Armel Bella-Kotchap

[Whitey Grandad]

24 minutes ago, Mboto Gorge said:

The majority of our fanbase at home games are an embarrassment. Absolutely Fucking clueless. Standing ovations and applause for crap performances , clapping lazy prima donna clowns like ABK. And completely passive towards the utter incompetence they witness week in week out

“Never criticise your customers”

At least they turn up.

[Lighthouse]

1 minute ago, Chez said:

First game for a long time, so I am willing to cut him a little slack, but as was the case when he played before, when he has the ball he just doesn't look comfortable, which in today's game is a big problem. Van Hecke looked light years ahead. He looked sharp, had a decent touch and there was snappy passing. Snappy full stop.

ABK is a strong lad, but that's pretty much it. He's not quick in a straight line or on the turn. I'm amazed Germany ever game him a cap. Technically he's just not an international player.

He can only get better from today, but he needs to be playing in a two with...oh, why am I bothering? He didn't want to drop down a division last time, so why would he this time around? 

He's the Deutsch Nugent.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, Whitey Grandad said:

“Never criticise your customers”

At least they turn up.

I’m loathe to criticise our fans full stop, the gates are highly admirable given the pathetic dross on and off the pitch, but I do understand the frustration. The full houses and lack of protests reinforce SR’s perception that everything has been alright. They’ve finally made changes far too late to their dreadful structure but we saw what a few banners did in bringing the end of Martin. If we could combine the numbers with a bit of ambition, drive and fire it would give Dragan far more of a kick up the arse to transform it or sell it.

[Patrick Bateman]

22 minutes ago, Chez said:

First game for a long time, so I am willing to cut him a little slack, but as was the case when he played before, when he has the ball he just doesn't look comfortable, which in today's game is a big problem. Van Hecke looked light years ahead. He looked sharp, had a decent touch and there was snappy passing. Snappy full stop.

ABK is a strong lad, but that's pretty much it. He's not quick in a straight line or on the turn. I'm amazed Germany ever game him a cap. Technically he's just not an international player.

He can only get better from today, but he needs to be playing in a two with...oh, why am I bothering? He didn't want to drop down a division last time, so why would he this time around? 

I guess this is "shop window" time for him. However looking like a lumbering oaf won't get him any bids from Premier League teams and if he was English born and bred, I'm pretty sure he'd be at Luton or Millwall or something. Sorry, I didn't see anything to think he's going to be anything special. 

[chownie20]

He definitely looked more Radhi Jaidi than Michael Johnson.  But 18months with no football was never going to help. He could do worse than play twice a week in the championship alongside Edwards or Wood against the Kieffer Moores and Joel Piroes of this world.

[ally_uk]

Yeah, let’s give this shirker a standing ovation. Wish I could be on a massive wedge, doing absolutely nothing for two years… Bravo! 👏 

[S-Clarke]

I don't think he's ever been much cop to be honest, certainly had the physical attributes I thought we needed back in Ralph's days, but technically he's pretty piss poor. Add that to a genuine lack of conditioning after not playing for years, he looked pub standard.

The crazy thing about him is after all of that, he'll still throw his toys out and demand a move in the summer as he'll think he's better than the Championship. Wilcox called him out last season by suggesting there are players who think they have a PL market, but don't. He's one of them.

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, S-Clarke said:

I don't think he's ever been much cop to be honest, certainly had the physical attributes I thought we needed back in Ralph's days, but technically he's pretty piss poor. Add that to a genuine lack of conditioning after not playing for years, he looked pub standard.

The crazy thing about him is after all of that, he'll still throw his toys out and demand a move in the summer as he'll think he's better than the Championship. Wilcox called him out last season by suggesting there are players who think they have a PL market, but don't. He's one of them.

The German Daren Powell. At least Powell knew he was a Championship player.

[East Kent Saint]

Unfortunately he appeared ok at the start of his time at Saints because we thought he would be the big strong defender but ithas turned out he is pretty useless all round .

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

technically he's pretty piss poor. Add that to a genuine lack of conditioning after not playing for years, he looked pub standard

Singing his name when he came on yesterday was pretty tongue in cheek. He hadn't been seen in ages and people remembered he has a German cap but you only had to see him warming up to realise he was unfit. When he sat down looking injured, someone nearby shouted 'sub him for Jack Stephens' which pretty much says all we need to know about ABK's standard. 

[Lord Duckhunter]

8 minutes ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

Singing his name when he came on yesterday was pretty tongue in cheek.

It really wasn’t. 
 

At least his appalling performance yesterday will stop people asking why we’re playing others at centre half when he’s on the bench. Based on yesterday, he’s extremely lucky to make the bench. 

[Badger]

29 minutes ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

Singing his name when he came on yesterday was pretty tongue in cheek. He hadn't been seen in ages and people remembered he has a German cap but you only had to see him warming up to realise he was unfit. When he sat down looking injured, someone nearby shouted 'sub him for Jack Stephens' which pretty much says all we need to know about ABK's standard. 

Another one for the Ali Dia XI

[Whitey Grandad]

37 minutes ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

Singing his name when he came on yesterday was pretty tongue in cheek. He hadn't been seen in ages and people remembered he has a German cap but you only had to see him warming up to realise he was unfit. When he sat down looking injured, someone nearby shouted 'sub him for Jack Stephens' which pretty much says all we need to know about ABK's standard. 

He’s been out too long for any sort of sparkling return. It’s usually reckoned that you need at least ten games to get match fit.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

 

55 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

1 hour ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

Singing his name when he came on yesterday was pretty tongue in cheek.

It really wasn’t. 

Maybe you're right. It was just the moment and everyone got a little carried away.

Anyway, his first touch was a knee ah that went to their striker and he scored so the mood soon changed.

[St. Ciervo]

He's a symptom of the illness; he is not the problem. Bin him off for sure, but the underlying reason for why so many of our players don't reach potential remains higher up. 

[Badger]

Just now, St. Ciervo said:

He's a symptom of the illness; he is not the problem. Bin him off for sure, but the underlying reason for why so many of our players don't reach potential remains higher up. 

Debatable whether they don’t reach their potential, or whether they had any (or we were the only ones to see it?).

Inclined to agree, ABK had some potential. Don’t think the same can be said for Salisu, Edozie, Bazunu, Gunn (for example). 

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, Whitey Grandad said:

He’s been out too long for any sort of sparkling return. It’s usually reckoned that you need at least ten games to get match fit.

He could have been playing for u21s to regain fitness but I hear he hasn't been interested in doing that 

[chownie20]

Thought he did okay tonight.  However,  coming round to the view there Juric is yet another joker. Bree and Aribo CB with Smallbone CM? How hard is it to appoint a manager who will put our best players in their best positions and play simple football. Deary me. 

[Sunglasses Ron]

.

Edited Tuesday at 21:57 by Sunglasses Ron

[davefizzy14]

ABK was good tonight 😊

[saintant]

2 minutes ago, davefizzy14 said:

ABK was good tonight 😊

Yeah, thought he did ok considering how little football he's played.  I think he should have been given more chances from the start of the season to build up his match fitness and might well have been a different player by now.

[tdmickey3]

5 minutes ago, davefizzy14 said:

ABK was good tonight 😊

Shop window

[S-Clarke]

When we lose 4-0 as tamely as that, no player comes away with any credit. Period.

[pimpin4rizeal]

On 23/02/2025 at 13:35, S-Clarke said:

I don't think he's ever been much cop to be honest, certainly had the physical attributes I thought we needed back in Ralph's days, but technically he's pretty piss poor. Add that to a genuine lack of conditioning after not playing for years, he looked pub standard.

The crazy thing about him is after all of that, he'll still throw his toys out and demand a move in the summer as he'll think he's better than the Championship. Wilcox called him out last season by suggesting there are players who think they have a PL market, but don't. He's one of them.

Yet on pages 4 and 5  you was absolutely creaming over him sorry but it just seems mad to me when peoples opinion changes so much on a guy we have hardly seen 

Abk under Ralph was up with lavia  as our top prospects and didn’t receive a Germany call up by accident 

for me he’s kinda in the same bracket as sully and alcaraz russ didn’t like them and pretty much fucked their chances at saints there is a top player in there though 

 

 

[Fabrice29]

20 minutes ago, pimpin4rizeal said:

Yet on pages 4 and 5  you was absolutely creaming over him sorry but it just seems mad to me when peoples opinion changes so much on a guy we have hardly seen 

Abk under Ralph was up with lavia  as our top prospects and didn’t receive a Germany call up by accident 

for me he’s kinda in the same bracket as sully and alcaraz russ didn’t like them and pretty much fucked their chances at saints there is a top player in there though 

 

 

Probably wouldn’t check Abk’s and Alcaraz’s records away from ‘Russ’ since being fucked by him if I were you. 

[FarehamSaintJames]

Armel Bella-Kotchap is a poor player.

He could be really good but he seemingly hasn’t applied himself in these months.

He wanted out at the first opportunity last season. And when he came back expected to walk straight into the first team - a player that clearly thinks he is better than he is.

The ego of Virgil van Dijk and the ability of Wayne Thomas.

Sooner were rid of him the better.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Armel Bella-Kotchap is a poor player.

He could be really good but he seemingly hasn’t applied himself in these months.

He wanted out at the first opportunity last season. And when he came back expected to walk straight into the first team - a player that clearly thinks he is better than he is.

The ego of Virgil van Dijk and the ability of Wayne Thomas.

Sooner were rid of him the better.

Who will want him though after the medical contract debacle last summer? And if anyone does, will ABK and his agent even speak to them?

[Dusic]

He showed enough last night that one vs one he is still the best we have. 

Cleaely at times he has been disruptive but in the absence of being able to sell him it does seem a bit odd that he wasnt tried before now in a team that has conceded lots of goals for ages.

Hopefully he plays til end of the season and we might be able to get some cash for him.

[bobby_charles]

Purely to make some more from his sale at the end of the season he should play, he won't ever commit for 50/50 because frankly he doesn't give a shit but even only going for 70/30 tackles he is leagues above all thr others 

[OldNick]

2 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Armel Bella-Kotchap is a poor player.

He could be really good but he seemingly hasn’t applied himself in these months.

He wanted out at the first opportunity last season. And when he came back expected to walk straight into the first team - a player that clearly thinks he is better than he is.

The ego of Virgil van Dijk and the ability of Wayne Thomas.

Sooner were rid of him the better.

I will accept your opinion in 4 or 5 gamestime when he has had time to get up to fitness. It is harsh to condemn a player who hasntplayed for 2 years on the back of 2 appearances. I understand he wanted to go, but Im sure all the squad wanted to go when we went down, and will do so this summer

[Orkney Saint]

2 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Armel Bella-Kotchap is a poor player.

He could be really good but he seemingly hasn’t applied himself in these months.

He wanted out at the first opportunity last season. And when he came back expected to walk straight into the first team - a player that clearly thinks he is better than he is.

The ego of Virgil van Dijk and the ability of Wayne Thomas.

Sooner were rid of him the better.

And still the best centre back we currently have (IMHO)…🤷‍♂️

[Harry_SFC]

2 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Armel Bella-Kotchap is a poor player.

He could be really good but he seemingly hasn’t applied himself in these months.

He wanted out at the first opportunity last season. And when he came back expected to walk straight into the first team - a player that clearly thinks he is better than he is.

The ego of Virgil van Dijk and the ability of Wayne Thomas.

Sooner were rid of him the better.

You're right he hasn't applied himself and clearly has a pretty crap attitude. He isn't a poor player though - definitely our best defender but we won't see the best of him because he's so half arsed. 

[FarehamSaintJames]

He was great under Ralph, he was just a slight upgrade over the likes of Jack Stephens. 
Spends more time on the treatment table than the pitch, and let’s be honest he can’t wait to leave the club. I’m sure him and his agent will be doing all they can to leave in the summer.

Good news is I’m sure the club won’t be held to ransom by the idiot, let’s be honest again he’s not going to cancel his contract by mutual consent, which means he needs to accept that it’ll be if the club recieve an acceptable bid.

If he applies himself he’ll get the move he craves, but he simply hasn’t done that.

[Jonnyboy]

18 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

When we lose 4-0 as tamely as that, no player comes away with any credit. Period.

Why bring menstruation into it?

[Holmes_and_Watson]

6 hours ago, Jonnyboy said:

Why bring menstruation into it?

The heavy flow of goals we concede?

[hypochondriac]

He will never play for us again after this season. Pretty bizarre how he has acted and subsequently how we have treated him. He will be a bit of an odd footnote who would have been forgotten already if he didn't have the heart problem in the summer. 

[Chez]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

He will never play for us again after this season. Pretty bizarre how he has acted and subsequently how we have treated him. He will be a bit of an odd footnote who would have been forgotten already if he didn't have the heart problem in the summer. 

He's got another year left on his contract, but no one is buying him this summer. Maybe these PL games will be enough to entice someone to loan him next season, perhaps with us paying some of his wages? I am guessing no one was interested last summer, but who knows. You'd of thought Thomas Reis, his manager at Vfl Bochum, who became manager of top flight Turkish side Samsunspor that summer might have made an enquiry, but perhaps ABK wasn't interested in playing in Turkey?

[OldNick]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

He will never play for us again after this season. Pretty bizarre how he has acted and subsequently how we have treated him. He will be a bit of an odd footnote who would have been forgotten already if he didn't have the heart problem in the summer. 

might mean your first sentence may be wrong