What’s the story
In news that will make most football fans heave a sigh of relief, Chinese media has reported that the Chinese Football Association is set to change rules regarding the involvement of foreign players. The CFA has decided to limit the number of foreign players that will be allowed in a match in an attempt to ensure that Chinese players are given ample opportunities.
The move is reminiscent of the Indian Premier League for cricket which has a cap on the number of foreign players that can be in a squad and on a particular match day.
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The Chinese Super League has been making headlines these days after transfers that have involved huge amounts of money. The mind-boggling sum of money has even convinced many of the footballers to move over to China where their main aim will be to promote football and increase the overall quality of the league.
The transfer sums have had a major impact on player valuation and is bound to push up prices.
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The heart of the matter
The Chinese Football Association has noticed this and apparently wants to ensure that amid all the transfers, the Chinese players do not get neglected. Under the proposed new rules, only 3 foreign players can start a match and a total of 5 foreign players will be a part of the matchday squad.
The clubs are also required to field at least one U-23 player in each match and have at least two U-23 players on their 18 man matchday squad.
The new rules will definitely alter the Chinese clubs’ transfer strategies who will now have to think twice before buying foreign players because of the new cap on international players. This unprecedented move will also make Chinese players a thing of contention as teams will now have to depend on them a lot more.
What next?
China’s General Administration of Sports, which is the supreme authority for all Chinese sports related projects has accused teams of neglecting youth development. A spokesman earlier this month had also mentioned that the organisation has decided to set a cap on club expenditures and called for restraint by the clubs when it comes to transfer prices.
Sportskeeda’s take
We believe that this is a brilliant step by the Chinese sporting authority as it promotes not only local football but will also have a positive impact on world football in general. The high spending by the Chinese clubs has gone a long way in clubs demanding sky high prices for their players. This has ultimately left the smaller clubs in the lurch who will find it increasingly difficult to get quality players in the future if things continue to be the same.
The proposed rules will hopefully help the Chinese league to increase their investment at the grass root level of football and this will go a long way in making them a force to deal with.
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