Taylor backs ban on under 18s

06 September 2009 17:06
Head of the Professional Footballers' Association Gordon Taylor has given his backing to ban all transfers for players under the age of 18. The suggestion comes after Chelsea were found guilty of inducing Gael Kakuta into breaking his contract with Lens in 2007, when the winger was just 16-years-old, with Fifa banning them from signing players for 16 months. Fellow Premier League side Manchester United have been threatened to be dragged into a similar situation, after French side Le Havre reported them to Fifa for their signing of 16-year-old Paul Pogba. Taylor also heads FiFPro - the worldwide equivalent of the PFA - which also wants to see transfers of under 18s banned so as to avoid situations like Chelsea's in the future. "There's been a general feeling that a ban on movement of players under the age of 18 would be better for the game," Taylor told Radio Five Live. "Football is about competition. You can't have all the best youngsters at the biggest, richest clubs. "You need to encourage clubs, if they're going to have youth development programmes, to be able to pick out the lads and have some time with them." Taylor also argued that if leading clubs continue to poach players from smaller outfits, after they are 18, then a large compensation fee must be paid out. "If they do move on, which may be inevitable you need a system whereby proper, effective compensation is paid," he added. "I don't think this situation with Chelsea would have reached the stage it has now if compensation had been agreed between the two clubs."

Source: SKY_Sports