Ayo Akinola

[gator]

13 minutes ago, matty said:

The kid's a Can-Am citizen and has the right to attend academies in Canada.

If you want TFC to care about Canada more, write the CSA and ask for a player quota (@harrycoyster don't wanna debate right now)

I get that academies are open to whoever the club rates and it's their money and they are free to make decisions on that as I am free to not like it! As for contacting the CSA, I won't waste my time, Victor had the chance to play a bit of hardball with this league over domestic status and he chose not to!

[matty]

12 minutes ago, gator said:

I get that academies are open to whoever the club rates and it's their money and they are free to make decisions on that as I am free to not like it! As for contacting the CSA, I won't waste my time, Victor had the chance to play a bit of hardball with this league over domestic status and he chose not to!

I wonder how the CSA would react to a proper unified petition from the Voyageurs or a Voyageurs boycott of national teams?

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

Just now, matty said:

The kid's a Can-Am citizen)

Just now, harrycoyster said:

Akinola is Canadian.

Where is it actually stated that he is Canadian from an authoritative source? Link please.

[matty]

3 minutes ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

Where is it actually stated that he is Canadian from an authoritative source? Link please.

Will Washington Post do? https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/04/26/want-to-see-a-great-goal-watch-josh-sargent-in-u-s-u-17s-4-3-win-over-mexico/

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

Just now, matty said:

Will Washington Post do? https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/04/26/want-to-see-a-great-goal-watch-josh-sargent-in-u-s-u-17s-4-3-win-over-mexico/

No. Where did Goff get his info?

[matty]

Just now, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

No. Where did Goff get his info?

No idea but I can't picture him being that sloppy on USMNT stuff

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

Just now, matty said:

No idea but I can't picture him being that sloppy on USMNT stuff

Washington Post, #fakenews

 

On a serious note, Goff is usually quite good but I want Akinola himself or the club to say that he is Canadian.

[CNMNTPERUELIGIBLE]

10 hours ago, Chad_Impact said:

TFC sign Ayo to a professional contract. Has to be a good thing for his national team chances

One would hope so.... At least Zambrano  will have him in the spotlight now, which could warrant a call-up maybe as early as in the new year who knows... call-up attempt at minimum, although, a lot will depend on performance of course... wondering also where he will fall in the depth chart within TFC.. What's his brother Tom ceiling like? ... Also what position does his brother play?... As we all know at least he (Tom) has been already involved with our youth national team system ... I'm curious to know, lol

 

[Stryker911]

1 hour ago, matty said:

I wonder how the CSA would react to a proper unified petition from the Voyageurs or a Voyageurs boycott of national teams?

Has this ever been tried in the past?

[matty]

14 minutes ago, Stryker911 said:

Has this ever been tried in the past?

doubt it partly cause this whole fanbase is fairly splintered when it comes to shit relating to Canadian talent

[gator]

30 minutes ago, Stryker911 said:

Has this ever been tried in the past?

The biggest protest against the CSA that I have seen was the "Sack the CSA' black t-shirt night at a friendly vs Costa Rica at which was then our National Soccer Stadium in 07, I think we made our point, how much things changed is debatable

[matty]

2 minutes ago, gator said:

The biggest protest against the CSA that I have seen was the "Sack the CSA' black t-shirt night at a friendly vs Costa Rica at which was then our National Soccer Stadium in 07, I think we made our point, how much things changed is debatable

Sequel time?

[Bison44]

Its the same old dog and pony show.  Fluff piece online etc on a CDN kid as a bone for us hard core fans but you end up signing the kid on the US youth teams.  Which is fine, at least he has some ties to Canada, and like I originally said, is a good prospect (probably better than Hundal), which they probably thought they might loose if they didn't sign him now.  But why the fluffy slide shows of hundal when we all know, he wont go anywhere with TFC.  Hamilton can barely get minutes, I dont think Hundal will get min over akinola even if he did get a MLS contract.  This all feels like a poor attempt at a reach around while the management is giving us the business.  Dont use the CDN kids to promote the club when you are probably just going to give them a cup of coffee and send them on their way.  At least give us the "we are bringing in the best talent no matter where they are from..we need to win etc" speech...at least then I could have a little respect for you.  

And is there alot of talk in New york, Vancouver etc about TFC's academy prospects?? Other than those playing on american youth squads??  Thats funny!!  Almost as funny as saying  akinola is Canadian when he is pulling on a US jersey.  

[Gian-Luca]

15 hours ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

Where is it actually stated that he is Canadian from an authoritative source? Link please.

Neil Davidson article confirming that Akinola is from the soccer mecca of Brampton, Ontario:

https://www.tsn.ca/tfc-sign-teen-akinola-as-homegrown-player-1.947045

Article also talks about his younger brother already playing for Canada as a youth.

By the way, from my understanding, Akinola will not count as a Canadian for the V-Cup matches as long as he is in the US system, so this signing doesn't help TFC in that regard (though he's a domestic either way for the MLS roster).

 

[1996]

The kid has spent all his life in Canada apart from being born in Detroit, played all his youth soccer in Canada . Picked the US youth national U17 team because he was born in the US and probably felt had a better chance of making it to the U17 World Cup than with Canada, and he was right , the US made it and did rather well he got major playing time in the World Cup so it worked out. However, now he is continuing in playing with his hometown areas MLS team, he is in Canada and if he progresses with TFC in the next few years and lives up to his talents you will see him chose Canada Zambrano will make sure of that.

[Bison44]

Saying all that nice stuff about canada is fine.  But if a he chooses the US youth squad (after all that nice canada stuff), what happens later on for him to make him change his mind and start to play for canada??  Other than he inst good enough and cant get any time on the USMNT??  I wish FIFA would clean this whole system up.  

[CNMNTPERUELIGIBLE]

10 hours ago, 1996 said:

However, now he is continuing in playing with his hometown areas MLS team, he is in Canada and if he progresses with TFC in the next few years and lives up to his talents you will see him chose Canada Zambrano will make sure of that.

One sure can hope for.... But certainly Zambrano will be keeping an eye on him, no doubt, it will all come down to his personal preference and if he is to fall off the radar of the whole USMNT picture, I see him making the change... But I think Zambrano will definitely make every effort to convince him if what you say happens and will laid out his pitch to him for playing for the CANMNT, similarly like he has done with Ballou, might be another of those scenarios... Is his ceiling really rated that high? If so, let's see some of his top moments

 

[harrycoyster]

23 minutes ago, CNMNTPERUELIGIBLE said:

Is his ceiling really rated that high?

 

He's a 5 star prospect on TDS (which refers to difference maker in MLS potential). Our only other 5 star prospect in recent memeory was Davies. While Akinola is pretty clearly the worst of the US u17 starting attackers, starting on that team shows what the US thinks about him and his ability as they were a legitimate top 15 u17 team in the world. His ceiling is probably somewhere around Fernando Adi. Lots of work to get there though.

Edited December 24, 2017 by harrycoyster

[masster]

On 12/23/2017 at 9:31 AM, Bison44 said:

Saying all that nice stuff about canada is fine.  But if a he chooses the US youth squad (after all that nice canada stuff), what happens later on for him to make him change his mind and start to play for canada??  Other than he inst good enough and cant get any time on the USMNT??  I wish FIFA would clean this whole system up.  

I'm not sure what there is to clean up in this situation though. Although his tie to Canada may be stronger, the kid was born in the US. Should he not have the option?

[Bison44]

I dont mean him specifiically, under curent fifa rules sure he can have the option.  But I wish they would simplify the rules, we sit on this board and argue about whether a kid is eligible for canada for page after page and its still can be muddy proposition.  I dont know what the solution would look like but it seems like so many kids are duals, and so many of the kids we seem to talk about on here have options. And they treat national teams like club teams, picking and choosing, or not making up their minds until they are late 20's.  Just seems cynical to me, not really what representing your country is about.  

[Ansem]

Until he commits to Canada, still thinking following him is pointless. We should follow thpse who wants to play for us, not those who might pick us if it doesn't work with the USMNT

Edited December 28, 2017 by Ansem

[Kent]

On 2017-12-26 at 11:49 PM, Bison44 said:

I dont mean him specifiically, under curent fifa rules sure he can have the option.  But I wish they would simplify the rules, we sit on this board and argue about whether a kid is eligible for canada for page after page and its still can be muddy proposition.  I dont know what the solution would look like but it seems like so many kids are duals, and so many of the kids we seem to talk about on here have options. And they treat national teams like club teams, picking and choosing, or not making up their minds until they are late 20's.  Just seems cynical to me, not really what representing your country is about.  

The discussion on Akinola doesn't go on for pages because we can't figure out his eligibility due to the rules being too lax or complicated. We just don't know if he is a Canadian citizen. If you don't know that fundamental thing and just keep talking in circles it is the fault of the conversation, not the rule.

I think people just have to learn to accept that they aren't in the shoes of the player and they have to let them make their own decisions.

[jpg75]

He has to be a Canadian citizen because he wouldn't be allowed to sign a pro contract with a "foreign" club prior to his 18th bday.

Edited December 29, 2017 by jpg75

[CNMNTPERUELIGIBLE]

55 minutes ago, Kent said:

I think people just have to learn to accept that they aren't in the shoes of the player and they have to let them make their own decisions.

@ Kent Absolutely!!!!!!.... Must be tough, indeed

CANMNT eligible.... Also Peru & Chile eligible

 

[Bison44]

Hey Kent, go read the Boakai page, Kofi Opare or Gershon Kofie page and you'll see what I am talking about. And remember the pages of speculation on Ethan Findlay...its ridiculous.  It shouldnt be so hard to figure out if a someone is eligible or not.