This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/08/premier-league-division-b-teams-fan-commission-greg-dyke-league-three-non-eu-players

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
New Premier League division of B teams proposed by FA commission New Premier League division of B teams proposed by FA commission
(about 9 hours later)
Greg Dyke's Football Association commission into improving the chances of the England team by developing more homegrown players has proposed introducing a new division of Premier League B teams by 2016-17. A controversial plan by the FA chairman, Greg Dyke, to introduce Premier League B teams into the Football League by 2016-17 to boost England's chances will have to face down fierce opposition from within the game if it is to succeed.
The proposal, a dramatic intervention in the English football pyramid that would have far reaching ramifications for the game, is one of four key recommendations made by the commission. Dyke has targeted winning the 2022 World Cup but warned that English football will slide into irrelevance without major changes. But he faces a bitter battle with the Premier League and the Football League over his plan to radically reshape English football's century-old pyramid.
It has identified the "blockage" facing players between the ages of 18 and 21 as the key issue affecting the development of young English talent. In the Premier League in 2012/13, only 32% of players were qualified to play for England, reducing to 28% among the top-four clubs. He hopes the attraction to big clubs of being able to follow the continental model of blooding young players in a competitive B team and the prospect for Football League clubs of a £30m cash pool per season will be enough to sway the undecided.
Along with introducing B teams for Premier League clubs and reforming the work permit system to reduce the number of non-EU players in the top flight, the Commission recommends a new strategic loan partnership system that would allow clubs to loan up to eight players to a single Football League side and retain more control over them. The four key proposals are:
The controversial B team proposal, sure to create a huge backlash from fans and some Football League clubs but supported by some Premier League sides, is one of several elements of a plan designed to improve the number and quality of homegrown players available to the national team. • A new League Three to be introduced in 2016-17, combining the top half of the Conference and 10 Premier League B sides.
Under the proposals, clubs will also be told to incrementally increase the number of players in their squad that qualify as "homegrown" – ie those trained for at least 36 months in England before their 21st birthday. By 2020/21, it recommends that the majority of the 25-man first team squad should qualify as homegrown, rather than the current eight. • A beefed-up homegrown players' rule requiring 13 members of the 25-man squad to have been trained in England as youngsters by 2020-21.
Dyke has potentially set himself on a collision course with the Premier League by concluding that the recently introduced under-21 league, due to be revamped into an under-23 league, and the £340m invested in the elite player performance plan is not sufficient to produce the level of change required. • A more strictly enforced work permit system that would prevent Premier League sides from having more than two non-EU players.
"We recognise that making changes in football is often a slow and difficult process but we urge those in the football world to consider our proposals constructively and with open minds," said Dyke. "We urge them to balance the specific, narrowly-defined concerns of their particular club or league with what will be of the most benefit to the game overall, to the development of young players and to the success of the England team." • A new loan system that will allow Premier League clubs to loan up to eight players to a strategic partner below the Championship.
The commission has set a target of 90 footballers playing more than 50% of minutes in the Premier League, or any of the top five leagues in Europe, by 2022, compared with 66 today. Of these, 30 should be playing in the top six teams in the Premier League, compared with 18 today. Dyke has previously set England the target of winning the World Cup in 2022. Members of the England Commission said the national side would wither on the vine if the four-pronged plan to bring through more homegrown players was not approved in full.
Dyke said on Thursday that the Commission, which got off to a rocky start with a row over the diversity of its composition, was designed to address an issue that is "a significantly bigger problem in England than anywhere else". "If the trend continues we fear for the future of the England team. If this cannot be reversed a future England manager will have fewer and fewer top level English players from which to choose." The League Managers Association chairman, Howard Wilkinson, warned England would become the footballing equivalent of Cyprus and the former international Danny Mills said future managers of the national side would have to select their squads from the second or third tier.
Under the plans for B teams, each Premier League side would have the option of competing in a new League Three that would sit between League Two and the Conference. The commission identified the "blockage" facing players aged 18 to 21 as the key issue affecting the development of young English talent. In the Premier League in 2012-13, only 32% of players were qualified to play for England, reducing to 28% among the top four clubs.
There would be promotion and relegation between the divisions but B teams would not be allowed to rise above League One or play in the FA Cup. Dyke said the number of English players turning out for last season's top four sides had fallen further, from 28% on 2012-13 to 23% in the current season, and said urgent action was required.
The new League Three would be initially made up of up to 10 Premier League B teams and the top 10 clubs from the Conference. Should more than 10 Premier League clubs want a B team, they would be added to the Conference Premier. The commission envisages that the Premier League clubs would make a "significant" financial settlement to the Football League in return for the right to operate B teams. Supporters Direct rejected the proposals and was angry at not being among the 650 stakeholders interviewed while the Football League said it was unable to accept the proposals in their current form – despite its chairman, Greg Clarke, sitting on the commission.
Organisations, including the Football Supporters Federation and Supporters Direct, have already said they will oppose the plans for B teams to play in the Football League. The plan will be considered by Football League clubs in July and will require a majority of clubs to back it, as well as a majority of clubs in the Championship.
Under the proposals to strengthen the work visa system, the commission says that new rules should be considered that limit each Premier League side to only two non-EU players. If introduced today, such a rule would have an impact on a quarter of Premier League sides, including Chelsea and Manchester City. Shaun Harvey, the Football League's chief executive, said: "It is our view that the objective of increasing the number of quality English players is laudable and while the report may not contain a solution that is acceptable at the current time, we should continue to engage with the commission to establish whether there is a solution that meets its stated objective but does not leave the Football League carrying a disproportionate or unreasonable burden."
The report notes that only 58% of players given work permits play any football in the Premier League the following year. The Football Conference, which would effectively have to be split in two to accommodate the new League Three that would include 10 Premier League B-teams and 10 non-league clubs, is also angry at the proposal. A Conference statement said: "We, like all supporters, wish to see the national team successful on the world stage but not to do it in a manner which threatens the whole existence of the pyramid, on which the solid base of our whole game is dependent."
Under the strategic loans partnerships, Premier League clubs would be encouraged to send coaches and exchange expertise with one or two clubs with which they were partnering. Dyke cited support for the plan from Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City. The clubs will be asked to pay around £2m each per season to Football League and Conference sides in return for running a B team. But he will have to convince two-thirds of the Premier League clubs to formally back the plan if it is to succeed.
The England manager, Roy Hodgson, one of 10 members of the panel, welcomed the proposals and said he would "strongly advocate" the findings and recommendations. "I think you have to distinguish sometimes between the League and the clubs. Let's remember, we invited the Premier League to sit on this. The Premier League chose not to," said Dyke, referring to the Premier League's decision not to have a representative on the commission.
"Having worked at all levels of football, and across different cultures and countries, I have some reference points about what needs to be done in England. But I am just one voice of many who have contributed to this important study and I hope the debate that has been provoked can lead to some real developments in our game," he said. "I met them last week and they said 'Well, why didn't you consult us?'. I said: 'A, you did come and give evidence and B, we wanted you on this, we wanted you to be part of it.' You must look at the distinction between the league and the clubs. A lot of the clubs want this."
"My undoubted focus has been on first qualifying, and subsequently, preparing my England squad and staff for the World Cup in Brazil. But we all have a responsibility when called on to answer the question, how can we provide a better platform for the young England players of the future." But not all clubs are convinced, with some believing that pitting their brightest young talents against Conference sides would not necessarily help their technical development.
Dyke said there would be a second report later in the year to cover the areas of grassroots facilities and coaching. Mills insisted that the evidence from abroad suggested that B teams would not dominate at the expense of existing Football League sides and that fans would welcome the opportunity to watch promising young players from top-flight sides.
The controversial B team proposal is one of several elements of a plan designed to improve the number and quality of homegrown players available to the national team. Under the plans, clubs will also be told to incrementally increase the number of players in their squad who qualify as "homegrown" – those trained for at least 36 months in England before their 21st birthday. By 2020-21, it recommends that the majority of a 25-man first-team squad should qualify as homegrown, rather than the current eight.
Dyke has set himself on a collision course with the Premier League by concluding that the recently introduced under-21 league, due to be revamped into an under-23 league, and the £340m invested in the elite player performance plan is not sufficient to deliver the level of change required.
The Premier League chief executive, Richard Scudamore, had said the B-team idea was worth considering but concluded that the disruption to the football pyramid was not worth the uncertain gains. Yet Dyke urged clubs to be bold.
"We recognise that making changes in football is often a slow and difficult process but we urge those in the football world to consider our proposals constructively and with open minds," he said. "We urge them to balance the specific, narrowly defined concerns of their particular club or league with what will be of the most benefit to the game overall, to the development of young players and to the success of the England team."
The England manager, Roy Hodgson, welcomed the proposals and said he would "strongly advocate" the findings and recommendations. Dyke said there would be a second report later in the year to cover the areas of grassroots' facilities and coaching.
Among the ideas considered and discarded by the Commission was the even more radical option of allowing an England Under-21 side to compete in the Championship and allowing Premier League clubs to buy Football League sides as "feeder clubs".Among the ideas considered and discarded by the Commission was the even more radical option of allowing an England Under-21 side to compete in the Championship and allowing Premier League clubs to buy Football League sides as "feeder clubs".
The winter break, often raised as a possible means of improving England's chances, is not even mentioned.