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Where Are They Now?


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With no game last Saturday and only two loan-outs to keep an eye on

I browsed the internet (like you do) for ex-Wednesday players - and to see how many of our more recent departures are still plying their trade abroad

 

Bit of a work in progress tbf but I have knocked up a short list

 

I do want to start on a positive note though, so it's congratulations all round to ...

 

FRANCK BETRA

 

The French lad who came through our academy showing bags of promise who then suffered a serious injury a couple of years ago?

He's 21yr old now and after we released him over the summer he found his way to Greece where yesterday (after a couple of appearances as sub before Christmas), he made his full debut for Super League side PAS Giannina away to league leaders AEK Athens

 

I guess we all wish him well for the future

... especially if he proves himself good enough to break into the French national side in four or five years time :dry:

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Still on the theme of hot prospects who never got round to pulling on a (Wednesday) 1st team shirt ...

 

DIOGO AMADO 

... remember him?

 

He was part of that unexpected (and IMO unnecessary) influx of fresh talent that greeted our return to the Championship back in 2012

Portuguese midfielder who had just helped his loan side (Estoril) to promotion whilst collecting eight U21 caps along the way

 

Unfortunately things didn't work out

Naturally enough, I'm gonna blame Dave Jones' all-round demeanour but 'homesickness' was the official reason given for his return to Portugal after barely a month's worth of pre-season training

 

He was immediately snapped up once more by Estoril and spent the next five seasons as a regular fixture in their side

Clocking up 124 Primeira Liga appearances and scoring 5 goals - he even cropped up once or twice on last season's Loan Watch (for the opposites, of course)

 

Now aged 27, he's decided to try his luck in Qatar's "Stars League" by signing for Al Gharafa

Currently mid-table after 12 games 'Our Boy' has been ever-present for them so far and weighed in with 1 goal

There's always a chance the dreaded homesickness might strike again but I dunno, maybe a nice healthy bank balance is good for that sort of thing  :rolleyes:

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Now let us examine the curious case of ...

 

DEJAN KELHAR

 

On the face of it, a much-travelled Slovenian centre back who spent the early part of his career pinballing between clubs in his homeland (incl. a brief spell in Germany) before moving on to Belgium (Cercle Brugge) as a 25yr old

He won his first full cap there and after a couple of seasons moved on again, spending time in Poland, Israel, Turkey, Azerbaijan (you don't think ...? nah) and finally Serbia

Picking up the odd trophy as he went - it was at Red Star that he won his sixth and final full cap

 

He then spent the following pre-season (2014) on trial at Wednesday

Unfortunately, he picked up a serious injury during that trial (knee? can't remember tbh) but we offered him a 12 month deal anyway

I do recall Stuart Gray saying nice things and commiserating with his situation but I don't know if it was just an act of charity on our part or what

Either way, it seemed to set a precedent (signing crocks) that we've remained true to ever since

 

Needless to say, he didn't make a 1st team appearance - although I'm sure he did make the bench once or twice

 

The following summer he returned home to Slovenia and went on to make 50apps (4 goals) for Olimpija Ljubljana, plus another short loan spell in Turkey

Now aged 33, he's back at Celje (for the 4th time in his career) on loan and to date has clocked up 7apps for them in the SNL1

In summary then, a respected career professional with around 300 senior appearances to his name - but none for us  :sad:

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7 minutes ago, Animal said:

what rocky lekaj  or what his name is up to these days? 

 

Blimey, I'm getting requests now  :laugh:

 

But as you asked so nicely ... since leaving Wednesday (2010) he's spent his entire career in Norway

He joined Fredrikstad last year - who went on to lose the relegation play-offs - so when their season starts up again in April he'll be setting their 2.Division alight

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So if Dejan Kelhar wasn't such a mystery ...

I mean his injury was genuinely unlucky and offering him a deal was probably the decent thing to do ...

Just kind of odd that we'd get him fit and then let him resume his career elsewhere, without ever ...

Anyway, if that wasn't a mystery then this is ...

 

JOSE SEMEDO

 

What's going on here?

 

We had the will he/won't he all summer long

Apparently there was an contract extension on the table for him to sign, but he just wasn't returning Carlos's calls ...

It might've been about money, it might've been about his need to play more regularly

Either way, if he'd stayed I'm sure he'd have had more game time with us than he's getting with Vitoria Setubal

And for those who think his best years are behind him, I'd guarantee Burton wouldn't have scored that first goal if Semi had been on the pitch

They'd have taken that full back off in a bag!

 

Anyroad, Setubal ...

He seemed happy enough to move there, but he's made a total of 3 league appearances so far (2 starts) and the last of those being on 3rd December

He can't be injured - I mean, the guy is indestructable

And it's not as if he isn't good enough either - they're currently 2nd bottom for chrissakes

Whatever's happening, this is one I'm gonna follow with interest

 

Is it too late to get him back on loan?  :ph34r:

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2 hours ago, Ethel The Tree said:

So if Dejan Kelhar wasn't such a mystery ...

I mean his injury was genuinely unlucky and offering him a deal was probably the decent thing to do ...

Just kind of odd that we'd get him fit and then let him resume his career elsewhere, without ever ...

Anyway, if that wasn't a mystery then this is ...

 

JOSE SEMEDO

 

What's going on here?

 

We had the will he/won't he all summer long

Apparently there was an contract extension on the table for him to sign, but he just wasn't returning Carlos's calls ...

It might've been about money, it might've been about his need to play more regularly

Either way, if he'd stayed I'm sure he'd have had more game time with us than he's getting with Vitoria Setubal

And for those who think his best years are behind him, I'd guarantee Burton wouldn't have scored that first goal if Semi had been on the pitch

They'd have taken that full back off in a bag!

 

Anyroad, Setubal ...

He seemed happy enough to move there, but he's made a total of 3 league appearances so far (2 starts) and the last of those being on 3rd December

He can't be injured - I mean, the guy is indestructable

And it's not as if he isn't good enough either - they're currently 2nd bottom for chrissakes

Whatever's happening, this is one I'm gonna follow with interest

 

Is it too late to get him back on loan?  :ph34r:

Nah we've already nicked their captain and until Carlos was finally austed wasted half his season with us, wandering on and off of trams looking for his Portuguese compatriot melo. 

Since he's finally found out he's not here and neither is carlos, he's kicking a ball about again lol

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15 minutes ago, pride_of_the_road said:

Franc songo and his mate,  what are they up to now?

 

 

 

Some players just seem to have vanished off the face of the planet ...

 

Franck Songo'o is one - last heard of in 2014, playing for the same Greek side Franck Betra is with now

Kamil Zayatte is another - last heard of playing in Saudi for Al Raed, also 2014

 

Coincidence?

Cue 'X-Files' theme tune

 

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Guest RocketOwl
6 hours ago, Ethel The Tree said:

So if Dejan Kelhar wasn't such a mystery ...

I mean his injury was genuinely unlucky and offering him a deal was probably the decent thing to do ...

Just kind of odd that we'd get him fit and then let him resume his career elsewhere, without ever ...

Anyway, if that wasn't a mystery then this is ...

 

JOSE SEMEDO

 

What's going on here?

 

We had the will he/won't he all summer long

Apparently there was an contract extension on the table for him to sign, but he just wasn't returning Carlos's calls ...

It might've been about money, it might've been about his need to play more regularly

Either way, if he'd stayed I'm sure he'd have had more game time with us than he's getting with Vitoria Setubal

And for those who think his best years are behind him, I'd guarantee Burton wouldn't have scored that first goal if Semi had been on the pitch

They'd have taken that full back off in a bag!

 

Anyroad, Setubal ...

He seemed happy enough to move there, but he's made a total of 3 league appearances so far (2 starts) and the last of those being on 3rd December

He can't be injured - I mean, the guy is indestructable

And it's not as if he isn't good enough either - they're currently 2nd bottom for chrissakes

Whatever's happening, this is one I'm gonna follow with interest

 

Is it too late to get him back on loan?  :ph34r:

He would probably get in our midfield at the moment.

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