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James Rodriguez and Work Permits
Agent Barry McIntosh told the Mirror yesterday how Birmingham City were close to signing James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao in 2008 but for the transfers to fall down because of work permit issues.
In the interview McIntosh says he scouted Rodriguez in 2008 when he lit up the U17 World Cup for Colombia. Rodriguez was playing for Envigado at the time in Colombia and McIntosh said that the Colombian’s move to Argentine side Banfield came about because the £3million move to St Andrews broke down. Colombia finished as runners-up in the tournament with Rodriguez scoring three times.
Rodriguez is a huge talent. Although Colombia are now out of the World Cup ( breaking my accumulator last night in the process), the Monaco midfielder is top scorer with six goals including one of the most stunning goals I’ve seen for a while against Uruguay. His penalty last night meant he continued his record of scoring in every game Colombia played in the World Cup – I’m not sure anyone else has ever scored in their first five World Cup games. It’s also true that he was known as a talent at that young age; anyone else who plays the Football Manager series of games will be able to tell you that Rodriguez (and Falcao) were hugely rated a long time before they became known to the larger world of football.
In saying all that I have to admit that I cannot see how Rodriguez would have broken into a side that relied on experience to get itself back out of the Championship in 2008/09 as a gauche 17-year-old had we signed him. I only have to look back to Luciano Figueroa to see how a South American talent struggled to make an impression at Blues; the ill-fated Chucho Benitez got more game time but didn’t get the goals we wanted from him.
What really gets me about the article is how McIntosh moans about the work permit system and how it is preventing clubs from signing young foreign talent; I can understand his gripe that England aren’t exactly lighting up the world right now with the current rules in place but I think it’s seriously misguided to think that removing the work permit system wouldn’t make things worse than they already are. It strikes me that there is an amount of sour grapes as McIntosh would earn more as an agent if he could bring South American players to the UK – and with owners like Sullivan always happy to do business with him, he wouldn’t be short of potential offers.
I will admit my deep cynicism when it comes to agents hawking players around clubs in the manner McIntosh has done; I’ve seen it before in previous seasons when Blues have taken young players on trial – past players such as Damian Zamorano and Julian Cardellino both spring to mind who were hyped as the next best thing but ultimately failed to make an impression at Wast Hills. Both players were last seen playing for Malaga-based CD El Palo, who play in the Segunda División B (the Spanish third tier) – a far cry from the Championship.
Another player with Blues connections who is making his way in the lower tiers of European football is former Academy player Eddy Gnahoré. Gnahoré, who was released at the start of last season has signed for Italian third tier side Carrarese Calcio. The 19-year-old spent last year without a club and trialled without success in France looking for a new start.
Tags: Eddy Gnahore, James Rodriguez
119 Responses to “James Rodriguez and Work Permits”
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I think that one of his points was, that to gain a work permit, players had to have played in 75% of his country’s games. How can a 15, 16, 17 year old have played 75% of his country’s games. Would only happen in rare cases I would have thought. As for the agent, I can’t think why he would disclose this now if there wasn’t some truth in it at least.
i think your right Staffs , but how do clubs elsewhere in Europe manage to sign these same young south Americans?
I think this was the bloke’s point. Our work permit rules are a lot more stringent apparently. No idea how true that is.
I think one of the problems in the current game is that of the agent, in the early days just like trade unions they were useful, but then they became greedy and power mad.
It would probably be better bringing in younger players than the influx of foreign established players we have now as it would help our younger generation to grow along with them. The long term benefit would be to the players, clubs and countries, in my opinion.
KRO+DNM
He will always be known as the one that got away……
thanks Dan, i had not seen that story in the Mirror , i feel much happier now , next you will tell us we missed out on Messi as well.
did you know that lionel messis favourite english team is birmingham city,
yes its true!!!, rodrigues and falcao might have made the bench but i wont loose any sleep over it. KRO.
Could Messis be the other one that LC is still after? What a crafty dog. On a Bosman as well!
well hes looking for a left footer but messis toe nail is about all we could afford ime afraid. KRO.
I notice that Callum Wilson has joined Bournemouth. I never thought I’d see the day, when the likes of Bournemouth could easily outbid us for local talent like that. Sad times indeed.
only in the mean time staffs, those sad days will soon dissapear and the likes of bournemouth wont be competing with us in the future, chin up pal. KRO.
Cheers dave. :)
Not while these owners are still in place I am afraid. We will just continue scraping the barrel. £5k a week is Football League 1 money and that is where we will end up if we don’t get sold.
we will eventually but until that day comes were carry on regardlesss and make sure we stay in this division and not go to bolton last game again needing something….the old ticker cant keep taking it staffs. KRO.
As with last season, I don’t think we’ll be relegated. The only time relegation crossed my mind, was in the 2 minutes between Bolton’s second goal and Zigic’s header… but at no other time. I think we might just be the surprise package this season.
I think defensively we will be stronger -we can’t be any worse than we were after Xmas last season. My hunch is that the problem will be at the other end this season. I don’t think Novak, Green and Thomas will get 20 goals between them. The big hope is Donaldson and whether he can step up a division . It’s not just the lack of quality up front that concerns me it’s who is going to create opportunities. I know people got excited about the two lads from Doncaster but didn’t they get relegated?
Fair point, but one or two players don’t get a team relegated, it’s a collective thing. The point is, we now have two wide men who can go past defenders and actually get a cross in. That’s a 100% improvement for a start. Donaldson is a proven goalscorer and, at the end of the day, the goals are the same size and position in any division. I believe we now have pace and power up front, which we’ve lacked for many seasons. Plus, there’s Gleeson in the middle, who actually has a football brain. Fingers crossed for the new season eh? ;)
The goals might be the same size but the defenders are better. To be quite honest I can’t remember seeing any of these new players play so will have to wait and see. The wages we pay dictate the quality we get and it’s quality that will tell over a season not quantity. We have 20 or so players that are much of a muchness. We finished last season with two Championship quality strikers in Zigic and Macheda and it is debatable now whether we have any.
Having no Big Time Johnnys can often be an advantage.. look at Burnley. The main thing is, all those 20 players will be pulling in the same direction. Thank God we won’t have any kids on loan this season.
Maybe. I hope you are right but my guess is that he is still going to need make full use of the loan system to keep us up. We have got too many there who are simply just not good enough for this division eg Shinnie, Lee, Packwood. He may have to loan these out to make room and money available to get the quality in we need.
Absolutely agree about Shinnie, Lee and Packwood. I’d add Spector to that list too. After last season, I’m in two minds about Reilly and Hancox as well. Hopefully they’ll improve this season. I do think like Clark though, that a good left winger on loan might be all we need now. My guess, is that he’s waiting on Ibe.
Yes agree on Reilly and Hancox. We need a goalkeeper too. Can be just as important as a 20 goals a season striker if not more. I hope Randolph had a good summer off because his confidence must have been shot after the last few months of last season. He might have had a bad back too the number of times he had to pick the ball up out of the back of the net.
I was a fan of Randolph in the first half of the season, but with all the rickets he made after Xmas, I’m not so sure anymore. He’s definitely suspect on long range shots and I lost count of the goals that went in above his head too. I don’t think he commands his area that well.
I think bot Reilly and Hancox were carrying injuries especially in the second half of the season, hopefully we wont need to rush players back. Randolph needs to work on his weaknesses this summer, walls, crosses and long range shots. He wasn’t too bad before we lost Burn and Bartley but I think he needed to be dropped to give him a much needed kick up the proverbial. He became very complacent and was quick to blame those around him. I’m not sure if John Vaughan is the right for goalkeeping coach, I think we need someone more experienced.
KRO+DNM
ide love to see ibe back, but not to confident on that one. KRO.
All our squad were together for pre-season, yet he’s in no hurry to bring a left-sided player in… that could be because he already knows the player and vise versa. That’s what makes me think it might be Ibe.
i hope so. KRO.
I can see a few more goals coming from midfielders this season too, they will have more space with the wide men, just hope they don’t push too high all at once so we don’t get caught too often on the break.
KRO+DNM
For me, that’s up to Robbo as captain to give them a shout to pull back or not venture too far.
If he remains team captain, I think it was you who said he should be club captain and someone like Caddis would be better on the pitch, if it wasn’t you someone did mention that.
KRO+DNM
Yep, twas me. :)
Tbh, looking through the squad, apart from Robbo, I’m not sure if any of the players have ever been captain at their previous clubs, except maybe Caddis. Certainly, no other players left from last season are capable imo.
Wasn’t Spector vice captain, but I can’t see him getting that many games this season.
As you say Caddis is probably the most experienced to take the armband, if he want it that is.
KRO+DNM
As I said Chris, I’ve no idea if players like Gunning, Grounds, Edgar or Gleeson have ever been a captain before. Spector and Eardley are too quiet. Doesn’t leave too many options to be honest.
I think Gleeson has some experience when he was at MK Dons, though he is or has been prone to injury.
KRO+DNM
My choices would still be Robbo as club captain and Caddis as team captain, or captain and vice-captain.
As you say not many options really or experience to choose from.
KRO+DNM
to true shirley blue but i think we did get there two best players
in cotterill and duffy but then again thats where we are at the momment and ime quite happy with the buisiness that lee claks done, i just hope they all gel and get played regular and not every other game or change of formation. KRO.
I think that is going to the key this season, consistency in selection and tactics. Ok to the odd change depending on opposition or injuries. He still has the loan market he can use to bring in that extra bit of quality if needed.
KRO+DNM
Staffs – we stayed up because Leicester were professional on the last day with nothing to play for. If these new players are not better than last seasons lot we are in trouble. Macheda’s goals kept us up more than anything and he has gone. That was despite the fact that LC tried not to pick him as much as possible. We might have 20+ players but he can only pick 11 for a match. Mind you even if he could pick 20 he would still find a way of messing it up.
I’m not certain, but didn’t Macheda score more from the bench than he did when starting? I’m sure you’ll correct me if I’m wrong.
I thought we had blown it when we went into injury time, to be honest I never expected an equaliser.
I thought last seasons squad was a comfortable mid table finish until we had the heart ripped out in January, difficult to call at the moment but if everyone pulls together and settles quickly then I can see us pushing the top half with a tweak or two come January window to push us that extra bit.
KRO+DNM
Agree with that.
im not sure how anything that has happened in the last three years could lead you to believe that Dave , but i admire your postive thinking.
i remember back in the early 90s when we made an audacious bid to try and get maradona, weather there was any truth in that ime not quite sure. KRO.
When we signed Tarantini in 78,we were offered Maradona then as well.
Tarantini. What a disaster that was. Never seen such a cry baby.
i remember him saying that he signed for blues because he wanted to play at wembley….i reckon he lost his way and meant to go to the blues of chelsea…..to right saying what you said staffs, he was awfull. KRO.
He was the only one in that Team that knew how to play football. He was streets ahead of the other players in his thinking. Blues should have done the same as Spurs and bought a couple of players, but did what they always did and just splashed out on one.
Why do people keep putting this rubbish on its pointless it’s bad enough being a blues fan at the moment without reading this. All fans want to know about is when and who is going to buy blues.
we dont know mate thats why. KRO.
don’t like it don’t read it !!!!
come back in a couple of years, Carson might have given by then you never know………….
To be quite honest after the pathetic performance by England in the World Cup we need the work permit system to be made more stringent. IMO the complete lack of English players of top international quality is mainly due to the number of foreign players paying in the top division. It’s stifling opportunities for young English players. There is nothing we can do about players from EU countries because they are completely free to come and play here. It wouldn’t be so bad if English players were playing in the top leagues in France, Germany, Spain etc but I can’t think of one.
propably because theres more money in the premiership or championship than there is in any other EU country….thats why the foreighners all come HERE.!!!! KRO.
I know that but if the situation continues we won’t even qualify for major competitions soon let alone put on the sorry show we did this year. Look at Scotland and Ireland. Our top division used to be full of players from these countries. Once the foreign players started flooding in our top clubs stopped looking there. They have stopped qualifying for major competitions. I don’t have a problem with the very top foreign players playing here it’s the hundreds of average ones who are a cheap and easy alternative to developing English players.
Have to agree wholeheartedly with those views too.
i second those views also shirley blue but nothing seems to be stopping it happening. KRO.
Should have had a cap on foreign players years ago, as you say maybe the top one or two.
The FA have to realise this, virtually every supporter in the country can see it.
Didn’t they stop the influx of foreign players into the Bundesliga and totally revamp the German structure following a dismal WC a few years ago?
KRO+DNM
Because of EU employment regulations they couldn’t actually legally stop players from other EU countries playing there if a club wanted them. Maybe there just isn’t the desire there to bring in foreign players or below the top few clubs the wages are just not attractive enough.
The same with any job, there are more foreign workers coming here than going to say Poland or Bulgaria, money and benefits and unfortunately our government won’t tell the EU to get knotted unlike Germany or France.
KRO+DNM
I’m not certain, but isn’t there a 2 player restriction on overseas players in county cricket? It’s worked well for many years.
To be fair Staffs there are not that many countries that play cricket, but you are right it has been in place in cricket fro years. Not sure how Rugby work with foreign players in this country?
KRO+DNM
if you think the two overseas player ruling in country cricket is working staffs, you should google
Kolpak ruling
There was a question mark in my comment rob. Personally, I’ve not watched cricket since Sky has been dominating it.
sky money keeps a lot of counties going.
And what did they do before Sky?
Struggled like f**k believe me. It costs well over a million pound just to bid for a test match in this country.That’s not Sky’s fault.but their money has helped a few more grounds get up to test match standard and bring in the extra revenue they need.It’s nowhere near the amount football gets obviously,but it helps.
I’ll take your word for it Steve. As I said, I’ve not watched cricket for a few years now. As well as the internationals, I always watched the 5 day game on the Beeb and the 40 over game on BBC2 every Sunday. But sky ruined all that. The money may be useful, I won’t deny that, but the stranglehold they have on sport these days can’t be a good thing.
Thing is staffs the bbc stopped bidding for a lot of sport including cricket. Sky was the only real option. You were paying for it on bbc really with your license fee. Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Exactly, so now we’re expected to pay for the tv licence fee, plus Sky Sports? Nah, not for me. As for Sky TV, I had the full package, plus internet, which were both set fees… yet our bill went up and up every month, without explanation. So, I switched to Virgin 3 years ago… far superior service.
Relied on Warwickshire to bail them out in most cases. That Warwick Pool was a life saver for most Counties.
I remember that, came round on a Thursday night, never won but kept playing it. My Grandad would make up his hamper and toddle off to Edgbaston for the 3 day home games, never missed a game in all the years he lived in Selly Park, 1922 to 1983.
Enjoyed playing cricket but couldn’t go and watch a match, liked the bbc coverage back in the day.
KRO+DNM
Spot on dave. Let’s not kid ourselves that top foreign players come over here for anything other than the money.
maybe its the climate staffs that attracts them and not the tens of thousands of pounds they get paid or it could be the love of the city or town there playing in……….if you believe that your believe anything!!!! KRO.
Oh yeah… a cold winter’s day in Newcastle more than makes up for £60k p/w in wages, any day.
or they come over to play here because it’s the best league in the world?
No its the money I am afraid. That why no English players are playing abroad because they are still better off financially not even getting a game for an English premier league team than playing first team football in say France. The Sky money makes all the difference here.
But the money is here because its the best league in the world, that’s like saying ronaldo and bale didnt go madrid because its the biggest team and to win trophies, they only went for the money.
The money is here because of Sky.
It’s the same thing, sky plow in the money because it’s the best league. If sky stopped putting in the money any other sports channel would happily throw their money at the league.
Whatever. The issue is that our top division is awash with average foreign players meaning a very small pool of players for the England manager to pick from which is why we were uncompetitive in this World Cup. You are deluding yourself if you don’t think money is the main driver for them being here.
Yep, berbatov only come to the premier league for the money and not to become a better player because obviously the bulgarian league is at the same standard.
He probably got ten times the money here he got in Bulgaria so yes I would think that might have come into play in his thinking.
Also because English players are too expensive to buy.
Is it?
most watched league around the world, and has produced the most champions league winning teams and always goes down to the wire for the title, top four and relegation. can’t think of a reason why it isn’t the best.
If you like watching premiership football, then I suppose it’s the dogs. Personally, I’ve rarely watched live premier games for a long time now. I’m not paying good money out to watch the top 6 week in week out.
The trouble with Sky, is that they assume everyone supports the top 6, so they dominate the viewing each season and stuff everyone else. Well I don’t buy into that c*ap. I’d rather spend my money on a real live match and MOTD and the FLS supply the rest.
Problem is all the foreign owners could not care less about the England football team so they will not agree to anything with regards to limiting foreign players.
Football these days is all about the top 4 of the prem and the champions league. Everything else is an afterthought.
All we have to do, Shirley Blue, as I’ve often said on this site, is to limit the number of foreigners a Premiership club is allowed to field at any one time. English players are rare in the top teams 6 or 7 teams because Sky Sports provides the money to attract them and, as money talks, it would need some Government legislation to change it.
If anyone’s interested, there’s a good article by Guy Branston on the BBC website today. Look on the left hand side, under “Features & Analysis.”
I personally would slacken the the rules on younger players from around the world ,as long as they are protected ,it would stop the big clubs pimping off the smaller clubs in this country for their youngsters …all these bigger club should pay a larger fee for under 18 on the basis of a success rate
WilliamMorgan;, As long as the Premiership clubs hold the ” whip-hand ” over the football league and F-a, — I cannot see that happening mate.
I do think that deals involving players under 20 should include, by default, add-ons for potential, like so many games in the prem, call ups for international duty etc…. and a sell-on fee of at least 20%. If a player doesn’t make it at prem level, then no one really loses.
I can see the point you are making but the big clubs would ship them out before they met the criteria and it would be lost. We should have had add-ons in place for Redmond, Mutch and Butland.
Until someone sits down with the hierarchy nothing will ever change as it suits those as it stands.
KRO+DNM
just been looking at the championship, fawsl and fawsl continental cup leagues and Birmingham City are top in all three…..happy days….just wish it was may next year though!!!! ah well enjoy it while you can i say. KRO.
The men’s team can emulate the women’s team next season.
The women’s team all have other jobs unlike the “rich” girls of Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City women’s teams. They make up for the lack of resources by great team spirit coupled by terrific leadership from messrs Parker and Bignot.
It’s even more remarkable, when you consider that the ladies lost a few experienced players in the summer and replaced them with mainly younger players. They were expected to struggle because of it, but David Parker was optimistic that they’d do well. Congrats to everyone concerned, long may it continue.
Let the ladies be an inspiration to the men and see what can be achieved by pulling together.
KRO+DNM
The squad for Ireland: http://www.bcfc.com/news/article/20140705-lee-clark-confirms-squad-for-ireland-1718854.aspx
Spot on staffs blue with the young players .also with the new over spend rules ,the teams at the bottom of leagues must rely on their youth policies to rise up the table which once again means the rules on young players will see many small clubs go to the wall ,unless the young player rules are altered or the overspend rules are changed ,…kro
The thing that would make a world of difference, would be if the Sky money was distributed fairly. No one’s suggesting that League 2 clubs would get the same as premier clubs etc, but a sensible divvy up would be a lifeline to a lot of smaller clubs. Unlikely to happen though, because the greedy premier clubs will just get richer and greedier. I can’t wait till the day it all comes crumbling down. Only way that could happen, is if people stopped subscribing to Sky Sports.
No sign of it happening soon Staffs, but it will one day even Sky can’t have a bottomless pocket.
Why wont the big European Associations let them run their leagues?
We see the top matches but thats about it, German leagues seem fairly self sufficient and with more fan based involvement.
KRO+DNM
I quit Sky altogether 3 years ago. Not missed it at all.
Tried it didn’t like it so I’m the same, never missed it, if there is a match I want to watch I go to the pub. Not many worth watching anyway unless they involve Blues and then I’m usually there anyway.
KRO+DNM
Absolutely agree mate.
I quit when we got relegated from the Premiership. Not that our match was on that often even when we were in the Premiership. Same old Arsenal, Chelsea etc; Still watch all the free Sky programmes though ’cause the reception is better than Freeview. Sky never ask you for the aerial back they just send you a letter now and then inviting you to accept their great new offers i e ancient repeats of “fools and horses” etc;
I have a tv and sky+ box still and, like you, watch the free programmes. But, there’s so much online content these days, I tend to watch 90% my stuff that way. When my (old) TV goes bump, I won’t be buying a new one.
If people knew how to watch live premier league for free,like me, then no one would pay sky. Then the bubble would burst. Back to reality for football
Yes, you can watch every single premier league game, every day, every season online. I partake now and again, but not regularly.
I am one of the mugs who does but I am more interested in the cricket and golf than Premiership football. I agree with you though. I think even the club that finishes bottom gets £30m or something silly like that and then £12m parachute money every year for four years.
I don’t think people are mugs if they subscribe. It’s all about personal choice… like buying a season ticket. :)
For me, I hate what Sky money has done to sport, so I can’t moan about that, but perpetuate it by giving them my money. That’s just my personal choice.
Our entire squad costs £150k. That is the fee we paid Swindon for Caddis. I think teams in the conference have cost more to assemble.
great to see the lads settling into surrounding in Ireland, hope get win over cork, and avoid any early injuries……This could turn out to be a clever trip, with regards to the travelling, players getting to know each other….its starting to build up nicely for the forthcoming season…………..getting goosebumps already come on you blue boys….kro
They did the same last season, one of the ideas is a team building environment. As you say a good run out v Cork and return injury free.
I’m looking forward to Mansfields game.
KRO+DNM
equally i am looking forward to the kidderminister clash, Bryan Hughes remember him, some of my work colleagues are kidders supporters..get ribbed because of their humbling of us at our ground in the cup….nothing like my team sticking a few pass them at their ground when that comes around lol
I’m enthusiastic about the new season because we are going to have a new team and it would appear too, a more adventurous style of play. However pre and early season could deflate me if the technical weaknesses in the players is just too obvious and tingerbell starts his shenanigans because of perceived lack of effort in training or individual match performances are below expectations.
LC you’ve learnt that too many OTH or loan players doesn’t make a team. You appear to now have a good balance. Please learn the lesson of patience.