Premier League Set To Limit Squad Sizes

Proposals to limit squad sizes down to 25 are due to be discussed at the next meeting of Premier League chairmen

Uefa are currently advocating a rule change that would see a minimum of eight 'home grown` players in a match day squad and that would dramatically effect the status of many of the Premier Leagues clubs.

Now perhaps to combat this the Premier League are looking at each club being limited to just 25 squad members that they register for first team duties at the start of each season and surely this would benefit many of the smaller clubs within the Premier League and make it much more competitive.

The big clubs have massive squads and a large pool of quality players to call upon to cover for suspension, injuries, cup ties and loss of form, Liverpool for example have a squad of 62, Arsenal 59, Manchester United 51 and Chelsea 46, whilst at the other end of the spectrum Bolton with just 27 and Wigan 24 first teamers find themselves a little threadbare from time to time

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside is in favour of limited squads and he says on the matter: 'Yeah, we'd go for that'

'It's a good idea. And my manager thinks it's a good idea too'

The Observer have put forward the idea to Uefa chief executive David Taylor who said: 'I'm very pleased to hear that not only are -they -discussing these things, but the likelihood is they may well adopt one or two ideas. It would be beneficial for the -English game in general, so I'm very keen to see what happens.'

This would benefit clubs like the Latics but it would hinder Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal who compete on at least three fronts and can we really see them going for something that would in effect have a detrimental outcome on their season.

For rule changes to come in there needs to be at least 14 of the 20 clubs supporting the change but a Premier League spokesperson said: 'The 20 Premier League clubs will -discuss various home-grown player systems at their summer meeting and decisions will flow from that.'
.

The last word with David Taylor of Uefa: 'They are big enough themselves to come to their own conclusions'

'Richard Scudamore [the -Premier League's chief executive] is in touch from time to time, so we talk. It's up to them.'

'I really do hope they do it though, because I really think it's in the best interests of the game.'



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