Zimpapers Logo

LONDON. — Africa reacted angrily when English Football Association chairman Greg Dyke announced new measures intended to boost England’s national team.

This is because the rules regarding the granting of work permits to players from outside the European Union were fundamentally changing.

From May 1, footballers from countries outside Fifa’s top 50-ranked sides will find it harder to play in English football – whereas the previous rule covered countries in the top 70.

At a stroke, footballers from eight African nations sitting in the 50-70 belt – Mali, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, South Africa, Egypt, Zambia, Rwanda and Burkina Faso – found any English Premier League dreams shattered.

Former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh called the changes “unnecessary warfare”, and legitimately asked why England can’t do more to improve its coaching standards.

Meanwhile Zambia Football Association President Kalusha Bwalya said his career “would not even have started if these proposals were in place” when he was a player.

He labelled the system “unfair” and said talent should be rewarded no matter when you are from, citing George Weah – the only African to ever be crowned Fifa Footballer of the Year (in 1995) – as an example.

The striker, who made his name at Monaco and Milan before joining Chelsea, hails from Liberia, who are currently 117th in the world and who have never been higher than 66th. —BBC Sport.