FIFA scrap plans for "home-grown" player rule

Covered End

Fifa scraps plans for 'home-grown' player rule

Fifa boss Sepp Blatter has dropped the '6+5' plan
Fifa has said it will scrap plans for a minimum of six "home-grown" players in clubs' starting line-ups.

The so-called "6+5" rule had been expected to be brought in by 2012 but has now been abandoned.

Football's world governing body, at its congress in South Africa ahead of the World Cup kick-off, said it will now look at "other eligibility" options.

BBC Sport understands the European Commission said such a proposal would contravene EU labour laws.

From next season, the Premier League will bring in a system where there must be eight home-grown players in squad of 25.

Also at the congress in Johannesburg, Fifa president Sepp Blatter said he would seek another term of office next year.

"I have not yet completed my mission as president of Fifa, I am motivated to go for another term," said the 74-year-old Swiss who has held the post since 1998.

He was then interrupted by applause from delegates before adding: "Thank you for your confidence. I would like to say we will go for it together. I am ready, you are ready."

Delegates also decided to keep an age limit of 23 with three over-age players permitted per team for the London 2012 Olympic football tournament.

There had been pressure from clubs to make it an under-21 competition.

But the International Olympic Committee warned that any change could affect the number of teams allowed in the event.

Barcelona and German sides Werder Bremen and Schalke all won a ruling in 2008 against being forced to released their players for the Beijing Games.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled as the Olympics was not on Fifa's international calendar, the clubs were not obliged to release the players.

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Do we think this is because most of the French team are African????? Or is that me being politically incorrect again :-)

Harveys Trainer

It's too late for Liverpool to cancel the Shelvey deal isn't it????

Henry Irving

[cite]Posted By: Ru1986[/cite]Do we think this is because most of the French team are African????? Or is that me being politically incorrect again :-)

"We" think it's because you don't know what you are talking about.

of the 23 players in the WC squad TWO were born in Africa and one of those, Evra, moved to France when he was 6.

All the others were born in France.

But don't let facts like that confuse you Rupert.

Henry Irving

[cite]Posted By: Harveys Trainer[/cite]It's too late for Liverpool to cancel the Shelvey deal isn't it????

The premier league will still have the rule of 8 "home grown" players in a squad of 25

IA

[cite]Posted By: Ru1986[/cite]Do we think this is because most of the French team are African????? Or is that me being politically incorrect again :-)

You're mixing up club and country, and what you say is incorrect. Also, Sepp Blatter is Swiss, so why would he care about the French team?

Nice bit of news-dumping by FIFA. They're becoming adept at it.

Applause for Blatter when he said he plans to run again... that doesn't sound good at all

creepyaddick

Reading the ruling here does this mean we have to register 25 players, eight of which are homegrown and does this also mean that prem clubs loaning out youngsters will tend not to call them back for no reason
Rules

Scoham

Premier League rule isn't it, won't effect us?

Seen it before, but it's interesting that homegrown doesn't even have to be English or British. So a team could bring in foreign youngsters when they're 16/17 and after 3 years they would count as home grown.

A home grown player is defined as one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Welsh Football Association for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).

creepyaddick

Thought it read as any club affiliated to the FA

randy andy

[cite]Posted By: Scoham[/cite]Premier League rule isn't it, won't effect us?

Seen it before, but it's interesting that homegrown doesn't even have to be English or British. So a team could bring in foreign youngsters when they're 16/17 and after 3 years they would count as home grown.

A home grown player is defined as one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Welsh Football Association for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).

The rule is carefully worded to avoid EU employment law issues. If it said English/British it would be illegal.