Uefa move to include more home-grown players
The News Review:
- Uefa move to include more home-grown players
- Wal-Mart Fires Three Executives for Violating Policy (Update3)
- Shetlands liquor catching on
Uefa move to include more home-grown players
Independent Online – Dec 15, 2004
In essence, this is an attempt by Uefa to find a way around the 1995 Bosman Ruling, which demolished restrictions on the numbers of foreigners playing in a team. That ruling states that any player from within the European Union can play for any club – and in the nine years since the ruling, most major clubs have had fewer and fewer players from their own countries appearing in their colours. But a home-grown policy would, in theory, at least mean that most players developed by a club would be of that club’s nationality – although there are already many examples of top European clubs developing young foreign players through their youth ranks too. Uefa has been having its own discussions at the highest level, but has also opened a link on its web page to encourage a public debate on the issue among football fans. It intends to have a proposal ready for its 52 national member associations at the next congress, to be held in Tallinn, Estonia, next April. Uefa believes the proposed measures will create a better balance in domestic competitions, preventing clubs from simply “hoarding” players in squads…
That ruling states that any player from within the European Union can play for any club – and in the nine years since the ruling, most major clubs have had fewer and fewer players from their own countries appearing in their colours. But a home-grown policy would, in theory, at least mean that most players developed by a club would be of that club’s nationality – although there are already many examples of top European clubs developing young foreign players through their youth ranks too. Uefa has been having its own discussions at the highest level, but has also opened a link on its web page to encourage a public debate on the issue among football fans. It intends to have a proposal ready for its 52 national member associations at the next congress, to be held in Tallinn, Estonia, next April. Uefa believes the proposed measures will create a better balance in domestic competitions, preventing clubs from simply “hoarding” players in squads. They would also create a system whereby home-grown players would get more opportunity to play regularly – thereby ensuring a large reservoir of talent for national teams.
Wal-Mart Fires Three Executives for Violating Policy (Update3)
Bloomberg – Dec 15, 2004
Theterminations come as the company struggles with sluggish holidaysales, community opposition to the opening of stores in somecities, and a major sexual discrimination class action lawsuit. “There's an enormous amount of pressure building up at theexecutive and upper middle management levels to make the companymore like a global fortune 50 company,'' said Richard Hastings,chief economist at Bernard Sands LLC, in Charlotte, NorthCarolina. “They have been a home-grown, home-spun company. They're trying to make sure they look to the future and thatfuture has to include fewer law suits, less negative press, andthe rebound in sales momentum. '' Haworth was among officers who addressed analysts andshareholders at the company's annual meeting in June. He appearedon stage with about a dozen other officers to provide updates onthe company's various divisions. “This development is of concern to us,'' A.
Shetlands liquor catching on
The Age – Dec 15, 2004
Ms Whitfield stumbled across the business opportunity threeyears ago when she went looking for a remote holiday hideaway onthe Shetlands and discovered it did not have its own Scottishwhisky. The former consultant to United Kingdom beverage behemoth Diageois now exporting her unique Shetland vodka, gin and vodka creamliqueur to the world, and Australia is next on the list to beconquered by her company Blackwood Distillers. Whisky production will finally get underway in 2005 when MsWhitfield builds the island’s first distillery – the white spiritshave acted as the cash cow as they don’t need years of maturinglike whisky. Ms Whitfield has arranged with David Jones Ltd to sell the rangethrough its stores, is working on distribution deal with Foster’sGroup Ltd and is also hoping Coles Myer Ltd and Woolworths Ltd willgive the brand exposure after range reviews next February.