Manchester United Talk banner

Fergie backs Blatter and takes another "swipe " at Arsenal

870 views 17 replies 5 participants last post by  Red Devil 
#1 ·
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.

"It's certainly not wrong that clubs should be seen to have a proportion of home-based players," the United manager said.

"I totally agree (with Blatter) but it would be a problem for a club like Arsenal. That's why they'll protest the loudest.

"You want to protect your own, and there is nothing wrong with that. But, for the good of the game in England, it would be good to see more home-based players at the top clubs.

"United's critics would say 'It's all right for you, you already have English players in your side'. But I think if you asked a neutral, they would rather see more home-based players."

He added: "Under the present Treaty of Rome you couldn't make it law. It would have to be an agreement between the clubs. But if it went to a vote, I think it would get through (even though) there would be opposition from clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal, who have strong Spanish and French connections.

"It would certainly be a contentious issue but I agree with the principle of it."

In an interview in the club magazine, Inside United, Ferguson also called for agents to be more strictly regulated to prevent money flowing out of the game.

"I think we need a tariff for agents that brings them in line with other professions, like lawyers or accountants," he added.

Stricter

"Agents need to be regulated in a far stricter way than they have been in the past.

"They are a very lucky breed because as long as you have greedy club presidents, agents will always be in the driving seat. But if world football recognises the need for regulation, that would make a real difference.

"The set up has to be more professional."

Wenger has also expressed his views on the topic in Arsenal's club magazine, and feels no coach “at the highest level†would think it is a good idea.

“I find the whole proposal completely ridiculous,†he said.

“The thinking behind it, I believe, is to protect the national teams. But it won't protect the best players, it will protect the mediocre ones and you don't win a World Cup with mediocre players, you win it with world-class ones.

“The best English players - the Rooneys, the Owens, the Gerrards, the Lampards - they are all playing for their clubs anyway.

“FIFA are wrong if they think this will improve international football. Look at rugby for example. The Argentina national team - all their players play in Europe, and the national team takes advantage of that. Had they all stayed in Argentina, would they have made the semi-finals? To mix the best with the best makes everyone better.

“I am worried that it could happen. I would say that it's more than 50% likely to be brought in.

“FIFA is powerful enough to implement the rule internally, if (Sepp) Blatter has the support of the council and his committees. Will it go through or not, I do not know but it looks as though it could. I have already had many discussions at UEFA and it looks as though it could happen.

“I don't believe one football coach at the highest level would say it's a good idea. A football coach is always confronted with the same problem - h wants to reward good players.â€
 
See less See more
G
#2 ·
Fifa president Sepp Blatter's hopes of reducing the number of foreign players competing in European leagues appear unlikely to materialise.

The European Commission is considering imposing a quota on clubs to ensure they employ a minimum number of 'home-grown' players.

But provided these players are permitted to work in the European Union, their nationality is irrelevant.

The EC say imposing quotas on EU nationals is "direct discrimination".

Blatter claimed on Tuesday that the EU is to adopt a number of processes to "stop the overwhelming presence of non-national players in club leagues" in its new Reform Treaty.

He added that sport was set to gain the power to police its own members, meaning Fifa would be able to have a say in how many foreign players are allowed at any one club.

But the Commission - the EU's executive branch - rejected Blatter's comments.


If quotas came in this would surely force clubs to see that producing decent talent in this country is better in the long term than simply buying other countries top players

WAFU

A spokesperson confirmed to BBC Sport that in the Treaty, which is set to be signed in December, freedom of movement legislation would not be altered and that no exceptions are to be granted to sports federations.

The only restrictions enforceable on clubs, therefore, are those already in place under current Uefa guidelines, which state that in Uefa club competitions every squad must contain six "locally trained players" or have their list of 25 players reduced accordingly.

Next season each club must name eight players who have been locally trained.

The term locally-trained players is made up of three "association-trained players," who are affiliated to the domestic national association and three "club-trained players," who have been registered with their club for three years between the ages of 15 and 21.

"Quotas on EU national players are direct discrimination," said the EC spokesperson. "Whether you are a goalkeeper or a factory worker - as long as you receive a salary - you are a worker.

"Therefore, you have the right to move and work freely within the European Union and this right must be granted also to football players.

"However, the Commission is in constant dialogue with Fifa, Uefa and other relevant sports organisations and recognises that there is an issue about home grown players.

"The Commission is examining if it could be justified for clubs to hire a certain quota of players whom they have trained from a very young age.

"As this concerns the investment of clubs in players irrespective of their nationality, there would be no direct discrimination."

.
 
#3 ·
SALFORD RED said:
there would be no direct discrimination."

Its not a question of bloody discrimination, its about national sides being able to field top players that actually play in their home leagues.

Anybody who harbours any dreams of England ever winning anything can look no further to the numbers of foreign, non english, players in the top teams that are starving our national team of players.
 
#4 ·
Red Devil said:
Its not a question of bloody discrimination, its about national sides being able to field top players that actually play in their home leagues.

Anybody who harbours any dreams of England ever winning anything can look no further to the numbers of foreign, non english, players in the top teams that are starving our national team of players.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR TEAM FROM THE LAST WORLD CUP ALL THE PLAYERS WERE PLAYING IN ENGLAND FOR THE TOP CLUBS (APART FROM BECKHAM, BUT HE WAS AT MADRID)
 
#5 ·
And? Your point about it being the LAST world cup is precisely the point - what about the future? Who is going to replace this current team?

When England won the WC in 1966 and did so well in 1970, it is because we had top top world class players and similar to replace them when injured. We do not have this luxury anymore. Look at the last England game and count how many are REALLY worthy of playing for England. I think you might struggle to pass 5.

Those that do play regularly do not "perform" - there is no competition for the shirt is there? Who replaces Rio? Who replaces Gerrard or Lampard? If you had a spare half hour to think about it, you might come up with a reasonable offer.

No. The numbers of foreign players must be restricted to, say 5, in any first eleven, to give the home grown talent a chance.

Who would benefit from this ruling - think about it?

United of course. Look at how many really good kids we have. Most of our kids are home grown!! I watched the reserves take on a mature Middlesbrough side last night, and we won.

Liverpool would have to sell over half their squad but they have kids good enough to play for them now. Chelski would be screwed ;)

Its good for the game, its good for the clubs and its good for England, or Scotland, or Wales too.
 
#6 ·
RD.......On paper and probably judging by attributes on FM 2008 England have the best team in the world......apart maybe from Brasil...

Terry, Gerard, Lampard, Beckham, Hargreaves, Rooney, Coles,

All of these players are their clubs top players and Terry and Gerard captain two of the best teams in the world.....

England should be reaching euro finals and world cup finals with ease....

If we had a league of mostly home based players the standard of football would decrease dramatically....
We should be proud of having the best league in the world and should be encouraging foreign players to play in England....

Having said that, Fergie has a point, perhaps teams should have to play 2 or 3 home based players in every match but if you go any higher than that, foreign players will stop coming to England because they wil be on benches watching poorer players starting instead of them because the FA want english players playing every week in the premiership...
 
#8 ·
Keano4taoiseach said:
Having said that, Fergie has a point, perhaps teams should have to play 2 or 3 home based players in every match but if you go any higher than that, foreign players will stop coming to England because they wil be on benches watching poorer players starting instead of them because the FA want english players playing every week in the premiership...
Im with Fifa on this. There are few special foreign talents in the league but there are others who can be easily replaced. Chelsea have Belletti and Fereira as right backs but many rated Glen Johnson higher than them and it was a pity to sell a good english full back just to bring in an average foreign one. Who knows how Glenn Johnson might turn out to be if he was given his chance. I'll stick with chelsea and use them as an example. Cech, Carvalho, Essien and Drogba are 4 great foreign talents, but why bring in Mikel and Malouda when you've got two very talented englishmen in Joe Cole and Wright-Philips who would improve immensely with regular football ? Parker is good enough of a player to play alongside Lampard and Essien surely ? Why sell him then ?

There are some great foriegn talents in the premier league but theres alot of average ones as well who could easily be replaced by englishmen.
 
#9 ·
Red Devil said:
Look at it realistically - on paper does not win games. If these players are so good, why are we not in their competing for the top homours. Simple - they are not good enough as a team.




That's the million dollar question......

Perhaps it is the hate they express for each other week in week out in the league.....
Perhaps it is the managers......Sven was a failure and it is looking that way for McClaren aswell....

It will indeed be very sad for nearly every football fan in Britain if this group of players you have got at the moment do not achieve what they are well capable of doing.....
I am Irish yet I am still sad because of the fact that England have such a good team with genuine quality, world class players and they are not fulfilling their potential at international level…..It's wrong and very sad…..

Keano's fan said:
Im with Fifa on this. There are few special foreign talents in the league but there are others who can be easily replaced. Chelsea have Belletti and Fereira as right backs but many rated Glen Johnson higher than them and it was a pity to sell a good english full back just to bring in an average foreign one. Who knows how Glenn Johnson might turn out to be if he was given his chance. I'll stick with chelsea and use them as an example. Cech, Carvalho, Essien and Drogba are 4 great foreign talents, but why bring in Mikel and Malouda when you've got two very talented englishmen in Joe Cole and Wright-Philips who would improve immensely with regular football ? Parker is good enough of a player to play alongside Lampard and Essien surely ? Why sell him then ?

There are some great foriegn talents in the premier league but theres alot of average ones as well who could easily be replaced by englishmen.


three words.........money, money, money........

They have the money so they're spending it.....whether wisely or foolishly....
 
#11 ·
Wenger defends himself......

Arsene Wenger has hit back at Sir Alex Ferguson's criticism of his reliance on foreigners.



The Manchester United boss launched a thinly-veiled attack on his Arsenal counterpart on Tuesday, claiming that teams should be made to field a proportion of homegrown players.


The Gunners' starting XI regularly consists purely of players from overseas, with Theo Walcott and Justin Hoyte the only English options available to Wenger.


"It is not very nice to his own foreign players, first of all," Wenger said in the Daily Star.


"If you look at the investments of Manchester United this year, they have invested in a lot of foreign players."



Quality


Wenger insists it is right to select players based on ability rather than their passport, and has dismissed the suggestion that there should be a limit on the number of foreigners in a team.


The French tactician also believes the likes of Hoyte and Walcott will benefit in the long-term from having to compete for places.


He explained: "I always felt that sport rewards quality and does not hide behind artificial rules.


"If you put the level of the class down, it does not necessarily make the bad students better - it makes them worse.


"You can say as well to compete with the best players in the world is a chance to improve your level."

carly or any other mod......you can put this in the news room also......
 
#12 ·
I totally agree with Wengers point of view, but still its not an excuse to field 11 foreigners!! Having someone with the quality of Van Persie would definitely help Walcotts development, but is Flamini any better than Sidwell ?

When you compete with the best of the world and work alongside them, you improve your level I agree. Playing with and against Drogba, Ronaldo and Fabregas will benifit you. But it got out of line, way out of line. Clubs have a 23-players squad with only 3 englishmen its an embarrassment.
 
#13 ·
Keano's fan said:
Im with Fifa on this. There are few special foreign talents in the league but there are others who can be easily replaced. Chelsea have Belletti and Fereira as right backs but many rated Glen Johnson higher than them and it was a pity to sell a good english full back just to bring in an average foreign one. Who knows how Glenn Johnson might turn out to be if he was given his chance. I'll stick with chelsea and use them as an example. Cech, Carvalho, Essien and Drogba are 4 great foreign talents, but why bring in Mikel and Malouda when you've got two very talented englishmen in Joe Cole and Wright-Philips who would improve immensely with regular football ? Parker is good enough of a player to play alongside Lampard and Essien surely ? Why sell him then ?

There are some great foriegn talents in the premier league but theres alot of average ones as well who could easily be replaced by englishmen.
you lot should remember one thing about this rule. When the rule was in force about only a certain number of "home" players was in force, in the 90s, we lost out on many a CL game due to the fact that Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland players, as well as the obvious Eire players, within the United setup were counted as foreign.

Giggs, Mark Hughes etc were foreign players and as a direct consequence, Fergie had to drop players to accomodate players qualified. In one instance I can recall, he dropped Schmeichel, and our defence leaked like a sieve.
 
#14 ·
Scottish, Welsh and Irish players shouldn't really be classed as foreign imho....

There are so many in the preiership....It is practically there home league...

I know that the top Irish domestic league.."eircom league" is of the standard of probably the second division in England...

It's not fair that our talents are classed as foreign and would then have to sit on a bench if this rule came in.....
 
#17 ·
Red Devil said:
you lot should remember one thing about this rule. When the rule was in force about only a certain number of "home" players was in force, in the 90s, we lost out on many a CL game due to the fact that Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland players, as well as the obvious Eire players, within the United setup were counted as foreign.

Giggs, Mark Hughes etc were foreign players and as a direct consequence, Fergie had to drop players to accomodate players qualified. In one instance I can recall, he dropped Schmeichel, and our defence leaked like a sieve.
That wont happen when you actually build your plans on english players. Sir Alex is trying to give United an english spine. Signing Foster, Rio, Carrick, Hargreaves and Rooney in recent years. If Fifa went ahead with their plan and told the clubs that theyd enforce it by the year 2011. clubs would have 3 years to try and sort out how their academies are run and sort out their transfer policies.

Back then we already had a team who was doing well in the league. The premier league and the champions league had different rules concerning te matter as well. But if Fifa enforce it now it would be for all competitions which would make it very different than before.
 
#18 ·
Keano4taoiseach said:
I know what you're saying RD...

But couldn't we just class them as home players in relation to the premiership...???
Not up to me. "Home" players are those born in the country of their birth obviously. What League they play in is immaterial. Mark Hughes when he played in Spain was a foreign player there as he was at OT.

Its the definition of foreign, and FIFA recognise the "Home Countries" as individual teams with their own individual Leagues. So thats how it would stand. If United or anybody else is to enjoy any of the success of the past couple of decades, under the new rule, it must be done with a team dominant with home players.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top