MILD panic was the order of the day yesterday when a report suggested that the licensing system due to be introduced by UEFA would include criteria which would mean that almost half of the current SPL clubs would be banned from playing in Europe.
The new licensing
arrangement, which may be used in Scotland as a pilot scheme for the rest of the
Continent, proposes a wide- ranging set of criteria before clubs would be permitted to take part in UEFA
competitions. Pitch size, ground capacity, and media facilities are just three of the requirements which will be included.
The report did say that a capacity of 15,000 would be the minimum standard, which would have meant that
Dundee, Motherwell,
St Johnstone, St Mirren, and Dunfermline would have been prevented from taking part in the UEFA Cup, should they qualify.
However, it seems there was a slip of the tongue made by a high-ranking UEFA official during a seminar recently which brought about the
misunderstanding.
The slip may have been the consequence of the UEFA clause which, while setting the 10,000 minimum, added that if a national asssociation set a higher minimum that would also count for UEFA.
''The capacity figure in their licensing blueprint is 10,000,'' said an SFA spokesman, ''and is in every document referring to the plans.''
Chief executive Roger Mitchell pointed out that the
criteria set by the Scottish
Premier League means that the clubs in this country ought to have little to worry about, but adds: ''However, there is
something of an outcry from other countries where the standards that we have set have not been demanded.''
It is understood, for instance, that the financial criteria would mean that clubs like Real Madrid, who have gone into horrific debt as they
pursued success, would be
prevented from taking part in the Champions League.
UEFA will meet with
national associations on
Monday to explain their
proposals which would mean clubs proving themselves
financially sound and
adequately equipped to host European ties by 2002. UEFA will also insist that clubs must be coached by a UEFA
pro-licence badge holder.
The English Premier League have also received the
document, but are still
examining it before offering their conclusions to UEFA.
Meanwhile, former
St Johnstone man Kieran McAnespie has been rewarded for his excellent start to the season at Fulham with a
call-up to the Scotland
Under-21 squad to face Croatia next month.
Mark Burchill and Kenny Miller will remain in a squad which manager Alex Smith has altered only slightly from the one which won 3-1 in Latvia.
Dundee United goalkeeper Paul Gallagher drops out, as does midfield team-mate James Paterson and Hibs midfielder Ian Murray, but Easter Road striker Tom McManus is added to the squad and Sunderland youngster Kevin Kyle retains his place. They will play at the NK Slaven Belupo Stadium in Koprivnica on Tuesday week. The squad is:
Esson (Aberdeen), Langfield (Dundee), Stewart (Kilmarnock), Caldwell (Newcastle), Canero
(Kilmarnock), Doig (Nottingham
Forest), Fraser (Luton), Jordan
(Bristol City), Neilson (Hearts), Wilkie (Dundee), Cummings (Chelsea), Easton (Dundee United), Hughes (Bournemouth), McAnespie (Fulham), Severin (Hearts), Stewart (Manchester United), Burchill (Celtic), Kyle (Sunderland), McManus (Hibs), Miller (Rangers), Notman (Manchester United), Young (Aberdeen).
