[Slick_Footwork]

My point is, so if the club where aware of issue then why where they wasting time looking at players they knew they could not have.   Douglas Luiz would get a valid work visa, he plays for Brazil (and has done at three levels) he has 5 qualifying games under his belt in 2019/20 which hits the 75% of games which Brazil has played.  Brazil itself is at the required level for a national club.  Yacob I can not remember how he got round the problem.  The question is are EU players going to be prepared to jump through all the hoops when they can play at a top class club in the EU with no problems at all.

The club doesn't know if a work permit will be accepted or rejected until they make an application, it's not as black and white as meeting the criteria. There are countless players who are given work permits who fail to meet the criteria as you simply have to justify why they are the right person for the job (same reason to get a work permit for someone outside of football). We did exactly that with Claudio Yacob.

Aston Villa signed Douglas Luiz from Manchester City and it's well publicised that Manchester City were not granted a work permit for him. Those Brazil caps you mention came after he was already an Aston Villa player, so while he might meet the criteria now, he didn't when he signed for them. The reason he was granted a work permit for Villa and not for Manchester City is because as an elite team, City couldn't prove he was needed. Villa on the other hand were easily able to justify his signing through potential, the same way we did with Yacob.

So it's not really a case of wasting time, it's perfectly feasible if you look at a young French, Spanish or German player that they will get a permit approved. It's just not a guarantee like it was before.

As for the player, they don't really have to do a lot, the club does all of the work. Most players in this day and age probably don't even collect their own shopping.

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The club will be well aware of the legislation change and that the protocol for signing an EU player now matches that of signing players from the rest of the world.

A friend of mine works for a club (outside of top flight) and this was the first topic of discussion the moment the UK voted to leave the EU. Every club know this.

Sam's comments that it makes things more difficult are fair though as you know have to obtain a work permit for any player, regardless of where they are from. Obviously the extra paperwork does 'hamper' plans because it means extra waiting time and negotiating for players who might not get a work permit approved.

That doesn't mean you can't sign them though...

The reality is, you're highly likely to be able to get who you want, you just need to "justify" it now. There are plenty of none EU players playing in the Premier League who fail to meet the "criteria" but still get a work permit because it's fairly easy to justify offering them the job. Douglas Luiz at Villa is a recent example. Not too long ago we had one too, Claudio Yacob. Take a look on the number of dodgy south American's playing in the lower league who wouldn't get into their country's A or B teams and you'll see how easy it is.

So why it is hampering, it's hardly fatal. The fact we are actually looking abroad at lesser known players is somewhat refreshing at least.

I'ts nothing more then a new excuse. Sam either shape up or get your cheque and clear off.

Agreed he's doing what we call in the corporate world "covering his arse".

He does have somewhat of a point, but it's nothing more than a bit of extra red tape.