New regulations on homegrown talent in premier league

**tommy_c12000** · 18/05/2010, 12:05 PM

Not sure if this has been discussed already but I reckon that the new requirement of clubs to have at least 8 homegrown players in their squad of 25 next season could present an excellent opportunity to a number of Irish youngsters at the bigger clubs.

Already Man City are rumoured to be considering holding onto Wright-Phillips and Ireland because of the rule (From today's Guardian: "Mancini will also decide against selling winger Shaun Wright-Phillips and midfielder Stephen Ireland as he needs the pair to boost the club's home-grown contingent; Premier League clubs having to name eight home-grown players in a squad of 25 next season.").

It appears that homegrown talent could prove to be somewhat of a precious comodity at some of the bigger clubs like Chelsea and Man City. With the likes of Cunningham and Clifford (to name but a few) already at their respective clubs for 3 years, they are likely to be named in the squad of 25, giving them a great chance next year of seeing some first team action.

From Premier League website: "The definition of home grown is trained for three years under the age of 21 by somebody in the English and Welsh professional system."

**OwlsFan** · 18/05/2010, 12:12 PM

It's bad news for players making their names in the Airtricity League trying to get a move to a top English club who will not be judged to be "home grown".

I suspect it will also be anti-EU law. Imagine having a rule in a factory that at least 33% of workers must be home grown thereby denying other EU workers a job.

**tommy_c12000** · 18/05/2010, 12:21 PM

Fair enough point on the League of Ireland players. It may certainly curtail some clubs from recruiting them. However, I don't think it is anti-EU law. These rules appear not to breach European laws because they are not based on nationality, but where a player of any nationality trained between 15-21 years of age.

http://www.theuksportsnetwork.com/ch...player-quotas/

**Charlie Darwin** · 18/05/2010, 4:03 PM

I don't think there's any danger that the homegrown rule will be ruled contrary to EU law. The clubs may have kicked up a fuss when it was first announced, but even the top clubs have put a stronger emphasis on bringing through youth players recently, and two of City's major signings last season were English. From a player's point of view, I think they'd have to prove that not only can they not gain employment at a specific club, but that they can't get employed at any professional club. Given that the lower divisions in the English league (and every country, really) are overwhelmingly dominated by locals, I can't foresee it being an issue.

**SkStu** · 18/05/2010, 5:38 PM

great that it will encourage the people who look after our talented kids to make damn sure they get the kids over there and get their three years in. Pity. Doesnt help Irish football in the slightest.

**Colbert Report** · 18/05/2010, 11:15 PM

There's no rule that says that the player must have played with that same club for three years before the age of 21. Stephen Ireland and Robbie Keane could both qualify as "home grown players" next season if they played for any team in England. In fact, the only players that WOULDN'T qualify for us would be Doyle and Hunt, if I'm not mistaken.

**Charlie Darwin** · 19/05/2010, 12:16 AM

Originally Posted by SkStu

great that it will encourage the people who look after our talented kids to make damn sure they get the kids over there and get their three years in. Pity. Doesnt help Irish football in the slightest.

It's the clubs that call the shots and I doubt it'll make them bring over any more players than they otherwise would have.

**sligoman** · 19/05/2010, 12:41 AM

Thread title says Premier League...is that automatically meant to mean the English league? We've a Premier League in this country too.

**Colbert Report** · 19/05/2010, 12:57 AM

Originally Posted by sligoman

Thread title says Premier League...is that automatically meant to mean the English league? We've a Premier League in this country too.

I thought it was called the Eircom League or the Airtricity League or something? In the FIFA video games it just says "League of Ireland".

**Charlie Darwin** · 19/05/2010, 1:02 AM

Ours is the Premier Division.

**Dodge** · 19/05/2010, 6:32 AM

Excellent knowledge of Irish football there Colbert

**tommy_c12000** · 19/05/2010, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by sligoman

Thread title says Premier League...is that automatically meant to mean the English league? We've a Premier League in this country too.

Why do you have to nit pick here when you clearly know what I mean. Given the examples I provided (Man City and Chelsea are English Premier League teams) and as CR shrewdly pointed out, I would have had the foresight to call the thread the "Airtricity League" or the "League of Ireland" if I was referring to the local Irish scene. Perhaps it was an oversight on my part and will take it upon myself to painstakingly signpost everything, leaving no room for ambiguity, in the future

**Colbert Report** · 19/05/2010, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Excellent knowledge of Irish football there Colbert

I live in Canada, Irish domestic football is never on television over here and every time I go home on holiday nobody talks about the Irish domestic game because nobody cares! All the guys I grew up with are still football mad and they all love and watch the English Premier League, just the facts mate.

**Dodge** · 19/05/2010, 12:21 PM

You realise you're on an Irish football site, don't you?

**SkStu** · 19/05/2010, 3:11 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

It's the clubs that call the shots and I doubt it'll make them bring over any more players than they otherwise would have.

i didnt say it would harm it - i just said it wouldnt help as it will make our nursery clubs even more determined to get our young talent over there. Obviously the Premier League doesnt care less about Irish football or young Irish players but im just pointing out a negative to Irish football of this new rule. Oh well, who cares? Right?

**tommy_c12000** · 19/05/2010, 3:22 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

You realise you're on an Irish football site, don't you?

Is this not the Ireland part of the International section? ALL our players are playing in English Premier League, Championship and SPL so is there much point discussing the Airtricity Division here? Why do so many contributors to this site spend so much time nitpicking rather than making some worthwhile contributions?

**Dodge** · 19/05/2010, 4:14 PM

Originally Posted by tommy_c12000

Is this not the Ireland part of the International section? ALL our players are playing in English Premier League, Championship and SPL so is there much point discussing the Airtricity Division here? Why do so many contributors to this site spend so much time nitpicking rather than making some worthwhile contributions?

YOu can discuss what you like. I found it astonishing, and frankly disgusting, that someone who considers themselves an Irish football fan doesn't know the name of their national league.

**tetsujin1979** · 19/05/2010, 4:26 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

YOu can discuss what you like. I found it astonishing, and frankly disgusting, that someone who considers themselves an Irish football fan doesn't know the name of their national league.

let it go, it was a minor offence made by someone with no exposure to the league.

**Dodge** · 19/05/2010, 8:21 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

let it go, it was a minor offence made by someone with no exposure to the league.

I made one comment, I had no intention of making it a big thing. The criticism still stands though (and in my opinion this "I thought it was called the Eircom League or the Airtricity League or something?" isn't minor")

You disagree, and thats fine. I won't be posted on this thrad again

**Colbert Report** · 19/05/2010, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

I made one comment, I had no intention of making it a big thing. The criticism still stands though (and in my opinion this "I thought it was called the Eircom League or the Airtricity League or something?" isn't minor")

You disagree, and thats fine. I won't be posted on this thrad again

I mean absolutely NO disrespect to fans of the Irish domestic game, good on you for supporting your local teams and I genuinely hope that one day the beautiful game takes off in my homeland. Nothing would give me greater pride than to see a team called Dublin United or Dublin Celtic go out and take on the likes of Inter Milan or Barcelona in the Champions League, cheered on by fifty thousand at Aviva.

You can hardly fault me for being so ignorant on the game because so few of the players make it in the big time world of full time professional football. The matches are not on television here and in fairness, I do read the Independent online religiously and they have little or no coverage of the League at all. Apart from Fahey and Coleman, the only other player I know of to come out of the Eircom League (or whatever they're calling it this month) and make an impact in England was Tadgh Purcell, and that's only because my father is a lifelong Darlington supporter.

I grew up in Ireland and the only football matches I ever went to were when Liverpool or Aston Villa came over to play an LOI XI. The matches back then, in mid-nineties got no coverage. Don't bother me for not knowing the name of the poxy league - I'm posting in the International Team section of this site only, and I do so religiously. I know more about the current national team prospects than 99% of Irish football fans, just from reading this forum every day. The LOI is simply not relevant when speaking of the International team, not at all.