Are any of you gooner fans out there concerned about Platini and Blatter's "plans"for the future of European and world Football yet? the 4+7 rule proposed to come into effect in the 2010-11 season will disrupt EPL and other European League Football big time. Arsenal are particularly vulnerable as they have real trouble fielding a team with more than 2 British players, never mind English!
This is what happens when you let politicians and so-called Football "experts" find a "solution"to the very real problem of developmental issues in League Football. Teams like Arsenal and Real will field 4 local players, two to three of whom will be substituted before the firsat 5 minutes are up. So much for 4+7, then 5+6 etc. The other trick will be to "nationalize"a player so that he becomes a "local". Money talks, and in fact it is now almost all about money in Football, particularly in Europe. The owners will make "arrangements" so that this rule is either thrown out by the EU or if non EU, by the government, or they will get the EU to do it for them. the EU has already declared that his rule may infringe on their constitution with regards to freedom of employment. While this is still in debate, I guarantee that EUFA and FIFA have totally failed in their mission, albeit noble, to ensure that locals get equal opportunity in their own leagues.
A more sensible approach would have been to take a very big % of any transfer fees AND salaries paid out to players and return it to the National Association, who could reinvest this money into their Youth academies and into weaker teams trying to compete. At least this way both the National and League teams could benefit.
