[KillerMax]

Palermo and Reggina have labelled English sides as “pirates” ready to poach the peninsula’s best youngsters.

Chelsea stirred controversy when they lured Reggina’s 15-year-old talent Vincenzo Camilleri back in February and Atalanta were aggrieved when Newcastle swooped for teenage striker Fabio Zamblera.

Zamparini has hit out at the practice of signing young players who are yet to become professionals and offering little or no compensation as “like pirates taking treasure.”

“It’s a shame that they opt for the youngsters when they have the means to buy them when they are fully developed,” the Rosanero chief roared on BBC Radio Five Live.

“These clubs already have the best players in the world. It is wrong to rob these young stars from other clubs who live off growing talent.

“It means that a club like Palermo take on a boy when he is 12-years-old, he progresses through the youth academy, then when he gets to 16 or 17 and can sign his first professional deal, he gets taken away.

“The club that raised the player gets nothing. This is profoundly wrong. First of all you’re harming the boys who are not ready to go to a different country and economically they are seriously harming the clubs in question.”

UEFA President Michel Platini has promised to try and stop the market in players as they reach their 16th birthdays.

“The first contract a player signs should be with the club who trains him,” the Frenchman insisted.

“I really don’t like it when a club like Lugano, Geneva, Brescia or Nancy train a player and then they are bought by richer clubs when they are 16. We are going to fight it.”

Reggina chief Lillo Foti clearly hasn’t forgotten the departure of starlet Camilleri, which prompted the Calabrians to register an official complaint.

“There is a barbaric attitude that shows no respect to other clubs who work with dedication to develop young players,” he raged.

“Once upon a time there was pillaging, and this is something similar in that there are still wild people who use their power to reach their objectives.

“In some respects it’s a type of corruption – they’ve corrupted the family and they’ve corrupted the boy.”

Football Italia

[KillerMax]

I fully agree. It's just not cool to do this. Whether it be from Reggina or some team in Finland. It's not ethical and it's pretty much stealing.

[dst]

I think it's unethical too but it depends on the youngsters themselves... if they want to go, who can stop them?

[kurtsimonw]

I think it's completely wrong. I think the only way to stop it would be to stop teams signing players under 18 years of age or something, this would benefit football in two ways in my opinion: 1) It would force teams to rely more on there own youth system and 2) it would allow smaller teams to keep their young stars that're coming through and then profit from them when they do choose to sell.

But I don't like the way they're just blaming EPL sides. We're not the only ones that do it. All big teams do. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

This post has been edited by kurtsimonw: Apr 1 2008, 07:59 PM

[Jack Sparrow]

I think so too. But Arsenal have started a trend.

[kurtsimonw]

Don't Arsenal buy all their players though? I always thought they just paid for them ratehr than taking them at 15/16.

Anyways, UEFA do need to do something about this, it really isn't right.

[whoarethepatriot...]

Don't Arsenal buy all their players though? I always thought they just paid for them ratehr than taking them at 15/16.

Anyways, UEFA do need to do something about this, it really isn't right.

No, Arsenal have stolen a fair bunch of youngsters, Cesc, Fran Merida, Arturo Lupoli (not playing there anymore), i am pretty sure Vitto Mannone was stolen too

[kurtsimonw]

I didn't realise they stole Fabregas, I thought Barca just let him go. What about Carlos Vela, did they buy or steal him? (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[Bluesummers]

I didn't realise they stole Fabregas, I thought Barca just let him go. What about Carlos Vela, did they buy or steal him? (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

vela is from mexico. I'm sure they purchased him.

[jefri91]

vela is from mexico.  I'm sure they purchased him.

Vela is Portuguese isnt he?

[kurtsimonw]

Nope, Mexican. He's already played for the national team I think.