It’s all too familiar for Brad Friedel.
Once again, he’s in Denmark, instead of England, awaiting a decision on whether he will be issued the work permit he needs to play in the English League.
He and U.S. teammate Mike Burns are with Viborg, which won promotion last spring to the Danish Super League but has only one point in the first five games of the new season. The Department of Employment in England has not yet announced its decision regarding Friedel’s proposed deal with First Division club Sunderland.
Two years ago, a deal with Nottingham Forest fell through. Last year, failure to secure a work permit scuttled a contract with Newcastle. At the time, Friedel was not the No. 1 U.S. keeper, and likely would have been a backup at either Premier League team.
After the Newcastle deal fell through, Friedel was with Danish club Broendby for several months, then returned this summer to play some outstanding matches at U.S. Cup ’95 and Copa America. He pulled off several brilliant saves Aug. 16 in a 1-0 loss to Sweden.
“Whatever I’ve done in England, I apologize,” says Friedel. “I can’t imagine anything I’ve done that was so terrible they won’t give me a work permit.”
Work permits are issued by the DOE upon recommendations by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), which establishes — and adjusts — requirements for foreign players. Friedel does not qualify for European Community exemptions. (Friedel’s former UCLA teammate, Mike Lapper, was able to sign for First Division Southend because his parents are German.)
Current PFA guidelines state an international player must play in at least 75 percent of his club’s matches, play a comparable percentage of his national team’s games, and be in the top 10 percent of his club’s salary structure.
“As far as I know, I meet all the criteria,” he said. “But if doesn’t work out, I’ll just go somewhere else.”
by Soccer America Senior Editor Ridge Mahoney