Mallan Roberts

[Soccerpro]

Roberts has been more steady this year. Last year, he had some Doneil a Henry like blunders.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Soccerpro

[jpg75]

Happy for him and the CMNT program, but you have to feel for the Sierra Leone supporters. Roberts accepted a call-up to his country of birth and then was prevented from playing for them because of the Ebola outbreak?. Tough one to swallow.

[Sport Shaman]

Agreed that Edwards deserves a call at least as much as Roberts, but at least one of them got it. It's a start.

[Addona]

Happy for him and the CMNT program, but you have to feel for the Sierra Leone supporters. Roberts accepted a call-up to his country of birth and then was prevented from playing for them because of the Ebola outbreak?. Tough one to swallow.

 

Thank goodness for Ebola .... errrr, said no one, ever? 

[shermanator]

You would think that folks would be happy that an NASL club academy produced a national team player but, guess not?

 

Edit: Ah, and now said person has changed their post indicating so.

Edited June 8, 2015 by shermanator

[Sport Shaman]

^^^ You misunderstand, grasshopper. It makes me very happy. 

[shermanator]

@Sport Shaman, I was referring to Soccerpro's post actually. Originally mentioned that Edward was more deserving.

Edited June 8, 2015 by shermanator

[Blackdude]

Agreed that Edwards deserves a call at least as much as Roberts, but at least one of them got it. It's a start.

 

Too bad that Julien Edwards chose Guyana

[yothat]

& emory welshman  jk .... If i m eddie edwards I would look to play for my country of heritage .. doesn't seem like floro rates him ..

 

Congrats to Mallan .. if u were to built a CB in fifa 2015 you would basically create a mallan clone athletically

[BuzzAndSting]

& emory welshman  jk .... If i m eddie edwards I would look to play for my country of heritage .. doesn't seem like floro rates him ..

 

Congrats to Mallan .. if u were to built a CB in fifa 2015 you would basically create a mallan clone athletically

Or perhaps we have enough depth on the backline that there will be sacrifices. For the upcoming WCQ we didn't even call Doniel Henry or Andre Haineault.

[king1010]

Or perhaps we have enough depth on the backline that there will be sacrifices. For the upcoming WCQ we didn't even call Doniel Henry or Andre Haineault.

 

Henry is still recovering from injury aiming to be back for Gold cup

[BuzzAndSting]

Henry is still recovering from injury aiming to be back for Gold cup

 

I understand that. My point is that EE seems to be low on the depth chart, not because Floro doesn't rate him, but because we seem to have many more options than in the past.

[El Hombre]

I understand that. My point is that EE seems to be low on the depth chart, not because Floro doesn't rate him, but because we seem to have many more options than in the past.

 

But...but...our Gold Cup aspirations absolutely hinge on the 23rd guy on our roster.  He is essential!  Never before has a backup to a backup been more important.

[BuzzAndSting]

But...but...our Gold Cup aspirations absolutely hinge on the 23rd guy on our roster. He is essential! Never before has a backup to a backup been more important.

Hilarious, we share the same sense of humour brother!

[yothat]

Mallan Roberts up for NASL --  Young Player of The Year Award

http://www.fcedmonton.com/news/2015/10/14/corea-roberts-up-for-nasl-young-player-of-the-year-award

Was also called into the national team for the Canada vs Ghana game but couldn't bc of injury/commitments to Fced

http://the11.ca/2015/10/14/after-laing-less-fce-loses-to-carolina-miller-has-harsh-words-for-the-jamaica-football-federation/

[Vince193]

Relieved to hear he is still in Floro's plans. I'd like to see him play more with Canada. Him, Lefevre, Edgar, Hainault, Jakovic and Henry. That's some good depth.

 

edit: Can't forget Straith and James.

Edited October 16, 2015 by Vince193

[shermanator]

So, Mallan Roberts appears to be this year's John Smits in Edmonton.

First, the Eddies sign Pape Diakite, bumping him from his CB spot. Then he had a howler of a performance against Minnesota in the second game of the year. He has not seen the pitch since, even when Albert Watson was bleeding from the eye while Edmonton was 3-0 down in the final minutes of the Voyageurs Cup opening leg. He is now out of the 18 and has been bumped by Marko Aleksic, who has played a total of 45 minutes in his 2.3 years with the club. As far as I have read he is not injured.

The one difference between the Smits and Roberts situations is that Diakite has arguably been Edmonton's best player this year, and leading goal scorer, so it really does make sense that Roberts doesn't see the pitch. But it looks like his plummeting down the depth chart, and it really parallel's Smits' season last year in Edmonton. 

Concerning that the best products of the FC Edmonton academy 5 years in are now out of the 18 or off the roster altogether. Shome does look like a player that could have some promise though.

[shamrock]

U sure he's not injured? 

[shermanator]

If he were, it would have been mentioned either in one of the newspapers, or by Steven Sandor, or on the game broadcasts. Nothing mentioned by any of those parties.

[coach_86]

This has happened time and time again with a lot of younger guys not willing to sign an extension when they are nearing the end of their contracts. I know Miller has in the past frozen out players until an extension has been signed. I'm not 100% sure on this but I believe Mallan is a free agent at the end of the season. Maybe he is trying to keep options open of playing elsewhere. I also do know that he was told he would be starting against Ottawa (not sure which leg) and he felt tightness in his hamstring during the warm up from a prior injury and didn't think he was fit enough to play. That did not sit well with Miller either, but I commend Mallan for putting the team first and not risk playing if he is not 100% fit off of an injury. Either way if his contract is up, i doubt he stays in Edmonton after this. 

[shermanator]

Very interesting. Based on what you've posted it sounds like Miller is being detrimental to the club to prove a point. Would be the first time, nor will it be the last. I agree that if that is the case Roberts should explore other options.

Have to wonder if the same is going on with Jalali. He's on the last year of his deal as well and he hasn't seen a minute of action yet. Can't imagine he is happy with his playing time, given the fact that he looked much improved in action last year.

[Vince193]

Regardless of the reason of his exclusion, Miller and FC Edmonton are doing well so I don't see a coaching change any time soon. 

[Jason]

28 minutes ago, Vince193 said:

Regardless of the reason of his exclusion, Miller and FC Edmonton are doing well so I don't see a coaching change any time soon. 

From what I've heard, Miller has the total confidence of ownership.  And their current position in the standings is just going to solidify that.

Jason

 

[Grizzly]

1 hour ago, shermanator said:

Very interesting. Based on what you've posted it sounds like Miller is being detrimental to the club to prove a point. Would be the first time, nor will it be the last. I agree that if that is the case Roberts should explore other options.

Have to wonder if the same is going on with Jalali. He's on the last year of his deal as well and he hasn't seen a minute of action yet. Can't imagine he is happy with his playing time, given the fact that he looked much improved in action last year.

It might be detrimental to the player but it is not detrimental to the club. This is very standard practice in clubs all over the world, if a player is in the last year of his contract and possibly not re-signing you play someone else to see if they are good enough to replace the player who is possibly leaving or whether you need to sign someone new. If the replacement performs well he keeps the spot because why would you waste playing time on someone who is leaving. 

[shermanator]

2 hours ago, Grizzly said:

It might be detrimental to the player but it is not detrimental to the club. This is very standard practice in clubs all over the world, if a player is in the last year of his contract and possibly not re-signing you play someone else to see if they are good enough to replace the player who is possibly leaving or whether you need to sign someone new. If the replacement performs well he keeps the spot because why would you waste playing time on someone who is leaving. 

I was referring to the hamstring issue as opposed to the contract situation. I'm not arguing that Roberts should be playing, even the most adamant Voyageurs supporter should understand why Diakite is in the lineup. However, freezing Roberts out because of not being able to go during the first leg of the Voyageurs Cup is ridiculous.

It is detrimental to FC Edmonton in trying to recruit the next generation of academy players. Especially considering that they are already losing their best prospects to the Whitecaps every year, as well as Miller's past history of conflict with players on the roster. Any youth looking to be the next Mallan Roberts sees how the club have treated them this year and suddenly the option to join Whitecaps looks that much better, if it hasn't already.

Or maybe FC Edmonton are happy that players like Alphonso Davies don't want anything to do with them, who knows.

Take this quote from Jeff Paulus, their assistant coach and academy director from a few days ago. Doesn't seem like Miller is adhering to this philosophy, does it? 

Edited May 26, 2016 by shermanator