FIFA to discuss foreign player quota

FIFA president Sepp Blatter believes fans would back restricting the number of foreign players on club teams to five in order to benefit their national sides.

The world governing body chief wants there ultimately to be six homegrown players in each side and intends to impose what is known as the six-plus-five rule by 2011.

Blatter told BBC Radio Five Live: "Club football at the beginning had a local identity, later a regional and now (with) some of the leagues - I am speaking here about the big clubs of the Premier League - there is no more national identity."

He added: "And I think if you ask the fans they will want to see the national team players playing in the top clubs of the league in the country concerned.

"I am sure everybody is in favour of a strong national team and therefore we should approach and impose such a solution which is why I am going to the congress to propose a six-plus-five rule to be implemented in the future to be decided after 2010/11.

"Meaning that the starting 11 shall have six players eligible to play for the national team of the country that the club is playing in."

While he acknowledges the success of the Premier League, Blatter believes the monopoly of just a few clubs is not conducive to the development of the game in England with the national team failing to qualify for Euro 2008.

"You have all four participants in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and I think this is not the direct solution," he continued.

"Please ask the fans - in England especially - if they like the national team and they are happy their national team have not qualified for this year's European Championships.

"This is a problem that is worth being discussed and if there is a general consensus in the congress, then we will implement that for the good of the game."