Film & TV The Foreign Player Debate

[Illuminattile]

After Arsenal fielded an all-foreign squad against Crystal Palace last week, this has been all over the media. Lots of players, managers and pundits have criticised Arsene Wenger for not using British players (Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell were out, Justin Hoyte was left out for the awful Pascal Cygan). Wenger came back and replied that he picks players based on ability, not their passport.

Your feelings?

I understand both sides of the argument, and I don't think the minimum player rule is a good thing. Players should be picked based on ability. However, I do think ENGLISH clubs have a responsibility to the ENGLISH squad.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Players should be based on ability, so i dunno why Cygan was picked. All teams whether in England, Scotland, Brazil, Italy, Spain, should field home grown players.

Imagine a team winning the league with no home grown players, then the national team will be like Scotlands .

I think Arsenal should bring home grown talent through, but they get rid of the likes of Upson, Pennent, Taylor for the likes of Cygan, Almunia.

I would be disappointed in the team if i was an Arsenal fan.

 

[Pacaveli-T]

ashley cole i may not like but he is a very tactical and talented player. should of been on though. and you are right.

 

[Zero Cool]

I would agree with Illuminattile. I understand both sides of the argument and of course players should be picked based on ability rather than nationality but clubs playing in a certain league do have a degree of responsibilty vis-a-vis that league's national team.

 

[Illuminattile]

Players should be based on ability, so i dunno why Cygan was picked. All teams whether in England, Scotland, Brazil, Italy, Spain, should field home grown players.

Imagine a team winning the league with no home grown players, then the national team will be like Scotlands .

I think Arsenal should bring home grown talent through, but they get rid of the likes of Upson, Pennent, Taylor for the likes of Cygan, Almunia.

I would be disappointed in the team if i was an Arsenal fan.

When I was growing up, I always had this image of Arsenal as being "an English club". Seaman, Bould, Winterburn, Dixon, Adams, Keown, Platt, Parlour, Merson, Wright...they had tons of English players.

I think Upson is a prime example of their tendency to look abroad for players. Upson's a great defender, Cygan is shite.

 

[2Pax]

Foreign players bring more flair into club teams and in my opinion each team should be allowed as many foreign in their squad as they want. If the english players based at that club are good enough then they'll make the team, if teams are forced to take on english players they may not be fielding thier strongest team.

 

[CalcuoCuchicheo]

Imagine a team winning the league with no home grown players, then the national team will be like Scotlands

You are on probation. The L.O.D will not tolerate such slander. One more step & your powers will be revoked.


Anyways, clubs are companies & football is now a business. So personal feelings shouldn't come into it for the manager. Wenger's right. Pick players on ability not passport.

I can see people's point that homegrown players need tob e fielded for the benefit of the nation (through people having work & a stong national team etc) but like I say, if they ain't good enough, they ain't good enough.

The Matthew Upson situation was a weird one but Wenger holds a lot of sway at the club & if he didn't want him to go, he wouldn't have. Thus, if you have a problem with decisions like this, protest against Wenger.


And yeah, Illuminattile I always thought of Arsenal of an 'English club' with their old guard at the back. Then again, now they have one the of best first elevens in the world....

 

[JL]

i think its a load of shit i mean english players will make it if there good enough and the only reason for the complaints is that the english team had a shitter against holland. While what they need to do is sack sven because they have players who most of the top teams in the world would want. Thats why there was all of this in the papers i mean why weren't they complaining before this cos when all the arsenal team is fit they only have 2 english players in their first 11.

 

[CalcuoCuchicheo]

I hope Sven stays.

He makes Scottish people happy...

 

[Rosco]

I totally agree with Wenger. Why does he have a responsibility to England? The F.A dont pay his wages, Arsenal do, so he has to do whats best for Arsenal.

That and the idea of England becoming shit quite appeals to me.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

What if Celtic and Rangers didnt field a single Scottish player?

 

[Zero Cool]

What if Celtic and Rangers didnt field a single Scottish player?

It nearly happened on Sunday. Only 2 Scots started for each side. Possibly why Scotland are in the state they are at the moment.

 

[Rosco]

What if Celtic and Rangers didnt field a single Scottish player?

I couldn't care less to be honest.

 

[JL]

What if Celtic and Rangers didnt field a single Scottish player?

if they did that they both might actually be half decent sides

 

[Illuminattile]

if they did that they both might actually be half decent sides

ZING!

 

[DPG iz all I C]

What if Celtic and Rangers didnt field a single Scottish player?

I couldnt give a shit if we didnt field a single Scottish player but if we fielded a catholic i'd be very mad (just kidding people ) first and foremost i want Rangers to win i dont really care about the Scottish National Team.

 

[Zero Cool]

I couldnt give a shit if we didnt field a single Scottish player but if we fielded a catholic i'd be very mad (just kidding people )

More than half your team are Catholics

 

[DPG iz all I C]

Yeah i know its very upsetting to me

 

[Illuminattile]

I think some people might be exaggerating the problem. There are still a lot of English players in the Premiership. Everyone is saying that United or Arsenal or Chelsea should try to sign Shaun Wright-Phillips and, to a lesser extent, Stewart Downing. Players like Andy Johnson and Leon Osman have also been highly praised this season, and Andy Reid and Michael Dawson were bought by Spurs.

I think young English players still get opportunities in the Premiership, and those that impress at smaller clubs get snapped up by the big clubs.

 

[JL]

I think some people might be exaggerating the problem. There are still a lot of English players in the Premiership. Everyone is saying that United or Arsenal or Chelsea should try to sign Shaun Wright-Phillips and, to a lesser extent, Stewart Downing. Players like Andy Johnson and Leon Osman have also been highly praised this season, and Andy Reid and Michael Dawson were bought by Spurs.

I think young English players still get opportunities in the Premiership, and those that impress at smaller clubs get snapped up by the big clubs.

Andy Reid is IRISH