Transfer News and Gossip Kabongolo Departs

[Supershrimper]

SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Maher says it became too difficult for Brookyln Kabongolo to stay with the Shrimpers.

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SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Maher says it became too difficult for Brookyln Kabongolo to stay with the Shrimpers.

Kabongolo left Blues earlier this week after he was unable to agree a new contract.
And Maher admitted the defender’s departure came after his advisors sought “certain guarantees” which could not be provided. “We’d been in talks with him and all of his advisors for the last three weeks,” said Maher.

“We have a contract we give to young players which is incentivised if they play.
“We did it with Collin (Andeng Ndi) who signed and Oli Coker who has been so easy to deal with.

“But Brook’s advisors wanted certain guarantees that we wouldn’t give to anyone at the football club.

“That made it difficult and football is a small world so at the same time we’re hearing they’re touting his name around everywhere.”

Kabongolo made 14 appearances after signing for the Shrimpers from Billericay Town earlier this season.

And Maher does have some sympathy for the defender.
“I feel for the lad because he’s a real nice kid and there’s potential we thought he had,” said Maher.

“It became too difficult from our point of view in the end and we can’t guarantee anyone a certain amount of games. “We said from the start we only want people who are desperate to be here and the ones we’ve done have all shown that.

“But good luck to him and we wish him the best.”

 

[shrimperjon]

Quite the article that one....

what did it say?

 

[Sammy Shrimper]

Sounds like he needs a new agent who is realistic.

 

[Smiffy]

As some have already alluded to on this thread, it's very clear where the problem was in these discussions.

A shame for the lad, but fully back the club on this. Can't be having agents/family members demanding guarantees around game time etc. Especially for someone so young and inexperienced.

 

[hlane17]

As some have already alluded to on this thread, it's very clear where the problem was in these discussions.

A shame for the lad, but fully back the club on this. Can't be having agents/family members demanding guarantees around game time etc. Especially for someone so young and inexperienced.

A place in the team must always be earned.

 

[The Original Tribal Chief]

He went to the school with my sister

Sure he did Mr Kabongolo.

 

[LeedsSUFC]

We don’t know what the contract looks like… It’s easier for Collin and Coker to accept a contract based on game time incentives, because they are close to the starting XI.

If you are Jack Wood or Brooklyn, you’re going to read this contract and think ‘Hmm, I haven’t started a game in months. I’m going to be paid very low, and they’re only going to buy more players without the embargo. Maybe I can do better elsewhere…’

 

[Strykr]

what did it say?

When I clicked on it even in secret mode it just said.

SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Maher says it became too difficult for Brookyln Kabongolo to stay with the Shrimpers.

surrounded by 758 adverts.

 

[GBJ]

I’d imagine he’ll end up at a lower midtable NL club.

He’s just walked out of a lower midtable NL club though.

A far more attractive one than a Wealdstone, Maidenhead or Dagenham, I might add.

Doesn’t need to be promotion pushing or EFL yet. What he needs is game time. If he gets game time then the scouts will follow.

There’s hundreds of young players up and down the country who have the same idea. You’re dealing in best case scenario, whilst pretending the worst case scenario doesn’t exist.

There wasn’t a route to that here: when was the last time he played centre-half for us - Gateshead away in November? Have we even had any behind closed doors matches since then?

At the beginning of last season, Colin was on the verge of being loaned out to an NLS team for the season. He’s now our first choice ‘keeper.

The route to cementing yourself in any team is to be disciplined, train hard, learn, apply yourself and be ready when you get given a slice of luck. If you’re good enough, your talent will shine through.

Of course, that’s rendered moot if you’ve got someone telling you that you’re too good for that, and that you should be starting games regularly, right now.

To be honest any move where he plays is going to be a step up from just training.

I wonder how many moves that’ll take though?

At least here, he was training with a good calibre, a mix of experience and youth, plus he’d seen the good and bad side of football.

You’re putting a lot of faith in his potential ability, something I don’t doubt he has. I think he’ll have a very bright future in the game, IF he’s allowed to develop. It feels that he is being advised that his time is now, instead of having to work for it.

As we’ve seen time and time again, if you end up with bad advisors, ability won’t count for much. I wonder if those same voices will be telling him he could do better, if he ends up on a bench at Boreham Wood or Dorking in two months time?

 

[Holy Joe]

He’s just walked out of a lower midtable NL club though.

A far more attractive one than a Wealdstone, Maidenhead or Dagenham, I might add.



There’s hundreds of young players up and down the country who have the same idea. You’re dealing in best case scenario, whilst pretending the worst case scenario doesn’t exist.



At the beginning of last season, Colin was on the verge of being loaned out to an NLS team for the season. He’s now our first choice ‘keeper.

The route to cementing yourself in any team is to be disciplined, train hard, learn, apply yourself and be ready when you get given a slice of luck. If you’re good enough, your talent will shine through.

Of course, that’s rendered moot if you’ve got someone telling you that you’re too good for that, and that you should be starting games regularly, right now.




I wonder how many moves that’ll take though?

At least here, he was training with a good calibre, a mix of experience and youth, plus he’d seen the good and bad side of football.

You’re putting a lot of faith in his potential ability, something I don’t doubt he has. I think he’ll have a very bright future in the game, IF he’s allowed to develop. It feels that he is being advised that his time is now, instead of having to work for it.

As we’ve seen time and time again, if you end up with bad advisors, ability won’t count for much. I wonder if those same voices will be telling him he could do better, if he ends up on a bench at Boreham Wood or Dorking in two months time?

What none of us know is what his other options are - the Echo article says he's been touted around - perhaps there is some interest from a team where he won't be 5th choice with no reserves/ u23's to improve/test yourself when not in the match squad. Only time will tell with this one, but I can see why he might think he's better off elsewhere.

 

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

I support everything that has been about the club not meeting unrealistic promises required in contract negotiations. In Brooklyn's case, again I agree with all that has been said about maybe unrealistic demands on behalf of his advisors. Maybe they should have tempered their expectations.

Stepping up from the Isthmian to NL is a big jump forward and I think Brooklyn did do well in the appearances he made, but was by no means the finished article or an automatic choice for the first team and the offer would have reflected that, but obviously had some incentives, as would any contract to a young player.

If his advisors think they can do better, good luck to them.

To Brooklyn, Good luck for the future and thanks for what you did in your time with us. I hope you don't rue the decision that has been made on your behalf.

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

if he wants to play, i think fair enough. go get on the grass and play games every week at whatever level

 

[Gremlin]

I thought your brother worked with him for 6 years and you've known him since he was 6?

Post in thread 'Southend sign Brooklyn Kabongolo' http://www.shrimperzone.com/forums/threads/southend-sign-brooklyn-kabongolo.116333/post-2676947

All of those things could be true at the same time of course!

 

[Medway Blue]

I don’t think money was the issue, wealthy family. The boy wants to play….

Ah.....entitlement then.

Here's an idea for you. Take a step back and stop meddling. You'll ruin his career, rather than help it. Controlling and pushy parents are bad enough as it is, without them then playing the role of "agent" or "advisor" when they don't have a clue.

Ditch 8 of the 9 "advisors" too. He only needs one. That's now two clubs that have viewed BK and his entourage as a circus. Just stop and think for a moment.

I feel for the lad.

 

[Blue Yonder]

I thought we did background checks on targets to avoid these complications

 

[Mr Browns Ghost]

Who cares ?? He doesn’t want to wear the shirt so goodbye

The sad thing is he probably does .. but he’s dad decided he didn’t

 

[My Name Escapes Me]

Ironically with Harry Taylor out for a while and Nathan Ralph being so injury prone, the lad could have been in the first team in the very near future.

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

Ironically with Harry Taylor out for a while and Nathan Ralph being so injury prone, the lad could have been in the first team in the very near future.

Absolutely but he appears he wants to run before he can walk as the saying goes.He is still very young he needs to knuckle down graft and work at it you never know where that will take you.Clearly he isn't being properly advised he has made his decision and moves on.I will be interested to see where he ends up and how his career goes,time will tell if he has made the correct decision

 

[Billy is the best]

Rumours that he is set to join Crawley Town

 

[BoyWonder2]

I thought we did background checks on targets to avoid these complications

We do, however if we didn’t sign someone because of a bad influence in their career, we’d sign no one.

Football is an absolute cease pit full of snakes, back stabbers, liars, arseholes and hanger ons. Good guys are very, very rare in the game.

It’s a shame with Brooklyn. He is a talented, but raw centre half, and like @ShrimperStats suggested, I think the plan would have been to me the middle of the back three in the future. Commanding in both boxes, however not as comfortable on the ball as Kensdale who currently occupies that role.

There was a clear plan with Brooklyn. Not someone we signed on a non-contract basis to fill a gap in the squad. JS, Kev et all saw a rough diamond. He would need to be polished, and shined up, but someone with the tools and the application (more importantly) to work with.

However, in a not too dissimilar way to Lopata, too many voices in the ear about what should be happening not what is currently happening put paid to that.

As @My Name Escapes Me suggests, Taylor is out for a few weeks, so we no longer have any centre back cover, assuming Crowther slots in. JD can do a job, but Brooklyn would have been the next cab off the rank so to speak.

Since we’ve been allowed to be in discussions with players, we have been with Brook, but he (or his “advisors”) have been in discussions with others too. It’s a shame as he is a good kid, and was enjoying it here, and I think he could look back and regret what’s gone on.

He wasn’t asking for crazy money, let’s set that straight, but was asking for more than we were prepared to pay for his current status. He is a promising youngster, with (potentially) a good future in the game, but I’d suggest he does need to cut ties with his entourage.

Good luck to the lad. Another who was with us during a difficult spell, and trained for a long time before he could sign any terms.