AN influx of foreign players to the Ridgeons League continues with Premier Division Felixstowe and Walton United now able to parade 21-year-old Petr Janacek from the Czech Republic.

By Elvin King

AN influx of foreign players to the Ridgeons League continues with Premier Division Felixstowe and Walton United now able to parade 21-year-old Petr Janacek from the Czech Republic.

The midfielder is now under contract with the Dellwood Avenue-based club after a protracted battle to get his release from his former club.

Janacek was under contract with a club in his homeland and it needed lengthy discussions with the Football Association and the Czech Football Association to get clearance for the player to sign for Felixstowe.

“It was a long process,” said Felixstowe manager Steve Potts. “Petr has been training with us since the summer, but it is only in recent weeks that he has been available to play.

“He adds something to our squad, and has been become a regular member of my first team line-up.”

Janacek, who speaks only broken English, lives with his parents and family in Felixstowe having moved to this country last year.

During his Czech playing days he faced some good opposition including matches against Sparta Prague reserves.

Ipswich Wanderers, meanwhile, are still waiting to see whether they can sign 25-year-old Togo international Guyazou Kassim on an 18-month contract.

But how did the Ridgeons League club manage to persuade a player who was in Togo's original squad for last year's world cup finals in Germany spend a trial period at Humber Doucy Lane?

The answer lies in 26-year-old Semien Djima-Issifou, who is a student based in Ipswich.

Originally from Togo he has been in this country for five years and works in partnership with Honnang Sport Management, who are FIFA and FA licensed agents.

“We promote and offer professional advice for footballers,” said Djima-Issifou, who plays football on Sundays for Ipswich-based Locomotive.

Mick Lowe, the Wanderers physio, also plays for Locomotive, and this is how the link was formed.

Whether Kassim, who has 19 Togo caps, actually turns out for Wanderers remains to be seen.

He fits work permit criteria as he is a current full international, but permits are not issued to clubs from the Conference League down.

Wanderers have been in touch with contacts at Chesterfield FC to see whether they will sign on the midfielder and then loan him back to the Ipswich-based club.

Kassim trained with Wanderers last month and watched their defeat at Wroxham on January 13 before returning to sort out his side of the deal.