Okocha has left Bolton to Join the SE
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2004 6:06 am
COLUMN-Soccer-FIFA must enforce player release rules
By Ken Ferris
LONDON, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Bolton Wanderers face Portsmouth on Saturday without Nigeria midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha, who has left for the African Nations Cup, while the visitors can field his international team mate Yakubu Aiyegbeni.
The anomaly arises because while world governing body FIFA rules that players have to be released by their clubs 14 days before the start of a major tournament, their arrival date is negotiable between the player and the national federation.
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Okocha is the Bolton captain and a key member of Sam Allardyce's team, while Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has been desperate to hang on to prolific striker Aiyegbeni because of a lengthening injury list.
So is it fair that Okocha has gone but Aiyegbeni can stay? "There's nothing wrong with that," says a FIFA spokesman. "What would be against the rules is a club retaining a player against his will within the 14-day period."
The African Nations Cup kicks off in Tunisia on January 24 so most players would have been able to leave their clubs after fulfilling their league fixtures on Saturday January 10.
Whether they have stayed longer is down to their national federation. The decision on when a player joins his national squad depends on a range of factors including the relationship between a club manager and the national team manager, the national federation's policy and the player's wishes.
Of course, a club can put pressure on a player to delay his departure , which in turn may depend on their league position or injury list.
KANU STAYS
Nigeria forward Nwankwo Kanu will delay joining his national squad to play for Arsenal against Aston Villa on Sunday since the club have a shortage of strikers due to injury. He had been due to join the squad on Thursday.
"He will go at the earliest on Monday and at the latest Wednesday," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
Wenger said there was even a "small chance" Kanu could play in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough at Highbury on Tuesday.
Nigeria's decision to allow Kanu to stay with Arsenal is a major boost to the north London club, who are second in the premier league a point behind champions Manchester United.
In this case, the decision seems to suit the player, his club and the Nigerian federation. As the FIFA spokesman says: "The rule is basically geared to protect the national association from any attempt by the clubs to retain the players longer than they should."
But even if a player wants to join his national squad as early as possible he has to consider that his club pays his wages and could make life difficult when his contract is up for renewal if he always puts his country first.
Indeed, some African players have been rejected by European clubs because their international commitments mean they will be missing for too long during the season.
FIFA has tried to reduce the problems resulting from the club versus country dilemma by introducing a coordinated international calendar. However, the African Nations Cup still falls right in the middle of the European season.
The problem for African players has at least been reduced by the fact that the Nations Cup is now also used as the qualifying competition for the World Cup every four years.
The downside is that the smaller African nations play far fewer competitive matches.
Since African countries tend to put money into the game only for the major tournaments, that decision is affecting the development of African football.
But it was a price that had to be paid so the continent's top players could ply their trade in Europe.
While that may help to keep managers like Bolton's Allardyce happier, it will not help him on Saturday when his defence has to cope with Aiyegbeni while his midfield is shorn of Okocha.
The solution would be for FIFA to insist that the 14-day rule is strictly adhered to instead of allowing some clubs to manipulate the system by putting pressure on players and the national federations to serve their own ends.
By Ken Ferris
LONDON, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Bolton Wanderers face Portsmouth on Saturday without Nigeria midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha, who has left for the African Nations Cup, while the visitors can field his international team mate Yakubu Aiyegbeni.
The anomaly arises because while world governing body FIFA rules that players have to be released by their clubs 14 days before the start of a major tournament, their arrival date is negotiable between the player and the national federation.
From: To:
Departing: Returning:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Okocha is the Bolton captain and a key member of Sam Allardyce's team, while Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has been desperate to hang on to prolific striker Aiyegbeni because of a lengthening injury list.
So is it fair that Okocha has gone but Aiyegbeni can stay? "There's nothing wrong with that," says a FIFA spokesman. "What would be against the rules is a club retaining a player against his will within the 14-day period."
The African Nations Cup kicks off in Tunisia on January 24 so most players would have been able to leave their clubs after fulfilling their league fixtures on Saturday January 10.
Whether they have stayed longer is down to their national federation. The decision on when a player joins his national squad depends on a range of factors including the relationship between a club manager and the national team manager, the national federation's policy and the player's wishes.
Of course, a club can put pressure on a player to delay his departure , which in turn may depend on their league position or injury list.
KANU STAYS
Nigeria forward Nwankwo Kanu will delay joining his national squad to play for Arsenal against Aston Villa on Sunday since the club have a shortage of strikers due to injury. He had been due to join the squad on Thursday.
"He will go at the earliest on Monday and at the latest Wednesday," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
Wenger said there was even a "small chance" Kanu could play in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough at Highbury on Tuesday.
Nigeria's decision to allow Kanu to stay with Arsenal is a major boost to the north London club, who are second in the premier league a point behind champions Manchester United.
In this case, the decision seems to suit the player, his club and the Nigerian federation. As the FIFA spokesman says: "The rule is basically geared to protect the national association from any attempt by the clubs to retain the players longer than they should."
But even if a player wants to join his national squad as early as possible he has to consider that his club pays his wages and could make life difficult when his contract is up for renewal if he always puts his country first.
Indeed, some African players have been rejected by European clubs because their international commitments mean they will be missing for too long during the season.
FIFA has tried to reduce the problems resulting from the club versus country dilemma by introducing a coordinated international calendar. However, the African Nations Cup still falls right in the middle of the European season.
The problem for African players has at least been reduced by the fact that the Nations Cup is now also used as the qualifying competition for the World Cup every four years.
The downside is that the smaller African nations play far fewer competitive matches.
Since African countries tend to put money into the game only for the major tournaments, that decision is affecting the development of African football.
But it was a price that had to be paid so the continent's top players could ply their trade in Europe.
While that may help to keep managers like Bolton's Allardyce happier, it will not help him on Saturday when his defence has to cope with Aiyegbeni while his midfield is shorn of Okocha.
The solution would be for FIFA to insist that the 14-day rule is strictly adhered to instead of allowing some clubs to manipulate the system by putting pressure on players and the national federations to serve their own ends.