Speaking not only for himself, but for just about every manager in the Premiership Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has criticised Football Association Chairman Greg Dyke’s proposals to put a limit on the number of non-EU players allowed in the Premier League, by warning it will lead to mediocrity.
Dyke has come up with some radical changes he would like to see implemented in the Premiership, which he thinks will give the England national team a huge boost.
His idea is to cut the number of non-EU players in the league by a third , and at the same time want s see each club in England’s top-flight have at least 12 home-grown players in their 25 man first team squad.
Some people seem to like the idea, but Wenger speaking for most managers has warned that such a plan will lower the Premierships quality and world wide appeal.
“I believe that we are in the world of competition. Competition means who of you or me is the best one. We have to accept that,” Wenger told beIN Sports.
“That means as well that the rules of the game must be structured to favour the best. Or we are not in a competition anymore.
“So we can say one of two things – we protect the mediocre or we produce the best players.
“I personally would support hugely to pay super people who think about how we can produce players from five years old to 20 years old to be as good as they can be rather than protect them through wrong mediocre rules.
“I give you two examples. In Yugoslavia in the past they decided you had to play three players on the team sheet who were under 21. What happened? They became professional subs. It happened in France, too.
“Then they decided you had to play three players under-21 from the start. You know what happened? They subbed all three after five minutes.
“If we want to sell the Premier League for a huge amount of money then we need to say: ‘buy this, this is the best in the world.’ You cannot go against the quality and what is at the heart of our job which is competition.
“The best must be the best. That’s why I will fight against it. I have very little power but I don’t think the idea is right.”
