Shropshire footballer Joe Hart held on to his first England cap today - despite an embarrassing mix-up at the highest level of the game.
Goalkeeper Hart made his international debut in last Sunday’s 3-0 win in Trinidad & Tobago, sparking hopes his former club Shrewsbury Town would receive a £500,000 windfall as part of the deal which took him to Manchester City.
But that was thrown into doubt by FIFA.
The game’s ruling body - announced the match could be wiped from the record books because both teams used seven substitutes instead of the maximum of six.
However the ruling body today announced the match would stand.
FIFA said in a statement to PA Sport: “FIFA can confirm it did not give special dispensation to make up to seven substitutions at the Trinidad & Tobago v England friendly match played on Sunday, 1 June 2008.
“The referee of this match confirmed to FIFA that he received no instruction to allow for such a special dispensation, but that it had been a mistake by the referee.
“As FIFA has received no official protest regarding this match, it shall be considered as an official match.”
The decision means England will keep their points in FIFA’s world rankings, which could have an impact on their seeding should Fabio Capello’s side qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals.
It also ensures that debutants Hart, Dean Ashton, Phil Jagielka and Stephen Warnock will all keep their first caps.
The FA were under the impression they had been given special dispensation for seven changes and that it had been cleared by FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, special adviser to the Trinidad and Tobago FA.
An FA spokesman said: “The fact of the matter is the opportunity to use seven substitutes was cleared in advance of the game by FIFA, Trinidad and Tobago representative Jack Warner, the FIFA delegate for the game and the match referee.
“Trinidad had the same option to use seven subs.”
By Chris Hudson
5 Comments
That’s just a typical example of the incompetence we expect from the people who run football. Did Joe play for England? Yes he did. The number of subs in friendlies is an arbitrary rule imposed by FIFA anyway, and since they agreed to change it for one game, why change their minds afterwards? If they do, Shrewsbury Town should sue them.
At the start of the match the BBC commentator (can’t remember who it was) said that FIFA and especialy Jack Warner, had given special dispensation for this game to be allowed up to 7 substitutions. The reason given for this was so that Dwight Yorke could make a 20 minute “guest appearance” The game was arranged as a celebration of 100 years of the Trin and Tob FA, and as Dwight Yorke is probably the most famous T&T player, they wanted him to appear. Ironically T&T only made 6 substitutions in the game, wheras England made 7
The question is though, if the BBC announced 7 subs were allowed, who told them??
FIFA are useless.
David, Who said Fifa changed their mind ?
just give town the dosh, and let us leap up the table with the proceeds. and let the coaches concentrate on our new £1 million crop of youngsters