Ojeda played the open cup game so I assume Jovan could play with them as well.
2024 Roster and Transfer Discussion Thread
- Thread starter JayH
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Ojeda played the open cup game so I assume Jovan could play with them as well.
Lol.
Trey's first question specifically asked about the status of both Talles and Jovan.
His second question had nothing to do with Jovan and was specifically about long throw-ins and if it was something that he would look to take advantage of in the smaller pitches of YS and CF. He was able to reference a former player of Cushing's with this question and Cushing was the one who noted that Jovan has the long throw in his bag.
In response to Trey's FIRST question, Cushing specifically noted that Jovan was going through the visa process and it's outside of the club's control and the front office is trying to expedite it and they were hoping they would have an update early next (this) week. Trey reported that response here:
I'm not sure how much more Trey could have pressed on that.
It was not discovered that Jovan wouldn't be available for the Atlanta game until the day before the game when the injury report was released. Before that, he was on international duty and I think everyone assumed he would be back for Atlanta, because why wouldn't you assume that.
If you think that a reporter should have used their only question (sometimes given two) on confirming whether or not a player who was on international duty was coming back, without any rumors indicating otherwise, then I would say that would be an incredible waste of valuable time. Perhaps questions should have also been asked confirming if Bakrar was coming back from his international duty?
Additionally, when it was discovered that Jovan was unavailable, Hudson River Blue quickly found that it was due to visa issues and reported as such. After the Atlanta game, Trey was able to confirm that information and reported that as well.
I'm really at a loss for what else you expected these non-paid media guys to do in this situation? Speculate that Jovan wouldn't be available ahead of his availability coming into question and using a valuable question in a press conference? Getting to sources earlier to confirm that it was a visa issue holding it up? Somehow trying to ask an organization that is as tight-lipped as they come to provide media availability ahead of what they do just so the question about Jovan's availability against the Revs could be confirmed? And I guess we are now also adding to that list, not asking a question about using long throw-ins?
Come on.
We learned about it before the Atlanta game. The question should have been asked in that postgame press conference. Which answer was more likely to make news? A question about an early-season game, or a question about where Jovan was and why he wasn't with them? Why was he able to be here until the international window, then couldn't come back? This is one of the most important players on the roster. I don't really care about what strategic thing Cushing says, I want to know where the high-priced player is.
Even if they aren't likely to answer, the question still has to be asked.
Each reporter may only get one question, but the group of reporters gets what, 7-9 questions per press conference? Surely there can be a little teamwork done to make sure that someone asks the question. And maybe then a fellow reporter asks the question you want to ask, since you're taking the hit by asking the Jovan question.
It was learned about before the Atlanta game. Reported before the Atlanta game that it was a visa issue. And confirmed after the Atlanta game that it was a visa issue via a different source.
If you think a reporter should have used their only question to ask a question where the answer is already known, and in a post-game press conference where there is now 90 minutes of play to discuss, then I guess there isn't anything to say than I encourage more folks to join the ranks.
visa issues are literally out of the club's hands. would asking for a speculated timeline really give us anything? so we can jump on the club when that timeline passes and jovan is still not back?
It is what it is at this point. It's not like he was a stone cold starter and now has gone missing. the kid was playing 10-15 minutes at the end of games and not particularly showing anything to get excited about. while bakrar isn't scoring, he's clearly working hard.
sure - the argument could be that if jovan were back, he could be starting instead of bakrar. the kid said himself before international duty that he was about 60%. he's probably regressed since then. so let's trot out an out of shape kid with no true, proven quality to lead the line to start the game? no thanks. he needs to spend some time on the II squad to get match fitness/sharpness like ojeda. when he can press and run the channels like bakrar, then he gets his start. we ALL know that pressing from the front as taty did and bakrar now does, is very important to our style of play. if jovan isn't doing it because he's out of shape, that's gonna hurt us way more than having bakrar on the field working his ass off.
It is what it is at this point. It's not like he was a stone cold starter and now has gone missing. the kid was playing 10-15 minutes at the end of games and not particularly showing anything to get excited about. while bakrar isn't scoring, he's clearly working hard.
sure - the argument could be that if jovan were back, he could be starting instead of bakrar. the kid said himself before international duty that he was about 60%. he's probably regressed since then. so let's trot out an out of shape kid with no true, proven quality to lead the line to start the game? no thanks. he needs to spend some time on the II squad to get match fitness/sharpness like ojeda. when he can press and run the channels like bakrar, then he gets his start. we ALL know that pressing from the front as taty did and bakrar now does, is very important to our style of play. if jovan isn't doing it because he's out of shape, that's gonna hurt us way more than having bakrar on the field working his ass off.
My complaint about the coverage is not so much directed to the individual unpaid people covering the team, but to the unfortunate situation that (1) we mostly only have unpaid amateurs covering the team, and (2) they have very limited access. If paid reporters were showing up at training daily and asking questions we wouldn't have the issues you fairly lay out.
The unknown element that is a fair question has to do with him getting into the country and working, then leaving, then not coming back on a timely basis. Was the first visa faulty, temporary, fake?
I also think the beginning of pre-game press conferences should cover availability of the entire squad so the only questions that are required to be asked there are follow ups on that.
And I don't mind complaints about coverage or even thinking certain questions should have been asked or wanting other items to be discussed.
I take SIGNIFICANT issue with being termed clueless (obviously this wasn't you).
I take smaller issue with not realizing taking shots at a reporter for asking a question about long throw-ins, and then including within that, false context that they did so instead of asking about Jovan's availability, and the only evidence that was used in that was one tweet. If other tweets were looked at, or, here's a thought, people listened to or watched the press conference (it's made available on the club's website), then it would easily be discovered that the context there was entirely false.
I just started catching up on several weeks of forums activity after being incredibly busy with work, moving to a new house, and other life stuff and now I'm kind of glad I was away from here for a while (again, not directed at you Mark).
Was not my intention to loop you in on the "clueless" comment, which was unduly harsh to begin with considering no one is getting paid to be there. I think you're the best reporter currently covering the team, and to do it from afar is truly impressive. Sorry for my offensive remark.
First of all, I want to say I appreciate all the unpaid work fans of the team do to cover the team if it wasn't for them we'd have almost nothing. For the record, I don't think Trey or anyone else who covers the team is clueless, and if you are an unpaid reporter covering the team IMO you can ask whatever questions you want. I can see how my comment could be interpreted as critical of Trey since I said "reporter" That was not my intention and I apologize for that.
My comment that started all of this said nothing about Trey. I was responding to a Crooks (who is a somewhat paid reporter) tweet and trying to point out how lacking the overall media coverage of the team is. That is not the fault of anyone giving their time to cover the team. We are off to a terrible start and now our biggest offseason acquisition is missing with minimal information coming out and Crooks is giving us 'fun fact" level tidbits about Jovan when he's not even here. In the absence of more meaningful dialogue about the current state of the team that is frustrating as a fan.
Jovan being an $8M singing is equivalent to a top draft pick in other US major league sports. Can you imagine the questions reporters would be asking if the Knicks used a top draft pick on a European player, who played with the team and then was gone all of sudden due to visa issues? It wouldn't be the player is gone due to a visa, no other info, but hey let me tell you that the player has a cool behind-the-backboard trick shot!
Occasionally I think about how David Lee waited a year to replace Taty Castellanos and the best that CFG’s worldwide scouting network could deliver was Bakrar.
At this point you have to just enjoy the Bakrar narrative. The striker who can’t score. He does everything right. He makes the right runs. His movement is *chefs kiss*. He holds up the ball. He tracks back and plays defense. And then he shoots and it’s like the two positive ends of batteries getting pushed together. It will never go in.
It’s a Greek tragedy.
It’s a Greek tragedy.
That's a great way of looking at it.
I still think he's going to come good, though. I don't get the feeling it's like back in the day when Chuck Knoblach was at second base for the Yankees and suddenly couldn't throw to first anymore. Everyone could see what he was doing wrong; he just couldn't stop doing it.
Mounsef just needs one to go in. Just one. Anything. He's everywhere he's supposed to be, doing what he's supposed to be doing, and more. It's totally mental.
You know how you get excited when one of your players is driving to the goal? Your heart rate goes up and you Edge forward in your seat or stand up?
When Bakrar has the ball, I have no emotion, because I already know what's about to happen.
When Bakrar has the ball, I have no emotion, because I already know what's about to happen.
I hope I’m wrong and those of you still optimistic he’ll come good are right . I think finishing is a separate skill in and of itself and it doesn’t look like he has it. His hold up play , work rate etc have been solid . In a perfect world you’d want it all but of forced to choose I’d much rather have a forward that can put the ball in the back of the net constantly and didn’t contribute as much in the other areas .
I know that might be a popular opinion these days . Look at the divisiveness even Haaland generates these days with people opining hw offers nothing if he doesn’t get a goal but I still think that’s a forwards number one priority . If they score regularly even if they do nothing else all game if the rest of the team does there job you should win most of the time . The name of the game is scoring more goals than your opponent after all .
I know that might be a popular opinion these days . Look at the divisiveness even Haaland generates these days with people opining hw offers nothing if he doesn’t get a goal but I still think that’s a forwards number one priority . If they score regularly even if they do nothing else all game if the rest of the team does there job you should win most of the time . The name of the game is scoring more goals than your opponent after all .
he can score. he did it last season and preseason. he's just got major yips right now. he's feeling the pressure.. enormous pressure.. and as a young player, isn't handling it very well. as easy as it is for us to say to drop him from the team, i would worry what kind of effect it would have on his mindset. in any case, jovan is not ready for a full 90, so i think he has a couple more games to show he can put the ball in the net.
He also scored in Croatia, at a reasonable clip, in a pretty weak team that probably didn't generate many chances.
I , again , hope you guys are all right and I’m wrong because it’s better for the team but it looks to me like at current his professional record is 20 goals scored in 88 matches . Not terrible but not really giving me the sense of optimism it’s giving the rest of you .
