Watford are upset after the FA turned down a work permit for one of their players, especially as England Under 20 World Cup-winning coach Paul Simpson had strongly backed the Premier League club’s request.
The application from Venezuelan Adalberto Penaranda was rejected for a second successive year, despite the starring role he played in helping his country reach the U20 World Cup final in South Korea where they lost to England.
It was Penaranda’s penalty, saved by Newcastle’s Freddie Woodman, that proved to be the defining moment of the match.
FA coach Simpson, speaking at the tribunal, was glowing about Penaranda’s ability to make a mark in the Premier League, calling him the best player England faced in the tournament.