London(IANS) : Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has again defended his right to field players based on ability and not passports in the wake of fresh criticism from his Manchester United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter intends to lobby for restrictions on the number of foreign players in each team, according to media reports here.
Currently, however, the European Union states such quotas would breach laws on employment and free movement of labour.
Nevertheless, the head of the sport’s world governing body believes that stance should be challenged “to protect the national identity of the football clubs”, and it is a notion that has drawn support from Ferguson.
The Scot believes English Premier League clubs should be seen to have “a proportion of home-based players” — and feels cosmopolitan rivals Arsenal would “protest the loudest” at such a rule.
Frenchman Wenger has often been criticised for a lack of English talent in his first team.
But it is a policy that continues to serve the London outfit well, with Wenger’s men currently top of the Premiership table following Saturday’s 2-2 draw with United at Emirates Stadium and with an all-win record in the UEFA Champions League.
The Arsenal manager was quick to defend his club’s stance, and also questioned the remarks made by his Old Trafford rival — who has spent millions recruiting overseas talent such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Anderson.
“It is not very nice to his own foreign players, first of all,” Wenger told reporters at Luton Airport Tuesday ahead of the Champions League clash with Slavia Prague in the Czech Republic.
“I would not be very happy if I was a foreign player at Manchester United.
“I feel it is down to quality. If you look at the investments of Manchester United this year, they have invested a lot of money in foreign players.”
The Arsenal manager, though, sees no reason for the current regulations to be altered.
“I always felt that sport rewards quality and does not hide behind artificial rules,” he said.
“If you pull the level of the class down, it does not necessarily make the bad students better. It makes them worse. You can say as well that to compete with the best players in the world is a chance to improve your level.
Wenger insisted the influx of foreigners into the English Premier League was merely a reflection of the modern world at large.
He reflected: “If you organise a golf tournament, people go to watch Tiger Woods, whether in Scotland or anywhere else.
“When you go to Wimbledon, you want to see (Roger) Federer. That is what people demand today.
“The world has moved on. People demand to see the best in the world and you cannot get them to watch a level down anymore.