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Could a BREXIT impact football and the Albion



Guinness Boy

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Jul 23, 2003
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Just listening to Radio 4 where the premise of reducing migration from the EU by about 100 - 120k people was being hypothetically discussed (emphasis because no one knows what would happened if we left). The idea the person being interviewed had to do this was making EU citizens apply for work permits like non EU once we left.

Though he was talking about low paid workers I couldn't help think about some of the deals football in general and the Albion in particular have done in this area (i.e. Ulloa's Spanish passport).

If they applied it retrospectively it would change the make up of every club in the league though I suspect this would not be possible. Even if they just did it going forwards the recruitment strategy and market prices paid would change for pretty much every Championship club. It would also raise the possibility of introducing a unilateral salary cap system.

However, if this had been in place since 2011 think of the players we'd have missed out on. For me Bruno, Spanish Dave, Calde, Vincelot, Ulloa, Knockaert, Orlandi would probably not have got permits if treated like non EU whereas Maenpaa (an international) and Agustien (who plays internationally for some tinpot island) might have still qualified.

All hypothetical of course but interesting to consider. Any thoughts?
 




Guinness Boy

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Jul 23, 2003
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Won't happen unless we leave the union, freedom of movement sees to that...

So we could impose work permits on vegetable pickers but not lower league footballers? The hypothesis being discussed here is that we DID leave the EU.
 


happypig

Staring at the rude boys
May 23, 2009
7,935
Eastbourne
Personally I think we will leave. This is because I reckon the blue-faced dreamers of the SNP will campaign for it on the basis that if the UK leaves then they'll get another referendum to make Scotland independant.
Once we've left, we will have to do a deal with the EU because there are thousands of British working in the EU and thousands of foreigners working here.
So I don't think it's going to matter to a couple of hundred footballers, I'd be more concerned about tens of thousands of care workers.
 


Guinness Boy

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Personally I think we will leave. This is because I reckon the blue-faced dreamers of the SNP will campaign for it on the basis that if the UK leaves then they'll get another referendum to make Scotland independant.
Once we've left, we will have to do a deal with the EU because there are thousands of British working in the EU and thousands of foreigners working here.
So I don't think it's going to matter to a couple of hundred footballers, I'd be more concerned about tens of thousands of care workers.

In the big scheme of things so would I but there are loads of other threads about that. I was just wondering if people had considered a potentially huge impact on the Albion, the Championship and possibly the home international sides (more chance of fringe internationals starting)
 




KZNSeagull

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
19,692
Wolsingham, County Durham
In the big scheme of things so would I but there are loads of other threads about that. I was just wondering if people had considered a potentially huge impact on the Albion, the Championship and possibly the home international sides (more chance of fringe internationals starting)

It's an interesting thought.

More British players would get to play as there would be a much larger restriction on players coming in from Europe (ie only internationals and not just anyone) - I think the rules are different up to a certain age though, but not sure what that age is.

The quality of the leagues would go down over time, potentially affecting future TV rights deals. It could actually be the tipping point for British football that we all know is coming sometime - more clubs getting into financial difficulties, less rich sugar daddy owners etc.
 


Blue Valkyrie

Not seen such Bravery!
Sep 1, 2012
32,165
Valhalla
BREXIT would not happen overnight, we'd have years to work through how it would happen in practice - longer than most footballer contracts I think.

We'll have to kick the Scots out as well, though, when the UK shatters if BREXIT happens.
 


Baldseagull

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2012
10,871
Crawley
Norway, one of the countries that Nigel Farage likes to hold up as examples of non EU countries doing good trade with Europe, is part of the EEA and EFTA, and as such has free movement of workers to and from EEA countries. Switzerland is the only country in the EEA that seems to get away with having no presumed free movement of workers at the moment, but the EU is trying to make that uncomfortable for them.
I am far from certain that leaving the EU will do all that we are told it will, and could be coerced into free movement of workers being standard by trade agreement conditions.

However, in the spirit of the question, I think it would be of benefit to the National game to have only British players available, we might see an overall drop in quality in the Championship, but that would be across the division, so I don't think it would affect the status of the Albion, just a bit less flair on show. The problem would come in that the divide between Championship and Premier league, where presumably most of the full internationals from around the world would still be, would be even greater.
 




alfredmizen

Banned
Mar 11, 2015
6,342
Just listening to Radio 4 where the premise of reducing migration from the EU by about 100 - 120k people was being hypothetically discussed (emphasis because no one knows what would happened if we left). The idea the person being interviewed had to do this was making EU citizens apply for work permits like non EU once we left.

Though he was talking about low paid workers I couldn't help think about some of the deals football in general and the Albion in particular have done in this area (i.e. Ulloa's Spanish passport).

If they applied it retrospectively it would change the make up of every club in the league though I suspect this would not be possible. Even if they just did it going forwards the recruitment strategy and market prices paid would change for pretty much every Championship club. It would also raise the possibility of introducing a unilateral salary cap system.

However, if this had been in place since 2011 think of the players we'd have missed out on. For me Bruno, Spanish Dave, Calde, Vincelot, Ulloa, Knockaert, Orlandi would probably not have got permits if treated like non EU whereas Maenpaa (an international) and Agustien (who plays internationally for some tinpot island) might have still qualified.

All hypothetical of course but interesting to consider. Any thoughts?
If this did happen it might force clubs to spend more time developing home grown talent , which wouldn't be a bad thing at all, certainly not for the national team.
 


alfredmizen

Banned
Mar 11, 2015
6,342
BREXIT would not happen overnight, we'd have years to work through how it would happen in practice - longer than most footballer contracts I think.

We'll have to kick the Scots out as well, though, when the UK shatters if BREXIT happens.
with the oil price where it is I seriously doubt that the scots would vote for independence.
 








Notters

Well-known member
Oct 20, 2003
24,865
Guiseley
Norway, one of the countries that Nigel Farage likes to hold up as examples of non EU countries doing good trade with Europe, is part of the EEA and EFTA, and as such has free movement of workers to and from EEA countries. Switzerland is the only country in the EEA that seems to get away with having no presumed free movement of workers at the moment, but the EU is trying to make that uncomfortable for them.
I am far from certain that leaving the EU will do all that we are told it will, and could be coerced into free movement of workers being standard by trade agreement conditions.

This. Plus there are 2.3million Brits living elsewhere in the EU. Many of whom are retired. Would they all have to come home?
 


Guinness Boy

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Jul 23, 2003
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This. Plus there are 2.3million Brits living elsewhere in the EU. Many of whom are retired. Would they all have to come home?

The discussion on Today was purely around reducing net migration by making working for someone else require a permit wherever they came from. Anyone already retired, wanting to retire or start a business here would be allowed with the idea that would be reciprocated.

i appreciate I'm probably in a very tiny minority on NSC that is sad enough to a) get up at 6am and b) stick on Radio 4 to hear some of these debates :lolol:
 




beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,265
BREXIT would not happen overnight, we'd have years to work through how it would happen in practice - longer than most footballer contracts I think.

We'll have to kick the Scots out as well, though, when the UK shatters if BREXIT happens.

another positive for leaving then. (not that they would be able to leave the UK and join the EU as we know, but thats their problem)

it'll depend on freedom of movement rules, which would probably be retained in their original scope - so free movement to employment. if there were stricter rules, it would apply to all other clubs, and if the current work permit for non-EU nationals is anything to go by, a paperwork formality.
 


Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
69,880
Norway, one of the countries that Nigel Farage likes to hold up as examples of non EU countries doing good trade with Europe, is part of the EEA and EFTA, and as such has free movement of workers to and from EEA countries.

If Norway is going to be held up as an example, then the impact of BREXIT on the Albion would be massive. Pie and a pint would cost about twenty quid! :eek:
 


studio150

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2011
29,555
On the Border
Given the need to trade with the EU we would become a EEA member if we left the EU and this debate while intetesting would not happen and EU players would continue to be free to move and play for UK teams.
 



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