The early exits by England and Italy from the World Cup have raised calls for changes in the make-up of club teams in the EPL and Serie A. English and Italian clubs are accused of relying on foreign players, ahead of home-grown talent, in their single-minded pursuit of success.
A right-wing politician in Italy has blamed Serie A’s penchant for “luxury immigrants” for the ouster of Italy. Roberto Calderoli, a minister with nationalist leanings, has minced no words.
“Italy’s premature elimination is merely the result of an insane sports policy which has seen the league, the cup and the Champions League being won by teams who do not have a single Italian, including the coach,” he has been quoted as saying.
Calderoli was referring to Inter Milan’s treble last season. Inter, under Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, faced Bayern Munich in the final of the Champions League at Madrid on May 23 without a single Italian in the starting line-up.
In the globalised world of club football, nationality doesn’t matter, but success does. Coaches, who are always under immense pressure to deliver, always go for what they believe is a winning combination.
“Unfortunately for Marcello Lippi, luxury immigrants can’t play for the national side. We need to get our own home-grown lads playing in our clubs,” Calderoli went on.
Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro echoed the views of the politician, even though he may not agree with Calderoli’s rabid views on anti-immigration.
“We need to develop young players,” Cannavaro said after his team’s humiliating exit. “We had a group of outstanding youngsters in my generation. But the situation is not the same now.”
During the 2002 World Cup, a club owner in Italy became a laughing stock for dismissing a South Korean player for scoring the goal that eliminated the Azzurri.
England have avoided the strong words of Calderoli but a feeling of frustration at the home of football is unmistakable.
Former England manager Graham Taylor has bemoaned the supremacy of the EPL.
“We all become England supporters when there is no club football,” he rued.
The contrast between the success of the EPL and the national team’s abject failure is not lost anyone. There is a widespread feeling in England that the EPL is not doing any good to the national team.
Managers, most notably Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger, continue to oppose quotas for home players vigorously. Wenger refuses to look at the passport of players while selecting the Gunners’ playing XI.