[dst]

Blatter proposal threatens Inter
Friday 5 October, 2007

FIFA President Sepp Blatter pushes for a limit of five foreign players in the starting 11 for League matches – a ruling that would devastate Inter.

EU law led to the abolition of any rule limiting the number of foreign players a club could field, but Blatter argues that such guidelines shouldn’t apply to football.

“Workers in Europe can circulate freely, but footballers are not workers,” he told BBC Sport.

“You cannot consider a footballer like any normal worker because you need 11 to play a match – they are more artists than workers.

“When you have 11 foreigners in a team, this is not good for the development of football, for the education of young players, and there is a financial aspect too.”

Blatter’s aim is to force clubs to pick no more than five foreign players in their starting formation.

The re-introduction of a foreigners rule will be extremely difficult to implement as it is likely to meet with determined resistance from the biggest clubs in Europe.

Inter, for example, would see their formidable squad rendered impotent as they depend so strongly on their overseas stars.

In last weekend’s Serie A clash against Roma, the Nerazzurri didn’t send a single Italian on to the pitch with the starting 11 entirely composed of foreigners.

Roma, Juventus and Milan are less vulnerable as they all regularly play at least five Italians, but they would still see many of their expensive imports become useless.


::channel4::

[Tennie]

I actually agree with Blatter on this one.

[kurtsimonw]

I actually agree with Blatter on this one.

I think it's a very good idea, but something I don't see happening.

The EPL tried it some time ago, it was considered racist and limiting job opportunites for foreign people. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

I don't see his thing working with "footballers aren't workers" because they are.

This post has been edited by kurtsimonw: Oct 5 2007, 02:19 PM

[Rossoneri7]

Good .. Now kick the merda out of Europe (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Jack Sparrow]

Leave it to Valencia...

[milanista1899]

I'll go along with anything that'll make Inter look like the merda they really are! (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/devil.gif) (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/devilsmiley.gif)

[Locke Lamora]

Devastating Inter = Great.
Devastating Arsenal as well = Not so great.

[Rossoneri7]

Devastating Inter = Great.
Devastating Arsenal as well = Not so great.

Hehe .. Nah, Blatter just proposed it .. There are many teams that depend on foreigners as key players, off the top of my head Milan, Madrid, Barcelona, nearly half the French teams, and where would the EPL and La Liga be without their foreign imports (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Personally I want to see inter damaged in any way, shape or form ! (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[dst]

I don't see it working either... plus, as Kurt said, it's stupid to suggest footballers are not workers! (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[kurtsimonw]

Blatter to ignore EU over foreign player quotas

BRUSSELS, April 17 (Reuters) - FIFA president Sepp Blatter aims to bypass the European Union and UEFA next month over plans to curb foreign players at soccer clubs, which could lead to a spate of costly court cases, FIFA officials said.

UEFA has so far dismissed Blatter's proposal to restrict teams to five foreign nationals on the pitch on the grounds that it conflicts with EU laws on the free movement of workers, potentially leading to widespread legal actions.

Despite UEFA's stance and EU opposition, the world game's top official will seek a 'gentleman's agreement' on the matter among the national associations, including those in Europe, at FIFA's annual congress in Sydney next month, bypassing Europe's governing body, the officials said.

UEFA favours reaching a deal with the EU's executive Commission on its home-grown player rule which sets a quota of locally trained players at clubs but without any discrimination on nationality.

FIFA says that does not go far enough and allows too much exploitation of young players by clubs.

To change the rules, Blatter needs 75 percent support at the congress where each of FIFA's 208 member associations who are eligible to vote have one vote each and UEFA as an organisation has none.

Tensions have risen between the two power brokers after UEFA president Michel Platini refused to accompany Blatter on a trip to Brussels last week to convince the EU institutions of the merits of his plan, prompting the FIFA chief to cancel.

A spokesman for Blatter blamed 'circumstances beyond our control' for the u-turn, but EU, FIFA and UEFA sources told Reuters that Brussels officials and some lawmakers did not wish to engage with Blatter on the issue, notably in the absence of Platini.

'As far as the EU is concerned, Blatter is flogging a dead horse and any discussion would have been pointless,' one EU official familiar with the situation said.

FIFA and UEFA sources said Platini advised Blatter in a letter not to travel to the EU capital as it could harm UEFA's positive relationship with Brussels, sparking an angry response from Blatter who warned Platini that failure to back him could have major consequences for their relationship in the future.

'He (Blatter) doesn't want a war with UEFA or to anger the EU, but this is a point of principle for him,' one FIFA official said.

'When he became president he made a promise on this and he sees this as a major legacy of his time in office. He believes he can get a gentleman's agreement with all the national associations.'

EU and UEFA officials warned that such a deal could prompt multi-million court cases challenging the rule and eventually end up before the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

In a similar case on the free movement of players across the 27-member bloc in 1995, the ECJ ruled against football's authorities. The judgement, known as the 'Bosman ruling', proved damning for the sport and changed the face of the game forever.

'Firstly you must be confident you are dealing with gentlemen that will stick to the deal. But in this day and age that is highly unlikely,' a senior UEFA source said.

ESPN

What he's trying to do is a good thing, I think teams need to have alot of players from their own country to have some sort of identity, otherwise it's stupid.

Inter look likely to win Serie A while barely using any Italians. Materazzi is the only guy to have made more than 10 appearances I think! In the EPL it isn't so bad, United and Chelsea have quite a few English players, but Arsenal and Liverpool barely have any! Hopefully Blatter keeps pushing for this!

But what he's trying to do right now doesn't even seem legal, so unless he bribes everyone like he usually, allegedly, does then it isn't going to happen!

This post has been edited by kurtsimonw: Apr 18 2008, 12:39 AM

[Bluesummers]

Won't happen. Will make uefa and fifa look like a racist organization. Second downfall is that players will head to mls and will make euro lose their important south american investments.

[acid911]

While the offer seems very tempting, I, like others, highly doubt we'll be seeing anything like this implemented anytime soon. Plus, there is also a matter of International market. The more players from all around the world, the larger the football market.

Then again, if it doesn't happen, it will hurt national teams the most - particularly the European ones. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[morgoth]

While the offer seems very tempting, I, like others, highly doubt we'll be seeing anything like this implemented anytime soon. Plus, there is also a matter of International market. The more players from all around the world, the larger the football market.

Then again, if it doesn't happen, it will hurt national teams the most - particularly the European ones. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

That's the main reason why the organization are against it, because it involves money, they don't give a s*** about being xenophobic or anything else, their only concern is MONEY!

[dst]

It's stupid what he's trying to do... utterly stupid! While I don't like what Inter, Chelsea and Liverpool do, I believe it's their own damn business!! You can't force this **** into them, if they don't feel like having a core of native-born players then they should go this way... how the... just how can you constrain a club to have an indigenous identity? He has no authority to do anything like that...

Like always, Blatter is being an idiot...

[morgoth]

It's stupid what he's trying to do... utterly stupid! While I don't like what Inter, Chelsea and Liverpool do, I believe it's their own damn business!! You can't force this **** into them, if they don't feel like having a core of native-born players then they should go this way... how the... just how can you constrain a club to have an indigenous identity? He has no authority to do anything like that...

Like always, Blatter is being an idiot...

dst, imagine that there's a shopping centre that opens in your neighbour, and all the employees are from another city, while in your own there's a lot of unemployment, would you still find that stupid? Especially if those employees work for "cheaper" than your neighbours would, that exactly what's happening in football (not talking about the quality here), nowadays an average footballer wouldn't hesitate to go to play in the EPL because he knows he's going to get paid much more than in another country, yet his salary would be nothing compared to what a local footballer of the same level would ask. That's the main problem behind globalisation.