So 7/8/9 players out of the starting 11 this summer will likely have been born out of NZ? That should strengthen Otago football
I mean, if the alternative is no national league football then Otago football is better off putting whoever they can on the pitch.
Player development happens on the training pitch, not during matches (for the most part). If squad players and youth team members are training week in, week out with higher quality players bought in from other regions and other countries, then that can only be beneficial for football in the region.
I don't know if Southern Football gets imports to run academies and youth teams like they do in Nelson, but that's another no brainer for using out of region expertise to develop local players.
Yes its a high number of imports, but as long as they are deserving of their spots and not preventing more deserving locals from playing they are strengthening football in the region, not weakening it.