Loan Report

It's been a great weekend of football. Not just promotion for us but dramatic late finishes at Braintree, Exeter, Spurs, Villa and Everton among others. Man City v Arsenal today, an eventful Scottish Cup semi-final - there's drama everywhere you look at this stage of the season. Except in this thread, of course. This is where the action isn't, bringing you back down to earth ready for work in the morning. Don't thank me, it's all part of the service.

At this stage of the season in particular, regionalised leagues must seem like a good idea. At the end of a long, tiring campaign it's a blessing for fans and players alike that there won't be a monster away trip to make. Unless you're Merthyr Town that is. They had to make a ten hour round trip to Scarborough yesterday for a crunch game, a win would secure them a play off place. To make it worse, it's the bumpiest pitch in the league there, a gale was blowing across the ground, the Merthyr fans had their flags confiscated by stewards and they were refused admission to the clubhouse. Merthyr went ahead early on and held that lead till deep into the second half but then conceded twice to drop out of the play off places. Other than that it all went pretty well as far as I know. 90 minutes for Jac Thomas there and a sub appearance for Will Spiers.

It must have been mixed feelings for Luey Giles yesterday. Happy for City and the lads he knows from the Academy who've played their part this season but frustration that he wasn't a part of it. He got a start for Eastleigh yesterday, and an assist as he passed to Kieron Evans for their goal in a 1-1 draw with Tamworth, for whom Michael Reindorf made a sub appearance.

Troy Perrett got 90 minutes for Yeovil as they lost 3-0 at York, Dakarai Mafico got a start there after injury. 90 minutes for Ewan Griffiths (Cardiff Met drew 2-2 with Flint, who finished with nine men) and Luke Armstrong in the Welsh Premier League. Roko Simic came on late for Karlsruher, Luke Pearce the same for IFK Mariehamn. No pitch time for Kion Etete or Jesper Daland, whose Fortuna Dusseldorf side have now slipped to next to bottom in Bundesliga 2.

A couple of quiz questions to start with this week. No prizes but the opportunity to feel good about yourself if you get them right should be reward enough.

Who was the only City player with a League appearance this season who wasn't on the pitch after the game yesterday joining in the celebrations?

Who was the only player to get a medal yesterday who's had less pitch time in the league this season than Rob Tankiewicz?

While the season is petering out for most of our loaned out players, there was still something to play for in a few cases. Jac Thomas and Will Spiers got starts for Merthyr as they went ahead twice against Fylde before losing 4-2 and so missed out on a play-off place in the National League North.

Better luck for Luke Armstrong though as Penybont won their Welsh League play-off final semi-final. They drew 0-0 at Colwyn Bay yesterday and Armstrong pulled off a good low save to his right in the penalty shoot-out to help see Penybont through. They now play Haverfordwest County at home in the final next week with a place in next season's Europa Conference League qualifiers at stake.

Dakarai Mafico has won Yeovil's young player of the season award and seems to have earned the respect of everyone there. A start for him yesterday but he was subbed early after an injury. Troy Perrett got another 90 minutes in though. He hasn't pulled up any trees there but has picked up plenty of pitch time in different positions and hopefully will have gained a lot from the experience.

No pitch time for anyone else, apart from the player who is the answer to the first quiz question. Jesper Daland came on in the 64th minute for us in the opening game against Peterborough this season. Oddly, he also came on in the 64th minute for Fortuna Dusseldorf on Friday night in a crucial 3-1 win against Dynamo Dresden.

That Peterborough game also provides the answer to the second question. Eli King came on in injury time for his only league appearance this season. Eli has been a regular in this thread over the years and it's a great shame that when it finally looked like he'd be given the chance to make an impact here he suffered a serious injury. Ryan Wintle's form may have limited his chances anyway but hopefully he can make a full recovery and establish himself here next season.

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Originally Posted by Loramski

A couple of quiz questions to start with this week. No prizes but the opportunity to feel good about yourself if you get them right should be reward enough.

Who was the only City player with a League appearance this season who wasn't on the pitch after the game yesterday joining in the celebrations?

Who was the only player to get a medal yesterday who's had less pitch time in the league this season than Rob Tankiewicz?

While the season is petering out for most of our loaned out players, there was still something to play for in a few cases. Jac Thomas and Will Spiers got starts for Merthyr as they went ahead twice against Fylde before losing 4-2 and so missed out on a play-off place in the National League North.

Better luck for Luke Armstrong though as Penybont won their Welsh League play-off final semi-final. They drew 0-0 at Colwyn Bay yesterday and Armstrong pulled off a good low save to his right in the penalty shoot-out to help see Penybont through. They now play Haverfordwest County at home in the final next week with a place in next season's Europa Conference League qualifiers at stake.

Dakarai Mafico has won Yeovil's young player of the season award and seems to have earned the respect of everyone there. A start for him yesterday but he was subbed early after an injury. Troy Perrett got another 90 minutes in though. He hasn't pulled up any trees there but has picked up plenty of pitch time in different positions and hopefully will have gained a lot from the experience.

No pitch time for anyone else, apart from the player who is the answer to the first quiz question. Jesper Daland came on in the 64th minute for us in the opening game against Peterborough this season. Oddly, he also came on in the 64th minute for Fortuna Dusseldorf on Friday night in a crucial 3-1 win against Dynamo Dresden.

That Peterborough game also provides the answer to the second question. Eli King came on in injury time for his only league appearance this season. Eli has been a regular in this thread over the years and it's a great shame that when it finally looked like he'd be given the chance to make an impact here he suffered a serious injury. Ryan Wintle's form may have limited his chances anyway but hopefully he can make a full recovery and establish himself here next season.

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Mafico had a league appearance but was not on the pitch yesterday too.

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Originally Posted by Vic Flange

Mafico had a league appearance but was not on the pitch yesterday too.

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I was sure I saw him. It threw me because I didn't remember him getting a medal and also Yeovil had a game but then I remembered Yeovil kicked off at 12.30 so he'd have had time to get back. There's a picture of him at the player of the season awards but I can't find one of him on the pitch so you might be right.

CCFC insider reckons that Karlsruher SC won’t be purchasing Roko Simic at the end of the season and he’ll be back with us. He eventually played over 20 games which was the mooted trigger point to purchase, but that could be a load of bollocks.

Not great for the lad if both teams are thumbing over the loan agreement and checking the fine print to see who doesn’t get to keep him.

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Originally Posted by Loramski

Eli King came on in injury time for his only league appearance this season. Eli has been a regular in this thread over the years and it's a great shame that when it finally looked like he'd be given the chance to make an impact here he suffered a serious injury. Ryan Wintle's form may have limited his chances anyway but hopefully he can make a full recovery and establish himself here next season.

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I do hope so, I'd really like to see Eli establish himself in the team.

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Originally Posted by Kitman

CCFC insider reckons that Karlsruher SC won’t be purchasing Roko Simic at the end of the season and he’ll be back with us. He eventually played over 20 games which was the mooted trigger point to purchase, but that could be a load of bollocks.

Not great for the lad if both teams are thumbing over the loan agreement and checking the fine print to see who doesn’t get to keep him.

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There's also an option to buy on Daland's loan. Wonder if Dusseldorf will want to take that up. Both he and Simic are currently contracted to us until 2028.

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Originally Posted by Undercoverinwurzelland

There's also an option to buy on Daland's loan. Wonder if Dusseldorf will want to take that up. Both he and Simic are currently contracted to us until 2028.

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I think that there's a team in Belgium, that would love to have them.

We haven't yet seen Simic, at 6'3 maybe he could compete with Salech. I'd imagine BBM wouldn't mind having a look at him unless a deal is already done.

Still can't get my head around the transfer, just odd given our situation.

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Originally Posted by Trigger

We haven't yet seen Simic, at 6'3 maybe he could compete with Salech. I'd imagine BBM wouldn't mind having a look at him unless a deal is already done.

Still can't get my head around the transfer, just odd given our situation.

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I think people forget how young Simic is, he's only 22. Bagan's having his breakthrough season now and he's 24, same age as Rubin who's still seen as developing. I'm not saying Simic will be a world beater and, you're right of course, we should expect more after what we paid for him but it seems a bit early to be writing him off completely.

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Originally Posted by Vic Flange

Mafico had a league appearance but was not on the pitch yesterday too.

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He was there, you had me doubting myself. Him and Kpakio walk behind Omari Kellyman as he's being interviewed here.

https://tv.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/video...5-b90e2bded1dd

It was an odd one though. I don't think he got a medal, I can't see him in the picture of the squad getting the trophy and I don't remember him walking round the pitch. I just noticed him near the end in the penalty area at the Canton End. I assume his commitments at Yeovil meant he arrived at the last minute here. Making a late, unnoticed move into the box is a good skill for a midfielder so fair play to him.

There was a post I saw somewhere on social media of photos of him and Kpakio as kids in the academy (couldn't have been more than 5 or 6, in the Prem era Red shirts) and then holding the trophy together on the pitch.

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Originally Posted by Loramski

I think people forget how young Simic is, he's only 22. Bagan's having his breakthrough season now and he's 24, same age as Rubin who's still seen as developing. I'm not saying Simic will be a world beater and, you're right of course, we should expect more after what we paid for him but it seems a bit early to be writing him off completely.

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Bagan's played 109 times for us now. I think Bagan's always had promise and stalled when Morison took over. I think his proper breakthrough was last season though where he didn't go missing and didn't look completely out of place like some others.

Simic might come good, who knows. I'll back BBM's opinion, always! Maybe we've already got the striker we want in the building?

I think selling him and Daland for the rumoured 2m each would be very, very helpful from a FFP/PSR/whatever it is perspective however

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Originally Posted by Pedro de la Rosa

Bagan's played 109 times for us now. I think Bagan's always had promise and stalled when Morison took over. I think his proper breakthrough was last season though where he didn't go missing and didn't look completely out of place like some others.

Simic might come good, who knows. I'll back BBM's opinion, always! Maybe we've already got the striker we want in the building?

I think selling him and Daland for the rumoured 2m each would be very, very helpful from a FFP/PSR/whatever it is perspective however

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Bagan only made 17 starts in the league last season compared to 39 this. Either way, the point I'm making is that two seasons ago he was struggling for pitch time in the Belgian second division when he was the same age as Simic is now. I'd say 22 is a bit young to be drawing the conclusions that some people are on here. I agree with you entirely about trusting BBM's judgement.

If we end up getting our money back for Simic, as you're suggesting, that's hardly the catastrophic transfer that it's been made out to be. Daland is the bigger worry for me. He's 26, cost us more but can't get 90 minutes in for a poor side that plays three centre backs.

Let's see what happens, this should be an interesting close season.

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Originally Posted by LA Bluebird

There was a post I saw somewhere on social media of photos of him and Kpakio as kids in the academy (couldn't have been more than 5 or 6, in the Prem era Red shirts) and then holding the trophy together on the pitch.

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Thanks. What I've found surprising is that there seemed to be no end of pictures being taken during the celebrations and yet very few have seen the light of day. I thought it would take me a few seconds to find one with Mafico in but I still haven't seen one yet myself. I guess the feeling is that it would just be a rehash of after the Reading game to show the celebrations again.

Shame really. I thought it was nice, and typical of BBM, to make it so inclusive with the injured and loaned out players (or both in poor Nyakuhwa's case) being given the same priority as the first team regulars.

If you have Facebook, it was a post by Glen Williams about 11h ago

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Originally Posted by LA Bluebird

If you have Facebook, it was a post by Glen Williams about 11h ago

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Thanks again. I'm not on Facebook but was able to see that, it was more moving than I was expecting it to be. They'll be mates till they're 70 too. My boys have played sport since they were young, one seriously and one socially but in both cases they've made a network of close friends and contacts that they'd never have made otherwise. Sport isn't just about fame and fortune, or even just the physical benefits. At any age or level it can be life changing.

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Originally Posted by Loramski

Bagan only made 17 starts in the league last season compared to 39 this. Either way, the point I'm making is that two seasons ago he was struggling for pitch time in the Belgian second division when he was the same age as Simic is now. I'd say 22 is a bit young to be drawing the conclusions that some people are on here. I agree with you entirely about trusting BBM's judgement.

If we end up getting our money back for Simic, as you're suggesting, that's hardly the catastrophic transfer that it's been made out to be. Daland is the bigger worry for me. He's 26, cost us more but can't get 90 minutes in for a poor side that plays three centre backs.

Let's see what happens, this should be an interesting close season.

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3 centre backs could be tough because he's not the most mobile, so if he's not the best one, he'll have to play out wide and get dragged out like a full back. I don't think it would suit him at all. Daland is crap though, he'd get blown over by a stiff breeze.

I think 2m was the option Karlsruhe had that would have got triggered, I think we'd be lucky to get that now after season of him going nowhere. He's got 2 years left (as has Daland). If we can recoup any transfer fee, I think it would be good business. I think we'll be fairly active in the summer!

A clean sheet for Luke Armstrong earlier as Penybont won their play-off game with Haverfordwest 2-0 to qualify for the early rounds of the Europa Conference League next season.