Scored today. Hopefully he can score some more goals and attract some interest from an English Championship or League 1 club to reignite his career.
Has been out injured for last while but back training now and should make next match, just missed out at weekend. Update at bottom of this piece:
https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/f...rray-davidson/
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Came on to score an equaliser in injury time to deny Bonnyrigg Rose a cup upset: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55512468. Then was subjected to racist abuse by some lowlife: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55605817
Fourth of the season for Afolabi - https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56563639 - that might sound unimpressive as we go into April but he has only played about 600 minutes total - hopefully he'll get more of a chance to prove himself in the last few weeks and put himself in the shop window
I'm not sure where he goes from here to be honest. He has had two fairly uninspiring loan spells in the Scottish second tier now. He is not a first team starter at Dundee so maybe needs to drop down another level to play week in week out. To put his current situation into context Corrie Ndaba, who is a similar age and never got a look in with our Under 21s, is a first team regular in the same division.
Afolabi has a decent contract at Celtic I think so he'll probably want to see that out from a financial point of view but his next permanent move may well be to the League of Ireland.
Ndaba was in one of Kenny's first under 21 squads in 2019. He has had a couple of underwhelming loan stints before the Ayr United move at two National League South sides.
Players develop differently. Afolabi hasn't got a whole pile of minutes and has a few goals to his name. He's done well at international level. Why wouldn't another Scottish Championship side want him next season? Jason Cummings is the Dundee FC striker and is older and has goals at Hibernian and he got a goal against Liverpool for Shrewsbury in the FA Cup if I remember correctly- hardly an indictment.
Last edited by Olé Olé; 07/04/2021 at 10:36 AM.
Cummings' career is in a bit of a tailspin to be honest. Possibly Afolabi can get another Championship side next year. Might need to be one further down the table though, Alloa or Arbroath or the likes. I just think he is a classic case of a big lad who looks good at underage level but loses that advantage playing senior men's football and finds the rest of his game isn't good enough to make up the difference. Hope I'm wrong.
Gone on loan to Ayr United in the Championship.
Lee O'Connor and Luca Connell now need to follow suit in the coming days. They can't afford to rest on their laurels. I would love if Jim Goodwin came to their rescue! Lee, in particular, looks a prospect. He needs another season or two of toughening up but has the raw skills. At this stage, I am sure you'd get a nice loan deal with option to buy at cut price, or else just take a punt with a cut price deal up front. Their fees would be minimal with only 1 year left on contract. Probably wishful thinking
I see Celtic are trying to buy Liam Scales. Weird one. I know they’re short on centre halves but tough to think that he’ll go there and play. Obviously at 22, he’s better placed to break through than the younger lads. But if he’s being bought as a low risk, low cost 4th / 5th centre half, there’s really no point for him
I know it's probably not a practical move for Rovers in this instance, but I would love to see the likes of Afolabi (young highly regarded Irish-born* underage internationals) going on loan to our European-qualified clubs, or those clubs that are not in Europe but competing at the upper end of the league.
Good goal-scoring strikers are hard to keep at a particular level, but surely a move to Rovers would be more beneficial to Jonathan, than to Ayr, particularly with the set up that Rovers have?
I only say Rovers in this instance given his previous with them, so a move to Bohs or Pats or Dundalk isn't a runner likely.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
The problem with him coming to Rovers is he wouldn't be guaranteed game time ahead of Greene and Gaffney where you will probably find Ayr have guaranteed to play him and Celtic want him playing. Nothing worse then sending a player out on loan and him not playing
Agree with your sentiment though
Yeah, appreciate that, hence the first line. I do think he's a fine goal-scoring cf though, and that's interesting that you'd have both Greene and Gaffney ahead of him.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
First goal since his move to Ayr, scoring eleven minutes after coming on as a sub: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/58936550
Close to joining Portsmouth after impressing on trial, according to media reports.
https://www.hampshirelive.news/sport...cowley-7315055
Bookmarks