Football
19y

UPDATE 1-Soccer-UEFA imposes homegrown player quotas from 2006-7

(updates with quotes, background)

By Mike Collett

NYON, Switzerland, Feb 3 - Clubs taking part in
the Champions League and UEFA Cup will have to include at least
four homegrown players in their 25-man squads from the start of
the 2006-7 season.

The quota will increase to six players the following season,
rising to a maximum of eight homegrown players by 2008-9
following agreement at a one-day conference of the presidents
and general secretaries of UEFA's 51 national members.

The ruling could be expanded to include domestic
competitions at UEFA's annual congress in Tallinn in April,
Lars-Christer Olsson, chief executive of European soccer's
ruling body, told reporters.

UEFA defines homegrown players as those who, aged between 15
and 21, were developed at the club or by other clubs from the
same national association for a minimum of three years.

The nationality of a homegrown player will be irrelevant in
a bid to circumvent any opposition by the European Union on the
grounds of freedom of trade.

Homegrown quotas are essentially an attempt by UEFA to find
a way round the 1995 Bosman ruling which demolished restrictions
on the numbers of foreigners playing in a team.

Since then top clubs have included fewer and fewer players
from their own countries in their first teams.

English league leaders Chelsea had three English players in
their starting team on Wednesday while Real Madrid had four
Spanish players in their team at the weekend.

STRONG BONDS

Sepp Blatter, president of world soccer's ruling body FIFA,
has accused major clubs of creating a "high-stakes trade in
humans" by hoovering up players from less developed areas of the
world in a desperate search for talent.

This increasing "globalisation" has raised fears that strong
bonds between clubs and their local fans will be weakened. Many
countries including World Cup hosts Germany believe the lack of
opportunity for local players is harming the national team.

"The squad must be limited to 25 to stop some of the bigger
clubs hoarding players and not playing them. This is totally
unacceptable," Olsson said.

"Clubs have a social and sporting obligation and should be a
model for lesser clubs in the same region and to set the highest
example."

"Compared to 1995-6 when the Bosman ruling on freedom of
movement was introduced, there are now 30 percent less players
coming from one country playing for their clubs in that country
in the top division," Olsson said.

"The trend is very clear and European football has realised
that it must be addressed and reversed."

More discussions will follow before the congress in April
and opposition to the plan was expressed on Thursday especially
by the English and Italian associations.

David Davies, executive director of the English FA, said:
"We recognise the strength of feeling in Europe on this issue
but there is some significant opposition from our own Premier
League clubs and from some of the bigger Italian clubs.

"We understand the motives, we know why this has to happen,
but there will be more talking before any decision is made in
Tallinn."

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