Uefa will act to curb the rising tide of debt in football, threatening to ban clubs that do not comply with new financial regulations from taking part in European competition.

By Paul Kelso
Published: 10:10PM BST 08 Oct 2008

Counter balance: David Taylor (right) and Michel Platini want debt limits for clubs Photo: AP

Speaking 24 hours after Football Association chairman Lord Triesman criticised Premier League clubs for carrying a total of £3 billion in debt, Uefa general-secretary David Taylor said his organisation and its president, Michel Platini, shared his concerns.

Addressing the Leaders in Football conference at Stamford Bridge, Taylor also cast doubt on the effectiveness of 'fit and proper persons' tests such as that employed by the Premier League to vet potential owners, describing them as "largely a waste of time".

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Next Monday, Taylor will chair the first meeting of a working group intended to strengthen the existing licensing system and introduce financial limits on clubs across Europe. Uefa are also working with the French presidency of the European Union to try to establish a legal framework for its right to regulate the game.

If adopted, Uefa's regulations could see clubs prevented from entering the Champions League if they were deemed to be carrying too much debt. The Premier League will resist any attempt to circumscribe clubs' freedom to trade, but with Uefa adding their weight to the FA chairman's view, the momentum is with those who favour reform.

Taylor said no decision would be taken without consultation with clubs and players across Europe, but he insisted Uefa were serious about tackling the issue of "financial fair play".

"Exclusion would arise if clubs did not get a Uefa licence, and the criteria could be made tougher," he said. "Financial fair play does not mean that there should be financial equality across Europe, that has never been the case in football, but clubs must operate within the capabilities and resources that they have. There is a problem with clubs that secure debt – that they are then not able to service or postpone – in order to compete at a higher level than their resources would normally allow. There is concern about these numbers, particularly in an era of financial crisis."

He welcomed Triesman's comments on Tuesday at the same conference, but rejected the suggestion that Uefa's plans were an attempt to limit the power of English clubs.

"This is not an attempt to drag English football down," Taylor said. "It's an attempt to introduce greater financial stability in the game, and what better time than when banks are being bailed out? Governments might bail out banks but they will not bail out football clubs. But when we look at the longer term financial models that we have in football, we are concerned. And therefore this is the time to address these issues."

He also expressed concern that the increase of foreign ownership was impacting on clubs' connections with their local roots. "Club identity still means something to supporters," he said.{jcomments on}

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