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How Premier League clubs can learn from the example set by Bundesliga

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With recent questions being raised over young players such as Andy Carroll and Jack Wilshire facing burnout and the continuing concerns of extreme levels of debt in the Premier League could the English learn some valuable lessons from their German counterparts?

England are now placing extra emphasis on blooding their younger players and looking to the future after a series of disappointing performances in major tournaments. Though in a league where 60% of players are foreign and only 40% qualify to play for England this may come at a cost. The row over whether Jack Wilshire and Andy Carroll should represent the U21 team this summer has highlighted the fact further, as both have played a great deal of football already this year.

Germany took drastic action after a disappointing showing in International football in an attempt to overhaul their league structure and secure the future of the national team. In 2002 the DSB (German Football Federation) announced that all 36 Bundesliga clubs must have a centralised academy or they cannot take part in competitive football.

The rules stated that clubs must take players at age 12 or above, compared to age 9 in England and in each intake of youth players 12 of them must qualify to play for Germany. The changes have been a success, in the 03/04 season 44% of players were foreign, this has now been reduced to 38% meaning a staggering 62% are eligible for the national team. The new rules culminated in Germany taking a squad of 23 players, all products of Bundesliga academies with an average age of 24.7 to the World Cup in South Africa 2010 and being one of the outstanding teams of the tournament.

The English game could also learn a lot from the way German clubs are run, with debt of English football clubs now totalling over £3bn, the highest in Europe there are major concerns for the future of the game. The Bundesliga works on a number of strict financial rules and once again if they are not met teams cannot compete in the league.

England has a number of teams that are foreign owned, and these high profile takeovers have saddled clubs with large amounts of debt, though in Germany this is simply not allowed to happen, Rule 50+1 states that fans and club members should own at least 51% of clubs and have a representative on the board so they have an input in to all major decisions.

If English football is to progress and win any kind of major tournament surely changes to the system must be considered, Germany is just one example but if players like Jack Wilshire and Andy Carroll are to maximise their potential those in charge of the game must act now in order to protect the future of the football in this country.

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