A tightening of the work permit regulations in England has made it nearly impossible for Bongani Khumalo to continue his career in that country and will make it difficult for future South African players to ply their trade there.
Reports surfaced over the weekend that English Championship side Queens Park Rangers were interested in signing the 28-year-old following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season.
But as Khumalo's intermediary Glyn Binkin explained, new regulations mean that any offer from England is a virtual non- starter. "One of the changes that was made recently with regards to work permit applications is that players must be from countries regularly in the top 50 in the world, not top 70 as it was previously," Binkin said.
"Bafana Bafana were briefly in the top 50 a few years ago but the last time they were regularly there was over 10 years ago."
The change has been made over concerns that the English game was being flooded with foreign players, who were getting game-time at the expense of young English players.
That has a knock-on effect for the national team, which has largely disappointed at major finals in the recent past. Binkin confirmed that they were still looking at options elsewhere in Europe, but for now Khumalo remains training at SuperSport to keep fit.
Khumalo's future in England bleak
A tightening of the work permit regulations in England has made it nearly impossible for Bongani Khumalo to continue his career in that country and will make it difficult for future South African players to ply their trade there.
Reports surfaced over the weekend that English Championship side Queens Park Rangers were interested in signing the 28-year-old following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season.
But as Khumalo's intermediary Glyn Binkin explained, new regulations mean that any offer from England is a virtual non- starter. "One of the changes that was made recently with regards to work permit applications is that players must be from countries regularly in the top 50 in the world, not top 70 as it was previously," Binkin said.
"Bafana Bafana were briefly in the top 50 a few years ago but the last time they were regularly there was over 10 years ago."
The change has been made over concerns that the English game was being flooded with foreign players, who were getting game-time at the expense of young English players.
That has a knock-on effect for the national team, which has largely disappointed at major finals in the recent past. Binkin confirmed that they were still looking at options elsewhere in Europe, but for now Khumalo remains training at SuperSport to keep fit.
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