Chilean super winger Mark ?Speedy? Gonzalez believes his application for a Spanish passport is going well and he has high hopes of finally becoming a Liverpool player by the end of the summer.
The 21 year old who once claimed signing for Liverpool was like ?winning the lottery?, has had two applications for work permits turned down by the by the Home Office and is currently on loan at Real Sociedad where his impressive form and goals have helped them to survive in the Spanish top flight.
In an extensive interview with LFC magazine, Gonzalez said, ‘I have heard that the passport application is progressing quite well, so let’s hope that I can get the EU Spanish passport which I think then might be enough to play in the UK without needing a work permit.
‘That makes it more simple. Having a relevant passport is vital for a footballer wherever you are in the world.’
Gonzalez was angry that his earlier efforts to gain a work permit had been turned down and went on to say, ‘There are certain requirements they demand. Firstly, the country you play for must be in the FIFA top 70. Chile were lower than that at the time we applied.
‘Then you must have played 75% of your country’s games, which I have done. So the top 70 issue was the problem.’
‘How can it be my fault that my country are not in the top 70, it is not like I play them by myself.
‘We are looking at two ways of getting Spanish nationality, and with that an EC Spanish passport.
‘Firstly through residency, and the time I spent with Albacete and now Sociedad. You need to have been here (in Spain) two years.
‘Secondly through Spanish descendants on my father’s side of the family. Now we have an application for a Spanish passport being progressed.’
He added: ‘Once I get that I don’t think there will be any problem. It has all made me more determined to be success in England with Liverpool.’
He also spoke of his appreciation of the concern shown towards him by Rafa during the dark days of his injury, ‘He was always concerned about me, he would always be ringing me. Since I’ve been here he rings me as well to see how I’m doing.
‘The last time was before the Villarreal match. I also am in regular contact with Paco Herrera and only yesterday, Pako Ayesteran called me.
‘I’m in touch with everyone and I realise that everyone is genuinely concerned to see how I’m doing.This in itself is a form of motivation, it makes you feel that you are appreciated.’
Despite already being an international and first-team regular at Albacete, Gonzalez admits he was more nervous turning up for his first day at work on Merseyside, having spent a month or so at Melwood over Christmas and beyond, than he’d been since his first day at school.
‘It’s like your first day in class at a new school, with new classmates. But my team-mates gave me a great welcome and I quickly became more confident as I spent time with them.?
‘I was really pleased with how everyone was with me and to be honest I hadn’t expected it to be like that. It made me even more determined to be a success here when I finally get to pull on a Liverpool shirt.’
Gonzalez also went on to speak of the time he?s spent at Real Sociedad, ‘My own personal aim, and that of the whole group of players (at Sociedad), has been to stay up.
‘When I arrived at Real Sociedad I said my number one objective was to leave here with La Real in the first division, and go to Liverpool with people saying that I’d done my job.
‘I now feel like I’m in that position. The best thing of all is that of the goals I’ve scored, three or four have been decisive, match winners or at vital moments.’
And he adds: ‘I was playing the day Liverpool met Chelsea in the semi-final at Old Trafford but as soon as I came off the pitch someone told me the result and I could celebrate our win and Sociedad’s win too.’
I like this guy already!
By Gerry Ormonde
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