Blues central defender Elkan Baggott has joined League Two Gillingham on a season-long loan.

“I'm very happy to be here, I want to improve myself and the objective for me, and us collectively, is to finish as high up in League Two as possible,” the 19-year-old told the Kent club’s official website.

“It's a really good vibe, everyone is happy. Friday was a good session and I'm now looking forward to the game tomorrow. I'm not afraid to make a tackle, I try my best.”

The 10-times-capped Indonesia international, who signed a new three-year deal last month, made his league debut for the Town at Rotherham in April and made another appearance in the 4-0 thrashing of Charlton on the final day having made his senior bow in the EFL Trophy tie against the Gills in October 2020.

Speaking in April, manager Kieran McKenna said he'd talked to Baggott about going out on another loan, the Colchester-raised defender having previously had a spell at King's Lynn in the second half of 2020/21.

“That’s a good possibility and something that we’ve spoken about with Elkan personally,” he said.

“That’s one good option for a young centre-half. Picking up a full season of regular starts can be a big step in your development, as we’ve seen with many centre-halves over the years with Luke Woolfenden easy to make an example of in terms of his experience of going out to Swindon and getting a full season.

“That’s definitely one really good possibility for Elkan, but it needs to be the right club, the right environment and all the right aspects need to fit together for it to be the right experience for Elkan, and if we find that then the possibility of him getting a year’s experience somewhere is definitely one we’re looking at.”

Photo: Matchday Images

trncbluearmy added 05:00 - Jul 9 The loan system came about because there is no competitive league for reserves as there used to be in the old (better) days. This is good move for him
2

chepstowblue added 07:46 - Jul 9 Personally I'm disappointed with this. Not so much the loan move or the game time that he'll experience, but the fact that with the stupid amount of subs available for use this season a place on the bench he was certainly desevering of, even if he is behind Burgess and Ndaba (debatable) in the ranks. Good luck to him.
-1

LegendofthePhoenix added 07:57 - Jul 9 Personally, I'd prefer to have seen him go on a half season loan, I don't believe there is a recall on these season long loans, but maybe I'm wrong, and maybe Gills were only willing to do the deal if it was a full season. With the trajectory that Elkan is on, I could see him being ready for regular League 1 football by January. And if we get promoted as we all hope, then Elkan's experience would all be League 2 with us 2 division's higher, so he would really need League 1 experience before playing in the Championship. But Neil Harris is a good coach. Just hope it goes well for him.

2

blues1 added 08:34 - Jul 9 Legendof the phoenix. Its likely there's an opportunity to recall him in January. Would imagine that's a part of the deal. Chepstowblue. He is behind Ndaba. Ndaba has just come back from his loan where he was named Salfords player of the season. So he's had that experience of regular competitive football. Which is what Baggott will get at gillingham. Has too many players ahead of him, with burgess, edmondson, woolfenden, donacien,,and ndaba. Also ball can cover there, leigh too. And if we sign Davis he too can play cb. So while I'd have been perfectly happyto have seen him here, think a loan will be beneficial to all parties.

6

Dissboyitfc added 08:41 - Jul 9 Good move for all parties!
1

Dissboyitfc added 08:44 - Jul 9 week in week out on the bench with very little game time, would be of no use to him or us, will come back a better player!
3

mikemuhrenthijssen added 09:03 - Jul 9 The other point is our ability to score goals from corners…. Not directly linked to Baggott but we must attack corners offensively better and defend corners …. Remember Oxford…. We will never get out of that division unless we improve our set play techniques… Are we looking at this as so important at this level?
2

Bazza8564 added 09:22 - Jul 9 Cant understand the issues here, KM announced in April that he would be seeking a years loan for the boy and that's exactly what he has done. He will get games there and he would have been stuck in the 23s here. Fact! Now ive also been supporting the club over 50 years, a period in which football has changed completely, both economically and in terms of its whole structure. Talk of Butchers debut and Robson and the Dier 25 years ago are about as relevant as a Boris Johnson denial. Its 2022 fellas, if you want to squabble there's a MSG tag top right on your screen, you can argue amongst yourselves. Elkan is delighted with the move because he knows he will get a valuable part of his footballing education at Gillingham, an education that will push him closer to readiness here when he returns. And as for the Tyreece Simpson comments and "how that worked out"..... what in God's name has that got to do with anything? And by the way, it hasnt finished being worked out yet either......

4

jas0999 added 09:38 - Jul 9 Great move for him. With Wolf, Edmundson, Donacian and Burgess all fighting for potentially three (maybe two depending on system) positions in team, you would think his options will be somewhat limited. Defensively we are extremely strong.
2

ronnyd added 11:13 - Jul 9 trncbluearmy.... yes, agree, the old Football Combination was a good watch.
1

Westy added 11:30 - Jul 9 I am really surprised at this. From what I saw of him he could do a job for us this season. Is this another case of a player going out on loan and then sold when they could could have become a first team regular? Very disappointed.
-2

Lightningboy added 11:32 - Jul 9 Slightly surprised,thought he would've been decent back up for one of the back 3 slots this season but it'll probably be better for him & us in the long run. Hopefully he gets a full season under his belt & comes back challenging for a starting place in 2023.
1

TimmyH added 13:01 - Jul 9 If he comes back a stronger player after the experience I'm for it, don't forget he's only 19 then yes a good move...we're fairly strong in the central defence area so not the biggest concern but the left side is!
0

Paulc added 13:13 - Jul 9 I am absolutely gobsmacked at mikemuhrenthijssen's take on this. Especially the ‘build the team around players like this' comment. He's played 2 games for us and he's 19 yrs old! What planet do you live on? How can you compare this to the 1970s? The game had moved on, the amount of players benefitting from full season loan spells are countless. Look at those we've had on loan over the years, Frazer, maitland-Niles, Lawrence, etc and then others like mason mount I could go on. Too many dinosaurs commenting in the modern game with a why change anything attitude. Let's stick to 4-4-2, have a crafty pint and cigarette at half time, only need 1 sub etc etc.

4

Kickingblock added 13:51 - Jul 9 I think that this is a good move because it's not too far away for the club to monitor his progress and far enough to be out of his comfort zone. Hopefully, he'll have a great life experience as well as regular football. 🤞👍
1

ringwoodblue added 14:31 - Jul 9 Who needs Djokovic vs Krygios when you have blues1 vs Mikemuhrenthijssen?
1

blueboy1981 added 14:57 - Jul 9 Good move ??? - we will see … !!! Personally, I think it's another strange decision. We'll see, as the season progresses … !!!
-1

blueboy1981 added 15:05 - Jul 9 …. I just hope all this unadulterated confidence in McKenna and Ashton is not misplaced - the answer to that we will all know in May 2023. I am still wondering who actually calls the final shots on the in's and out's of Players and Staff at Portman Road …. !!!
-1

blueboy1981 added 16:15 - Jul 9 Why are some questioning a 19 year olds ability to play in the 1st Team ? - after all this is not the Prem' or Champ' - reality is we are playing at THIRD DIVISION level. Baggott fits that bill at 19 years old - no problem. Let's hope we do not lose another natural talent …. !!!
-1

mikemuhrenthijssen added 17:43 - Jul 9 PaulC Obviously you cannot see how talented Baggott is…. probably someone who can't see a footballer….it sad… I remember all the people at Portman Road last season who not one but two times in a game go mad when a ball was thighed back to the keeper… they needed explanation as to why that was not a pass back… sad…. 19 years old in league one… hardly a massive problem is for an international footballer?

0

Linkboy13 added 17:48 - Jul 9 I like your sense of humour mikemuhrenthijssen there's always one numpty who takes the bate.
0

brassy added 18:43 - Jul 9 mt you get the wooden spoon buh
0

1Warky added 19:26 - Jul 10 Our defence is not as great as people here seem to think. This is a poor decision unless we are about to sign better defenders than we already have. He is at least as good as what we have and a natural leader. Are we really going to use him if we are prompted to the Championship with his league two experience? With the amount of games next season, including various cups, there is plenty of opportunity to blood him further and keep him in the fold. Not to mention injuries that may happen to others. I just hope it works out for the lad. He's a class act.

-1

Linkboy13 added 10:02 - Jul 11 Warky 1 So you think sending out Downes and Wolfenden on loan was the wrong decision both better players than Baggott at the time. Baggott is a good prospect but needs to toughen up if he's going to play central defence. Anyone who thinks he's as good as Edmundson, Wolfenden or even Burgess and Ndaba who had a good season at Salford is living in cloud cuckoo land or probably hasn't played the game.

0

1Warky added 16:18 - Jul 11 Linkboy13. It's a game of opinions. I respect yours as a fellow Town fan. I'm not going to hurl insults in your direction as a fellow Town fan either. For your information, I have played the game at the highest level in my country, not the premiership in England I must confess. I have been a Town fan for 44 years and although some of those years would have been easier spent in cloud cuckoo land, I stayed and supported my team. There are many players who contradict your opinion and others who support it. This is a fact you can't deny so let's just agree to disagree on this one. I hope and believe Baggott will make it regardless of the route the club chooses. We are playing at a league lower than we were in the case of the two players you mentioned. Enjoy what I hope is a great season ahead for our lads. All the best.

0

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls