MSPs ‘risk turning poorer kids away from football’
EXCLUSIVE
ALLOA chairman Mike Mulraney fears poorer children will be driven out of football if compensation fees for youth players are scrapped.
MSPs have voiced ‘serious concerns’ over players under 16 becoming the subject of bidding wars when they want to change clubs.
attacking the exploitation of youngsters paid a pound a week by some clubs, Holyrood’s public petitions committee accused SPFL chief neil Doncaster and SFA director of football governance andrew McKinlay of administering a
Scottish youth football system branded ‘absurd’ and ‘insane’. David Little of the Scottish Youth Football Association told of one young player being the subject of a bidding war before being sold for £30,000, adding: ‘We shouldn’t have the auction of a child.’ Insisting compensation is the only way lower-league clubs can afford to run a youth academy, however, Alloa owner Mulraney argues ending the system would lead to teams charging kids to play football, telling Sportsmail: ‘If we have a kid who has been training at Alloa for three or four years and Hearts want him, Hearts will give us a figure to help us maintain a youth system. ‘If that compensation goes why would any club like us have a youth system? We would lose money. The politicians and authorities are concerned that we are “charging” for children. ‘What we’re actually doing is compensating each other for training costs. If we don’t, clubs like us will find it difficult to operate academies. And what we will then be forced to do, is charge kids for the right to play. ‘The problem with that arises where kids come from a socially-deprived economic background. ‘I don’t know of a youth system in Scotland that breaks even. The only way that could happen if the compensation system goes is to charge the kids to train with us. But then how are they going to afford to train?’ New SFA performance director Malky Mackay has been charged with the task of rolling out Project Brave, a new plan to save grassroots football. Concerned participation rates in the game will fall through if clubs can no longer afford to train kids, Mulraney urged the committee to think through the policy before recommending change. ‘I accept that MSPs have a role in ensuring society operates properly,’ he continued. ‘But where this issue is concerned they need to be a bit better informed and take a view on what is in the best long-term interests of these children? ‘Do we want football to be a game for everybody? Or a game purely for those who can afford it?’ The row comes as the SFA announced a new Good Governance Grant of £400,000 clubs as part of £10million invested in member clubs. ‘Our investment in our members in 2016 demonstrates our continuing commitment to developing Scottish football,’ said chief executive Stewart Regan.