You’d think their Twitter account would say something if that was the case. Can only hope that squad list was wrong and it’s actually McKenzie’s name that should be there over Cuesta’s.
I just googled to see what's up with McKenzie's exclusion, and I found this article. https://www.voetbalnieuws.be/news/576625/genk-in-belgennood-topaanwinst-gedwongen-aan-de-kant However, the American is reportedly completely match-fit, although his last appearance at ex-club Philadelphia Union dates back to the end of November due to the different calendar in the MLS. Yet there may be another reason behind McKenzie's absence from the selection for Thursday evening's game against AA Gent: the dire shortage of Belgians in the Luminus Arena. After all, according to the regulations, there must always be six [Belgians] on the [team] sheet, which is gradually becoming a problem for Genk. Especially now that it let Rubin Seigers go and Dries Wouters also wants to visit other places. As full A-core players, only Bryan Heynen, Theo Bongonda, and Cyriel Dessers with a Belgian passport remain, together with the very young reserve goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt. For the rest, John van den Brom has to count on teenagers like Pierre Dwomoh, Elias Sierra, Luca Oyen and Bryan Limbombe. Genk is therefore in danger of getting into a Belgian emergency, with the result that expensive foreign players will occasionally have to give way to get enough compatriots on the [team sheet]. I take back everything positive I said over the weekend about the number of foreign players on Genk's roster.
Disappointing to hear. I have to think that pressuring Belgium to change this rule or make a special exception for McKenzie will now jump to the top of President Biden's list of priorities.
How would six Belgians on the roster (as opposed to EU players) be consistent with European antidiscrimination law?
I think it's written/translated incorrectly. Belgian Pro League matchday squads must have 6 homegrown players (trained in Belgium for 3+ years before turning 23). That could include players of any nationality, EU or not.
McKenzie is new & a center back so wouldn't be a substitute unless an injury or two occurred. They just paid 6 million for him. You figure it'll be sorted quickly. Helps they're still in the January window, so can sell a couple players if they must. You hoped for a quicker transition, which included regular benches and rotations in, before earning a place. It's a slight speed bump.
It's also a very common rule, enforced in some form in pretty much every country. Have to wonder what the conversations about this were like -- both McKenzie, his agent, the manager, and the club must have discussed it; I'd think it's one of the red flags to really hash out before choosing a league/nation... I do really love the idea of him having to beat out both the other internationals as well as whatever talented Belgian youth player the manager considers bringing in as cover for this rule. He's talented and smart enough. The recent ESPN article mentions him having a "photographic memory" which, if true, is truly remarkable. I've met a few people who claimed to have one but never anyone who actually does...also not totally convinced it would be an advantage for playing a sport -- if you remember every action of every time you've ever played, how does alllllll that noise translate into something meaningful and actionable?
My interpretation of this move is that Genk wanted to bring McKenzie in to get him acclimated to Belgium and the league for half a season and then once they sell one or more of the Colombians this summer, McKenzie will really compete for a spot heading into next season. Things can change quickly in football with injuries/suspension/form but I would imagine that was the thought process Genk had.
Yea, I don't expect him to play much if at all for awhile... maybe not even until next season. I guess I should clarify I expect him to play some this Spring but not too much.
Feel like it's a bit of an overreaction happening. He has been there for what, a week? And is a CB in a new system and a new country. CBs are much harder to break in because you never sub them out (unless for injury or if they are having a complete shocker) so if you start them you need to know they are 100% ready for 90 minutes. It's not like Aaronson as an attacker where (besides going into the same system with a familiar American coach) teams sub attackers in and out every game, and you can afford to have an attacker have a bad 60 minutes in exchange for a goal or assist. The large price tag and their history of developing players makes me confident McKenzie is going to get time and will be in their plans.
hes their third highest transfer of all time and the highest for a defender. i wouldnt worry about the bureaucratic stuff while he is integrated into the squad
Yeah Joakim Maehle who they just sold to Atalanta counted as homegrown because they signed him at 19. And I know some leagues do this because they want to make sure domestic players get chance but, with rules like this it often ends up with teams keeping domestic players just for depth and signing foreign players at young ages. And Belgium's neighbors in the Netherlands still have a lot of homegrown players on the field for every club even though they do not have really any foreign player restrictions.
When your team spends a record amount to bring in a player at your position, going out and getting red carded in every game since the signing is a pretty bold strategy. Not sure I see where's he going with it, but I applaud the novelty.
Wow please just bench him for the next several games so McKenzie can play. The other possibility is would McKenzie be match fit to play 90min this quickly?
The Dutch foreign player restrictions are financial. The huge bump in salary for non-EU salary players disincentives teams from filling their rosters with foreign talent. Yeah the big 5 in that league can afford them but the rest cannot.
The minimum salary is not even that high I doubt they would be able to recruit much foreign talent paying less than that minimum salary.