Would YOU include Forster next game?

[Danny-Boy]

14-4-13 at time of posting, this seems to divide across the board.

In Albion's position they need the best players out on the pitch that they have available. Forster is available, but will he be in a better frame of mind than say Holroyd? And is he training?

 

[Mendoza]

I would have him on the bench. He was out of form from after the Walsall game and now he's gone a couple of weeks not playing at all

 

[Mellotron]

Forster knows precisely what he needs to do if he wants to play for Brighton. He's refusing to do it. Therefore Forster is refusing to play for the club.

So the question really is:

Would you play someone who is refusing to play?

Answer:

Obviously not.

The ball is entirely in Forster's court. We're all waiting on him now.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Think he has to play really, if it was a mid-table season then it would be different, but Brighton could go down and it seems mental that the clubs leading scorer isnt playing.

 

[NS Herald]

On the basis we have not taken very many of the chances we have created in the last 3 games - HE HAS TO START

The contractual issues should be put aside with both sides needing to resolve those issues

The longer this goes on - the more disenchanted NF will become - the less match fit he will be - the fewer points we will obtain - the likelihood of relegation increases

All those people saying he shouldn't play - if nothing changes and he doesn't play and we get relegated - who will you blame? I am assuming NF wants to play football so surely BHA need to resolve this and do it pronto

 

[Mellotron]

Forster knows precisely what he needs to do if he wants to play for Brighton. He's refusing to do it. Therefore Forster is refusing to play for the club.

So the question really is:

Would you play someone who is refusing to play?

Answer:

Obviously not.

The ball is entirely in Forster's court. We're all waiting on him now.

Thought I'd bounce it as it doesn't seem to be registering.

 

[Husty]

I don't get all these people saying start him, Would you totally undermine Poyets position as manager for the sake of an out of form 36 year old who has shown no respect to the club, players, fans or manager. Ridiculous some of the people on here, its not that I dont want him to play, but after the way he has behaved, going straight to the press with false stories, throwing hissy fits when the rest of the players (even ones like Kuipers) are happy to wait to discuss contracts.

 

[Husty]

On the basis we have not taken very many of the chances we have created in the last 3 games - HE HAS TO START

The contractual issues should be put aside with both sides needing to resolve those issues

The longer this goes on - the more disenchanted NF will become - the less match fit he will be - the fewer points we will obtain - the likelihood of relegation increases

All those people saying he shouldn't play - if nothing changes and he doesn't play and we get relegated - who will you blame? I am assuming NF wants to play football so surely BHA need to resolve this and do it pronto

NF obviously DOESNT want to play football though otherwise he would be training fully with the squad, and would have withdrawn his comments.

 

[Deano's Invisible Pants]

If we were comfortably mid table then keep him out until he apologises. As we are scrapping for our league one lives, then I'm not sure we can afford to take the moral high ground and he probably should play.

Nail on head.

If it is left to Forster to move unilaterally on this issue and for him to lose face in front of fans and team-mates, there will probably not be a resolution. We will be without our best striker and may be relegated. We won't be thanking Poyet for the strength of his management principles as we look forward to Morecombe et al. next year.

There has to be some movement from both sides. Who is going to mediate to get this resolved? There should be a joint press statement in which:

- Forster apologises unreservedly for what he said to SSN and promises to fight to keep the club in this division
- Poyet reiterates Forster's importance to the relegation battle and perhaps gives a gentle hint that he remains in his plans

This is all about managing sensitive egos now. Principles are all well and good, but for heaven's sake let's not let this cost us relegation.

 

[Hotchilidog]

We are cutting our nose off to spite our face at the moment. Poyet and and Forster should both get together and sort this thing out one way or the other right now. This is playground stuff from all concerned, utterly ridiculous.

This is no time for either party to be stubbornly making a point, we need a resolution and we need it now.

 

[fleet]

No way for the reasons we have discussed on dozens of threads

 

[Deano's Invisible Pants]

Forster knows precisely what he needs to do if he wants to play for Brighton. He's refusing to do it. Therefore Forster is refusing to play for the club.

I could be wrong, but I don't think Forster has ever said that he doesn't want to play. Many pleyers have been on the transfer list before and continued to be made available for selection and been selected (eg. Murray).

Poyet has made retracting his comments a condition for him to become eligible for selection. That is another thing entirely.

 

[Mellotron]

I could be wrong, but I don't think Forster has ever said that he doesn't want to play. Many pleyers have been on the transfer list before and continued to be made available for selection and been selected (eg. Murray).

Poyet has made retracting his comments a condition for him to become eligible for selection. That is another thing entirely.

By not retracting his comments, Forster is refusing to play. It is very clear what needs to happen for this to be resolved. If Forster wanted to play, he would retract his comments. It's very basic stuff. The manager is in charge, do what he says or find a new club.

For Poyet to back down now and be quite so undermined by a player this early in his managerial career could cause absolute chaos.

 

[CHAPPERS]

f*** him.

 

[Deano's Invisible Pants]

f*** him.

Yup, you're absolutely right. F*ck his 15 goals and status as our top scorer and best finisher. We're in a really strong negotiating position, so we should just tell him to do one. Yippee League 2 here we come!

:US:

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

f*** him.

Literally?

 

[Deano's Invisible Pants]

By not retracting his comments, Forster is refusing to play. It is very clear what needs to happen for this to be resolved. If Forster wanted to play, he would retract his comments. It's very basic stuff. The manager is in charge, do what he says or find a new club.

For Poyet to back down now and be quite so undermined by a player this early in his managerial career could cause absolute chaos.

On the question of whether NF gets a contract offer now, GP almost certainly doesn't need to back down to get this resolved. I suspect the key to resolving this has become more about semantics, managing egos on both sides and ensuring that neither side loses face.

OK, we don't know what has already been said, or how doggedly either side want to stick to their positions. I suspect though that it could be resolved with a joint statement in which Forster apologises and commits himself to the team, and Poyet issues some warm words about NF's importance to the squad and his desire to get the contract issue resolved as soon as we're out of relegation trouble.

 

[Mellotron]

On the question of whether NF gets a contract offer now, GP almost certainly doesn't need to back down to get this resolved. I suspect the key to resolving this has become more about semantics, managing egos on both sides and ensuring that neither side loses face.

OK, we don't know what has already been said, or how doggedly either side want to stick to their positions. I suspect though that it could be resolved with a joint statement in which Forster apologises and commits himself to the team, and Poyet issues some warm words about NF's importance to the squad and his desire to get the contract issue resolved as soon as we're out of relegation trouble.

Agreed. And Poyet HAS offered the olive branch (he said that Forster "doesn't even need to apologise". Forster hasn't taken it. Thus it is STILL in Forster's hands.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Bring him back.

Offer him the new contract, one year, with a clause for a second year if he manages to play 35 league games next season (which is unlikely with his injury record).

The rights and wrongs of what has happened, we are not in a positon to leave Forster out and we are unlikely to get a better 15-20 goal a season forward.

 

[Mendoza]

our strike force doesnt look good at the monent

Glenn Murray - cannot score at home, but playing well and scoring away
Nicky Forster - wants a contract but froze himself out despite being top scorer
Liam Dickinson - not a goal scorer, but out on loan to the division above
Gary Hart - runs into people and makes them fall over, last scored in October 2006
Craig Davies - scored on his debut on loan to division below
George Barker - not featured, but a youth team prospect
Chris Holroyd - encouraging start but not played at this level and not scored