: Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:36 pm  

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

The basic story of how Carl Baker is coping with the death of his brother and the illness of his other brother really pulls at the heart strings. I think everyone will feel for the guy and be very happy that the club are doing well by him.

There will have been plenty of similar cases throughout the PL that you just don't hear about.

How did you hear about them then?
Tell us a few of the plenty.

: Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:39 pm  

Robbie Rotten wrote:

How does guaranteeing 8 players in a 25 man squad will be under the age of 21, mean there will be players languishing in the reserves not getting their chance?

Surely it's the other way around? The top players from the reserves will now get a guaranteed spot on the bench if there is an injury or two.

There will be 17 players over the age of 21, so imagine your first choice XI and bench is all over the age of 21, then if any of these players are out, surely it would be better to see a young player from the reserves, than see somebody like Kyrgiakos who we've signed.

At the beginning of the season clubs have to nominate the 8 young players. It's okay for those 8 young players to be in the first team squad, but what about the other players who are left out. One of those players could have a developmental spurt and now be earning a place in the first team. Instead of him being in the first team by merit, his place will be taken by a young kid who's only there to fulfil the quota.

: Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:43 pm  

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

At the beginning of the season clubs have to nominate the 8 young players. It's okay for those 8 young players to be in the first team squad, but what about the other players who are left out. One of those players could have a developmental spurt and now be earning a place in the first team. Instead of him being in the first team by merit, his place will be taken by a young kid who's only there to fulfil the quota.

I'm not fully clear on this. But I'll happily be proved wrong on this, but I'm pretty sure that in Spain, sides can still use a certain amount of players who aren't registered with the first team squad, as long as they're in the academy/B team and are under a certain age. I'm not sure if we'll be doing this, should be interesting if so.

Let's be honest, just how many sides use 8 reserve players in a season? Especially U-21 and in the league. I'm also pretty sure that sides will be able to change the players registered in January when the market opens again. So, if there's a player in the reserves who's done well, had a few good games in the league cup but can't play in the league, I'm sure his side will just pick him come January.

But yeah, if sides end up having to pick just five players from the reserves, then, at least at my club, it's progress.

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 12:07 am  

Even though you don't like Babel, the simple fact is that he has earned his position at Liverpool. He's performed well enough to get Liverpool to sign him. He's trained and played well enough for Benitez to pick him. If he's not good enough then it'll be LFC's choice to get rid of him or drop him.

In future, because of this squad cap and quota system, there will be players far worse than Babel that get to make many PL appearances solely because of this quota system. That to me is just wrong.

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:56 am  

Wire_85 wrote:

Didn't City fans sing that song at him last season?

According to a United fan, yes. Arsenal fans and City fans......no.

To put it into context, the United fan made this claim in response to criticism of his fellow uni-browed supporters for mocking John Hartson's battle against cancer and Daniel Jarque's death.

I'd say he has zero credibility.

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:00 am  

Robbie Rotten wrote:

I'm not fully clear on this. But I'll happily be proved wrong on this, but I'm pretty sure that in Spain, sides can still use a certain amount of players who aren't registered with the first team squad, as long as they're in the academy/B team and are under a certain age. I'm not sure if we'll be doing this, should be interesting if so.

Any players U21 from outside the 25-man squad can be used.

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:00 am  

Catalancs wrote:

How did you hear about them then?
Tell us a few of the plenty.

Don't know about "plenty" but Jack Collinson at West Ham springs to mind.

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:33 am  

D.D. wrote:

Eduardo dived in front of the Celtic fans. Blatant cheating and such behaviour, in my book, could be deemed as inflammatory, likely to upset the muppet section of the away support and could, just could, have provoked a riot.

Re-open the case and give him three matches instead of two please.

My irony meter has just exploded

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:35 am  

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

Initial reaction - strongly against it. I just think clubs should be allowed to follow whatever strategy they want. It's difficult enough to get a winning club without having to jump through stupid hoops that the governing bodies put up.

Thinking about it a little. There are going to be players, young players, who are left out of the 25 squad places who are left languishing in the reserves when under the present system they'd break into the first team. How is that going to help their development?

A Chelsea fan against the development of young talent, whatever next. I think you should look at Man City for a blueprint of how it can work.