What Would World Football Look Like If Footballers Could Only Play For Their Very First Team?

[Spike 12,049]

Imagine a world where footballers could only play for their very first professional club. It doesn't matter how old they were, if they were a youngster at Norwich first, they'd be a Canary for life. This would mean that John Terry would be a West Spammer, Rooney would actually be forever a Blue Evertonian, Messi would forever be stuck in South America with Rosario and Cristiano Ronaldo would be plying his trade in the Tier 4 of Portugeuse football with Andorinha.

West Ham would have dominated the past ten years with the likes of Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Glen Johnson and a few younger faces like Mark Noble, Jack Collison and James Tomkins. Southampton would be giving England a run for their money with talents like Gareth Bale, James Ward-Prowse, Luke Shaw, Theo Walcott, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Where would Chelsea be? We'd be cheering for players like Carlton Cole, Liam Bridcutt, Josh McEachran, Sam Hutchinson (if it weren't for injuries), Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Nathan Chalobah and Jack Cork.

Solid but not great. I think Chelsea would be easily a middle of the pack team, floating up and down bettween top 7 and bottom 7 through the seasons.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Fucking horrible, with a lot of mediocre teams!

[Spike 12,049]

Fucking horrible, with a lot of mediocre teams!

I don't know. I think it would be better and worse in some sense. Better in the fact that any team at any time could have a golden generation and win lots of titles, it would force clubs to really look at youth and what not. But on the flipside the overall quality of football in the highest leagues would suffer.

[Rmpr 8,977]

I don't know. I think it would be better and worse in some sense. Better in the fact that any team at any time could have a golden generation and win lots of titles, it would force clubs to really look at youth and what not. But on the flipside the overall quality of football in the highest leagues would suffer.

You know what would happen in pratical terms? Clubs would either take 8yo children away from their home or we would return to the past!

So, I will be a humanitarian and assume kids wont have their childhood stolen and only predict one of the possibilities:

Brazil, Germany, Spain and Argentina would probaby have the best leagues by far. On the other hand, EPL would be shit as hell by depending on English players (and so on with the other small countries)...

This would prevent us from having a top tournament like the Champions League, where every single top player come together. Because it is impossible to constantly have matches between South America, Africa and Europe. Meaning football would pretty much return to the 50s-60s, before this huge Globalization!

All of that would weaken club football and remake the World Cup the best possible tournament. Which is bad, because right now we have UCL every year, while the WC only comes in every four years.

And that is not even tackling the fact dream teams would never ever be possible again. I would hate not to see new Ajaxs, Milans, Barcelonas, Chelseas, etc.

[Spike 12,049]

You know what would happen in pratical terms? Clubs would either take 8yo children away from their home or we would return to the past!

So, I will be a humanitarian and assume kids wont have their childhood stolen and only predict one of the possibilities:

Brazil, Germany, Spain and Argentina would probaby have the best leagues by far. On the other hand, EPL would be shit as hell by depending on English players (and so on with the other small countries)...

This would prevent us from having a top tournament like the Champions League, where every single top player come together. Because it is impossible to constantly have matches between South America, Africa and Europe. Meaning football would pretty much return to the 50s-60s, before this huge Globalization!

All of that would weaken club football and remake the World Cup the best possible tournament. Which is bad, because right now we have UCL every year, while the WC only comes in every four years.

And that is not even tackling the fact dream teams would never ever be possible again. I would hate not to see new Ajaxs, Milans, Barcelonas, Chelseas, etc.

You're looking at the broader picture and missing my point entirely... I made this topic just to discuss what teams would be great now if only one club could be played for...

[Rmpr 8,977]

You're looking at the broader picture and missing my point entirely... I made this topic just to discuss what teams would be great now if only one club could be played for...

Than that is an easy question...Santos and Barcelona!

Santos: Neymar, Ganso, Robinho, Diego, Andre, Elano, Zé Roberto, etc.

Barcelona: Messi, Pedro, Iniesta, Xavi, Busquets, etc.

[Spike 12,049]

Than that is an easy question...Santos and Barcelona!

Santos: Neymar, Ganso, Robinho, Diego, Andre, Elano, Zé Roberto, etc.

Barcelona: Messi, Pedro, Iniesta, Xavi, Busquets, etc.

Real Madrid would have a pretty solid team too!

Also Messi, Pedro, and Iniesta wouldn't be playing for Barcelona.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Real Madrid would have a pretty solid team too!

Also Messi, Pedro, and Iniesta wouldn't be playing for Barcelona.

Yeah, Real would too..

And why wouldnt they play for Barcelona? Isnt it the first professional team they play?

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Yeah, Real would too..

And why wouldnt they play for Barcelona? Isnt it the first professional team they play?

I think he means that Messi , Pedro and Iniesta had a team before Barcelona.

[Spike 12,049]

Yeah, Real would too..

And why wouldnt they play for Barcelona? Isnt it the first professional team they play?

Nah, remember I said that the first pro team they were with. So if Messi was knocking about with Newell's Old Boys in Argentina when he was 8, that'd be his team.

Barcelona would actually be pretty shit. They poach a lot of their youth.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Nah, remember I said that the first pro team they were with. So if Messi was knocking about with Newell's Old Boys in Argentina when he was 8, that'd be his team.

Barcelona would actually be pretty shit. They poach a lot of their youth.

Than not even Santos would have that much. I actually wouldnt know most of the first pro teams players were with...

[Liquidator 5,176]

If we are looking at elite Sunday League teams then Senrab FC would be pretty solid

Sol Campbell

Jermain Defoe

Ledley King

Paul Konchesky

John Terry

Ray Wilkins

Bobby Zamora

Adebayo Akinfenwa

Lee Bowyer

Muzzy Izzet

Southampton would be quite good too, as well as Crewe Alexandra- a lot of good players have come out of there over the last decade

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

Just noticed the tags, what a cock you are Jake.

[Spike 12,049]

Just noticed the tags, what a cock you are Jake.

I'll give you a warning for posting off-topic, mate. Stand off.

[Reddish-Blue 2,503]

World football would be boring to watch.

And I think a players first team should be acknowledged as the one he plays for after turning 16.

[The_Flash 1,144]

It would be **** and we wouldn't see some of the worlds best players