According to the BBC podcast I was listening to on my drive home last night one of the major topics for discussion at the approaching Sydney FIFA Congress will be the controversial move to potentially limit the number of foreign players playing in European leagues.
The so called “6+5” rule would see European teams have to field at least 6 homegrown players in their starting line ups. There are still debates as to whether such a ruling is legal under EU workplace legislations and a degree of doubt over what would constitute a homegrown player...e.g. for English clubs would it be a British passport or a graduate of that club’s academy...meaning the legions of foreign nationals turning out for Arsenal and Chelsea’s academy teams each week would be classed as “homegrown” players.
It’s interesting that FIFA/UEFA felt no need to step in at any stage in the last 10 years whilst this importation of foreign talent has slowly undermined the British national teams...gone are the days when Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool used to still dominate English football, and in Liverpool’s case especially not do too badly in Europe either, largely with English, Irish and Scottish talent.
FIFA/UEFA have been quite happy to stand aside and see Scotland not qualify for a major tournament in a decade, the Republic of Ireland likewise since two last 16 finishes in the World Cup the latest being in 2002 and England failing to qualify for Euro 2008. However, surely it’s more than coincidence that such moves are gathering pace as we approach the first ever all English Champions League Final and for the second consecutive season have seen 3 out of 4 semi finalist of that competition come from the English Premier League.
Don’t get me wrong...this isn’t a sole excuse for British teams lack of success...far from it....I’m fully aware of England’s failings on the national stage and wrote about them here http://au.fourfourtwo.com/blogs.aspx?CIaBEID=310 on the day they failed to qualify and as an Aston Villa fan nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see my own team challenge for domestic and European honours as I did 25 years ago as can be seen in my picture accompanying this blog. I just find FIFA’s timing interesting...and let’s be honest FIFA has a canny knack of manufacturing situations to suit their own agenda.
If the FIFA Congress progresses this concept it certainly would blow the Premier League and Champions League wide open again arguably for years to come.
Last night Liverpool reserves beat Aston Villa reserves in a play off to clinch the National Reserve Championship...a look at the starting line ups is telling:
Liverpool Reserves: Gulacsi, Darby, Insua, San Jose, Huth, Plessis, El Zhar (Simon 86), Lucas, Brouwer (Pacheco 73), Nemeth (Lindfield 80), Flynn. Unused subs: Bouzanis, Kelly, Simon.
Aston Villa Reserves: Taylor, Lund (Bannan 74), Baker (Delfouneso 46), Osbourne, Clark, Lowry, Salifou, Routledge, Harewood, Herd, Maloney (Albrighton 77). Unused subs: Bevan, Collins.
Liverpool’s reserve team contained players from countries such as Brazil, Hungary, Holland, Morocco, Argentina, Australia & Spain whereas Villa’s contained all British players bar Salifou from Togo and Aussie Chris Herd.
It’s a similar story at all levels of competition where the big four are trying to save themselves millions by picking up the best of the world’s talent at an earlier and earlier age and as at senior level this is at the expense of homegrown talent.
The 6+5 rule is some way from becoming reality but it could take a big step closer to reality right here in Sydney at the end of this month and I don’t think you’d find too many dissenting voices outside of Old Trafford, The Emirates, Anfield and Stamford Bridge.
Certainly as an Aston Villa fan who have regularly fielded comfortably more than the required quota all season and are sat in 6th place and have 16 British players in their first team squad...it would make things very interesting!
The so called “6+5” rule would see European teams have to field at least 6 homegrown players in their starting line ups. There are still debates as to whether such a ruling is legal under EU workplace legislations and a degree of doubt over what would constitute a homegrown player...e.g. for English clubs would it be a British passport or a graduate of that club’s academy...meaning the legions of foreign nationals turning out for Arsenal and Chelsea’s academy teams each week would be classed as “homegrown” players.
It’s interesting that FIFA/UEFA felt no need to step in at any stage in the last 10 years whilst this importation of foreign talent has slowly undermined the British national teams...gone are the days when Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool used to still dominate English football, and in Liverpool’s case especially not do too badly in Europe either, largely with English, Irish and Scottish talent.
FIFA/UEFA have been quite happy to stand aside and see Scotland not qualify for a major tournament in a decade, the Republic of Ireland likewise since two last 16 finishes in the World Cup the latest being in 2002 and England failing to qualify for Euro 2008. However, surely it’s more than coincidence that such moves are gathering pace as we approach the first ever all English Champions League Final and for the second consecutive season have seen 3 out of 4 semi finalist of that competition come from the English Premier League.
Don’t get me wrong...this isn’t a sole excuse for British teams lack of success...far from it....I’m fully aware of England’s failings on the national stage and wrote about them here http://au.fourfourtwo.com/blogs.aspx?CIaBEID=310 on the day they failed to qualify and as an Aston Villa fan nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see my own team challenge for domestic and European honours as I did 25 years ago as can be seen in my picture accompanying this blog. I just find FIFA’s timing interesting...and let’s be honest FIFA has a canny knack of manufacturing situations to suit their own agenda.
If the FIFA Congress progresses this concept it certainly would blow the Premier League and Champions League wide open again arguably for years to come.
Last night Liverpool reserves beat Aston Villa reserves in a play off to clinch the National Reserve Championship...a look at the starting line ups is telling:
Liverpool Reserves: Gulacsi, Darby, Insua, San Jose, Huth, Plessis, El Zhar (Simon 86), Lucas, Brouwer (Pacheco 73), Nemeth (Lindfield 80), Flynn. Unused subs: Bouzanis, Kelly, Simon.
Aston Villa Reserves: Taylor, Lund (Bannan 74), Baker (Delfouneso 46), Osbourne, Clark, Lowry, Salifou, Routledge, Harewood, Herd, Maloney (Albrighton 77). Unused subs: Bevan, Collins.
Liverpool’s reserve team contained players from countries such as Brazil, Hungary, Holland, Morocco, Argentina, Australia & Spain whereas Villa’s contained all British players bar Salifou from Togo and Aussie Chris Herd.
It’s a similar story at all levels of competition where the big four are trying to save themselves millions by picking up the best of the world’s talent at an earlier and earlier age and as at senior level this is at the expense of homegrown talent.
The 6+5 rule is some way from becoming reality but it could take a big step closer to reality right here in Sydney at the end of this month and I don’t think you’d find too many dissenting voices outside of Old Trafford, The Emirates, Anfield and Stamford Bridge.
Certainly as an Aston Villa fan who have regularly fielded comfortably more than the required quota all season and are sat in 6th place and have 16 British players in their first team squad...it would make things very interesting!
