Jonathan David

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

1 minute ago, Aird25 said:

If he's sold for 20+ mil and he chooses the right suitor, then he's going to be given a chance. Maybe that offer didn't come along this window, but I don't see how the situation changes a year from now. From what I've seen his club stats are an outlier. He's a very good player, and I don't know if there's much left to prove at Gent.

I don't have any loyalty to Gent and I don't care what price he is sold for.  I hope he will be an integral part of Canada's front line for many many years. I don't think hopping around clubs helps any player and qualifying for the Champions League (still maybe winning the league) and maybe playing in the latter stages of the Europa league are something to prove, for me, and would help him in big Canada games long term.

[Aird25]

12 minutes ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

I don't have any loyalty to Gent and I don't care what price he is sold for.  I hope he will be an integral part of Canada's front line for many many years. I don't think hopping around clubs helps any player and qualifying for the Champions League (still maybe winning the league) and maybe playing in the latter stages of the Europa league are something to prove, for me, and would help him in big Canada games long term.

Absolutely, but there are clubs that are reportedly after him that are in similar or better positions. I wouldn't want him to move to a team that isn't competing domestically or in Europe, but if he can move to a bigger stage...

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

25 minutes ago, Aird25 said:

Absolutely, but there are clubs that are reportedly after him that are in similar or better positions. I wouldn't want him to move to a team that isn't competing domestically or in Europe, but if he can move to a bigger stage...

I take paper talk as just that.

But having said that, where do you think he would go that he would be likely to start (that are still in Europe and in Champions League contention) that would but up a level?

The last I heard, and this was just transfer deadline talk in England, Ajax are interested in the summer, as we're Southampton (and another lower Premier League club I forget)

Either would be good for slightly different reasons  (but both have a great history of developing players) after he has a chance to achieve something at Gent.

 

Edited February 1, 2020 by WestHamCanadianinOxford

[Obinna]

Good half from David so far. Had one neat move to beat his defender with a change of pace near the endline. His pass into the box could not be converted though, unfortunately.

Real scrappy game away to Mechelen at the moment. He seems to be doing his best, but he's finding it hard to get involved. Still though, when his teammates can find David, he always seems to make the right pass to keep the play going. And off the ball he keeps moving too, hoping something comes his way.

Edited February 1, 2020 by Obinna

[Obinna]

There's his goal! Sharp in the box, as always.

[Norrin Radd]

https://www.proximus-sports.be/nl/voetbal/jupiler-pro-league/video/27716/goal-kv-mechelen-0-2-kaa-gent-50-david

David's goal today vs. Mechelen.

[Snowcrash]

12 hours ago, Norrin Radd said:

https://www.proximus-sports.be/nl/voetbal/jupiler-pro-league/video/27716/goal-kv-mechelen-0-2-kaa-gent-50-david

David's goal today vs. Mechelen.

Nice goal.  It was a sitter but I've seen players completely poach even easier goals.

Also, good run into the box and he was wide open. Better recognition by the passer or a better squared pass and David would have been able to hit a one-timer.

He finds space so well and it probably won't be as easy at a higher level but then, he'd be with higher quality play makers.

[Snowcrash]

Hein Vanhaezebrouck, who managed some pretty decent teams in Belgium like Gent and Anderlecht, is currently a tv analyst for the Jupiler Pro League and he said over the weekend that David is the best player to play in Belgium since de Bruyne.  He also said David is the only player currently playing in Belgium that he can see on a CL finalist team.

[The Beaver 2.0]

1 hour ago, Snowcrash said:

Hein Vanhaezebrouck, who managed some pretty decent teams in Belgium like Gent and Anderlecht, is currently a tv analyst for the Jupiler Pro League and he said over the weekend that David is the best player to play in Belgium since de Bruyne.  He also said David is the only player currently playing in Belgium that he can see on a CL finalist team.

High praise indeed! I am a huge fan of de Bruyne: smart, skilled, strong, and excellent in attack and responsible defending. David is lacking in the defensive side of his game, but he's got the skill and the brains to be a great attacking footballer for a long time. 

[lazlo_80]

4 hours ago, Snowcrash said:

Hein Vanhaezebrouck, who managed some pretty decent teams in Belgium like Gent and Anderlecht, is currently a tv analyst for the Jupiler Pro League and he said over the weekend that David is the best player to play in Belgium since de Bruyne.  He also said David is the only player currently playing in Belgium that he can see on a CL finalist team.

looks like hes mentioned discussing David in this article that you need to register to read (i didn't) 

 

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20191119_04725929

[Snowcrash]

15 hours ago, The Beaver 2.0 said:

High praise indeed! I am a huge fan of de Bruyne: smart, skilled, strong, and excellent in attack and responsible defending. David is lacking in the defensive side of his game, but he's got the skill and the brains to be a great attacking footballer for a long time. 

David also has an exceptional motor.  He tracks back to his own box regularly and I read somewhere that he covers the most km's of all the Gent players.

[The Beaver 2.0]

15 hours ago, Snowcrash said:

David also has an exceptional motor.  He tracks back to his own box regularly and I read somewhere that he covers the most km's of all the Gent players.

Even better!!

[Snowcrash]

Here's an interview with David in a Dutch newspaper that was for paid subscribers but someone was nice enough to post it.  I had to look up the interviewer, Marc Degryse and he was a pretty decent striker back in the day, more than 200 goals professionally and 23 goals for Belgium, playing in 2 world cups.

Jonathan David : “We have to try to become a champion.” Marc Degryse: “That's what I wanted to hear,”
said Marc Degryse: “Sander Berge, 21, a midfielder, goes to the Premier League for more than 20 million. Then Louwagie can not let Jonathan David , 20, an attacker, leave for less than 30 million, hey. ”Marc laughs at his own quote. He takes the stairs to the players home in the training complex of AA Gent. Marc and 'Jo' David (20): artists among themselves ...

Recorded by STEPHAN KEYGNAERT February 6, 2020 6:21 pm
Degryse: “Jo - can I call you 'Jo'? - we do the interview in English ou and Français? My English is better. "

David :" No problem. "

Degryse: "What is the official language in the dressing room?"

David : "The coach does everything in English, but we mix English and French among the players. It is easy for a young player if you can speak to everyone. "

Degryse:" Do you understand Dutch? "

David :" A little bit. "

Degryse:" Let's talk about football. I'm going to be honest: I'm a fan of yours. I was impressed very quickly. "

David :" Thank you. "

Degryse:" And with this interview I want to know if you are just such a class outside the field ... "

David :" What do you mean? "

Degryse : "What do you want to achieve personally with AA Gent this season?"

David : "I think we should try to become a champion."

Degryse: “Very good answer! I wanted to hear that. "

David :" Play to be second ... You have to aim for a prize, right? But I am not stupid either - Bruges is very good, they are not losing. "

Degryse:" I once watched the remaining program of yours: at home against Anderlecht, Sint-Truiden and Charleroi, and looking forward to Eupen, Cercle and Waasland- Beveren. That's not that difficult, is it? ”

David :“ For our match in Mechelen, we did the same as you - added the calendar. But that was more to indicate: "We have left points against teams that are less on paper: Mouscron, Ostend ..." It was rather a warning for the match at Mechelen. "

Degryse:" And who made the calendar there? The trainer? ”

David: “We. The coach focuses on 'match per match'. "

Degryse:" I think that's great of you. Now first Anderlecht - what do you remember about the first game, 3-3? "

David :" That we played one of our most difficult matches of the season. "

Degryse:" Can you also say why? "

David :" Because Anderlecht played at the time played ball and we had to walk a lot. We want the ball ourselves. If we don't have the ball, it's more difficult ... "

Degryse:" Do you know anything about the history of Belgian football? "

David :" Only that Bruges and Anderlecht are the biggest clubs. "

Degryse:" Did you know Belgium when you came to Ghent? "

David :" No ... "

Degryse:" Did you know where it was? "

David: (laughs shyly) “When I was 16, I did a test at Stuttgart. They did not take me, after which my broker told me about 'a club in Belgium'. I said: "Okay ..." "

Degryse:" Good broker. "

David :" It helped that I played with the U17 of Canada. Because really, there is so much talent in Canada, but those guys are never noticed. "

Degryse:" There is little professional football in Canada? "

David :" There is the Canadian Soccer League, but the strongest teams are Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. come out in the American MLS. Football in Canada is regional and by age category. I was okay in Canada, but certainly not the best. ”

Degryse: “Amazing. Unbelievable - with this background - how you quickly picked up the rhythm and level of European football. Impressive. And what is your best position, do you think? Rush hour? Two striker? Number 10? "

David :" If I may choose: second striker. I do find my way in the spaces. ”

Degryse: (laughs)“ I preferred to do that too. ”

David :“ This is the first season in my career that I don't play in the rush. The coach put me in midfield in the tip of our window. And yet I continue to score fairly easily. I was born with it, I think ... The ball always seems to come to me. "

Degryse:" You almost say it with a sense of guilt. It's a quality, Jo! Do you feel good in that window? ”

David: “It was difficult in the beginning. Owusu was new, Kums came late ... But now we find each other almost blindly. "

Degryse:" Is training on the window often? Or does the coach leave it to the players' feelings a bit? "

David :" We no longer focus on the window. We know what to do. Only one or two days before a match does the coach train in the spaces where he thinks the solutions will be. "

Degryse:" A football player doesn't like too many tactical training sessions, does he? "

David :" No ... Just have fun. ”

Degryse: (laughs)“ I know ... Which European top club do you like to watch? ”

David :“ I have been a Barcelona supporter since childhood. ”

Degryse: “And in the Premier League? Because I think you can have a great future there. "

David :" I love all the Premier League teams: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, but also Southampton, Crystal Palace, Everton ... I like great teams. I'm just not a big fan of Liverpool. "

Degryse:" What are you saying now? "

David : (sigh)

Degryse:" Is Liverpool's game too vertical for you? "

David :" I don't know. I don't really like them. "

Degryse:" Interesting. Is it up to the coach, Jürgen Klopp? "

David :" No, because I think he is world class. "

Degryse:" A quirky choice. But I like that. ”

David: “The Liverpool team with Gerrard, Sterling, Sturridge, Suárez ... I enjoyed that. But now ... "

Degryse:" Could you play for a coach like Mourinho? "

David :" Yes of course. Tottenham did well last Sunday against Manchester City, right? If the opponent always has the ball, I don't want to go crazy. Then you better stay in a low block to be able to counter. But not an entire season like that, huh. "

Degryse:" The latter is important. Don't go from Ghent to a small club. Prefer to wait. Wait until something big comes. And that top club will come. I think Manchester United is something for you - I am sure you would be there in about a year and a half. Believe me. "

David :" I believe you. "

Degryse: “Really? I don't have to convince you? "

David :" Honestly. "

Degryse:" Goéd. Because most players are afraid to say something like that. You are good enough to wait for that top club from a great competition. Lukaku and De Bruyne also went directly from Belgium to Chelsea. Lukaku perhaps a little too early, and De Bruyne met Mourinho, but you should not be fooled to sign at Wolverhampton this summer. Are you going to be able to say 'no'? ”

David :“ It's easier to refuse such a club if you play at Ghent every week, people like you, I'm happy here ... ”

Degryse:“ And next year maybe you can play Champions League. Agreed? ”

David :“ Okay ... ”

4AA GENT JonathanDavid and Marc Degryse *** Ghent, Belgium - 05/02/2020 Photo News by Pieter-Jan Vanstockstraeten / Photo News ***
AA GHENT Jonathan David and Marc Degryse *** Ghent, Belgium - 05/02/2020 Photo News by Pieter-Jan Vanstockstraeten / Photo News ***
Degryse: “Do you know about the interest of clubs?”

David : “Lyon is interested. I heard Ajax, and Porto ... "

Degryse:" Why didn't Stuttgart actually take you? "

David :" I don't know. Very bizarre. I thought I had a fantastic training week. But they didn't give me a contract. "

Degryse:" Dommeriken (laughs). What do you think of AS Roma - your opponent in the Europa League? "

David :" Good team. "

Degryse: “No, Jo, it's not a good team. You can turn them off. "

David : (laughs)

Degryse:" Maybe I'm putting too much pressure on you. What will you do after this interview (Tuesday, ed.)? It's three o'clock, that's a long day, hey. "

David :" I'm going home to sleep two or two and a half hours. I eat at seven, and then I watch television for football. "

Degryse:" You are single - are you never bored? "

David :" I can be alone. Sometimes I also stay a little longer after a workout. To finish on purpose. "

Degryse:" Do you spend a lot of time in the gym? "

David : (shakes his head)" I'd rather be on the field. "

Degryse: (laughs) “I listen to myself exactly. With which famous football player would you like to compare your game? ”

David :“ Firmino, maybe. ”

Degryse:“ Yes, I like that comparison - Firmino is a '9' that actually plays like a '10'. I want to conclude by giving you some good advice for the coming months. You have 12 goals and 8 assists in the competition. Do you have a goal for yourself? That you say: "I want that number of goals."

David : "No ..."

Degryse: "You have to do that. This is how you motivate yourself. You keep your drive that way. 20 goals and 12 assists: that must be your goal. If you make that, it would be fabulous. "

David :" Okay ... "

Degryse: “And I will be interviewing you again in a year and a half. In a big club. I believe in you, Jo! ”

David :“ Thank you. ”

Degryse: (whispers)“ It's really a class bin. ”

Edited February 7, 2020 by Snowcrash

[Unnamed Trialist]

+++thanks for the interview @Snowcrash good work, I like the kid's answers.

Degryse what an idiot, David says his favourite team is Barcelona, completely natural😉, and the guy goes ranting about this or that team in England. At least ask him why! Then gives frivolous advice about setting goals for scoring, not every player needs to have such personal egoistical benchmarks, the smart ones want to play and win, and then win trophies. 

Also irks me that when David says he was not the best in Canada, others were better, he doesn't take the bait and ask who. I'd like to know from David who he thinks was better than him in the Canada u-17s.

I think where it says "window" they are talking about the goal, is that right?

[deschamp86]

55 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

+++thanks for the interview @Snowcrash good work, I like the kid's answers.

Degryse what an idiot, David says his favourite team is Barcelona, completely natural😉, and the guy goes ranting about this or that team in England. At least ask him why! Then gives frivolous advice about setting goals for scoring, not every player needs to have such personal egoistical benchmarks, the smart ones want to play and win, and then win trophies. 

Also irks me that when David says he was not the best in Canada, others were better, he doesn't take the bait and ask who. I'd like to know from David who he thinks was better than him in the Canada u-17s.

I think where it says "window" they are talking about the goal, is that right?

This is my personal favourite part of the interview. The guy is just rambling:

Degryse:" And with this interview I want to know if you are just such a class outside the field ... "

David :" What do you mean? "

Degryse : "What do you want to achieve personally with AA Gent this season?"

[TFC2017]

1 hour ago, Snowcrash said:

David :" It helped that I played with the U17 of Canada. Because really, there is so much talent in Canada, but those guys are never noticed. "

Degryse:" There is little professional football in Canada? "

David :" There is the Canadian Soccer League, but the strongest teams are Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. come out in the American MLS. Football in Canada is regional and by age category. I was okay in Canada, but certainly not the best. ”

Degryse: “Amazing. Unbelievable - with this background - how you quickly picked up the rhythm and level of European football. Impressive. And what is your best position, do you think? Rush hour? Two striker? Number 10? "

David :" If I may choose: second striker. I do find my way in the spaces. ”

 

Confirming what we thought we knew. That we have a lot of very talented players who slip through the cracks because no place to play. The Canadian Premier League could be the best thing to ever happen for soccer in Canada. 

 

I don't even think David is speaking about players on Canada's U17 team that were very talented. .. It seemed like he was addressing players who didn't even get chosen for that. 

[narduch]

It would probably help if the CSA called more non MLS academy players up for our youth teams.

Edited February 7, 2020 by narduch

[Obinna]

3 hours ago, TFC2017 said:

Confirming what we thought we knew. That we have a lot of very talented players who slip through the cracks because no place to play. The Canadian Premier League could be the best thing to ever happen for soccer in Canada. 

 

I don't even think David is speaking about players on Canada's U17 team that were very talented. .. It seemed like he was addressing players who didn't even get chosen for that. 

It's true. Even when I played youth soccer that was the case. I remember playing in the u-15 National Allstar tournament and thinking wow, there are so many good players here. They used the tournament to scout, so shortly thereafter they picked an U-15 Canada youth team, and there were many, many deserving players who didn't make it, but you can't pick everyone. Even for the provincial teams you have guys miss out, especially for a province like Ontario where the vast majority of players are GTA/southern Ontario. Then, you have a +1 Million metro area like Ottawa getting looked over due to structural flaws in the way things used to be.

I don't even know if that tournament exists anymore and if it does it definitely does not resemble the editions I played in. Last time I checked they merged the Atlantic provinces into a single team and created a Sask-toba team, which was the right call I think. The smaller provinces had too much exposure (not that I am not thankful for the experience) and guys from Ontario, especially from the Ottawa region, surely did not have enough exposure.

So I agree that David was probably talking about his own local experience in Ottawa, seeing other good players slipping through the cracks as it were. I once played a team from the Ottawa region called Gloucester Hornets when I was in U-16, and they were very, very good. They visited Newfoundland on some cultural/soccer trip. I think we tied them, but honestly they were very easily more technically sound than us and better coached for sure. Several of their players were just as good as the players on BC and Quebec provincial teams I played against..

So that's my own bit of anecdotal evidence to support your idea that David probably wasn't just talking about the U-17 national team when it comes to players getting looked over.

Edited February 7, 2020 by Obinna

[Snowcrash]

Here's another interview with David earlier this week.  The goal they were describing at the beginning of the interview was this one:

https://www.proximus-sports.be/index.php/nl/voetbal/jupiler-pro-league/video/26809/goal-royal-antwerp-3-2-kaa-gent-94-david

Does Jonathan David , barely 20 years old, give AA Gent the title? No lack of self-confidence with the icy Canadian. "I knew I could do this. It was only a matter of time for the others to realize that. "

He made his best action in the match against Antwerp. AA Gent flirts with a loss, but a late free kick gives the Buffalos a sparkle of hope. After a header carom, the ball lands at the feet of Jonathan David . An unclear poke of an Antwerp defender, the attacker of AA Gent goes down. Commotion. Is this penalty? The eyes of the Antwerp players are shooting fire. They are still in full discussion with the referee, Davidturns away from his guards and simply puts the ball into the goal. A goal based on cleverness and the presence of mind.

The 20-year-old Canadian enjoys while we describe the scene. "However, it was a violation, no doubt possible," he says. 'I see the ref from the corner of my eye, while I am already falling. I read in his body language that he will not whistle. What are you doing then? In my experience, complaining makes no sense at all. I let go and played football. I received many compliments for my cleverness in that phase, but it happened on a whim. And in the end we lost that night. The good feeling of that goal quickly passed away. "

The roots of Jonathan Davidare in Haiti, but he grew up in Ottawa, the capital of Canada. How does a Canadian teenager become one of the best players in the Belgian league? "By working hard," he answers with a disarming aplomb. 'As long as I can remember, I dream of becoming a professional footballer. In Canada that is not a natural dream, but I was obsessed with it and I realized that it would not happen by itself. I trained hard, I stayed focused on the final goal. It was a conscious plan that started around the age of ten: I would perfect myself as a football player. After that it was a matter of seizing my chances. "

You have arrived at AA Ghent through an internship period, not through a transfer. Such internships are merciless exams. At your very first training in Ghent you made a terrible impression, I heard.

Jonathan David : I still don't understand what was going on with me then. Nothing succeeded! Bad checks, passes that did not arrive. I was sixteen and knew nothing or nobody here. It is normal that I was impressed by the circumstances. After that first disastrous training, I picked myself up: "Okay, now you're going to show that you belong here." Training two wasn't fantastic either, but enough to build on. I was able to prove myself systematically.

AA Gent then had just eliminated Tottenham in the Europa League. That impressed me, because I barely knew anything about Ghent or the Belgian competition. I thought: that would be a nice club for me. Not long after that I signed my first contract.

How important was the month of August 2018? You, an anonymous Canadian banker, scored five goals in four rounds.

David : That has started my career. In those few weeks, I grew from someone they doubted was worth his place on the couch to reinforcing the first team. Those were crucial goals.

Was it also important for yourself? To realize that you can do it?

David : Not really, no. I knew I could do it. It was a matter of time for the others to realize that.

What a confidence.

David : I'll tell you the way it is.

This season you scored 12 times, plus 4 goals in Europe. How many should that be at the end of the season? 20?

David: I don't want to mention a target but ... twenty seems realistic to me, yes. Although it can turn quickly. Look at Roman Jaremchuk. He scored on the assembly line, but he injured himself and is now standing aside.

With him and Laurent Depoitre it clicks great. Those two bring out the best in me. I find them blind, they seem to feel where I'm going to turn up. The strange thing is that we have completely different backgrounds. Roman is from Ukraine, Laurent is a French-speaking Belgian and I am a Haitian Canadian. Yet for some reason I feel related to those two. Football brings people together.

We will miss Roman in the coming months, and not just for his goals. His movements, his insight, how he keeps a whole defense talking. He made it easy for me to excel, even when I wasn't playing my best match.

What is a typical Jonathan David goal?

David : A running action in the penalty area where the organization of the opponent is disrupted. I pick the ball out of the air and deviate in goal in one time. This is how you can describe about three quarters of my goals. My strength is reading the game and finding the openings. Infiltrate when the defenders are not paying attention.

Is it true that you run 13 kilometers per race, as assistant trainer Peter Balette claims? That is very much. In the Premier League, the average is around 10.5 kilometers.

David : No! That's a joke from the assistant trainer, I guess. In my best matches I come close to 12 kilometers, but 13 kilometers is an exaggeration. Am I the best player at Ghent? I think so. And yet I am not a fan of running on training - but which football player is that?

People who run a lot are generally less sharp when it matters.

David : I have to watch out for that. I have to learn to dose. My walking ability is a weapon, but it cannot turn against me.

Another quote from Balette: "Jonathan has no hobbies. He sleeps and he plays football, nothing more. "

David : He believes that too! (laughs) No, that's a joke between us. When Balette asks how I am doing, I always answer: "Tired, trainer!" But I certainly have hobbies, don't panic. I'm not the type that goes out, but I don't shut myself up either. I know the city center of Ghent, you know.

The fact that Peter Balette thinks I am such a sleeping head is related to the many trips to Canada for the national team. Long flights, always adapting to the time difference. Your body craves sleep and just then the training begins. Anyway, I will often have to cross the ocean in my career. I better get used to it.

At first I thought it was a mistake: in your 12 matches for the Canadian national team you have already scored 11 times.

David : Yes, but that wasn't against the strongest teams. There were two goals against the US Virgin Islands, for example. At Canada I am in the rush with Cyle Larin van Zulte Waregem. It is strange that we both ended up in Belgium. It seems destined.

My most special goal was against Haiti, my parents' country. I really couldn't celebrate that goal: too many mixed emotions.

You were born in New York. Is it true that it was more or less accidental? Your mother did not think she would give birth so soon.

David: My parents were visiting family when I was born. Then we returned to Haiti, six years later we emigrated to Canada. I always say: I grew up in Canada, but raised as a Haitian. That country and culture are close to my heart, even though I have not been to Haiti since 2012.

Do they say 'football' or 'soccer' in Canada?

David : Soccer. Football is another sport. I know that Canada is more likely to be linked to ice hockey abroad, but I have never done that. I can't even skate.

The Canadian football training is not as structured as here. I was lucky that I ended up on a very good youth team; I owe everything to that. One teammate from back then plays professional football in Latvia, another is picked up by a large Canadian club. And there are others who want to break through, because we are still young. We were very busy with the entire team from the beginning. A trainer said: "You have a good sports body, of course you can become a professional in Europe." The seed was planted, I can still perfectly remember that conversation.

Is it true that you gave your PlayStation away to your coach on the 15th?

David: Really happened! It was summer, I had nothing to do for a while and I played a lot of computer games. Until I started to worry about it myself. Wouldn't it distract me on my way to my big goal? The trainer caught my eye when I gave him the PlayStation.

Before your arrival, Tomasz Radzinski, goal-keeper of Germinal Ekeren, Anderlecht and Lierse, was the most famous Canadian football player in Belgium.

David : I met him in Canada last year, at a game of the national team. Radzinski said that I was doing well, that I had to keep working hard and not let my head be made mad by journalists or managers. I didn't know him before. As a young soccer player, I followed international toppers such as Cristiano Ronaldo or Neymar. The Canadian players were not on my radar.

Where does the nickname "The Iceman" come from?

David : John Herdman, the Canadian national coach, invented him because I am so relaxed. Not only next to the field, but also when I come for the goal. I'm not working on that - I don't know if you can. That cool is in me. And as I get older and train more, I just get calmer.

Speaking of cool: last season, until you were not as highly regarded as now, you took the penalties at Ghent without hesitation. Few eighteen year olds get away with that.

David: A penalty is of course something special, but on the other hand: a free shot of eleven meters, with no defenders nearby ... That is not difficult, is it? I can't imagine it would make me nervous. As an eighteen year old I also missed penalties at AA Gent. Painful, but next time I offered up again. Without doubt.

Don't you ever think: what happens if I miss?

David : You can't allow that. He who hesitates misses. No, the pressure will never paralyze me. That is sliding away from me.

Do you have a career plan? Something like: Leaving Ghent in the summer for a mid-engine in a better competition, then a top club in the Premier League?

David: I am not going to stay at AA Ghent my entire career, that's for sure. And I think I may have the ambition to reach the absolute top one day. What you just described is pretty close to the ideal scenario, but I have to choose my next steps with care. I flourish in teams that want to build and attack. It is not only the reputation of the club that counts or how much they pay.

What is your best foot?

David : The judge. Although I have scored a lot in Belgium with links. Maybe more, I don't know the statistics outside. In my youth I consciously worked on becoming biped, like Ronaldo.

The newspapers said that after the Golden Shoe gala, you were disappointed because you were not elected Promise of the Year. Was that true? It doesn't seem to fit your character.

David : Everyone likes to win, but to be honest, I wasn't at all concerned with that election. Maybe they were disappointed at the club? My luck is that I don't understand what's in the papers. All praise, all controversies: it passes me by. I don't understand Dutch, except the football terms.

The first thing foreign football players learn are abusive words.

David : Not me. I'm a well-educated boy. (laughs)

The American Fox Sports Radio asked you if AA Gent is still thinking about the title. "Anything can happen," was the answer.

David: Club Brugge is strong - they radiate that they can't lose - but I think it's too early to throw in the towel. Certainly because in the play-offs the points are halved. A good thing for the pursuers, because it makes the competition exciting again, but the players of Club, who see half of their lead melt away, will curse. Two matches win and the ranking is upside down. So yes, Ghent can certainly dream of the title.

You will meet Anderlecht on Friday. Last time it was 3-3.

David : We were able to save a draw at the end, with two goals in the last five minutes. In that regard, it was a key match for us. Don't pay too much attention to the score, never give up, keep fighting and you'll be rewarded.

Anderlecht are going through a difficult season, but I thought they were a young, enthusiastic team that could make it difficult for everyone. It is strange that they apparently found no stability in other matches. It seems quite possible that they still get Play-off I. It will only be decided on the last match day.

AA Gent will play against AS Roma in the Europa League soon. Another account is still open with the Romans: the last time the teams met, Roma won 1-7.

David: I did not know that yet. Then our supporters will be keen on a good result, with such a history. I love Italian football: it's sharp and fast, with teams operating in unison. AS Roma brings big names such as Edin Dzeko and Henrich Mchitarjan. They are a favorite, and yet I give us a good chance.

Roma may think: a Belgian club is going to be a health walk.

David : Then they will be surprised, but I cannot imagine that experienced professionals would start a competition that way.

Finally, with your last goals you pointed to heaven for your recently deceased mother. Has she been sick for a long time?

David: Cancer was diagnosed seven years ago, and yet her death came unexpectedly. The final phase went very quickly. She's in a better place now. Her suffering is over, that comfort.

I heard the news as I waited for my connection at Heathrow Airport on the way to Canada. I sat there alone, it was hard. Nothing can prepare you for the death of your mother, but that tragedy has brought our family together. We comforted each other, pulled each other up. You have to appreciate the people around you. You never know when they will no longer be there.

[Reign]

Scored a pen today. 2 goals behind the Juliper goal leader. If he keeps taking pens he mite win Belgium’s golden boot.

[Kent]

He is very well spoken and seems to have a good head on his shoulders. Confidence that maybe could be labelled arrogance but somehow I don’t hear it that way. Thanks for the interview posts!

[Obinna]

52 minutes ago, Kent said:

He is very well spoken and seems to have a good head on his shoulders. Confidence that maybe could be labelled arrogance but somehow I don’t hear it that way. Thanks for the interview posts!

For sure. David doesn't come off as arrogant in the slightest, just realistic. He knows as well as anyone what he can do, so it would be weird not to acknowledge that or deny that. I think his character is fantastic and it's just as important as his talent.

Another player of ours with incredible talent, Ballou, doesn't quite seem to have the same temperament as David and Davies. Can you imagine either of them not showing up to practice because they wanted a transfer? The good news is that Tabla seems to have come back to Montreal focused and hungry with a point to prove. I think he'll have a good season and if his Spain experience was needed to adjust his mentality, it will be a blessing in the long run, I believe. 

[Reign]

1 hour ago, Obinna said:

For sure. David doesn't come off as arrogant in the slightest, just realistic. He knows as well as anyone what he can do, so it would be weird not to acknowledge that or deny that. I think his character is fantastic and it's just as important as his talent.

Another player of ours with incredible talent, Ballou, doesn't quite seem to have the same temperament as David and Davies. Can you imagine either of them not showing up to practice because they wanted a transfer? The good news is that Tabla seems to have come back to Montreal focused and hungry with a point to prove. I think he'll have a good season and if his Spain experience was needed to adjust his mentality, it will be a blessing in the long run, I believe. 

Imagine Tabla had a better attitude before. He may well have done a lot better in Europe. And we could be talking about 3 great upcoming talents in Europe. Hopefully he has fixed his attitude and can get back on track now. The talent is there.

[Macksam]

On 1/20/2020 at 1:53 PM, Snowcrash said:

If Gent wants to maximize transfer value of David, they should let him take PK's the rest of the year to add to his goal total.  Yaremchuk was taking penalties but he's injured.  

Looks like they listened to you.

[Unnamed Trialist]

1 hour ago, Reign said:

Imagine Tabla had a better attitude before. He may well have done a lot better in Europe. And we could be talking about 3 great upcoming talents in Europe. Hopefully he has fixed his attitude and can get back on track now. The talent is there.

For me, Tabla has screwed up by going back to Impact. He could have simply asked Barça for a loan for the second half of the season, in 2nd division again, and took his chances. Stay in the loop and do what a lot of academy players do, keep your value up and try to rebuild the career if it stalls. 

I see going back to Impact as a sort of rendition.