[dst]

And we also have to get through for Nesta: we want to go forward and give also him the possibility of playing in the Uefa Cup.

What... give him the possibility? In which context, as a farewell present... ? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[il_diavolo_mtl]

Edit: misunderstood previous post.

Lol hockey news. i'll stop, it's off topic

2-1 for Milan with a classic pippo finishing (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

offside? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[Jack Sparrow]

Hopefully. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)


So since I'm too lazy to open a new thread...and I don't give a damn about going OT...

FIFA plan to limit foreign players ''not illegal''

Controversial plans by football's world governing body to limit the number of foreign players do not breach EU rules, an independent report declared on Thursday.

FIFA's so-called ''6+5'' rule has been overwhelmingly approved by 155 of the organisation's member nations, but dismissed as illegal by the European Commission and most EU governments because they say it amounts to discrimination at work and a restriction on the free movement of workers.

Now the Institute for European Affairs (INEA) - commissioned by FIFA itself to study the issue - claims the idea of restricting foreign players in league games does not fall foul of EU rules on free movement of workers.

''There is no conflict with European law,'' INEA chairman Professor Jurgen Gramke told a press conference in Brussels. He insisted the report, although commissioned by FIFA, was entirely independent.

''We took no instructions from FIFA,'' he added. ''INEA accepted this commission on condition that our requirements of complete independence were met.''

The report says that, under EU law, the ''regulatory autonomy'' of sporting associations is recognised and supported.

''The key aim of the 6+5 rule in the view of the experts is the creation and assurance of sporting competition.

''The 6+5 rule does not impinge on the core area of the right to freedom of movement. The rule is merely a rule of the game declared in the general interest of sport in order to improve the sporting balance between clubs and associations''.

FIFA endorsed the rule in May last year, but six months later EU ministers said it clearly broke EU rules.

The 6+5 rule established that at the start of each match, a club must field at least six players who would be eligible for the national team of the country of the club.

But there would be no limit on substitutes and no limit on the number of non-national players that clubs can sign.

Thursday's report says that, at worst, the 6+5 rule could constitute ''indirect discrimination'' because ''it is not directly based on the nationality of professional players''.

Instead it ''merely considers entitlement to play for the national team concerned, and any possible indirect discrimination can be defended on the basis of compelling reasons of general interest''.

At the moment, quota systems in football are outlawed, thanks to a European Court ruling in 1995 known as the Bosman Case.

It declared illegal the system, then in operation in many national leagues and in UEFA club competitions, which allowed only three ''foreign'' players in a team.

The Bosman judgment had a dramatic effect on football, said today's report, opening up the use of foreign players to such a degree that up to 56% of national league players are now not eligible to play for the national team of the league in which they play. In addition, up to half of the ''foreign'' players are ''non-European''.

This development discourages young indigenous footballing talent, because clubs can recruit fully trained players from elsewhere, often cheaper, the report points out.

It says the central aim of the 6+5 rule is to generate and safeguard sporting competition, and its goal is best summed up as ''sport should remain sport''.

Professor Gramke said the report's conclusions justifying the compatibility of the 6+5 rule with EU law also applied to other team sports such as handball, basketball and ice hockey.

''It has an important protective function for the whole of international sport, so that sport can remain sport,'' he said.

The findings add fresh ammunition to FIFA's challenge to the European Commission and governments to recognise the 6+5 rule.

A FIFA spokesman said the report would form the basis of fresh talks with Commission officials, including Employment Commissioner Vladimir Spidla.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter is determined to see the 6+5 rule in place by the start of the 2012-13 season and the Commission is currently equally determined to block him.

Please..please..please let this happen. Inter, Inter...wherefore art thou Inter? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/devil.gif)

Btw...does anyone know of any kinda rating in place for youth academies of the clubs. I read somewhere that the Milan youth academy 'rated' as one of the best in the world etc....

So is there some kind of rating, or is this just some propoganda thing?



This post has been edited by Jack Sparrow: Feb 26 2009, 03:04 PM

[Tennie]

I think it's a good idea. Whether it'll get through EU regs....I dunno.

btw, today Milan will be wearing black armbands and both teams will observe a minute of silence before the game in honor of the passing of Silvio Berlusconi's sister who died last night.

EDIT: Don't know about ratings of youth academies, Jack. I've never seen such a thing. Some academies have historically good reputations: Ajax, Sporting, etc. I think it's relatively subjective.

This post has been edited by Tennie: Feb 26 2009, 03:08 PM

[Jack Sparrow]

Well that's what the report is saying. It's finding a workaround, by saying you can buy as many non-nationals as you want, keep as many of them on the bench as you want BUT you will have to start with 6 people eligible for NT, even if they're the only 6 people you got.

I think however this rule if FIFA meant to implement, would mean at least a 3 year notice. If they did it *smack* within one year, a lot of big teams would be decimated (Arsenal, Inter). Milan would be weakened but we would manage.

[Tennie]

They're talking about a couple of years leadup as I understand it, Jack. Still, I think it'll take time for the thing to be ratified if it ever is.

As for today's game, Bremen will have Frings back in midfield. They may, however, have half an eye on the BUndesliga as they host Bayern on Sunday.

[Bluesummers]

What a racist rule imo. What does it matter where you get your players from, its a game about talent and skill. If their worried about talent in the country diminishing then they should help out the smaller clubs in the country who mostly play players from the nt eligiblity not shackle the top clubs because its not fair.

[Tennie]

Again the use of the term racist. I find that a little objectionable.

I think the proposal is aimed at preserving the integrity of the sport, and in seeing that clubs actually foster the national (specifically the youth) game. There's nothing preventing clubs from getting a lot of players from wherever they want, just not fielding an entire team of imports. I don't see a problem with it.

[han2503]

What a racist rule imo. What does it matter where you get your players from, its a game about talent and skill. If their worried about talent in the country diminishing then they should help out the smaller clubs in the country who mostly play players from the nt eligiblity not shackle the top clubs because its not fair.

I think it's a good idea, we've got teams like Inter and Arsenal who barely have any Italian/English players on their team. Clubs who would rather shun their youth products in favour of going to Brazil or Argentina and buying the 'next big thing'

Clubs in the past used to handle the foreigner reistriction rules just fine. For example Milan, Milan's greatest ever side under Sacchi was made up of all Italian players except for the Dutch trio. And look at the Italian layers that were on the roster

Maldini, Baresi, Ancelotti, Donadoni, Massarro, Costacurta, etc All were great Italian players, why should a club like Inter have a squad full of foreign players and not even a decent amount of Italian players, at this point Inter might as well pack up and move to Argentina, since they have more of an Argentinian core rather then an Italian one

[Jack Sparrow]

I agree.

Either that or you have one single league for all of Europe which is so obviously impractical.

Why even call it the Italian league, if you don't see any Italians? Why even play it in Italy? Play it someplace else. Like Argentina/Brazil wherever. All the players can stay in their home country that way.

[kizo]

MILAN-WERDER BREMA: LE FORMAZIONI UFFICIALI
26/02/2009
MILAN: Dida; Zambrotta, Senderos, Maldini, Favalli; Beckham, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf; Inzaghi, Pato.

WERDER BREMA: Vander; Fritz, Mertesacker, Naldo, Pasanen; Tziolis, Frings, Ozil; Diego, H. Almeida, Pizarro.

[Darunia]

Didnt Carlo say Flamini would play? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif)

Prefer to see Antonini over Favalli at LB (or Jankulovski? is he injured). I'd even prefer to see Zambro on the left and Bonera on the right, just don't think Favalli can play LB at a high level anymore. Even prefer Flamini at LB =/

This post has been edited by Darunia: Feb 26 2009, 07:46 PM

[gal_kenny]

so favalli is chosen ahead of antonini..**** u Carlo

[Tennie]

Fishdoll is scared. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Someone has done something to Ancelotti - perhaps he's been replaced by an Evil Clone. There are TWO strikers in the lineup.

Was it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) ?

Was it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/alien.gif) ?

Was it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/96.gif) ?

[nmcg]

http://www.rojadirecta.com/ustream/531981 click to watch : )

This post has been edited by nmcg: Feb 26 2009, 08:11 PM