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The cost of international football: Five famous club vs country debates

With England set to play Lithuania tonight much speculation exists over whether in form striker Harry Kane will make his debut. Kane, who has netted an incredible 29 times so far this season, is also the subject of much controversy himself.

Having made the step up to represent his country at senior level, debate exists whether the young forward should feature in the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, later this summer.

Ultimately, football clubs are businesses - with players their most valuable assets. Whilst Kane may be keen to play for Southgate this summer, his club may yet try to dissuade him in an attempt to protect their own business interests.

A question presents itself whether Kane should put his club or country first?

Such debates, especially concerning England, are nothing new. Whilst we anticipate Kane’s potential senior debut later tonight, I take a look back at five infamous club vs country debates, reminding us how much a role business plays in the modern game

1. Abdelmajid Oulmers

Moroccan player Abdelmajid Oulmers’ injury, playing for his country in a friendly against Burkino Faso in 2004, sparked a landmark compensation case involving his Belgian club side Charleroi and FIFA.

Charleroi took FIFA to court over the injury, which kept Oulmers out for eight months, arguing that with the player unavailability cost them the league title as they finished fifth. Charleroi received backing from G14, a body representing the world’s richest clubs, although the case was dropped in 2008.

Fifa, who argued no link between Oulmers’ injury and Charleroi’s final league position could be substantiated, opened up further debate believing national associations should reimburse clubs, rather than the governing body.

2. Michael Owen

Newcastle United paid a club record transfer fee of £17m to recruit Michael Owen in August 2005. In a 2006 World Cup group game Owen sustained an anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The injury kept Owen out of playing for Newcastle until April 2007, much to the fury of the then Newcastle Chairman Freddy Shepherd.

Controversy followed over what cost The Football Association should cover concerning injuries to players on international duty. FIFA and the FA had been paying £50k of Owen’s £110k weekly wages since he suffered the injury, surmounting to £2m for the time he couldn’t play.

However, after a long standoff between the club and the governing bodies, Newcastle managed to win £10m in compensation, taking into account not only Owen’s wages but the fees for his medical bills and the replacement Newcastle were forced to recruit in his absence, Obafemi Martins.

3. Robin Van Persie

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger declared the club would seek compensation from the Dutch FA following an injury to then star striker Robin Van Persie, sustained in an international friendly against Italy, in November 2009.

Wenger said: “We are working on this with our lawyers at the moment and we are definitely going for it. I expect financial compensation for the damage it can make to the championship and the salary involved. It is especially frustrating to lose your players for the rest of the season in a friendly game.”

Dutch FA president Henk Kesler retaliated: “Before Arsenal were shouting their mouths off in public, they should have studied the FIFA rules. If you read the rules, then you know that players are always insured by their clubs. They are also insured by the club when they are on their travels with the national team. Let Arsenal come to us with their legal claim and we will fight it.”

Tensions dissolved then FIFA dismissed the claim, reminding Arsenal that they signed a contract promising not to sue national associations.

4. Dean Ashton

Promising striker Dean Ashton was forced to retire from the game in 2006, following an injury sustained in an England training session.

Ashton agreed a settlement with the FA although his club side, West Ham, went on to pursue a compensation package of their own.

Co-owner David Sullivan sought £6.8m in compensation from the FA but only the player received a fee.

5. Diafra Sakho

More recently, current West Ham striker Diafra Sakho put the club vs country debate back into the fold this season.

The Hammers were fined £71k after playing Sakho in the FA Cup, shortly after he withdrew from Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations squad.

FIFA opened an investigation to see if the club had breached rules over international duty, subsequently fining West Ham on the grounds that a player cannot appear for a club if he was meant to be on international duty.

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