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That would be a very good outcome for him given the level he has been playing his football at in the Scottish lower leagues. Similar to Connell getting a move to Barnsley.
While neither were good enough to play first team football at Celtic it's very disappointing that the club weren't able to get them loan moves to the English leagues rather than having them playing at a level that would be the equivalent of non-league in England.
The loan point is the saddest indictment of the whole thing, yep. The two lads would have been so much better going directly from Southampton and Bolton to Portsmouth and Barnsley respectively.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
It's funny about the level. In a vacuum, Portsmouth would never consider signing or giving a trial to a lad with 8 goals in 50 odd games in Scottish Championship/League One. Obviously his pedigree and maybe a connection with Southampton helped - even though they are rivals there is geographical proximity there that surely lends itself to the odd cross-pollination. But he must be training and playing well in pre-season to get the deal (assuming he does).
It'd be a great move considering he didn't even do all that well on those loan moves (as Olé Olé says). He's 22 now - 23 in Jan - so you wonder if things don't work out at Portsmouth, where does he go after that? I don't know at what stage do you get to saying a player won't make it at a level that'll trouble international football.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
Still, if he's impressed on trial, that's certainly a start.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
i'll take LOI in 12 months. pompey fans talking about him being brought in as a squad player. cant see the boy being an international player unfortunately
The best hope for someone like Afolabi is that he might be a late bloomer and hit his stride in his mid 20s. He wouldn't be the first if he did. I'm not saying that's what I think will happen, it's probably more likely that he becomes a lower league footballer or returns to Ireland in a couple of years.
Having had a look at Jonathan Afolabi over 5 days in Spain - and despite his scoring in a pre-season friendly - Portsmouth won't be taking their interest any further (The News, Portsmouth, 13 July).
Has reportedly been on trial with Forest Green Rovers (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk, 21 July).
just the 11 months and 1 week outQuote:
Originally Posted by Jd2793
in all seriousness good that hes took to step to come here for consistent minutes. he was spinning his wheels in scotland on those loan moves and he wasnt really effecting any games from bits i saw. as stu says above hes 22 and a bit now, no reason why a successful loi spell doesnt earn him a move somewhere by time hes 24 or something. wont entertain any ideas of him representing ireland again just hoping he can get his club career back on track.
I agree that I dont think hes an international player but even at this stage its impossible to rule it out. If he goes well at Bohs like Georgie Kelly for example he could get a decent move back across and you never know from there. If you had told me that the Dundalk Georgie Kelly would be a Championship player Id have laughed in your face.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jd2793
I did think the Portsmouth link was surprising when he got the trial there. To be honest his next move after Bohs could as easily be down the food chain as up the way, he has it all still to prove.
Two articles on Afolabi in today's Independent
That dream, playing for Ireland, will always be there, insists Bohemians ace Jonathan Afolabi
Jonathan Afolabi reveals why he chose not to report racist abuse during games in Ireland
I know he plays it down in the interview, but Celtic does seem to be a risky place for young players to go, not just Irish players. The experience of Luca Connell also springs to mind. The pressure on them to win the league every year means less tolerance for allowing players time to grow into the team and coaches are less inclined towards experimentation.
Signs for Belgian side KV Kortrijk
https://www.kvk.be/nieuws/eerste-win...inst-voor-kvk/
Hard to know what to make of this move. Seems like they have an American owner (Kaminski) who bought the club from Vincent Tan, the Cardiff City owner, this year. But they have no manager and a rookie, Joseph Akpala, is caretaking for his second spell. He is an ex Nigeria international so at least he has that connection with Afolabi who has Nigerian players.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
They are 5 points adrift at the bottom of the table but I don't think anyone gets automatically relegated for finishing bottom, rather the bottom 4 enter a relegation play off.
They appear to play with wing backs and can end up playing with either one or two central strikers so, even if they have a big squad, hopefully he gets opportunities. Isaak Davies, a loanee from Cardiff, has played a lot recently up top. At 5 foot 9, he represents a different profile of player to Afolabi I would imagine. They have, however, an experienced 6 foot 5 Uruguayan called Avenatti. Not that Afolabi is that size or reliant on size but he does seem to have that central striker profile to me when I see him play, albeit that is probably how Bohs wanted him to play.
On the bench tonight as the Belgian league resumes after the Christmas break. They're currently 1-0 up away to Standard Liege.
He made his debut and they got the win. I really enjoy having an Irish interest in as many leagues as possible.
They've got a home game against 2nd from bottom on Saturday. Not quite must win yet but it'd change the completion of their chances of survival completely within 8 days.
KVK has made a profitable transfer. Afolabi showed his skill in Ireland, now he will show it in Belgium. He is a good player who will grow in value with time.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
He's a championship or lower striker if that. I can't see him troubling the Ireland squad in the near future.Quote:
Originally Posted by MaxLL
Agreed but time will tell. If he jumps that by 1 tier then super. More competition for Ireland.