http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/grant_wahl/news/2003/05/31/wahl_soccer/ Source: Work permit no worry for Howard MetroStars goalkeeper Tim Howard will not have a problem getting a work permit to play for Manchester United this fall, according to a source close to the deal. Though it may not be formally announced for another two to four weeks, MLS has agreed in principle to sell Howard for just over $2.5 million to the Red Devils. But how will the UK work permit be secured? After all, Howard has not met the stipulation of playing in 75 percent of the U.S. national team's "A" games over the past two years (he has six caps), and though Howard's mother, Esther, was born in Hungary, he does not yet have the Hungarian passport that would also suffice. (He plans on filing the paperwork for one in the coming week, after which applicants must generally wait up to a year for approval.) Howard's agent, Dan Segal, refused to comment. But my source tells me Man Utd has assured Howard and MLS that it will be able to secure a work permit for Howard either by: 1) pulling strings with the UK government to circumvent the 75-percent rule, or, failing that, 2) expediting the process by which Howard would receive his Hungarian passport. What's more, Man Utd "definitely sees Tim Howard competing for the top spot" next fall, according to the source. If the transfer comes off as expected, it will mark a historic moment in the history of the U.S. league, a direct sale to one of the world's top clubs. Unbelievable... But I don't know which amazes me more, that ManU can pull such strings at the Home Office (argument: if it weren't for Keller and Friedel, both in the Premiership top 5 at their position, Howard would have met the 75% test several years ago -- after all, neither Keller nor Friedel meet the 75% test themselves!), or the fact that ManU simply wants to get Howard on board that badly. WOW.
Will Howard stay a little longer in the US since it is their off-season now, or is he gone right after the deal is done?
That 75% rule doesn't make sense. If a national team is loaded in a particular position, a world-class player might not get into 75% of the games just due to the competition at the position. eg Romario, Elber. I'm sure there are better examples though.
He's probably gone right after the confederations cup because most Euro teams begin pre-season camps in late July.
The likelihood that Man Utd can "pulls strings" and get the department of employment to issue a work permit is slim, however, although there is a 75% rule anyone failing to get a permit can appeal and the case will be looked on its merits rather than just the straight letter of the law. For example, any player from a team below a certain FIFA ranking will automatically be refused a permit, but may get in after an appeal. Marian Pahars of Latvia at Southampton being one example. It depends really if they can make enough of a case. Unless they are going to start with him, it'll make things awkward.
Here's their case: Did you see Keller playing at Totteham this season? You of course know how well Friedel played at Blackburn. Any other questions why Howard doesn't have 75% of the caps for the Americans?
What I found strange about that excerpt was that Tim hasn't gotten his Hungarian passport yet. What the hell was he thinking??? The EU situation didn't exactly crop up last week, y'know.
I doubt Tim would have signed a 4 year contract extension with MLS back in January unless he was pretty certain he wanted to spend at least a few more years here. He really had no need to look into getting a Hungarian passport until very recently when Man U started to show serious interest in him.
As great as I think Howard is (watching him stone Cunningham 3 times on breakaways yesterday was pretty amazing in and of itself), I still am simply totally shocked that Man U is bringing Timmy in to compete for the #1 spot...this fall! If true....well, I don't know what to say. You go, Timmy!
I'd be amazed if ManU wasted $2.5M on a guy they expected to "develop." Of course he'll get his fair shot at winning the starting spot. And it's not like they were trying to block Arsenal from getting after him, because Arsene missed the boat on that one (and I'm an Arsenal fan).
$2.5 million is chump change for ManU. If the guy pans out they'll have the best shot blocking keeper in the league on the cheap.
That has been used successfully in the past, I've heard, with goalkeepers as an argument to get the Home Office in Britain to back off a bit.