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He still is. He captained his Lille team to a 0-0 draw with PSG at the weekend, to secure their place at the top of the French League, and also through to the knock out stage of the Europa League after beating AC Milan 3-0 at the San Siro. And he won his 42nd cap for Portugal last month too. I wonder how well we would do against PSG and AC Milan?
It would appear that none of the many fans who thought he was past his sell by date are posters on the UI then...
Jose Fonte was a great player for Saints and it seems that he is still doing well for Lille, but before we start to get too carried away we should remember some simple facts.
1. It was not Les Reed who connived with his good friend Jose Mourinho, to try to engineer a move to Manchester United that would have earned them all a tidy penny, no that would be Fonte's new agent at the time Jorge Mendes who decided that his client was suddenly worth money.
2. This transfer was being worked on before Fonte had even arrived back at the club after the Euros that summer.
3. Fonte is an adult he could have told his agent he was happy at St Mary's
4. He had only signed a new deal he had been perfectly happy with 9 months earlier,
5. He was offered a new improved contract by Saints, he turned it down
6. He could have turned round and agreed to stay and would have captained the side to a League cup final and given the abysmal marking shown that day would probably have won us the cup.
7 He preferred to go to West Ham, coincidentally a club known to be paying big wages at the time.
8. He was awful at West Ham and they were glad to get shot of him
9. He chased the big money in China and left after 7 games
10. He has done well at Lille, but the French League is not the Premier League, it is a lot less strenuous.
I liked Fonte and admired his ability to keep going and adapt his game when Saints returned to the premier League, initially he looked a yard too slow, but his reading of the game and organisational skills compensated for that.
Whatever you will read, ultimately it was his choice to go, he had signed a new deal and was happy till Portugal won the Euros, then he and his agent decided to chase money.
Ironic that some of our supporters (Im not referring to anyone on here) prefer to talk about Fonte in hushed tones whilst on the other hand slagging off players who stayed loyal at various times, Fonte was no different to Adam Lallana in the way he left, yet Lallana could easily have left in 2009 when we were in administration but stayed, he didn't jump ship at the first sign of money, only when he felt he had given Saints good service and deserved a shot at a big club, difference was he was genuinely wanted by a big club, his move was about ambition not money, Fonte's was purely driven by money I'm sad to say
Satisfying The Bloodlust Of The Masses In Peacetime
Jose Fonte was a great player for Saints and it seems that he is still doing well for Lille, but before we start to get too carried away we should remember some simple facts.
1. It was not Les Reed who connived with his good friend Jose Mourinho, to try to engineer a move to Manchester United that would have earned them all a tidy penny, no that would be Fonte's new agent at the time Jorge Mendes who decided that his client was suddenly worth money.
2. This transfer was being worked on before Fonte had even arrived back at the club after the Euros that summer.
3. Fonte is an adult he could have told his agent he was happy at St Mary's
4. He had only signed a new deal he had been perfectly happy with 9 months earlier,
5. He was offered a new improved contract by Saints, he turned it down
6. He could have turned round and agreed to stay and would have captained the side to a League cup final and given the abysmal marking shown that day would probably have won us the cup.
7 He preferred to go to West Ham, coincidentally a club known to be paying big wages at the time.
8. He was awful at West Ham and they were glad to get shot of him
9. He chased the big money in China and left after 7 games
10. He has done well at Lille, but the French League is not the Premier League, it is a lot less strenuous.
I liked Fonte and admired his ability to keep going and adapt his game when Saints returned to the premier League, initially he looked a yard too slow, but his reading of the game and organisational skills compensated for that.
Whatever you will read, ultimately it was his choice to go, he had signed a new deal and was happy till Portugal won the Euros, then he and his agent decided to chase money.
Ironic that some of our supporters (Im not referring to anyone on here) prefer to talk about Fonte in hushed tones whilst on the other hand slagging off players who stayed loyal at various times, Fonte was no different to Adam Lallana in the way he left, yet Lallana could easily have left in 2009 when we were in administration but stayed, he didn't jump ship at the first sign of money, only when he felt he had given Saints good service and deserved a shot at a big club, difference was he was genuinely wanted by a big club, his move was about ambition not money, Fonte's was purely driven by money I'm sad to say
That’s not how Fonte explained it in his interview a few months back with the BBC. He was clear the club forced him out. At that time the club was selling anything that moved, so I’m inclined to believe Fonte’s story rather than the official club narrative.
That’s not how Fonte explained it in his interview a few months back with the BBC. He was clear the club forced him out. At that time the club was selling anything that moved, so I’m inclined to believe Fonte’s story rather than the official club narrative.
Why would you believe what a multi millionaire pound footballer, Fonte is now nearing the end of his career, he is looking for a coaching job, he is hardly going to turn round and say " Yes I preferred to chase money " Every footballer has their own sob story about every club they play for, they are never at fault.
Fonte left for the Euros in the summer of 2016 as club captain and at 32 a new deal signed only 6 months earlier in his pocket, what changed in the next two months wasn't Southampton Football club but Jose Fone
I love the "Club forced me out " bit, his agent was briefing the press about Fonte going to Man Utd before he had even arrived back at the club after the Euros, they couldn't force him out, he hadn't come back in yet.
He left because West Ham offered him a lot more money, do you think we would have been able to force him out if he couldn't match his deal at St Mary's ?
At the end the club wanted him out, he was in the squad right up to New Years day, but they had to remove him from the squad for being disruptive
I think we all know from experience (Boufal, Carillo, Lemina, Hoedt) that doesn't happen.
This illustrates my point for some Saints supporters there are players who can do no right and others that are forgiven anything
Satisfying The Bloodlust Of The Masses In Peacetime
That’s not how Fonte explained it in his interview a few months back with the BBC. He was clear the club forced him out. At that time the club was selling anything that moved, so I’m inclined to believe Fonte’s story rather than the official club narrative.
Me too. If Les Reed had still been here Bertrand and Ings would be on their way out in January. We'd already be hearing the PR 'leaks' about how greedy and selfish they were and how their team mates would be glad to see the back of them, and messageboards like this one would be a willing outlet for them. Fortunately, we managed to get rid of Reed so we don't get his bullsh!t any more. I'd trust Fonte and the club's current board over Reed every time.
It's interesting to see that now they've managed to get rid of Reed, the club's official Facebook page has posted a big birthday tribute to Fonte, as they know the truth of the matter too.
Me too. If Les Reed had still been here Bertrand and Ings would be on their way out in January. We'd already be hearing the PR 'leaks' about how greedy and selfish they were and how their team mates would be glad to see the back of them, and messageboards like this one would be a willing outlet for them. Fortunately, we managed to get rid of Reed so we don't get his bullsh!t any more. I'd trust Fonte and the club's current board over Reed every time.
It's interesting to see that now they've managed to get rid of Reed, the club's official Facebook page has posted a big birthday tribute to Fonte, as they know the truth of the matter too.
[Post edited 23 Dec 2020 10:05]
I see Les Reed is still the problem with everything !
Dirk, you say that this board is a willing outlet for PR leaks, but what is Fonte's interview ? just another PR leak.
I know you will never hear a bad word said about Fonte, but why would you trust him ? have you ever met him or had dealings with him, do you know anyone within Southampton FC who has, I do I don't just rely on Pr leaks
There is a new attitude within SFC these days, the old horrible days of Cortese are gone, it is forgive and forget, celebrate the positive things he has done not the negatives.
When Dean Richards died the club and fans posted tributes, they didn't drag up the past and the sly undehand way he left.
But that doesn't mean that the truth is that Fonte was forced out, it just means that the club have moved on, Fonte hasn't, he points accusing fingers at the club still.
I suspect that he has got lost of money, but regrets losing sight of his actual playing career 4 years ago, if he had stayed he would have captained us to a trophy , if he had done that he would have been a hero with the fans and no one could have forced him out
Satisfying The Bloodlust Of The Masses In Peacetime
Whatever the circumstances of his departure and whoever was the instigator of it or the reasons of it, I just prefer to remember Fonte with the fondness I have of him as a sincere, hard working player who gave his all. He was not perfect and had his off days but I always felt he loved the club and wanted to do well for it. I also felt he came over really well in interviews even when things were bad and did not try to pretend they were good when they weren't after a bad defeat.
I always felt he had the potential to go into management when he finishes.
Equally I have never been inclined to join in the vitriol against Lallana. I did not like the manner in which he left or his behaviour whilst in Brazil but purely from a playing perspective when he played for us he was an excellent midfielder.
I see Les Reed is still the problem with everything !
Dirk, you say that this board is a willing outlet for PR leaks, but what is Fonte's interview ? just another PR leak.
I know you will never hear a bad word said about Fonte, but why would you trust him ? have you ever met him or had dealings with him, do you know anyone within Southampton FC who has, I do I don't just rely on Pr leaks
There is a new attitude within SFC these days, the old horrible days of Cortese are gone, it is forgive and forget, celebrate the positive things he has done not the negatives.
When Dean Richards died the club and fans posted tributes, they didn't drag up the past and the sly undehand way he left.
But that doesn't mean that the truth is that Fonte was forced out, it just means that the club have moved on, Fonte hasn't, he points accusing fingers at the club still.
I suspect that he has got lost of money, but regrets losing sight of his actual playing career 4 years ago, if he had stayed he would have captained us to a trophy , if he had done that he would have been a hero with the fans and no one could have forced him out
Reed wasn’t the problem. The owners were as they were obsessed with generating income through players and clearly told Reed whet they wanted. Reed simply carried out instructions and seemed to do very well at fulfilling the brief.
That’s not how Fonte explained it in his interview a few months back with the BBC. He was clear the club forced him out. At that time the club was selling anything that moved, so I’m inclined to believe Fonte’s story rather than the official club narrative.
I’m inclined to go with Nick’s version of events. That said, I don’t bear any ill will towards Fonte as he was great for us. However, he blew his chance to become a genuine club legend and I think there’s a huge amount of rose tinted spectacles and 20/20 hindsight with him.
In fact at the time on here I remember quite a few negative posts about how he was playing, his pace and tendency to give away free kicks in tricky situations. Now it would appear he put Frank Beckenbaur in his pomp to shame...
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