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Fonte Joins West Ham - £8m Official


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Really?

 

You thought we'd do better than last season, even though it was the weakest top division in living memory and we finished above Chelsea and Liverpool?

 

We were pretty average last season and some of the revisionism about the football then compared to now is bewildering.

 

We have some special fans...

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No ill will towards him from me.

 

Can see both points of view, we think we can get better value than Fonte at this stage of his career than what Fonte was asking for, while Fonte off the back of a European Cup win wanted a pay day and also to try and ensure he has a place to compete for a World Cup spot.

 

All in all it's just a shame that he's had to go to get what he wanted, he's been awesome for us for a long time now. We'll certainly miss what he bought to the club, even if time and tide meant we were going to have to deal with that anyway sooner or later.

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Agree,although we'll have to see if new leaders emerge, especially after VVD if he leaves in the summer.

 

At the moment though we do appear to lack leadership, on the pitch, on the touchline.We can only speculate on the boardroom.

 

And lacking leadership from the manager, from Les Read and from big Kat.

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VVD:s tweet suggest the rumors about a rift between him and fonte was not true:

 

https://twitter.com/VirgilvDijk/status/822556347824799744/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Thank you champ for everything you have done for me and also for the club, was a pleasure to play with you! #saintslegend #champ #gutted ����

 

Of course it wasn't true - AR-10 made it up.

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Not that bothered at losing him, but selling our captain to a direct competitor is an embarrassment.

Where is the replacement? Anybody lined up, or do we limp on until the summer?

Böllocks! Having a massive wart on your nose is embarrassing, Kopping off with a fat munter in front of your mates is embarrassing...a footballer leaving for another club is just meh! It's football and it happens every January and in the summer.

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https://www.instagram.com/p/BPiHiCtlv3t/?taken-by=f6nte&hl=en

 

Fonte on Instagram: "Dear Saints fans

A lot could be said,I could argue and disagree,I could go on all day but in the end what it really matters is the journey we have been together.

We have been to Wembley and won, achieved promotion after promotion,great premier league seasons with records broken,European football...and the list goes on!

Not for a moment I regret anything I did,because I have given my all every single day I have worn the Saints crest until the last second of my last training session!

I have never rejected to play in any circumstances!!A lot has been said about me and my situation, most of it lacked any accuracy but we all know how the football business works!

So now it's time to say THANK YOU!!!

To everyone without exception,even the ones who can't accept it and don't understand THANK YOU!!!

I will take every single one of you in my heart and all the great memories!

To all my team mates throughout the last 8 seasons thank you,for pushing me to be better,for inspiring me,for laughing with me for arguing with me and even fighting me

I'm a better player because all of you made strive for greatness!

A mention to all my managers to in Pardew,Adkins,Pochetino,Koeman and Puel for teaching me a lot in different ways!

To all the staff at the club I hope I wasn't much of a pain and i treated you with respect!

 

Take care and we see each other out there soon.

 

José Fonte"

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All clubs have dips in form, Saints weren't expecting to start the season without Koeman and short sightedly put too much faith in Long & JayRod, it happens. But hey, you crack on and pîss your mattress over our first dodgy season in years....sigh!

 

Well said, first time in years (maybe since the Lowe days) that the club has made some errors with the squad. However bad I've expected seasons to be in past after selling all our best players each summer so how we've got away with it. This year we've been found out and it's going to be a long, boring slog till the end but the whole Leibherr era hasn't given us any reason to believe we won't turn this around next year.

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I find Fontes instagram message interesting because there is no hint of any falling out with other players or the manager......it really does suggest he believed rightly or wrongly that he deserved a better deal in light of his summer success and the board were not prepared to give him what he wanted. I can understand that he then felt very aggrieved after his long and loyal service to the club and thought enough is enough i can get the deal i want elsewhere. Personally i dont think he got that deal....i think pride has played a huge part in him accepting West Ham.

Huge respect to him for his parting words to Saints fans.

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I find Fontes instagram message interesting because there is no hint of any falling out with other players or the manager......it really does suggest he believed rightly or wrongly that he deserved a better deal in light of his summer success and the board were not prepared to give him what he wanted. I can understand that he then felt very aggrieved after his long and loyal service to the club and thought enough is enough i can get the deal i want elsewhere. Personally i dont think he got that deal....i think pride has played a huge part in him accepting West Ham.

Huge respect to him for his parting words to Saints fans.

 

Good point, I'd say there was a falling out between him and the power/business side of the club, not the football side.

 

Good luck, thanks for the memories and contribution to our story

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He's been a fantastic servant and 100% a saints legend. Having met him several times, I can say on each occasion he has been down-to-earth and a thoroughly decent bloke. Don't believe what you read in the press (goes without saying really) or the PR ****e the club spouts. This wasn't the move he wanted but West Ham isn't a bad option; most of his missus's family are season ticket holders at West Ham and he gets a longish contract on great money. This move reminds me of the Lallana one. Club tried to make him out to be the bad guy. Adam spat the dummy (as did Fonte) but most fans have only heard the clubs side of the story.

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Dear Saints fans

A lot could be said,I could argue and disagree,I could go on all day but in the end what it really matters is the journey we have been together.

We have been to Wembley and won, achieved promotion after promotion,great premier league seasons with records broken,European football...and the list goes on!

Not for a moment I regret anything I did,because I have given my all every single day I have worn the Saints crest until the last second of my last training session!

I have never rejected to play in any circumstances!!A lot has been said about me and my situation, most of it lacked any accuracy but we all know how the football business works!

So now it's time to say THANK YOU!!!

To everyone without exception,even the ones who can't accept it and don't understand THANK YOU!!!

I will take every single one of you in my heart and all the great memories!

To all my team mates throughout the last 8 seasons thank you,for pushing me to be better,for inspiring me,for laughing with me for arguing with me and even fighting me ?

I'm a better player because all of you made strive for greatness!

A mention to all my managers to in Pardew,Adkins,Pochetino,Koeman and Puel for teaching me a lot in different ways!

To all the staff at the club I hope I wasn't much of a pain and i treated you with respect!

 

Take care and we see each other out there soon.

 

José Fonte

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He's been on the Liebherr journey and is part of the Saints family. It's gutting that he's left to another club instead of retiring with us, but as others have said I can completely see both sides.

 

I understand us not giving him the contract length he wanted and I understand him wanting to get that security (we can all talk till we're blue in the face about how he earns more in a week than most do in a year- let's ignore that for now).

 

Best of luck Jose and thanks for the memories.

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Now we have lost another player with a song and there isn't many left, I will need to know the words to the 'Kat out, the Chinese in" song please.

 

Also do we change the VVD one to "we've got VD, VVD, I just don't think you understand, he's anybodies man, who'll pay him a hundred grand, we'll sell VVD."

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Me too. He stayed when many teammates left.

 

Me too.

 

I remember when he signed and I'd watched him a few times ,I told my Skate mate that he'd play in the premiership. I genuinely thought he'd give us a couple of good seasons and then move on to a mid table premier league club (thinking we'd be stuck in the championship for a bit). We were pretty good for him, but in terms of the modern game to get so many ****ing brilliant years out of him was fantastic.

 

However, I do hope he suffers one more kick in the teeth and regret about leaving. Penny for his thoughts as he watches VvD picking up the League cup 2 months after he's left us.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Football must be awful when you're this cynical.

 

Just being honest. He was our captain, already probably a multi millionaire who never has to worry about money again for the rest of his life, was offered a pay rise. We are one draw away from our first major Wembley final in years and he ****s off to a ****e London club for a few extra quid.

 

Excuse me for being cynical if I should think winning a trophy should actually mean something to our club captain.

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Just being honest. He was our captain, already probably a multi millionaire who never has to worry about money again for the rest of his life, was offered a pay rise. We are one draw away from our first major Wembley final in years and he ****s off to a ****e London club for a few extra quid.

 

Excuse me for being cynical if I should think winning a trophy should actually mean something to our club captain.

 

Pathetic calm down. Many people saying he's on less at West Ham so pipe down.

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Football must be awful when you're this cynical.

 

Now me being cynical.... I look at this part of JF's statement, and think, what a lot of horse ****.

 

I also have part of my family living in London and they are big West Ham fans. It just made sense for me at this stage to join West Ham

 

Now if I had family living in London, I would still expect them to support me at my club, the one that I had been at for 7 years. Trotting this **** out as a reason, because some of his family support them, is just a load of insincere ********. A shame that he puts so much store in who they support, when they couldn't be bothered to support him and his club for the past 7 years.

 

Now I know that players trot out this sort of stuff to justify a whole lot of rubbish, but to then question peoples cynicism is a little misplaced, at least in my eyes.

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I find Fontes instagram message interesting because there is no hint of any falling out with other players or the manager......it really does suggest he believed rightly or wrongly that he deserved a better deal in light of his summer success and the board were not prepared to give him what he wanted. I can understand that he then felt very aggrieved after his long and loyal service to the club and thought enough is enough i can get the deal i want elsewhere. Personally i dont think he got that deal....i think pride has played a huge part in him accepting West Ham.

Huge respect to him for his parting words to Saints fans.

 

Can't see any hint of that in the statement but I'm sure people will choose to think it for whatever reason. The boring alternative is that he just fancied a new challenge sensing (as Chaplow, Hammond, Harding and others before him) that the opportunity to play every match here was receding.

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Just another millionaire footballer chasing even more money. Hope he gets booed but he won't give a **** wether he is booed or clapped because he's ****ing loaded.

 

So you're basically saying whoever leaves our club for another one, you'll boo them. It doesn't matter how long they've played for us, or what they've achieved for us, you'll boo them unless they play the rest of their career here. And all because they're paid the going rate for footballers in this day and age. If a modern day Terry Paine came along and played 800 odd games for us , you'll boo the rich millionaire **** if he signs for another club at the arse end of his career ?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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So you're basically saying whoever leaves our club for another one, you'll boo them. It doesn't matter how long they've played for us, or what they've achieved for us, you'll boo them unless they play the rest of their career here. And all because they're paid the going rate for footballers in this day and age. If a modern day Terry Paine came along and played 800 odd games for us , you'll boo the rich millionaire **** if he signs for another club at the arse end of his career ?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

You make out like he was on the wane at end if career and has moved to play more, He has not behaved like a captain this season and has lost any goodwill I have towards him.

Indifferent rather than angry but not falling for this loyal servant guff. But hey we hate Les right.

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Now me being cynical.... I look at this part of JF's statement, and think, what a lot of horse ****.

 

I also have part of my family living in London and they are big West Ham fans. It just made sense for me at this stage to join West Ham

 

Now if I had family living in London, I would still expect them to support me at my club, the one that I had been at for 7 years. Trotting this **** out as a reason, because some of his family support them, is just a load of insincere ********. A shame that he puts so much store in who they support, when they couldn't be bothered to support him and his club for the past 7 years.

 

Now I know that players trot out this sort of stuff to justify a whole lot of rubbish, but to then question peoples cynicism is a little misplaced, at least in my eyes.

 

You're right, of course, though I'm sure Fonte's family did support him as a Saint. I'm talking about this bonkers suggestion that footballers don't feel emotion because they're well paid.

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It's embarrassing how some turn on players when they leave... Only at SFC can you go from hero to zero in 2 months.

 

2010: Great CB

2011: The best CB ever

2012: Legend

2013: Legend

2014: Legend + Portugal call up

2015: Legend finish 7th

2016: legend

2016: (May) The best, we go P18 W13 D2 L3 finish 6

2016: (June) Win Euros

2016: (July-Nov) Legend

2017: Old, Slow, "hoof" past it, WHU pants down, lol, booo

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You're right, of course, though I'm sure Fonte's family did support him as a Saint. I'm talking about this bonkers suggestion that footballers don't feel emotion because they're well paid.

 

I think that we could probably agree that the pursuit of money never brings out any good traits in people. Unfortunately the game has changed and it is now 100% a business (OK that is a tad melodramatic as it always was a business , but the point stands).

 

The "problem" is obvious to me. We as supporters don't swap allegiances and some seem to have difficulty, especially when players have been here for a number of years, in understanding that players do not share those same allegiances.

 

We support Saints for love, not money. To the players it is a job for money, not love. Oh they might love the game and the trappings that come with it, but they do not have the love of Saints that we have.

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It's embarrassing how some turn on players when they leave... Only at SFC can you go from hero to zero in 2 months.

 

2010: Great CB

2011: The best CB ever

2012: Legend

2013: Legend

2014: Legend + Portugal call up

2015: Legend finish 7th

2016: legend

2016: (May) The best, we go P18 W13 D2 L3 finish 6

2016: (June) Win Euros

2016: (July-Nov) Legend

2017: Old, Slow, "hoof" past it, WHU pants down, lol, booo

 

Woah slow down there- I remember some saying Fonte wasn't good enough for the Premier League back in 2012-13.

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If my experience of JF is anything to go by, he was a c**t long before the Euros. Right up there with Kevin Pietersen.

 

[emoji1360]

 

Looking forward to welcoming him back on 4th Feb, can someone more creative than me make up a song about Osvaldo smashing his face in? Could include a 2nd verse about Pardew and his wife. ....

 

Osvaldo, Woooooah

Osvaldo, Woooooah

He nutted Jose Fonte

For being a massive c**t

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Fonte on Instagram: "Dear Saints fans

A lot could be said,I could argue and disagree,I could go on all day but in the end what it really matters is the journey we have been together.

We have been to Wembley and won, achieved promotion after promotion,great premier league seasons with records broken,European football...and the list goes on!

Not for a moment I regret anything I did,because I have given my all every single day I have worn the Saints crest until the last second of my last training session!

I have never rejected to play in any circumstances!!A lot has been said about me and my situation, most of it lacked any accuracy but we all know how the football business works!

So now it's time to say THANK YOU!!!

To everyone without exception,even the ones who can't accept it and don't understand THANK YOU!!!

I will take every single one of you in my heart and all the great memories!

To all my team mates throughout the last 8 seasons thank you,for pushing me to be better,for inspiring me,for laughing with me for arguing with me and even fighting me

I'm a better player because all of you made strive for greatness!

A mention to all my managers to in Pardew,Adkins,Pochetino,Koeman and Puel for teaching me a lot in different ways!

To all the staff at the club I hope I wasn't much of a pain and i treated you with respect!

 

Take care and we see each other out there soon.

 

José Fonte"

 

Good luck Jose - unless it's against us.

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Have a simple rule for when players leave us. Do it in the right way.

 

More than any, I think Fonte has. Handed in a transfer request, couldn't care less about the rest. Not held the club to ransom (although why, if true, he didn't sign a new "pay rise" under the same contract is ridiculous) and always given 100%

 

Not going to rewrite history - he's been brilliant for us over many a season. Personally don't actually think Maya is a million miles away from him at CB, but its a definite downgrade. Feel bad he didn't get a game in the Europa League but don't put our exit down to that. Good luck to him, he may well be back as manager one day.

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Good luck to Jose Fonte. I would have preferred he finished his career at Saints but it was not to be. The Portuguese are pretty loyal people and I think Jose has been this. I am sure he was genuinely excited, pleased etc to be in the team that won the Euros. The country was very excited to win and at least lifted the country from the drudgery of life with extreme difficulties at the moment. Ronaldos reaction from the touch line showed the excitement.

 

No one should be bitter about his leaving, he has been a fantastic servant. Something happened and it's no good second guessing, it's a closed sport, no one disses the Club, Manager etc without a backlash.

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I think that we could probably agree that the pursuit of money never brings out any good traits in people. Unfortunately the game has changed and it is now 100% a business (OK that is a tad melodramatic as it always was a business , but the point stands).

 

The "problem" is obvious to me. We as supporters don't swap allegiances and some seem to have difficulty, especially when players have been here for a number of years, in understanding that players do not share those same allegiances.

 

We support Saints for love, not money. To the players it is a job for money, not love. Oh they might love the game and the trappings that come with it, but they do not have the love of Saints that we have.

 

That's right, but you can't treat it as a problem. It's daft to expect them to love clubs like fans do, but it's equally sad to think it's a binary choice between slavish devotion and cold money-making. Most footballers have connections to their clubs and love the sport, and you'd be mad to think Fonte doesn't love Southampton to some degree.

 

Only the most dedicated and serious players can get to this level and earn the money they do - with some obvious exceptions!

Edited by DuncanRG
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Just being honest. He was our captain, already probably a multi millionaire who never has to worry about money again for the rest of his life, was offered a pay rise. We are one draw away from our first major Wembley final in years and he ****s off to a ****e London club for a few extra quid.

 

Excuse me for being cynical if I should think winning a trophy should actually mean something to our club captain.[/quote

 

Ah, but he has gone to West Ham to win trophies dontcha know.

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Wrong-it's too expensive and people are adverse to the money going to line already rich players to extravagant levels..

 

It's at least partly right. Loads of what you can get on sky is available online for nothing, people are no keener to spend money on something they don't need to than they are to buy cds available for nothing online.

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Result!! Especially as yoshida's been enjoying an extended run in the team, the player you've consistently mocked and dismissed as a liability, if not utter garbage.

 

SOG #bundleofcontradictons

 

I was talking about the Fonte situation. Not once did I mention Yoshida. So why bring it up? That is a separate discussion but if he proves to be an adequate replacement then it is even more of a result. You could start an argument in an empty room .

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We'll never know exactly what happened, but it sure seems strange that since 2014 few players are able to leave us in good terms, without handing in requests, posting weird tweets, getting into fights or agitating the board....

 

Dunno about strange, but it's certainly interesting and suggests we don't entertain "player power".

 

Players are not used to a club holding them to the contract they signed, or sticking to it's valuation rather than negotiating etc...

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