Yeah, I always suggest new players go with the "vanilla fighter"; It's a great opportunity for the player to pick up on the basic rules, and will give them a chance to shine in their role. New players tend to be unfamiliar enough with the system to be unable to effectively employ the strategies often required for many other classes; a wizard or cleric played ineffecctively will often fall behind somewhat in their relative power level, even though they may be of the same level as the rest of the party. These classes are far better at their roles when played by someone who understands the mechanics enough to employ their more subtle tricks and strategies.
Recommending the vanilla fighter gives the player the opportunity to get familiar with the core mechanic of the game, while playing an important role in the party, all the while watching the other players characters, and seeing their strengths and weaknesses, learning them at their own pace. And sure, they may or may not soon get bored of such a straight forward character concept, and it is a good indication that the player is ready to explore other, more "advanced" options.