Scottish Panel held on 23 August 1999
in Glasgow
SUMMARY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE
REVIEW PANEL
Application by Dundee United Football Club
for a work permit for Jan Telesnikov
PANEL MEMBERS
Iain Blair—Scottish Premier League Limited;
Bob Crampsey—Independent expert;
Tony Higgins—Scottish Professional Footballers
Association;
Willie Miller—Independent expert;
Jimmy Sinclair—Scottish Football Association.
Recommendation
The panel considered written and video evidence
submitted by the Club as well as taking oral evidence from the
First Team Manager, Paul Sturrock, and the Club Chairman, Jim
McLean. The written evidence included testimonials from Craig
Brown, Scottish National Coach; Ted Buxton, Coaching technical
advisor to the Chinese National Team and formerly Assistant Coach
to English National Football Team; Alan Smith, Fulham Football
Club and Bob Shaw, Notts County Football Club Chief Scout.
The Panel felt that the player looked an impressive
all round individual, well balanced and left footed, a particular
advantage as there is a recognised shortage of quality left footed
midfield players in the Scottish game at present. The testimonials
were from respected Coaches who confirmed the high calibre of
the player having seen him in action against teams and players
of a much higher standard. He was also seen as a ball winner,
a skill currently lacking at the Club, and would provide a better
balance and shape to the team. It was also noted that the Club
had offered the player a contract at the top end of their salary
structure, reflecting their view of the player's ability.
The First Team Manager emphasised the Club's
commitment to their policy of youth development but currently
lacked a creative midfield player who could provide the missing
piece of the jigsaw. They had made extensive searches in Scotland
and Europe without success, either due to non-availability of
players or financial demands way beyond the Club's means. They
pointed out that singing the player would be costing the Club
approximately £1 million over the length of the contract,
significantly above any other player they had signed before. The
Chairman commented that Telesnikov was also seen as a role model
for younger professional players at the Club and cited his willingness
to stay on after training (while he was on trial at the Club)
to give advice to apprentices.
It was also noted that the player had only narrowly
missed meeting the published criteria having been omitted from
the National Team when playing for an unfashionable Israeli Club
side but has now become an established international player being
regularly selected for competitive fixtures.
Having considered the evidence submitted by
the Club the Panel were unanimously in favour of recommending
to the Minister that a work permit be issued to Dundee United
Football Club in respect of Jan Telesnikov.
Application by Partick Thistle Football Club
for a work permit for Quinton Jacobs
PANEL MEMBERS
Eamonn Bannon—Independent expert;
Bob Crampsey—Independent expert;
Tony Higgins—Scottish Professional Footballers
Association;
Willie Miller—Independent expert;
Jimmy Sinclair—Scottish Football Association;
David Thompson—Scottish Football League.
Recommendation
This was a reconvened appeal Panel considering
additional evidence submitted by the Club following a request
from the original Panel. The additional evidence included testimonials
from Trott Monoto, the South African National Coach; Fernand Goyvaerts,
chief Africa scout for RSC Anderlecht; Samuel Johnson, ex-player/assistant
Manager of Partick Thistle and Desmond McKeown, SFA Coach and
ex-Partick Thistle Club Captain. Also supplied were two videos
of the player's performance at international level when playing
for Namibia against the Ivory Coast and South Africa.
The Panel felt that the testimonials, from respected
and qualified people within the game, greatly assisted their judgement
of the standard of the player and they were quite impressed with
the video evidence which showed the player did have the technical
skills which they had previously doubted. His ability to operate
either in midfield or as a striker would bring more flexibility
to the Club. He is primarily a left sided player which the Panel
commented that Scottish game is currently lacking quality left
footed midfield players. They felt that overall the player had
a good first touch, looked comfortable on the ball and would considerably
enhance the Partick Thistle Team. The Chief Executive of the Club,
Alan Dick, gave oral evidence, mainly amplifying the written evidence
and citing the signing of Jacobs as a fundamental part of the
Club's plan to return to the Premier League at the earliest opportunity.
There were two other issues that the Panel asked
to be noted when their recommendations were being considered.
First, the Scottish League representative informed
the panel that the League Management Committee had decided that
all appeal applications were to be supported and in effect he
was mandated to say "yes", irrespective of the evidence
presented to the panel.
Second, the Panel unanimously endorsed the recommendation
to issue a work permit but stressed that although the application
met the terms of reference laid down for the Panel, they were
concerned that their recommendation may lead to a dilution of
opportunities for up and coming youngsters and have a profound
effect on the development of the Scottish game. They also felt
there was a paradox in that if a more competitive and bigger Club,
such as Celtic or Rangers, had applied for this player their recommendation
would have been to refuse the appeal as he would not have had
the opportunity to be playing on a regular basis and therefore
unable to make a significant contribution to the Scottish game.
Comment was made that the lower the level within the professional
game the application came from there was a better chance of the
player being regularly selected and therefore being able to make
a significant contribution to the Scottish game.
Although these issues have been included as
part of the Panel discussion record they do not alter the recommendation.
We will take the issues into account when evaluating the Panel
hearings held so far and confirming the permanent Panel arrangements.
In conclusion, the Panel were unanimous in their
recommendation that the appeal did meet the criteria in that Jacobs
was an established international player who would make a significant
contribution to the Scottish game and recommended that a work
permit be issued to Partick Thistle.
| 
