UEFA concern as overseas players drop to lower leagues

A senior UEFA official warned yesterday that an increasing number of overseas players could soon be playing for lower division clubs, further reducing the distinct nature of domestic soccer leagues.

UEFA executive committee member Per Ravn Omdal told Reuters UEFA were concerned over the "drop-down" effect of young overseas players who fail to make the grade at top clubs in their adopted countries and end up at second or third tier clubs.

"We have a major challenge facing us," said Omdal, former president of the Norwegian FA with special interest in youth development.

"Clubs and national associations have a duty to encourage and develop local talent. We have done the right thing by introducing our homegrown policy.

"But I fear that in the future more clubs in the lower divisions, and not just the top clubs, will be fielding a lot more overseas players.

"This will make it even harder for players from that country to progress and this is not right for the domestic game."

Under European Union law and the Bosman Ruling of 1995 concerning free movement of players, there are few restrictions on players moving from one country to another.

UEFA's homegrown policy, adopted at the UEFA Congress in Tallinn three years ago, stipulates that players who spend at least three seasons at a club, or at a club in the same association from the age of 15 to 21, are regarded as "home grown" irrespective of their nationality.

Many of Europe's top clubs, including Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona now have scouts all over the world seeking out the best young talent, but Omdal warns of the dangers of this recruitment drive.

"We have to be very careful," he said.

"In Italy in 2000 there were 5,000 young African players brought there by some clubs, some agents and people who were not even agents and for me that is an insult to the African continent.

"Less than 0.001 had a professional contract and the rest turned out to be a social problem.

"We have to take care because football should not act like that. We have to be more responsible and still find ways of controlling transfers and agents better."

UEFA statistics show that currently there are 30 per cent less players playing regularly for teams in the top divisions of their own countries, compared to 1995 when the Bosman Ruling on free movement of players was introduced.

Omdal was speaking ahead of today's annual UEFA Congress in Zagreb, which will mark Michel Platini's first anniversary as UEFA president since his election in Dusseldorf last January.