30 Dec 2011

England football manager calls for action on "stealing" talent

10:26 am on 30 December 2011

England football manager Fabio Capello says tighter rules should be introduced by FIFA to stop European clubs from "stealing" talented young players from other countries.

Capello says the globalisation of football meant clubs were filling their youth teams with players sourced from all over the world, often to the detriment of their long-term development.

The Italian says clubs are talent-scouting all over the world, stealing young players and FIFA should pass new rules.

Capello says he's spoken to UEFA president Michel)Platini and in the future clubs will be forbidden to steal players when they are very young.

Top European clubs have long been accused of using financial muscle to harvest the best young players from abroad with English clubs and the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, often cited as doing so.