The FA is to review the work permit rules in existence, that allows foreign players to move to England, as the FA is increasingly concerned that the top players in England are preventing young English players from developing their game.
Greg Dyke – new FA Chairman
Under the existing rules, any player from the European Union simply does not require a work permit, and that has allowed Newcastle, for example, to bring in so many French players over the last three or four years.
Players from outside the EU should have represented their country in 75% of competitive matches, and they are then accepted in as being an outstanding player who will benefit English football, but this rule is skirted a number of times on appeal.
And a recent example is Brazilian Willian, who was signed by Chelsea from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala for £30M in late August, but he has only played for Brazil twice – the first time being back in 21011, so how did he get in?
New FA Chairman Greg Dyke gave a speech last week in which he questioned why young English players are having their development impeded at English club.
This is some of what Greg said:
“We should also examine how the current work permit system operates — and it is worth pointing out that roughly 30% of the players who received work permits this summer did not meet the standard criteria — and we should review the loan system, to see if it can be made more effective in terms of developing players.”
There is a Premier League shareholder meeting this Thursday, and the Chairman is again expected to raise this issue.
If the FA does tighten the rules it is likely they will be tightened for non-EU players, and their decision will not be retroactive.
But it’s hard to change the EU rules, and after all one big reason the EU was set up was so there would be free movement of people to jobs in other countries, so any restrictions there would have very little chance of passing.
Conlcusion – even more players from France to Newcastle in the next few years.
Looks like it – probably starting with Bafe Gomis in January – since we should be able to get him in for about half his transfer fee in the summer, since he will have just six months left on his contract.
That’s the way Newcastle officials think these days – it’s all about the money – and not about the football. 🙁
We’re more like a bank than a football club.
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51 comments so far
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Sep 8, 2013 at 11:21 AM
Comment #1Ed, I don’t think Gomis is coming mate! Actually I think the reason why we didn’t sign him was because he was hoping Marseilles would come in for him. I think that is where he is going in January!
JaxtheMag
Sep 8, 2013 at 11:25 AM
Comment #2we don’t buy anyone anyway, so it wont matter.
bollance
Sep 8, 2013 at 11:29 AM
Comment #3This shouldn’t impact on us too much. Our team is clad with international calibre players so to improve the 1st team we need to being in internationals.
There is a allowance for ‘special talent’ which means that youngsters who are not internationals can move to UK. There have been reports we are now looking to canvas South America for talent.
If you look at the team in Europe who have cashed in over the past 10 years then you will realise they have well and truly tapped the Brazilian market. That team of course is Porto.
theartfuldodger
Sep 8, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Comment #4Imagine if we are around 15th in the table by Jan and Ashley needs to invest.However the rules change and we cant make french imports. Ashley would need to pay for English players.
Looks like Ashley is managing to piss off the FA as well.
Himanshu Dhingra
Sep 8, 2013 at 11:43 AM
Comment #5Ed dont make up articles for the sake of it!
tequilamag
Sep 8, 2013 at 11:52 AM
Comment #6Himanshu, stop twisting at Ed for no reason.
Slank
Sep 8, 2013 at 11:57 AM
Comment #7Greg Dyke is a notorious windbag who likes his own voice too much and likes to court media attention.
He and the FA will always kowtow to Richard Scudamore and the Premier League as it’s where all the money is.
yo-yo
Sep 8, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Comment #8Bills-son
You agreed with most of the rest of us that this summer window would give us all a true idea of Ashley’s ambitions and expectations for the Toon – and be a true reflection of his “ambition’.
Well we all wanted two or three 1st team starters – especially forwards, though I think you mentioned a CH as well in your early summer posts.
We have one loan signing. He is still getting back to full match fitness after an injury
There has been no strengthening of significance – basically its a static situation of mid table consolidation. We have barely stood still.
There is almost a unaninmous view on here that we have a decent squad but needed between two and four players to give us depth and bench power for subs and allow Pardew more options tactically during games (which we all acknowledge he needs, apart from the nous).
You asked a poster earlier what damage Ashley has done to Newcastle United Football Club.
Well, apart from one relegation already, what he has done is to destroy the dreams of a large number of fans that we can ever be successful.
He subsumes all footballing goals to a steady state financially which means no adventure, no ambition, no risks, and inevitably – no chance of success. There can be nothing more for us than mid table mediocrity when, even two years ago, a tiny bit of ambition (only really needed three quality signings ) would have seen us press on to consolidate as a Top 6 club on the verge of CL status.
Now for the vast majority of football club owners success is THE one goal that unites them with the clubs fan base. It is obvious that Ashley has no ambition for success despite your protestations to the contrary.
For most of us it is “so near yet so far”. And any owner who shows his hand as being unambitious for his club – (aim for tenth) – he runs the risk of alienating the fans. In our case this is already happening. It is a very dangerous game for any owner to alienate the fans. It is a measure of Ashley’s dismal approach to OUR club (he’s only borrowing the title deeds) that we cannot trust him as a custodian with any sense of wanting success on the pitch. That breeds hopelessness and that is the scale and level of damage he is doing to the Toon.
That will be his legacy – he is a nearly man.
And we will still be a nearly club – and that is the true scale of the damage he is doing.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Sep 8, 2013 at 12:07 PM
Comment #9Dyke don’t blame the foreigners blame the set up in this country.
You never see kids putting down jumpers and having a knock-around amongst themselves.
Everything is organised. coaches/team managers coach the skills out of the kids for the sake of a win for their Kudos – take any weekend you”ll here coaches trying to teach tactics to seven and eight year olds when the poor kids just want to kick a ball around.
Like to see coaches of today coach the likes of George Best and Paul Gasgoine
toon kk
Sep 8, 2013 at 12:08 PM
Comment #10When we’re relegated it won’t matter anyway. At least MA can run the club on a tight budget without any backlash. At least we will be able to compete with other clubs in the league.
JOKE CLUB.
John Tudor
Sep 8, 2013 at 12:12 PM
Comment #11The trio of numpties are the men That Will not be Blamed for nothing
wolfshead@toon
Sep 8, 2013 at 12:50 PM
Comment #12dyke trying to make a splash otherwise no one would realise he had taken the job as for foreign players before we had foreign players in this country the england team were shit apart from 66 when we were at home and had some luck truth is we invented the game but other countries have improved it
Ben3arfa
Sep 8, 2013 at 1:04 PM
Comment #13Dear God
Give us back Gary Speed and you can have JokeInnEar .
RIP Speedo
Transfer Sage
Sep 8, 2013 at 1:16 PM
Comment #14Wolfshead
Correct there. Even in the 80s when we had 60/70% English players in the league we still didn’t offer much in international competitions. The problem is the players we produce aren’t good enough with the exception of a few.
It’s not English players faults, they will be able to play like other countries, it’s just from a very young age they are picked for the wrong reasons and don’t receive good enough coaching.
Rooster
Sep 8, 2013 at 1:16 PM
Comment #15yo yo, decent post that son, sums it up well, you cant defend the indefensible, MA knows he cannot compete wi the top six, dosnt want europe, so a top ten spot would suffice wi more horseshit for the following season, i really cant se us ever being better than a win loose n draw team with our set up and staff, and director of fcuk all.
Transfer Sage
Sep 8, 2013 at 1:19 PM
Comment #16Charlie
Same in other sports too…how often is the worlds best, at a sport where creativity and individuality important, come from England? Can’t think of one..everything has to be text book which is fine to get the best from 90% but the 10% who have that little edge end up having it coached out of them.
Transfer Sage
Sep 8, 2013 at 1:21 PM
Comment #17Rooster
True but spurs have a net spend on transfers of 5mil over 5 years…so only 1mil a year, all players funded through sales. So in reality transfer fees cost them nothing but its just wages that will have increased.
No reason Ashley can’t appoint competent people around him and try to match that.
Jail for Ashley
Sep 8, 2013 at 1:30 PM
Comment #18I, like a lot of others aren’t happy with lack of transfer activity but more significant imo is the way we were mislead, this regime have been proven in court to be liars and they continue to decieve us, people say the ST revenue isn’t important yet we were told players were coming in to boost those very sales, if they are prepared to so brazenly lie what else is being hidden, the mimi accountants on here will point that Mashley isn’t making money out of the club, why has our revenue stream fallen so far behind Spurs, is it really inconceivable that a proven liar and ruthless business could legally doctor accounts to divert vital income, the bloke is having our pants down yet there still remain a dwindling number of zealots still defending this henious and classless man.
woolerbill
Sep 8, 2013 at 1:36 PM
Comment #19The reason we don’t see to many transfers from lower leagues, is as soon as a premier club go in for a player his value doubles. A five mil player becomes a ten mil. You get a full international with wages for that, greed is why our young don’t get a chance to improve. In the end the country suffers.
toonfield
Sep 8, 2013 at 1:39 PM
Comment #20Dhingra
I don’t understand why you put comments on this blog,
Every time I read comments on eds articles and your name crops up all I read is you having a go at ed,
If you don’t like his articles don’t read the blog
Spellcheck
Sep 8, 2013 at 1:48 PM
Comment #21Yeah indian shut it you A Hole. No criket for you 2 watch?
Spellcheck
Sep 8, 2013 at 1:49 PM
Comment #22Yeah indian shut it you A Hole. No cricket for you 2 watch?
Transfer Sage
Sep 8, 2013 at 1:52 PM
Comment #23Wooler
The value isn’t an issue for me. If anything it helps the young lads. Stops clubs buyin them up and having a reserve side full of talented kids who end up falling out of love with the game and stalling their progress.
Better off playing lower level until they come through.
Rooster
Sep 8, 2013 at 2:07 PM
Comment #24Sage, i dont know if MA will go down the route of Spurs, his so called 5 year plan has been diverted somewhat, our ser yp is amateaiah regarding staff, championship manager, championship coaching staff, and JK, well what the hell qualifies him to do a Daniel Levy type role? Nowt at all!!!
Ivw hadnany eun ins wi anti Ashley fans, but that last window sickened me completly, lies on a huge and decietful manor by all concerned at SJP, made fools out of all of us, i dont know gow he will get the likes of myself pro Ashley for years, back on side, really cant be bothered with the toon at this moment in time.
roy
Sep 8, 2013 at 2:12 PM
Comment #25The squad is decent enough, the manager is not fit for purpose.
Jail for Ashley
Sep 8, 2013 at 2:24 PM
Comment #26Rooster,
I demand a grovelling apology !
WWSBRD
Sep 8, 2013 at 2:51 PM
Comment #27Afternoon chaps what’s new in the world of Toon disasters?
Rotonda heights
Sep 8, 2013 at 3:01 PM
Comment #28Roy
Ditto + JFK & Wonga
Jail for Ashley
Sep 8, 2013 at 3:16 PM
Comment #29WW…,
The lack of recent Mashley inspired atrocities in the last few days havevkilled the blog.
Widowmaker
Sep 8, 2013 at 3:17 PM
Comment #30Yeah, do it and you will see PL fall behind La liga, Seri A and even Ligue 1. To make it worse, they will realize its harder to have a top league playing in your nation than a decent national team.
Just look at the US.
Himanshu Dhingra
Sep 8, 2013 at 3:17 PM
Comment #31If its any good I would Rather have us finish 13-14 than 9-10. At least pardew may get the sack.
Amen
Himanshu Dhingra
Sep 8, 2013 at 3:22 PM
Comment #32PL is Pl because of foreign players. A low % of english ply their trade in PL compared to Spanish and Italian League.
Belfast
Sep 8, 2013 at 3:23 PM
Comment #33They obviously give them work permits because they get paid thousands of pounds every week. So they’re paying thousands of pounds in tax every week too.
If Willam was on 500 quid a week there’s no chance he would get a work permit like lol
Jail for Ashley
Sep 8, 2013 at 3:23 PM
Comment #34If Hoots Norwich finish above us this year it will further make a mockery of replacing him with Pardew.
Ted Bundy
Sep 8, 2013 at 3:25 PM
Comment #35Just thought I’d log in to say, JFA and Ginola, you don’t understand irony so stop using the term.
That’s all. Carry on.
Belfast
Sep 8, 2013 at 3:30 PM
Comment #36They basically want to force clubs into playing English players even though they’re not good enough lol
Jail for Ashley
Sep 8, 2013 at 3:32 PM
Comment #37Man with the unfortunate name, another excellent contribution.
Wiz
Sep 8, 2013 at 3:36 PM
Comment #38Sports Direct are having a big meeting on Wednesday to approve Mike Ashley’s remuneration, amongst other things. This is one meeting Ashley will not want to miss. He can be bearded by shareholders, but not by gatecrashers. He is not on a zero hours contract, and will be receiving more than the minimum wage. Cheerleaders, supporters, and those wishing to congratulate the fat man should make their way to Unit D, Brook Park East, Shirebrook, NG20 8RY on Wednesday 11 September
2013 at 3.00pm.
Ian Toon
Sep 8, 2013 at 3:47 PM
Comment #39I didn’t plan to get sucked into the poster boy posts seen on here over the last few days.
I thought yo-yo earlier made a lot of sense but so many others just nonsense. You won’t win converts by plain ranting for hours on end and aside from the anti Ashley diehards be fast forwarded. The dyed in the wool supporter will be supportive anyway. All your doing is emptying the blog quicker than a flag day in Aberdeen. A co-ordinated message is needed and not a series of off message posts. I do agree though that if you follow the politicians mantra of saying something often enough it will eventually sink in but at what cost!
Let’s get a few facts right. Ashley has not bankrolled the club to the extent of £100 million what he has done is to convert debt to the bank to debt to himself. The club still owes the money but the positive is that it is interest free.
In the pro camp talk of financial success is somewhat premature with concerns over a spiralling wage bill and little evidence of growth/ improvement in playing performance terms. An academy that has under performed on an investment: outcome basis requires much more to be achieved for it to be termed a success. Most damning,
as one poster never ceases to remind us is that Ashley’s decisions got us relegated.
He put his financial support behind the poisoned dwarf Wise and Jimenez over the Geordie icon Kevin Keegan. More recently he chose not to build on a fifth place league finish until relegation became a distinct possibility.
The question many of the anti Ashley brigade(s) want answering is simply to learn of the aims and aspirations of MA. Why did he buy the club and what are his plans going forward?
His business style suggests that he bought NUFC because he saw an undervalued and impaired brand that he thought he could quickly turn round and sell on at a profit. He suffered from having a basic lack of understanding of football. A quick and dirty rather than a full financial appraisal of the club finances cost him dearly. He hired and surrounded himself with mates in key executive positions with the likes of Lambias and Kinnear being out of their depth. Chris Mort was the exception being an excellent appointment but he left far too soon to make a real impact.
Ashley has done nothing to improve communication with the fans and we probably have the poorest PR of any PL club. Ashley throughout his tenure has been guilty of coming up with countless daft ideas which merely further alienate supporters.
I have mentioned frequently written of Kinnear being the straw that could well break the supporters back. On the playing side a point at Villa and 3 points in our next home game against Hull would leave us well placed at the stage of the season.
Let the action groups be mindful of doing nothing to impact on the playing side of the club. Talk of boycotting the Leeds game is questionable because the League Cup represents our best chance of winning something. I remember only to well the events leading up to a 2-1 defeat against Hull where many fans seemed more interested with what was going on off the field than on it. Beware!
Demonstrations outside Sports Direct shops nationwide would have more of a direct impact on Ashley’s interests.
Belfast
Sep 8, 2013 at 3:52 PM
Comment #40Did you start writing that one yesterday Ian ? lol