Fulham manager Chris Coleman remains unmoved by Louis Saha’s determination to quit the club in order to join Manchester United. The French forward has made it clear that he would love to head for Old Trafford and, worryingly for the West Londoners, indicated that his poor performance during the 2-1 defeat to Middlesbrough may not have been a coincidence.
However, Coleman has stressed that the former Metz striker will be dropped if he continues to under-perform, and reiterated Fulham’s stance on the matter.
“I know he’s said he thinks the club have treated him badly but I totally disagree with that,” he stated. “We love Louis. The fans love him. He’s still got a job to do. There’s four months left of the season. It’s a critical stage and there’s no way he will be leaving the club in January. I’ve got to look after the team and make sure the fans know that. I know they are edgy.
“Louis has done a lot for Fulham but Fulham have done a lot for Louis, and I don’t think him leaving in January is right.”
Saha disappointed in the reverse at The Riverside on Wednesday evening.
“I saw his quote saying it may have been no accident but, if Louis starts putting in bad performances, he’ll be out of the team,” added Coleman. “It doesn’t mean we’re selling him. We’ve got Barry Hayles and Facundo Sava on the bench and they’ll come and knock on the door.
“He’s a terrific player, our number one striker and he’s banging the goals in. I’ve got an obligation to the rest of the team. He’s an honest boy, a terrific kid and a great professional. He’s got a lot of people in his head but I’ve got to tell him how important he is to us and how much his team-mates want him to stay. I believe his chance will come around again if he’s doing the business. Now is not the right time for us.”
