Ayo Akinola

[hamiltonfan]

On 3/19/2019 at 6:27 PM, 1996 said:

We don’t agree on a lot of things but this time I agree totally.  Moreover, the fact he is living at home most likely still with his mom in Brampton I would assume and playing for a Canadian team is a reason why I think there is a good chance he eventually chooses Canada. Moreover, apart from a year or so he spent in residency in Florida with the US U17 team , the kid has spent all his life he in Canada learned how to play the game here in Canada . I still think in the end he will choose Canada regardless how many times he has played with the US national youth teams.

I

[BuzzAndSting]

5 hours ago, red card said:

Also from article, another example of a local youth club coach betraying Canada:

“My club coach at Brampton made contacts with a guy down in Florida. He told one of the national team scouts to come to New York, watch a kid play named 'Ayo'. We beat Red Bulls, 5-0, I scored two goals,” Akinola said. “After the game, I saw two national team scouts, wearing gear, standing at the field. I didn't really pay attention to it. A couple weeks later, in March [2014], I got my call-up.”

Cue the “Uhhhhhhh OSA coaches passed him over at age 13... Uhhhhh CSA told him he sucks.”

[Grizzly]

If he is good enough to help our team will not be a US selection probably we will have to hold our noses and select him because we have to do whatever it takes to improve the team but as a fan I hope he never plays for Canada.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

Let's bump this thread.

1) He missed the U-20 World Cup with the USA (due to injury)

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/05/22/la-galaxys-julian-araujo-replaces-ayo-akinola-us-u-20-world-cup-squad

2) Like Alphonso Davies, Ayo Akinola is a 2000. Tokyo 2020 is 97's and younger. Paris 2024 will be 01's and younger. The next U-20 tournament is also 01's and younger. Therefore if he doesn't make the U23 team with somebody this spring it means that it's the end of the road for youth football for him.

3) Since the U-20 World Cup in May/June the US has held some U23 camps:
September:
http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2019/09/match-report-us-u23-mnt-vs-japan
October:
http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2019/10/u23-mnt-takes-down-el-salvador-6-1-in-olympic-qualifying-warm-up-match-in-miami
November:
http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2019/11/u23-usmnt-falls-1-0-to-brazil-at-united-international-football-festival-in-canary-islands
http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2019/11/u23-mnt-finish-third-at-united-international-football-festival-with-4-0-win-vs-united-gran-canaria

I could not find Ayo's name on any roster.
http://www.ussoccer.com/players/a/ayo-akinola

 

4) Does his career trajectory look like he will play for Nigeria or the USA at the senior level in the next 4 years?

I think a one-time switch and going all-in on Canada U23 and hoping to be a part of the senior #CanMNT in the long term is the best option this young man has at the moment.

Edited December 28, 2019 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[Colliedor]

1 hour ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

4) Does his career trajectory look like he will play for Nigeria or the USA at the senior level in the next 4 years?

I think a one-time switch and going all-in on Canada U23 and hoping to be a part of the senior #CanMNT in the long term is the best option this young man has at the moment.

Ya I think his best chance is switching over to Canada, but even like that I don't think he'll cut it. He'll end up in the USL in the very near future imo.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

4 minutes ago, Colliedor said:

Ya I think his best chance is switching over to Canada, but even like that I don't think he'll cut it. He'll end up in the USL in the very near future imo.

I think he could perhaps play in the MLS, but will he be a better player long-term than either Teal Bunbury or Tesho Akindele?

I would want him to prove me wrong but I doubt it. You don't really play for the #USMNT at that level.

[Bison44]

 

4 hours ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

I think he could perhaps play in the MLS, but will he be a better player long-term than either Teal Bunbury or Tesho Akindele?

I would want him to prove me wrong but I doubt it. You don't really play for the #USMNT at that level.

Having watched alot of Akinola I think he would be lucky to have a carer where he won MLS rookie of the year or bagged 5-10 goals a year in MLS like Bunbury or Tesho.  That still only puts him on the sidelines of our team the way things are going.    

[Bdog]

Perruzza is a year younger and better  

[baulderdash77]

17 hours ago, Bison44 said:

 

Having watched alot of Akinola I think he would be lucky to have a carer where he won MLS rookie of the year or bagged 5-10 goals a year in MLS like Bunbury or Tesho.  That still only puts him on the sidelines of our team the way things are going.    

Everything has changed in the last 4 years with our depth.  4 years ago we would be clamouring  for him.  Now guys like Tesho and Larin have a hard time getting on the field.

[LeoH037]

1 hour ago, baulderdash77 said:

Everything has changed in the last 4 years with our depth.  4 years ago we would be clamouring  for him.  Now guys like Tesho and Larin have a hard time getting on the field.

err... Larin should get a start on the next CMNT. Him and Tesho are on whole different levels.

[Bison44]

14 hours ago, Bdog said:

Perruzza is a year younger and better  

Well TFC didnt call Perruzza up to the big team like they did Akinola...and Peruzza hasnt scored in MLS, so I wouldnt go counting my chickens on him just yet.  Scoring a bunch in USL-ONE is a good sign, but I wish Perruzza was at a higher level.  

[yothat2]

He's signed to the same agency as Alphonso Davies 

[Club Linesman]

Does he even matter as anything more than depth if he should decided to play for Canada?  We are so strong up front that Akinola may have missed his window to be a central part of our team if that opportunity ever actually existed.

[Bison44]

Akinola who??  I doubt he'll get much time with TFC as the rookie Achara looks pretty sweet. Plus the fact that Mullins already has 2 appearances before the virus break tells you a lot.  Vanney et al tend to stick with the draft picks much longer than academy kids, so the writing should be on the wall for Akinola.    If he thinks he is a CDN, try for a CPL loan to get minutes, if not follow the Ben Spencer route and disappear into the USL quagmire and hope to break through.  Getting a few hundred minutes a season isnt doing him much good at 20, and he doesnt look to be in Vanneys plans.  

As for Canada depth, Brym, Bair, Nelsen and mid/oldies AJH, Hamilton would still be ahead, let alone proven vets Ricketts and Akindele.  

[An Observer]

He is still young and while we have depth, I certainly wouldn’t discard him. He could easily have a breakout season this year or next so frankly I hope he commits to us. Perhaps he could play for us in the Olympic qualifying

[Bison44]

He could easily get 50min of garbage time sitting on TFC bench with Vanney playing anyone else he can find. Time for a move.  And has he shown any interest in repping us?  He's played for USA at every level so far and could go to Nigeria as well. I'm much more interested in Bair, Brym or Nelsen at this point, all of which have actually played for Canada.  

[Obinna]

Som

17 hours ago, Bison44 said:

Akinola who??  I doubt he'll get much time with TFC as the rookie Achara looks pretty sweet. Plus the fact that Mullins already has 2 appearances before the virus break tells you a lot.  Vanney et al tend to stick with the draft picks much longer than academy kids, so the writing should be on the wall for Akinola.    If he thinks he is a CDN, try for a CPL loan to get minutes, if not follow the Ben Spencer route and disappear into the USL quagmire and hope to break through.  Getting a few hundred minutes a season isnt doing him much good at 20, and he doesnt look to be in Vanneys plans.  

As for Canada depth, Brym, Bair, Nelsen and mid/oldies AJH, Hamilton would still be ahead, let alone proven vets Ricketts and Akindele.  

I don't know when his contract ends, but his guaranteed compensation is $124 k. Might cause him to think twice about leaving for CPL or USL

[Bison44]

Shame to see him rot at the end of the bench.  But that is  a bunch of cash...he just needs to wait for Altidore to get hurt, and hope Mullins goes down too.  

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

49 minutes ago, Obinna said:

I don't know when his contract ends...

I can't find that information either; I'd be curious to know.

18 hours ago, Bison44 said:

Akinola who??

We shouldn't be that dismissive. If he feels Canadian fans have that attitude towards him, why would he play for us?

Let us be more respectful and hope he makes the wise decision to switch to Canada. We have less depth than we think. The recent success of David and Davies has made us collectively cocky.

[Club Linesman]

No offence but if he isnt a defender he would have to start lighting up the MLS to get considered for our squad.  We have a plethora of options up front and a third string forward in mls is not going to cut it.

[Bison44]

Well he isnt and hasnt played for us.  Last summer he answered the call for the USA again. But either way, he seemed promising but is sinking lower and lower on the depth chart at TFC and probably wont get much of a chance to show anyone what he can do.  TFC sure are treating him like Akinola who??  Look at Hamilton who was getting 2-4 goals in very limited minutes (600-900) at TFC and that got him a cup of coffee with the senior canada team and a one way ticket out of town at 23.

Its not being cocky, Hamilton, AJH, Rickets even Akindele can barely get a game with canada lately, if Akinola rots on TFC's bench, how is he going to leapfrog anyone of those guys??  And they are all comitted to canada...and we are all just hoping Akinola MIGHT file a one time switch.  

[Obinna]

14 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

Its not being cocky, Hamilton, AJH, Rickets even Akindele can barely get a game with canada lately, if Akinola rots on TFC's bench, how is he going to leapfrog anyone of those guys??  And they are all comitted to canada...and we are all just hoping Akinola MIGHT file a one time switch.  

For me it is not that hard to imagine.

If he can get an opportunity and start scoring it could happen. He may not even have to outscore those other forwards. Herdman knows what he has with the other guys, so he may want to see Akinola up close before giving those other guys another call. Furthermore, with his young age and eligibility to the USA, Herdman may prioritize him (if he is playing well of course).  

Edited June 26, 2020 by Obinna

[El Hombre]

1 hour ago, Obinna said:

If he can get an opportunity and start scoring it could happen.

Sure, but you could say the same for virtually every other player: Millar, Hamilton, Jackson-Hamel, Perruzza, Bair, Zanatta, Nelson etc..  Why not invest in players that actually have a desire to play for Canada?  He missed his chance.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

7 minutes ago, El Hombre said:

Sure, but you could say the same for virtually every other player: Millar, Hamilton, Jackson-Hamel, Perruzza, Bair, Zanatta, Nelson etc..  Why not invest in players that actually have a desire to play for Canada?  He missed his chance.

He may have missed his chance to win your heart @El Hombre , but (just like Vitória ), he hasn't missed his chance to contribute to the Canadian cause if he files his switch. It's a throw of the dice; if he gets a good run of games he would certainly be considered for the U23 team 

Edited June 26, 2020 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[Bison44]

Oh he's very young still, plenty of time to hit his stride, but last summer he was still red white and blue.  I can hope for a switch and be a fan just like anyone else, but he's about the same level as 3-4 other u-23 strikers we already have on board.  Seeing the CPL kids come on strong, with Brym, Nelsen, Bair all have promising debuts for the senior side coupled with Vanney placing Mullins and Achara ahead of him at TFC...well its taken a lot of the shine of him.  Like Linseman said if he was a CB, I would be calling his mom trying to get him to file a switch.  But I am kind of sick of having to sell Canada to a kid who is/or was eligible, lives here and plays here.