Former Fulham man Leroy Rosenior has not been impressed by the actions of on-loan Derby County striker Chris Martin this season.
Scotland’s Chris Martin celebrates scoring
After being told he was not part of Nigel Pearson’s plans for Derby County at the beginning of the season, striker Chris Martin, who had been the Rams top scorer for the last three years, joined rivals Fulham on a season long loan deal.
However, after Pearson left the club and Steve McClaren returned for a second-spell in charge of the Rams, Chris Martin’s future at Pride Park suddenly opened its door again. Trying to force an early move back to his parent club in January, the forward went on strike, refusing to play for the Cottagers.
However, Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic stood his ground, and Martin was forced to stay. The impact of his refusal to play on the club’s promotion chances hasn’t been lost by many though.
And now a former Fulham striker has had his say on the Chris Martin debacle. Speaking to the Daily Star, former Fulham man Leroy Rosenior has branded the Derby County striker’s behaviour as ‘disgusting‘.
“I’ve watched it from afar,” Rosenior said, referring to the Martin situation. “The thought of a player going on strike is totally alien.
“While Chris Martin is on loan to this football club, he is a Fulham player. It’s as simple as that.
Fulham’s Chris Martin celebrates scoring
“Players and agents think they can control – why did he sign the contract in the first place?
“To go on strike from playing football is a disgusting thing because playing football is an honour.”
Chris Martin joined Fulham in August, and has so far scored 11 goals during his spell in West London. With Gary Rowett now in charge at Pride Park, the strikers future is somewhat up in the air again, though the former Birmingham City manager has recently suggested that he sees him as part of his plans next season.
Derby manager Gary Rowett
Rosenior, however, does not think the striker should continue to take his privileged position as a footballer for granted:
“How many people say, ‘I wanted to be a football’…It’s an amazing thing to do and I think players forget that.” Rosenior told The Daily Star.
“It was something that I don’t agree with, I don’t know his reasoning but he’s gone down in peoples’ estimations because of it and he needs to build that up.”
Derby’s Chris Martin