Forster Situation

[Batman]

What a life for Fraser

 

It’s only Wednesday and this week he has ‘earned’ over £38k already

 

Got another few years of this, what’s not to like?

[Heisenberg]

What a life for Fraser

 

It’s only Wednesday and this week he has ‘earned’ over £38k already

 

Got another few years of this, what’s not to like?

 

About 150 season tickets a week.

 

Unbelievable

[Lighthouse]

He should fire his agent if that's true.

 

Based on the stunt he pulled off last year, I reckon he should be knighted in the New Years honours list.

[Dusic]

Suprised this didn't get a mention in the Fans Forum.

 

Utterly dreadful squad planning to end up with a 3rd choice GK as one of your highest paid players.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

The fact he wasn't even on bench last night, shows the clubhave told him that unless he goes on loan this year, he's going to be playingzero football this season.

Unlikely to even play in U23s, is he? Given Lewis is likelyto play in those games.

Going to have a serious detriment to his career, a wholeseason with no football…

 

Difficult one for Fraser. Probably trying to get a loan deal, but otherwise - wouldn't you just swallow your pride and sit tight, and see your contract out for a sum that would see you possibly never having to work again in your life?

[Graffito]

Difficult one for Fraser. Probably trying to get a loan deal, but otherwise - wouldn't you just swallow your pride and sit tight, and see your contract out for a sum that would see you possibly never having to work again in your life?

 

If a loan were a good football move I’d take it to get my career back on track, even with a drop in salary. If Forster is confident in his ability to regain form, he would see it as a temporary step back to move forward. For instance, I doubt Burnley are paying Hart anything like what Man City paid him. There’s obviously a limit to how much of a drop in salary Forster would be willing to take but I’m guessing any proposed moves haven’t been right for him from a football perspective. He’s not a perennial back up keeper and whatever we think of his abilities he’s been an England player. He won’t want to be the forgotten man.

[St Chalet]

Send him to the ****ing glue factory where he belongs.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Hope he gets a move to suit him but i doubt it will be with the pay he wants and i

hope its somewhere where he get the respect he deserves

[angelman]

I agree that there could be a bit more respect shown.

 

 

As an aside, I do recall when signing him, Celtic supporters were more than OK with Gordon staying.

[Suhari]

I don't know the guy of course, but I wonder if he cares?

 

His form has dipped since the new, big, contract......so perhaps he's simply not trying as hard? Maybe he feels, on some level, that he has 'made it' and has no more passion to push forwards? Could explain the lack of form and lack of a move so far.

 

Why go on loan when you'd have to do some work, when you can sit as third choice and coast along?

 

I hope he gets a move. Looks increasingly unlikley though.

[Suhari]

No hints? No rumours?

 

Are we really keeping him here as third choice?

[S-Clarke]

No hints? No rumours?

 

Are we really keeping him here as third choice?

 

All done, he stays. No one would pay even a small % of his wages, basically. He's earning too much here, but there were enquiries.

[Batman]

All done, he stays. No one would pay even a small % of his wages, basically. He's earning too much here, but there were enquiries.

 

Best job ever

[LGTL]

Difficult one for Fraser. Probably trying to get a loan deal, but otherwise - wouldn't you just swallow your pride and sit tight, and see your contract out for a sum that would see you possibly never having to work again in your life?

 

Possibly??

 

He takes home £360,000 a month.

[sotonjoe]

Possibly??

 

He takes home £360,000 a month.

 

Are you sure? Aren’t quoted footballer wages usually gross figures as opposed to net?

 

 

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[SuperSAINT]

All done, he stays. No one would pay even a small % of his wages, basically. He's earning too much here, but there were enquiries.

 

He doesn't strike me as the sort of person who will be that bothered being 3rd choice on 90k.

[egg]

He doesn't strike me as the sort of person who will be that bothered being 3rd choice on 90k.

 

I'm not convinced he'll be 3rd choice. Lewis is still here. If he's given hope of playing he may hang around in January. Rose, I'm guessing, will be the u23 keeper but with no squad place for 1st team.

 

Either way, having 8 professional keepers on our books and only 1 (an academy player) on loan is utterly mental.

[Miltonaggro]

All done, he stays. No one would pay even a small % of his wages, basically. He's earning too much here, but there were enquiries.

 

Forster the solid gold Tommy Forecast!

[stknowle]

All done, he stays. No one would pay even a small % of his wages, basically. He's earning too much here, but there were enquiries.

 

Working on the premise that no-one is going pay close to his current wages and take him on permanently let alone actually pay a fee for him as well, a loan deal would be the only realistic option. If so I'd be interested to know what our minimum terms were. It would arguably be better to let him go for nothing in the hope that he actually played well ,got his confidence back up and established some resale value. As it is he just sits there without the opportunity to do any of that.

Regardless, what an expensive mess this is and that 1 year extension which was perplexing at the time now looks utterly utterly mental.

[Lighthouse]

Does beg the question of why we signed Gunn. I know he looks better than FF but from a financial point of view it seems like madness when we've already got Fraser as back up and we can't get rid of him. Yes, he is a weakness but he isn't hopeless.

 

Given choise I'd have spent the Gunn money on a decent AM or a decent RB.

[CB Fry]

Working on the premise that no-one is going pay close to his current wages and take him on permanently let alone actually pay a fee for him as well, a loan deal would be the only realistic option. If so I'd be interested to know what our minimum terms were. It would arguably be better to let him go for nothing in the hope that he actually played well ,got his confidence back up and established some resale value. As it is he just sits there without the opportunity to do any of that.

Regardless, what an expensive mess this is and that 1 year extension which was perplexing at the time now looks utterly utterly mental.

So strange, and not even in hindsight. Pretty much everyone was non-plussed/perplexed by Forster's extension at the time.

 

Then, it was pointless. Now, it looks insane.

[nta786]

Does beg the question of why we signed Gunn. I know he looks better than FF but from a financial point of view it seems like madness when we've already got Fraser as back up and we can't get rid of him. Yes, he is a weakness but he isn't hopeless.

 

Given choise I'd have spent the Gunn money on a decent AM or a decent RB.

 

we don't know this.

[Micky]

Does beg the question of why we signed Gunn. I know he looks better than FF but from a financial point of view it seems like madness when we've already got Fraser as back up and we can't get rid of him. Yes, he is a weakness but he isn't hopeless.

 

Given choise I'd have spent the Gunn money on a decent AM or a decent RB.

Tend to agree, whilst Angus is a great addition to our squad, it wasn't a priority while we still have Fraser. Not only that but I think it makes it much more difficult to offload Fraser because we have effectively said that he's not even good enough for our bench. Who's going to take a chance on a keeper whose 3rd choice and commands massive wages. Should have left the Gunn deal and played Fraser off the bench and for cup games in the hope that we could move him on in the next window.

 

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[SaveloyMush]

If his head has gone, we won't be playing for anyone, anywhere.

[Red]

Does beg the question of why we signed Gunn. I know he looks better than FF but from a financial point of view it seems like madness when we've already got Fraser as back up and we can't get rid of him. Yes, he is a weakness but he isn't hopeless.

 

Given choise I'd have spent the Gunn money on a decent AM or a decent RB.

 

Very obvious - our new (or renewed) policy is to buy good potential and sell at a vast premium. Gunn will be sold at 5 to 10 times purchase price. FF will be a loss maker. If you want more proof, look more closely at our recent signings - all levels.

[Lighthouse]

Very obvious - our new (or renewed) policy is to buy good potential and sell at a vast premium. Gunn will be sold at 5 to 10 times purchase price. FF will be a loss maker. If you want more proof, look more closely at our recent signings - all levels.

 

Gunn will be worth £135m sitting on our bench? Quite the prediction but even if he displaces McC (which wont be happening in the immediate future) I can't see him being a big cash cow.

[kwsaint]

Don't often claim to be ITK, but from what I have heard FF is not in a good place. His confidence as a keeper is shot (self-evidently), he is clearly not even third choice and we are unlikely to see him in a Saints shirt again. His career as a footballer has come to a shuddering halt, and however much money he is getting paid that is going to be tough.

 

Commercially Saints have messed up big time here by giving him such a long contract. Doubtless his agent will want him to stick around so that he gets his cut, but I doubt that is in anyone's best interests, either the clubs or FFs. My guess is that he wont be around for much longer

[Red]

Gunn will be worth £135m sitting on our bench? Quite the prediction but even if he displaces McC (which wont be happening in the immediate future) I can't see him being a big cash cow.

 

I think you know what I meant. BTW we paid £10M for Gunn, so selling him for £50M in 2 to 3 years in this inflated market, when I expect he will be our #1 and pushing for an England place is not so far fetched, but then that wasn't my point as you well know. Whatever if it suits your agenda to trash posters that don't agree with a poor Moderator's view so be it, and fill your boots!

[Pilchards]

Don't often claim to be ITK, but from what I have heard FF is not in a good place. His confidence as a keeper is shot (self-evidently), he is clearly not even third choice and we are unlikely to see him in a Saints shirt again. His career as a footballer has come to a shuddering halt, and however much money he is getting paid that is going to be tough.

 

Commercially Saints have messed up big time here by giving him such a long contract. Doubtless his agent will want him to stick around so that he gets his cut, but I doubt that is in anyone's best interests, either the clubs or FFs. My guess is that he wont be around for much longer

 

Can he play centerback?

[angelman]

OK we have Forster on our books. His confidence is shot. He is not seemingly in the plans. He's 30 with 4 years left on his contract. So what do you do with him in a pragmatic way, both to help him to help us. Move him from being a player to a player/coach? Would that work at all? The problem as a goalie is that you are so much more in the spot light, and it might appear to all that his confidence is shattered. I believe that often gets exacerbated when you are dropped, but it had to be done. The stats bear out that McCarthy is one of the top keepers in the league. I see Garth Crooks' usual ridiculous team of the week (Rui Patricio in goal) and he writes.... Did you know? Patricio has saved 50% of the 'big chances' he has faced in the Premier League this season (two from four). Only Petr Cech (75%), Neil Etheridge (71%) and Alex McCarthy (56%) have a better percentage in the division.

 

We can't just leave him doing nothing for the rest of his contract.

[VectisSaint]

Move him from being a player to a player/coach? Would that work at all? .

You are kidding, right? Why would we want him to coach? We also already have 3 keepers as coaches. Why would a poor keeper make a good coach? We can always just terminate his contract, expensive but at least it would get him away from the place.

[DT]

We would have lost 3-1 if he'd played on Saturday

[egg]

 

We can't just leave him doing nothing for the rest of his contract.

 

We can. He doesn't have to agree to becoming a coach (we have at least 3 keepers who are 1st team coaches anyway); he doesn't have to agree to a loan; he doesn't have to agree a transfer.

[angelman]

You are kidding, right? Why would we want him to coach? We also already have 3 keepers as coaches. Why would a poor keeper make a good coach? We can always just terminate his contract, expensive but at least it would get him away from the place.

 

We can. He doesn't have to agree to becoming a coach (we have at least 3 keepers who are 1st team coaches anyway); he doesn't have to agree to a loan; he doesn't have to agree a transfer.

 

Of course we can leave him do nothing. But after a while he would go a bit potty. Idle hands...... As for coaching, it was just trying to be pragmatic. Give him a purpose. Maybe even get his confidence growing.

 

Seems that most people here think he should just turn up, catch a ball or two, collect his wages and go home...for the next 4 years, seeing as he isn't likely to be moving anywhere. Or if he isn't part of the plan, why even bother get him to come in?

[ALWAYS_SFC]

We would have lost 3-1 if he'd played on Saturday

 

How would he have effected our 2 goal then?.....

[the saint in winchester]

So what are to conclude here? From comments above .. "his head is gone" and "confidence is shot" .. sounds like he is medically unfit to perform his duties? Can we retire him, and claim on medical insurance?

There has to be another option to us simply paying him his weekly wage until the expiry of his contract while he never works for us again. Offer him a "compromise agreement" (which he can reject, of course) and allow him to re-train for another career?

[verlaine1979]

Fans bleat about the sanctity of contracts when good players want to leave, so you can't have it both ways. The club messed up terribly in extending an already generous contract, but that isn't Forster's fault. I wouldn't take a pay cut either, so as long as he turns up and trains like the rest, it seems to me that he has just as much of a moral and legal right to his salary as anyone else in the squad.

[saint1977]

So what are to conclude here? From comments above .. "his head is gone" and "confidence is shot" .. sounds like he is medically unfit to perform his duties? Can we retire him, and claim on medical insurance?

There has to be another option to us simply paying him his weekly wage until the expiry of his contract while he never works for us again. Offer him a "compromise agreement" (which he can reject, of course) and allow him to re-train for another career?

 

He and his agent could do a Winston Bogarde and just take the cash and play for the U23s every so often. It depends how motivated Fraser is to get on his with his career and life. It sounds like he is anxious about the situation which is good as this transfer window will have told him that Les's contract is a millstone around his neck. Compromise agreement would be the most sensible option all round - say 25% of the duration as a lump sum (which is lot of money over 4 years), release him from his contract on a free.

 

That's what I'd do, club are going to take a large bath here in any case, so might as well bite the bullet whilst we still have the TV money. Osvaldo would have been as bad, if not a worse loss. The big lesson is never to let Les Reed anywhere near first team matters again and he may be an obstacle to resolving this as he'd have to admit a massive mistake that really isn't explainable rationally, and as we saw at the fans forum, taking responsibility is not his strong suit. So it might be contingent on how keen Fraser is on a fresh start.

 

Fraser might sit it out until the January window, save up the dosh in the meantime, and then be decisive then in taking a different course.

[egg]

Fans bleat about the sanctity of contracts when good players want to leave, so you can't have it both ways. The club messed up terribly in extending an already generous contract, but that isn't Forster's fault. I wouldn't take a pay cut either, so as long as he turns up and trains like the rest, it seems to me that he has just as much of a moral and legal right to his salary as anyone else in the squad.

 

Exactly this. He has a contract. His obligation is to turn up for training and join the match day squad/play when called upon. That's pretty much it. If he does that we have to pay him. Appalling mess to be in but as you say, contracts are a two way street.

 

All this talk of compromise agreement is nonsense. They're normally used when a sacking is dressed up as a redundancy. The compromise element is that the employee is looked after financially in return for no legal action against the employer. There's no compromise element here, just a bloke inexplicably on a long contract but who is surplus to requirements.

Edited 3 September, 2018 by egg

[St Chalet]

Can we officially rename him Fraser Forecast yet?

[Charlie Wayman]

Suprised this didn't get a mention in the Fans Forum.

 

Utterly dreadful squad planning to end up with a 3rd choice GK as one of your highest paid players.

 

He was our first choice goal keeper when he got his new contract, was playing well and the Club were trying to respond to criticism of us always loosing our best players to the Big Boys by trying to tie him to the club more firmly. Still, don't let the facts spoil your rant.

[angelman]

He was our first choice goal keeper when he got his new contract, was playing well and the Club were trying to respond to criticism of us always loosing our best players to the Big Boys by trying to tie him to the club more firmly. Still, don't let the facts spoil your rant.

 

This. And I am not sure many criticised the club for tying him down to a new contract. Maybe I am wrong, and the invariable thread will show it to be otherwise.

 

But yes, it APPEARS that he isn't in a great place at the moment, but what's to stop him recovering to where he was? Why not give him a sabbatical for a few months, to get away from the PL. Go train/play in USA, Australia or somewhere. Somewhere where there is no pressure. Somewhere maybe where a sports psychologist can help as well. As a club, it is in the best interests to get him up and running again.

[Cabbage_Face]

He has never played "well". He was blessed with an outstanding defence infront of him, and he still ****ed up.

[Matthew Le God]

He has never played "well". He was blessed with an outstanding defence infront of him, and he still ****ed up.

 

Nonsense!

 

For example...

 

[ALWAYS_SFC]

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/570940/Lionel-Messi-Fraser-Forster-Arsenal-Chelsea-Manchester-United

 

Has great ability but has lost it dramaticly somewhere over time

Edited 3 September, 2018 by ALWAYS_SFC

[ErwinK1961]

This. And I am not sure many criticised the club for tying him down to a new contract. Maybe I am wrong, and the invariable thread will show it to be otherwise.

 

But yes, it APPEARS that he isn't in a great place at the moment, but what's to stop him recovering to where he was? Why not give him a sabbatical for a few months, to get away from the PL. Go train/play in USA, Australia or somewhere. Somewhere where there is no pressure. Somewhere maybe where a sports psychologist can help as well. As a club, it is in the best interests to get him up and running again.

 

The first contract extension after Koeman left wasn't an issue - it was the subsequent one after his poor season after Puel that made absolutely no sense whatsoever.

[mrfahaji]

This. And I am not sure many criticised the club for tying him down to a new contract. Maybe I am wrong, and the invariable thread will show it to be otherwise.

 

But yes, it APPEARS that he isn't in a great place at the moment, but what's to stop him recovering to where he was? Why not give him a sabbatical for a few months, to get away from the PL. Go train/play in USA, Australia or somewhere. Somewhere where there is no pressure. Somewhere maybe where a sports psychologist can help as well. As a club, it is in the best interests to get him up and running again.

 

I think you are wrong on this. Most of the talk was whether we would be signing a new goalkeeper, either to replace Forster, or at the very least offer some competition. Then there was news of a "goalkeeper signing", only for it to be Forster getting a 5 year deal. I was astonished, as were a lot of people.

 

I have long thought that Les Reed tried to be clever, as despite Forster playing pretty badly, he had still recently been in the England squad, and had had a few noticable moments (eg penalty save at Anfield). By offering him a new contract, we were signalling that he must be great, and at the same time ensuring that we got a big transfer fee. The reason I have this theory is that it is the only reason I can possibly see for the new contract. Of course, where such a plan falls down is that other clubs could just watch him in action and realise he was rubbish.

[Fabrice29]

. Or if he isn't part of the plan, why even bother get him to come in?

 

Shall we say the same for outfield players who aren't part of the plan? Or should they knucjle down and fight for a place or like Hesketh, Carillo, Reed, Boufal should they go on loan if theres an offer. Clear from Hughes press conference last week Forster has had opportunities to go on loan, fair enough if he doesn't fancy it or those particular ones don't suit but no point moping around or not coming in and we wouldn't expect it from outfield players.

[Crab Lungs]

Nonsense!

 

For example...

 

 

He was poor in most of the games he was tested. When teams were getting 1-2 shots on target per game max then it doesn’t really tell you much. The moment we lost our spine and teams sussed out all you had to do was shoot, he was found out.

 

Citing 1 or 2 fixtures since 2014 doesn’t mean he’s a good keeper - he never has been. He’s lacked all the basics and mugged a living for years.

[Lord Duckhunter]

I’ve just had a quick skim read of the Forster contract extension thread. It’s probably about 70/30 against it being a good thing. Some people did think Les did the right thing and one even claimed he was on a par with Niemi.

 

 

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