Gombau warns against foreign player rule change

[Stuckey]

THE A-League's quality will suffer when the number of foreign imports are reduced, warns Adelaide United coach Josep Gombau.

A-League clubs are set to have the number of foreign visa players reduced from five to four from the 2015-16 season, a move Gombau says could backfire.

“For me, now the league is nice, the league has big value,” the Spanish coach said on Thursday.

“The moment that you start to cut the numbers of the foreign players that come, maybe the level of the league decrease a little bit.” Gombau was puzzled by Football Federation Australia's rationale for the change.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a- ... 6860148111

Personally I don't think it will be a huge issue.
If you look at the average foreign player, they are more then likely earning a good wage here.
If the league reduces the amount of foreign players earning a good wage it may open the door to the Australia players that have left to play in Asia to earn good money.
The likes of Paartalu, Nichols and McGowan may be tempted back home to the HAL if HAL clubs now have those funds available.
It also may mean that HAL clubs have funds available to keep young talent in the league longer so the likes of Rogic and Leckie may not leave to sit on a European club's bench.

[blahblah]

Best way to create more opportunities for youth is to expand the competition by another two teams. I guess this is a first step in a move to AFC compliance with 3+1

[Stuckey]

Best way to create more opportunities for youth is to expand the competition by another two teams. I guess this is a first step in a move to AFC compliance with 3+1

Yeah moving to the 3+1 rule makes so much sense. It seems insane to me that the league is struggling to post a profit of any kind and they have sides paying players in the hundreds of thousands and they can't use them every game possible.

[Agostinho]

I concur with blahblah. Expanding the comp is a better way than reducing the foreigners IMO.

This move though would suggest to me that there's no plans for expansion any time soon though.

[Stuckey]

I concur with blahblah. Expanding the comp is a better way than reducing the foreigners IMO.

This move though would suggest to me that there's no plans for expansion any time soon though.

I think that's true. It looks like the FFA are focusing more on the FFA Cup and NPL. I think this is a far smarter way to go. Build up established clubs with existing fan bases instead of starting something scratch.