New quota rule deemed “artificial”
Arsene Wenger has today criticised the Premier League’s new quota rule, labelling it “artificial”.
The rule which is due to come in next season means that all Premier League clubs will have to name at least eight ‘home-grown’ players in a 25 man squad.
The term ‘home-grown’ has been defined as players under the age of 21 that have been trained in England or Wales.
The move aims to encourage youth development at English clubs but Wenger thinks that the rule is flawed.
In his pre-match press conference the Arsenal manager said: “I am not in favour of it and I said that many times,
“I feel that when you want to see the best players in the best league in the world, you have to be open. To accept competition – and we live for competition – it is not to accept artificial rules and that is why I am against it.”
The ruling has also been met with criticism by Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez who said: “It may now be difficult to maintain quality. The number of players is not the point, the quality is,”
With such a strong youth system, the move will not have an adverse effect on Arsenal, particularly as the ruling does not prevent clubs from signing young players from abroad. However it may pave the way for Sepp Blatter’s highly controversial 6 + 5 plan, which would limit all clubs to just five foreign players in their starting line up.
Fifa have endorsed the idea and Blatter hopes to impose it by the 2012/13 season but he will first have to prove that it is legal. The European Commission has already deemed it to be discriminatory and says that it will fall foul of European law.
With a huge amount of foreign talent at the club, Wenger will be hoping that the powers that be, go no further than their new quota and ruin Arsenals Premiership betting odds for the future.
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