The Premier League have decided to introduce a new rule were clubs in the English top flight can only name a 25-man squad, eight of the 25 need to be ‘Home grown’, players who have spent three years at an English or Welsh club between the ages of 16 and 21.
Players who are under-21 on the January 1st this year will not count towards the numbers. Each Premier League club needs to name their squads on September 1st 5PM, when the transfer window shuts.
One of the reasons for these new rules being brought in is to help encourage clubs to develop their own talent.
Problems
This new rule could cause massive problems for some of the clubs in the Premier League. One club who are going to need a massive clearout before the deadline is Manchester City. City has a squad of 38 players by my reckoning.
The likes of Jo, Craig Bellamy, Stephen Ireland, Robinho, Javier Garrido and Roque Santa Cruz could all be heading for the Eastlands exit door. If reports are to be believed City boss Roberto Mancini hasn’t finished his summer rebuilding just yet. He could have a few tough decisions ahead of him in the next few months.
Missing Out
The ruling could see some top players left out of their clubs squads. Each manager now has to be more selective over who he signs and who he has in his squad. Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has already revealed that England centre-back Jonathan Woodgate won’t be in his 25-man squad.
Redknapp told Sky Sports: “You can’t have somebody in who’s never going to play. I just couldn’t put him in my 25. It’s impossible at the moment.”
The 30 year-old even when fit, may not play again for another season if he’s not selected, unless he moves to another club. However it’s doubtful another club would sign him at the moment knowing about his injury record.
Youngsters
This ruling is likely to see more youngsters being drafted into big clubs squads. It almost forces managers into pushing youngsters into their first team squad, even if they are not ready. If they are not ready it could affect their development.
They will also take the place of players who would prove useful to their managers. It would mean a complete waste of a spot in the squad. If a Premier League club has just six ‘home grown’ players it means that that the club can only name 23 players in their squad, which forces clubs to promote youngsters.
Stock-Piling
The rule has also been brought in to prevent certain clubs stock-piling players. The decision was made last September by Premier League chairmen. This decision is an obvious reaction to clubs like Manchester City signing a huge amount of players.
Foreign youngsters
English clubs are already raiding foreign clubs for their young players and it has caused major controversy. The case of Chelsea signing young French star Gael Kakuta raised debate over Premier League clubs poaching young foreign players.
This ruling could increase the amount young players being poached at a younger age, in a bid to have them registered as ‘Home grown’. It could prove a massive own goal by the Premier League and cause a headache for everybody in the Premier League.
On the other hand it will stop Manchester City signing every decent player and just storing them in their squad! Whether it is regarded as a success remains to be seen. It could just be another rule that comes and goes.
Will the new rules help clubs develop their own talent?
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