Premier League chief dismisses Blatter's comments

English Premier League chief Richard Scudamore continues to defend the Premier League against ongoing criticism, much of which can be traced to FIFA President Sepp Blatter. Blatter has publicly commented on the state of the Premier League, suggesting that it revolves around money and lacks a sufficient number of homegrown players.

In an attempt to limit the number of foreign players within each club, Blatter has been pushing for a “6+5 rule”, which would see a maximum of five foreigners join the starting line-up in domestic games. Scudamore has been opposed to the rule since it was first proposed by Blatter.

Scudamore claims that the top league already contains a precise mix of players, as proven through its success. The Premier League chief executive told The Guardian that he is often questioned about the ratio of homegrown to foreign players. While Scudamore admits the issue can be hard to justify, he maintains that he will not allow these opinions to prevail, further noting that he holds more pride for English football teams than anyone else.

Scudamore continued by making a connection between Blatter’s view and a “xenophobic rhetoric”, going on to confirm that he has a hard time drawing the line between nationalism, jingoism, and patriotism.

In response to claims that a flood of foreign players is creating too much competition, Scudamore stands behind the fact that homegrown players are provided fair chances to reach the Premier League. The top tier spokesman further stated that the best players are necessary to fulfill the “quality agenda” of the Premier League and Scudamore would like to see those players come from England.