Mohamed Al Fayed needs to respect the Fulham fans

I couldn’t believe it when I heard what Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed said about his own fans over the whole Michael Jackson statue fiasco.

Al Fayed decided to have a life-size statue of the American superstar erected outside Craven Cottage and it was unveiled at the weekend.

The veteran owner is known as a controversial character but even for him the comments he made about some of the Fulham fans were downright disrespectful.

Shock

Mohamed Al Fayed told Fulham fans: “If some stupid fans don’t understand and appreciate such a gift they can go to hell. I don’t want them to be fans. If they don’t understand and don’t believe in things I believe in they can go to Chelsea. They can go anywhere else.”

Friend

Michael Jackson may have been a friend of the Fulham owners but that would mean nothing to most Fulham fans. I don’t think I have heard of one Fulham fan that was in favour of having the statue outside their football ground.

Statues outside grounds are usually of former-players who have achieved great things for the football club or in football in general. One of the best examples I know of is at my clubs ground Goodison Park where there is a statue of Everton legend William Ralph Dean, also known as Dixie.

Dean still holds the record for the most goals scored in an English top flight league season. He was a true legend and his 60 goals in one season reserve him the right to have a long lasting tribute to his FOOTBALLING achievements.

Michael Jackson may have been a superb entertainer but he has nothing to do with Football or with Fulham Football Club. If Al Fayed wanted to have a statue erected he should have put it somewhere more appropriate.

Fans

Al Fayed’s comments have alienated the very people who are the lifeblood of the club. Fulham are not exactly the best supported team in the country and have major competition from other clubs in the area. They can’t really afford to risk losing fans by the owner  insulting them.

Real fans will take no notice of Al Fayed’s comment and will stick with the club through thick and thin, however some fans who are disillusioned with the club might decide that this is the final straw for them and stop going the to the Fulham games.

Fulham haven’t exactly been overachieving this season and fans will not need another excuse to stay away from Craven Cottage.

Criticism

Mohamed Al Fayed is obviously hurt by the fact that the fans haven’t taken to the idea of a statue of an American singer outside Craven Cottage. You can understand his hurt because of Michael Jackson being his friend but he must understand that the fans don’t feel the same way as he does.

Right

Some might say that after all he has done for the club that he has a right to do what he likes. In fact those were the sentiments of Fulham centre-back Brede Hangeland but just because he has done so much to help the club doesn’t give him the right to verbally attack the Fulham supporters.

Was Mohamed Al Fayed right to have a go at his clubs own fans?