UEFA Regulations Bringing out the Good and Bad in Players

The tide is changing where UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) is concerned. Where once there was almost universal backing for Michel Platini’s proposals, there now exists some opposition, a wave of writers and fans who recognise the anti-competitiveness that defines the idea.

Rather than being about fairness, which FFP initially purported to be, it’s becoming increasingly clear it’s about protecting the interests of an established elite group of teams who have consistently enjoyed Champions League qualification over the past two decades and the financial benefits that come with it.

As well as the question marks hanging over the FFP initiative, there also appears to issues emerging where the UEFA and Premier League home-grown quota systems are concerned. We are starting to see players considered home-grown signing deals for clubs even if they aren’t ever seriously going to be considered for first-team action.

Take Manchester City as an example. As a result of the huge investment made in their first-team squad in an attempt to bridge the gap between themselves and Europe’s elite, City have struggled in recent seasons to produce players from their own academy good enough to play for their senior side.

It’s a problem they are seeking to rectify—their new Etihad Campus, an 80-acre site adjacent to their home stadium offering world-class facilities for youth and first-team players, is testament to that—but, for now, there exists a chasm between the quality of players they are producing and the strength of their squad.

Therefore, they now find themselves offering contracts to players they know full well won’t play a part in their season, simply because they are bracketed as home-grown. Dedryck Boyata, a player unlikely to ever be a Premier League or Champions League regular, is probably the most the striking example.

Kyle Rivas/Getty Images

Boyata hasn’t once demonstrated he’s capable of becoming a Premier League or Champions League regular since he made his debut in 2010, yet he now finds himself with a new two-year contract (via BBC Sport) and a likely pay rise (via Daily Mail). It’s clear to everyone his new contract was handed to him on the basis of his home-grown status.

The fear for Boyata, though, is that he wastes his career barely even making the bench for big games and playing a few games in the League Cup. How can he be satisfied with a career whether the chances of reaching his full potential are minimised by his lack of involvement in first-team football?

And now it has emerged Micah Richards was offered a long-term contract by City this summer before he joined Fiorentina on loan for the season, he told talkSPORT (via ESPN). His deal with the Blues ends next summer when he will be available on a free transfer, and it seems the club wanted him to stay well beyond that deal expiring on more money than before.

Richards has had a torrid two years, with injuries seriously affecting his form. Once an important player in City’s title-winning side of 2011/12, he became a bit-part member of the squad, culminating in last season where he struggled for any kind of form or rhythm.

It was clear for all to see he needed a move to revive his career, yet there was a temptation for him to stay put at the club he had been at since the age of 14, with the security of a long-term contract. It's a credit to Richards that he feels the pursuit of first-team football is more important than financial reward.

Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

It's a strange situation City find themselves in. Clearly, they are making every effort to produce world-class players good enough to make the grade in their squad, yet it will take time to bridge the gap between youth and first-team created by their investment since 2008. Boyata has gained financial security from the UEFA and Premier League home-grown quota systems, but it's doubtful it's the best thing for his career.

The quality needed to compete for titles at the highest level means clubs aren't always going to have enough home-grown players capable of playing a major role. Players like Boyata, therefore, become more valuable, despite the fact they're rarely going to play.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. Follow him on Twitter here: @RobPollard_