Rich clubs blamed by UEFA for soccer's loss of identity

"An example of just how bad the problem is, is what we call the 'Asian factor' where a club buys a player from Asia purely to gain commercial links, paying him big wages and leaving him on the sidelines," said Lars-Christer Olsson, CEO of European football's governing body UEFA.

Olsson also hit out at what he called "hoarding of players by big clubs".

"Too many big clubs are just going out and buying the best players and leaving them on the bench and so depriving the fans of seeing them, and also depriving other clubs at which they could play from having them," Olsson said.

"We have surveyed the fans and 66 per cent of them say that they feel the game has lost its identity because not enough clubs are using local players."

Yesterday's public hearing in Brussels is the first time those running the game have sat side by side in public with the G14, representing 18 of the world's most powerful clubs.

FIFA, soccer's world governing body, has refused to negotiate with the G14 and its president Sepp Blatter has threatened to go to 'war' with them.

The first topic under discussion was the so-called "home-grown player rule", agreed last year at UEFA's Congress.

UEFA have set a minimum quota of locally-trained players, which would rise on a sliding scale starting from the 2006-07 season.

From next season, clubs entering UEFA competitions must have four 'locally-trained' players, defined as players who have been registered for three seasons or years with the club between the ages of 15 and 21.

A question mark remains over whether the rule is in breach of EU competition law.

"We don't say whether the rule is right or wrong, but whether it is legal," Thomas Kurth, G14 general manager, told the hearing.

"The rule could clearly be construed as a breach of EU treaties on non-discrimination and free movement and creates potential legal and financial challenges for clubs."

The EU hearing kicks off a big fortnight for soccer in Europe.

Jose Luis Arnaut, the man leading a review into how the game is run across the European Union, is expected to deliver his final report next week.

On May 15, a Belgian court will rule in a landmark case lodged against world soccer's governing body FIFA by Belgian first division club Charleroi, who are backed by G14.

Charleroi are seeking compensation after one of their players was injured on international duty.