6+5 = better futbol?
Posted by Obiora, July 3, 2008 - 12:07 pm
Recently, FIFA agreed in principle that Sepp Blatter’s proposed “6+5″ limitation on domestic futbol clubs was a good idea. For those of you who haven’t heard of it, the rule would provide that a club team must start a match with at least six players who would be eligible to play for the national team of the country in which the club is located.
The growing numbers of foreign players in domestic club teams has led to fears that the development of some national teams (mostly in Europe) may suffer because clubs spend less time and resources developing local talent. The most prominent example of this is the English Premier League, considered by some to be the best futbol league in the world but whose increasing excellence is due to an influx of foreign players. The England National Team was notably absent from Euro 2008 but well-represented by its non-English players.
It’s easy to recognize the impact of foreign-born players on the top teams in the world. It’s true that everyone benefits from increased levels of competition, not the least of which are the coffers of the clubs that pay huge transfer fee’s for these players. By going to Benfica, Freddie Adu is finally starting to become the player we all thought he could be.
But at stake here is the right of clubs to field the best possible squad that they can afford to buy (and thus make a profit) versus the need to grow the national teams. Therein lies the balancing act because we must consider whether domestic clubs are neglecting the development of home-based players in the constant pursuit of the mercurial talents of the Messi’s and Ronaldinho’s of the outside world.
I believe that futbol remains a fundamentally nationalist game, one in which performance for country makes or breaks a player’s legacy more than performance for club. In this light, the domestic leagues can be looked upon as feeders for growing players capable of playing at the national level. I have no doubt that Liverpool’s English fans wish that a player of Fernando Torres’ quality was suiting up for the Three Kings.
Blatter’s rule won’t ensure that the best players in the world always stay in their home country, nor is it necessarily intended to do that. Manchester United would still find a place for a player of Cristiano Ronaldo’s talents and Lionel Messi would still have left Newell’s Old Boys for FC Barcelona. However, a re-approportionment of talent with added emphasis on local development will not only help to even out the competitive disparity in many European club leagues but it should also benefit the development of national teams.
Photo Credits: 1000goals.com, AFP
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