Ballou Tabla

[harrycoyster]

Just now, Ruffian said:

Are you sure Akinola is still in the Toronto FC system?He has kinda gone AWAL.

He's with his US u17 teammates at the US residency program in Bradenton, Florida. TFC has given him permission to stay there through the u17 World Cup in October, but he's still TFC's player. Whether he is still TFC's player when he turns 18 in January and can go to Europe is a different story.

He's considered a top 5 prospect on the US u17 team. The top 5 prospects on the 2015 US u17 team all spurned MLS teams to go to Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, Schalke, Schalke and Fiorentina.

[matty]

I think all the people that are saying they would stop cheering for him at Montreal are totally going to cheer every time he scores a goal or cheer on any play he as key to.

Despite what people here are saying civic/club pride will trounces love of nation every fucking time just shy of punching out beaver and pooping on it. Just admit it

Edited July 2, 2017 by matty

[Bertuzzi44]

Canada over the clubs every time for me. International football should be about coming together to represent your country. It is a lot more about unity. Like it or not, club football is more about personal ambition and money (both at the player and owner level). Unless the club is fan owned, but that doesn't apply often.

I wouldn't want Hargreaves at my club.

[jpg75]

If Akinola switches back to Canada i'll cheer for him, otherwise i could care less about the guy. If he goes on to play for TFC and the US i'll hope he sucks ass and gets beat out by Jordan Hamilton for PT.

And may i add the fact that the American management team at TFC encouraged him to play for the US pisses me off. It was predictable, and obviously suited their own self interests which grinds my gears. I would hope mgmt. at all 3 CDN clubs would look out for Canadian soccer, but that doesn't appear to always be the case. The Whitecaps with Bustos was even worse...

Edited July 2, 2017 by jpg75

[Fastfeet2]

 Imagine Palace fans booed/stopped singing Zaha's name because he switched to Ivory Coast? Lots of people here putting personal interest over whats best for a club. If you love a club you want whats best for the club plain and simple.

[harrycoyster]

1 minute ago, Fastfeet2 said:

 Imagine Palace fans booed/stopped singing Zaha's name because he switched to Ivory Coast? Lots of people here putting personal interest over whats best for a club. If you love a club you want whats best for the club plain and simple.

Nah man. If the kid that feels Ivorian, lived in the Ivory Coast for eight years, and has an entirely Ivorian family doesn't choose to play for Canada HE'S DEAD TO ME. DEPORT HIM. HOW DARE HE MAKE A DEEPLY PERSONAL DECISION THAT I DON'T LIKE!

[jpg75]

8 minutes ago, Fastfeet2 said:

 Imagine Palace fans booed/stopped singing Zaha's name because he switched to Ivory Coast? Lots of people here putting personal interest over whats best for a club. If you love a club you want whats best for the club plain and simple.

I love my country, i like my club.

[Fastfeet2]

Just now, jpg75 said:

I love my country, i like my club.

Clearly.

[Complete Homer]

15 minutes ago, Fastfeet2 said:

 Imagine Palace fans booed/stopped singing Zaha's name because he switched to Ivory Coast? Lots of people here putting personal interest over whats best for a club. If you love a club you want whats best for the club plain and simple.

Not that I agree with every sentiment regarding Ballou, I hardly think it is a fringe opinion to hold country over club, especially on this board

Heck, several of the people I attend TFC games with have slowly had their fandom of TFC wither despite recent success as their frustration over the team not feeling very Canadian held greater weight than the club's success

[harrycoyster]

16 minutes ago, Complete Homer said:

Not that I agree with every sentiment regarding Ballou, I hardly think it is a fringe opinion to hold country over club, especially on this board

Heck, several of the people I attend TFC games with have slowly had their fandom of TFC wither despite recent success as their frustration over the team not feeling very Canadian held greater weight than the club's success

I care more about CMNT than the Caps, no question. That doesn't mean I'd want my club to sell a player over him not choosing our national team. You don't have to root against players of all other nationalities as a result of your love for the national team.

If the kid doesn't want to play for Canada, I'm not going to hold a grudge. He's well within his rights to play for the Ivory Coast. As my job more or less requires me to be in the US, my kids are going to be American-born to two Canadians. You best believe that they will be Canadian international soccer players, despite being raised in the US. Why? They're going to grow up under a maple leaf, watching DeRo highlights.

I just think the "he lived here now and should play for us" arguement is an oversimplification of a deeply personal decision.

[Fastfeet2]

3 minutes ago, Complete Homer said:

Not that I agree with every sentiment regarding Ballou, I hardly think it is a fringe opinion to hold country over club, especially on this board

Heck, several of the people I attend TFC games with have slowly had their fandom of TFC wither despite recent success as their frustration over the team not feeling very Canadian held greater weight than the club's success

As a TFC fan im happy with their overall contribution to the National setup both youth and senior. 3 canadians also played last night while 3 are with the GC squad. Seems fairly Canadian to me. Only if Canadians stopped getting chances would it be concerning.

Maybe i just support the team different than others, but I want to see the best possible team. This is like me saying I wouldnt support Suarez if he became a TFC player because I dont like him. 

 

[Chad_Impact]

34 minutes ago, Fastfeet2 said:

 Imagine Palace fans booed/stopped singing Zaha's name because he switched to Ivory Coast? Lots of people here putting personal interest over whats best for a club. If you love a club you want whats best for the club plain and simple.

As a Palace fan myself, Zaha's situation was extremely different. He wanted to play for England and waited a long time to do so. Even after Southgate was appointed, the call just wouldn't come. 

[Complete Homer]

12 minutes ago, harrycoyster said:

I care more about CMNT than the Caps, no question. That doesn't mean I'd want my club to sell a player over him not choosing our national team. You don't have to root against players of all other nationalities as a result of your love for the national team.

I agree with you overall, I was largely just replying to the idea that Fastfeet seemed surprised that some people care about country over club

13 minutes ago, Fastfeet2 said:

As a TFC fan im happy with their overall contribution to the National setup both youth and senior. 3 canadians also played last night while 3 are with the GC squad. Seems fairly Canadian to me. Only if Canadians stopped getting chances would it be concerning.

Maybe i just support the team different than others, but I want to see the best possible team. This is like me saying I wouldnt support Suarez if he became a TFC player because I dont like him. 

 

It's fine that you feel that TFC has done enough for the development of Canadian talent (I disagree, but that's a discussion for another thread), I was just making the point that some people who value club over country have felt less connected (and frankly, looking for an alternative at times) to the team because of the way the team operates.

Personally, I want to be able to cheer for a team that shares my values and I can identify with. I have a hard time identifying with a team run top to bottom by Americans, in a league built to develop American players, with the play largely carried by American players. I don't feel my loyalty to the club is maintained by anything other than some good memories, proximity, and the lack of alternatives.

But back to Tabla...

[Fastfeet2]

14 minutes ago, Chad_Impact said:

As a Palace fan myself, Zaha's situation was extremely different. He wanted to play for England and waited a long time to do so. Even after Southgate was appointed, the call just wouldn't come. 

Imagine Utd fans stopped supporting Giggs because he said he would have never played for England even though eligible. He was always going to play for his birth country. 

Or what if Arsenal fans stopped supporting Alex Iwobi (former england youth international)because he feels Nigerian?

Edited July 3, 2017 by Fastfeet2

[BearcatSA]

Got to get this guy into our program.  He's got the goods,

[matty]

34 minutes ago, Complete Homer said:

 

But back to Tabla...

I'm bored of this thread and waiting game. What's Davies up to?

[MtlMario]

19 hours ago, harrycoyster said:

1) I, for one, would have loved a player of Hargreaves quality playing for the Whitecaps.

2) There is a difference between a player who is who has been at the team since his youth and a player transferring into the team with Hargreaves' baggage. 

3) I'm more forgiving of Tabla's situation than I am of Hargreaves. Tabla was born in the Ivory Coast to two Ivorian parents and didn't move to Canada until he was eight. He's spent almost half of his life in the Ivory Coast. Hargreaves was born in Canada, had one English parent and didn't live in England until he was 26. I'll be disappointed if he chooses the Ivory Coast, but it wouldn't be traitorous by any means.  

He spent almost half of his life in IC???? The first 6 years(at least) he could of been on Mars and wouldn't have know the difference. So basically you could say he spent all of his life in Canada. I think the only things he knows about IC is what his parents tell him just like a lot of kids I know here call themselves Italian, Greek,Polish etc even if they've never been there. I rest my case.

 

[matty]

2 hours ago, MtlMario said:

He spent almost half of his life in IC???? The first 6 years(at least) he could of been on Mars and wouldn't have know the difference. So basically you could say he spent all of his life in Canada. I think the only things he knows about IC is what his parents tell him just like a lot of kids I know here call themselves Italian, Greek,Polish etc even if they've never been there. I rest my case.

 

what's your point here exactly? that his connection to ic is bullshit (despite it being well established already that he does have strong links)? also i think you drastically underestimate the memory of an 8 year old

Edited July 3, 2017 by matty

[Greatest Cockney Rip Off]

I don't care that he wants to play for IC, I care that he played for Canada but thinks something better has come along. If he didn't feel Canadian, they why represent them internationally?

[Obinna]

16 minutes ago, Greatest Cockney Rip Off said:

I don't care that he wants to play for IC, I care that he played for Canada but thinks something better has come along. If he didn't feel Canadian, they why represent them internationally?

I think you can feel Canadian and Ivorian at the same time. I say this as a Nigerian-Canadian. 

With that perspective, it is perfectly reasonable to play for Canada and the wait for an Ivorian call, if we are talking about "feelings".

[matty]

19 minutes ago, Greatest Cockney Rip Off said:

I don't care that he wants to play for IC, I care that he played for Canada but thinks something better has come along. If he didn't feel Canadian, they why represent them internationally?

It made sense to show off his skills and develop

I fully agree that this is the biggest pain about this.

[MtlMario]

2 hours ago, matty said:

what's your point here exactly? that his connection to ic is bullshit (despite it being well established already that he does have strong links)? also i think you drastically underestimate the memory of an 8 year old

I don't know how old you are but what do you remember about being 8 yrs old that so earth shattering?

[Blackdude]

31 minutes ago, MtlMario said:

I don't know how old you are but what do you remember about being 8 yrs old that so earth shattering?

You can take the kid out of Ivory Coast, but you can't take Ivory Coast out of the kid. 

[Brethers8]

30 minutes ago, MtlMario said:

I don't know how old you are but what do you remember about being 8 yrs old that so earth shattering?

Maybe he remembers being with lots of Ivorian family during big celebrations? And spending time eating Ivorian food and being part of the culture? Even when he is in Canada?

i moved to England when I was 10 and being honest that probably made me feel even more Canadian as I kind of had an identity with it. When in Canada I have loads of memories of my Italian family which relate to my first paragraph. I understand what you're saying and agree to a point, but I would assume he has some strong memories

[Yoginess]

Put it this way. I have to separate caps I use to analyze his position.

One as a CMNT supporter I am disappointed that he's not choosing Canada and not very objectively believe that him choosing use would be better for his Career. I will not be at all excited to watch him play if he plays for another country (obviously). I think Canada is the right choice.

When I look at it from his position. There is nothing but empathy. I completely understand the position he's in. No matter what everyone elses experience are from moving from one country to another (Davies, other posters), his experience has left him wanting to play for IC. He's not a bad person, he's not doing anything wrong. 

What I believe is his position now is he wants to get a call up to IC and will accept the call. Though if that doesn't happen I believe he would still have the desire to represent Canada (whether you want him is another debate for another time). Given this to be the case his actions of turning down the Canadian call, but not committing to any nation at this time makes a ton of sense and is probably the best thing for him to do.