Gold Coast get government approval to add asylum seekers to squad
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/a-league/gold-coast-get-government-approval-to-add-asylum-seekers-to-squad-20110822-1j6q5.html#ixzz1Vnx1ULnF
FOOTBALL FEDERATION Australia will allow Gold Coast United to sign two Eritrean internationals outside their foreign quota after the players were granted refugee status by the federal government.
Sami Gebrehiwet, 21, and Ambes Sium, 24, joined nine of their teammates in absconding during the 12-team CECAFA (East/Central African) Cup in Kenya 20 months ago and, after a period in a detention camp, the group arrived in Adelaide at the end of last year.
Gebrehiwet and Sium have spent this season playing in the semi-pro South Australian Super League for Western Strikers, but recently spent a fortnight on trial with Gold Coast where they did enough to impress coach Miron Bleiberg.
'They're like all African players, they're natural footballers, and they definitely have potential,'' Bleiberg said. ''Put it this way, they've played for their country, so they're no mugs. The only question is how quick they can adapt to the physicality of the A-League.''
The issue for Bleiberg was whether the FFA would allow him to sign the duo, given he had already reached the limit of five foreign players in his 23-man roster. The answer came last week from the FFA, with A-League boss Lyall Gorman saying: ''It wasn't up to us to grant them refugee status, that's up to the government. The issue was whether they would count as foreign players or not, and our view is they don't fall in that category. That means the club is able to sign them as regular players, so they're effectively getting a second chance. That's got to be a good news story.''
Meanwhile, Socceroos coach Holger Osieck will announce a 23-man squad today for the opening two World Cup qualifiers against Thailand and Saudi Arabia early next month and Melbourne Victory's new marquee signing, Harry Kewell, won't be on the list.
Kewell hasn't played since the Turkish season ended in May, and is believed to be on holiday in Portugal pending his arrival in Melbourne in a fortnight. Osieck left Kewell out of his last squad for the friendly against Wales, claiming his fitness was not up to scratch.
In other news, Wellington Phoenix owner Terry Serepisos has again scoffed at suggestions he is about to relinquish control of the club, saying he is close to sorting out his financial affairs. ''Handing over the club to someone else is the last thing I'm planning to do,'' he said.
Wellington drew more than 15,000 fans to a pre-season match against Brisbane Roar in Dunedin last weekend - something Serepisos believes shows how far the club has come since it was formed four years ago. ''It proves how big the brand has become,'' he said. While the Phoenix have just 16 players on their books, two more signings are expected by the end of the week in a further sign that Serepisos intends to continue bankrolling the club.
Meanwhile, Melbourne Heart defender Michael Marrone faces an anxious eight-day wait to find out whether a sudden change of coach has cost him the dream of playing in Italy's Serie A.
Marrone recently spent three weeks on trial at Sardinian side Cagliari, and it is believed coach Roberto Donadoni was poised to offer him a contract before he was sensationally axed after a dispute with president Massimo Cellino. Donadoni has been replaced by Massimo Ficcadenti, and with the transfer window closing on August 31, the deal is up in the air.
The defender has one year left on his contract with his A-League club, which could expect a decent transfer fee should he move to Italy.
