Good common sense from the Premier League for once

[Big Foot]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14166038.stm

The Premier League has changed their rules on so-called 'weakened' teams.

Top-flight clubs will now be allowed to pick any player in their 25-man matchday squad without fear of sanction from the Premier League.

[Hoop Blah]

Seems a bit of a half-way measure though. What about the players they don't name in the 25 who are first team squad member but don't need to be named because of their age.

It implies that those players aren't deemed good enough if the Premier League decide it at some point in the future.

It's good they've clarified their stance a bit though.

[cmonurz]

What is that age limit? I guess you could argue that fielding a team of those young players would indeed be a weakened side.

May of course just be that they need to further clarify that that 'matchday squad' includes the un-named young players.

[ZacNaloen]

Those under the age of 21 don't count to the 25 iirc


So if you were to throw on a squad of predominantly u21's you could still be done for playing a weakened squad.

[Hoop Blah]

I think the cut off age was 21 or homegrown or something, can't quite remember.

From my reading of that BBC article they have confirmed it by saying the 25 doesn't include those who don't need naming because of their age. It could mean that a club makes 5 or 6 changes to include the likes of, in Liverpools case, Kelly, Flanagan, Spearing (might be too old depending on the rule), Shelvy, Henderson and Robinson and still be open to penalty.

All of those players contributed last season (a couple to a lesser extent) and so who are the league to tell the manager who he should and shouldn't pick.

[ZacNaloen]

If more than half the team are in the 25 then I think the manager has an argument for giving his youth players a run out.

Otherwise, it's stretching credibility. But then half of this "weakened squad" rubbish is on reputation anyway. Liverpool (for example) could produce a blinding group of 19 year olds in 5 years time and they end up in the first team before long. Would still be 3 years before they end up being old enough to count towards the 25.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Those under the age of 21 don't count to the 25 iirc


So if you were to throw on a squad of predominantly u21's you could still be done for playing a weakened squad.

And rightly so.

About time the PL change the rule - Blackpool getting fined for picking a team from their registered 25-man squad (regardless of who was picked) was farcical.

[roadrunner]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14166038.stm

The Premier League has changed their rules on so-called 'weakened' teams.

Top-flight clubs will now be allowed to pick any player in their 25-man matchday squad without fear of sanction from the Premier League.

It was a nonsense that you couldn't in the first place.

[Hoop Blah]

If more than half the team are in the 25 then I think the manager has an argument for giving his youth players a run out.

Otherwise, it's stretching credibility. But then half of this "weakened squad" rubbish is on reputation anyway. Liverpool (for example) could produce a blinding group of 19 year olds in 5 years time and they end up in the first team before long. Would still be 3 years before they end up being old enough to count towards the 25.

Agree Zac, but the rule still leaves it open for the PL to fine them (I assume from skim-reading the BBC story anyway).

Personally I don't think there's a real case for a competition to have any licence to tell a club who they can or can't pick from their eligible players (although I do accept there is the credibility and fairness of the competition to take into consideration).

That Liverpool 6 I mentioned could easily turn into 8 or 9 I'm sure.