Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes Sepp Blatter's
proposals to restrict the number of foreign players in each team is
"completely ridiculous." FIFA president Blatter's announced that he
will lobby for restrictions on the overseas players in each side
and Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has voiced his
approval.
But Wenger told Arsenal's club magazine: "I find the whole proposal
completely ridiculous," he said. "The thinking behind it, I
believe, is to protect the national teams. But it won't protect the
best players, it will protect the mediocre ones and you don't win a
World Cup with mediocre players, you win it with world-class
ones."
He added: "The best English players - the Rooneys, the Owens, the
Gerrards, the Lampards - they are all playing for their clubs
anyway. "FIFA are wrong if they think this will improve
international football. Look at rugby for example. The Argentina
national team - all their players play in Europe, and the national
team takes advantage of that. Had they all stayed in Argentina,
would they have made the semi-finals? To mix the best with the best
makes everyone better.
"I am worried that it could happen. I would say that it's more than
50% likely to be brought in. "FIFA is powerful enough to implement
the rule internally, if (Sepp) Blatter has the support of the
council and his committees. Will it go through or not, I do not
know but it looks as though it could. I have already had many
discussions at UEFA and it looks as though it could happen.
"I don't believe one football coach at the highest level would say
it's a good idea. A football coach is always confronted with the
same problem - he wants to reward good players." Asked what would
happen if the rule was introduced, Wenger added: "First of all we
have to fight against it. "If you fight it that should buy us some
time. During that time you have to adapt to it."