Sabre wrote:Thanks for the link LFC2007, and I understand your views.
Work permits will be issued to international players of the highest calibre who are able to make a significant contribution in footballing terms to the development of the United Kingdom game at the highest level (i.e. clubs competing in the Premier Leagues and Football Leagues in England and Scotland, the Welsh Premier League and the Irish Premier League in Northern Ireland).
I can agree the aim of the rule, as otherwise a Conference team could make scatter gun tactics with lads coming from Africa and offer a lot of small shitty contracts. And since there are a lot of lower teams, there would be a lot of players that could use the pretext of football to stay in the country.
But I disagree the arbitrary conditions that are later set and that are based in FIFA rankings. Gonzalez, was denied the permit because Chile hadn't a high position. Leto's problem is different, his nation is so powerful in terms of football that playing "A" games would be not only expensive for him, but for most of English professional players (bar the international regular ones).
If you look at the quoted text, I think Leto fulfills the criteria. More even so if they consider Irish and Welsh leagues as top ones. Let's remember that working as a footballer can be understood broadly, as there are conference leagues and a lot of lower divisions. Certainly playing at Liverpool, even as a reserve, with possibilities to have minutes, should be considered as top football.
Gonzalez wasn't good enough for Liverpool, correct, but he might be very good for Bolton or Betis in Spain, other smaller, yet top division clubs. Same thing applies to Leto, IMHO, it's very harsh to deny him a work permit if we attend to what it is quoted. Not good enough for Liverpool doesn't mean not good enough for another top division club.