Wenger and FIFA proposals

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 116100.stm

Is he right?

I think so.

[InsaneApache]

I think that the Treaty of Rome would preclude such a step in the EU.

[Daxter]

Wenger is very right here. He makes his point very well.

[dodgykipper]

Presumably welsh and scots would not be count as home players in an english side (or welsh sides in the english league?). We had only one English player again today against Wigan. Not sure you would call it elite football though.

[communistworkethic]

Presumably welsh and scots would not be count as home players in an english side (or welsh sides in the english league?). We had only one English player again today against Wigan. Not sure you would call it elite football though.

no but imagine being forced to pick Nicky Hunt ahead of say Tal Ben Haim....

[Village Idiot]

I thought the rule referred to players in the squad as a whole, not in the starting team in any given game. If it's that it's a bit bollocks. Although we shouldn't forget that it was like that 10 years ago (worse, even, just 3 foreign players named in a squad) and we didn't complain.

In a quick glance... at Barça we typically field 4-5 eligible players. (Puyol, Valdés, Xavi, Iniesta and Oleguer), and we got 8 in the squad (Rubén, Jorquera, Santi Ezquerro).


Bolton's got Hunt, Nolan, SKD... and I think that's all? (as for first teamers)

[Henrik's fan club]

I thought the rule referred to players in the squad as a whole, not in the starting team in any given game. If it's that it's a bit bollocks. Although we shouldn't forget that it was like that 10 years ago (worse, even, just 3 foreign players named in a squad) and we didn't complain.

In a quick glance... at Barça we typically field 4-5 eligible players. (Puyol, Valdés, Xavi, Iniesta and Oleguer), and we got 8 in the squad (Rubén, Jorquera, Santi Ezquerro).


Bolton's got Hunt, Nolan, SKD... and I think that's all? (as for first teamers)

We'd end up being forced to play Walker instead of Jussi

[Village Idiot]

I thought the rule referred to players in the squad as a whole, not in the starting team in any given game. If it's that it's a bit bollocks. Although we shouldn't forget that it was like that 10 years ago (worse, even, just 3 foreign players named in a squad) and we didn't complain.

In a quick glance... at Barça we typically field 4-5 eligible players. (Puyol, Valdés, Xavi, Iniesta and Oleguer), and we got 8 in the squad (Rubén, Jorquera, Santi Ezquerro).


Bolton's got Hunt, Nolan, SKD... and I think that's all? (as for first teamers)

We'd end up being forced to play Walker instead of Jussi

England keeper!

[Henrik's fan club]

I thought the rule referred to players in the squad as a whole, not in the starting team in any given game. If it's that it's a bit bollocks. Although we shouldn't forget that it was like that 10 years ago (worse, even, just 3 foreign players named in a squad) and we didn't complain.

In a quick glance... at Barça we typically field 4-5 eligible players. (Puyol, Valdés, Xavi, Iniesta and Oleguer), and we got 8 in the squad (Rubén, Jorquera, Santi Ezquerro).


Bolton's got Hunt, Nolan, SKD... and I think that's all? (as for first teamers)

We'd end up being forced to play Walker instead of Jussi

England keeper!

No guarantee of quality! Just ask Calamity James....

[Dujon]

At first thought I cannot see too much problem with such a proposal. To be honest I'd probably take it further if such an idea was to be considered seriously and limit each league or Premiership club to, say, three imports on their playing staff. Naturally this would need to apply to leagues world wide.

I don't know much about the workings of the E.U. as it applies to footballers and 'freedom of trade' in the sporting field, so please feel free to shout me down.

To me it seems that this would have a number of benefits.

Firstly; it enables (indeed forces) clubs to nurture their own.

Secondly; it levels the 'playing field' to some extent.

Thirdly; with a little luck it'll reduce staff wages and ridiculous transfer expenditure.

Fourthly; it stops the bleeding of talent from smaller countries by dint of their players being enticed overseas. This will still happen, but only the cream will move between countries.

Fifthly; it gives local lads in each country a better chance (and incentive) than at present to aspire to their respective top tier leagues.

A load of bollocks? Dunno, what do you think?

[communistworkethic]

we used to have that limit but as has been noted, the treaty of rome basically got rid of it. limiting numbers would potentially be a "restriction of trade", at least for european players.

[dodgykipper]

True. Serie A and B in Italy have restrictions on non-EU players though. I think they can only sign one non-EU player for the following season and then only if they get rid of another another one first. They are hoping therefore to increase the number of EU players (and therfore also Italians) in the league.
I think we had 7 EU players against Wigan plus 2 subs. Maybe we will get a flood of Eastern Europeans coming over here and playing in our teams if this sort of regulation came in. We've already got the Poles in the reserves. They'd be much cheaper than lads from Westhoughton. No Chinese allowed though.