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Liam Fontaine - Update: Deal falls through


St.Patrik

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Opinion seems mixed from Bristol City fans, alot of their opinions are based on apathy with their club more than anything ''We need to get rid of the squad and start again'' etc, we had that sort of mindset a few years ago and players that we let go often went and became very good at their new club.

 

But quite a few also say he's their best CB and it would be stupid to let him go for whatever fee.

 

He's also a left sided CB and it seems like Adkins sees this as priority in order for us to play out from the back, and from what I remember about him he's pacey and technically sound on the ball.

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Seems to fit the bill - young but experienced, and hungry.

 

Will be interesting if this means either Martin will go out on loan.

 

Think that is unlikely. I noticed only recently that Martin is Right Footed. NA likes to have his CB's playing on their "stronger side" hence this shopping for a Left Footed CB.

 

That would make Martin more of an understudy for Fonte this season with Seaborne being the cover for "The new guy" which looks to be Fontaine.

 

That then leaves Jaidi as the man we turn to when up against a lump up front.

 

Attention to detail by NA, I quite like that none of this playing out of position malarky

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True, but Martin has probably only played about 10 pro football matches - he needs games! We could always recall him if needed.

 

That can only be done if he goes out on a 1 month loan which is then extended. Pretty certain you cannot recall during the initial loan period.

 

He'll get games and game time, pretty sure NA & his team know what he needs better than us.

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My mate's take as of yesterday.

 

"Fontaine is a good player who could probably benefit from a move, as he's been with us five years or so now. We signed him from Fulham the summer before we got promoted and he's been pretty much a first choice centre back ever since.

 

He's 25-ish, left sided (he can play LB at a push) and is best alongside someone who is better in the air than he is. I believe he's out of contract this summer so despite captaining us on the opening day (he's been out injured ever since, though is back in training) I reckon we might sell."

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My mate's take as of yesterday.

 

"Fontaine is a good player who could probably benefit from a move, as he's been with us five years or so now. We signed him from Fulham the summer before we got promoted and he's been pretty much a first choice centre back ever since.

 

He's 25-ish, left sided (he can play LB at a push) and is best alongside someone who is better in the air than he is. I believe he's out of contract this summer so despite captaining us on the opening day (he's been out injured ever since, though is back in training) I reckon we might sell."

 

Not the Jaidi clone we were hoping for then.

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Bristol City fan: 'Fonts piared with a big ball winner is an ideal partnership in this league. He reads the game well, has good pace and can tackle.'

 

IMO whilst Gorkss would Im sure have done well, we are crying out for a CB with pace, and that was one thing Gorkss doesn't have. Maybe considering they would cost about the same NA thinks Fontaine has more Prem potential?

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Fonte can more than handle himself in the air. Doesn't lose many headers and attacks the ball really well.

 

Still think he looks better with jaidi. He's a bit like claus. Not a first defender. Better alongside a monkou, Richards, svennson or jaidi. Not a Baird or who was the Swedish guy when we got relegated.

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Still think he looks better with jaidi. He's a bit like claus. Not a first defender. Better alongside a monkou, Richards, svennson or jaidi. Not a Baird or who was the Swedish guy when we got relegated.

 

I agree. Bit worrying to read Bristol fans saying this Fontaine bloke is best next a ball winner, as opposed to being one himself. What we really need is another Svennson type to complement Fonte .... or to put it another way a younger, faster Jaidi... and what is more he has to be able to play left side because the otherwise excellent Fonte apparently can't.

 

Still, maybe the Bristol fans are exaggerating.

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Our game is being built around pass and move and including players that are comfortable on the ball.

 

Fontaine seems to fit this requirement well.

 

Fonte is decent in the air so I really do not see this as a problem - There are not so many big lump centre forwards in this league ( Carlton Cole aside).

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Our game is being built around pass and move and including players that are comfortable on the ball.

 

Fontaine seems to fit this requirement well.

 

Fonte is decent in the air so I really do not see this as a problem - There are not so many big lump centre forwards in this league ( Carlton Cole aside).

 

Jordan Henderson? Watford have some big guys. I think there are more than u think.

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My big concern is the fixation on signing players that have a surname beginning with 'Fo'.

 

Forte, Fontaine, Fox and it's not even down to Nigel as Pardew signed Fonte.

 

Has NC, in all his purse string wisdom, got a good deal on supplies of those two letters for the back of shirts and the resulting economies of scale will put us on a sounder financial footing?

 

Where will it all end?

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In Nige I trust, can't claim to have heard anything about this man but Brizzle fans consensus seems to be loads of potential but has stagnated the last couple of years so maybe a move will do him good. They all seem to think we're paying over the odds at circa 1 million but that was always going to happen with the oxo money.

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I agree. Bit worrying to read Bristol fans saying this Fontaine bloke is best next a ball winner, as opposed to being one himself. What we really need is another Svennson type to complement Fonte .... or to put it another way a younger, faster Jaidi... and what is more he has to be able to play left side because the otherwise excellent Fonte apparently can't. Still, maybe the Bristol fans are exaggerating.

 

as a matter of interest, Michael Svensson (soon 36)...is now turning out for Halmstad in the Swedish (Prem.) but not for long.

 

Halmstad "experimented" with an unknown Spanish coach who imported half-a dozen, equally unknown Spaniards (all totally useless) and he and they, departed the scene in the summer leaving Halmstad( previously a good side) firmly anchored at the bottom of the league and they are already " relegated" barring a miracle turnaround.

 

Former club hero Michael, jettisoned his coaches role, put on the no.5 shirt and started playing again for the first team.

Halmstad still can't win ...but now they lose by less goals...but their fate is inevitable. I'm afraid.

 

He (and Claus Lundekvam) were certainly was one of the best Saints CB pairs I can remember in the last 50 years.

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as a matter of interest, Michael Svensson (soon 36)...is now turning out for Halmstad in the Swedish (Prem.) but not for long.

 

Halmstad "experimented" with an unknown Spanish coach who imported half-a dozen, equally unknown Spaniards (all totally useless) and he and they, departed the scene in the summer leaving Halmstad( previously a good side) firmly anchored at the bottom of the league and they are already " relegated" barring a miracle turnaround.

 

Former club hero Michael, jettisoned his coaches role, put on the no.5 shirt and started playing again for the first team.

Halmstad still can't win ...but now they lose by less goals...but their fate is inevitable. I'm afraid.

 

[b]He (and Claus Lundekvam) were certainly was one of the best Saints CB pairs I can remember in the last 50 years.

 

 

[/b]David, agreed! They worked very well together. Also found MS one of the nicest people I met during the years I was 'connected' there.

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So to sum up: He's 5'9" and 5'11" and 6'1"; Bristol City fans think he's their best defender and wouldn't mind seeing him go. He's good in the air and also not so good in the air, needing to play alongside an aerial giant. He's potentiallly Premiership standard and is a died in the wool Championship quality player. That's nice and clear now, thanks.

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fontaine had ankle surgery towards end of last season. he then featured 1st game of the season against cardiff and played 90 mins but has since been out with ankle injury. i can see why bristol city have glady accepted our improved offer of 800k especially since he has less than a year left on his contract.

 

An earlier poster quoting a BC supporting friend said Fontaine is now back in training.

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I wonder if the press releases will scupper the deal, or maybe NC has eased up a little on that front

 

What makes you think Cortese has ever cancelled a deal because the press reported it before it was officially concluded? It makes no difference to the deal and is certainly not a reason to pull out.

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Makes me think that Adkins sees a long-term future in the team for Seaborne and/or Martin. If he wasn't sure about those two he may have spent £4m on a new defender. This is the sort of signing that says "here's a bit of extra competition/cover, whoever is playing best plays". It might mean it gives him a chance to send Maritn out on loan to get some more games while having cover/competition for Seaborne, with long-term view to Martin being in the team.

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Makes me think that Adkins sees a long-term future in the team for Seaborne and/or Martin. If he wasn't sure about those two he may have spent £4m on a new defender. This is the sort of signing that says "here's a bit of extra competition/cover, whoever is playing best plays".

 

This.

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A further Bristol City season ticket holder writes:

 

"Unspectacular.

 

Reliable but not outstanding at anything in particular.

 

Dodgy ankle, wouldn't surprise me if he failed the medical.

 

Surprised we've let him go though as defence is our weakness and he's probably the best of an average bunch (tells you a lot about the rest of them)."

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Someone on the echo website said "I hope he fails the medical" I have to say I tend to agree. This seems a very odd move. 1 Million for a player with a year left on his contract and a dodgy ankle. This seems like a move with a hint a desperation to it. I rather we didn't sign any cover than sign a potential sick note. There must be better out there? Even the City fans say he isn't anything special. Very odd.

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I'm glad people are quick to moan after probably never seeing him play. Anyway, this is from a ST holder...

 

"He is still a very good player though and when he's on his game, he's brillaint. He's very composed on the ball, win's a lot of headers and throws himself at danger."

 

Sounds like an Adkins signing to me.

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