2 Jun 2008Six plus five is a 'steaming-hot potato'

Football Clubs News | Football Leagues/ Association and Governance | Football Referees, Players, Managers and Media

Former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein believes Sepp Blatter's proposed 'six plus five' rule is the most "contentious issue" to hit the English game since the Premier League's inception in 1992.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme over the weekend, Mr Dein said the proposal should, by definition, be unworkable but noted that Fifa president Blatter was determined to see it put into practise.

While Mr Dein pointed out that the six plus five principle falls foul of article 39 of the EC treaty - which is concerned with the freedom of movement of professional footballers in the UK - he has more time for Uefa's home-grown rule.

This rule "seems to be working quite well", he said.

"That is where you can have players come in from the age of 15-21 and as long as they have had three years training with the club in England then they qualify as home grown."

Under six plus five rules, however, teams could only field a maximum of five non-nationals - which would have major implications for Premier League teams including Arsenal, Fulham and Bolton given the current make-up of their first team squads.

Opponents of Blatter's scheme point to the fact that players should be judged on their ability rather than their passport.

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