Blatter says restrict foreign players.

[pagan]

Like the man says, if English players were good enough, they would be playing for the unbeaten team at the top of the league

Bent cost £16m, Wright-Phillips £22m, Adebayor £3m. Which do you think gives the best value for money for the fans, which do you think are detrimental to English football

 

[John Quays]

I would be in favour of Blatter's plan, though the number of foreign players allowed will inevitably seem a bit abritrary. Why 4, not 5 or 6 etc?

Guess it depends on how wide your sphere of reference is, though. In a sense, being born outside the local team's catchment area is already foreignness of a sort.

So yeah, it's an easy plan to slate and pick holes in, though there's something plainly wrong for me about the Boltons, Blackburns, Wigans of this world regularly fielding 7 or 8 foreign players, to say nothing of Arsenal or Chelsea.

Nonetheless, as France Football magazine was saying only last week, the Premier League has retained its distinctive English style despite all this. As for the England team: there's regularly a number of great players failing to perform to expectations anyway as a team (I include Gerrard, J.Cole, Beckham, Owen, Lampard, Rooney without hesitation as great players) and that's nothing to do with foreigners.

Still support his plan though, for nostalgic reasons.

 

[pagan]

So yeah, it's an easy plan to slate and pick holes in, though there's something plainly wrong for me about the Boltons, Blackburns, Wigans of this world regularly fielding 7 or 8 foreign players, to say nothing of Arsenal or Chelsea.

Wrong in what sense John? Do you think Bolton and Blackburn fans would rather watch Championship standard players or the likes of Anelka and Pederson. I supported Arsenal when players like Smith, Dixon, Hillier and Bould were first team regulars and I know I'd rather watch the likes of Cesc, Dennilson, Hleb and Rosicsky.

Maybe we should go th ewhole hog and restrict foreign managers too. So no Wenger, Fergie, Rafa, Jose, Sven, Moyse, Jol etc. No Shankley, Dalgliesh or Paisley. So, last English manager to win a title - Wilko back in 92. Last English manager to win big in Europe - must be Villa's manager from 82.
teams managed by Englishmen are no higher 6th and 10th in the League
Perhaps those that bemoan England's lack of success internationally should be looking at restricting foreign managers rather than players as any country that throws up McClaren as there No 1 manager is in trouble!

 

[denniseagle]

Haven't they tried this once before?

I seem to recall when Liverpool ,Forest and Villa all won the European cup in succession that Fifa wanted to restrict 'foreign' players.
3 to each team I seem to remember, and that included those named as subs.
Of course each of the four home nations players automatically become foreign under that ruling.

Now that the last three champions league finals have had English teams as finalists maybe ,(conspiracy theory coming up,) our continental cousins are looking at ways to prevent domination by English teams again?

 

[pagan]

As Italy has had 6 finalists, Spain 4 and Germany four to Englands four in the last ten years so I doubt it.
Had Arsenal and Liverpool won the CL, your theory may have had more credence.
Foreign players arent new....Real dominated the European Cup in the 50's with Hungarians and Argentinians in their team....

 

[Harold Hill]

Is it coincidence that there are more non Scots playing in Scotland than ever yet we have the most successful national team for 30 years? .

Up there with the some of the daftest things ever written here.