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EastStandBlue

Life President
Joined
May 29, 2005
Messages
15,519
When John Terry was jeered off the White Hart Lane turf by the Tottenham faithful, it marked what could become a tense and altogether uncomfortable climax to the season. As they pray for a similar fate to befall their title rivals next weekend, however, a far greater storm awaits on the horizon.

Next season welcomes Michel Platini’s brainchild, the 6+5 rule, designed to level the playing field of competitions made vastly disproportionate by an influx of costly, foreign imports over the last decade. To save clubs an almighty panic, it’ll be introduced incrementally and the 2010/11 season will be dictated by a 4+7 ruling.

The law dictates that, in a team’s starting eleven, a minimum of four players must either be eligible for the home nation of the club, or have spent three years at the club under the age of 21. The bench can be filled with a multitude of nationalities if they wish to, but the starting eleven must fit these guidelines. Players like James Milner will instantly see their value doubled as clubs scramble to meet the criteria, and no club will be hit harder than Chelsea.

Of the current crop regarded as first eleven, only the aforementioned John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley and Joe Cole would meet the criteria. Outside of those four, however, only Ross Turnbull and Dan Sturridge would be eligible to fill the void, significantly capping the strength of their squad. Without serious investment in home grown talent, a serious injury or suspension to John Terry would mean having to drop Petr Cech or Didier Drogba to accommodate for these changes... something I’m sure Carlo Ancelotti would agree isn’t in Chelsea’s best interests.

You can suddenly see why Sir Alex Ferguson is so willing to hold on to his auburn-golden oldie Paul Scholes and why Martin O’Neill has assembled a collection of English talent at Villa. While Chelsea will be scrambling to identify and capture these players, Villa and United can concern themselves with finding talent for talent’s sake.

Arsenal will qualify solely because of the time, effort and confidence employed into their fruitful youth development program. Although not English, players like Cesc Fabregas, Gael Clichy and Alexandre Song are eligible having spent their adolescence in Magical Arsene’s Wonder Emporium.

Ultimately, this is the price Chelsea will pay for “fast tracking” their success. They assembled a team of undoubted talent on an expansive budget, transferring established players from far and wide to appease Abramovich in his quest for success. Now, they’re left with an ageing squad of former icons with the many millions waiting to be used now needing to be spent on English players, whose value will be bloated beyond recognition with this ruling, just to be eligible.

Regardless of the results this weekend, Chelsea are still in pole position for the title this season. The prospect of beating Chelsea to effectively hand Manchester United the title would present the most bittersweet of dichotomies for Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool and Ferguson’s men still have to play a rampant Tottenham desperate for a fourth place finish.

Next season, however, could present a whole other quandary for Ancelotti.
 
I'm slightly confused, surely this falls foul of European employment law?

It was initially thought so, but FIFA commissioned a report conducted by the Institute of European Affairs to determine whether or not it was legal. They determined that it could be implemented in line with European Law.

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that it's to be considered a regulation of trade rather than a restriction, although I may have that completely wrong.
 
What about players who are born in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland? They'll have UK passports but since they also have their own FA doesn't that mean that they are also counted as foreign players?

It's not only Chelsea who are going to struggle with this (although given the age of their squad I would have thought Chelsea would be looking at rebuilding their team anyway). Barcelona must be overjoyed at this ruling, not only does it vindicate their own youth development program but it leaves Real Madrid's 'Galactico' policy in tatters.
 
What about players who are born in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland? They'll have UK passports but since they also have their own FA doesn't that mean that they are also counted as foreign players?

I wanted to include this, but couldn't find a single article or release clarifying their position on this. We're in a unique position because, as you say, they have UK passports but individual FA representation and I wouldn't doubt top European clubs taking exception to the ruling if it was enforced as UK rather than England/Scotland/Wales/NI.

The only thing is, a lot of the top youngsters from these areas end up at EPL clubs in their teens anyway. Players like Bale and Bellamy would be eligible as they spent their teenage years in English Academies.
 
What do you make of the goalline refs?

Pointless. They cause more confusion than they solve.

The Liverpool/Benfica game was a prime example of this, although that was more due to the numpty they hired with a poor understanding of the rules. They need to focus more on the education of match officials before they start implementing more of them.
 
Pointless. They cause more confusion than they solve.

The Liverpool/Benfica game was a prime example of this, although that was more due to the numpty they hired with a poor understanding of the rules. They need to focus more on the education of match officials before they start implementing more of them.

Also one of Fulham's early season Europa League matches at the Cottage.

They sent off Hangleand rather than Stephen Kelly (I think it was them two involved) after giving away a penalty and it was the side of the goal where the goaline ref was and they ballsed it up between the two of them and it took Stephen Kelly admitting it was him before they realised their mistake.
 
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