8.04 Conference in Lisbon 03 Greece crowned champions of Europe 06 Club competitions resume 10 Calendar for next season 11 No. 28 – August 2004 No. 28 – August COVER IN THIS ISSUE Special Olympics Football Week 08 In a EURO 2004 that passed without 2004/05 club competitions kick off 10 major incident and in a very Presidents and general Calendar for the 2004/05 warm atmosphere, Greece caught secretaries meet in Lisbon 03 club competitions 11 everyone unawares by winning the tournament. Greece take everyone Congratulations from FIFA 14 PHOTO: ALBERTO LINGRIA by surprise 06 News from member associations 17 HeadingEditorial down a new road Following the dazzling proof of its popularity and good health witnessed during EURO 2004, it may seem absurd to want to defend national-team football. However, behind the recent success of the latest European Championship final round lurk many concerns thrown up by the famous Bosman ruling, which, at inter- national level, made it easier for players to move clubs and removed the limitations previously imposed by the national and international football authorities. One of the consequences of this explosion of transfers is that it has become more difficult in some countries for young players to work their way up to their club’s first team, a struggle which may make them turn their backs on football and take up another sport instead. Of course, a talented youngster always manages to make room for himself, but even he needs suitable training in order to develop and make the most of his skills. But training is expensive; it sometimes costs even more than talent scouting, and requires patience. Many clubs prefer scouting for and taking on promising young players from all over Europe and even beyond whom they can, if need be, loan to lower division or less ambitious clubs until they are trained. In the long or even medium term, this situation could cause our national teams serious problems in terms of rejuvenating their squads. In Portugal, it was clear that some are already suffering from this phenomenon, just as it was noticeable that national playing characteristics are becoming indistinguishable – another obvious effect of this major intermixing of players. So that is why, among other reasons, it is high time to find solutions conforming with European legislation that can compensate for these drawbacks in terms of training and national identity, not to mention the identification of clubs with their town/city or region as well. In response to this situation, we want to encourage local recruitment in all the countries of Europe, while assuming social and sporting responsibility for young players. This is the direction we want to take, with the support of the national associations, who gave us their full backing at the recent Conference of Presidents and General Secretaries in Lisbon. EMPICS Lars-Christer Olsson Chief Executive Wayne Rooney, one of the stars of EURO 2004, and an example of a player trained by his club, Everton FC. we care about football 02 uefadirect 8.04 Conference of Presidents and General Secretaries Promotion of player development EURO 2004, SA/COSME DURÃO 2004, SA/COSME EURO IN LISBON ON 3 JULY, ALTHOUGH MINDS WERE ALREADY TURNING onships. The Executive Committee TO THE FINAL OF EURO 2004, THE PRESIDENTS AND GENERAL SECRETARIES proposed to the delegates a possi- ble solution involving the notion OF UEFA’S 52 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS PLOUGHED THEIR WAY of home-grown players. Each club THROUGH A JAM-PACKED AGENDA AT THEIR 13TH CONFERENCE. would have to include a certain number of players (six or seven, A number of important issues population, an imbalance in competi- for example, of the 18 on the team were tackled at this meeting of national tions and the hoarding of players, sheet) brought up through their association delegates, including player i.e. major clubs’ acquisition of players own ranks or through those development, European social dialogue who clearly cannot all be selected for of another club from the same and access to information. the first team. This situation also national association. A combination The question of promoting causes difficulties for some national of these two categories would be player development at local level is a teams whose national championships possible. It might also be possible tricky one, insofar as the Bosman ruling no longer include a sufficient number to limit the number of players drastically changed the European foot- of locally developed players. in each squad, maybe to 25, for ball landscape by lifting all restrictions Solving these problems whilst example, as is already the case in based on players’ nationality within fully respecting the laws of a rapidly the UEFA competitions. the European Union. This has created growing European Union is a task that The delegates supported problems such as a lack of investment cannot be achieved simply by limiting this initiative, which still needs a lot in player development, a lack of identi- the number of non-EU players, as is of fine-tuning, particularly with fication between teams and the local the practice in many national champi- regard to the definition of a home- 03 EURO 2004, SA/COSME DURÃO grown player. A broad consultation sation rather than limiting these programme will be opened this measures to the associations within autumn, involving all sectors of football the EU. as well as political authorities. It is hoped that the new rules will enter into Funding secure force in the 2005/06 season at national The commercial success and international levels. of EURO 2004 is good news for the national associations, since it guar- antees the funding of the HatTrick Social dialogue assistance programme which they Consultation and dialogue adopted at the Rome Congress in are not just fashionable terms, but 2003. Discussions in Lisbon focused essential features of modern European on one aspect of this programme, society. Involving discussions between i.e. the installation, as part of the employees and employers, social UEFA Golden Jubilee, of mini-pitches dialogue in football can be a three-way in order to promote participation process, since it can also include in football, particularly in large competition organisers. Under EU law, built-up areas where football can no social dialogue is a voluntary process longer be played in the street. Each for concluding agreements, laying national association has received down frameworks, preparing joint or will receive a prototype mini-pitch. opinions and for European Commis- Clubs are Five projects to install mini-pitches encouraged sion consultation concerning draft have already been approved in to focus legislation. on eduation. England, Georgia, Iceland, Norway Here, It is in UEFA’s interests to be English club and Sweden. The aim is to create at Fulham’s involved in this procedure, which is under-10s least 2,500 mini-pitches in Europe. in training. already familiar to the professional EMPICS footballers’ union, FIFPro. This body Access to information has submitted to the professional foot- After a visual presentation ball leagues within the EU (EPFL) a list of the UEFA New Media company, of topics which it would like to discuss the national association representa- at European level. The list includes tives continued along the same lines themes such as the international trans- by discussing the issue of access fer system, standard player contracts, to sporting images. The situation image rights, fiscal harmonisation, has become more complex with the the international calendar and doping. growth of the Internet and, more Last January, the EPFL (Euro- pean Professional Football Leagues), FIFPro and UEFA signed a declaration recognising each other’s importance for European professional football and their desire to enter into a tripartite dialogue. UEFA now plans to set up an expert panel comprising employers’ EURO 2004, SA/COSME DURÃO 2004, SA/COSME EURO and employees’ representatives Antero Silva Resende was unable to be in Cyprus to receive the UEFA Order (leagues, FIFPro), in which UEFA would of Merit in diamond. President Lennart act as chair/mediator. UEFA therefore Johansson therefore presented it to him in Lisbon on the eve of the Conference. hopes to achieve Europe-wide harmoni- 04 uefadirect 8.04 The Executive Lennart Mini-pitches Committee Johansson can be on the podium and installed during the Lars-Christer in inner-cities conference. Olsson. to replace street football. EURO 2004, SA/COSME DURÃO AGORESPACE recently still, the transmission of EURO 2004, a huge success images via mobile phone. Under the pretext of the right to informa- A Conference of Presidents had shown towards the other tion, new media agencies are trying and General Secretaries held the continents, a solidarity for which to gain access to images sold day before the final of EURO 2004 it was now reaping the rewards would not be complete without in the form of numerous players exclusively by sports organisations. an evaluation of the competition. from other continents playing in However, twenty seconds of images Portuguese Deputy Prime the European leagues. transmitted via the Internet or mobile Minister José Luis Arnaut paid trib- UEFA Chief Executive, Lars- phone are a very different matter ute to the excellent collaboration Christer Olsson, also emphasised from the same quantity of images on between his government, the the success of the joint organisa- television. At a time when the EU and Portuguese FA and UEFA, as well tional structure, which would be the Council of Europe are both look- as the way in which the tournament repeated and further improved ing into this question, UEFA is inviting was organised. for the next tournament. He also its member associations to make their views known to their respective authorities and to defend the position of rightholders.