Former FA chief executive Martin Glenn: England’s future success at heart of dispute between Premier League and FA | Football News

Former FA chief executive Martin Glenn says the future success of the English team is at stake amid a dispute between the Premier League and the FA over international players playing in the top division.

New statistics, revealed exclusively by Sky Sports Newsshows that so far this season English-qualified Under-21 players have less than a third of the top-flight game time experienced by France U-21s.

Premier League sources have challenged the figures, saying that over the past three seasons, England’s youngsters have played more league minutes than their counterparts in Spain, Italy and Germany, and that they have surpassed all European rivals – including France – in terms of games . time in the Champions League.

The Premier League wants to see relaxed rules for foreign players applying for work visas in England, while the FA is determined to make the criteria even stricter.

Glenn admits it’s a thorny issue, and it’s very difficult to deal with.

He explained: “You can’t say, ‘Well, I just want to maximize the chances of success for a Premier League club’, and not think about the bigger picture.

“The bigger picture in this debate is that we want success with the England team.

“How do you meet the legitimate desire that English teams have the best raw material to compete in tournaments, with the best Premier League clubs in the world and the most to benefit from. There is no right or wrong answer, but the stakes are high.”

Glenn pointed to Marcus Rashford as a good example of how England’s young talent can get opportunities by chance, rather than planning.

“Marcus Rashford has been rested for Manchester United due to an injury in training ahead of the European game,” Glenn said.

“Chelsea, while banning transfers, suddenly found a lot of talent from a well-organized academy, and those players were able to get away – it probably wouldn’t have happened, if it hadn’t happened.

“So I think there is enough talent in the Premier League clubs. They will complain and complain about some things, but they will still be able to make a good team and I don’t think the commercial benefits are as visible, because of the wealth. that is in the Premier League.”

Glenn feels there needs to be a compromise on both sides, during negotiations between the Premier League and the FA.

“The discussion shouldn’t be binary – I win, you lose. It has to be what’s best for English football,” he said.

“Of course the FA wants the Premier League to be successful, but the Premier League also works in the community, so they benefit from the grassroots development of the players, they are the beneficiaries of a very complete English football ecosystem.”

How creative clubs are about FIFA rules

Sports lawyer Tim Bailey, who has been involved in more than 500 international transfers, has explained to Sky Sports News how Premier League clubs need to get creative around FIFA’s strict transfer laws.

He said: “Most clubs, going back three or four years, have affiliations, or partnerships with, or ownership of clubs outside of England.

“Obviously the main example is City Football Group, which has clubs all over the world.

“To use it as an example, look at Girona – if a prospect is 15 or 16 years old in France, he can’t go to City, but he can go to Girona.

“What we do is develop the player, put him in the first team, or go to another club in the group, maybe Belgium where you have a higher appeal, get domestic minutes, and before long he can come straight away. which 15 points in the UK and get a work visa and play for Man City.

“It is an important concept that is becoming more and more important for Premier League clubs.”