Ballou Tabla

[One American]

I looked at the Ivory Coast roster. While most of the players are in top leagues, It's not all Chelsea, PSG, Barcelona. It's certainly not out of reach for Tabla down the line. 

 

FTR: it still sounds to me like he's going to choose Canada. 

[ray]

Here's hoping the kid is smart enough not to make his one-time switch based on an IC call-up for a meaningless senior or Olympic team friendly.

[Guest]

Here is his goal today:

https://streamable.com/bq79v

Edited May 6, 2017 by Guest

[Big_M]

There is something very enjoyable about screaming Ballou.

That said, very weak goalkeeping, slow shot and not even close to the corner so should have saved that.

[One American]

Bad defending. Bad goalkeeping. But the ankle-breaking change of direction after collecting the ball and then heading for goal was nice. And both times he's kept it low and put it in the right spot to get a little help. 

Edited May 7, 2017 by One American

[Ansem]

http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2017/05/11/une-synergie-reussie-entre-limpact-et-le-fc-bologne

This article is speculating that Bologna from Serie A are interested in Tabla

[lazlo_80]

1 hour ago, Ansem said:

http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2017/05/11/une-synergie-reussie-entre-limpact-et-le-fc-bologne

This article is speculating that Bologna from Serie A are interested in Tabla

Would that be considered collusion considering Saputo owns them?

Who am I kidding, FIFA doesn't care.

[Guest]

5 hours ago, lazlo_80 said:

Would that be considered collusion considering Saputo owns them?

Who am I kidding, FIFA doesn't care.

but Montreal has gotten many Bologna players

[Admin]

7 hours ago, lazlo_80 said:

Would that be considered collusion considering Saputo owns them?

Who am I kidding, FIFA doesn't care.

I don't think so.  It might be if they secretly tried to run up the price against a third party with no intention of actually transferring the player. 

 

[Dominic94]

Why run up the price for a player you already own ?

[Ruffian]

Probably not happening, but in my head I hope Saputo is telling Tabla to play for Canada then he can get a chance at Bologna. Bologna as an organisation might benefit from having more Canadian fans of the team because a quality Canadian player plays there. I think Canadian fans could generate more advertising and merchandise money than Ivory Coast fans. It would help the club and the player. Not sure where Saputo's heart is with the CanMNT.

[Admin]

1 hour ago, Dominic94 said:

Why run up the price for a player you already own ?

He asked about collusion, I said run up the price against a third party. 

[jpg75]

The scenario in which collusion would likely occur is Montreal selling him for a minimal fee to avoid MLS taking a larger cut. Since MLS owns his contract and does all negotiating on transfers Montreal/Saputo will likely not be able to collude.

[shamrock]

15 hours ago, Ruffian said:

Probably not happening, but in my head I hope Saputo is telling Tabla to play for Canada then he can get a chance at Bologna. Bologna as an organisation might benefit from having more Canadian fans of the team because a quality Canadian player plays there. I think Canadian fans could generate more advertising and merchandise money than Ivory Coast fans. It would help the club and the player. Not sure where Saputo's heart is with the CanMNT.

As soon as he transfers to thevSerie A and starts to play, he'll draw interest from IC. That will increase his price so that would also be a win for Saputo...

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

On 4/27/2017 at 8:02 PM, Obinna said:

Here is more on the french youth internationals who recently committed to IC:

I did not realise the extent of the recent recruiting of Coach Marc Wilmots who became coach of the Ivory Coast in late March. Just to make it easier for other people on the forum to get a sense, this is who has declared for them since he became coach two months ago:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Philippe_Gbamin
Defender, 21, Plays for Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joris_Gnagnon
Defender 20,  just got his first U-20 France call up earlier this year. Plays for Rennes in Ligue 1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jérémie_Boga
Midfielder, 20. Plays for Grenada in La Liga and scored against Barcelona a month & a ½ ago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seko_Fofana
Midfielder, 22. Plays for Udinese in Serie A

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwel_Cornet
Striker, 20. Plays for Lyon in Ligue 1

I am both afraid of the speed of his recruitment and reassured by the quality (on paper) of the players he is recruiting when compared to Tabla.

Edited May 18, 2017 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[Vince193]

7 hours ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

I did not realise the extent of the recent recruiting of Coach Marc Wilmots who became coach of the Ivory Coast in late March. Just to make it easier for other people on the forum to get a sense, this is who has declared for them since he became coach two months ago:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Philippe_Gbamin
Defender, 21, Plays for Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joris_Gnagnon
Defender 20,  just got his first U-20 France call up earlier this year. Plays for Rennes in Ligue 1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jérémie_Boga
Midfielder, 20. Plays for Grenada in La Liga and scored against Barcelona a month & a ½ ago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seko_Fofana
Midfielder, 22. Plays for Udinese in Serie A

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwel_Cornet
Striker, 20. Plays for Lyon in Ligue 1

I am both afraid of the speed of his recruitment and reassured by the quality (on paper) of the players he is recruiting when compared to Tabla.

To make things more Spooky Wilmots isn't scared of calling in MLS players like Ciman and oh would you look at that Ciman is a teammate of Tabla.

[Obinna]

43 minutes ago, Vince193 said:

To make things more Spooky Wilmots isn't scared of calling in MLS players like Ciman and oh would you look at that Ciman is a teammate of Tabla.

Good point but to play devil's advocate, Ciman is the only MLS player he called. I don't recall anyone else, so just a one-off perhaps. Jelle Van Damme didn't seem to get any love after moving to Galaxy and he was equally deserving.

[Admin]

On 5/12/2017 at 4:36 PM, jpg75 said:

The scenario in which collusion would likely occur is Montreal selling him for a minimal fee to avoid MLS taking a larger cut. Since MLS owns his contract and does all negotiating on transfers Montreal/Saputo will likely not be able to collude.

Yeah, I was more responding to the definition of collusion than anything that might actually happen. 

[TRM]

Best player on the field for Montreal last night. Great show with him and Davies going at it.

[Keegan]

3 minutes ago, TRM said:

Best player on the field for Montreal last night. Great show with him and Davies going at it.

Seriously, if this guy doesn't play for us it's going to hurt more than Hargreaves, Begovic and De Guzman.  What an absolute slap in the face it will be.

We've been told that players are defecting because they're not brought up footballing wise here.  You wait 10 years for these academies to produce something special.. finally we have two players who we can actually call class developments by our MLS academies/CSA youth teams and one is thinking of switching?  

I know it hasn't happened yet but even thinking about it is a nightmare.  What is our response if it happens?  

Likely nothing, but I'd like to see a lifetime ban from the Voyageurs Cup for any player who pulls that.  It may not mean anything to them and likely won't but it will at least mean something to us.  To see a traitor lift the Voyageurs Cup... how could we stoop any lower.  

[Rheo]

I know we've argued over this before and we agree to disagree but you really need to chill on this.  It's a game and it's his life.  Nightmare? Lifetime ban?  Traitor?  No offence but you're being a tad overdramatic.  Just my opinion though.

[Keegan]

25 minutes ago, Rheo said:

I know we've argued over this before and we agree to disagree but you really need to chill on this.  It's a game and it's his life.  Nightmare? Lifetime ban?  Traitor?  No offence but you're being a tad overdramatic.  Just my opinion though.

Sorry but you just contradicted yourself.  If it's just a game why is a ban from one competition overdramatic?  I'm not saying to deport the guy or throw him in prison.  

Edited May 24, 2017 by Keegan

[Rheo]

4 minutes ago, Keegan said:

Sorry but you just contradicted yourself.  If it's just a game why is a ban from one competition overdramatic?  I'm not saying to deport the guy or throw him in prison.  

My claim your overdramaticness was inclusive, not just one point.  You're basically advocating blackmail.  If you don't play for us you'll be punished.  Very despotic.  Really glad you aren't in charge lol   

[nolbertos]

Its always the same question on why kids defect Canada and its always centred around the CSA's incompetence.  Hargreaves defected because the CSA youth coaches thought he wasn't good enough to play on the national team.  Deguzman defected because he was raised in Holland, saw the coaching mess here with Hart and the CSA at that time being cheap on hiring proven coaches with track records and decided to pick Holland.  If Bustos were and faster, taller and better ball skills he would've defected along time ago.  Now with Tabla thinking of switching, it has to do with the coaching quality and our lowly rank.  If the CSA had maybe hired a decent coach with a good resume in CONCACAF and CONMEBOL like how the womens program turned around after Charmaine Hooper bitched out at the CSA for being cheap and they got better coaching, we'll still see defections.  All Mont Vic and Zambrano can do now is get better results with the current crop we have, so future players might give this program a chance.

[Keegan]

1 minute ago, Rheo said:

My claim your overdramaticness was inclusive, not just one point.  You're basically advocating blackmail.  If you don't play for us you'll be punished.  Very despotic.  Really glad you aren't in charge lol   

Banning someone from the Voyageurs Cup is hardly blackmail, don't make me laugh.  It's taking a symbolic stance against a player who (potentially) wronged us.  Oh wow, he can't play in 4 matches.. his career is going to come crashing down.  

So, what is the alternative here?  We endorse players coming through our system, taking up spots and resources and jumping ship when it's convenient?  It's his right to do that, there is nothing illegal about it but you're basically advocating that its okay and it's going to continue to happen.  

Is that how we are going to get to a World Cup?  Now I see the light.