http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=819904&sec=england&campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=5739

Gordon Taylor seems to have slightly missed the point of the 25 man squad although he does qualify it by saying that it is a step in the right direction. Now I'm all for revolution but evolution must play its part as well and this proposal was as good as anybody could expect the Premier League clubs to allow through themselves. Realistically the teams were never going to overhaul their squads overnight and this rule should create greater opportunities for young English players in the future. The complaint that no one has been axed  and players under 21 used to pad out the squad is disingenuous as a lot of these kids are British even at Arsenal. The rule was not supposed to change everything straight away but you can see some benefits already. The under 21s will not stay 21 for ever and to keep the quota system working when e.g. Rio Ferdinand leaves or retires from Man United then they are compelled to ensure Chris Smalling is promoted to the 25 man squad to keep the numbers right as opposed to going out and signing someone like Chiellini who they were linked with over the summer. It might even be why they signed him in the first place - which is again one of the benefits: clubs are encouraged to seek out young English talent and nurture them for the future. Complaints that players such as Fabregas qualifying are unfair were always going to rear their head but are a consequence of European employment laws and are relatively few. This works both ways and there is nothing to stop young British players plying their trade abroad. That has been one of our problems in that we are too insular and too few of our players have broadened their football education on the continent so that when it comes to internationals they may realize that other nations do not play like they do in the Premiership. Anyway allowing someone of Fabregas's talent through is not a disaster and some of the others may even qualify to play for England through residency a la Arteta.