Clubs consider quota system – Discussions begin over limit on homegrown players

[MrsB]

Sky Sports, 10th February 2009

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has revealed that the 20 Premier League clubs have held talks about the introduction of a quota system.

The number of foreign players in English football has been a divisive issue for some time, although there are already restrictions in place for all clubs involved in the UEFA Champions League and the Uefa Cup.

They are obliged to have eight 'homegrown' players - of any nationality, but who have spent three years under the age of 21 at the club - in their 25-man squads.

All Premier League clubs are now considering a quota for a minimum number of homegrown players in their squads in a bid to stave off attempts to impose spending controls.

Parry said: "It was discussed at the Premier League last week after being put up by the Premier League board.

"We have not accepted a figure, just the principle that some minimum limit of homegrown players makes sense.

"For those of us in the Champions League we could introduce it now and it wouldn't be an issue. Indeed the Premier League did produce an analysis which showed that actually a lot of the clubs would not have too much difficult complying.

"It will certainly be given more consideration, it's a way off being decided but it was certainly a constructive discussion."

[Tee]

Seems fairly logical to me. I am sure it would also encourage Rafa maybe to give some of the players like Darby a bit more playing time.

[dww]

"Discussions begin over limit on homegrown players" - I've always thought there have been too many.

[Mike]

Its about time something like this is put in place. More exciting young talent is bound to be produced.

[Mattshark]

British players are simply not good enough.
Load of ****.
It is not about where your from but how good you are. It is ****ing stupid.

[BFG]

British players are simply not good enough.
Load of ****.
It is not about where your from but how good you are. It is ****ing stupid.

I find it hard to believe that clubs are paying hundreds of thousands of pounds to scout and fly players over here and just ignoring the equally talented Billy Smith in order to do this. What sense would that make to a club if they could get the talent over here for free? There may be some cases where a young English player has missed out on a game and a foreign player has played instead but could that not purely be because they're a better player?

Unless the real motive behind the whole thing is a combination of xenophobia and the desire to make the Premier League weaker and bring it in line with a lot of other European leagues.

[Tee]

British players are simply not good enough.
Load of ****.
It is not about where your from but how good you are. It is ****ing stupid.

Agreed, but this is a way of ensuring we really put an effort in to nurture and develop young English talent, rather than always taking the easy option and bringing in established players from abroad.

[Mattshark]

Agreed, but this is a way of ensuring we really put an effort in to nurture and develop young English talent, rather than always taking the easy option and bringing in established players from abroad.

It'll set British teams way back though and damage us a club.
Our grass roots stuff has not changed and moved on. Hence we produce players with limited ability and low levels of technique. That is the what should be address, not with this bull**** xenophobia.

[Tee]

It'll set British teams way back though and damage us a club.
Our grass roots stuff has not changed and moved on. Hence we produce players with limited ability and low levels of technique. That is the what should be address, not with this bull**** xenophobia.

That was what I was trying to say lol. It would mean we need to address the issue as to why we aren't producing more players from Liverpool.

[Chrono]

Where does it say British players?

"They are obliged to have eight 'homegrown' players - of any nationality, but who have spent three years under the age of 21 at the club - in their 25-man squads."

It just means that you have to develop players of any nationality and seems to me put in place just to stop people buying up entire squads.

[Mattshark]

Where does it say British players?

"They are obliged to have eight 'homegrown' players - of any nationality, but who have spent three years under the age of 21 at the club - in their 25-man squads."

It just means that you have to develop players of any nationality and seems to me put in place just to stop people buying up entire squads.

That would the champions league rules, not the suggestion being made.

[Mattshark]

That was what I was trying to say lol. It would mean we need to address the issue as to why we aren't producing more players from Liverpool.

lol, sorry. I know why as a nation we need to address it. Unfortunately the FA and media would rather blame foreign players.

[Chrono]

That would the champions league rules, not the suggestion being made.

Ah, I see.

[Tee]

lol, sorry. I know why as a nation we need to address it. Unfortunately the FA and media would rather blame foreign players.

Always the easy targets 'foreigners' eh.

[Exiled_red]

I think as a whole the FA and the clubs need to look at the way players are developed because obviously the number of World class British players is falling well behind those of other leading nations. Look at the England squad from this weeks game for me it had average written all over it. Until the way kids are developed is changed, the players coming through won't be getting any better, introducing a quota is rewarding mediocrity