Johansson supports national cause

UEFA President Lennart Johansson has urged European football to encourage the development of young players through national structures and the national-team system.

Crucial sector
Mr Johansson was speaking at the conference of presidents and general secretaries of UEFA member association in Lisbon today, as UEFA unveiled proposals to promote the development of homegrown players in Europe's clubs. He said the nurturing of homegrown footballers would ultimately have a beneficial effect on national-team football, which he described as a crucial sector of the game.

'Heightened profile and value'
"We are under continued pressure from certain vested interest groups, who shall remain nameless, who believe that the national teams, in other words the football associations, should be paying the clubs for the services of those players who play for their country at a major tournament," said Mr Johansson. "But what gives many of these players their heightened media profile and heightens their value in the international transfer market?" he asked.

National pride
""Surely the very same national-team competitions from which the clubs are seeking compensation for their players, such as UEFA EURO 2004™. What has made players like Luís Figo and Thierry Henry household names across the globe? Surely by playing for their national teams and pulling on their national colours with pride, these players have reached beyond ordinary national boundaries.

Nurturing process
"How did these players become such big stars, and who coached and looked after them in their formative years? They all started in the youth teams of their respective countries, rising through the ranks, being coached, trained and looked after via funding of the national association – the system at the very heart of UEFA's solidarity principle.

Raising the stakes
"That is why I strongly believe that players such as Wayne Rooney or Deco, to take a few examples from this tournament, will have their market value enhanced and increased by EURO 2004™."

Grassroots football
Mr Johansson concluded: "It will not be easy to find a solution to this issue while remaining on the right side of European Union law, but we must continue with our support for the structure of grassroots football in Europe and positively encourage it, and we must encourage the development of young players through the national structure and through the national-team system."