FA Chair Greg Dyke’s plan to increase the number of homegrown players in Premier League squads to benefit the England team won significant support from UEFA President Michel Platini on Tuesday, but he "still faces staunch opposition from many clubs when he tries to sell them the idea" on Thursday, according to Matt Dickinson of the LONDON TIMES. Dyke "will address the 20 top-flight clubs and explain his proposal for the number of home-grown players to grow from eight to 12 in each squad in an effort to increase the proportion of English talent at the highest level." Dyke "already knows that there is very little chance that most clubs will agree to the change." A number, not least Arsenal, has already made clear its opposition in working groups, insisting that "greater restrictions on imports" could affect its competitiveness. FA’s Technical Dir Dan Ashworth "already held discussions with a number of club representatives who have indicated their reluctance to change." It appears that Dyke’s best hope may lie in persuading UEFA "to force a change of rules throughout leading leagues," with Platini, who was re-elected as UEFA president for a third four-year term, suggesting that he intends to take up the fight. Platini: "We’re not talking about England, we’re talking all of Europe. Mr. Dyke’s struggle with the FA is something we share and we agree with him" (LONDON TIMES, 3/25). In London, Owen Gibson wrote at present, UEFA’s rules for its competitions also require a minimum of eight players to qualify as homegrown but Platini said that "he planned talks" with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker over whether the number could be increased. UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino "also backed Dyke’s move." He said, "It’s fantastic, we are at eight out of 25 and we see it is not really as great as it should be so whatever move in favor of increasing homegrown players is something we can only support" (GUARDIAN, 3/24).
ENGLAND BID: The PA reported Dyke said that England "is interested in bidding for Euro 2028" but is very unlikely to bid for the 2026 World Cup. The FA decided not to bid for FIFA tournaments while FIFA President Sepp Blatter is still in power "following England’s failed bid for 2018." FIFA announced last week that the decision on the '26 tournament will be made in '17 -- when Blatter is still likely to be FIFA president, "making any bid for that tournament unlikely, but Dyke is eyeing a bid for the European Championship in 2028." Dyke: "Our policy is that we won’t bid for almost any tournaments while the current leadership is there" (PA, 3/24).
