Ballou Tabla

[Grandbloke]

1 hour ago, ESG Shawn said:

My tongue was planted firmly in cheek for the entire post. Go have a read of the last few pages of Davies thread and you'll know what I was getting at.

I took you literally. My bad. I was kinda wondering why you added "am I doing this right?" at the end of your post, but now I see why.

[Unnamed Trialist]

2 hours ago, badname22 said:

Ballou going to the US tour with Barca 

https://www.fcbarcelona.com/football/first-team/news/2018-2019/squad-announced-for-us-tour-training-video

So they are taking the core of the team that won the Youth League last year. Just to be clear, it is a strong group of kids. The best of the bunch, Aleñà, got injured. The one they think may get 1st team minutes quickest is Cucurella, with the wild hair. 

No player from any World Cup team, apart from Ter Stegen who did not play, will be on the tour.

[TOcanadafan]

On 7/21/2018 at 10:10 PM, Unnamed Trialist said:

I seriously doubt the advice he'll get from the club or his agent is to lose league games, and training with the 1st team during international breaks, to be part of meaningless international friendlies. In fact, what may happen is that the club prefer him to be in a Canada loop as that is more manageable than some of the scheduling in Africa. 
Just saying, you cannot make lame predictions, and I doubt he'll rush into a decision he later may not feel sure about. So the easiest thing to do is wait. And keep trying to lure him to Canada.

 

I agree with this post.  I doubt he’s jumping into a decision in the near future.  

Canada just needs to be diligent in selling themselves to Tabla.

I think CAF is a much more challenging confederation than CONCACAF from which to qualify for the World Cup, and Ivory Coast has been trending downwards lately, so I’d say if his goal is to play in the 2022 World Cup, his chances are better with Canada.

[Obinna]

48 minutes ago, TOcanadafan said:

I agree with this post.  I doubt he’s jumping into a decision in the near future.  

Canada just needs to be diligent in selling themselves to Tabla.

I think CAF is a much more challenging confederation than CONCACAF from which to qualify for the World Cup, and Ivory Coast has been trending downwards lately, so I’d say if his goal is to play in the 2022 World Cup, his chances are better with Canada.

IC had a golden generation for two or three cycles and those players have phased out and have been replaced by young talented players. The Drogba generation, if you will, is a thing of the past.

Perhaps we should expect a regression back to the mean?

Take a look at ACON performances from 1984 onwards:

IC

5

3

6

6

1

3

11

7

9

16

DNQ

2

4

8

5

1

11

Nigeria

2

DNQ

2

2

3

1

Withdrew

Banned

2

3

3

3

7

DNQ

1

DNQ

DNQ

Cameroon

1

2

1

5

4

DNQ

9

8

1

1

6

5

2

7

DNQ

DNQ

13

1

 

Not a perfect indicator or anything, but for fun I took all the tournaments each team participated in, summed their placing for each, and divided by the number of tournaments. 

IC: avg placing of 6.13

Nigeria: avg placing of 4.73

Cameroon: avg placing of 4.40

Nigeria and Cameroon have participated in more World Cups as well. Without double checking (too lazy after going thru that), I believe Nigeria and Cameroon have qualified for 6 each, while IC have only for 3 (all in the Drogba era).

So while IC is more accomplished internationally than Canada (for now), I think we shouldn't over inflate their reputation in World Football.

Edited July 27, 2018 by Obinna

[Guest Tg11]

45 minutes ago, TOcanadafan said:

I agree with this post.  I doubt he’s jumping into a decision in the near future.  

Canada just needs to be diligent in selling themselves to Tabla.

I think CAF is a much more challenging confederation than CONCACAF from which to qualify for the World Cup, and Ivory Coast has been trending downwards lately, so I’d say if his goal is to play in the 2022 World Cup, his chances are better with Canada.

I doubt that especially if Ivory Coast still have talent within their flanks and like you said Africa is a harder confederation to qualify from but the competition is much more better than that of CONCACAF. The talent in Africa surpasses that in CONCACAF by far and Tabla I am sure would prefer the challenge and he gets that by choosing Ivory Coast. Really when is the last time Canada qualified for a FIFA World Cup? 1986 whereas when the last time Ivory Coast qualified was Brazil 2014. 2018 they almost qualified but just missed out. Yeah the decision is pretty simple.

[JamboAl]

@Tg11: Someone should not represent a country just because they have a better chance of playing in the World Cup.  Someone should represent a country because they are a citizen of the country and proud to play for that country.  If a player thinks otherwise, I don’t want them playing for Canada.  It’s rather simple really!

Edited July 27, 2018 by JamboAl

[Guest Tg11]

1 minute ago, JamboAl said:

@Tg11: Someone should not represent a country just because they have a better chance of playing in the World Cup.  Someone should represent a country because they are a citizen of the country and proud to play for that country.  If a player thinks otherwise, I don’t want them playing for Canada.

Yeah I get that and I understand that but really let's be honest very honest with each other let's say he were to choose Canada you think he will actually get that chance to play in a World Cup? Canada is not a footballing nation even though football is growing in popularity. If Canada were not even hosting in 2026 do you honestly think, do you really think he would even get a chance to play in a World Cup with Canada? Canada can't qualify for World Cups and that is the point I'm trying to make which all y'all fail to realize or grasp. Canada haven't qualified for a FIFA World Cup in decades and 2026 is only because they were awarded that luxury while with Ivory Coast before 2018 qualified for 3 successive FIFA World Cups. At least with Ivory Coast he has a chance to compete potentially at a FIFA World Cup vs the chances he would get donning a Canada jersey.

[JamboAl]

4 minutes ago, Tg11 said:

Yeah I get that and I understand that but really let's be honest very honest with each other let's say he were to choose Canada you think he will actually get that chance to play in a World Cup? Canada is not a footballing nation even though football is growing in popularity. If Canada were not even hosting in 2026 do you honestly think, do you really think he would even get a chance to play in a World Cup with Canada? Canada can't qualify for World Cups and that is the point I'm trying to make which all y'all fail to realize or grasp. Canada haven't qualified for a FIFA World Cup in decades and 2026 is only because they were awarded that luxury while with Ivory Coast before 2018 qualified for 3 successive FIFA World Cups. At least with Ivory Coast he has a chance to compete potentially at a FIFA World Cup vs the chances he would get donning a Canada jersey.

If we didn't have hope, none of us would be here.  So what is your motivation for being a member of this forum then??? 

[Guest Tg11]

13 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

If we didn't have hope, none of us would be here.  So what is your motivation for being a member of this forum then??? 

Yeah obviously I'm a member for my own self interest not that that is any of y'all's business because it ain't anyone's except my own just like how it is none of my business to know what your motivations are ya heard me? My motivations don't really matter just like how it ain't no one else's business to know why we here. We all here for one reason or another. The defining reason being Canadian soccer. I will say this am I a fan of Canadian soccer? I was before in the past and I'm starting to become one again but my hope for Canada at best is not like the rest of y'all but I do have hope that the Canadian game can grow and that it can evolve from what it is now to something hopefully better as the years go on.

Edited July 27, 2018 by Tg11

[JamboAl]

7 minutes ago, Tg11 said:

Yeah obviously I'm a member for my own self interest not that that is any of y'all's business because it ain't anyone's except my own just like how it is none of my business to know what your motivations are ya heard me? My motivations don't really matter just like how it ain't no one else's business to know why we here. We all here for one reason or another. I will say this am I a fan of Canadian soccer? I was before in the past and I'm starting to be again but my hope for Canada at best is not like the rest of y'all but I do have hope that the Canadian game can evolve from what it is now to something hopefully better as the years go on.

Well, there goes my attempt at diplomacy.  I'll let the rest of my colleagues take over.

[Admin]

24 minutes ago, Tg11 said:

Yeah I get that and I understand that but really let's be honest very honest with each other let's say he were to choose Canada you think he will actually get that chance to play in a World Cup? Canada is not a footballing nation even though football is growing in popularity. If Canada were not even hosting in 2026 do you honestly think, do you really think he would even get a chance to play in a World Cup with Canada? Canada can't qualify for World Cups and that is the point I'm trying to make which all y'all fail to realize or grasp. Canada haven't qualified for a FIFA World Cup in decades and 2026 is only because they were awarded that luxury while with Ivory Coast before 2018 qualified for 3 successive FIFA World Cups. At least with Ivory Coast he has a chance to compete potentially at a FIFA World Cup vs the chances he would get donning a Canada jersey.

What the fuck are you even trying to say? 

If you are going to say shit to us like failure to 'realize and grasp', you better be prepared to get flack on this forum.

None of this logic makes any sense.   Take Ivory Coast's top players away and guess what happens, they don't qualify.  People can argue soccer all they want here, but I think it's pretty reasonable  that if you think a top prospect for Canada should play for another national team while simultaneously complaining we don't qualify then one has to ask why the fuck you are even here.

 

 

 

[Admin]

I should really stop swearing. I wonder if I can add a swear filter just for myself. 

In this case though, if I did have one, I'd turn it off.

[Keegan]

@Tg11 if Ivory Coast is so good then why wouldn’t Davies play for them?  This just proves your logic is flawed because many other players are choosing Canada over Ivory Coast and Ghana including David Beckham and Asmir Begovic.

[jpg75]

All of a sudden tg11 sounds like he's from Compton. LOL y'all...aight?

[baulderdash77]

Is there a consensus on where Tabla sits in our prospect listing?  I think he’s probably our 2nd best prospect after Davies.

I really think that he will eventually chose Canada over Ivory Coast but we have to keep recruiting him a la Junior Hoilett.

As a group we are not patient but in this case it’s important to be.  Please don’t run him down as you never know if he views the forum.  It will be worth the wait if he joins.

[Unnamed Trialist]

3 hours ago, Tg11 said:

I doubt that especially if Ivory Coast still have talent within their flanks and like you said Africa is a harder confederation to qualify from but the competition is much more better than that of CONCACAF. The talent in Africa surpasses that in CONCACAF by far and Tabla I am sure would prefer the challenge and he gets that by choosing Ivory Coast. Really when is the last time Canada qualified for a FIFA World Cup? 1986 whereas when the last time Ivory Coast qualified was Brazil 2014. 2018 they almost qualified but just missed out. Yeah the decision is pretty simple.

You've made this same insistent post so much it is getting to the point of trolling. Especially since it is pure speculation and you are passing it off as "simple". When the only person being simple about this here is you. 

The fact is that Ballou Tabla has played for Canada, worn the shirt, felt the colours, and has friends on the team of his age. And he has never worn a Cote Ivoire shirt, nor does he know the group. 

in any case, since this is too complex for you, there are Ivory Coast boards where you might find your views more favourably received. 

 

[jpg75]

STOP REPLYING TO HIS POSTS.

If he's not getting banned then we have to stick together and ignore him until he goes away.

[Yoginess]

came here hoping for some Tabla news, left discovered people actually type "y'all"

[Kadenge]

11 minutes ago, Yoginess said:

came here hoping for some Tabla news, left discovered people actually type "y'all"

The bot is devolving

[shermanator]

4 hours ago, admin said:

What the fuck are you even trying to say? 

If you are going to say shit to us like failure to 'realize and grasp', you better be prepared to get flack on this forum.

None of this logic makes any sense.   Take Ivory Coast's top players away and guess what happens, they don't qualify.  People can argue soccer all they want here, but I think it's pretty reasonable  that if you think a top prospect for Canada should play for another national team while simultaneously complaining we don't qualify then one has to ask why the fuck you are even here.

Remember that time there was a "What should we do with the Voyageurs forum?" thread, and the topic of moderation was repeatedly brought up as a big reason why people are staying away? Maybe that should actually be tried....

[Free kick]

4 hours ago, JamboAl said:

@Tg11: Someone should not represent a country just because they have a better chance of playing in the World Cup.  Someone should represent a country because they are a citizen of the country and proud to play for that country.  If a player thinks otherwise, I don’t want them playing for Canada.  It’s rather simple really!

This is very noble.  But we have lost far far too many players to other countries for the simple reason that those countries had a better chance of playing in the world cup or euros.  If a player (especially a talented one) wants to play for canada for those reason why on earth, would we turn our. 

Take a look at the most recent world cup and see how stacked many national sides were with players rooted elsewhere.     .I joked here a couple months ago how the MNT Switzerland should be called Albania.  

Edited July 28, 2018 by Free kick

[JamboAl]

17 minutes ago, Free kick said:

This is very noble.  But we have lost far far too many players to other countries for the simple reason that those countries had a better chance of playing in the world cup or euros.  If a player (especially a talented one) wants to play for canada for those reason why on earth, would we turn our. 

Take a look at the most recent world cup and see how stacked many national sides were with players rooted elsewhere.     .I joked here a couple months ago how the MNT Switzerland should be called Albania.  

Yes, but I'd like to think that people like Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka are proud to be wearing the Swiss shirt.

[matty]

8 hours ago, baulderdash77 said:

Is there a consensus on where Tabla sits in our prospect listing?  I think he’s probably our 2nd best prospect after Davies.

I really think that he will eventually chose Canada over Ivory Coast but we have to keep recruiting him a la Junior Hoilett.

As a group we are not patient but in this case it’s important to be.  Please don’t run him down as you never know if he views the forum.  It will be worth the wait if he joins.

I'm going to say 3rd. Millar is higher right now for me. I feel there's about the same ceiling between the two but Millar's early eagerness to play for Canada bumps him over Tabla.

[baulderdash77]

Ok that’s a valid point.  Millar is also a very good prospect.    But he’s a top 2-3 prospect no matter what.  I think my point stands.

[saladroit]