Pro 6+5

From ESPN Soccernet...

Blatter's so-called '6+5' proposal - which would limit the number of foreign players to start any club match to five - has sparked a battle of ideologies in global soccer.

Opponents say it would be an unworkable regulation which contravenes the European Union's free movement of workers rules.

Blatter, however, insists foreign quotas are necessary to ensure the sport's growth and well-being and to prevent a handful of rich clubs dominating honours.

The mentality of soccer in Europe is survival of the fittest. I'm not sure the big clubs give a shit at all about the lower level clubs and their well being at all. This is why you see things like the G14 (14 of the biggest clubs in Europe banding together to make demands to EUFA).

Now, when a noble effort to not only improve the stock of domestic players (which I think the English National team would benefit from the most), but to hopefully improve the domestic competition and make it more of a title race for 1 of 20 (instead of 1 of 4), the big clubs seem intent to quash it in court. This rule would limit the scope of these big clubs' ability to cherry pick stars from wherever and would force them to do more building of domestic players.

Take Arsenal this year, for instance. The ONLY English player of note on that team was Theo Walcott, who wasn't even a starter. In fact, they have way more playing Frenchmen than Englishmen. So England's top players are more likely to be playing for lower quality teams due to this and likely missing out on a lot of European / top level competition.

And look at how the NHL has matured from opening up competition. It is healthier under the salary cap system. This was something done to improve the league, the teams, the game. Who benefited the most? Probably the owners, but no fan gives a shit about an owner other than his willingness to field a competitive team and prevent him from re-locating (re-Jetsing?). In my mind, I won the most. The salary cap will keep costs from exploding and keep it affordable to most fans. Which will keep people coming to the building every night. Which will keep advertisers pumping their money into there. Which will keep the team in the city and which will keep the team profitable and able to afford the occasional free market splash.

So, as the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, expect to see more Derby's in English top flight. Expect to see very little change at the top, very little hope in the middle, and lots of scratching at the bottom.

Very little parity:
Premier League: same top four last 2 years (same top 2 positions)
La Liga: 2 changes in top four last 2 years (same champion)
Bundesliga: 1 change in top four last 2 years
Serie A: 2 changes in top four last 2 years (Juve was down the for one of these years, no change in top 2 teams)
Ligue 1: 2 changes in top four last 2 years (same champion last 7 years)
Evedivisie: 1 change in top 4 last 2 years (same top 2 positions)

In fact, of these European super leagues, on Germany has a new champion.