Fae ain't Royally welcome
by Mairianne Reardon, 15 May 2008
After just three Premier League starts and each Royals appearance costing over £400,000, Reading manager Steve Coppell has told Emerse Fae: ‘as long as I’m manager, you will never play here again’.
Midfielder Fae, who was a record £2.5m signing for The Royals last summer and still has two years left on his contract, infuriated Coppell after refusing to play in a reserve game against Tottenham with team-mate Ibrahima Sonko.
The Ivory Coast international, having been banned from the club for 14 days and fined two weeks’ wages, made it clear he wanted to jump ship from the relegated side and Coppell, who has still not confirmed his own Royals future, ranted that the former Nantes player had been a flop.
“If I’m still here, he won’t play for Reading again,” Coppell told the Reading Evening Post on Thursday.
“Sometimes you have to accept a player just does not fit. When you make signings, especially in the Premier League, every one has to be right. But it doesn’t always work like that.”
Making just three Premier League starts, five appearances as a substitute and three appearances in the cup, each of Fae’s performances has cost Reading over £400,000.
Former United player Coppell cited the Premier League champions' boss Sir Alex Ferguson to justify his mistake.
“Fergie has gone on the record over the years saying that some of his signings have not worked. It sounds cruel, but that is just the way it is,” he said.
“I have to accept that Fae was not a good signing for us. He is not the right person. He did not come at the right time and he is not the right fit, but I am sure there will be a lot of French clubs who would be ready to take him.”
However, defender Sonko, has been handed another chance.
The Senegal international, a free transfer from Brentford in July 2004 who has two years left on his contract, has often put club before country and although failing to shine after a serious knee injury, has been backed by Coppell to remain at The Royals.
“He is a different case,” admitted the Reading manager.
“I spoke with him and said to him ‘it’s up to you now’. He is off with Senegal for the World Cup qualifiers, so I wished him well.”