The Forster issue is sending us down.

[pork pie]

It is.

If the Club are so hell bent on not playing him for his actions, we need a top quality striker to replace him or we will be going down.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

That is a good question.
Do we have an answer?

I get Seagulls World which showed Forster training when Poyet was interviewed before the Norwich game. Forster was training and smiling in that footage. It could, however, have been library footage rather than taken on Thursday.

 

[BensGrandad]

I would have liked to have seen NF on the bench as an option to bring on but fully agree with Gus Poyets stance on this issue.

If anybody who reads this board is close to Nicky Forster I would say Come on Nicky withdraw your statement and lets move forward, then go and score sufficient goals so that they have no option but to offer you a new contract.

 

[drew]

Looking at ATC, Insider says "the issue can resolved by Nicky withdrawing his comments made last week". Gus is the manager of this football club. As manager I believe he should be working to resolve this issue, one way of the other, as quickly as possible. Unfortunately the issue is with our top scorer this season and by the looks of it, by seemingly reluctant to resolve the situation other than waiting for Nicky to withdraw his comments could urguably start to being at the detriment of the team and the results on the pitch. Hopefully all will be back on track soon and we'll all be pushing in the same direction - League 1 safety

This thing seems to have been dragging on for so long I am not sure what comments Forster is alleged to have made. Are you referring to the transfer request on the coach because if so Poyet has I believe already said this didn't happen. Is this the alleged comments leaked to Sky?

 

[fleet]

I don't see it as an issue Poyet can back down on. Forster has to do so.

 

[Questions]

This thing seems to have been dragging on for so long I am not sure what comments Forster is alleged to have made. Are you referring to the transfer request on the coach because if so Poyet has I believe already said this didn't happen. Is this the alleged comments leaked to Sky?

Aren`t players allowed to play for their clubs even if they ARE transfer listed ?

 

[Statto]

Im actually backing poyet on this one. He doesnt want to commit to a player who will be 37 later this year. He is the manager of this team and its up to him who stays/goes etc. If Nicky Forster wants a new/longer contract then there are other ways of going about it (like talking to the manager in private or dropping hints in the press). You dont hand in a transfer request via Sky sports the day before a big game, after the window has slammed shut. It sounds like a toys out of the pram sitiation to me. Which is a suprise because I didint think Fozzie was like that.

Dont budge Gus!

 

[Artie Fufkin]

I'm also backing Gus on this one. To go public through Sky Sports and the Argus the day before what was a crucial game up at Leyton Orient either by Nicky himself, via his agent or his connections was extremely poor. What I don't agree though is that it seems Gus is waiting for Nicky to withdraw his comments. He could be waiting some time...As manager shouldn't Gus be looking to resolve the issue rather than leaving it to drag on. Perhaps dialogue will help?

 

[drew]

Im actually backing poyet on this one. He doesnt want to commit to a player who will be 37 later this year. He is the manager of this team and its up to him who stays/goes etc. If Nicky Forster wants a new/longer contract then there are other ways of going about it (like talking to the manager in private or dropping hints in the press). You dont hand in a transfer request via Sky sports the day before a big game, after the window has slammed shut. It sounds like a toys out of the pram sitiation to me. Which is a suprise because I didint think Fozzie was like that.

Dont budge Gus!

Part of the problem with this situation is the dumb comments like that above. Firstly, no transfer request has been submitted, a fact acknowledged by Poyet. If you read what appears to be the relevant statements then perhaps you can see where and how the problem arose.

At the begining of January, Forster made the following comment to Sky Sports which was a reflection of the situation and no-one as far as I am aware has disputed that.


"I'm up at the end of the season contract wise, so I don't know where I shall be," Forster told The Argus. "It's also a good advert for me if I am not wanted here.

"The club, I think it is fair to say, leave contract negotiations fairly late. As of this moment in time, nothing has been said to any of the players as far as I am aware.

"I, like others, have got to look to my future and see what I am going to do. With my age I am not 100% sure what I am going to do, whether I will retire or look for another club.

"But at the moment I am enjoying football and enjoying scoring, so I think I have still got something to offer playing wise. My intention at the moment is to keep playing.

"Nothing has been spoken about here, so at some stage I am going to have to look and see what my options are.

"I want to stay. I enjoy the club, I like it here, but I am no different to anyone else. I have a family to support and I need to be earning."

Then, on the 31st of January it is announced that the club have in fact been talking to one player, Adam El Abd and he signs a contract earlier that week. Not surprisingly, Forster probably feels aggrieved, bearing in mind he is our top scorer.

The following comments were on SSN on the 5th February, possible the wording could have been better but the fact is that, contractually, footballers are free to talk to other clubs when they have less than 6 months of their contract left, ie they are available to discuss moves to other clubs.


"It has been mutually agreed that I have been placed on the transfer list, due to the fact there is no contract in the offing," Forster told the Argus.

"From a personal point of view it is with great regret that this outcome has been reached, as I have enjoyed my time with Brighton and would have liked nothing more than to extend my stay."

Saying it is a transfer is what has caused all the aggro because he can't move other on loan. He doesn't want to go but has been treated shabbily by the Club and now we have got to a stand 0ff situation where pride on both sides will get in the way of a resolution that suits the club.