Jol holds out olive branch to Dempsey
Reuters - Saturday 18 August 2012, 19:03
United States forward Clint
Dempsey has not burnt his bridges with Fulham by refusing to
play and could still feature for the West London club if a
desired move does not materialise, manager Martin Jol said on
Saturday.
Fulham showed they hardly needed last season's top scorer
when they romped to a 5-0 home win over Norwich City on the
Premier League's opening day but Jol's post-match news
conference was still dominated by Dempsey's no-show.
"If you want to move you don't want to take risks, you don't
want to play because you could get an injury. That's a very
awkward situation for us and for me and for him as well," Jol
told reporters.
"Maybe Clint knows more than us but we feel and the players
feel and everyone else feels that he should stay here if there
is no other bid because there is no other bid.
"In a normal world you have to stay where you are because
you signed your contract and hopefully he will play for us
again." added Jol.
Dempsey scored 17 league goals for Fulham last term despite
not being an out-and-out striker and United States boss Jurgen
Klinsmann said in May he hoped the 29-year-old would move to a
Champions League side after his fine campaign.
Liverpool, who are not in the Champions League this season
and started life under new manager Brendan Rodgers with a 3-0
defeat at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, have long been
linked in the media with a bid for Dempsey along with Arsenal.
Arsene Wenger's Arsenal side, who drew 0-0 with Sunderland,
are in Europe's elite competition and need fresh forwards after
selling leading striker Robin van Persie to Manchester United.