Exclusive: Jose Fonte – ‘Crystal Palace spell taught me the defensive foundations’

Jose Fonte spent last season attempting to keep some of the world’s best attacking talent quiet – but he will always remember his Crystal Palace stay teaching him the key defensive fundamentals.

Lille centre-back Fonte, 39, was tasked with shutting out the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar as he featured 31 times for Paulo Fonseca’s Lille side in Ligue 1.

But it was almost 16 years ago when Fonte believes he learned “the foundations for the art of defending” playing Championship football for the Eagles.

“It was eye-opening and completely new,” Fonte told the South London Press, reflecting on his first season at Selhurst Park when he was aged 23.

“I came from Portugal, playing tippy-tappy football and having a lot of the ball, to a completely different reality.

“Football in the Championship in 2007 wasn’t like it is today. I was playing against Dele Adebola, Dion Dublin and Adebayo Akinfenwa, so I had to adapt.

“They were the same height or taller than you, and they were stronger. It was a mental game that I had to learn – when to anticipate them, when to push them or put my arms on top of them.

“It took me three or so months to bulk up and get some muscle. I worked hard to be able to compete with these boys – they were very hard, strong and physical to play against.

“The first few months were difficult, but I never backed down or away from the challenge.”

Fonte joined the Eagles initially on a season-long stint at the start of the 2007-08 campaign after two seasons on loan from Benfica to sides in the Portuguese top division.

“I was fulfilling my dream of playing in English football,” he said.

“I still remember it like it was yesterday – my team-mates, the coaches, the atmosphere and the culture. I was discovering a new world coming from Portugal.

“I knew a lot about Crystal Palace because, growing up, the only thing I watched apart from Portuguese football was the Premier League and English football.

“Although the target was to play in the Premier League, and despite the fact that I was performing well in the top division in Portugal, I didn’t think twice about the move – I just wanted to go.

“I was really focused and convinced that I would succeed in my adventure in England. You can’t say no to an opportunity to play in England.

“I went to stay with Julian Speroni for a few days in the first week. He was one of the best people I have met in football – such a nice man and a good professional. He helped me the most in the beginning. Clinton Morrison was very good to me as well – Clint Hill too. We had such a great squad that I could go on and on.

“I was just trying to fit in. I was a foreign boy who was used to completely different stuff. I had to give myself to the English culture and English dressing room to try and belong. That’s what you have to do when you go to a different country.”

The 6ft 2in tall defender only made two appearances under Peter Taylor before Palace owner Simon Jordan sacked the former England caretaker manager.

If Fonte thought that battling away with Championship forwards was the benchmark of whether he could sink or swim in the English second division, the real litmus test came when Taylor was replaced by ex-Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock.

“I love Neil,” said Fonte, who was offered the incentive of £5 by Warnock every time he whacked the ball out for an opposition goal-kick from his own half in order to stop the young defender from playing out from the back.

“I wanted to pass into the midfielders, having come from Portugal, but he just wanted me to play direct. Neil is a big character and a great man manager.

“He was always on my case and telling me to cut my hair and play with black boots, and I was told not to wear gloves or trousers.

“Neil Warnock and Keith Curle were amazing. They taught me a different side to football – a side I needed.

“These guys were very influential in my education of English football and the Championship.”

Fonte forged a partnership with Mark Hudson at the heart of Palace’s defence and became integral to Warnock’s side.

Victor Moses, Clinton Morrison, Sean Scannell and Scott Sinclair began playing free-flowing attacking football towards the end of the season as the South Londoners pushed into the top six, setting up a two-legged semi-final clash against Bristol City.

Palace lost 4-2 on aggregate to Gary Johnson’s side.

Ben Watson scored but then missed a second-half penalty at Ashton Gate which would have put the Eagles into the final.

“We had a great mixture in that team,” said Fonte. “We had experience and we had youngsters who were hungry and had quality.

“We had a great run. It was just a shame that we weren’t able to get the job done at Bristol City.

“We were unfortunate with the penalty that hit the post. It wasn’t meant to be, but it was an amazing experience for the first season.”

Fonte ended up penning a permanent deal with Palace that summer, signing a three-year deal after Warnock sanctioned a move worth a reported £480,000.

Fonte said: “I was on the beach in Portugal and I received a text from Neil. He sent me the contract saying: ‘This is how much you’re going to earn, are you happy with it?’

“I was over the moon. I really wanted to stay at Crystal Palace. Every player who has played for them can say they’re one of the best sets of supporters in the country.

“The noise they make and how they made me feel welcome was incredible.”

Palace struggled to replicate the same league position in the 2008-09 season, and by the time the 2009-10 campaign began, it coincided with the financial troubles starting at Selhurst Park.

With the fire sale of assets beginning and the players and staff faced with issues of delayed wages, Alan Pardew’s League One Southampton side profited from Palace’s plight in the January transfer window to land Fonte in a deal worth £1.2million.

“It was so disappointing to see,” said Fonte. Palace’s financial issues saw the club placed into administration 17 days after he departed to join the Saints.

“I was very happy at Palace. I wanted to stay on and try to have another promotion push, but in the end, I had to leave. They sold me and Victor Moses because they needed the money to survive. I was asked to help the club and go.

“I didn’t want to go to League One and down a division – I wanted to go up, like any player. But it’s what I had to do.

“Neil asked me. He said: ‘I don’t want you to go, but we need help – we need the money to survive. We would really appreciate it if you look into this offer. It’s going to help us’.

“I wanted to help the club and give them a little bit of help towards the end. Thankfully they managed to survive and stay up.

“It was such a difficult situation to be in. Players have dreams of playing at the highest level and I was looking at League One when I felt I was ready for the Premier League.

“I knew Southampton had a great project and money to spend. In the end, I was convinced. We all know how it has ended up – a great decision to go there.”

Fonte went on to win back-to-back promotions with Southampton – reaching his goal of playing in the Premier League – and became a club legend at St Mary’s. He played more than 275 games for the Saints and was made club captain in 2014.

But it has been at international level where Fonte’s career has skyrocketed, making 50 appearances for Portugal after earning his first cap as a 30-year-old in a 1-0 friendly win over Argentina in 2014.

And he became a history maker for his country in 2016 when he played every minute of the knockout stages of the competition as Portugal lifted the European Championship title for the first time – beating France 1-0 in the final at Stade de France.

“I’m just grateful that I have been given the opportunity to play in England – it opened the door for everything else,” he explained.

“Playing 10 years in English football, more than 400 games, prepared me for the biggest stage.

“I achieved a lot at Southampton. People think your career starts to decline after 30, but for me, it went the other way – I went up and up.

“I really feel like when I turned 30, the experience and the games I had accumulated gave me a really good foundation. I felt like a solid player who could play against anyone.

“I never stopped. It’s still the mentality I have today. That’s why I played 33 games last year – I still feel great. I never imagined I would win these titles, but I always knew I would work hard to be successful.”

Fonte captained the Lille side in the 2020-21 campaign, which beat PSG to win the French title, and he has no interest in hanging up his boots just yet.

Coaching is on the cards for the future, and he admits he will “absolutely” reach out to Warnock when he enters his own career on the sidelines.

“I’m going to keep going until that desire of competing at the highest level and that joy of getting up in the morning and going into the training ground to be a positive influence and helping my team-mates goes,” he said.

“Time goes by too quickly.

“Still today, I look at Crystal Palace games – I never stopped loving the club. I’ll always wish them success.

“Crystal Palace was the beginning of the best time of my footballing life.

“It meant discovering English football, a new culture and a new way of playing. Crystal Palace means a lot to me. I started my family in the area too, so it means everything to me.”