Comments on: Iraq Star Can’t Play in England. Iraq Blames America.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 01:38:24 +0000

Actually, I think we can have a pretty good idea what soccer would be like if Saddam were still in power. Not that I don’t sympathhize with what the team is currently going through, but…

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1120/p01s02-woiq.html

By: mike

mike — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:15:27 +0000

I sympathize with Akram, and it seems like Britain could consider the circumstances. That being said, however, blaming the USA is a crock of fertilizer. If we are such a problem, I’m guessing the Iraqi Football Federation is actively campaigning for our troops to pull out immediately. I’m getting teary-eyed just imagining the paradise of Gandhi-like brotherly love Iraq would become overnight. I am guessing they are, rather, referring to the long term, if we had never gone in etc. etc. This is also horse hockey as you can’t play those kind of historical guessing games. With Saddam still in charge for the last several years who knows what would have happened by now? He could have gone back up and gassed a few more thousand Kurds resulting in total South Africa-like sanctions that kept the Iraqi team from playing ANYONE internationally. Who knows?

By: daryl

daryl — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:16:55 +0000

There are always appeals too. So to take ben’s example, if the next Maradona emerged and his national team was Montseratt (currently FIFA’s lowest ranked team ) then his initial appeal would almost definitely be rejected because Montseratt are outside the top 70 ranked teams (and even outside the top 200.)

But then a club can make a special appeal to argue that the player is an exception and hopefully win the appeal. Unfortunately, it seems that the above is a rejection of Akram’s appeal.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:04:32 +0000

Ben, it has to do with England’s bizarre immigration rules. Apparently in order for a player to play in England, he has to be able to offer something an English player can’t, i.e. he can’t be mediocre, because plenty of English players fit that bill. One of the ways they determine this is by the rankings of the NTs.

bluemeanies, I agree about the security situation. What I meant about the US getting involved was that they could pull in some chits to get the work permit approved. Immigration laws are nebulous and flexible — they only want you to think they’re set in stone. A little diplomacy could help grease the skids.

By: ben

ben — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:22:04 +0000

What does the Iraqi national team’s ranking have to do with an individual Iraqi player signing for an EPL club? That’s just bizarre. What if the next Maradona emerges from [insert perennial soccer minnow here], but he can’t sign for an EPL club because his national team sucks?

By: bluemeanies

bluemeanies — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:22:38 +0000

I don’t think that the US would stop Iraq from playing friendlies if they declared the security situation clear. If safe transport could be assured (probably) they would not stop Iraq from playing in any third country that wanted to have a friendly. They can’t play at home because it is not considered safe, they can probably arrange the logistical hurdle of playing away if someone is willing to play them, but who in the top 20 would consider Iraq a country they want to play due to their ability to attract domestic protests, the logistical side which is probably harder than average and the fact that in most top 20 nations they are not all that great a draw? Heck, I don’t think the US is a consistant top 20 nation so the state department leaning on the USSF to make it happen wouldn’t even work. In short the Home Office are idiots on this one.

By: Luis

Luis — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 06:24:16 +0000

Why doesn’t the US let Iraq play more friendlies? That’s fucked up, first they invade their country for oil, and then they take away simple enjoyments like football. F’ed up!

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:44:56 +0000

Blah blah blah, America, wah wah wah.

By: Jan

Jan — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:13:06 +0000

Well, blaming the Americans for England’s complex immigration laws is probably going a bit far.:-) Though I can understand his frustrations.

But if he’s good enough for Manchester City, he shouldn’t have a problem finding a club in continental Europe.

By: Simona

Simona — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 22:39:23 +0000

It’s understandable. If you are frustrated and angry you want someone to blame and actually this blame is kind of reasonable, but it’s just too bad it didn’t work out for him and what’s worse is the chaos in Iraq. Now that’s a tragic. Hopefully he gets passed this and something else will come up. All the pointing and blaming only adds to Iraq’s debacle.