Ballou Tabla

[Obinna]

2 minutes ago, Dominic94 said:

Checks a lot of boxes and could easily be the best player in the league, can’t believe he’s fallen this far, even with minimal effort he wouldn’t be in the league for long.

Let's hope you're right. He has the potential to dominate the league offensively. 

The other thing I like, now that I think of it, is that he could really stand out at Ottawa, as to my knowledge they don't have a big offensive threat. Forge and Pacific have that continental play, and they have just been more successful thus far, but he he may have to share the spotlight at those clubs, while at Ottawa he may be the go-to guy right away, which could help him find his confidence and his form. 

[jordan]

40 minutes ago, Dominic94 said:

Checks a lot of boxes and could easily be the best player in the league, can’t believe he’s fallen this far, even with minimal effort he wouldn’t be in the league for long.

I think the minimal effort thing is part of the problem

[DigzTFC]

I think this is a great move! Tabla needs playing time and his confidence back.  Ottawa is also connected to Madrid which is a motivator.  He will have a direct pipeline back to Spain.  Watching him against the Wanderers you could tell that he's a more mature player.  I looked up his age and he's only 23.  If he excels in CPL he can regain some of luster he deserved when he was younger.  Personally, I want to see the silver died hair back.

[toontownman]

It is as good a move as he can hope at this stage. He needs a reset and kid gloves. Hope the new managed is a people person. 

[An Observer]

Honestly, I hope I am wrong but I think he is done.  He has Hanson Boakai written all over him.  He has floundered for 3 years now at a crucial age for his development.  You don't change your attitude over night in my opinion.  Its a process and he doesn't have the time to do it.  And this is from someone who had rated him  higher than Davies a few years back. But I would love to be proven wrong.

[Joe MacCarthy]

I'd be curious to know how many have gone from can't miss prospect to the gutter and then back again,  a pretty short list I would think.

[A_Gagne]

If Pacific, Cavalry, Forge, or even Wanderers or Valour had been his destination I would believe this was a reset. Ottawa feels a little too same same. I think those who expect him to light up the CPL and move back to MLS or Europe need to re-calibrate their expectations. He's played 15 pro games and scored 3 pro goals in the last 2.5 years. Frankly I think success at this point for him looks a lot more like still kicking a ball for a pay cheque in two years than it does him heading back to Europe. Would love to be proven wrong, but not much evidence lately for the "he's still got it" narrative.

On that note, I don't think Onesoccer should be hyping this as "CPL's latest big-name signing". That's not going to help Ballou.

Edited February 15, 2022 by A_Gagne

[dyslexic nam]

7 hours ago, A_Gagne said:

…but not much evidence lately for the "he's still got it" narrative.

I agree with everything except this.  In the Canadian Championship game last September, he came on as a sub and scored 2 quick goals to beat HFX 3-1.   They were strong solo efforts in a game that was very close until that point.  Small sample for sure, but there isn’t a lot to compare to and on that game he obviously had a huge impact.  

[CanadaFan123]

8 hours ago, A_Gagne said:

If Pacific, Cavalry, Forge, or even Wanderers or Valour had been his destination I would believe this was a reset. Ottawa feels a little too same same. I think those who expect him to light up the CPL and move back to MLS or Europe need to re-calibrate their expectations. He's played 15 pro games and scored 3 pro goals in the last 2.5 years. Frankly I think success at this point for him looks a lot more like still kicking a ball for a pay cheque in two years than it does him heading back to Europe. Would love to be proven wrong, but not much evidence lately for the "he's still got it" narrative.

On that note, I don't think Onesoccer should be hyping this as "CPL's latest big-name signing". That's not going to help Ballou.

He did average a goal per 90 minutes last season... I mentioned it before but even if he was a complete POS a player with that impact deserves more minutes.

[Corazon]

12 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

I agree with everything except this.  In the Canadian Championship game last September, he came on as a sub and scored 2 quick goals to beat HFX 3-1.   They were strong solo efforts in a game that was very close until that point.  Small sample for sure, but there isn’t a lot to compare to and on that game he obviously had a huge impact.  

I agree with all the sentiments above including his strong performance against Halifax Wanderers.  In addition, I know it feels like such a long time ago but aside from a couple missed scoring chances, Tabla looked very good and dangerous and one of Canada's better players at Olympic Qualifying Tournament only 11 months ago.

I think he has the talent to take the take the CPL by storm even with all his issues.  I'm not saying he will but I wouldn't be surprised either.

Edited February 15, 2022 by Corazon

[Obinna]

I have yet to see many argue his performances aren't up to snuff, in fact it's quite the opposite. He's done quite well with the limited chances he's had, as others have pointed out. 

That said, you can only show "you still got it" if you get on the field, which he's struggled to do. A lot of that was reportedly down to being injured though, and when he wasn't he was competing to get into a pretty decent Montreal side. For as talented as Tabla is, he was always going to be up against it that late into the season, plus the team gets it's width from wingback.

The CanPL is the reboot he needs. That'll tell us whether he still has it or not. 

[jonovision]

As a Valour fan, I would rather take a chance at catching a falling star like Tabla than 23 year old nobodies from the Chilean second division.

[The Real Marc]

I think it's a really good sign that he's willing to sign with Ottawa and play in the CanPL.

It shows he wants to make a go of it despite his setbacks. (Maybe he thinks being under the eye of Atletico will help. I wouldn't bet on it.)

But at his age and for the pay he's getting, he could have easily just dropped out of the game.

[Obinna]

16 minutes ago, The Real Marc said:

I think it's a really good sign that he's willing to sign with Ottawa and play in the CanPL.

It shows he wants to make a go of it despite his setbacks. (Maybe he thinks being under the eye of Atletico will help. I wouldn't bet on it.)

But at his age and for the pay he's getting, he could have easily just dropped out of the game.

I think he was on 250k USD last year and max salary in CPL (I think ) is 77k. That's still decent money if that's what he gets, especially for a 22 year old, plus that 250k would give him a nice cushion for a while, assuming he's been smart with his money. 

[Big_M]

 

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

3 years! 😮

[MauditYvon]

Resell value, if he has a good (great) season.

[MM3/MM2/MM]

1 hour ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

3 years! 😮

Edit:  ^ Yep, posted at the same time

Tabla plays to his potential and ATO sells.

Edited February 15, 2022 by MM3/MM2/MM

[jonovision]

1 hour ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

3 years! 😮

A 3-year deal is definitely a bet that he rediscovers his form and becomes an asset in the transfer market.

[The Beaver 2.0]

I wish him well, and I clearly want this to be the beginning of his resurgence, but I am deeply skeptical. (Well, I am always deeply skeptical.) I want to be wrong here, but I suspect he just doesn't want it enough. He's got the tools, but does he have the toolkit?

[RS]

27 minutes ago, jonovision said:

A 3-year deal is definitely a bet that he rediscovers his form and becomes an asset in the transfer market.

It's really nothing for ATO's owners, either.

Low risk, high reward. Let's hope Ballou is able to find his game.

[shermanator]

If Tabla had any sense of work ethic he'd be playing in a World Cup in November. Maybe this move to Ottawa turns things around and he's there in 2026, but I'm not holding my breath...

This signing is the perfect definition of high risk, high reward. He'll either be one of the best players in CPL and move back to better things, or warming the bench by the Summer.

[Unnamed Trialist]

46 minutes ago, shermanator said:

If Tabla had any sense of work ethic he'd be playing in a World Cup in November. Maybe this move to Ottawa turns things around and he's there in 2026, but I'm not holding my breath...

This signing is the perfect definition of high risk, high reward. He'll either be one of the best players in CPL and move back to better things, or warming the bench by the Summer.

I tend to agree, or he'd be close. In those Olympic qualilfiers almost a year ago, there was Tajon, and Cornelius. And Ballou looked good. They pushed, one is in top flight Greece, the other in Belgium, both with our NT. 

Convinced there are some personal things he has to deal with, which saddens me a bit. 

[The Real Marc]

6 hours ago, Obinna said:

I think he was on 250k USD last year and max salary in CPL (I think ) is 77k. That's still decent money if that's what he gets, especially for a 22 year old, plus that 250k would give him a nice cushion for a while, assuming he's been smart with his money. 

Anyone else making that other than Bekker or Bustos? Are they really going to give him that kind of money? Maybe they are, because he's on a three year deal and it's Atletico Madrid?

He's got upside but also significant downside. He stinks out the joint in Can PL and he's done. High risk high reward for both parties. I like it a lot.

[Metro]

14 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I tend to agree, or he'd be close. In those Olympic qualilfiers almost a year ago, there was Tajon, and Cornelius. And Ballou looked good. They pushed, one is in top flight Greece, the other in Belgium, both with our NT. 

Convinced there are some personal things he has to deal with, which saddens me a bit. 

I've always thought this too.