Canaries have little room for manoeuvre with EFL homegrown rules
Harrison Reed, left, and Grant Hanley count as homegrown players for the Canaries. Pictures: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
As Norwich City's options for 'homegrown' players thin, David Freezer takes a look at the EFL selection rules Daniel Farke must stick to.
Long-serving City star Wes Hoolahan does not meet the homegrown criteria. - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Daniel Farke's selection issues have become slightly more difficult following the signing of three new players from Germany this month.
City's head coach now also has to consider the 'homegrown' regulations set by the English Football League which state that seven players who meet the criteria must be included in clubs' matchday squads of 18.
The Canaries cut those regulations rather fine during Saturday's 1-0 win at Brentford, naming exactly the seven players who fit the EFL bill.
For a player to meet the homegrown criteria they must have been registered with an English or Welsh club for three seasons prior to their 21st birthday.
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So while academy products such as Jamal Lewis and Josh Murphy fit that mould for City, Scottish defender Grant Hanley also counts towards the quota as he joined Blackburn Rovers at 16 years old.
Yet club icon Wes Hoolahan, in his 10th season with the Canaries, does not count as he was still playing in Ireland until he was 23.
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Next season clubs will also have to include a club developed player in every squad as well, defined as a player with their current team for at least 12 months prior to the end of their U19 season.
While Lewis, Murphy and the rest of City's academy players should ensure that is no issue, staying on the right side of the homegrown rules could prove more challenging.
City's 'homegrown' players – 12: Angus Gunn (loan), Sean Raggett, Grant Hanley, James Husband, Jamal Lewis, Harrison Reed (loan), Marcus Edwards (loan), Louis Thompson, James Maddison, Josh Murphy, Matt Jarvis, Marley Watkins
Loaned 'homegrown' players – 6: Remi Matthews, Russell Martin, Adam Phillips, Ben Godfrey, Todd Cantwell, Carlton Morris
Players who don't qualify – 17: Michael McGovern, Ivo Pinto, Christoph Zimmermann, Timm Klose, Marcel Franke (on loan), Marco Stiepermann, Mario Vrancic, Tom Trybull, Alex Tettey, Kenny McLean (on loan), Wes Hoolahan, Onel Hernandez, Moritz Leitner (loan), Yanic Wildschut (on loan), Steven Naismith (on loan), Nelson Oliveira, Dennis Srbeny
