Melbourne City fans threaten to protest after coach Warren Joyce leaves Bruno Fornaroli out again

Melbourne City’s record goalscorer Bruno Fornaroli has probably played his last game for the club, amid mooted fan protests for Sunday’s clash with Newcastle Jets.

Bruno Fornaroli won’t play for City again this weekend. Picture: Getty

Melbourne City’s record goalscorer Bruno Fornaroli has probably played his last game for the club, amid mooted fan protests for Sunday’s clash with Newcastle Jets.

It’s understood the marquee striker voiced his disapproval to coach Warren Joyce at a meeting during the week and their relationship appears irreparable.

Fornaroli, who is out of contract at the end of the season, could now be placed on the transfer market in January although pressure is mounting on Joyce, who’s also out of contract at the end of the season.

REVEALED: FORNAROLI AXED FOR SKINFOLDS

FUTURE: WILL FORNAROLI BE AT MELBOURNE CITY NEXT SEASON?

CITY SHOCK: FORNAROLI CUT FROM SQUAD

The Uruguayan has appeared in good spirits at training during the week, despite being banished to the reserve team on occasions during 11 v 11 games.

Fornaroli, who will among City supporters in the AAMI Park terraces, will not play for City’s youth team.

The Herald Sun can reveal that issue of skinfolds and conditioning dates back to pre-season, when the club considered sanctioning the player. There was also interest in Fornaroli from another A-League club.

Bruno Fornaroli won’t play for City again this weekend. Picture: Getty

It’s believed the marquee player was sensationally dropped from the first XI last week due to skinfolds, although his omission from the entire squad remains a point of contention.

There were suggestions that Fornaroli, 31, refused to travel to Brisbane as a substitute but City coach Warren Joyce did not confirm this.

The club has only said “there were multiple reasons” for his omission.

Whatever the truth, their relationship soured from that moment.

Asked if he was disappointed with Fornaroli considering he had done some rehab training with him, Joyce hinted he was.

‘’You are frustrated if players are out of the team, every coach wants every player at their absolute maximum,” Joyce said.

“I’m not really surprised (at the attention). He’s a high-profile player but that can’t come into making the decision.

“If you believe you are making the decision on commitment and standards you can’t worry about reaction.’’

Melbourne City fans are threatening to protest against coach Warren Joyce and his axing of Fornaroli.

The confusion over Fornaroli’s axing centres around the delay in opting to drop him – exacerbated by the fact that Fornaroli scored in his last game, a win over Wellington – and what happened during the international break.

Joyce’s delay in wielding the axe appears to have significantly reduced his bargaining power, with fans fuming at the latest high-profile City omission after Tim Cahill, fan favourite Fernando Brandan and best-and-fairest winner Neil Kilkenny.

Fornaroli has scored 54 in 76 in all competitions for City, and won a golden boot award.

The club’s official supporters group, Melburnians, describes “witnessing unrest among fans unlike anything we’ve seen in the Melbourne City era” in a statement written on Thursday.

They are proposing a sit-down protest for the first 23 minutes of the game, coinciding with Fornaroli’s number, before chanting in favour of their goalscorer rather than the team.

“Bruno Fornaroli has been omitted once again by Warren Joyce, with reasoning that is vague at best,” it continues.

Melbourne City coach Warren Joyce.

“From a coach that specifically didn’t reinforce our attack in the off season, leaving our greatest striker and one of our best players ever out of the squad again is a humungous blemish on an already damp season.

“To say the quality of our brand of football is boring would be an understatement, it’s a miracle anybody turns up.”

The biggest City-aligned media outlet, podcast ‘Talking City’, went further, calling for chief executive Scott Munn to take action after “the straw that has broken the camel’s back”.

“Warren Joyce has ripped the soul out of this club we love,” it posted on Facebook.

“Why alienate arguably our clubs (sic) greatest ever player?

“Scott Munn you find yourself at a cross road. Either sack this clown or lose the few remaining fans. The choice is yours.”