Source: Telegraph
Sam Allardyce says Premier League's foreign legion harms England's World Cup prospects
Wednesday's match, in which Arsenal comfortably beat Portsmouth 4-1, featured players from 15 countries among the 22 starters, with seven French players on the field. [LNB]There were two Algerians and one player each from Bosnia, Ireland, Israel, Iceland, South Africa, Scotland, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Wales, Cameroon, Croatia and Russia. [LNB] Related ArticlesWenger: Arsenal proving doubters wrongAbou Diaby signs new Arsenal dealPortsmouth 1 Arsenal 4Arsenal Transfer TalkTransfer TalkPremier League actionThere were four English players among the 14 substitutes but only one came on Arsenal youngster Craig Eastmond who replaced Arsenal's French striker Sami Nasri five minutes from time. [LNB]'For the national team in the future it is looking very, very bleak,' Allardyce said. [LNB]'The Premier League and the FA really need to get together and start immediately on how they are going to address this situation."[LNB]Fifa president Sepp Blatter has long campaigned for the 'Six plus Five rule' which would limit the number of foreign players a team can field, but that rule contravenes European laws and is some way from being implemented. [LNB]The landmark match came almost exactly 10 years after Chelsea became the first English team to field an entirely foreign starting line-up against Southampton on Dec 26 1999. [LNB]Bruce echoed Allardyce's thoughts as the average proportion of foreign players in first team squads across the 20 Premier League teams stands at a fraction short of 45 per cent. [LNB]'We are not producing players like we used to, for whatever reason. As managers if we can get better value for money in the big wide world then you have to go and try and find them," said Bruce. [LNB]'We would all love to have an English-based team every manager would like that if he possibly could, but unfortunately we have not got the quality to do it.'[LNB]However, a look back to the turn of the century shows that since that time the proportion of foreign players in the Premier League has actually fallen. In 1999/00 49.6 per cent of registered players in this country were from overseas. [LNB]England's impressive qualification process on route to South Africa under the guidance of another foreigner, Italian Fabio Capello - hints that the doom mongers are perhaps wide of the mark. [LNB]England's first choice eleven, whose technical ability is enhanced by playing with some of the world's best players at their clubs and under the enlightened tutelage of foreign managers, is as strong as all bar the leading nations of Brazil and Spain. [LNB]But it is the lack of strength in depth and an over reliance on key players that perhaps backs up Allardyce's concerns, with England desperately short of alternatives playing regularly for top level clubs to call on in the case of emergency. [LNB]Not everyone, however, is concerned about the lack of English players at Fratton Park. [LNB]Irishman Roy Keane, Ipswich Town's manager, said: 'It might be a concern for Fabio Capello, the England manager, maybe, but it doesn't keep me awake at night.'[LNB][LNB]Team English players Total players Proportion Stoke 23 37 62.2% Aston Villa 23 39 59.0% Tottenham 23 40 57.5% Wolves 22 40 55.0% Birmingham City 19 35 54.3% Burnley 17 34 50.0% West Ham United 18 36 50.0% Everton 21 44 47.7% Bolton 14 30 46.7% Manchester United 22 48 45.8% Hull City 17 38 44.7% Portsmouth 16 40 40.0% Fulham 16 41 39.0% Sunderland 14 36 38.9% Chelsea 17 45 37.8% Arsenal 18 48 37.5% Manchester City 13 38 34.2% Wigan Athletic 10 33 30.3% Liverpool 13 44 29.5% Blackburn 11 38 28.9%
