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FOOTBALL EUROPE: Norway opts for home-grown rule

/noticias.info/ by Eivind Aarre
from Stavanger

From 2008 onwards every football club in Norway will need to consist of at least eight locally-developed players, the Norwegian Football Association announced on Tuesday.

International rule
In a move designed to protect the development of national talent, the Norwegian FA (NFF) revealed that, of the eight home-grown players in each 25-player club squad, four will have to be a product of the youth system of the club concerned while the remainder must have spent their formative years - between the ages of 15 and 22 - at a fellow Norwegian club.

TV impact
The impact of lucrative television revenue has been such that, increasingly, clubs have turned to foreign players in their quest for success - a trend the NFF fears is damaging the development of local talent and, consequently, the long-term prospects of the Norwegian national side. "The top clubs have never before put so much effort into developing their own players," said NFF president Sondre Kåfjord. "But too few of the talented players are getting their chance in the Eliteserien, and that is something we want to put right."

Three foreigners
The NFF has also decided, from next year, to increase the number of non-European Union players permitted to play in any one match from two to three. "The inclusion of quality players from abroad improves Norwegian club football and that is positive for our game," added Kåfjord. "But half of the foreign players in the Eliteserien are sitting on the bench, hindering local talent from coming through. That is unfortunate."

Eliteserien expansion
Another proposed change is the increase of the number of teams in the Eliteserien from 14 to 16. With a large number of Norwegian top-flight sides involved in the struggle against relegation over recent years it was little surprise that the majority are in favour of a proposed expansion. "We need to have some mid-table sides," said Viking sporting director Egil Østenstad. "Every side is either battling it out for medals or fighting against relegation now and so coaches tend to take even fewer risks with local talent."

Future vote
The formal vote to increase the Eliteserien will not take place until March 2008, so, should it carry the majority vote as expected, the 2009 season is likely to be the first consisting of a 16-club top-flight. notas_de_prensa_archivo