Should we limit the number of foreign players in the English Football?

[captainfog]

There is a lot of debate about this at the moment with people calling for quotas of foreigners at clubs. Even the likes of Gerrard have got involved saying there are too many foreigners and it is stifling our national game.

I for one am dead against it. Cream rises, simple as that and if players are good enough they will break into their first team. It is the influx of the foreign talent which has made the EPL so strong. People are looking for a reason for us being ****e and the number of foreign players isn't the answer. Have a better manager would help.

I for one want Liverpool to have the best players they can so we can win the EPL, so we can with the CL, so we can win everything. That would not be possible if we had to limit the number of foreigners we bought.

[Dan]

Found it

How did you manage to double post a whole thread?

[captainfog]

I submitted it without including the poll by mistake and you can't edit a poll into a thread so I just copied and pasted the content and started afresh,

[Dan]

I submitted it without including the poll by mistake and you can't edit a poll into a thread so I just copied and pasted the content and started afresh,

You can actually


I should be mod

[captainfog]

You can actually


I should be mod

can you? It wouldn't let me

[Dan]

Yep, when you've made it go to "thread tools" at the top of the thread. It should be the last option

[captainfog]

ahhhhhh

[bigfooty]

Under certain conditions I would be in favour of this. That said I don't think it will ever happen because it would be impossible to enforce those conditions given issues like free-trade in the EU.

I'm not sure it is as simple as being that "It is the influx of the foreign talent which has made the EPL so strong." Arguably the five strongest nations in the world since the Premiership started have been Argentina, Brazil, Germany, France and Italy. Of those only France have had significant numbers playing in the Premiership and it's pretty much a running joke as to how badly Italians adapt to the English league.

I too want the best players to play for Liverpool, but you could argue that if we were only allowed to field 5 foreign lads then they would all be exceptionally good rather than perhaps just "decent". We might not risk signing medium priced exports and instead would focus our money on buying really outstanding players for certain positions. If the restrictions were Europe-wide then we'd be on an equal playing field in that respect.

I personally will rue the day when Gerrard and Carra move on without any quality English / Scouse talent to replace them. Part of our spirit over these years in the Premiership wilderness has been maintained by having the likes of Fowler, McManaman, Owen (who came through the ranks even though he wasn't originally local) and latterly the two I mentioned. You can see it means more to Carra than to some others, just as it does with Terry and Chelsea. Take that away from a team and you most definitely become a poorer side for it.

[captainfog]

Under certain conditions I would be in favour of this. That said I don't think it will ever happen because it would be impossible to enforce those conditions given issues like free-trade in the EU.

I'm not sure it is as simple as being that "It is the influx of the foreign talent which has made the EPL so strong." Arguably the five strongest nations in the world since the Premiership started have been Argentina, Brazil, Germany, France and Italy. Of those only France have had significant numbers playing in the Premiership and it's pretty much a running joke as to how badly Italians adapt to the English league.

I too want the best players to play for Liverpool, but you could argue that if we were only allowed to field 5 foreign lads then they would all be exceptionally good rather than perhaps just "decent". We might not risk signing medium priced exports and instead would focus our money on buying really outstanding players for certain positions. If the restrictions were Europe-wide then we'd be on an equal playing field in that respect.

I personally will rue the day when Gerrard and Carra move on without any quality English / Scouse talent to replace them. Part of our spirit over these years in the Premiership wilderness has been maintained by having the likes of Fowler, McManaman, Owen (who came through the ranks even though he wasn't originally local) and latterly the two I mentioned. You can see it means more to Carra than to some others, just as it does with Terry and Chelsea. Take that away from a team and you most definitely become a poorer side for it.

It sounds like we have a good crop of youngsters coming through at the moment though, so don't despair. I think we have a few academy gems about to break through in time to replace the likes of Gerrard and Carra.

[Mattshark]

I don't think we should restrict it, Englands problem is coaching and lack of lower level competitive football despite so many teams.

[Nicey]

Well as an Irish man I really dont give a monkeys but if I was English and I wanted the national team to actually win something I would say yes but yes with a major proviso that there is a major re adjustment in prices for English players. Why buy 1 young english prospect when you can get 3 foriegn players of equal standards at the same price for the lot ... there lies the problem

[peekay]

Well as an Irish man I really dont give a monkeys but if I was English and I wanted the national team to actually win something I would say yes but yes with a major proviso that there is a major re adjustment in prices for English players. Why buy 1 young english prospect when you can get 3 foriegn players of equal standards at the same price for the lot ... there lies the problem

The reason why there is a dearth of English talent is because of the type of coaching imparted at the grassroots level.

And let us not start blaming foreigners for the English team struggling to qualify for Euro 2008. In fact, if the English team failed I can see a media campaign against the foreign players instigated by the FA just to cover over the fact that they have committed a blunder by appointing Mclaren.

[AFII]

Well as an Irish man I really dont give a monkeys but if I was English and I wanted the national team to actually win something I would say yes but yes with a major proviso that there is a major re adjustment in prices for English players. Why buy 1 young english prospect when you can get 3 foriegn players of equal standards at the same price for the lot ... there lies the problem

A big reason to why Spain get through so many talents is that the teams are allowed to use their B-teams in the lower leagues. That means that they get the chance quicker to play against older players.

Rafa have said that he want english teams to get the chance to do the same and I agree with him 100%. If you do that then more english talents would get the chance to play at a higher level.

Instead of playing U-18 or reserve team football they would be playing in league one, or two for the clubs second team. Better games week in week out for the player means that the player will get better.

It's all very easy really but the FA don't have the balls to allow teams to do that.

[Howard_lfc]

Should we limit foreigners?

Yes! yes! and thrice Yes!

is it any coincidence that the National team are struggling whilst the big 4 (lfc, mufc, afc & cfc) have done so well in europe in recent years? I think not.

In fact I'd go even further. I'd even ban foreigners from our football forums !!!

[tomasjj]

No.

How about improving the coaching of young players by learning from other countries that do well in developing young players technically (where English players are lacking)?

And they should also set up Academies where you can combine school and football from a younger age.

Much better alternatives, instead of letting mediocre players fill the teams just because they are born in one nation.