Fifa president Sepp Blatter's 'six-plus-five' plan to limit the number of foreign players is plausible in a perfect world - which is exactly why it is a non-starter.

It is a fact that most football fans would love to watch a team dominated by home-grown stars, but the the brutal truth is they love successful teams even more.

Throw in the fact that the European Commission have already stated that it regards the ruling as discriminatory and illegal and you can see why Blatter has an unwinnable fight on his hands.

The Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick has been lukewarm in his response to Blatter's latest initiative, which is no great surprise.

Offer any football supporter the choice of having an average English - or Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish - player in their side or a better alternative from abroad and there will be only one winner.

And rightly so.

Blatter's notion is laudable but unworkable. It would take a change in the European Union laws coupled with a huge change in philosophy within the game, and neither shows any sign of happening.

Fifa's chief insists he does not want confrontation and will work to apply any rule changes within the law, but it is impossible to see how he will achieve his aims.

The biggest talking point is whether the current influx of foreign imports is blocking the system that allows young home-grown talent to come through.

This investigation by BBC Sport England player numbers at new low revealed that the number of England-qualified players starting in the Premier League dropped to an all-time low last season.

But surely the simple fact is that if young English players are good enough they will emerge from the system?

And if they are not good enough and don't come through, isn't this just a simple, but harsh, fact of football life?

David Bentley's experience at Arsenal is used as an example of how foreign players can create a barrier to the emergence of young English talent.

Bentley spoke eloquently to BBC Sport about the problem here Academy influx concerns Bentley but he left Arsenal and eventually arrived at Blackburn, via a loan season at Norwich.

He has won England caps since arriving at Ewood Park and is now being linked with clubs such as Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Bentley may be an example of a player whose arrival at the top was delayed by foreign imports, but he is also proof that genuine talent will surface eventually.

And he also admits the tutelage he received under Arsene Wenger at Arsenal made him a better person and player - despite the fact he could not break into the first team.

So we are back to the old argument about players being picked on quality as opposed to nationality.

This is certainly the view of Barwick, who states simply that players should be in teams purely on merit. No other criteria should apply.

Barwick is absolutely right, and this is even before Blatter attempts to negotiate what is already a legal minefield.

So while Blatter's plan is based on good intentions, the chances of it actually coming to pass are minimal - and I believe this is right.

Let us know your thoughts on this issue.

Do you believe there should be a limit on foreign players in a starting eleven? And do any of you legal eagles out there know how Blatter can make his plan come down on the right side of EU law?