Folarin Balogun: Balogone

[pigge]

Needs one to go in. Knowing Balogun, it'll be a ****in worldie from 30 yards.

has he even shot scored outside the pen area?

 

[Batman]

Yeah Tomori has been playing pretty well and should definitely get a chance.

That said, Maguire for England has been a completely different player to the Maguire at United.

Similar to Pickford. Ramsdale in the PL is better than Pickford. So is Pope. But for England Pickford plays well. Rarely makes mistakes so I can see some logic putting trust in players that have done it for you.

Balogun has had an opportunity presented to him and he's decided to take it which is normal. A bird in the hand and all that.

I just feel that a lot of young players want things yesterday without working hard and earning them. In all honesty Balogun hasn't deserved a real shot at England. Toney just recently got his debut and he's been pretty good in the PL the past 2 seasons.

Yeah, Maguire and Pickford are better for England than they are for their clubs but how do you not give a player who is doing the business week after week a look in? That's wrong. You bring up Toney but he's about to get hit with a suspension for betting on games, something that was known when he was selected. So what message does it send to a young player having a great season that a rule breaker is getting a callup and you're not even getting a sniff? I don't blame anyone for not wanting to waste time waiting on Southgate to stop playing favorites and start selecting on merit. Whether Toney has been good 2 seasons or not, you don't deserve a callup when you're not adhering to the rules. I'm not saying Balogun definitely needed a callup but I can understand him looking at the selection process and deciding he doesn't want to be part of it when he can begin his senior international career right now.

 

[Sanchez11]

Still a HG player no?

True

 

[14Henry]

Yeah, Maguire and Pickford are better for England than they are for their clubs but how do you not give a player who is doing the business week after week a look in? That's wrong. You bring up Toney but he's about to get hit with a suspension for betting on games, something that was known when he was selected. So what message does it send to a young player having a great season that a rule breaker is getting a callup and you're not even getting a sniff? I don't blame anyone for not wanting to waste time waiting on Southgate to stop playing favorites and start selecting on merit. Whether Toney has been good 2 seasons or not, you don't deserve a callup when you're not adhering to the rules. I'm not saying Balogun definitely needed a callup but I can understand him looking at the selection process and deciding he doesn't want to be part of it when he can begin his senior international career right now.

So you believe that a player who has done nothing notable in his career can have 4 or 5 good months in a lesser league than the PL and get a call up to one of the best teams in European football (albeit wins nothing)?

This isn't being awkward it's just I believe you need more than that to get a call up. For example had Balogun carried on his form this season, then next season was doing similar I'd say definitely deserves it.

But 4 or 5 months of football for me isn't enough. Not at 20-21 years of age.

 

[Batman]

So you believe that a player who has done nothing notable in his career can have 4 or 5 good months in a lesser league than the PL and get a call up to one of the best teams in European football (albeit wins nothing)?

This isn't being awkward it's just I believe you need more than that to get a call up. For example had Balogun carried on his form this season, then next season was doing similar I'd say definitely deserves it.

But 4 or 5 months of football for me isn't enough. Not at 20-21 years of age.

Of course they can. The history of football is literally littered with instances of young players getting callups after their first good spell. It's also not 4-5 months, it's 6-8. When you have an absolutely nothing player like Kalvin Phillips getting called up then there's no reason a productive young player can't get called up. I also said in the previous post that I was not even saying Balogun definitely should have gotten a call up but that I could totally understand him looking at players who have been in sh*t form for years getting repeated call ups while players like Tomori are left out and making a decision that he doesn't want to waste time when he can play for another nation. You're arguing against something I didn't say.

 

[Rasmi]

 

[14Henry]

Of course they can. The history of football is literally littered with instances of young players getting callups after their first good spell. It's also not 4-5 months, it's 6-8. When you have an absolutely nothing player like Kalvin Phillips getting called up then there's no reason a productive young player can't get called up. I also said in the previous post that I was not even saying Balogun definitely should have gotten a call up but that I could totally understand him looking at players who have been in sh*t form for years getting repeated call ups while players like Tomori are left out and making a decision that he doesn't want to waste time when he can play for another nation. You're arguing against something I didn't say.

Who's arguing. We are having a conversation.

You have one view, I share another. No argument here.

Whatever he has chosen, he's done it for his own personal good. I just think if he had waited, and continued his form an England call up would have appeared but I know football is a short career and the fame and money that goes with US sports could be too much to turn down.

I don't think it's because he feels more American than English or he had posters of Brian McBride on his bedroom wall.

I wish him well and hopefully he can either do well for us or get us a big fee.

 

[Big Poppa]

Better to sell him. If he doesn't think he has the ability to get into the England side ahead of Callum Wilson, Tammy Abraham and Ollie Watkins then I'd question his mentality to get ahead of Jesus plus maybe whoever else we sign.

If we can get 30m+ for him then fair enough as long as we invest the money in a different type of striker maybe more of a target man.

Would be good to see him succeed both at his new club, if not here, and international level and continue his brilliant form this season.

First part is a little harsh. When Watkins was scoring at the same rate as Haaland, he was still being ignored by Southgate.

Kane will be England’s first choice CF for the next 4-5 seasons but Balogun has the opportunity to basically guarantee himself a WC spot for the rest of his career with the US.

Smart move especially when you think of the lucrative deals US companies will throw at him.

 

[Rasmi]

He would be an idiot to take England ahead of the US.

 

[14Henry]

First part is a little harsh. When Watkins was scoring at the same rate as Haaland, he was still being ignored by Southgate.

Kane will be England’s first choice CF for the next 4-5 seasons but Balogun has the opportunity to basically guarantee himself a WC spot for the rest of his career with the US.

Smart move especially when you think of the lucrative deals US companies will throw at him.

Not harsh it's the truth. If he truly backed himself and showed abit of patience he could be an England International.

You've said it "guaranteed" himself a career with the US. Kane won't be England's starter if Balogun is better and proves it.

Either way at his age and the money he will make its a no brainer commercially and financially.

 

[Rasmi]

Not harsh it's the truth. If he truly backed himself and showed abit of patience he could be an England International.

You've said it "guaranteed" himself a career with the US. Kane won't be England's starter if Balogun is better and proves it.

Either way at his age and the money he will make its a no brainer commercially and financially.

The next World Cup is in the US and he can lead their line. Who cares about England. Not like either countries can win. Atleast he will be the face of the host Nation

 

[Big Poppa]

Not harsh it's the truth. If he truly backed himself and showed abit of patience he could be an England International.

You've said it "guaranteed" himself a career with the US. Kane won't be England's starter if Balogun is better and proves it.

Either way at his age and the money he will make its a no brainer commercially and financially.

Again, you are assuming it’s a meritocracy. It isn’t. Not when you’re up against the England captain and Southgate is in charge.

Balogun is being smart and putting himself first. There is a plethora of French players who I wish would do the same.

Southgate is like Arteta and has a hierarchy which is based on unwavering loyalty to players who enable their philosophy to work.

 

[14Henry]

Again, you are assuming it’s a meritocracy. It isn’t. Not when you’re up against the England captain and Southgate is in charge.

Balogun is being smart and putting himself first. There is a plethora of French players who I wish would do the same.

Southgate is like Arteta and has a hierarchy which is based on unwavering loyalty to players who enable their philosophy to work.

Southgate won't be there much longer. Next major tournament and he will be gone.

If 35 year old Harry Kane is still better than 26-27 year old Balogun then he would have definitely made the right choice.

I don't care who he plays for. I just think he took the easy option.

 

[Blankety Blank]

Shouldn't have declared for the US so soon imho.
Doesn't have any affiliation towards the Country.
Well apart from the total fate of happening to exit his mother in the good ol' US of A whilst she was on holiday.

In one way though you can say it's a great opportunity.

In another way you can say he doesn't have the cojones to make it for England.

 

[BIoodBrother]

how much do you think we can get for the us kid? 10mill?
overseas internationals and all..not very lucrative...lol

 

[Legend14]

Just excited to have him for the US. We were missing a forward in World Cup and this is a serious upgrade.

I’m sure it was a difficult choice, but he becomes an instant star in the states.

 

[Big Poppa]

Southgate won't be there much longer. Next major tournament and he will be gone.

If 35 year old Harry Kane is still better than 26-27 year old Balogun then he would have definitely made the right choice.

I don't care who he plays for. I just think he took the easy option.

So what if he did. There’s nothing wrong with that. I wish more of France’s uncapped players did the same thing.

 

[lomekian]

Again, you are assuming it’s a meritocracy. It isn’t. Not when you’re up against the England captain and Southgate is in charge.

Balogun is being smart and putting himself first. There is a plethora of French players who I wish would do the same.

Southgate is like Arteta and has a hierarchy which is based on unwavering loyalty to players who enable their philosophy to work.

Arteta is much more ruthless and willing to bin people off even if they've been important before. A cats chance in hell he'd be wheeling out a half fit at best Kalvin Phillips or sticking with Maguire at this stage.

 

[14Henry]

So what if he did. There’s nothing wrong with that. I wish more of France’s uncapped players did the same thing.

Depends on what your perspective is in life. If we always just took the easy route we would never fulfill our true potential.

 

[lomekian]

Frankly, I don't see how anyone can criticise Balogun's decision. The US have been desperate to get him for years even though he's not had much senior football, and the commercial opportunities for him are potentially gargantuan - They have been desperate for a goal scorer to make a hero. England? Pretty lukewarm even at u21 level, and if he moves overseas, as well he might, he'll be out of sight out of mind for the majority of England managers.