Young J'can player departs for Valencia

[Bill Moravek]

Man are you joking?? It does not pertain to us..they are British...so we are just moving back to the land that they are citizens of. And because they are citizens, they may join an academy program as any other little kid in England would do...because they are English. And because they are English...and England is part of the EU, they move freely anywhere in Europe and have no issues joining any European Academy. It is very simple in this case.

[Bill Moravek]

It does not pertain to us..they are British...so we are just moving back to the land that they are citizens of. And because they are citizens, they may join an academy program as any other little kid in England would do...because they are English. And because they are English...and England is part of the EU, they move freely anywhere in Europe and have no issues joining any European Academy. It is very simple in this case.

[Assasin]

guess wha? Gypsy do play.



Coventry City and Wales striker Freddy Eastwood

The Coventry City striker Freddy Eastwood is currently the only high-profile member of the Gypsy community playing football in the UK.

Eastwood is proud of his heritage, and explains:
"My background has helped me in my career, because we're strong people, very close, and even now I'm living in Coventry, my family are at every game"

Sadly, Eastwood has had to put up with abuse throughout his career. "I do get picked out. I've never hidden who I am or where I come from, and because of that I get a lot of stick from other fans. I get 'pikey' shouted at me. Or I get 'Gypsy' or 'Gyppo'."

History
But though the Wales international may be on his own for the time being, history shows that there have been many players with similar backgrounds over the years.

Raby Howell, who played for Sheffield United and Liverpool in the 1890s is thought to be the only full-blooded Romany to have played for England. He earned two caps for his country between 1895 and 1898.

Europe
Elsewhere in Europe, others of a Gypsy background have risen to the top of the game. Dragoslav Sekularac was a key player for Yugoslavia in the 1958 and 1962 World Cups. He was born into the Vasojevici community in northern Montenegro.

Romanian forward Marius Lacatus, who represented his country in two World Cups, and the Yugoslavian defender Sinisa Mihajlovic, who had a long and illustrious career including spells with Lazio, Inter Milan and Roma, also both hail from a Gypsy background.

Current players
In terms of current players, as well as Eastwood, there is also Jose Antonio Reyes, formerly of Arsenal, and currently playing for Portugese side Benfica, who was born and raised in a well known Gypsy area in Utrera, a small town south-east of Seville in Spain.

It is also hoped that the next generation of talent in this country will see the Gypsy community represented further, especially with current success stories such as Ilona Marjanska, a Polish member of the Roma community.

Abuse
Ilona arrived in the UK at the age of six, and the only English words she knew were 'apple' and 'dog'. Ten years later, she was studying for her A-Levels and playing for two women's teams, Roma United and Leyton Orient Ladies.

She explained: "My family left Poland in 1996 when I was six because of the hatred against the Roma. My father was beaten and we were getting so much abuse. Britain was different. I learnt English within three months and made friends. My greatest ambition is to play professionally for Leyton Orient and England or Poland."

[Bill Moravek]

Man are you kidding me...what are you going on about man? lol Do you seriously think being that I was a former scout for a premier league club in England that I would not know the rules? The last thing I would do is put my sons lives in jeopardy.

[Mosiah]

You sound as if you are trying to convince yourself.

If anyone is joking it has got to be FIFA. I am not trying to give you a hard time, Bill, and I am not going to send the FIFA police after you and your family. Just extract yourself from the issue and read the FIFA rules as dispassionately as you can.

1. International transfers of players are only permitted if the player is over the
age of 18.
2. The following three exceptions to this rule apply:
The transfer takes place within the territory of the European Union
(EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) and the player is aged between
16 and 18.

That exception could easily have stopped after (EEA). But instead, it talks about a specific age. I didn't write this. I'll admit, I believe this, like many things FIFA does, is to bring some 3rd tier countries in line, but still, they go out of their way to mention the EU and what can happen within those borders. Perhaps they look the other way when the transfers happen, but I feel I am interpreting the law correctly. Enforcement for EU passport holders or Britons could be quite another matter.

[Mosiah]

Lawks, Sass, was only kidding about that, but good researching skills still!

[Mosiah]

Settle down! Maybe you're too close to the action to look at and interpret the Regulations
on the Status and Transfer of Players.

If you are convinced that you are not violating anything, then don't mind me! Wasn't trying to incriminate you or anything. I thought this thread had to do with understanding and interpreting the rules regarding the transfer of minors. And I was just doing my part as the only licensed players' agent on the forum.

Mah baad!

[Bill Moravek]

I just cannot believe you don't understand what I am telling you...I don't need to convince myself of anything. What you are saying is crazy..because what you are saying in essence is that even if we just went back to live...period..and then some club said a year later they wanted them...you are saying they couldn't do that..which is nonsense. Because they are citizens...there are no transfers. That is like saying my wife, who is a british citizen, would need a work permit to work in her own darn country just because she hasnt been there in a few years. It doesnt matter as she is English..period and so are they.

So you are saying...that even if football had nothing to do with anything...that if we moved back for the sake of moving back...and then a year later a club said yes we would like your son to join our programme..then what you are saying is no...they could not join? Under what basis? At the end of the day..they are English and because of that they can go anywhere in Europe wether it is tomorrow, next week or 2 years form now. They can go over whenever or where ever.

[Mosiah]

OKAY! Don't say I didn't...why, look at the time! Gotta walk the dog!

[Bill Moravek]

I have no problem with varying views but when someone is trying to tell something I know is wrong then I am going to say something. It has nothing to do with being close or not close to a situation..it is just wrong and misinterpretation on your end.

[Bill Moravek]

Don't quit your day job man lol :-)

[Mosiah]

Wow! Mosiah wrong! Now that's a first!

Come on, Bill. I have invited others to take a look at the rule and give their opinion. Of course, I could very well be wrong, but I am still inviting others to help with this interpretation.

Don't go anywhere just yet, Bill. I have a quiz for you!

[Mosiah]

Thanks! And I won't!

I must add though, and this I know I am dead right on - the rules regarding free travel and work throughout Europe (the EU) do not apply to minors in FIFA's eyes. Of that, I am dead sure!

[Mosiah]

Question from the Agent exam:

The player Giovanni Brothwick, born on 22 February 1989, has both Italian and British nationality. A request for the player’s ITC is made by the Italian football association to the Scottish football association on 22 January 2006, what would the legal situation be?
a) The Scottish football association shall not issue the player’s ITC, in compliance with the rules set out by FIFA for the protection of minors.
b) The Scottish football association shall unconditionally issue the player’s ITC, since this transfer takes place within the territory of the European Union and the player is aged between 16 and 18.
c) The Scottish football association shall not issue the player’s ITC unless the Italian club wishing to register him fulfil the minimum standard requirements with respect to the player’s prospective living conditions, as well as to his academic and football education.

[Bill Moravek]

Perhaps...but they are not getting paid anything and they are going back with their British mother who will have employment with a law firm....don't be like those referees who have their license but have never played the game thus take everything out of context and to literally sometimes...as always, common sense rules the day ;-).