By Andrew Warshaw
September 17 – In a bid to improve the flagging fortunes of the national team, the recent win in Switzerland notwithstanding, the English Football Association has sent out its first draft of proposals to reduce the number of non-EU players within the English game by up to 50%.
Earlier this year a specially commissioned unit set up to look into the future of the game called for wholesale reform in the belief that too many “mediocre” players were being purchased by clubs.
EU rules on freedom of movement prevent the possibility of cutting back on foreign players but the situation is different concerning the rest of the continent.
The FA hopes to send an agreed raft of reformed measures to government ministers before the end of the year. Up until the end of last season, 122 non-EU players had entered English football since 2009.
The current rules were introduced in 2008 to allow sport governing bodies to manage visa applications of elite players from non-EU countries. However, the so-called England Commission believes the number of foreigners in the domestic game are blocking pathways for younger English footballers to develop. The FA is attempting to try and increase the pool of talent, with the aim of having a shot at winning the 2022 World Cup.
The governing body is also seeking a reduction in the list of countries from which players can apply for visas based on international playing record, from the current 70 top FIFA ranked countries to the top 50.
Another change would see an easing – from 75% to 30% – in the percentage of competitive international matches that players from countries with a FIFA ranking in the top 30 must have played in the past two years.
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