The English FA has announced a package of proposals aimed at reducing by 50 percent the number of players from outside the European Union who enter English football and making it easier for home-grown players to succeed, Reuters reports.
In a consultative paper, as required by the British Home Office legislation that covers visa applications by footballers, the FA on Wednesday put forward six detailed changes it hopes to see made to the current Governing Body Endorsement system.
These include restricting GBE applications to Premier League clubs, banning loans for these players and restricting the list of countries permitted to use the system to the top 50 in FIFA’s rankings, unless a transfer fee of more than a specified sum – £10 or 15m – is paid.
The plans would have a direct impact on the lower tiers of English football, below the Premier League, and the import of players from Africa, Asia and North and South America, including Argentina and Brazil.
FA chairman Greg Dyke said the reforms were part of an overhaul of English soccer being recommended by the England Commission think tank and added that a further announcement of proposed changes, aimed at stimulating the England national team’s performances, will follow in October.
“Everyone recognises the present system is bust,” Dyke told Sky Sports News. “The rules say elite non-European players – the very best – should be allowed to come in and we agree with that.
“What we are saying is there are a lot that aren’t (the very best), that don’t play that much and do take squad places and a lot, particularly in the Football League, disappear after a year or so. The system doesn’t work at the moment.” – Additional report from Punch.
