Toffees hit out over Pienaar
08 Jan 2008 - 07:38:31
Everton have hit out at the South African Football Association after losing their fight to delay midfielder Steven Pienaar's departure to the African Cup of Nations.
The Toffees reluctantly agreed to let the on-loan Borussia Dortmund midfielder leave Goodison Park for the tournament in Ghana on Monday despite initially hoping to play him against Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup on Tuesday night.
Everton argued that Pienaar should have been allowed to face Chelsea as South Africa's opening fixture was not due to take place until 15 days later.
South Africa had invoked FIFA's 14-day rule and felt he should not play in the fixture.
However, following a complaint from the South African authorities, FIFA ruled Pienaar should have joined up with his international team-mates 14 days before the start of the tournament and not his nation's opening fixture.
"We are extremely disappointed that a common sense attitude has not been shown, as has been the case with a number of other federations," Everton secretary David Harrison told the club's official website.
"Despite FIFA's attempts to clarify the regulation, we do feel - as do a number of other European clubs - that there is a distinct grey area on this ruling and we are extremely disappointed that this has only been made clear at this late stage."