Mourinho Keeps Quiet On Dyke  (Sky Sports)

Jose Mourinho refused to be drawn into the debate over Greg Dyke's plans to boost the number of home-grown players, insisting he is happy to do as he is told.

FA chairman Dyke wants to increase the minimum number of home-grown players in club squads from eight to 12, but is facing opposition from the Premier League.

The proposals also include changing the rules so "home-grown" means having trained in England for three years before the age of 18 rather than 21.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has questioned the proposals but Mourinho said he will just adapt to whatever rules are put in place.

Ahead of Saturday's game with Stoke City, which is live on Sky Sports, the Chelsea boss said: "I don't think. I just work with the rules that are presented to me.

“I have no power, my opinion is not important. My opinion doesn't change the decision.

“The decision power is not in my hands. I just have to work with it."

Just 36.8 per cent (81 out of 220) of Premier League starters in the last round of matches were eligible for England selection.

It is figures like this that Dyke is keen to overhaul but Wenger questioned whether quotas was the right way to go, saying: "I believe we are in a top-level competition and you earn your right through the quality of your performance rather than your place of birth."

One reason for Mourinho's more casual approach could be because Chelsea had 19 players on England youth duty during the international break - more than any other club.

"In this moment I need to work with eight English players in my squad and I do that. If one day somebody tells me it's 10 or 12 or five or four, I adapt to the rules," the Portuguese coach added.

"It's a bit like Financial Fair Play. I don't have to agree or disagree. I just have to work with the rules."

Meanwhile, West Brom boss Tony Pulis agreed with Wenger, stressing places should be handed out on merit alone.

"If they're not good enough they shouldn't be in the squad. That's my argument," he said.

"If you're talking about stopping top foreign players coming into the country, that's not the way.

"Bringing the top players to play and work with the top players in England should aspire them to become better players themselves."

Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat agreed with the idea in principle but admitted to being confused by the situation, given the number of English players already doing well in the top flight.

"I was wondering when I saw that. It's a good idea, but how many good young players has England at the moment? A lot, in my opinion, and they are all playing in the first team - Sterling, Kane, Barkley, I can go on," he said.

"I don't know where the complaint is because they have still an excellent side."

Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood, West Ham manager Sam Allardyce and Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew are among the coaches who have backed Dyke’s blueprint.