NO Foreign Players In NonLeague Football

[Guest]

FA chairman Greg Dyke has been extremely vocal lately in his attempts to get the Barclays Premier League to reduce the number of foreign players in its clubs.Dyke reckons the burgeoning number of overseas stars is severely affecting England`s chances of getting back towards the top of the tree internationally.

Dyke wants to tighten up the already-complex rules on bringing players from outside the European Union into the English game.

Dyke’s proposed new system, he says, would stop the least brilliant non-EU foreigners from coming to play football here, while still allowing the most talented in.

Earlier this season Dyke also sounded out the idea of Premiership clubs running `B` sides in the lower leagues, although this met with a great deal of opposition, despite the fact the system works well in other countries, especially in Spain.

However, other countries do not possess the complex and diverse non-League system that we have in England.

But one of Dyke`s proposals does look like it is going to receive a much more positive response.

That`s his call for NO players from outside the EU being allowed to play in English football below Level 4 – which is Sky Bet League Two.

That would mean no players from the likes of Australia, USA or Africa would be able to play in the Vanarama Conference or below.

Concerns have been raised about the number of foreign players now plying their trade in non-League football – Vanarama Conference North side Oxford City for example, possess a whole host of players from overseas brought in through the contacts of coach Enrique Guillen and owner Thomas Guerriero.

Dyke feels that the Conference especially would be a good breeding ground for young up and coming players from the Premiership and Championship to hone their skills at a good level of mens` football.

[Guest]

How would the criteria affect clubs who are based near a university - Falmouth College of Art have an influx of foreign players who have represented clubs in the district. Eno Udo, a Nigerian played for Penzance and Falmouth when training to be an architect.

What about Boston in Lincolnshire where they have had an influx of Poles - there might be a useful player or two in those than come over.

What about FC Romania - the same suggests the obvious!

[Bruegel the Elder]

How would the criteria affect clubs who are based near a university - Falmouth College of Art have an influx of foreign players who have represented clubs in the district. Eno Udo, a Nigerian played for Penzance and Falmouth when training to be an architect.

What about Boston in Lincolnshire where they have had an influx of Poles - there might be a useful player or two in those than come over.

What about FC Romania - the same suggests the obvious!

Certainly there might be claims of racism in the case of talented Commonwealth players on Student visas, and even restraint of trade for those unable to work in those full or part time professional teams in the Conference. Besides which what's good for the Gander should be good for the Goose, enforce it up to the Premier.

in a minute they'll be barring foreign players from the England team!

[Bruegel the Elder]

How would the criteria affect clubs who are based near a university - Falmouth College of Art have an influx of foreign players who have represented clubs in the district. Eno Udo, a Nigerian played for Penzance and Falmouth when training to be an architect.

What about Boston in Lincolnshire where they have had an influx of Poles - there might be a useful player or two in those than come over.

What about FC Romania - the same suggests the obvious!

Certainly there might be claims of racism in the case of talented Commonwealth players on Student visas, and even restraint of trade for those unable to work in those full or part time professional teams in the Conference. Besides which what's good for the Gander should be good for the Goose, enforce it up to the Premier.

in a minute they'll be barring foreign players from the England team!

​I'm sure that was said tongue in cheek Bruegel - surely the main point Dyke was making, is that we must put a brake on so many foreign players coming to England to ply their trade, if we are to be able to select an England team. Forget chants of racism - do we want a team of good English players, or not !

Of course we do Keith, but is this the best way to go about it? Banning foreign players from below level 4 is hardly going to enhance the number of top quality England qualified players who will mostly come from steps 1 and 2 and through their academies. Surely the way forward is to enforce quotas in teams, squads and academies throughout the professional leagues.

On another linked point I would advocate full league programmes going ahead during international qualifiers and competitions. Teams have big enough squads to put a side out and it would discourage the signings of whole teams of foreign internationals. Do we see County Cricket teams suspending competitions during Test Matches? Even Yorkshire will play on while providing almost half the England squad.

[Bruegel the Elder]

Unusually, Willow Tree is keeping rather quiet, as are some of the other posters on the ills of the national team. More than happy to have a pop at individual players (as on a current topic in this sub-forum), but not to look at the bigger picture of the development of home grown players into successful internationals.