Josh Simpson

[drfan23]

I am surprised that nobody seems interested to try and make a transfer for Josh Simpson. As far as I can see this guy will be amazing in a few years with the right tutoring. He can play left-back and left-midfield, has excellent pace and very good one on one skills. His crosses sometimes leave something to be desired but it will get better over time. He seems to be one of the few bright spots on a Millwall squad that hasnt won a match yet. I understand that he has one year left on his contract. Would this mean teams are going to jump in when his contract expires or is he just considered to be championship quality in the UK. From what I have seen he could be in the premiership in one or two years.

[El Hombre]

Funny you should mention it because there's a rumour going around right now that Leeds are looking at him.

It is just a rumour though.

[Natesta]

I don't think he's esttablished enough with Millwall let alone in the Championship wo be talking about Premiership football.

Lets have him make regular starting appearences, and play consistantly first.

[MikeD]

His working holiday visa expires in November (well, he'll be able to stay in the UK for another year but he won't be able to work.)

Unless he can get a proper work permit, he won't be playing in the Uk at all, let alone the Premiership. Same goes for Adrian Serioux.

[ken]

I agree with Mike D above.

But isn't there also the question of their visas, Simpson and Serioux got into the UK on commonwealth working visitor visas, what happens after the two years, do they have to qualify under the regular rules? Can they qualify under the regular rules?

Actually I was agreeing to Natesta, Mike D made the same point I did only he made it first.

[RS]

quote:Originally posted by MikeD

His working holiday visa expires in November

I was under the impression that it expires August 2006 (two years after he first obtained it).

[Cheeta]

With all the call ups for MNT matchs I dought either will have too much trouble getting legit UK work permits when the time comes. That's one mark that Frankie has in his favour. Using the MNT as a vehicle for helping these lads in their professional careers (along with Peters) in the UK.

As to the working holiday permits, I'm pretty sure that it was reported the loop hole which allowed the permits to extend into professional sport has been closed. They've seemed to have gotten in before that door closed.

[Cheeta]

Oh yeah. Josh.

Nice to read he's coming along. Thought he got stronger as the Gold Cup went on so hopefully this trend will extend deep into his club season and carry over into his international play. (I luv those speedy touchline players!)

Still think he's a long, long way from being considered a reliable journeyman (see JB) at that level of play, with opportunities for advancement(see Hume). But he's also very young and I'm sure Millwall is going to be crap this campain. Put a colourfull daisy in a dreary frame and it's going to look the part of the beautiful rose. By that I mean, a fairly plain flower alone in a lunar landscape tends to stand out and appeal to the eye maybe more than it should.

But what the Hell, eh? Take advantage of what opportunities you find, even in adversity.

[Juby]

thats definatly true, playing for the worst team in your league can make you look a whole lot better if your not contributing to reasons for losing, if you are the highlight player of a crappy team your looking alot better then being a moderate looking player on a moderate team, whether its better then being part of winning teams a toughy though, clubs love to steal players from winning teams.

[El Hombre]

quote:Originally posted by Cheeta

With all the call ups for MNT matchs I dought either will have too much trouble getting legit UK work permits when the time comes. That's one mark that Frankie has in his favour. Using the MNT as a vehicle for helping these lads in their professional careers (along with Peters) in the UK.

I wouldn't be so sure. They've only be playing with the MNT as long as Peters has and Jaime had to go to a special tribunal or something just to get his. The fact that we are outside the top 70 of the FIFA rankings and they haven't played in 75% of the MNT games from the last 2 years counts against them (not sure if the 2nd point applies, but I think so).

[Gian-Luca]

I think Serioux signed a four year contract with Millwall. I don't think a work permit renewal will be a problem for him.

[El Hombre]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

I think Serioux signed a four year contract with Millwall. I don't think a work permit renewal will be a problem for him.

Wow. I didn't know that. Good for him.

[MikeD]

I was wrong about the working holiday visa expiring in November (I got that confused with something else.) A working holiday visa is good for two years, but you can only work for up to one year of that time (the other year of the visa only allows you to live in the UK 'on holiday'.)

Thus, if Simpson got his working holiday visa in August of 2004, and has played for Millwall the whole time, the working portion of it would have expired sometime this month. Since he's still playing, I guess we can assume that Simpson, like Serioux, was able to secure a normal work permit (since, as has been pointed out, the rules for working holiday visas have been changed to excluded employment as a professional footballer.)

The normal work permit is only automatic if you have played 75% of your country's matches in the last two years and your country is in the top 70 in the FIFA rankings (average over that same two year period.) Thus, the renewals would not have been automatic, but I guess the fact that Simpson and Serioux have been first team regulars for Millwall and played a lot for Canada must have been enough. Nice.