This paper is about whether the number of foreign players might have an influence on the performance of clubs and national teams. Before analysing the mentioned correlation, this research explains in detail all the different potential factors which might also influence performance.
This paper highlights different regulations that have a considerable influence on clubs, such as the UEFA home-grown player regulation and different domestic rules. Other sources of impact are the different youth academy systems. The German youth development system has been an important factor in the success of the German national team since its establishment in 2004, which might be due to the increasing number of competitions in which young German players are determined to get a place. The English Premier League is starting to follow in the footsteps of Germany by implementing different regulations to support English players. Italy, however, is showing dramatic differences with regard to its countrywide youth systems because it seems to merely focus on the academies of the different clubs. Similar systems can be found in Spain, which has, nonetheless, two very successful academies ‘La Masia’ and ‘La Fábrica’.
Other related factors to consider are language and funding. As English is one of the most spoken languages in the world, the Premier League is attracting players from a variety of countries. Yet as we are living in a modern economic world, the money factor is also quite important. The Premier League is one of the leagues with the biggest revenue streams in the world. The League shares its revenue with the clubs, which they can then spend on players. Hence, the Premier League is the most valued league in football and is spending millions of pounds per year on buying the best players in the world, at the expense of young English players.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
3. THE TOP 5 LEAGUES
3.1 BOSMAN-RULING
3.2 FIFA 6+5 RULE AND OTHER REGULATIONS
3.2.1 UEFA HOME-GROWN PLAYER RULE
3.3 YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ACADEMIES
3.3.1.1 ‘La Masia’ and ‘La Fábrica’
3.3.1.2 The Premier League finds its way
3.3.1.3 The Italian Serie A’s youth problem
3.3.1.4 ‘Le Centre Technique National Fernand Sastre’
3.4 OTHER RELATED FACTORS
3.4.1 Language
3.4.2 The Coach-Player Pattern
3.4.3 Money
3.5 REVENUE STREAMS
3.6 CLUB OWNERSHIP
4. METHODOLOGY
4.1 RESEARCH QUESTION
4.2 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
4.3 DATA AND METHOD OF ANALYSIS
4.3.1 Spearman's Rank-Order Correlation
4.4 RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY
4.4.1 Reliability
4.4.2 Validity
4.5 ETHICAL ISSUES
5. KEY RESULTS
6. CONCLUSION
Objectives & Key Themes
This dissertation examines the correlation between the number of foreign players in a league and the performance of both domestic clubs and the national team. It investigates whether high levels of internationality in top European leagues hinder national team success while potentially benefiting club-level performance.
- Impact of the "Bosman-ruling" on player migration.
- Comparative analysis of youth development systems in the top 5 European leagues.
- Economic influence, including revenue streams and club ownership structures.
- Statistical correlation between foreign player quotas, transfer expenditure, and team performance.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Bosman-ruling
The “Bosman-ruling” is an important piece of history of European football. Hence, this ruling is a common topic in various literature and has been examined in detail.
In 1995, the Belgian footballer, Jean-Marc Bosman, changed the football industry with his case at the European Court of Justice. Prior to 1995, it was not possible for a football player to change to a new club even if their contract had already expired. The new club still had to pay a transfer fee. Furthermore, there were strict controls over the amount of foreign players allowed in the clubs. The so called “3+2 rule” limited the number of foreign players to three, and two further players who had been living in the country for five years and had played for the junior teams for at least two years (Frick, February 2009).
In December 1995, however, the European Court of Justice announced that these two regulations were not compatible with Article 48 of the Treaty of Rome, saying that there was a freedom of movement for labour in all European countries. Therefore, the limitations of the “3+2 rule” were seen as discrimination against players from other European countries and, in relation to the transfer fee after an expired contract, the free access to a workplace in European countries was demanded (Forrest & Simmons, 2000).
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Outlines the research problem regarding the high number of foreign players and its debated influence on national team and club performance.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW: Summarizes existing academic research on the "Bosman-ruling" and globalization in sports, noting gaps in comparing club versus national team performance.
3. THE TOP 5 LEAGUES: Explores domestic regulations, youth systems, economic factors, and ownership models in England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and France.
4. METHODOLOGY: Details the quantitative approach, variables used, and the use of Spearman's Rank-Order Correlation to test ten specific hypotheses.
5. KEY RESULTS: Presents the statistical findings, confirming correlations between foreign player counts, club market value, European competition success, and national team performance.
6. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings, concluding that while foreign players benefit club performance, they exhibit a negative influence on national team outcomes.
Keywords
UEFA, FIFA, Home-grown Players, Foreign players, Correlation, National team, clubs performances, Bosman-ruling, Youth development, Transfer expenditure, Market value, Broadcasting revenue, Club ownership, Globalization, Player migration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of this research?
The study aims to determine if the high internationality of a football league negatively impacts national team performance while simultaneously providing a positive boost to domestic club performance.
Which leagues are analyzed in this dissertation?
The research focuses on the "top 5" European leagues: England (Premier League), Spain (La Liga), Germany (Bundesliga), Italy (Serie A), and France (Ligue 1).
What research methodology does the author employ?
The author uses a quantitative analysis, applying the Spearman's Rank-Order Correlation test on secondary data collected from sources like Transfermarkt, FIFA, and UEFA from 1996 to 2015.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The work covers regulations (like the UEFA home-grown player rule), the effectiveness of youth development academies, financial revenue streams, club ownership structures, and the impact of foreign coaches.
What is the main finding regarding national team performance?
The research reveals a negative correlation: as the number of foreign players in a league increases, the FIFA ranking of the respective national team tends to decrease.
How does the author define the 'Coach-Player' pattern?
The author identifies a trend where foreign coaches are more inclined to recruit "ready-made" foreign players rather than investing time in developing domestic talent.
Why is the German youth development system highlighted?
The German system is presented as a success model because, unlike club-centric models, it operates a nationwide, comprehensive talent development programme established post-2000.
What role does broadcasting revenue play in the findings?
Broadcasting income is identified as a major driver of club wealth, which, particularly in the Premier League, facilitates heavy investment in expensive, established foreign talent at the expense of local players.
Does the "50+1 rule" in Germany affect competitiveness?
The author discusses this rule as a constraint on private investment compared to the more liberal ownership models in the Premier League, noting that it forces a higher reliance on domestic talent.
What is the author's final conclusion?
The author confirms that while foreign players have a statistically positive influence on club market value and performance in European competitions, they have a corresponding negative impact on national team development.
- Citar trabajo
- MSc Carsten Richter (Autor), 2015, How the number of foreign players influences the performance of national clubs and the national team, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/312042
