http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7421348.stm
Do you agree or not ?
I personally agree but don't think they go far enough,I would make the limit 2 foreign players in all football at the professional level.
I also think the manager of a national team should be of the same nationality as the team.
We have the ridiculous situation where in the premier league the top teams have more foreigners than home players,money talking?
The England team is a joke and will never get anywhere without the local lads getting a chance to train properly and prove themselves.I now the exceptional ones will probably succeed but a lot of other excellent youngsters will be missed.
Freedom of movement is spoiling (especially) the England side.

It would be a good idea but for the fact that under EU law it would be illegal.
You could also ask why so few English players succeed abroad; surely if they were as good as many England fans claim, they'd be wanted by the top clubs in Italy, Spain and Germany for example?

As Basil points out, it's illegal. A similar rule was tried in Serie A, I think it lasted a season before the clubs had the rule overturned.

Also, it wouldn't really improve English players. The only thing that can do that is if clubs develop their academies properly, though the ruling may force them to do that in the long term. If they can afford to.

I certainly can't see it making much of a difference to the Premier League table though. Picture the scenario in 20 years, assuming English academies are all great. The elite clubs playing in Europe will still buy up all the best players, whether they are English or otherwise. And the England manager will probably still pick the bulk of his players from the big four.

As Basil points out, it's illegal. A similar rule was tried in Serie A, I think it lasted a season before the clubs had the rule overturned.



Perhaps there's a loophole in that clubs could employ as many foreign players as they like, but only a fixed number can be on the pitch at any one time. I can't believe the Head of FIFA would announce such a proposal without checking the legality first.

I can't remember exactly but I think the rule in Serie A was a club was not allowed to field more than 3 non-EU players, and wasn't allowed to hold the registration of more than 5. I vaguely remember this being a huge problem for AC Milan, who at the time had a lot of Brazilians and Georgians.

Didn't the European Cup also have a similar rule in the early 90's? I think there was some rule where clubs were not allowed to register more than a certain number of players from outside their home nation..

Perhaps there's a loophole in that clubs could employ as many foreign players as they like, but only a fixed number can be on the pitch at any one time.

There is no loophole. There's simply no way in hell that this rule can be applied in EU countries.

I can't believe the Head of FIFA would announce such a proposal without checking the legality first.

Look up "megalomania" in a dictionary. You might even find a picture of Sepp Blatter in the definition. ;)

The EU's John Mcdonald speaks about FIFA's proposal. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7427487.stm)

Let's just use it as yet another reason to pull out of the gravy train that is the EU.

It should be introduced on a sliding basis. Maximum of 8 foreigners in a team line-up (that is, the match-day squad) in the first season, dropping next season to 6 and then 4.

I predict Arsenal would be the first side to spit their dummy out.

It wont happen. There's no way the EU will allow business (which essentially is what football is) to discriminate against workers based on nationality.

It would be a good idea but for the fact that under EU law it would be illegal.
You could also ask why so few English players succeed abroad; surely if they were as good as many England fans claim, they'd be wanted by the top clubs in Italy, Spain and Germany for example?


Certain English players are wanted by foreign teams but with the Premier League being the Worlds wealthiest league in terms of wages paid other leagues cannot match us and unfortunatly money comes before pride with todays generation
And a limit on foreign players would not help English Football as there is a complete lack of English players coming through the ranks due to the lack of Acadamys in this country

Let's just use it as yet another reason to pull out of the gravy train that is the EU.

It should be introduced on a sliding basis. Maximum of 8 foreigners in a team line-up (that is, the match-day squad) in the first season, dropping next season to 6 and then 4.

I predict Arsenal would be the first side to spit their dummy out.

Quickly followed by Liverpool, then Chelsea and Man Utd.

Whilst Chelsea and Man U did have quite a few English in their sides for the Champoins League final, if they'd been forced to field many more, the you have to think that they wouldn't have got as far as they did, and their revenues would be severely affected.

All of Europe's clubs would be up in arms.

How far would Real Madrid, AC Milan, Barcelona, Juventus and co progress in Europe if they couldn't field their foreign imports?

How long would a team like Zaragoza or Portsmouth last in the top flight if they could only field a team of below-par natives?

Yes, but imagine this.

The utter relief of seeing England lose to France, Holland, Brazil, Argentina et al and the opposition's scorer(s) not actually being someone employed by an English club in an English league!

Oh yes and Agent Gypo mentions Portsmouth. They'd soon be out the top flight!

I don't think it would redress the balance in the English game. At the moment, the best players around the world are bought by Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, if they haven't already been picked up by a foreign Champions League side.

With the proposed 6+5 rule, the elite clubs will still continue to buy the best players. I think the clubs lower down the league will suffer if they are forced to field inferior, and quite often more expensive, English players. It may even drive player prices up. In the short term surely that will only increase the gulf between the big 4 and the rest of the league.

But all this is just conjecture. It isn't going to happen, no matter how many FIFA delegates vote in favour of Blatter's proposal. The EU has made itself very clear when it says the proposed ruling is illegal.

All of Europe's clubs would be up in arms.

How far would Real Madrid, AC Milan, Barcelona, Juventus and co progress in Europe if they couldn't field their foreign imports?

How long would a team like Zaragoza or Portsmouth last in the top flight if they could only field a team of below-par natives?

Fair Point
But the likes of Real,Milan,Barcelona,Juventus ect would cope a hell of a lot better than our top English Clubs just because English Clubs rely on foreign players more than any other European Teams

What about foreign refs? Are they welcome?

I'm not sure about that one.

Of the 31 players Spanish clubs must register for their domestic league, Barcelona registered 9 Spanish players. Real Madrid registered just 8. In Serie A, Inter had just 3 Italians in their regular line-up!

I'm not sure about that one.

Of the 31 players Spanish clubs must register for their domestic league, Barcelona registered 9 Spanish players. Real Madrid registered just 8. In Serie A, Inter had just 3 Italians in their regular line-up!

Yes but Spain,Italy,Germany,Holland ect ect have so many more youngsters coming up throught the ranks than English teams do and it wouldnt take nowhere near as long to accomadate them into their teams than it would most English teams

I don't think Italy, Spain or Germany are that much better than the Premier League when it comes to blooding young, homegrown players. Certainly not the big clubs anyway.

During the 1970's the vast majority of players in the English league were British or Irish, but that didn't stop the national team being a big flop; so I feel the current debate surrounding the national team and the amount of foreign players to be a bit of a red herring. I feel that the problems with our national team just boils down to bad management.

It is funny that FIFA and UEFA is only now showing concern now that the English clubs have become successful, when Italian and Spanish clubs were splashing big money on foreigners and dominating Europe it wasn't such an issue.

I don't think Italy, Spain or Germany are that much better than the Premier League when it comes to blooding young, homegrown players. Certainly not the big clubs anyway.

Just look at how many foreigners are in English football today,these are all homegrown players from the likes of Spain,Italy,France ect ect
These countries teams bring youngsters up through the ranks,blood them into the first team and then the Premier League Teams pounce
Because the Premier League is worth so much money to teams involved they go for the quick fix and spend millions on foreigners rather than investing in young English players for the future
Fair Enough there are a few English lads who have come through the ranks to play at top level but not enough
Will be very very interesting to see how Prem clubs cope if Fifa get their way
Arsenal for 1 will be knackered

Just look at how many foreigners are in English football today,these are all homegrown players from the likes of Spain,Italy,France ect ect
These countries teams bring youngsters up through the ranks,blood them into the first team and then the Premier League Teams pounce
Because the Premier League is worth so much money to teams involved they go for the quick fix and spend millions on foreigners rather than investing in young English players for the future
Fair Enough there are a few English lads who have come through the ranks to play at top level but not enough
Will be very very interesting to see how Prem clubs cope if Fifa get their way
Arsenal for 1 will be knackered

I can see the top European clubs breaking away from FIFA and UEFA if they somehow manage to get their ideas past the EU.

Just look at how many foreigners are in English football today,these are all homegrown players from the likes of Spain,Italy,France ect ect
These countries teams bring youngsters up through the ranks,blood them into the first team and then the Premier League Teams pounce
Because the Premier League is worth so much money to teams involved they go for the quick fix and spend millions on foreigners rather than investing in young English players for the future
Fair Enough there are a few English lads who have come through the ranks to play at top level but not enough
Will be very very interesting to see how Prem clubs cope if Fifa get their way
Arsenal for 1 will be knackered

It's the same situation in Italy and Spain too. Like JFK, I'm puzzled as to why it has suddenly become an issue for FIFA when a few years ago it was seemingly quite happy with foreign ownership, big money signings and loads of foreigners in Italy.

In my opinion FIFA is trying to reign in the Premier League. The rest of this seems to be a sideshow.

I can see the top European clubs breaking away from FIFA and UEFA if they somehow manage to get their ideas past the EU.

European Super League???
Wont happen mate,remember all the crap that went on when Scudamore brought out a plan to add an extra game at the end of Prem Sesaon and have it played abroad which was basically a money making scheme

It's the same situation in Italy and Spain too. Like JFK, I'm puzzled as to why it has suddenly become an issue for FIFA when a few years ago it was seemingly quite happy with foreign ownership, big money signings and loads of foreigners in Italy.

In my opinion FIFA is trying to reign in the Premier League. The rest of this seems to be a sideshow.

I think Fifa are worried about how the Prem League is becoming increasingly more influential within European/World Football due mainly to the transfer fees/wages they are able to offer clubs and players because of T.V money and foreign investment.
Italy never had much as an influence on football as the Prem league does now

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7421348.stm
Do you agree or not ?
I personally agree but don't think they go far enough,I would make the limit 2 foreign players in all football at the professional level.
I also think the manager of a national team should be of the same nationality as the team.
We have the ridiculous situation where in the premier league the top teams have more foreigners than home players,money talking?
The England team is a joke and will never get anywhere without the local lads getting a chance to train properly and prove themselves.I now the exceptional ones will probably succeed but a lot of other excellent youngsters will be missed.
Freedom of movement is spoiling (especially) the England side.
Yeah because the England team was such a powerhouse sweeping all before it and winning trophy after trophy until this pernicious influx of foreigners came in and spoiled everything :roll:

Just look at how many foreigners are in English football today,these are all homegrown players from the likes of Spain,Italy,France ect ect
These countries teams bring youngsters up through the ranks,blood them into the first team and then the Premier League Teams pounce
Because the Premier League is worth so much money to teams involved they go for the quick fix and spend millions on foreigners rather than investing in young English players for the future
Fair Enough there are a few English lads who have come through the ranks to play at top level but not enough
Will be very very interesting to see how Prem clubs cope if Fifa get their way
Arsenal for 1 will be knackered
A big problem at the moment is the English FA rules about recruitment of domestic youngsters to academies which in affect force teams like Arsenal and United to look overseas for young talent as they can only recruit from a tiny area in the UK. Under the current rules David Beckham for example couldn't have been a United Academy player.

European Super League???
Wont happen mate,remember all the crap that went on when Scudamore brought out a plan to add an extra game at the end of Prem Sesaon and have it played abroad which was basically a money making scheme

The issues surrounding the 39th game are completely different compared to any associated with a break away from FIFA and UEFA. One was about increasing revenue, one is about possible survival.

Sky also depends on a successful, glitzy and glamourous Premier league. Without the subscriptions for the Premier league Sky would struggle, so any breakaway from FIFA and UEFA would be backed by Murdock.