Bates slams big clubs' recruitment policies

05 September 2009 10:21
Former Chelsea chairman Ken Bates believes the Blues' transfer ban is the result of a wider practice that sees top clubs trade young players "like horsemeat".[LNB]Carlo Ancelotti's side were rocked this week by a FIFA ban on signing any players during the next two transfer windows after luring teenager Gael Kakuta from Lens, a decision they intend to appeal.[LNB]Bates successfully won a reported £5million compensation payment from the Blues in 2006 after they signed teenagers Michael Woods and Tom Taiwo from Leeds.[LNB]Chelsea are not alone among the Premier League elite in scouring Europe for the brightest young talents but Bates has criticised the methods involved in such a recruitment policy.[LNB]Bates, currently Leeds chairman, told the Daily Mail: "The problem here is that the big clubs are stripping the small clubs of their youngsters.[LNB]"They are like Japanese fishing trawlers, just sweeping up everything in their nets. Right now some of these boys are just being traded like horsemeat."

Source: Eurosport