To the best of my knowledge, Spurs currently don`t have a ‘partnership` with any European team, though there was the shared ownership issue about the ENIC investment in Slavia Prague.
Both Arsenal and Manchester United have had partnership arrangements with Belgium teams, and whilst Arsenal`s link with Beveren only ever produced Emmanuel Eboue, United`s partnership with Royal Antwerp has allowed the loan of a number of players who have had the opportunity to enjoy competitive football and also avoid the restrictions of the English loan system and the lack of real competitiveness in the reserve league. United have also established friendships with other teams like IFK Gothenburg, Arsenal are linking up with the Colorado Rapids of the MLS to increase their USA exposure, while Ajax have established Ajax Cape Town to tap the South African market.
Due to the less restrictive entry requirements of some of these countries, often based on historical links, some clubs have used this opportunity to find a way around work permit problems.
With the confirmed news that Gomes will need ‘special dispensation` to get a work permit having failed to play in 75% of Brazil`s internationals in the last two years, is it not about time Spurs looked to establish ‘partnerships` with a specific club in Europe, where we can sent our youth players for competitive football, plus look to place young players we could sign from outside of the EU, who might initially struggle to get a work permit, including players from Africa, South America, Russia and Asia?
Both Belgium and Denmark have slightly less restrictive rules regarding the import of non-EU footballers and a link with a club in one of these leagues could be a decent way of avoiding these restrictions. Due to our historic pre-season Scandinavian tours, I am sure we have plenty of friends in that part of Europe, who would love to have the chance to loan Leigh Mills, Tommy Forecast or Tomas Pekhart for part of the season and by placing players at one club predominantly, Spurs might be better able to have a more measured observation of their development.
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