Filip Benkovic to Cardiff (Loan)

[Chocolate Teapot]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

I agree, I'm can only assume his injuries have seriously stunted him because the pedigree of him playing for a top Croatian club and European football before the age of 21 as well as numerous U21 and senior games for a top nation suggests he'd be ready for the transition, even as a squad player. I remember when we signed him, we didn't think he'd be available for the price and actioned it because it was too good an opportunity to turn down. Rodgers absolutely loved him at Celtic too, its bizarre.

He's played for the Croatian national team. Its a big fall from grace.

[Nalis]

44 minutes ago, Muzzy_Larsson said:

I think it's more about being ready than bad. Physically I don't think his body would cope with the rigour of EPL football at the moment (maybe not ever) but the best chance of getting in the shape and physical fitness required would hopefully playing a full season of competitive football somewhere. I think this is a fitness issue rather than an ability thing otherwise you'd have cut your losses with him before now. Like I said he may never be able to stay fit enough long enough to cope with EPL football so this loan spell is make or break for him. You can't go from essentially 18 months out injured, to a few under 23 games to then be able to make any meaningful contribution at EPL level, not someone who seems to be made of glass anyway.

If thats the case, he needs to work on being a decent full back as he'll never make it as a centre back at any top european league.

[Jaspa]

It's weird because physically when you look at his build he's got a Klitschko style, long springy limb thing kind of going on. He should be an absolute beast, I'd still like to see him fulfill some potential and not just be another Kapustka

[Muzzy_Larsson]

1 hour ago, Nalis said:

If thats the case, he needs to work on being a decent full back as he'll never make it as a centre back at any top european league.

  I think he needs to work on getting fit and getting on the pitch regularly before anything else tbh.

[Spudulike]

On the bench for Cardiff tonight. 

[BKLFox]

44 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

On the bench for Cardiff tonight. 

He was an unused sub at the W/end also which is why I wasn’t that keen he went to Cardiff, it should have been a lesser named club if you know what I mean. Nelson and Morrison are Cardiff’s starters and will be for most games I don’t see him getting a good run of games there and Harris is a 4231 guy so no chance of a back 3 style start either. 

[Angus Scott]

And they still have Sol Bamba who may well be the next choice centre back

[sacreblueits442]

22 hours ago, honeybradger said:

I just cant see how he can possibly be any worse than having a 37 year old wes morgan and Fuchs as our centreback depth, Bennet last season as well. If he really is genuinely that bad then one season in the championship is not going to make him ready. If he was ever going to have a future with us he would already be better than those other options and playing for us in our europa games this year and the occasional PL fixture to give evans some rest.

...you obviously did not understand the previous post by @Muzzy_Larsson or chose not to!!!

It is his fitness and the subsequent detriment to his game time/development that is the problem not his talent. I have previously said that on the pitch he appears to be worrying if at any time he is about breakdown, he does not look comfortable out there.

[Lambert09]

Not sure why people think this is a bad loan move. If he can’t displace a Cardiff cb then he will never make it in our side. It’s as simple as that.   It’s not like they are amazing, up and coming players, just bog standard championship centre halves. 

 

We we need to be patient. No player should walk into an established side without proving themselves, kante didn’t, wasilewski didn’t, Morgan didn’t, Evans didn’t, soyuncu didn’t.

 When  he gets the chance he needs to impress and kick on from there. 

 

I think this will be good for him. 

Edited 22 October 2020 by Lambert09

[The People's Hero]

21 hours ago, Abrasive fox said:

He's played for the Croatian national team. Its a big fall from grace.

Its a huge fall from grace and I have to say its absolutely bizarre that the same manager liked him enough to take him on loan and start him every game and then would rather play players out of position than pick him here.

 

I know the SPL is not the PL, but this does have me scratching my head a bit.

[foxile5]

37 minutes ago, The People's Hero said:

Its a huge fall from grace and I have to say its absolutely bizarre that the same manager liked him enough to take him on loan and start him every game and then would rather play players out of position than pick him here.

 

I know the SPL is not the PL, but this does have me scratching my head a bit.

Rodgers safeguarding Rodgers. Throw the player under the bus rather than admit we've mucked up a bit and left ourselves thin. Remember when he gave Kelechi a kicking instead of admitting he got something tactically in he got it tactically wrong? 

[Muzzy_Larsson]

1 hour ago, The People's Hero said:

Its a huge fall from grace and I have to say its absolutely bizarre that the same manager liked him enough to take him on loan and start him every game and then would rather play players out of position than pick him here.

 

I know the SPL is not the PL, but this does have me scratching my head a bit.

It's not all that bizarre at all when you consider his injury record the past couple of years. If he'd been fit and available  would agree it's bizarre but that's very much not been the case.

[Muzzy_Larsson]

1 hour ago, foxile5 said:

Rodgers safeguarding Rodgers. Throw the player under the bus rather than admit we've mucked up a bit and left ourselves thin. Remember when he gave Kelechi a kicking instead of admitting he got something tactically in he got it tactically wrong? 

I think Rodgers is actually protecting the player here. He throws Benkovic in when he's unfit and not ready and it's a disaster then there's probably no way back for him at Leicester.

[MPH]

I remember when I heard his first interview... the deep voice.. broken English... he reminded me of Ivan Drago from Rocky. From that moment on I thought he would be a success here and I desperately still want him to be. this really is make or break for him... if he has a stormer he could propel himself into the team like Barnes did have his championship loan

[ParkerPen]

45 minutes ago, MPH said:

I remember when I heard his first interview... the deep voice.. broken English... he reminded me of Ivan Drago from Rocky. From that moment on I thought he would be a success here and I desperately still want him to be. this really is make or break for him... if he has a stormer he could propel himself into the team like Barnes did have his championship loan

 

unfortunately we 'broke' him

[MPH]

1 minute ago, ParkerPen said:

 

unfortunately we 'broke' him

 

 

[Richard]

22 hours ago, Angus Scott said:

And they still have Sol Bamba who may well be the next choice centre back

If he can’t get in ahead of a 35 year old sol bamba he’s got no chance of making it 

[Spudulike]

1 hour ago, ParkerPen said:

 

unfortunately we 'broke' him

I thought Celtic and a plastic pitch broke him? 

[Muzzy_Larsson]

20 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

I thought Celtic and a plastic pitch broke him? 

He played 30 odd games at us. 

[Out Foxed]

1 hour ago, Richard said:

If he can’t get in ahead of a 35 year old sol bamba he’s got no chance of making it 

bamba is class at that level

[vanity]

On 16/10/2020 at 15:30, Sol thewall Bamba said:

Jesus. What's the point? Threadbare squad and 50+ games this season and he still doesn't get a look in.

To improve to the point he can contribute, I imagine. A run in the Championship will toughen him up some, with any luck. But he may just be a sick note.

[norwichfox]

On 21/10/2020 at 14:36, moore_94 said:

I guess Rodgers is saying..."I broke him at Celtic and he is fcuking useless at this level now"....

[volpeazzurro]

56 minutes ago, norwichfox said:

I guess Rodgers is saying..."I broke him at Celtic and he is fcuking useless at this level now"....

You'd have thought he'd known his full capabilites before we put pen to paper or, could there be an element of because he'd been out of Premiership football for quite a while, he may have misjudged the quality of it slightly compared to Scotland?

[brucey]

 

 

So either

1. A fully fit Benkovic was good enough for the PL, but his injuries and lack of match fitness have ruined that
2. Rodgers underestimated the standard required for the PL

3. He was never really good enough and Rodgers was just talking his players up

 

Edited 23 October 2020 by brucey

[AjcW]

1 minute ago, brucey said:

 

 

So either

1. A fully fit Benkovic was good enough for the PL, but his injuries and lack of match fitness have ruined that
2. Rodgers underestimated the standard required for the PL

3. He was never really good enough and Rodgers was just talking his players up

 

Option 2 assumes this is Brendans first PL gig so you can get rid of that.

When he started against Wigan in the cup I think he was fully in consideration for the league after that if he hadn't got injured.

Personally think it's option 1... he's been very unlucky and ultimately that's going to dictate where his career goes from here.