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Franz Beckenbauer, president of German champions Bayern Munich, has backed proposals for a restriction on foreigners in club football and believes forcing teams to field six homegrown players would get rid of foreign mercenaries.
"FIFA and UEFA have certainly recognised the problem and I support the plan to introduce the 6+5 rule where six homegrown players are in from the start," Beckenbauer said in his column with Bild newspaper on Tuesday.
"I hope EU legislation does not stop football from implementing this necessary step."
The Bosman ruling in 1995 removed any restrictions of movement between football players within the European Union and most top club sides are now packed with foreigners.
"A lot of players have the mercenary mentality. If it does not work with one club then they go to the next one," explained Beckanbauer. "I do not know how long clubs will allow that sort of attitude."
Beckenbauer, a World Cup winner with West Germany in 1974, put forward Bundesliga club SV Hamburg, fourth from bottom of the table, as an example of too many foreigners pulling the club down.
"Too many players of different nationalities, who can hardly understand one another, can lead to a team falling apart if there is not a strong core of homegrown players," Beckenbauer said.
"That is what is happening at Hamburg. The fans long for personalities such as Uwe Seeler, who gave blood for Hamburg and was always loyal."
Hamburg have over ten different nationalities in their squad ranging from Namibia to Peru.
While Beckenbauer believes the 6+5 rule would benefit football other leading figures have spoken out against it with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger saying the quality would suffer with teams forced to field below-par homegrown players.
Under Frenchman Wenger Arsenal have become a team largely made up of foreigners with often just one Englishman on show.
"FIFA and UEFA have certainly recognised the problem and I support the plan to introduce the 6+5 rule where six homegrown players are in from the start," Beckenbauer said in his column with Bild newspaper on Tuesday.
"I hope EU legislation does not stop football from implementing this necessary step."
The Bosman ruling in 1995 removed any restrictions of movement between football players within the European Union and most top club sides are now packed with foreigners.
"A lot of players have the mercenary mentality. If it does not work with one club then they go to the next one," explained Beckanbauer. "I do not know how long clubs will allow that sort of attitude."
Beckenbauer, a World Cup winner with West Germany in 1974, put forward Bundesliga club SV Hamburg, fourth from bottom of the table, as an example of too many foreigners pulling the club down.
"Too many players of different nationalities, who can hardly understand one another, can lead to a team falling apart if there is not a strong core of homegrown players," Beckenbauer said.
"That is what is happening at Hamburg. The fans long for personalities such as Uwe Seeler, who gave blood for Hamburg and was always loyal."
Hamburg have over ten different nationalities in their squad ranging from Namibia to Peru.
While Beckenbauer believes the 6+5 rule would benefit football other leading figures have spoken out against it with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger saying the quality would suffer with teams forced to field below-par homegrown players.
Under Frenchman Wenger Arsenal have become a team largely made up of foreigners with often just one Englishman on show.