As you know, we can register 25 players of which a maximum of 17 can be designated as Overseas. We have 1 vacancies as home grown - although Pritchard and Carroll can fill it if they stay. Obviously you can have as many Home grown players as you like within the 25. These are the players we currently have. Status Unclear (4) Fazio Yedlin Pritchard Carroll Overseas (over 21) (14) Lloris Vorm Alderweireld Vertonghen Wimmer Son Lamela Njie Wanyama Dembele Chadli Eriksen Jannsen Dier Homegrown (7) Walker Rose Trippier Davies Mason Kane Bentaleb U21 (9) McGee Alli Winks Carter-Vickers Ball Walker-Peters Harrison Oduwa Onomah
I think that Bentaleb still counts as U21, doesn't he? Either that or he's homegrown. Dier not counting is still really bloody stupid, by the way. Poorly thought out rule.
He was already 21 on 1 January so doesn't qualify as U-21 but I think he is homegrown. the rule is to encourage development of young players in this country and I doubt it would be legal if it was nationality dependent. It would make more sende if only your own academy counted though.
It really isn't. If a player spends several years at a club outside of their home country, be it Dier at Sporting Lisbon or Fabregas at Arsenal, that shouldn't just be ignored if they then sign for a club in their home country based on little more reasoning than their parents happened to have sex there many years previously.
Depends on the reason for the rule. If it's to encourage National teams, then it is daft. If not, I don't see what it is trying to achieve.
As usual with such regulations it is not straightforward. I think the rule is: "A home-grown player will be defined as one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the Season during which he turns 21)." He joined us in Jan 2012 and turned 21 in November 2015 so actually I think he qualifies on both criteria.
I think it is trying to encourage the development of talent for national teams but a rule which was nationality based would be illegal so it is the best they can do. In Eric Dier's case they can be no general benefit to the England team form encouraging a Portuguese club to have a good academy since most academy players will be from the local country.
Another valid reasons is that, for a lot of players, they represent more than one country in their career: in terms of Spurs players Bentaleb, Bassong and Taarabt were France youth internationals while Boateng was a German youth international, yet they are full internationals for Algeria, Cameroon, Morocco and Ghana respectively. Should those players be considered HG for those respective leagues even though all of them have never so much as had a training session south of the Mediterranean? Of course not, as that's illogical.
Toby certainly needs better cover, as CCV has no first team experience while Ball's mainly faced opposition at a League Two level (and Celtic fans can add their own jokes about Ronny Deila here) so hoping that either can step up in case of injury is a gamble, and this is putting aside suggestions Ball might be headed back to Rangers on a permanent deal. On the other hand, if we have plans for CCV, we obviously can't be signing a Wimmer-like player for obvious reasons - hence the rumours linking us to Ragnar Sigurdsson make a lot of sense from a Naybet/Davids/Parker standpoint (although as he's turned thirty, he'll hardly fit in with Poch's philosophy)
In terms of who'd be interested in joining us, I think it'd be very hard to bring in better players than those in our current first XI. Gotze and Icardi are the calibre we'd love to bring and I'd be all for the club spending big bucks on them. Wanyama and Janssen have both added much need quality in depth to the DM and ST roles and I don't think there's much needed in terms of upgrades on the squad players as they all offer good qualities and healthy competition. Vorm is a good keeper when he has a run of games. Davies and Tripps are great options. Wimmer is class and could take Jan's role sooner rather than later, an ageing CB could be an option, someone who won't stunt CCV's (or Wimmer's) growth but can add some experience and cover for Toby, though I'm more than happy if Poch feels CCV is ready to be the fourth choice option, the kid looks mustard and he has to get chances at some point to prove his worth. Wanyama is a brilliant signing for the DM competition and Ball impressed there more so than at CB for Rangers last season so he could always be an option if needed. CM/ Box-to-box is something with question marks, no one offers what Moussa can but Mason and Nabs are both accomplished players on their day, if an upgrade on them can be got then I'd begrudgingly let one or both go to make way. Attacking mids I'm happy with, Chadli proved himself in the 14/15 season and despite a tough season last year due to injuries and form of others he still chipped in with a decent number of goals. Son and Clint need a pre-season with us, both suffered injuries last season which was a shame but an improvement on form will be required, they showed glimpses of their ability but we need that on a more consistent basis. Josh is a superb prospect and will surely get more game time, Pritch is also a top prospect and Edwards may get chances too which will be exciting. If Gotze can be signed then one or two will go, Chadli and Pritch would be the likely departures. Striking options are now great with Janssen's arrival, Clint can be used as a pacey forward if needed and I'd rather push Shay as third/ fourth choice than spend £15m on Sanabria or Alario, realistically I can't see the club spending £30m on Icardi, even though he (and Gotze) would put us on a new level and really make a case for a title push again. If I was to grade the squad right now, I'd say B+ and if in a dream world Gotze and Icardi were added, then that goes up to an A* side.
Quite happy with our squad as it is. Get shot of Carroll, Fazio and either Chadli or N'Jie and I think we're still good for numbers. Wouldn't mind adding some extra quality to the front 3 or signing a new CM to cover Dembeles injuries but I wouldn't be gutted if we didn't. Would like to see Davies given a go at centre back in preseason, with Jan's injury it would be good to know if we still have some cover in that area for the start of the season. I thought he looked very capable at the back for Wales.
Agree totally. There's also Harry Winks who needs first team football somewhere. We really do have so many good youngsters
Perhaps Sunderland again. The Hullspurs are back in the PL. Bournemouth we seem to have some rapport with. And Swansea were a recent good friend for us. Time for the Academy to ramp up the final stages of the pipeline again.
I'd say the arrival of Wanyama frees up Dier to cover at CB when absolutely necessary. I'd say that he is now our 4th choice CB, followed by CCV. If heaven for-fend Toby and Jan/Kev pick up injuries, the simplest, cheapest and probably most reliable solution is to move Dier back and give Vic a run of games at DM. Last season this wasn't an option, hence Fazio. I'd only panic if the injuries were long term as I feel Dier's strongest position is now clearly DM and it would be a shame to 'waste' him as a CB.
Yeah it really is brilliant seeing so many talented youngsters come through, KWP and Oduwa will also likely be looking for some form of game time, whether that be a Championship or equivalent sort of loan. Think Oduwa would do great if we could loan him somewhere in the Eredivisie. Pacey, skilful wingers tend to excel there (granted the standard of defending can be average at best but it'll boost confidence) and I think he'd get the valuable match time to up his game, only problem with him at the moment is that rumours are he's refusing a new contract so the club may sort of look at casting him aside so to speak and focus on those who are tied down to deals. KWP would do well at a good "footballing side", Reading, Brighton or Derby often play half decent when I watch them, a team of that ilk would be great. McGee could also do with a bit of game time somewhere.
