I agree the overall depth of foreigners is not good enough to raise the standard of the A league high enough to counter the detrimental effect this has on our best young Australian players chance to further develop in the A league and  the five allocated foreign Visa spots combined with not having a reserve grade, a decent youth league and or a second division for the younger players to get decent game time and develop leaves our young Australian players with nowhere near enough adequate development opportunities. 

agreed, 3 is enough.

The only thing this would drive is wage inflation in Australian footballers protected from competition. 

I don’t see it as being handed anything on a protected platter, as the balance isn’t quite right yet.

Some managers have tended to show that they have gone for the easy way out and choose an experienced visa player, which they then refuse to drop even if they underperform. 

There will likely need to be a considerable change in salary cap moving forward, and adjusting the limits on visa spots down to 3+1 (AFC visa player) as a transitional step. That would then have to be re-evaluated at certain intervals, in line with player development guidelines that will need to be assessed to ensure all clubs are meeting goals that would need to be set for youth players.

There is a myth that it is the A-League that is holding back young Australian player development, and a Trump sort of logic that it’s “the foreign players taking our spots” that’s to blame. Sounds right, but I don’t think it is. 

Spot on. 

I can see the argument for 3 foreign spots.  The fourth and fifth import at a lot of clubs aren't that good.  

It's a bit of the chicken and egg metaphor. Will changing the foreign spots be the answer or changing the salary cap so that  more can be spent on the fourth and fifth player that currently isn't very good? 

Teams don’t have to have any visa players.

Restrictions will most likely mean older players have extended careers.

Can't get true opportunity unless there are more teams, should of been up to 14 going on 16 teams by now. Politics have cruelled football in Australia!

3 visa platers is enough, clubs should be by this stage in the A League be developing players from their own academy’s to move into first team football.
and it can be done , look at Roar where we have DWH , JCP, Akbari Jacob Powell and Riorden .
there is 5 U23 players that have played first team football this year that should get more game time next year ,
hopefully JCP will make the left CB role his With competition from Riorden
Jacob Powell to LB 
Akbari midfield 
and how good is it when DWH is getting on the score sheet .

you cant get an opportunity when pensioners are preferred due to their "low risk"

Eh, with the gradual shift towards a winter season (which is more in line with the AFC) then we should perhaps follow their lead and run with 3 + 1

Winter season ? Its still starting in summer . Also its for next season only? Due to the pandemic 

The top teams though have five good foreigners from top European leagues who add value and help mentor and develop youth. If you look at the Phoenix for instance you've got players from the Premier League, Eredivisie, Bundesliga, Championship, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toL1tXrLA1c

Those visa players (should in theory) increase the quality of the league though and ensure the local players who do make teams/squads are lifted to a higher level. The solution is more teams rather than less visa players as we could have the same amount of locals with more quality imports, rather than simply making more local spots by reducing imports.

I can see that people would think having too many foreign players is bad for upcoming youth .
However when I was 16 and just starting in seniors ( way back in the 1970's ) most clubs had a lot of foreign players .
Scots ,English,Serbs,Croation,Italian,Argentinian etc etc .
I am so glad I got to play with these guys as playing and training with them teaches you so much .
it was not just their skills but their attitudes and experiences that helped .
They came from a harder, tougher game .
So my attitude is yes having foreign players and coaches is a great idea as they bring foreign styles of play and thinking into our game.

I agree completely with Waz that young Aussie players are more hindered by lack of games and coaching in the teen years before they reach the A-League .
If they are good enough by the time they reach A-League they will make it whether they are fighting for positions against Aussies or Foreigners .
Maybe the Academy idea will start to bear fruit soon but it needs these kids to be playing far more games .

In my teens I played around 20 club games , 10 Rep games,and 10 school games a season on average. ie 40 or so all up .
Obviously I also trained at night for those various teams.
,,,but to me the big advantage was I got home from school and was kicking a ball against a wall trapping ,dribbling ,shooting etc every afternoon for hours .
I literally had a ball at my feet most days of the year ...summer and winter.

Kids get home now, sit on the lounge and play FIFA.
This is modern footballs biggest problem and I don't know how you get around it .
You can't substitute simply having that ball at your feet all the time .

I do not know why I accidently selected that quote. Anyway....all I have to add is:

I always feel going forward the FFA and main stakeholders the state feds and clubs need to seriously tackle the player pathways but also the envionment especially the amount of games they play per season.

20 to 25 games isn't enough, needs to be 35-40 games from u13 to u21 minimum.

And what Drew Sherman said, we need to stop thinking about the past as this makes no sense in the current day where society has changed ALOT.

I see what you're saying.  I would like to see the cap and the floor removed.  But even if they are, I think most local clubs will be cutting back on salaries due to all the uncertainly surrounding the economy (not to mention the reduced TV deal).  So maybe even less money for a fourth or fifth spot (maybe with the exception of City, Victory and Sydney)?)

100% agree. We will only have 14 to 16 pro teams. They must be stacked with aussies! Visa players are taking all the attacking spots, that's why we can't develop forwards anymore!

You don’t develop forwards in the A-League, you develop forwards before then. 

You would think the 4-3-3 would help develop forwards and attackers given the structure and interchangeable aspect to the formation not hinder it.

I understand the need for better development (people have been talking about this for years).

But game time at a professional level is hugely important to a players development.

Too many coaches are taking the less risky road of importing attackers rather than giving young aussies pro playing time. (I don't blame them, they are only trying to keep their jobs).

People do things out if necessity. Take away visa spots and coaches will be forced to give young aus attackers game time.

When it comes to strikers, Greed is good.

True. And that will reduce the quality of the A League which in turn will reduce the development of young Aussie midfielders and defenders because they’re playing against lower quality strikers. 

Everyone agrees Im pretty sure that Australians playing overseas is the key. So when we have the opportunity to allow those here to at the very least to compete against experienced quality players from overseas we want to take that away from them? Instead why not work out ways to improve the level of visas that come in and as Waz said improve the development of youngsters prior to coming into the aleague.