What is the usual number of Euro players allowed on a club team? I know teams like Barcelona and Arsenal have a lot. My point is that I believe there are too many European players playing in leagues that are foreign to them. In my opinion I think a league should mostly be made up of people from their respective country. I think the big three leagues would still be just as entertaining, but the lower tier leagues would be of more quality. It would also make for more interesting European tournaments. anyone care to voice their opinions?
It's an issue... But European Community regulations make it impossible to place limits on the number of out-of-country players. It conflicts with the right-to-work laws that are in place. As long as they hold an EC passport, they can't be prevented from joining a team. I know it's hurt some countries, the UK is a good example. If the EPL was forced to start young UK players like we do in the MLS, there would be a much better national team in a few years time.
Re: It's an issue... so there is currently no limit to the amount of euro players on a team? if that is the case i never knew that, so there would only be limits on non-euro players?
Read the Bosman judgement and you will find that the European Court is thinking about special laws for sports, but in these important matters they - correctly IMO - see that general freedom is more important than a special rule just for sports. Regarding non-EU players this differs from country to country I think. Germany introduced a rule that disallows D3 and lower teams (and in other sports lower than D1) to sign non-EU players to give youngsters a chance to develop. But due to the financial situation, we have as many young players as never before anyway.
Re: It's an issue... No, the quality of the the league would decrease. England and Wales are benefitting from the way the Premier league is currently running although admittedly I'd like a few more English youngsters coming through instead of ready made cheap foreign imports. Still the current England side is the best we've had in ages, it's the coach I'm not sure about.
Re: Re: It's an issue... Denver_wugwamp is right... We would be better off with foreigner restrictions... You reckon the league is better off when teams like bolton play a team of 11 foreigners???? eerr dont think so. We wont have a national team in about 10 years time if the trend continues..Yeah we've got some good players but the pool of players is getting smaller and smaller... Look at scotland... we're going down the same road as them. There must be something wrong if emile heskey is the best target man we've got. 5 foreigners per team would be the right balance... Only the best foreigners would be signed and there would be room for youngsters to come through.
Re: Re: Re: It's an issue... So the league would be better off without the likes of Okocha and Djorkaeff? I'm sure it would. Playing more youngsters instead of the good quality foreigners will just lower the standard of the league. Our young players are only as good as they are because they're learning of the top class foreigners in the league. Do you want to see a return to the eighties? Long baaaaaaaaaallllllllll..... BTW our pool of young players is actually getting bigger and I'm hearing really good things about the U15s.
Everybody's right.... quote: [bold]-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Originally posted by sinner_ronald_monk Denver_wugwamp is right... We would be better off with foreigner restrictions... You reckon the league is better off when teams like bolton play a team of 11 foreigners???? eerr dont think so. We wont have a national team in about 10 years time if the trend continues..Yeah we've got some good players but the pool of players is getting smaller and smaller... Look at scotland... we're going down the same road as them. There must be something wrong if emile heskey is the best target man we've got. 5 foreigners per team would be the right balance... Only the best foreigners would be signed and there would be room for youngsters to come through. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/bold] You have to find a balance. A team with 11 foreigners is not going to help the national team but there has to be some foreigners for "cross-pollination". But too many foreigners is a mistake. You can ask the Mexicans about that also. The number of foreingers in the MFL has hindered the growth of their younger players.
If limiting the number of foreign players can't be done, I'd like to see a limit on the total number of pros a club can employ. This might stop premiership clubs signing up all the English youth talent (how often do you get good young players being bought from the nationwide these days?) and ruining them by keepeing them in the reserves until they are well into their 20s. The days when young players at top clubs would rather move to get regular football rather play reserve team football appear to have gone. The fact that they probably earn a few thousand a week more playing for Arsenal reserves than they would if they moved undoubtedly has a lot to do with it. The young players who are outstanding at 18 get into the teams, the ones who mature more slowly find it much harder to get in. I think part of the problem is that the premiership is too competitive. There's no other league in the world where clubs pulling in 30,000+ would go down (unless due to total incompetence). Pretty much everywhere else the clubs at the bottom of the division are there because they can't compete financially with the mid-table clubs. That isn't the case in England where there are probably over 30 clubs that a easily financially viable as top-flight clubs. The margin for error is so small that clubs daren't risk untried young players.
Re: Everybody's right.... Actually, Each Mexican team is allowed 5 Foreigners on each squad. A long time ago, one of Mexico's presidents wanted more Mexicans on the field..so the teams in Mexico City decided to suit up 4 players. They can have 5 players on the roster, but one has to be on the bench at all times. It was an unwritten rule back then..but now its a rule. I personally think 5 is too many. I would lower it to 3. I would also prohibit foreigners in the second division.