[h=3]Albion proud of kids but cap won't work[/h] 5:00am Wednesday 16th October 2013 in Albion By Andy Naylor
Jake Forster-Caskey has featured for the first team this season
Albion's head of football David Burke has urged Gareth Southgate and other England coaches to take notice of the club’s young talent.
He has also branded England under-21 boss Southgate’s controversial call for a cap on the number of foreign players at Championship clubs as unworkable under current conditions.
Jake Forster-Caskey, Rohan Ince and Solly March have all appeared in the first team this season.
Burke believes the Seagulls and some of their rivals are showing that domestic prospects can prove their worth in the second tier.
He told The Argus: “What we are very proud of here is the under-21s from our club who have played for the first team this year. We are fifth in this table, because we’ve had 24 players play in the first team and three under-21s – Solly March, Jake Forster-Caskey and Rohan Ince.
“That is 12.5% of our squad, under-21s who are English playing in our team. Barnsley and Birmingham have both got four, Derby and Leeds three, although theirs have played more minutes.
“So here is a place for England to come and look. Forster-Caskey and March are both under-20 internationally and Rohan under-21 so there are players coming through not necessarily Premier League labelled who are actually playing and have got into the Championship on their own merits.”
Ten of Albion’s 30-strong first team squad are foreigners, including all three goalkeepers.
Southgate wants a quota in the Championship, arguing that the overseas players are, by definition, not the best avalable. He claims they are hampering the development of young English talent, for whom the second tier should be a breeding ground.
Burke said: “I would agree if it could be regulated with absolute clarity. The trouble is, if you look at our squad, is Bridcutt English or Scottish, Barnes Austrian or English?
“Also, as a breeding ground for Premier League players, the subjectivity involved in who the clubs send players to can make it very unfair.
“It’s all very well saying ‘I will send players down to a Championship club’ but if the managers have been friends before or there is some extra relationship with a club for whatever reason – which you are not supposed to have in this country – then it can make that unfair.
“For me if we decide to have a breeding ground for the better players we should be allowed to have a second team, like in Spain where they have a B team.
“They can only play to a certain level and therefore your coaches control the development of players as well and they play in your style at that club and carry on the ethos of the club.
“If all these things were cleared up then I would agree you could have a cap. The trouble is if you have a cap now there is too much ambiguity and it’s not an even playing field.”
Original article
Albion's head of football David Burke has urged Gareth Southgate and other England coaches to take notice of the club’s young talent.
He has also branded England under-21 boss Southgate’s controversial call for a cap on the number of foreign players at Championship clubs as unworkable under current conditions.
Jake Forster-Caskey, Rohan Ince and Solly March have all appeared in the first team this season.
Burke believes the Seagulls and some of their rivals are showing that domestic prospects can prove their worth in the second tier.
He told The Argus: “What we are very proud of here is the under-21s from our club who have played for the first team this year. We are fifth in this table, because we’ve had 24 players play in the first team and three under-21s – Solly March, Jake Forster-Caskey and Rohan Ince.
“That is 12.5% of our squad, under-21s who are English playing in our team. Barnsley and Birmingham have both got four, Derby and Leeds three, although theirs have played more minutes.
“So here is a place for England to come and look. Forster-Caskey and March are both under-20 internationally and Rohan under-21 so there are players coming through not necessarily Premier League labelled who are actually playing and have got into the Championship on their own merits.”
Ten of Albion’s 30-strong first team squad are foreigners, including all three goalkeepers.
Southgate wants a quota in the Championship, arguing that the overseas players are, by definition, not the best avalable. He claims they are hampering the development of young English talent, for whom the second tier should be a breeding ground.
Burke said: “I would agree if it could be regulated with absolute clarity. The trouble is, if you look at our squad, is Bridcutt English or Scottish, Barnes Austrian or English?
“Also, as a breeding ground for Premier League players, the subjectivity involved in who the clubs send players to can make it very unfair.
“It’s all very well saying ‘I will send players down to a Championship club’ but if the managers have been friends before or there is some extra relationship with a club for whatever reason – which you are not supposed to have in this country – then it can make that unfair.
“For me if we decide to have a breeding ground for the better players we should be allowed to have a second team, like in Spain where they have a B team.
“They can only play to a certain level and therefore your coaches control the development of players as well and they play in your style at that club and carry on the ethos of the club.
“If all these things were cleared up then I would agree you could have a cap. The trouble is if you have a cap now there is too much ambiguity and it’s not an even playing field.”
Original article