UEFA increase "homegrown" quotas

[SugarKane]

UEFA released the much-talked about plans for the 2006 season today. It is now, as they say, official.

"Clubs with large numbers of foreign stars have been served notice that they will have to change the make-up of their squads after UEFA announced new rules on 'home-grown' players in the Champions League and UEFA Cup.

UEFA will eventually insist on eight players in a 25-man squad being home-grown - four trained within a club's academy and four within the same national association - as part of an effort to limit the influence of foreigners."


The new rule for European competitions will have clubs needing to include a minimum of four home-grown players - two from within the club and two from the same association - in a squad. That number will be increased to six the following season and eight in 2008-09.


Plans are in the making to extend the ruling to domestic leagues.



The ruling will have a considerable effect on most of Europes "Big Guns", including my own beloved Arsenal.


I can see (mostly) the logic in this, but it does seem to be a bit too heavy-handed. They are only "clubs" afterall.

[DoctorD]

I'm glad they're doing this. It increases the tradition of European football and increases the value of youth academies. Not to mention giving the smaller clubs a sporting chance at winning hardware.

[Forza Badger]

I'm glad they're doing this. It increases the tradition of European football and increases the value of youth academies. Not to mention giving the smaller clubs a sporting chance at winning hardware.

I don't think this is so clear cut. Larger clubs such as your Real Madrids, AC Milans, Bayern Munichs, Manchester Uniteds, etc will not like this. There has been talk of them forming a seperate league at times. I wouldn't be surprised if stuff like this would start pushing them further towards that. Not to mention I believe the big clubs will always find a way to have the advantage. If you have the money you will find a way to put it to good use.

[SugarKane]

You are right, as expected the big clubs are not too amused - most of their real talent is often imported from elsewhere. The smaller clubs are obviously quite interested (though not all) as the ruling will "release" a lot of talent.

I know foreign players can somtimes be fickle and are often "in it for the money" and sign short-term contract etc. But how will this effect those on long-term contracts and indeed any new contracts signed from now onwards?

In leagues like those in Spain, Italy and England that have very high percentages of foreign players the entire makeup of the league will be changed. And what of "emerging" club forces such as those in Russia, Ukraine and Turkey. This will set them back considerably I feel.

Will French, Spanish and Eastern European clubs become "masters of Europe" once the talent returns home?

[Excape Goat]

Is this legal under EU laws? You can limit the number of non-EU citizens on a team, but can you limit EU citizens playing in a club not from his own country?

[Frankfurt Blue]

Is this legal under EU laws? You can limit the number of non-EU citizens on a team, but can you limit EU citizens playing in a club not from his own country?

I have been saying this for a while and discussed it in a non-football MB here on FFA. Expect a Bosman Part II type ruling. To add to this, the moves are already underway to end this ruling.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4234761.stm
Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein says Uefa's new ruling on homegrown players could be challenged legally.
Uefa has told clubs they must have four homegrown players in their squad by 2006 to enter European competitions.
But Dein fears the quality of the Premiership will suffer under the new ruling and also believes it "restricts the free movement of workers".
He told BBC Radio Five Live: "It's misguided and it will almost certainly now be challenged."
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Just shows once again UEFA to be completely incompetent at recognising actual employment laws within the EU.

[johan neeskens]

It is illegal. What I also find telling though is that they talk about a specific number of homegrown players 'in the squad' without indicating how big that squad should be. Now considering that a club like Chelsea has about 30 players in the squad, they could easily have six homegrown players in there with none of them ever playing a minute of first team football.

[Excape Goat]

It makes no difference. We are talking about 2 to 3 roster changes. The clubs just needed to promote two or three more players from their youth rank and cut a few non-home grown players. They are players who never played anyway. It does not change the playing level because they can still field the same team as last year. They can field a team of 11. plus 5 subs, and all of them can be non-home grown.

[Excape Goat]

It is illegal. What I also find telling though is that they talk about a specific number of homegrown players 'in the squad' without indicating how big that squad should be. Now considering that a club like Chelsea has about 30 players in the squad, they could easily have six homegrown players in there with none of them ever playing a minute of first team football.

They said 25 team squad. Well, Chelsea can still fill an team of non-home grown players as i stated above.

[Frankfurt Blue]

It makes no difference. We are talking about 2 to 3 roster changes. The clubs just needed to promote two or three more players from their youth rank and cut a few non-home grown players. They are players who never played anyway. It does not change the playing level because they can still field the same team as last year. They can field a team of 11. plus 5 subs, and all of them can be non-home grown.

But you are overlooking the fact that this is illegal within the EU to start off with. As the article above states, it will be challenged through the courts, and you can bet that UEFA will be defeated in this matter. Many clubs were embarrassed for years (mainly the English clubs) in European competitions until the Bosman ruling came through. This will just be more of the same.
This ruling is dead.

[Excape Goat]

But you are overlooking the fact that this is illegal within the EU to start off with. As the article above states, it will be challenged through the courts, and you can bet that UEFA will be defeated in this matter. Many clubs were embarrassed for years (mainly the English clubs) in European competitions until the Bosman ruling came through. This will just be more of the same.
This ruling is dead.

I know.... I actually thought this rule is dumb. It is likely to be illegal. It makes no difference.

[AFCA]

I have been saying this for a while and discussed it in a non-football MB here on FFA. Expect a Bosman Part II type ruling. To add to this, the moves are already underway to end this ruling.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4234761.stm
Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein says Uefa's new ruling on homegrown players could be challenged legally.
Uefa has told clubs they must have four homegrown players in their squad by 2006 to enter European competitions.
But Dein fears the quality of the Premiership will suffer under the new ruling and also believes it "restricts the free movement of workers".
He told BBC Radio Five Live: "It's misguided and it will almost certainly now be challenged."
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Just shows once again UEFA to be completely incompetent at recognising actual employment laws within the EU.

Illegal or not... eventually there will have to be ways around EU regulation or football as we know it will die, period.

[Andy TAUS]

But you are overlooking the fact that this is illegal within the EU to start off with. As the article above states, it will be challenged through the courts, and you can bet that UEFA will be defeated in this matter. Many clubs were embarrassed for years (mainly the English clubs) in European competitions until the Bosman ruling came through. This will just be more of the same.
This ruling is dead.UEFA aren't saying the clubs can't employ them. They're saying you can't use then in the CL & EC. It's not a restraint of trade but a condition of entry to the competitions.


I think it's about time some sense was imposed on the rich clubs who have ben feeding off the poorer ones. This will help all non-EU clubs, leagues & countries to retain their best & better players, at least for a while longer.

[Frankfurt Blue]

UEFA aren't saying the clubs can't employ them. They're saying you can't use then in the CL & EC. It's not a restraint of trade but a condition of entry to the competitions.


I think it's about time some sense was imposed on the rich clubs who have ben feeding off the poorer ones. This will help all non-EU clubs, leagues & countries to retain their best & better players, at least for a while longer.

Doh! Andy this was the point too of the original Bosman ruling, which had great effect upon English teams, like Manchester United, who were unable to field their strongest team in European competition.
Just the same nonsense again.
:rolleyes:
Please keep up.

[Andy TAUS]

Doh! Andy this was the point too of the original Bosman ruling, which had great effect upon English teams, like Manchester United, who were unable to field their strongest team in European competition.
Just the same nonsense again.
:rolleyes:
Please keep up.Doh Frankie, the point of the Bosman ruling was to stop clubs from not letting players go without encumbrences (such as a huge transfer fee) at the end of their contracted periods. The clubs & FA's (with FIFA's agreement) right throughout the world have implemented the ruling as meaning NO RESTRAINT OF TRADE in all scenarios.

:rolleyes:

Please keep up, yourself.

[Frankfurt Blue]

Doh Frankie, the point of the Bosman ruling was to stop clubs from not letting players go without encumbrences (such as a huge transfer fee) at the end of their contracted periods. The clubs & FA's (with FIFA's agreement) right throughout the world have implemented the ruling as meaning NO RESTRAINT OF TRADE in all scenarios.

:rolleyes:

Please keep up, yourself.

But it allowed them to field the players, Andy, too. Originally they had to field a certain number of 'home' players before this ruling. It was all part of it. look at United pre-ruling and after.
Ball back in your court. :rolleyes:
Sorry, but you aren't European, so you aren't fully aware of how far reaching the ruling went.

[silver bullet]

But it allowed them to field the players, Andy, too. Originally they had to field a certain number of 'home' players before this ruling. It was all part of it. look at United pre-ruling and after.
Ball back in your court. :rolleyes:
Sorry, but you aren't European, so you aren't fully aware of how far reaching the ruling went.

Certainly the rule could be fought in court. Interesting though, David Dein wants the premier league to fight UEFA on this, he probably feels it's risky for a club like Arsenal to fight it alone.