Wes Fonguck

[#Beebot]

Any news/updates on the situation? No sign of him on Saturday, has he been spotted in pre-season at all?

[hoofer2]

Hopefully not lost in the MRI TARDIS with Steve Kabba....

I guess towards the end of season, Wes played games from the bench rather than starting matches. With Boucard back to fitness and performances of the
Taylor brothers, perhaps he wants more assurances of first team action before committing.

[Beesting]

He was in the first batch of pictures put up when all the players were walking into the first day of training.

[ETBee]

As our second top goal scorer last season we need Wes. There's more to come from him if he can become more decisive and braver. Boucaud never gets within 20 yards of the goal so he's not likely to score.

[jerroll]

Having heard what Dave Tarpey said about being frozen out a little due to him not signing a new contract perhaps that was why Wes wasn't a regular selection late on in the campaign!

[Tuesds]

I think the cause and effect might be in the other direction, i.e. I wonder if his place in (or out) of the team is shaping the contract situation, rather than vice-versa.

Fonguck didn’t lose his place in Currie’s first choice XI in March/April. He lost it in December. He was a casualty of Currie’s immediate switch from Still’s chosen midfield set-up of one holding midfielder (typically Adams) with two attacking central midfielders ahead of him (typicallly J Taylor and Fonguck).

For his first game vs Dagenham Currie went with two holding midfielders screening the back four (Adams and Robson, initially) with just one advanced CM (J Taylor). Even when Taylor got injured in the spring, Tarpey was first choice in the attacking midfield position in his absence, not Fonguck.

So perhaps the contract offer to Fonguck reflects the fact that while he is a good player who did good things for the team in the first half of last season, he is unlikely to be first choice next season.

That would be logical on the club’s part, just as it would be only natural for him, in that situation, to put the feelers out to see if he can get a better offer elsewhere before signing on with us again.

[jerroll]

I think the cause and effect might be in the other direction, i.e. I wonder if his place in (or out) of the team is shaping the contract situation, rather than vice-versa.

Fonguck didn’t lose his place in Currie’s first choice XI in March/April. He lost it in December. He was a casualty of Currie’s immediate switch from Still’s chosen midfield set-up of one holding midfielder (typically Adams) with two attacking central midfielders ahead of him (typicallly J Taylor and Fonguck).

For his first game vs Dagenham Currie went with two holding midfielders screening the back four (Adams and Robson, initially) with just one advanced CM (J Taylor). Even when Taylor got injured in the spring, Tarpey was first choice in the attacking midfield position in his absence, not Fonguck.

So perhaps the contract offer to Fonguck reflects the fact that while he is a good player who did good things for the team in the first half of last season, he is unlikely to be first choice next season.

That would be logical on the club’s part, just as it would be only natural for him, in that situation, to put the feelers out to see if he can get a better offer elsewhere before signing on with us again.

all very logical too

[talldarkslim]

He would suit a side that wants most passes either sideways or backwards

[antbfc]

[Mem Beespod]

Having heard what Dave Tarpey said about being frozen out a little due to him not signing a new contract perhaps that was why Wes wasn't a regular selection late on in the campaign!

I was surprised Tarpey made a point of this. He asked to be released from the final year of his contract, which we agreed to. It’s quite puzzling why he would be surprised that DC decided to prepare for the next season with our status safe.

[Mem Beespod]

The Wes situation could end up looking like the Jamal Lowe situation in several years. We’ve allowed his contract to run down and we have a bottle neck in our team for attacking midfielders since we switched to a 4231.

Jack Taylor is clearly the big talent and is rightly holding that AM position but it’s left Wes slightly out in the cold fitting in wherever a gap appears despite his excellent goal return.

In an ideal world we’d have had both on long term deals to allow us to sell one. Instead Wes could leave for just compensation and Jack gets sold to a championship club. We’re then left with a gaping hole in our MF.

If I was Wes’ agent, I’d be leveraging his goal return to find him a move higher up our league or Div2.

[#Beebot]

He should have been offered a long term deal at the same time EMC was. Having said that we don't know if he was and has always intended to leave at this point.

[wearebees]

Still no sign of him/an update...

[jerroll]

He should have been offered a long term deal at the same time EMC was. Having said that we don't know if he was and has always intended to leave at this point.

There were rumours going around while we were still in the football league that Wes wasn't playing because he had turned down a long term contract offer.

[#Beebot]

He should have been offered a long term deal at the same time EMC was. Having said that we don't know if he was and has always intended to leave at this point.

There were rumours going around while we were still in the football league that Wes wasn't playing because he had turned down a long term contract offer.

He did seem to not get the game time he needed. He was ignored after Eames left.