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UFL Hosts Professional Football Development Workshop

 

Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser, Vice Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the UAE Football League (UFL) hosted a Professional Football Development Workshop today at Yas Hotel to discuss a number of important issues affecting professional football in the UAE.

The Workshop was attended by Sheikh Ahmad Bin Naser Al Nahyan, Al Wahda Club Vice Chairman, UFL Chairman Dr. Tariq Al Tayer, UFL Board Members, Club representatives, coaches, technicians and football experts.

Addressing the attendees, UFL Chairman Dr Tariq Al Tayer said, "The UFL's role is to communicate with the football community about the issues affecting the development of our professional game, with the aim of creating shared recommendations that we can progress forward."

The first topic on the Workshop's schedule was the number of local players in professional teams. Currently the approved number is 45 players which is much higher than many other countries and can have the following negative impacts:

  • Players are registered without being actively involved in the club
  • Increases the financial expenditure of clubs
  • Stock-piling of players so they can't move to rival clubs
  • Players can move to the larger clubs for material gain without having an active participation in the Club.

 

After extensive discussion by the club representatives in attendance, the majority agreed on a reduction in the number of players allowed to be signed to individual clubs. A final decision will be made following the UFL's General Assembly meeting in the coming month.

The second topic on the Workshop agenda was the number of foreign players allowed per club. In the UFL's first season, three foreign players were allowed in the First Team and two in the Reserve Team. This was then changed in the second year to four foreign players 3+1 ( 3 foreign players and one Asian), whilst the current season it is 3+2+2 ( First Team, Reserve League and 18 years team).

The Workshop discussed the positive aspects of registering three foreign players, which included:

  • There will be no foreign player sitting on the bench without participating in matches
  • An additional local player will be registered
  • The financial burden on the clubs will be reduced

 

After much discussion, the majority of clubs agreed that the registration of three players +1 ( Asian) and that the 4th player has to participate in the game.

The Professional Football Development Workshop also addressed the topic of increasing the number of professional teams from 12 to 14.  Most of the clubs agreed on the increase, with the exception of Al Nasr. It was decided that the issue would be raised at the General Assembly and if approved, will be applied from the 2012-13 season.