April 1 – A group of influential Russian players has put forward a proposal to limit the number of non-Russians in club football to six per club by the start of the 2018 World Cup.
The group of six players are seeking election to the Russian Premier League’s executive committee on April 26. If elected a vote on the proposal to limit foreign players could be taken immediately.
Russian FA rules currently allow seven foreign players on the pitch at any one time but there is no limit on the number of foreigners a club may have. The new proposal would end this by introducing the quota in stages, starting with a maximum of 11 foreigners next season, eight for 2015-16, seven for the following season and six in 2017-18. Russia hosts the 2018 World Cup.
“The issue is not only about the quantity of foreigners, but also of the quality,” Vladimir Leonchenko told R-Sport. “In the lower half of the table many clubs don’t correspond with the level of the Premier League,” he added.
The pressure for more Russians in Russian teams is coming from the top. President Vladimir Putin has called for a focus on developing domestic talent. “Today’s practice of hiring at clubs does not take into account the interests of the national teams,” Putin said in a Kremlin statement.
“We need to build our work in such a way as to raise the professional level of our national players and coaches, to search for gifted and bright athletes and create from them a genuine, flowing, confident team. Only in that way can we count on victory.”
Valery Karpin, one of the players seeking election, said: “If the money’s from the state, then let’s spend it on local footballers.”
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