Ismael Kenneth Kone

[The Real Marc]

Will be interesting how he adapts to Ismael's pressing. Also interesting to see how long Ismael will last.

[gigi riva]

1 hour ago, jhoops__ said:

A full season with starter minutes at watford  sounds good…

Excactly

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

Just checking the news and he wasn't mentioned in the match report against a Peterborough XI on Saturday.

The report says it is their last friendly and the do start their season this coming Saturday.

 

He missed the matched against Crystal Palace the week before and I can't find anything else on him lately.

Anyone else seen anything?

[jordan]

3 hours ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

Just checking the news and he wasn't mentioned in the match report against a Peterborough XI on Saturday.

The report says it is their last friendly and the do start their season this coming Saturday.

 

He missed the matched against Crystal Palace the week before and I can't find anything else on him lately.

Anyone else seen anything?

I see it was closed doors game 3 days ago and they really mentioned nothing but the goal scorers, looks like Peterborough’s first team played Birmingham, so perhaps trying a few different things without mentioning players/formations before QPR.

[Jack1997]

Koné bench= Sad

[blueseeka]

Watford up 3-0 before half against QPR. They look great

[Jack1997]

26 minutes ago, blueseeka said:

Watford up 3-0 before half against QPR. They look great

4-0, Watfords midfield has looked absolutely mental not a good thing for Koné

[gator]

1 hour ago, blueseeka said:

Watford up 3-0 before half against QPR. They look great

As I posted in the other thread, Kone has come on, I wouldn't read too much into this match as QPR are absolute shit and almost certain for relegation! All these goals are being scored on former Canadian international Begovic, so sad!

Edited August 5, 2023 by gator

[VinceA]

36 minutes ago, gator said:

As I posted in the other thread, Kone has come on, I wouldn't read too much into this match as QPR are absolute shit and almost certain for relegation! All these goals are being scored on former Canadian international Begovic, so sad!

[Mitchryan11]

tbf he wasnt the great last season I know everyone on this forum loves him but he never scored and missed an empty net with one assist wouldnt be shocked if he gets loaned out at some point

[PegCityCam]

2 hours ago, Jack1997 said:

4-0, Watfords midfield has looked absolutely mental not a good thing for Koné

I get the sentiment but I disagree. Our boys need to be continually challenged and pushed for them to reach their peak. If Koné can't raise his level then he doesn't deserve a spot. Plain and simple. On a broader scale I would argue that one of the major issues with our development system is that we don't expect enough. In Europe it's a do or die, kill or be killed type mentality that permeates all aspects of the game, and it is ingrained at a relatively young age. Not so much here. Hopefully that mindset will begin (or has already begun) to change, as it has for a sport like basketball in the last ten years (although that's been mainly in Ontario and Quebec). Also, it's just one game and apparently QPR is trash lol. I have no doubt Koné will rise to the occasion.

[phresh]

1 hour ago, Mitchryan11 said:

tbf he wasnt the great last season I know everyone on this forum loves him but he never scored and missed an empty net with one assist wouldnt be shocked if he gets loaned out at some point

He will not get loaned

[Macksam]

4 hours ago, PegCityCam said:

I get the sentiment but I disagree. Our boys need to be continually challenged and pushed for them to reach their peak. If Koné can't raise his level then he doesn't deserve a spot. Plain and simple. On a broader scale I would argue that one of the major issues with our development system is that we don't expect enough. In Europe it's a do or die, kill or be killed type mentality that permeates all aspects of the game, and it is ingrained at a relatively young age. Not so much here. Hopefully that mindset will begin (or has already begun) to change, as it has for a sport like basketball in the last ten years (although that's been mainly in Ontario and Quebec). Also, it's just one game and apparently QPR is trash lol. I have no doubt Koné will rise to the occasion.

It will change in 3 years, when MLS becomes one of the best leagues in the world. North American youth players will then realize that complacent play and side passes won't necessarily cut it anymore. 

[costarg]

3 hours ago, Macksam said:

It will change in 3 years, when MLS becomes one of the best leagues in the world. North American youth players will then realize that complacent play and side passes won't necessarily cut it anymore. 

Wow, wild take bro.  Really?  How do you see that happening exactly? 

Youth players won't just suddenly change just like that.  The entire coaching and scouting system would need an overhaul, and that won't happen anytime soon.

I strongly suggest you visit some academies or youth tournaments to get a first hand look at the coaches and systems.  Major wake-up call.

[Macksam]

1 hour ago, costarg said:

Wow, wild take bro.  Really?  How do you see that happening exactly? 

Youth players won't just suddenly change just like that.  The entire coaching and scouting system would need an overhaul, and that won't happen anytime soon.

I strongly suggest you visit some academies or youth tournaments to get a first hand look at the coaches and systems.  Major wake-up call.

I'm not talking about coaching or scouting or how North American youth academy systems are overall. I am just talking about the individual youth player, who will realize how difficult it will be to crack the starting line-ups in a few years time, and as a result, their mentality on what it takes to be a professional will change from that point on, on average that is. 

[InglewoodJack]

20 hours ago, Mitchryan11 said:

tbf he wasnt the great last season I know everyone on this forum loves him but he never scored and missed an empty net with one assist wouldnt be shocked if he gets loaned out at some point

May be time for a CPL stint to get him back on track tbh

[costarg]

10 hours ago, Macksam said:

I'm not talking about coaching or scouting or how North American youth academy systems are overall. I am just talking about the individual youth player, who will realize how difficult it will be to crack the starting line-ups in a few years time, and as a result, their mentality on what it takes to be a professional will change from that point on, on average that is. 

Many young players make major realizations once they hit the big leagues, it takes way more than a change in mentality to make a top level pro.  It's like a major punch in the gut when you were groomed as a future star and dominated every age group in your teens and show up in Europe, expecting a challenge, but faced with the realization you're not even near their average players in development.  Everything is happening so fast around you that you just can't compute or compete.  I've had this honest discussion with a few guys and the look in their eyes is disheartening.  It takes more than just an athlete to be born with the right mind set.  Phonzie's are 1 in a billion.

Honestly, go see a youth camp in EU and come back and try the same here.  Seriously man, it's like one of us showing up to a Mr Universe competition.  They've developed muscles we don't even know exist.

[Macksam]

10 hours ago, costarg said:

Many young players make major realizations once they hit the big leagues, it takes way more than a change in mentality to make a top level pro.  It's like a major punch in the gut when you were groomed as a future star and dominated every age group in your teens and show up in Europe, expecting a challenge, but faced with the realization you're not even near their average players in development.  Everything is happening so fast around you that you just can't compute or compete.  I've had this honest discussion with a few guys and the look in their eyes is disheartening.  It takes more than just an athlete to be born with the right mind set.  Phonzie's are 1 in a billion.

Honestly, go see a youth camp in EU and come back and try the same here.  Seriously man, it's like one of us showing up to a Mr Universe competition.  They've developed muscles we don't even know exist.

Not disagreeing with anything you said but it's not really talking about what I'm saying. All I said was the mentality and the mindset of our youth players is going to change in a couple years. I am not talking about our development system and how it lacks compared to Europe, I'm just talking about the mentality of our youth players. They won't need to go to Europe anymore to get that gut punch you mentioned, they are going to get that over here real soon when more of them end up getting cut at 15/16 and when very few of them, if any end up getting offered first team deals. Seven figure contracts are very soon going to become MLS' median salary with the majority of the league's clubs going to the level of Porto and Lyonnais for example. Some players, the athletically gifted like Phonzie will make it through along with a few others who have a Pavel Nedved like dedication to training like Tajon, but the vast majority of this new MLS is going to be heavily foreign, with the bulk of it being from South America. It will be a few years after this that will get MLS to take a collective look at their youth initiatives or lack there of to start implementing the necessary changes to the North American development structure. That is when mentality and development should align for the betterment of North American youth players. This will probably be 5 years after the new MLS emerges so maybe 8 to 10 years from now.  

Edited August 7, 2023 by Macksam

[InglewoodJack]

Kone on the bench against Stevenage in the FA Cup. What is going on? Elton brother, free our guy.

[Obinna]

8 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

Kone on the bench against Stevenage in the FA Cup. What is going on? Elton brother, free our guy.

It would be nice if he were starting, but I am not worried if he's getting decent minutes. He's got bags of potential, but he's also still 21 years old. There are a lot of games to be played and so he'll get his chance to start again I am sure of that. It's the same with Eustaquio, playing with a good team with depth. So, not panicking yet and just going Watford get back to the Prem. If he's playing a role and they get promoted I. Happy.

[sebdeserio]

Apparently some players came in late for the first training session. Maybe he was one of them? Or maybe he's just having to earn his spot on a team who sees itself in the premier next season.

[InglewoodJack]

4 minutes ago, Obinna said:

It would be nice if he were starting, but I am not worried if he's getting decent minutes. He's got bags of potential, but he's also still 21 years old. There are a lot of games to be played and so he'll get his chance to start again I am sure of that. It's the same with Eustaquio, playing with a good team with depth. So, not panicking yet and just going Watford get back to the Prem. If he's playing a role and they get promoted I. Happy.

Not panicking of course. I noticed he was in a lot of preseason Watford marketing materials, so I figured he’d be a locked in starter off the jump, like he mostly was last year. Still early and Watford is fighting for promotion, so the second one of their starting midfielders has a shaky streak, he’ll be right back in. Just curious why he’s coming off the bench, especially for a cup match against a league 2 team.

[Obinna]

Just now, InglewoodJack said:

Not panicking of course. I noticed he was in a lot of preseason Watford marketing materials, so I figured he’d be a locked in starter off the jump, like he mostly was last year. Still early and Watford is fighting for promotion, so the second one of their starting midfielders has a shaky streak, he’ll be right back in. Just curious why he’s coming off the bench, especially for a cup match against a league 2 team.

Fair enough. Maybe he's not fully fit, or maybe he's just not preferred. The latter wouldn't be surprising since he was in-and-out of the starting eleven last season. You're right he was "mostly" a starter, but not really locked in and there was a coaching change, right? For a club aspiring to be in the top flight (again), it may be tempting to sit the kid.

[InglewoodJack]

7 minutes ago, Obinna said:

Fair enough. Maybe he's not fully fit, or maybe he's just not preferred. The latter wouldn't be surprising since he was in-and-out of the starting eleven last season. You're right he was "mostly" a starter, but not really locked in and there was a coaching change, right? For a club aspiring to be in the top flight (again), it may be tempting to sit the kid.

Yeah, it could be anything. Kone was lucky that when he came in last year I think Watford had something crazy like 4 or 5 injured midfielders and they pretty much had no choice but to play him, I assume they have a deeper roster now than in January.

[Bertuzzi44]

I know we can get touchy when CMNT players aren't playing, but Kone just turned 21 in June and is part of a very competitive Watford side with Premier League promotion aspirations. I am not overly concerned he wasn't an automatic starter. Watford have midfield depth and Kone will have to earn his minutes, which is exactly what we should want as CMNT supporters.