June 15, 2012
PAPERWORK IN, WAITING BEGINS
Red Bulls hope U.S. will rule on Rodgers' visa by the end of next week

The Red Bulls are hopeful that the U.S. will rule on Luke Rodgers' visa by the end of next week. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images

By Kristian R. Dyer
BigAppleSoccer.com Contributing Editor

UPPER MONTCLAIR, N.J. – Luke Rodgers turned in his necessary paperwork with the United States consulate in Oslo, Norway on Thursday and now the forward – and his old team – await an answer.

Rodgers was denied a renewal of visa in March and has since been playing in Norway for Lillestrom. Originally, the Red Bulls had pursued Rodgers in the spring of 2010 when coach Hans Backe was in his first year with the club, but the player’s past troubles with the law kept him from initially getting a work visa. He received clearance later that year and played 23 matches and scored nine goals for New York in 2011. He was denied a visa for unspecified reasons this offseason and the team has made two efforts to get him renewed again.

Backe said he spoke with Rodgers Thursday and everything is filed with the consulate.

“It was yesterday then; he just had to leave his paperwork, his administrative work. Normally he will have an answer at the end of next week,” Backe said when asked by BigAppleSoccer.com about Rodgers.

“Everything was done in a good way, now we wait for an answer.”

Hopeful of a quick turnaround, Backe would not predict the outcome although he would clearly like to see the player return to New York.

“I’d say so, at the end of next week, definitely in June. Normally though you’d have [an answer] in one week,” hesaid.

“But it’s good so that we have a quick answer that way we know where we are.”

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