Caleb Okoli Signs

[Ric Flair]

Quite clear to see both his first touch and ability on the ball is very basic. Whether that prevents him from being good enough at this level remains to be seen. He doesn't suit a team that would be expected to play out from the back, put it that way.

[RonnieTodger]

I thought he looked alright. Didn’t have much to do. 

[James_lcfc]

I kept waiting for him to burst into a full sprint but he never really had to last night. Be interesting to see if he is quick.

 

Looks a very limited footballer from what I've seen so far but it's early days.

[LFEFox23]

6 minutes ago, James_lcfc said:

I kept waiting for him to burst into a full sprint but he never really had to last night. Be interesting to see if he is quick.

 

Looks a very limited footballer from what I've seen so far but it's early days.

Echo this... disappointed we've spent £12m on a player who doesn't improve our starting 11.

[Mickyblueeyes]

I think he has a lot going for him. Physically strong, powerful and quite controlled. 

 

What he lacks and what a lot of young players lack is that concentration when not under pressure. Saw it yesterday, start of the game, on a few occasions Tranmere pressed and he dealt with it very assured. Second half, they didnt and when he had something to do, gave it away. That will come. Or he will be a dumbass like Amartey. 

[James_lcfc]

12 minutes ago, LFEFox23 said:

Echo this... disappointed we've spent £12m on a player who doesn't improve our starting 11.

Doesn't improve the starting 11 now, but he may do in the future. Still very young.

 

Agree he's probably not what we needed short term though.

[Babylon]

Has anyone actually asked the manager why we signed him? What he thinks he brings to the team others didn't etc. I know the lad himself says he's quick, but I'd like to hear it from the manager what we spent £12m on.

[Pliskin]

14 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Has anyone actually asked the manager why we signed him? What he thinks he brings to the team others didn't etc. I know the lad himself says he's quick, but I'd like to hear it from the manager what we spent £12m on.

I’m sure he was pretty much done and dusted prior to Coopers arrival, didn’t the rumour's come about whilst Enzo was in charge? 

[Babylon]

17 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

I’m sure he was pretty much done and dusted prior to Coopers arrival, didn’t the rumour's come about whilst Enzo was in charge? 

Not sure, I'd have thought Enzo would have insisted they were good with ball at feet!

[coolhandfox]

2 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Quite clear to see both his first touch and ability on the ball is very basic. Whether that prevents him from being good enough at this level remains to be seen. He doesn't suit a team that would be expected to play out from the back, put it that way.

You can improve your technical ability but can't make some bigger or improve the physicality.  

 

You can 100% improve their decision-making, which is why CB improves with age. You need someone who can make the right decisions and play a 10-15-yard pass to feet.

 

 

[coolhandfox]

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

Has anyone actually asked the manager why we signed him? What he thinks he brings to the team others didn't etc. I know the lad himself says he's quick, but I'd like to hear it from the manager what we spent £12m on.

Pace, power, and physicality would be my guess. It's similar to what we did when we had Maguire and Evan: We brought in Soyuncu and Benkovic early to bed in for the future.

 

[Babylon]

11 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

Pace, power, and physicality would be my guess. It's similar to what we did when we had Maguire and Evan: We brought in Soyuncu and Benkovic early to bed in for the future.

 

I can guess at why, it just feels a little odd. If you think we REALLY need those attributes, you get someone capable of starting to bring them to the team and not for down the line, when it might be too late. I'd like to hear it from him!

[coolhandfox]

Just now, Babylon said:

I can guess at why, it just feels a little odd. If you think we REALLY need those attributes, you get someone capable of starting to bring them to the team and not for down the line, when it might be too late. I'd like to hear it from him!

I get the sense this is more of a club-driven signing than a Cooper one. 

 

Cooper seems very focused on the PL experience, which Coady and Vestergaard give you. 

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

3 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Quite clear to see both his first touch and ability on the ball is very basic. Whether that prevents him from being good enough at this level remains to be seen. He doesn't suit a team that would be expected to play out from the back, put it that way.

I thought this in the pre season games I saw him in. What on earth are they thinking paying £17m (?) for someone like that? 

[coolhandfox]

Just now, Wasyls Pec Deck said:

I thought this in the pre season games I saw him in. What on earth are they thinking paying £17m (?) for someone like that? 

Because we didn't......

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

1 minute ago, coolhandfox said:

Because we didn't......

What was it then? Or reported to be?

[beastfootballx]

7 hours ago, LinekersLugs said:

Honestly our recruitment has deteriorated to laughable at this stage 

 

Nearly 50m on him, skipp and Cannon Inc agent fees 

 

and they are so limited it’s untrue 

 

I’m so worried for us right now 

where did you get that 50 mill from?  

[coolhandfox]

1 minute ago, Wasyls Pec Deck said:

What was it then? Or reported to be?

Different sources have it at 11m, including add-ons, and others have it at 11m plus add-ons.

[Lambert09]

Maxine Lacroix going to palace for not much more than we paid for this guy… our business is proper nasty on paper 

[Bergen fox]

2 minutes ago, Lambert09 said:

Maxine Lacroix going to palace for not much more than we paid for this guy… our business is proper nasty on paper 

Agree 

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

2 hours ago, coolhandfox said:

Different sources have it at 11m, including add-ons, and others have it at 11m plus add-ons.

Ok so £11m+ for a guy who can’t trap a bag of cement - Akinbiyi style!

[coolhandfox]

2 hours ago, Wasyls Pec Deck said:

Ok so £11m+ for a guy who can’t trap a bag of cement - Akinbiyi style!

Maybe let him settle and have a few games.

 

Highly thought of in Italy, already trained with the senior squad.

Edited 28 August by coolhandfox

[VLC86]

8 hours ago, Babylon said:

Has anyone actually asked the manager why we signed him? What he thinks he brings to the team others didn't etc. I know the lad himself says he's quick, but I'd like to hear it from the manager what we spent £12m on.

We clearly identified that we lacked a strong defender, and thought a young lad with a chance to make a profit would be worth the £8m (£12m is the add one allegedly).

 

Cut the guy some slack, he’s played 90 minutes of competitive football in another country for the first time.

 

Interesting how you are such a Rudkin advocate considering his length track record but this guy…

[HankMarvin]

7 hours ago, coolhandfox said:

You can improve your technical ability but can't make some bigger or improve the physicality.  

 

You can 100% improve their decision-making, which is why CB improves with age. You need someone who can make the right decisions and play a 10-15-yard pass to feet.

 

 

Can’t make someone bigger or improve their physicality?
There are endless examples of players that have baulked up from smaller frames.

[tinpot_fox]

2 minutes ago, HankMarvin said:

Can’t make someone bigger or improve their physicality?
There are endless examples of players that have baulked up from smaller frames.

Send them to play rugby league for a season, that bulks them up ;-)