Labour MEPs are calling on football clubs to increase investment in youth training and are backing UEFA's efforts in requiring clubs to have a third of their squad composed of "home-grown" players - a far better scheme than FIFA's crude 6+5 nationality requirement, which would be illegal under European law.
Richard Corbett MEP, Labour's spokesperson for sport, said: "Every club - even the big ones - must accept some responsibility for training and not rely solely on their financial muscle in the transfer market to acquire players who were trained by others. Football should not be merely a financial contest,"
Notes to editors:
1. UEFA agreed that clubs taking part in European club competitions must include eight home-grown players in a squad limited to 25 players by the start of the 2008-09 season.
For more information please call the European Parliamentary Labour Party press officer, Silke Thomson on +32 479 790 053.
European Parliamentary Labour Party, European Parliament, Rue Wiertz, 1047 BRUSSELS, Belgium -
Tel: 00 32 2 28 43736
