Convey Fails to Get OK in England
Bobby Convey’s dream of playing in the English Premier League will have to wait at least another season. The United States midfielder on Thursday was denied an appeal for a work permit by Britain’s Home Office.
That was six weeks after Tim Howard of Major League Soccer’s New York/New Jersey MetroStars was granted a permit to transfer to Manchester United.
The transfer of Convey, 20, from D.C. United to England’s Tottenham Hotspur had been agreed to Aug. 13.
Players must play 75% of their national team’s games over two years to get a permit, though a club can appeal if it can prove the player is an “exceptional” talent. Howard had to appeal an initial refusal.
Convey, who will return to D.C. United, played in 16 of 36 matches for the U.S. national team in the last two years, Howard in only nine.
“It’s a massive disappointment because we worked very hard and put forward a good case,” Tottenham Coach Glenn Hoddle said on the team’s Web site. “The lad would have been good for Tottenham, and this will be as big a blow to him as it is to us, but we will be staying in touch.”
Reyna on the Move
Manchester City of the English Premier League has agreed to a tentative deal for $4 million to acquire U.S. captain Claudio Reyna from first-division Sunderland.
Reyna, 30, is scheduled to undergo a physical Saturday, after which the deal is expected to be completed.
After a proposed transfer to Fulham fell through, Manchester City expressed interest in the midfielder, who was selected to the World Cup All-Star team in 2002.
Torrado Mess
Mexico national team midfielder Gerardo Torrado, who plays for Sevilla in Spain, is in danger of sitting out until at least December after falling out of favor with Coach Joaquin Caparros.
When Sevilla recently acquired Brazilian Julio Baptista, it took away Torrado’s spot as one of a maximum of four players from non-European Union countries allowed on the roster.
A deal to lend him to Everton of the English Premier League also appears to have fallen through after Sevilla included a clause that Everton would have to pay $2.7 million if it did not exercise an option to purchase Torrado.
Sanchez Speaks
Hugo Sanchez’s continuing war of words with Mexico national team Coach Ricardo Lavolpe, an Argentine, has hit another peak.
Responding to comments by Lavolpe that some Mexican players “lack fundamentals” and that his compatriot, Jorge Griffa, could do a better job organizing the country’s youth teams, Sanchez said he is fed up at the lack of respect for Mexican soccer.
News agency Notimex reported that Sanchez said Lavolpe’s comments were merely “a smokescreen to keep things from being seen clearly.”
Champions League
European champion AC Milan was drawn with Ajax Amsterdam when groupings for the Champions League were announced.
Milan eliminated Ajax in the quarterfinals of last season’s tournament.
English champion Manchester United earned a relatively easy draw when it was put into a group with Greece’s Panathinakos, Scotland’s Rangers and Germany’s VfB Stuttgart
Quick Passes
Mexico’s Rafael Marquez will not make his debut with Barcelona on Sunday in its Spanish league opener against Athletic Bilbao because of a knee injury.
England’s Football Assn. charged Manchester United Coach Alex Ferguson with misconduct for an incident with a referee last weekend. Ferguson faces a sideline ban or heavy fine.
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Times wire services contributed to this report
