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Liverpool's Steven Gerrard scores from the penalty spot against Athletico Madrid during their Champions League, Group D, soccer match at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008. AP Photo/Paul Thomas
After the recent FIFA world cup in South Africa and another failed major football tournament for the English national side, the English Football Association has decided to change its Premier League squad rules.
The need for this change has came about after years of fans and football managers in England pleading to have more home grown talent playing week in, week out, in the ‘so called’ best league in the world.
Now being half-Scottish, I could not hide my delight of England’s 4-1 defeat to their arch rivals Germany, but the reason I am writing this article is because I am a huge fan of the EPL or should I call it the ‘FPL’ (Foreigners Premier League).
Since Eric Cantona came over from France in 1992 to play for Leeds United, and performed extremely well, he received a transfer to Manchester United. He then had five successful season with the ‘Red Devils’, winning four league titles, two FA cups and three charity shields.
This made other clubs and managers relies how victorious their football teams could be if they started to sign top players from outside Great Britain.
This way of thinking and eventual signings has made the EPL the biggest and most popular league in the world, but has killed its nation’s chances of winning the World Cup or even the European Championship.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the amount of foreign players plying their trade in the Premier league has increased big time, with every second person you see playing being non-British. Before Cantona came to England, you would hardly find a foreigner on any team list.
You just need to look at Arsenal FC in recent years to see how far things have changed with the club more often than not having no English players in their starting XI.
With the Premier League being successful, from all these foreign talents flocking over and making it the best league to watch, the national side has suffered immensely. Since Eric Cantona came over in the early 90s, and started the trend for foreigners participating in the league, the best result in a major tournament for the English side has been a semi final appearance in the Euro 96, which was held in England.
The English media, as well as their fans, have high expectations for the England side in both tournaments – anything under final four is considered to be an underachievement.
Recently, the side has struggled in the World Cup, only able to draw against the USA and Algeria, while their only win was a 1-0 victory over Slovenia. At least they were able to qualify for the World Cup finals, whereas in 2008, the English failed to reach the Euro finals.
Recently, the English Football Association has decided to change the squad rules to only allow clubs to have up to seventeen foreigners in their squad of twenty-five.
This means each club must have no less than 8 home grown talents. Obviously this would make you think more English players playing in the league. There is one exception, though, in the rule, with home grown players having had to be part of a youth academy for three years before the age of twenty-one.
With many of the big clubs buying players from the age of sixteen from outside England they will be considered home grown players. For example, Spanish midfielder, Cesc Fabregas from Arsenal FC, is considered home grown.
So are these rule changes a step in the right direction? Will the English national side become a lot more competitive in the international scene?
As a Scotland supporter, I hope not. But we will just have to wait and see if the EPL and the national side can be the best in their own rights.
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