Premier League Mulling New Subs Ruling
The Premier League is reportedly mulling over the introduction of new regulations which will make it compulsory for a team to field two substitutes under-21 that have been developed at the club’s academy.
The move is designed as a compromise as governing bodies UEFA and FIFA increase the pressure to implement quota systems on the number of homegrown players at a club.
There are concerns that many players are graduating from academies and then struggling for games due to the number of foreign players flooding into the Premier League.
The plan, which was originally planned for this season to coincide with the increase of substitutes from five to seven, is also designed to help England, although the rule would not differentiate between foreign youngsters developed at a club and English.
The Premier League scheme is a softer version of UEFA president Michel Platini’s plan to bring in quotas based on age whereas FIFA is pushing for a quota based on nationality with a 6+5 system suggested.
For this season’s Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions, English teams must abide by UEFA’s 4+4 stipulation: four members of the 25-man squad must have been trained by the club for a minimum of three years, from 15 to 21, as well as four more developed at other English clubs.
