Possible signing....

[Foz]

There would likely be a work permit issue but perhaps as a winner of the FIFA World Youth cup 2009 he may get a work permit as a player of exceptional ability. Players from the Ghana league don't usual cost much I think the record deal is 250k and this lad would likely be less. Really good player similar to Ian Hume.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latif_Salifu

This is a total shot in the dark but I know Leeds took Dominic Adiyiah on trial in 2007(?) he ended up winning the Golden ball in 2009 FIFA U-20 and is now at AC Milan. Don't know if Work permit was the problem there.

Max wages in Ghana is about 5k a year for the top players so we should be able to afford it. Foward this to our scouts lol!!!

 

[SonkORLY?]

Have you seen him play?

As far as I'm aware the general rule re:work-permits is that a player should have featured in >75% of games for their national team when fit. I expect the Ghanian league is of a similar standard to Irish Prem/English non-league - there's no reason we can't be looking closer to home for potential.

Realistically we aren't in the market for paying transfer fees for contracted players, let alone ones who we've never seen play.

I sometimes wonder if there might be good young Polish players in this country without a club atm.

 

[Foz]

.............

Yes I have seen him play.... Very fine player. The Ghana league is probably more like the bottom end of the Championship with a few knobs on. Certainly much better than non league!!!

Agree with you about Poles but Latif would be very cheap and unlike most Poles would already speak English.

They should go for it. He is good. Like I said he is very similar to Hume and his wages would be less than what we pay.

He was a member of the World Youth Cup winning squad in 2009 and he is tremendously skilful he has good quality.

 

[Ian]

[youtube]HJeNX6o5lD8[/youtube]

 

[roverstillidie]

The problem is we can't spend 250p on a player never mind anything close to 250k.

 

[Foz]

.......

Mate he could even be loaned for a year. Ghanaian teams are always keen on this as it raises the value of the player (European Exposure) but then obviously they then get the majority of the profits at the end. 250k is very much the record. He would very likely be a lot less than that!!!

Work Permits would be the issue. But like i said I reckon exceptional ability and a tribuneral might do it.

i am keen for us to find players who are above the quality of this league who we can afford so we can get out.

Scottish players like Snodgrass & Mculloch joined league One sides and are clearly more like Premiership standard players. But I think even Scottish players would be to expensive for us in the main at the moment. latifu is good quality and the only real issue would be the permit. Quality wise, linguistically and wages we could do. Would just need to wangle the tribuneral that he is a unique talent which for League One he surely would be..... FIFA World U-20 champion!!!

 

[Boz]

Interesting idea. However, I think the work permits rule were bent a bit to allow Kithson Bain to play for us. Having seen how he's done, can't see us getting any favours in future!

 

[roverstillidie]

Also would he leave AC Milan for Tranmere? even on loan. You should email the club if you think he is suitable.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Salifou isn't at Milan, Adiyiah is...

He won't make it there though.

 

[SCooperSomersaults]

The club's scouting system doesn't go as far as anybody who hasn't already played for us in the past, let alone some Ghanaian guy playing in their league!

I'd really love to know what Dave Philpotts actually does at the club, really I would.

 

[roverstillidie]

I'd really love to know what Dave Philpotts actually does at the club, really I would.

Makes cups of tea I assume. He goes to watch our next opposition and briefs the management about the team but you wouldn't know it.

 

[Foz]

.......

Sonkorly I agree i am worried about Adiyiahs lack of playing time but i would say he won't make it just yet. The previous two winners (before him) of the WYC U20 Golden ball were Messi and Aguero!!?!? He just needs a chance.

Abel Hernandez plays for Palermo and he has scored 6-7 Serie A goals (From not many more starts) this season and he played upfront for Uruguay in this same U-20 tournament just as an example of how players can do from that standard....

On Latifu he would be excellent. I just know that we need that class of player because Hume and Ryan Taylor used to absolutely run games for us and they were clearly not League One players. We need a couple of Championship/lower Prem standard players next year or we cannot escape this league and I can't see where we will get them from at the moment barring this sort of route and the youth team.

After all Hume himself was a signing from a Canadian youth team.... Not a million miles from what I am suggesting here. Just that his Scottish birth meant he was EU and wouldn't need this dratted Work Permit!!!!

 

[SCooperSomersaults]

Foz, a quick question, you're not this lad's agent by any chance are you? I'd love to think we'd give quality players a chance (if he is indeed so) but realism tells you it won't happen in a year of Sundays!

 

[Foz]

......

I'm not his agent but he is good and like I said the figures add up. We could afford it so it is not unrealisitic barring maybe the permit but surely a World Cup (U-20) winner is an exceptional talent!

No different to Mcculloch joining Wigan when they were in League One or Snodgrass joining Leeds in League one from the Scottish leagues.....

We need some quality players from somewhere within a realisitic price range!!!!

Les seems to be doing well with the loans... We have a decent youth team we just need to find a few gems from abroad methinks!!!

 

[bigmart]

im not so sure the loan signings by les been that gud sordell wasnt upto much o'neill the same gordon a waste of time robinson not much better mccready ok but been impressed with labadie just pity took so long to start him

 

[SonkORLY?]

We could afford it

We couldn't, this is where the debate kinda comes to an end I'm afraid.

And loan signings are always a complete lottery.

 

[roverstillidie]

Tell the club!!!!

Still not sure he would swap AC Milan for Tranmere even on loan.

 

[SonkORLY?]

He doesn't play for Milan!!!

 

[Foz]

.............

Sonkorly.... We couldn't afford to buy a player whose yearly wage is currently likely to be less than the equivalent of 5k a year!?!? Surely our players get more than 5k a year.....

In terms of the overall fee again I wouldnt be surprised if the player could be bought (and certainly loaned) for 100k or less..... Again it could be managed surely?

I know we haven't much money and pretty much need frees and players who cost no more than 150k max but surely Latifu would be classified as within our price range. I don't even know his contract situation maybe it is up at the end of this season and he may even be free?

Only problem is we would have to appeal the permit on the grounds of exceptional ability. other than that we should be able to afford it surely.... We are talking about Ghana finances here. good league players can be sold for less than 100k! wages no more than 5k. Tranmere can afford that surely!

 

[roverstillidie]

He doesn't play for Milan!!!

Sorry misread the the post, so who does he play for?