from Clint Dempsey’s antics and more towards the hearts of Fulham fans with his loyalty to the club.
After Fulham were defeated at Old Trafford on Saturday, Moussa Dembele was quoted with the following:
“Personally, I would like to go to the top. I think every player wants that. But I have the confidence to say that I want to play at a top club one day. Fulham is a good team. We have had two good matches now so it also makes sense to play here.”
While that’s an ominous sign, Dembele has been nothing but a class act while rumors fly about his future at Craven Cottage. Oh, and there was one more part to that quote, the most important part:
“As long as there is no bid, nothing happens.”
Hey Clint, you hear that? There hasn’t been a bid for you, or for Moussa. You both have a year left on your contracts. You’ve both been linked with moves away from the club. But one of you is playing like a star on the pitch for the club you’re under contract with, and the other is stuck training at Motspur Park and refusing to speak with the manager like a 15 year old girl.
In fact, if anything, Dembele has benefited greatly from his play on the field, almost forcing top managers such as Alex Ferguson and Andre Villas-Boas into eventually making bids for the creative midfielder. In addition, Dembele’s been linked with far more successful clubs than Dempsey has, only adding to the separation in attitudes between the two players.
Fulham fans understand that top players at the club in the primes of their career are going to want to play at a higher level. That’s something we all accept without a problem. In fact, the men in charge at Craven Cottage have built a successful reputation at finding these diamonds in the rough, putting them on the big stage, and then cashing in when larger clubs come knocking, turning that money around into youth development and scouting for others, starting the cycle over again. Fans appreciate seeing a former star who made his career at Craven Cottage have success elsewhere. However, turning your back on the fans like Clint Dempsey has is only going to create unrest and confusion amongst the Fulham faithful.
Moussa Dembele’s handling of his transfer speculation has been nothing but spectacular, just like his play on the field throughout their first two matches of the season. No question Fulham are a much better side with Dembele staying at Craven Cottage, and I just like any other fan hope he stays for at least this year to help Fulham achieve a top-10 side or maybe even a top-7 finish, which doesn’t seem out of the ordinary after these performances. However, if he does go, fans will sing his praises for his time at the banks of the Thames, something that no longer seems a certainty for the American who refuses to speak with the manager.
Talk about lack of class. You folks don’t know what is going on with the Dempsey saga or who has caused it. Dempsey has said almost nothing – which seems to me to be the right thing to do. Jol can’t keep his mouth shut and constantly seems to backtrack. Did Dempsey refuse to go to Switzerland? I doubt it. Did Dempsey go on strike? I find that almost inconceivable. Did Jol exclude him from the side to maximize his transfer value or relative to the fact that Dempsey hasn’t signed a new contract. I don’t know – and neither do you. We’ll see how it plays out – in the meantime speculate all you want – if you think thats classy. Americans (I’m one) have always been fond of Fulham – with good reason. I hope that continues, but shame on anyone who has permitted this “strike” business to be publicized like this if, in fact, it is not true. (I can’t believe that the owner – who has such a great reputation – would permit it – but he has. Has Jol managed this well?)
Les,
You have just said that nobody knows what has happened with Clint and because of this, we shouldn’t speculate. You then go on by saying that clint PROBABLY hasn’t gone on strike and PROBABLY didn’t refuse to go to switzerland.
Now that is speculation.
Tom: you need to focus on the words in front of you. I said what I believed. I said I didn’t know. Personally, I would be shocked if Dempsey went on strike. But I don’t know. Where did I use the word “probably.” No offense mate, but can you read? I didn’t speculate at all. But I repeat – I don’t personally believe it, I would be shocked and if it were true and I would be very, very disappointed if it were true. So to be clear, I don’t believe it for a second. But I don’t know. I can tell you – whatever the truth – that Jol hurt Fulham. He seems to recognize that through his own statements of late. But you read in to my comments whatever you like.
Jol started the whole thing by talking out his ass saying clint refused. Which the next day he said he misspoke. He came out and said that clint did not refuse. Everyone from the UK just wants to talk shit because hes American. I think Fulham fans should be a lot more respectful with all that he has done for you guys. No one knows whats going on behind the scenes except that martin jol himself said that Clint did not refuse. Maybe you should read some articles before talking out your ass. Lets go Reds
Anyone who has been around the game for any period of time knows what is going on, Les. While you’re entitled to your opinion, don’t be crushed when you end up being wrong here.
Kyle, this was the best article you have written here at Fulham’s Finest. Take a bow.
Jason, great argument. You should read Scoop by Waugh. I think your missing the point. As I said, I would be very disappointed if Dempsey went on strike. I just don’t think he did. Perhaps I am naive as you suggest. Lets try it this way. Fulham loses Dempsey. Is that good for Fulham? No. Fulham sells Dempsey for less than his market value because of Jol’s management of the situation. Is that good for fulham? No. It turns out that most of the stuff in the press tarnishing Dempsey’s character is BS. (A good prediction since we are dealing with the British press.) Is that good for Fulham? No. Why? Because Fulham, among other rings, for a small club has a strong US fan base. Because the market for football is now global and Americans are pissed off. Fulham had a lot of good will from this side of the “pond.” But, I am sure that it will blow over and everything will be rosey. Good-by Fulham. Good-by.