Daka

[Mike Oxlong]

Trevor Benjamin - another goal machine we signed 

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

37 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

Probably the closest in terms of context, outlay and return to Akinbiyi in the modern era would be the purchase of Ayoze Perez and even that would be a bit harsh to Perez.

Very harsh!

 

Akinbiyi may have been a total flop of a replacement for our main striker, but you could say the same about Daka as I’m sure he would have been signed with an eye on replacing an agent Vardy (something we’ve never got anywhere near).

 

Daka was not good business, and certainly not intelligent! Though I appreciate the argument you are making, but I don’t think it reflects his performance levels whatsoever.

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

21 minutes ago, Mike Oxlong said:

Trevor Benjamin - another goal machine we signed 

In an autobiography in recent years it was revealed he failed the eye test in the medical 🤣 he had a squiffy eye as well didn’t he? I think it was Walsh or Izzet’s book. Couldn’t make it up…

[The Doctor]

18 hours ago, suffolk fox said:

Further proof our club is badly run.......Apparently his work permit has run out hence his omission from his International side.  Alledgedly, he has to stay in the UK in order to get it sorted.

 

You, seriously can't make this shite up....................

that is obviously not true though, not least since we're midway through a season. The international sportsperson visa is the work permit, that lasts for 3 years and can be renewed as long as you remain employed and are meeting the qualification requirements for it. his initial visa from when he signed would have expired last summer and been renewed, so it would expire summer 2027. It would not randomly expire in March, that's not how visas work.

[CosbehFox]

This work permit will simply be a cover for not wanting him to go Russia. Two of the other players who pulled out play for Dundee (cos apparently he’s lost his passport) and Lecce. It’s no surprise the more established leagues or countries with a poor diplomatic scenario are weary at having their players based in their country going to Russia & back 

Edited 26 March by CosbehFox

[suffolk fox]

2 hours ago, The Doctor said:

that is obviously not true though, not least since we're midway through a season. The international sportsperson visa is the work permit, that lasts for 3 years and can be renewed as long as you remain employed and are meeting the qualification requirements for it. his initial visa from when he signed would have expired last summer and been renewed, so it would expire summer 2027. It would not randomly expire in March, that's not how visas work.

It was reported by a Zambian reporter and the Zambian team manager actually mentioned it as well.  You are well advised re visas so I will appreciate your knowledge on the subject,  I was just reporting what other outlets were saying.

[Finnegan]

11 hours ago, Wasyls Pec Deck said:

Daka was not good business

 

I'm sorry but this is revisionism. He was. Sometimes transfers fail, I'm not arguing that he hasn't been disappointing. I'm happy to concede that even if he'd been better managed from the start and we hadn't tanked his confidence, I don't think he'd ever have been quite good enough for the level we were aiming at in the Prem. 

 

But on paper the transfer made a lot of sense and was a good one. There's always an extent to which you roll the dice when you buy any player. 

 

Vestergaard, Bertrand, Ayew, Reid, Ghezzal, Slimani, Perez, we've made loads of transfers that looked stupid at the time and turned out to be stupid. 

 

Daka and Soumaré were worth the gamble and if we'd had another coach here when they arrived we probably would have gotten a lot more out of them. 

 

[ceebeefox]

12 hours ago, Wasyls Pec Deck said:

In an autobiography in recent years it was revealed he failed the eye test in the medical 🤣 he had a squiffy eye as well didn’t he? I think it was Walsh or Izzet’s book. Couldn’t make it up…

That’s why he couldn’t trap a bag of cement!

[Levi Port]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

 

I'm sorry but this is revisionism. He was. Sometimes transfers fail, I'm not arguing that he hasn't been disappointing. I'm happy to concede that even if he'd been better managed from the start and we hadn't tanked his confidence, I don't think he'd ever have been quite good enough for the level we were aiming at in the Prem. 

 

But on paper the transfer made a lot of sense and was a good one. There's always an extent to which you roll the dice when you buy any player. 

 

Vestergaard, Bertrand, Ayew, Reid, Ghezzal, Slimani, Perez, we've made loads of transfers that looked stupid at the time and turned out to be stupid. 

 

Daka and Soumaré were worth the gamble and if we'd had another coach here when they arrived we probably would have gotten a lot more out of them. 

 

Daka is a truly terrible football player. Can’t pass in any direction, awful touch, average acceleration, average finishing and is the worst dribbler I have ever seen. 
 

He’s the slowest quick footballer player I’ve seen. Much more suited to track than football as only once he gets going he’s quick. 
 

What really gets me is that he’s a big lad, yet is absolutely hopeless at using his weight/ body effectively. He’s a pacifist on the pitch.  
 

Hasn’t improved an ounce since being here, and that not due to a lack of game time. Hungry players put the hard yards in during training and after to improve, he evidently hasn’t. 
 

Worst signing of the last 20 years factoring in for wages and transfer fee. 

[daddylonglegs]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

 

I'm sorry but this is revisionism. He was. Sometimes transfers fail, I'm not arguing that he hasn't been disappointing. I'm happy to concede that even if he'd been better managed from the start and we hadn't tanked his confidence, I don't think he'd ever have been quite good enough for the level we were aiming at in the Prem. 

 

But on paper the transfer made a lot of sense and was a good one. There's always an extent to which you roll the dice when you buy any player. 

 

Vestergaard, Bertrand, Ayew, Reid, Ghezzal, Slimani, Perez, we've made loads of transfers that looked stupid at the time and turned out to be stupid. 

 

Daka and Soumaré were worth the gamble and if we'd had another coach here when they arrived we probably would have gotten a lot more out of them. 

 

I agree, we have definitely made him worse. Not convinced we've given him a properly sustained run in the team, but its rare you get that nowadays if you don't hit the ground running. 

 

Revisionism or not, he's the worst pound for pound signing we've made. Who's fault it is is sort of irrelevant, but the fact of the matter is he is a genuinely terrible footballer now. 

 

Also - in terms of it being a good transfer... didn't we quadruple his wages? That just never ever ends well. 

[justfoxes]

Such a disappointment the 4 goals he scored in Russia we thought we’d got the New Vardy, but instead of the New Vardy we got another flop he’s far too lightweight getting knocked off the ball far too easily his lightning pace has slowed down considerably his shooting has well let’s just say I was really supporting Daka thinking he’d be the next big thing for us but unfortunately we just invested in another Lemon who just can’t quite make the step up tho the Premier League and now I wouldn’t be upset if we sold him on !

[Finnegan]

49 minutes ago, daddylonglegs said:

he's the worst pound for pound signing we've made.

 

He isn't though, is he. He isn't even the worst striker we've signed in the post-title winning era. 

 

We paid more for Slimani who was objectively worse. 

 

I know everyone's desperate to block it from their memory but we paid almost the same for Ahmed Musa who was objectively worse. 

 

I know the meme is that Daka is my favourite player but he's a long way from it, I defend him as much as I do because there's just so much ridiculous hyperbole spoken about him, disproportionately more so than any other player. 

 

Yes he's been a disappointment, yes we need to sign a better striker but the idea that he's the worst attacker in the current squad is frankly stupid let alone the worst we've ever had. 

 

Perez, Slimani and most recently Skipp were significantly, significantly worse signings than Daka in context because all of them absolutely tanked our spending power at the time when we were in incredible positions to push on and take the squad to the next level. The signing of Daka caused nowhere near that amount of harm to the squad, to the club and to performances in general. 

 

Right now we could have Prime Ronaldo up front (7 or 9, or **** it, both together) and we'd still not be scoring goals because we create absolutely nothing at all. 

 

It's not like Daka (or Vardy, who I've also seen scapegoated lately) are missing hundreds of chances. They're living off scraps. 

 

Edited 26 March by Finnegan

[The Doctor]

3 hours ago, suffolk fox said:

It was reported by a Zambian reporter and the Zambian team manager actually mentioned it as well.  You are well advised re visas so I will appreciate your knowledge on the subject,  I was just reporting what other outlets were saying.

I would suggest that's been mistranslated then. His work permit wouldn't have run out, it may instead be that the home office have flagged an error at some point (our end or theres) in the renewal last summer which wasn't picked up when registering him.

[st albans fox]

4 hours ago, Levi Port said:

 

Worst signing of the last 20 years factoring in for wages and transfer fee. 

Anyone can get a target wrong 

the wages we pay on lots of players is what’s got us into psr trouble.  Basically stopped us being able to trade 

[ashbyj]

7 hours ago, Finnegan said:

 

He isn't though, is he. He isn't even the worst striker we've signed in the post-title winning era. 

 

We paid more for Slimani who was objectively worse. 

 

I know everyone's desperate to block it from their memory but we paid almost the same for Ahmed Musa who was objectively worse. 

 

I know the meme is that Daka is my favourite player but he's a long way from it, I defend him as much as I do because there's just so much ridiculous hyperbole spoken about him, disproportionately more so than any other player. 

 

Yes he's been a disappointment, yes we need to sign a better striker but the idea that he's the worst attacker in the current squad is frankly stupid let alone the worst we've ever had. 

 

Perez, Slimani and most recently Skipp were significantly, significantly worse signings than Daka in context because all of them absolutely tanked our spending power at the time when we were in incredible positions to push on and take the squad to the next level. The signing of Daka caused nowhere near that amount of harm to the squad, to the club and to performances in general. 

 

Right now we could have Prime Ronaldo up front (7 or 9, or **** it, both together) and we'd still not be scoring goals because we create absolutely nothing at all. 

 

It's not like Daka (or Vardy, who I've also seen scapegoated lately) are missing hundreds of chances. They're living off scraps. 

 

Seriously did you watch the Plymouth away game last season?

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

21 hours ago, Finnegan said:

 

I'm sorry but this is revisionism. He was. Sometimes transfers fail, I'm not arguing that he hasn't been disappointing. I'm happy to concede that even if he'd been better managed from the start and we hadn't tanked his confidence, I don't think he'd ever have been quite good enough for the level we were aiming at in the Prem. 

 

But on paper the transfer made a lot of sense and was a good one. There's always an extent to which you roll the dice when you buy any player. 

 

Vestergaard, Bertrand, Ayew, Reid, Ghezzal, Slimani, Perez, we've made loads of transfers that looked stupid at the time and turned out to be stupid. 

 

Daka and Soumaré were worth the gamble and if we'd had another coach here when they arrived we probably would have gotten a lot more out of them. 

 

Another interesting post, but I don’t think it is revisionism. It made sense in the way that football fans get excited by big transfer fees and foreign names, but that was it. 
 

I think you said in a previous post half of Europe wanted him, but according to who? Also plenty of players rip up other leagues and can’t score as many in the Prem, but with Daka it’s the basics of football that are lacking. While confidence and coaching may have been a factor, no one has really fancied him. It goes beyond on all that. Sometimes he wouldn’t look out of place in local social 7 a side games.

[frany104]

20 hours ago, Finnegan said:

 

He isn't though, is he. He isn't even the worst striker we've signed in the post-title winning era. 

 

We paid more for Slimani who was objectively worse. 

 

I know everyone's desperate to block it from their memory but we paid almost the same for Ahmed Musa who was objectively worse. 

 

I know the meme is that Daka is my favourite player but he's a long way from it, I defend him as much as I do because there's just so much ridiculous hyperbole spoken about him, disproportionately more so than any other player. 

 

Yes he's been a disappointment, yes we need to sign a better striker but the idea that he's the worst attacker in the current squad is frankly stupid let alone the worst we've ever had. 

 

Perez, Slimani and most recently Skipp were significantly, significantly worse signings than Daka in context because all of them absolutely tanked our spending power at the time when we were in incredible positions to push on and take the squad to the next level. The signing of Daka caused nowhere near that amount of harm to the squad, to the club and to performances in general. 

 

Right now we could have Prime Ronaldo up front (7 or 9, or **** it, both together) and we'd still not be scoring goals because we create absolutely nothing at all. 

 

It's not like Daka (or Vardy, who I've also seen scapegoated lately) are missing hundreds of chances. They're living off scraps. 

 

Slimani and Musa were miles better than Daka. 

[Kinowe Soorie]

The miss against Leeds is up there with the worst I’ve ever seen. Says it all when he didn’t pull up any trees in the Championship.

[Mickyblueeyes]

23 hours ago, Finnegan said:

 

I'm sorry but this is revisionism. He was. Sometimes transfers fail, I'm not arguing that he hasn't been disappointing. I'm happy to concede that even if he'd been better managed from the start and we hadn't tanked his confidence, I don't think he'd ever have been quite good enough for the level we were aiming at in the Prem. 

 

But on paper the transfer made a lot of sense and was a good one. There's always an extent to which you roll the dice when you buy any player. 

 

Vestergaard, Bertrand, Ayew, Reid, Ghezzal, Slimani, Perez, we've made loads of transfers that looked stupid at the time and turned out to be stupid. 

 

Daka and Soumaré were worth the gamble and if we'd had another coach here when they arrived we probably would have gotten a lot more out of them. 

 

Yeah, I’ve got to agree with this. Daka, on paper was exactly the type of signing we want to be making and fitted the bill of young up and comer. 
 

Very successful in a lesser league. Young. High perceived potential. Linked heavily with bigger clubs - suggesting a potential large sell on. 
 

How he has tanked, even last season, I think is the biggest surprise. I was incredibly excited when we signed him and I think most fans were. I think you can apply the same to Soumare. 
 

It worked with Mahrez, Kante etc. it hasn’t worked this time. I think that can also be attributed to the players. Mahrez/Kante were relentless winners. In fact, you can add Vardy to that. When they struggled, and they all had phases - Vardy in his first year in the champ and PL. Mahrez in his first year in the PL and Kante being played left wing under a manager who (reportedly) didn’t rate him. They knuckled down, worked hard and made sure that down period didn’t define them. Neither Daka or Soumare seem to have that.

 

Both have failed but long term, it’s exactly the time of profile that a club like ours (and Brighton, Brentford, Forest etc.) should be going for. 

[Finnegan]

42 minutes ago, Mickyblueeyes said:

Neither Daka or Soumare seem to have that

 

One of the biggest differences between tiers of player is often just mentality. 

 

I don't think Daka or Soumaré are either particularly strong in that department. They both seem like they have extremely fragile confidence, Daka especially. 

 

People that have played with Ronaldo talk about how hard he works in training and the almost psychopathic fixation on self improvement but he's also never, even as a kid, not had a complete arrogance in his sense of confidence. 

 

Daka - like Iheanacho before him - just seems hugely vulnerable in that regard. 

 

I do think we haven't helped him here, I think the way Rodgers handled him when he arrived damaged that. But there's also a point where you just have to say, I'm sorry, if you aren't strong enough mentally to find consistency even in a challenging context then you probably just aren't ever going to be an elite athlete. 

 

[Chelmofox]

Daka always comes across as lovely in his interviews. I never doubt he would be a lovely bloke to be around.

 

But when we talk about mentality, and desire etc, he should have made it his mission to be our number 1. He should have been laser focussed to have achieved that, no matter what. 

 

Instead, he's shown Vardy far too much respect. I think in the early days he waited for his opportunity, rather that pushing to take it. Thats then symbolised where he is now. 1 goal this season for someone who should be hitting their prime years.

 

Sad thing is, this whole experience has probably given him everything he needs to make his next move a success. I've always felt he will go somewhere with a completely different mind set and take his opportunities. Will probably go somewhere in Italy and bag 20 goals in a season.

[Chelmofox]

2 hours ago, Kinowe Soorie said:

The miss against Leeds is up there with the worst I’ve ever seen. Says it all when he didn’t pull up any trees in the Championship.

For a while he had pretty decent goal contribution stats in the Championship. That Leeds game was the day it all fell apart. He had a legit goal chalked off that would have made it 2-0 to us, then he scuffed that shot. He confidence was shot after that. The fact he couldn't pick himself up after that when we were playing Championship dross there for the taking tells you what you need to know about his mentality.

 

Oddly, the game showed me what he was made of was the Leeds away game in our relegation season. We had got the game back to 1-1, and Daka was through and pretty much 1 on 1 with the keeper. Instead of taking his chance and going for it, he squared it to Vardy who was scored but was offside. It was a bad decision that i think he made out of respect. What that 3 points would have done to that season as well.

 

 

[CosbehFox]

30 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

For a while he had pretty decent goal contribution stats in the Championship. That Leeds game was the day it all fell apart. He had a legit goal chalked off that would have made it 2-0 to us, then he scuffed that shot. He confidence was shot after that. The fact he couldn't pick himself up after that when we were playing Championship dross there for the taking tells you what you need to know about his mentality.

 

Oddly, the game showed me what he was made of was the Leeds away game in our relegation season. We had got the game back to 1-1, and Daka was through and pretty much 1 on 1 with the keeper. Instead of taking his chance and going for it, he squared it to Vardy who was scored but was offside. It was a bad decision that i think he made out of respect. What that 3 points would have done to that season as well.

 

 

He was very good in that Leeds game up to that point too. You are bang on about mentality 

 

I don't think he's any saviour.

At one point last season, he was 7 goals from 10 appearances and in first PL season, he had a goal in every 2.3 games ( a 16 goal season). 

 

Edited 27 March by CosbehFox

[Realist Guy In The Room]

3 hours ago, Kinowe Soorie said:

The miss against Leeds is up there with the worst I’ve ever seen. Says it all when he didn’t pull up any trees in the Championship.

KDH's reaction was literally all of us.

[accessory]

On 24/03/2025 at 21:14, Lichfieldfox. said:

The point I was making albeit not very well was if he can't improve under one of the best strikers in PL history he's unlikely to improve anymore

Here are a few other City strikers who didn't improve while playing with Vardy:

 

Harry Kane - record England goalscorer.

Chris Wood - veteran PL striker, likely to be in the Champions League next year. 😟

Andrej Kramaric - World Cup finalist.

Islam Slimani - AFCON winner.

Ayoze Pérez - Euro24 winner.

 

It needed a strong character to knock him off his perch, which Daka wasn't (and isn't). However he was somewhat undermined by a pledge made by Rodgers to keep Vardy at the club as long as he (Rodgers) was here.

 

Daka is a modern-day version of Mark Bright from the 1980s - vilified by fans here (and not just for football reasons), but very capable of rebuilding his career at a decent level elsewhere.