Question:
Europe's leading clubs today reacted cautiously to a UEFA proposal to limit the number of foreign players in major leagues.
Following a two-day meeting of the European Club Forum, set up two years ago to improve dialogue with UEFA, over 100 clubs called for more discussion before agreeing on quotas for homegrown players.
Under UEFA's plans, the size of first-team squads would be limited to 25 players of whom one third - either seven or eight - would have to be developed domestically. The recommendation is due to be put to next year's UEFA congress in April, with the new system in place by the start of the 2006-7 season.
'We are all developing young players far more than in the past but the question is whether we should have to implement this and whether European Commission rules on freedom of movement would allow it,' said Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, chairman of the forum and vice-president of Bayern Munich.
'We want more discussions.'
UEFA, whose chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson is spearheading the idea, argue that reliance on overseas players chokes the development of homegrown talent. They point to the experience of Euro 2004 where the countries with the strongest leagues, flush with foreigners, failed to reach the last four.
'We are not pirates and our clubs may have conflicting views but it is our duty to work out suitable proposals shared by everyone,' said Giorgio Marchetti, UEFA's professional football and marketing director.
The meeting was attended by all of Europe's leading clubs including last season's top five in the Premiership.
Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon was one of those understood to have seriously opposed any restrictions on buying foreign players. Kenyon was named vice-chairman of the forum when a new board was appointed today but slipped out of UEFA headquarters without comment.
The meeting also moved a step closer to resolving the ongoing club-versus-country controversy, with calls to FIFA and UEFA to insure players during international tournaments - starting with the 2006 World Cup finals - as a means of compensation.
Rummenigge said he felt confident FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who has long been fiercely opposed to any compensation, would agree to the insurance proposal.
'I have spoken personally with Mr Blatter and it seems a solution might be possible,' Rummenigge said.
'He now understands how we feel about being compensated for the release of players. It can no longer be the case that we, the clubs, are paying players twice over.
'By having FIFA and UEFA pay for insurance we do not have to worry so much about players returning home injured.'

Answer:

Europe's leading clubs today reacted cautiously to a UEFA proposal to limit the number of foreign players in major leagues.
Following a two-day meeting of the European Club Forum, set up two years ago to improve dialogue with UEFA, over 100 clubs called for more discussion before agreeing on quotas for homegrown players.
Under UEFA's plans, the size of first-team squads would be limited to 25 players of whom one third - either seven or eight - would have to be developed domestically. The recommendation is due to be put to next year's UEFA congress in April, with the new system in place by the start of the 2006-7 season.
'We are all developing young players far more than in the past but the question is whether we should have to implement this and whether European Commission rules on freedom of movement would allow it,' said Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, chairman of the forum and vice-president of Bayern Munich.
'We want more discussions.'
UEFA, whose chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson is spearheading the idea, argue that reliance on overseas players chokes the development of homegrown talent. They point to the experience of Euro 2004 where the countries with the strongest leagues, flush with foreigners, failed to reach the last four.
'We are not pirates and our clubs may have conflicting views but it is our duty to work out suitable proposals shared by everyone,' said Giorgio Marchetti, UEFA's professional football and marketing director.
The meeting was attended by all of Europe's leading clubs including last season's top five in the Premiership.
Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon was one of those understood to have seriously opposed any restrictions on buying foreign players. Kenyon was named vice-chairman of the forum when a new board was appointed today but slipped out of UEFA headquarters without comment.
The meeting also moved a step closer to resolving the ongoing club-versus-country controversy, with calls to FIFA and UEFA to insure players during international tournaments - starting with the 2006 World Cup finals - as a means of compensation.
Rummenigge said he felt confident FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who has long been fiercely opposed to any compensation, would agree to the insurance proposal.
'I have spoken personally with Mr Blatter and it seems a solution might be possible,' Rummenigge said.
'He now understands how we feel about being compensated for the release of players. It can no longer be the case that we, the clubs, are paying players twice over.
'By having FIFA and UEFA pay for insurance we do not have to worry so much about players returning home injured.'