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The Home-Grown Crunch: Will this new rule help or hinder Liverpool?

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Liverpool stars going thru their pacesThe new ‘homegrown rule’ with its limit on squad sizes will take effect at each transfer window lock-down. This means that the squad list of twenty five players with a minimum of eight home-grown will need to be confirmed at the end of January’s transfer window as well. I understand the objectives outlined by the Premier league Chief Executive Richard Scudamore with specific regards to the potential benefits to the England team but my major concern still remains – why does he think that the big-spending clubs with the fat wallets won’t hoard young foreign talent? And if, God forbid, a bad injury spell befalls your squad, will you be exclusively allowed to bring in any of the promising youngsters outside of the listed 25? In fact, Liverpool are lucky to have a good crop of young prospects waiting in the wings, players like Wilson, Shelvey, Ince, Eccleston and Amoo are all aged between 18 and 19 and could get a good confidence boost while helping the senior team in the league but how and when will they get their chance?

If you have been following my posts you will remember that I am one firm believer that we still need at last two more quality goal-scorers to support Torres. Nevertheless, with the arrival of Meireles, Konchesky and hopefully Diarra(with Lucas surplus to requirements in my books), It seems I’ll have to settle for just one more striker as I know there’s a serious lack of cash, so here’s my list (home-grown listed in bold first):

Goalkeepers:

Jones/Reina

Defenders:

Johnson/Carragher/Konchesky/Darby/Agger/Skrtel/Kyrgiakos/ Aurelio

Midfield

Gerrard/Cole/Spearing/Meireles/Babel/Jovanovic/Rodriguez/Poulsen/Kuyt/Diarra?

Strikers:

Torres/Ngog/ ?

Is quality being compromised?

For what it’s worth, I honestly believe the introduction of this new rule has not been applied in best possible manner. The clubs that have very few players that meet this requirement will undoubtedly be at a huge disadvantage. The problems are even further compounded if there is no money in the transfer kitty so purchasing players that fit the bill would then be almost impossible unless you sell first and then buy. That’s not so bad if you have a long list of unwanted stars but the opposite situation is like a migraine headache that just won’t go away. In addition to the younger players mentioned earlier, Insua, El Zhar and Ayala are probably the hardest hit when you analyse my list but I don’t believe the latter three have shown enough commitment and/or promise to even warrant them remaining on the books at LFC.

I must admit that I agree to an extent with Arsene Wenger who suggested that the quality of football in the Premier League could be compromised. However I would hasten to suggest that the English FA look into the prospects of a fully developed league for the reserves or ‘B’ team for each club. It could pattern the blueprint of the Spanish secondary league setup but regardless of the model I think it’s an option worth exploring. Subsequently, if I could somehow turn back the hands of time for just a moment then this would be my humble suggestion. If we take the effects of the world wide economic recession into account, forcing clubs to comply with this situation could have been done over a two season period instead, starting now. In addition, I would have been happier with a lower minimum limit of five to start with and then move it to eight over the following season. All this in tandem with the idea of regular competitive football for the second string players at each club and you definitely have a recipe for success at the national level. In this way you are not only achieving the intended objective but you also allow each team to gradually sort out their problems with regards to quality over a longer period of time with less pressure on their finances. I honestly think the fans would be the winners in the long run.

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I am a serious football lover and play for fun but to win. I love Liverpool(since the days of Rush, Barnes and the rest), Brazil and Barcelona(Samuel Eto'o and Messi are two joys to watch when in form). I am Jamaican and live and work in the capital - Kingston.
I am married to the most wonderful woman(Debborah) in the world and we have two daughters - our beautiful gifts from God are the best one can ask for(Kimberli and Yendi).
I work with the National Commercial Bank Jamaica Ltd as a Data Management Unit Supervisor. I hope to visit England one day and see the kop in Live and Living colour for myself. Bless.

9 comments

  • Stefan says:

    you forgot shelvey

  • Law says:

    The limit is pretty stupid and would not be allowed in a normal business which football is when you remove all teh passion,, not really sure how the EU allows this restriction. Law

  • daboy says:

    The only problem with English players is they seem overpriced, and honestly i do not see this rule strengthening the national side, as the cream always finds its way to the top anyway.

  • albey says:

    I have to say i can see were the 25 player could be beneficial to the england team for the future but the other side is that british clubs will over inflate transfer fees even more than they are now meaning the big cluba will bring in more foreign youngsters at younger ages than they are now and bring them through which would be legal so the brithish youngsters will not get an even break to make it at the top level of football. just a thought but why dont uefa create a europe league 17/21 yr olds in which any team entering the league from europe the team must consist of the footballers of the nationality of that country ie if liverpool put a team in then all the players must be british born . that would give all nations players that can develop and be avilable for there national teams in the future

  • chris says:

    The new rules are really only effecting 4 clubs as only 4 clubs fell foul of the rules last year…Man City, Bolton, Stoke and Wolves.

    Hardly causing major problems for teams to change this year!!!!

    I think a squad wage cap will do far more than these rules!

  • If it means we have to sign players of the quality of Paul Konchesky and Carlton Cole, then yes, we will fall foul of the new rules.

  • Greg says:

    Ngog doesn’t need to be included in the squad of 25 as he turned 21 this calendar year. Same with Insua. That means we have 4 or 5 overseas spots available, although it would be better to keep these free – except for maybe 1 more striker – to leave room for the youngsters to get games.

  • Grayson says:

    Thanks for all the comments. I like the squad wage cap idea too but before we even look at that why are we using a boring coach in the first place and yet we still expect beautiful positive football…plus England always had great players -winning the 66′ WorldCup without the bag of rules.
    Something just aint right with the tactical ideas, squad selection and attitude in the camp with Capello. Anyway, I still wish positive results from all that’s happening.

  • Abba says:

    Effectively completed This was a fantastic piece of writing. Do go on as you might be. I shall be eagerly waiting.

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