I don't know if Platini is actually trying to affect English sides, but I think the 6+5 is a good idea... it's terrible to see, for example, Arsenal vs Inter without English or Italian players on the field...
Platini has an agenda against the English sides and has done nothing but prove it since his term started. He's called us cheats and he hasn't been very complimentry to the English game even though it's the most powerful in world football. The mans pathetic. English football has recieved alot of snide remarks from the foriegn hirerachy since we started owning the continent.
It saddens me but it's a fact, the current generation of English players are not good enough and for the top teams to stay there they must have talented players. The english players that are good enough are priced out of reality. Man United alone spent 65 million on Rooney and Ferdinand. That 65 million could have bought you at the time of their transfers Torres, Christiano Ronaldo, Mascherano, Robben ect ect. The foriegn players are alot better and a hell of alot cheaper so it's no wonder clubs opt for them, in the players I listed case, the very best players in their posistion. We spend 17 million on Mascherano while Man United tried to fill their void in that posistion with 40 million on Carrick and Hargreaves, both average to good players while Mascherano is the best holding midfielder in world football so it makes business sense to sign Mascherano.
The current top two teams in europe, Man U and Liverpool do actualy have a Good basis of British lads. The majority of Liverpools English quota for CL squads are younger players but they're there and coming through none the less. United field the likes of Rooney, Fletcher, Carrick, Giggs, Ferdinad ect whilst we have Gerrard, Carragher, Spearing, Kelly, Darby ect.
People talk about how great Barcelonas youth system is. Messi, Thiago, Assulin, Dos santos (now at spurs),...Not Spanish. Barca roasted Arsenal for taking Fabregas when Barca do excactly the same. The quota of Spanish lads Barcelona bring through is really no more than Man United and Liverpool have done with English boys. Granted Arsenal do need to start bringing them through but that is one club, Platini however paints it different to suit his agenda.
If you want to see the best youth academy in world football though I'd personally look at Spoting in Portugal. The talent they continue to bring through is unreal, homegrown talent.
