Sir Alex Supports Limits On Foreign Players in EPL

[KurtBevacqua]

I guess it's the libertarian/capitalist in me that cries against this. Also the fact that American pro sports leagues have no limits to the number of non-American players on their rosters and this has continued to allow the NBA, NHL, and MLB to be far and away they very best leagues for those sports. So why should the EPL decide it no longer wants the very best talent? Don't the powers that be, Sir Alex included, not realize this would probably significantly reduce revenue and diminish the overall product? Not to mention it could actually have the opposite of the intended effect and lower the skill level of British players who would have less competition.

I also just simply like the idea that the EPL is the best league and gives us the best idea of what a the premier football league should look like. To me it's very exciting to see teams like Arsenal and Liverpool put this dazzling array of international talent on the field. And it's not like Man U isn't just as guilty with Renaldo, Nani, Heinze, or Van der Sar. Granted they have Griggs (a Welshman mind you) and Rooney, but they would not be the same team if they had to cut back on the imports.

Sir Alex Ferguson believes clubs should be seen to have 'a proportion of home-based players' - and feels rivals Arsenal would 'protest the loudest' at such a rule.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has announced he will lobby for restrictions on the number of foreign players in each team and Ferguson has voiced his support.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...479393&cc=5739

[mlyons]

Of course he supports it. His team is the only top English team that wouldn't be completely devastated by the new rule.

It's never going to happen anyway; it's a clear violation of the EU charter allowing free movement of workers between EU countries. There'll probably end up being a compromise of some sorts along the lines of what UEFA does with the Champions League, requiring a certain number of "homegrown" players without specifically designating nationalities.

[Tony M]

Originally Posted by mlyons

Of course he supports it. His team is the only top English team that wouldn't be completely devastated by the new rule.

It's never going to happen anyway; it's a clear violation of the EU charter allowing free movement of workers between EU countries. There'll probably end up being a compromise of some sorts along the lines of what UEFA does with the Champions League, requiring a certain number of "homegrown" players without specifically designating nationalities.

Surely taking that logic to its extreme, anybody in any EU nation should by rights be allowed to take part in the Olympics (if suitably qualified) for any other EU nation, as Britain, say, would be discriminating against a French athlete if they lived here and didn't pick them if they were the best.

Aaargh, and I also hate EPL - UK sport has never had the acronym thing going for it - I particularly hate the BSP for what used to be the Conference.

[Skipaway]

I don't think the comparison to American leagues is fair. Half of the players in the Premier League are foreigners. MLB has only about 25%. NHL has about 40% Europeans.

I am sure there will be people talking about similar ideas if 50% of the MLB players are foreigners.

[darkenigma510]

Sounds like Xenophobia to me and also someone who has trouble accepting change in his own personal world.

[ctorg]

Originally Posted by redsoxford

Surely taking that logic to its extreme, anybody in any EU nation should by rights be allowed to take part in the Olympics (if suitably qualified) for any other EU nation, as Britain, say, would be discriminating against a French athlete if they lived here and didn't pick them if they were the best.

Olympians aren't workers, though. They are amateur athletes. Probably doesn't apply.

[Eumel]

Originally Posted by ctorg

Olympians aren't workers, though. They are amateur athletes. Probably doesn't apply.

Not exactly amateurs, in many cases, but you are right. Being an Olypmic athlete is no employment. The same thing is true about national teams -- there are no contracts or anything like that.

[Tony M]

Originally Posted by Eumel

Not exactly amateurs, in many cases, but you are right. Being an Olypmic athlete is no employment. The same thing is true about national teams -- there are no contracts or anything like that.

But I assume you have to be a member of some association to stand a chance of being picked, and are they thus exempt from the freedom of movement controls?

[Eumel]

You have to hold a passport of a particular country, plus whatever other restrictions the (global) sports federation imposes. This differs from sport to sport. Since we are not talking about employment, the whole freedom of movement thing does not apply.

In soccer, the FIFA stipulates that you can't change the nation you are playing for after participating in a (national team) competition match, if you're at least 21 years old at the time of the game.
So if a 21-year old player plays in some World Cup qualification match, he will only ever be eligible for this one national team (barring freak occurences like countries falling apart).

For the Olympics, it depends on the sport, really. In some cases it's quite lax.
Merlene Ottey has been running for Slovenia recently...

[Elendil]

Originally Posted by mlyons

Of course he supports it. His team is the only top English team that wouldn't be completely devastated by the new rule.

It's never going to happen anyway; it's a clear violation of the EU charter allowing free movement of workers between EU countries. There'll probably end up being a compromise of some sorts along the lines of what UEFA does with the Champions League, requiring a certain number of "homegrown" players without specifically designating nationalities.

If it were a government rule prohibiting movement across borders, it would be against the Single European Act, but a private league can do as it wishes, it seems to me.

[Eumel]

Originally Posted by redsoxford

But I assume you have to be a member of some association to stand a chance of being picked, and are they thus exempt from the freedom of movement controls?

Yes, I think they are, in a sense. No employment -- legally, it's probably considered a player's "spare time", if he goes to the World Cup or whatever.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by redsoxford

Surely taking that logic to its extreme, anybody in any EU nation should by rights be allowed to take part in the Olympics (if suitably qualified) for any other EU nation, as Britain, say, would be discriminating against a French athlete if they lived here and didn't pick them if they were the best.

Aaargh, and I also hate EPL - UK sport has never had the acronym thing going for it - I particularly hate the BSP for what used to be the Conference.

The IOC isn't based within the EU.

And I'm quite particular to CCFL1 and 2 actually.

[lewis31lewis52]

I don't see why this is such a problem. Don't most of the other top-tier football leagues have foreign limits? I'm almost positive La Liga does, and I think the Bundesliga does too. I don't know about Italy, but I'm sure it does.

[Skipaway]

Originally Posted by darkenigma510

Sounds like Xenophobia to me and also someone who has trouble accepting change in his own personal world.

I don't think it's related to xenophobia. The main thinking behind it is FIFA wants to save the international football games.

Nowadays, due to the internationalization of professional clubs, the international matches have more and more of a friendly kind of feeling as opposed to national rivalries. A lot of star players are friendlier toward other stars playing for the opponent national team than their own countrymen.

Also, rules like this supposedly can give more slots to local players, which is supposedly good for national team development.

[Skipaway]

http://ww2.mlsnet.com/about/league.j...ntent=overview

MLS rules:

# SENIOR INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS*
Each team shall be allowed up to four (4) Senior International players on its roster - non-domestic players who turn 25 years or older during the season in question. Although these players can be traded by MLS teams, the Senior International slots themselves cannot be traded.

# YOUTH INTERNATIONALS
A Youth International is a non-domestic player (i.e., non-U.S. citizen and non-green card holder) who is 24 years old or younger. At the beginning of the year in which the player is due to reach the age of 25, this player will be re-classified as a Senior International. Beginning with the 2005 MLS season, each MLS club was allotted three (3) Youth International spots.

* For Toronto FC, players with the legal right to work in Canada are considered domestic players (Canadian citizen, permanent resident, part of a protected class). Toronto FC is allowed to have four Senior Internationals, plus up to three additional Senior Internationals who qualify as a domestic for a U.S.-based MLS team Toronto FC is permitted the same number of Youth International spots as expansion teams.

[lewis31lewis52]

Originally Posted by Skipaway

Also, rules like this supposedly can give more slots to local players, which is supposedly good for national team development.

I think this is the main reason. Like I said before, look at La Liga. It has limits on how many foreign players are allowed on the senior roster. It's not about fear of change, it's about keeping the national league a national league, not a league made up of players from every country in the EU.

[Eumel]

Originally Posted by lewis31lewis52

I don't see why this is such a problem. Don't most of the other top-tier football leagues have foreign limits? I'm almost positive La Liga does, and I think the Bundesliga does too. I don't know about Italy, but I'm sure it does.

Only limits on non-EU players, though. Everything else would be illegal.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by lewis31lewis52

I don't see why this is such a problem. Don't most of the other top-tier football leagues have foreign limits? I'm almost positive La Liga does, and I think the Bundesliga does too. I don't know about Italy, but I'm sure it does.

La Liga - No player resistrictions based on nationality, only on transfers and registration

Bundesliga - No player restrictions

Serie A - No player resistrictions


Your 0 for 3


The EPL instituting some sort of foreign player limit would disasterous for the league

[lewis31lewis52]

Wow, I was totally off.

I still don't see the huge problem in doing this. Chelsea has almost no English players in the starting XI, and they've gotta do something to keep the league national.

[Carplos]

La Liga only allows three non-EU players to be registered to play.

I thought the Bundesliga has (or had until recently) a restriction of five non-UEFA players in a match-day squad.