Kwasi Poku

[jonovision]

Would easily be the best player on about 5 of other CPL teams, even before his position change and hot streak. 

[Aird25]

12 hours ago, toontownman said:

Just on fire at the moment. His versatility surely makes him attractive to MLS teams. Won't be in CPL next year if he can maintain this form.

If maintains this form he'll break every CPL record. He's contributing more than a goal contribution a game since moving to striker. 

[TGAA_Star]

19 hours ago, Aird25 said:

If maintains this form he'll break every CPL record. He's contributing more than a goal contribution a game since moving to striker. 

Seen the highlights and this kid just impresses me

[K Edgar]

[P-O]

Call him up in September 

[narduch]

He has 2 goals tonight vs. HFX Wanderers. 

Although one of them was the rebound on his pk that was stopped

[ahmedou]

9 goals in his last 8 games

[InglewoodJack]

21 hours ago, ahmedou said:

9 goals in his last 8 games

This is the stat line that sent Pepple to Luton yeah?

[Cicero]

13 hours ago, InglewoodJack said:

This is the stat line that sent Pepple to Luton yeah?

And Poku's goals have been somewhat higher quality in general. He certainly has areas he can improve on, which isn't a bad thing at his age. He has a little more speed than Pacius, but has a similar sort of dribbling style that at times can seem a little out of control.  

[dyslexic nam]

Considering he has been playing the position professionally for a couple of months, I would think that his room for growth and improvement is higher than someone who has been playing the position for years.  

[CanadaFan123]

As a Forge fan I think he’s alright and has potential but I don’t think his future is at striker. He’s been on an unreal run though. Crazy to me that Jordan Hamilton has been so average for us. He should be putting up similar numbers.  

[costarg]

This guy has been popping up a lot lately, went back to the beginning of the thread for a refresher and bigger picture.  So in one year, this kid has played, LB, CB, Mid and he's just gone supernova as a striker at 21.  

Were Marsch's comments about Bombito before or after he saw Poku play?  Could be another good example of a guy kinda getting lost in the system.

Maybe we should try him at keeper, just to see and make sure we're not missing out on anything important?

[CanadaFan123]

1 minute ago, costarg said:

This guy has been popping up a lot lately, went back to the beginning of the thread for a refresher and bigger picture.  So in one year, this kid has played, LB, CB, Mid and he's just gone supernova as a striker at 21.  

Were Marsch's comments about Bombito before or after he saw Poku play?  Could be another good example of a guy kinda getting lost in the system.

Maybe we should try him at keeper, just to see and make sure we're not missing out on anything important?

His comments were after he watched Poku score a brace against Pacific. What Canadian player does that remind you (or anyone) of? Might he end up a central midfielder at some point? 

[costarg]

1 minute ago, CanadaFan123 said:

What Canadian player does that remind you (or anyone) of?

Kinda like what Marsch was saying... all the guys that got lost in the system. 

The guys that got stuck on a bench the crucial development years (18-20).  The guys we just didn't spot or scout correctly.  The ones that had to move elsewhere, including the ones that went on to play for other national teams.  The guys we just didn't have good enough coaches to get the most out of.  The guys that couldn't quite crack the TFC academy/squad and moved elsewhere to emerge as solid pros.  The guys we never heard of cause their parents couldn't afford to sign them up to one of the academies.

 

[gator]

After watching him play very well for Canada U20 I was convinced he needed to feature more for Forge but Ashtone Morgan was our experienced LB, due to Morgan's injury Poku got some chances and did well, eventually Bobby started pushing him further up the pitch to L mid and L wing where he did well! When our striker crises came about and Bobby started playing him up front we were all a little surprised but how can we doubt Bobby? Poku has really seized the opportunity and is obviously doing well, there is a high ceiling for a tall striker with good instincts, right now he is on the boil and who knows how far he will progress, I do agree he may not be at Forge long!

[CanadaFan123]

21 minutes ago, costarg said:

Kinda like what Marsch was saying... all the guys that got lost in the system. 

The guys that got stuck on a bench the crucial development years (18-20).  The guys we just didn't spot or scout correctly.  The ones that had to move elsewhere, including the ones that went on to play for other national teams.  The guys we just didn't have good enough coaches to get the most out of.  The guys that couldn't quite crack the TFC academy/squad and moved elsewhere to emerge as solid pros.  The guys we never heard of cause their parents couldn't afford to sign them up to one of the academies.

 

I was actually thinking Atiba Hutchinson with that question. Played every position before settling at CM.

[Aird25]

I don't really see how Poku could be interpreted as a player getting lost in the system? He's been signed by the biggest clubs in the country since a pretty young age, and he's been given every opportunity to showcase himself. 

16 hours ago, InglewoodJack said:

This is the stat line that sent Pepple to Luton yeah?

I think it's a better stat line than Pepple, who had 6 goals 0 assists in 23 matches as a striker. Although Pepple only really had a run of 5 games where everything seemed to fall his way. As a starting striker, Poku has 10 goals and 2 assists in 12 matches, and I'd agree with other posters that the goals are of a higher quality than the ones Pepple scored during his run

[costarg]

35 minutes ago, Aird25 said:

I don't really see how Poku could be interpreted as a player getting lost in the system? He's been signed by the biggest clubs in the country since a pretty young age, and he's been given every opportunity to showcase himself. 

Maybe I missed something?  I read he signed with TFCIII at 19ish and Forge just last year.

[Bison44]

Cup of coffee in 2021 with TFC 2/3.  He signed in early 2022 with forge, this is his 3rd season with Forge.  He did get on a CDN youth team, u-20, so not totally under the radar.  But you still think promising guys would be getting ID'd earlier than 18/19 eh? Poku being 21 and a half and having 50+ CPL games under his belt is pretty good though.  

[InglewoodJack]

48 minutes ago, Aird25 said:

 

I think it's a better stat line than Pepple, who had 6 goals 0 assists in 23 matches as a striker. Although Pepple only really had a run of 5 games where everything seemed to fall his way. As a starting striker, Poku has 10 goals and 2 assists in 12 matches, and I'd agree with other posters that the goals are of a higher quality than the ones Pepple scored during his run

This is what I was thinking of- pretty sure that Pepple has done a shockingly low amount of *anything* outside of that five game spurt, and he received arguably the biggest transfer out of the CPL ever, or at least it had the potential to be. Watched a bit of Poku, and I also agree that he’s not just scoring goals,  he nice ones too. Don’t think he should be going to Europe asap or anything, but he certainly has a future beyond the CPL, that’s for sure.

[Aird25]

20 minutes ago, costarg said:

Maybe I missed something?  I read he signed with TFCIII at 19ish and Forge just last year.

He's 3 years younger and he already has twice the amount of pro appearances as Bombito. All of them with Canadian clubs instead of teams outside the country. He also represented national youth teams as a teenager whereas Bombito didn't get his debut until 23. The statement that Marsch made about Bombito doesn't seem to apply to Poku in any comparable way. 

[costarg]

29 minutes ago, Aird25 said:

He's 3 years younger and he already has twice the amount of pro appearances as Bombito. All of them with Canadian clubs instead of teams outside the country. He also represented national youth teams as a teenager whereas Bombito didn't get his debut until 23. The statement that Marsch made about Bombito doesn't seem to apply to Poku in any comparable way. 

Kwasi's has been plugged in literally every position the past year.  To me it doesn't look like there has been a structured process or plan in place.  He's obviously an incredibly gifted athlete who's been delivering when asked, while the coaches have been trying to figure out what to do with him.

Bombito being the extreme example of late development, you don't also see this as another good solid example of late development and discovery? 

Edited July 29 by costarg

[Aird25]

21 minutes ago, costarg said:

Kwasi's has been plugged in literally every position the past year.  To me it doesn't look like there has been a structured process or plan in place.  He's obviously an incredibly gifted athlete who's been delivering when asked, while the coaches have been trying to figure out what to do with him.

Bombito being the extreme example of late development, you don't also see this as another good solid example of late development? 

Do you consider players like Milner, Rooney, Groß etc to have been 'lost in the system' just because they were tested in different positions? Poku has been recognized by Canadian clubs and national team, and he's been given opportunities on the field to perform. I don't consider that comparable to being overlooked

[P-O]

Think he might be the first 1M CPL player?

[costarg]

24 minutes ago, Aird25 said:

Do you consider players like Milner, Rooney, Groß etc to have been 'lost in the system' just because they were tested in different positions? Poku has been recognized by Canadian clubs and national team, and he's been given opportunities on the field to perform. I don't consider that comparable to being overlooked

No, lots of players change position throughout their careers for many different reasons.  Yet, I can't name anyone that's played CB, FB, M and striker in a calendar year though.

I don't feel playing 4 different positions in that short a time is a benefit to his development, I think it says more about the system around him more than the player himself.