CHAMPIONSHIP HIGH-FLYERS Coventry City have signed defender Abel Alabi from Waterford.
Alabi, an 18-year-old central defender who has previously been involved with an Irish U17s training squad, will be formally registered with the club when the transfer window opens in January.
Alabi joined Waterford from local club Southend, and attracted interest from Huddersfield, also of the Championship.
A proposed move fell through and Alabi then went on trial with Coventry in March of this year. Under new post-Brexit rules, he had to wait until his 18th birthday to sign terms with the club. He has signed a three-and-a-half year contract, and a compensation agreement has been reached between Coventry and his former clubs, Waterford and Southend.
Alabi will complete the season with the U18s and then step up to the U23s from next season.
“We’re pleased to welcome Abel to the club. He spent some time with us last season and in the summer and impressed”, said the club’s U23s manager Luke Tisdale.
“He is very physically adept and will be a big presence at the back for the U18s come 1 January.
“Abel will be put on an individual development plan like everyone is and he will work with the 18s for the remainder of this season, before joining the U23s group at the start of the 2022/23 campaign.”
Coventry have made a strong start to the Championship season, and lie fourth after 17 games.
Good to see Sammy putting in good performances. He could turn out to be an excellent Internation too. Great to see strength and depth at centre in Munster too, Scannel, Farrel, Taute, Arnold and even Goggins.
It would be nice to see some Munster developed players break into the national team, and stay there. It has been a long time since Conor Murray and Simon Zebo did so. There are a number of players in the background but they really need to start producing more for Ireland.
@grandslamkbo: O’Mahony? I agree that we could do with more lads breaking in for regular games but there’s such a log jam of Leinster players…
@EnKy: POM, of course. My error, I meant backs. No reason to drag thinly veiled hostility towards Leinster in this. What Munster-developed players do you think are being unfairly kept out of the first team or regular squad positions for Leinster players? As an Irish supporter, I want to see the best for the national team. Every team has to do their part.
@grandslamkbo: last weekend there were 3 Leinster starters, 2 – munster, 1 Connacht and 1 Ulster. For the next match it’ll be 3 munster, 2 Leinster, 1 Connacht and 1 Ulster. Not sure how you figure munster should be doing more.
@Jim Demps: It was a pretty poor attempt at trolling
This guy has got some serious acceleration.
The abuse joe get and yet the work he puts into these younger players and bringing them through slowly but making sure each part of the foundation is rock solid. Those who buy into this learning set up and do the required work will become far better players for us in the medium and long term.
@Chris Mc: where you seeing all this abuse for Joe?
@Jim Demps: Ahhhh c’mon now… Even Ive hurled the odd bit of abuse at him. And i think he’s flippin great.
The criticism from fans is constant. No matter what he does there will be those who think he shouldve done differently. That’s just the territory of being a head coach. Everyone has an opinion, so no matter what choice Schmidt makes, someone will disagree
@Jim Demps: I just made it up
@Rudiger McMonihan: ya ur probably right. I’m always dumbfounded that he goes with toner.
Fine player with a big future ahead for Munster and Ireland.