Ben Cabango has been disciplined by Swansea City for a serious breach of the clubs Covid Protocols last weekend. Ben has been fined two weeks wages and will not feature as a starter for the swans on Saturday at home to Wycombe Wanderers. That’s the immediate sanction on a player who has risen quickly through the Swansea academy ranks and earned himself numerous admirers.
Originally a youth player for Maindy Ben joined Newport County academy, and then at age fifteen joined the swans. He has a professional contract at the Liberty which runs out in 2023, and receives a modest salary by comparison to his peers for his work at the club. At the time he said "Swansea have shown a lot in faith in me, so has the gaffer, and I want to make sure I repay them.” Unfortunately this pretty poor drop in the expected standards of a Swansea player clearly annoyed swans boss Steve Cooper.
"He's let himself and his family down first and foremost, and then everyone around him including his team mates and the football club. There's no hiding from that and he knows that. He's fallen below the standards with regards to Covid that I think we've set from when we returned, and the club has done a really good job in protecting everybody as best they can. There'll be a next part to this with Ben, and he's got to become a better professional than what he's shown. A lesson needs to be learned quickly, not just about adhering to Covid regulations but what it means to be a 24/7 professional athlete, and he will pay the price. He's missed the game against Sheffield that he would have been in contention for. We don't know when he can return. It's a matter of process that's still happening. He's had to be Covid tested, we haven't had the result back yet. Until we get the result back, we don't know when he can return with us, but our medical team are working with Public Health Wales and we'll get some guidance on it”
Cabango couldn’t be in better hands at Swansea City
Harsh words from his manager for sure, but displays of this nature, especially from a professional footballer, seen by many followers of any club as entitled and in a privileged position. Ben musty quickly learn from this, he must also have an eye on impressing the national team with the Euros now a few months away. Everyone gets a second chance, Ben would do well to listen to his managers words.
Positive news today is the return of Loam Cullen who impressed late on last season and when facing Nottingham Forest in the FA cup. The swans academy product has been back in training this week and has cleverly been introduced in to the swans travelling routine and protocols for away games.
Cooper reflected on Cullens return today stating "The plan for Liam this week was to get him back into the rhythm of travelling with the group, he was not ready to be on the bench or anything like that for this game,” said Cooper. The last thing we are going to do is rush him, but we are accelerating the process of getting him back in a matchday squad. "He probably could have played 30 minutes for the under-23s (on Tuesday), but maybe that 30 minutes can be for us in a game maybe on Saturday, or Tuesday, or whenever”
Liam, back in the fold
So with Ben out, a defensive conundrum is solved for Cooper leaving him potentially with another striking option in one of the home games to come. Ben Cabango should come out of this a better individual, Liam Cullen, another hot academy prospect has been protected well by the club during his rehabilitation. Here’s hoping nothing else deflects from the clear mission over the next five games.
Win them all !