We are getting close to the beginning of the most exclusive football league in the world. Well, so people say. Huge amount of money, spotlight, scandal, talented players, brilliant managers, deep-pocket club’s owners, kick and rush, exciting atmosphere and enthusiastic spectators are some of many reasons why it’s always interesting to watch the Premier League.
This year, The Football Association (FA) has new rules, which I think is adapted from UEFA’s Champions League squad rules. Every club can name no more than 25 players on the squad. And at least eight players must have been developed in England or Wales. This ‘home-grown’ term covers all players over the age of 21 on 1 January this year who were registered in England or Wales three years or 36 months before that. So, the ‘home-grown’ players don’t have to be English.
Arsene Wenger strongly disagreed with this new rule. I think it’s kind of strange that The Professor acted like that, seeing that he actually already has eight ‘home-grown’ players qualify for the squad, including the young captain who-made-the-headline-everywhere-regarding-his-transfer-saga-issue Cesc Fabregas.
But, if we see that one of his reasons to against it was because this rule “puts the clubs in a weak position in the transfer market”, I have a feeling that maybe he still needs some new players on his squad, before the transfer window closes at the end of August.
Okay. Now let’s move to Chelsea. Joe Cole flew to join the Anfield gang and is replaced by Yossy Benayoun who already spent three years in Liverpool. Chelsea only has five players qualify for the ‘home-grown’ rule, Jeffrey Bruma, Patrick van Aanholt, Gael Kakuta, Fabio Borini and Josh McEachran. But, Carlo Ancelotti shows no worries, “It is the same thing as in the Champions League so we are not surprised about this, and this rule can improve the academies in the clubs.”
How about Manchester City? This club already spent a lot of money on the transfer market. In my opinion, in order to obey this new rule, I think Roberto Mancini will need to put aside some senior players. Maybe Roque Santa Cruz or Craig Bellamy?
In my opinion, I think, the decision to include home-grown players to the club squad closely related to England’s failure at the World Cup. And I believe, this is a good thing. BPL clubs actually have good football academies. But, with amazing talent out there from other countries, sometimes clubs prefer to sign and bring them to England than to put young academy players to the senior squad.
With these rules, I hope to see many young players play for the senior team in the upcoming season. I think it will be good for their experience, to train their mental, to prepare them for the highest level. This new rules, I believe, will encourage BPL clubs to maximize the talents in their academies rather than buying expensive foreign stars. I hope it will bring such a bright future for young players from the academy and improve England’s performance at international tournaments.
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