UEFA to set foreign player limits in European Competitions

**holidaysong** · 03/02/2005, 4:03 PM

Uefa has announced clubs competing in the Champions League and Uefa Cup will have to include four homegrown players in their 25-man squad from 2006.
Europe's governing body also wants to implement the plan in domestic leagues but that will have to be agreed by each national association.

Uefa then wants six homegrown players by 2007 and eight in 2008.

More at: www.bbc.co.uk/football

**eoinh** · 03/02/2005, 4:16 PM

Great News altogether. No longer will clubs be able to go down the road of spending their way to success. Its good especially for the eircom league and other smaller nations. I can see a lot of eastern european nations benefiting.
Very surprised to see that Ajax were one of the few clubs that didnt meet these requirements at present. I reckon tnat English clubs have to try and win the champions league in the next two years because after that there finished. They have lost the knack of producing good young native palyers.

As for Celtic and Rangers even though they were on that list of clubs who didnt meet the new requirements its actually good for them. Instead of importing crappy foreigners they can concentrate on developing new young players, something they really should have stuck at anyway.

**eoinh** · 03/02/2005, 4:18 PM

I actually think its the greatest decision UEFA have made in years and something Cork City can really take advantage of. Pat Dolan really is capable of finding and developing young players.

**pete** · 03/02/2005, 7:01 PM

Could mean that eL players not be transferred abroad once they over 21 now but been a while since any eL move for decent money.

Heard on radio that players that trained by a team in national association count as "home produced" which would mean Chelsea just buy foreign young player & send off to local feeder club for few years.

Chelsea & Arsenal could barely form an english 11 player team using reserve players.

Irish players who are brought over to england when teenagers won't be affected by this ruling.

**Longfordian** · 03/02/2005, 7:45 PM

3 years contracted to the club between 15 and 21 I think is what qualifies as home grown

**higgins** · 03/02/2005, 8:12 PM

It will only apply to the Champions League and the UEFA Cup for the next while so I dont see it having much effect on the Eircom League.

Neither Lille Deportivo Nantes Malmo NEC or KR whatever would have had to change their team.

Its no big deal...

Ans its not like Chelsea Arsenal cant sign players at a younger age to get around the rule which probably means we lose players younger if anything.

**eoinh** · 04/02/2005, 8:32 AM

Originally Posted by higgins

It will only apply to the Champions League and the UEFA Cup for the next while so I dont see it having much effect on the Eircom League.

Neither Lille Deportivo Nantes Malmo NEC or KR whatever would have had to change their team.

Its no big deal...

Ans its not like Chelsea Arsenal cant sign players at a younger age to get around the rule which probably means we lose players younger if anything.

With respect to all the teams you mention except Deportivo none of these clubs could be considered "Big".
It would affect Eircom League clubs because the really big clubs are going to have to go back to producing their own players as they did in the past.

We cant lose players at a younger age because English clubs already take them at the youngest possibe age they can get them at.

**liam88** · 04/02/2005, 9:52 AM

I am presuming McGeady can be included in Celtic's sqaurd as one of the 6 even though he plays for Ireland?

**Stuttgart88** · 04/02/2005, 10:17 AM

It surprises me that Celtic didn't have enough players. Would "homegrowns" like Marshall, McGeady, Wallace, McNamara, McManus, Pearson etc. not all have been in their 25 man squad? Maloney & Kennedy too if they were fit.