FA Chair Greg Dyke on Monday "spelt out his determination to go head-to-head with the Premier League" over its homegrown-player ruling in order to create more opportunities for English players, according to Oliver Kay of the LONDON TIMES. Dyke "made clear" that the next "battleground over the future of English football will be the homegrown-player ruling." Dyke wants not only to "change the Premier League's definition of a 'homegrown' player -- to stop such status being granted to players who move to England at 16 onwards," such as Cesc Fàbregas or Gaël Clichy -- but also to restrict clubs to a maximum of 13 non-homegrown players in their 25-man squad list. At present, "up to 17 non-homegrown players are permitted." Dyke: "To be clear, these proposals are not aimed at limiting the number of truly elite non-homegrown players, who everyone agrees contribute significantly to the development of our young players. Instead, they aim to reduce the number of non-homegrown players who play only limited minutes -- a similar change to one now agreed for non-European players. It is about squad places" (LONDON TIMES, 3/23).
