Zorhan Bassong

[Corazon]

2 minutes ago, blueseeka said:

Watched a bunch of the game yesterday. He is a very active midfielder. He was everywhere on the field. Good passing with both feet. Solid defensively and wasn't afraid to join the attack. Played very well in a championship game versus one of the best teams in the MLS.

Great to hear.  I don't see any harm in calling him up for Camp Poutine even if that's as close as he gets to our program again. 

[jdheid]

26 minutes ago, Obinna said:

I wonder if this puts him in CMNT call-up territory. I can't imagine he'd be a game changer, but with those numbers Marsch may want to see what the 25 year old can do. 

Never hurts to give someone a chance I guess, but I remember when ZBG and Tabla were being talked about as enthusiastically  as Davies. 

[Obinna]

18 hours ago, jdheid said:

Never hurts to give someone a chance I guess, but I remember when ZBG and Tabla were being talked about as enthusiastically  as Davies. 

I remember those days well and honestly, it looked like both players would go onto great things. Only Davies did.

And it wasn't just us who held high hopes... Zambrano highlighted Davies and Tabla concurrently as young promising players we needed. Only Davies came, with Tabla holding out for Ivory Coast. Herdman came in and convinced Tabla, but things began to cool a bit at Barca B by then. It was a shame for both Tabla and Canada how things worked out.

In my opinion, Tabla could have played for the Barcelona first team had things just gone a little differently. He was right there, training with them and playing with them in preseason. The club put a 25M release cause when they signed him for the B team. They valued his potential but not all talented players make it, sadly.  

As for ZBG, I think he was properly rated and just a little unfortunate at Montreal, being mentored by Sanga, but then stuck behind Johnston and Herrera. He played well in the minutes he did get, now he's a squad player for a FC Lugano side flirting with the top of the Swiss league, coming off a 2nd place finish last season, so he's actually in a good spot and in some ways it's where I thought he would end up, being part of a competitive team in Europe. I always imagined it would be a mid-level Ligue 1 club he'd get to eventually, but being at a top Swiss side is kind of equivalent, probably.

Anyway, ZBG wasn't the flop Tabla was, but even Tabla can hopefully take one more stab at a higher level. He'll never play in a top 5 league, let alone get to Davies level obviously, but ZBG I think could peak out in a top 5 league still if things go well at Lugano.

He's played 4 league games to start the season, with some garbage minutes in UCL qualifiers. 

[jdheid]

6 hours ago, Obinna said:

I remember those days well and honestly, it looked like both players would go onto great things. Only Davies did.

And it wasn't just us who held high hopes... Zambrano highlighted Davies and Tabla concurrently as young promising players we needed. Only Davies came, with Tabla holding out for Ivory Coast. Herdman came in and convinced Tabla, but things began to cool a bit at Barca B by then. It was a shame for both Tabla and Canada how things worked out.

In my opinion, Tabla could have played for the Barcelona first team had things just gone a little differently. He was right there, training with them and playing with them in preseason. The club put a 25M release cause when they signed him for the B team. They valued his potential but not all talented players make it, sadly.  

As for ZBG, I think he was properly rated and just a little unfortunate at Montreal, being mentored by Sanga, but then stuck behind Johnston and Herrera. He played well in the minutes he did get, now he's a squad player for a FC Lugano side flirting with the top of the Swiss league, coming off a 2nd place finish last season, so he's actually in a good spot and in some ways it's where I thought he would end up, being part of a competitive team in Europe. I always imagined it would be a mid-level Ligue 1 club he'd get to eventually, but being at a top Swiss side is kind of equivalent, probably.

Anyway, ZBG wasn't the flop Tabla was, but even Tabla can hopefully take one more stab at a higher level. He'll never play in a top 5 league, let alone get to Davies level obviously, but ZBG I think could peak out in a top 5 league still if things go well at Lugano.

He's played 4 league games to start the season, with some garbage minutes in UCL qualifiers. 

Tabla is such a physical specimen and has moment of brilliance, but lack of consistency seems to be what held him back. Hoping ZBG thrives in Europe. 

[An Observer]

55 minutes ago, jdheid said:

Tabla is such a physical specimen and has moment of brilliance, but lack of consistency seems to be what held him back. Hoping ZBG thrives in Europe. 

Tabla has been the only player to date that when I watched him with us as a youth player I thought that kid is going to be a star at the global level.  He just looked so smooth and composed at that age.  A few levels above anyone else on the pitch.  I never thought Davies or David or even Wyn Belotte looked like a superstar as a youth player with the national team. Edgar was probably the closest when I saw him play underaged and out of position for our U20 side in the 2005 World Cup in Holland.  

[costarg]

2 hours ago, An Observer said:

Tabla has been the only player to date that when I watched him with us as a youth player I thought that kid is going to be a star at the global level.  He just looked so smooth and composed at that age.  A few levels above anyone else on the pitch.  I never thought Davies or David or even Wyn Belotte looked like a superstar as a youth player with the national team. Edgar was probably the closest when I saw him play underaged and out of position for our U20 side in the 2005 World Cup in Holland.  

Accurate.  I felt the same.  And oddly enough, 2nd for me was Boakai.  First time I saw him play was vs the Impact and he dominated the midfield the whole game, as a 16 year old I believe.  He was a total stand out.  A lot like Tabla that game vs Roma.  

[toontownman]

Given the pedigree and level of his youth experience, with Bassong I have always felt it's about putting it all together. He surely has the skills there to get so far as he did. Possible he is just in a purple patch but more optimistically maybe he IA finding himself, getting his head and mentality in the right place and moving to the next level.

Either way it's another potential depth piece if he continues to play well and get minutes. He is in the priso zone really. Another one I'm so dissapointed for. Prior to injury I thought he was getting primed for a big future role for CMNT.

[Unnamed Trialist]

22 hours ago, An Observer said:

Tabla has been the only player to date that when I watched him with us as a youth player I thought that kid is going to be a star at the global level.  He just looked so smooth and composed at that age.  A few levels above anyone else on the pitch.  I never thought Davies or David or even Wyn Belotte looked like a superstar as a youth player with the national team. Edgar was probably the closest when I saw him play underaged and out of position for our U20 side in the 2005 World Cup in Holland.  

Tabla at Barça was right in the mix, had nothing to suggest he didn't have the level. As a wing.  Except he had and has trouble finishing and got very frustrated when he didn't. Also has a great dribble but was quickly discouraged if it failed.

It's similar today, he's close but misses, the other day a post. But in his case, so hyped, he couldn't handle the pressure, was immature and didn't have much guidance. And I think is poorly supported by his family or closest circle, because he's made bad to dumb decisions. Not all players have contexts that help.

Like leaving Barcelona when he was on contract for free, gifting what was left. Take the money and bring a brother or cousin over and even the keel, keep going. Because in the end he did want to keep going, but chose to do so on this far lower level (sure. it can happen, Morer at At Ottawa played on the same Barça B team).

I thought Tajon could end up like that because he was very egotistical younger, I wondered about his temperament, but maybe the university background centered him. 

Edited September 28 by Unnamed Trialist

[ahmedou]

WELCOME TO CANADA SOCCER

CONGRATS BASSONG

[Obinna]

3 minutes ago, ahmedou said:

WELCOME TO CANADA SOCCER

CONGRATS BASSONG

Should be welcome back to Canada soccer. He earned two caps while playing for CF Montreal a few seasons ago.

Hasn't been called since, however. Looking forward to seeing if he can add to his cap total.

[GasPed]

On 9/27/2024 at 4:27 PM, An Observer said:

Tabla has been the only player to date that when I watched him with us as a youth player I thought that kid is going to be a star at the global level.  He just looked so smooth and composed at that age.  A few levels above anyone else on the pitch.  I never thought Davies or David or even Wyn Belotte looked like a superstar as a youth player with the national team. Edgar was probably the closest when I saw him play underaged and out of position for our U20 side in the 2005 World Cup in Holland.  

Not to argue, because I was very impressed with both Tabla and ZBG in their MLS stints as youngsters and thought they were destined for very good things - but I was completely blown away in Alphonso Davies' debut season as a 15 year old with the Whitecaps.  There were many "man against boys" highlight reel plays, except that the "boy" was the man.   I remember telling my Scottish friend (who didn't care for MLS) - don't look now, but we have the best 15 year old in the world on the Whitecaps, and he is going to be a superstar.  He laughed and said "I am very happy not to look now or ever at Freddy Adu or whoever this person is."  Of course two years later he knew his name.  I don't think there's such a thing as a can't-possibly-miss prospect, but if ever there was, it was him.  And I know I'm just repeating what many others have said, but I just can't stress enough how good and physically gifted he was at such a tender age.  Truly (and obviously) a generational player.

But anyhow, enough with the Davies advert - back to your normal programming... 😉

Edited October 2 by GasPed

[SthMelbRed]

3 hours ago, GasPed said:

Not to argue, because I was very impressed with both Tabla and ZBG in their MLS stints as youngsters and thought they were destined for very good things - but I was completely blown away in Alphonso Davies' debut season as a 15 year old with the Whitecaps.  There were many "man against boys" highlight reel plays, except that the "boy" was the man.   I remember telling my Scottish friend (who didn't care for MLS) - don't look now, but we have the best 15 year old in the world on the Whitecaps, and he is going to be a superstar.  He laughed and said "I am very happy not to look now or ever at Freddy Adu or whoever this person is."  Of course two years later he knew his name.  I don't think there's such a thing as a can't-possibly-miss prospect, but if ever there was, it was him.  And I know I'm just repeating what many others have said, but I just can't stress enough how good and physically gifted he was at such a tender age.  Truly (and obviously) a generational player.

But anyhow, enough with the Davies advert - back to your normal programming... 😉

There are two guys I worked with when I was in London. Both born in the UK, but one a Nigerian Chelsea supporter and the other a Ugandan Arsenal supporter. One day, we were sitting having lunch and they asked me about my recent visit home to Vancouver. I told them all the usual stuff, nice to see the family, etc. Then I said, I went to a Vancouver Whitecaps' Champions League match while I was back and saw a young boy score his first goal for the first team. I said, "his name is Alphonso Davies, and he's going to be a star. Remember the name." Over the next couple of years, every time they heard his name, they'd ask me about him. When I told him he was signing for Bayern, they laughed and said they though I was full of shit when I was banging on about him. They came to know that I wasn't lying or deluded, or anything of the sort. Last time I had a message off one of them, the Nigerian, after I'd already returned to Australia, he said that he wished that Chelsea had known about him when I first mentioned him, 'cause they'd have signed the best LB in the world!

[CanadaFan123]

17 hours ago, Obinna said:

Should be welcome back to Canada soccer. He earned two caps while playing for CF Montreal a few seasons ago.

Hasn't been called since, however. Looking forward to seeing if he can add to his cap total.

He was actually with Cercle Brugge at that time. That was pre Covid which feels like a lifetime ago.