No deal for Reggae Boyz Cummings
Published:Wednesday | January 19, 2011 | 1:28 PM
Reggae Boyz and Colorado Rapids star striker Omar Cummings, who was to go on loan at Aston Villa, has been denied a chance to join the English Premier League team after failing to get a world permit in England.
Colorado Rapids’ official team site reported today that the loan deal with Aston Villa fell through when Cummings' work permit was denied.
However, the US Major League Soccer (MLS), Cup Champions agreed to loan Cummings to Aston Villa until the beginning of the MLS season.
The 28-year-old Jamaican travelled to Birmingham, England, in December to begin training with the English Premier League team.
The Rapids' official site says Cummings' work permit was denied because he is not a member of the Premier League and his country has not been in the top 70, on average, in the FIFA World Rankings over the past two years.
Cummings is expected to be in the US when the Rapids kickoff the defense of their MLS Cup title against the expansion Portland Timbers on March 19 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.