Soccer-Platini wants foreign player quotas but won't fight EU

By Mike Collett

ZAGREB, Jan 31 (Reuters) - UEFA president Michel Platini said on Thursday that while he agreed in principle with imposing limits on the number of foreign players in a team, he would not fight against European law to have quotas imposed.

Platini, speaking at a news briefing after the end of his first UEFA Congress as president, repeated his view that in an ideal world quotas would be imposed to preserve the national identities of clubs.

But he added: "Even though I share the view that there should be restrictions, it is very difficult for me as the president of UEFA to go and fight against the European Union and the laws of Europe. I cannot take on headlong the EU."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who wants a rule of six home grown players plus a maximum of five foreigners in a team told delegates he was still pursuing the line and it would be on the agenda of the FIFA Congress in Sydney in May.

"We must protect the national identity of clubs," Blatter said. "Clubs no longer have their own national players in their ranks, and we need to strengthen the clubs and then the national teams."

The authorities however, are hamstrung by EU law which forbids any discrimination by nationality.

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