An administrative bungle that has prevented All Whites midfielder Sarpreet Singh from playing till 2023 may have cost a senior executive his job.
The German newspaper Mittelbayerische Zeitung reports Singh (23) can not take the field till at least January because second division club SSV Jahn Regensburg did not properly register his second loan deal from parent club Bayern Munich.
The club’s statement explaining the bungle said:
“As a result of a late notification of the loan transfer from Sarpreet Singh to SSV Jahn to the German Football League, no right to play for the first half of the 2022-23 season could be granted to date.
“This step can be made up for in the coming winter transfer window and the associated registration period, so that an application for the right to play can be submitted from this point in time.”
‘We are very unhappy’
Chief executive Hans Rothammer said:
“We are very unhappy about the processes and circumstances that led to this situation.
“In a personal dialogue with Sarpreet Singh, we were able to explain the facts and, in particular, to express our regret.”
The error keeps Singh sidelined, despite expectations that he will be fit to play again by November, after a lengthy rehabilitation period to recover from a condition called osteitis publs.
He has not played since April and missed New Zealand’s World Cup qualifying campaign, and the injury derailed a potential move to Werder Bremen.
Sporting director leaves club
Meanwhile, German media are linking the Singh saga with the sudden departure of Jahn Regensburg’s Sporting Director Roger Slitz (45) after only 10 months in the job.
He left the club three days before it acknowledged the administrative error, saying the split was amicable and his contract ended for personal reasons.
In a social media post, Singh displays the German heading which translated to English reads; ‘Application for eligibility to play by Jahn professional Sarpreet Singh only possible from January 1, 2023.”
Beneath it, a philosophical Singh says: “Not the easiest of times and nothing I can change so focus for the new year and second half of the season starts now. Thanks for all the support and messages.”
More stories
