G-14 Wants Players To Be Paid For Internationals - 17/03/02

G-14, the organisation of Europe's top clubs, is asking for compensation when its players are involved in internationals. Driving the desire for a compensation arrangement between the clubs and football authorities is the continual rise of player wages which is threatening a financial crisis. Of course, it is G14's own members which have in part caused the problem. Clubs like Real Madrid, one of the strongest voices in G14, are partly responsible for hyper-inflation in transfer and salary spending. The first priority of the Brussels-based organisation is compensation for releasing players for friendly fixtures.

G-14 was formed after Media Partners, an Italian media company, offered to form a breakaway European league in the 1999-2000 season. G14's unique status as a lobby group is shown in its voting structure. Each club receives three votes as a member, and a further vote for every Uefa Cup or Cup Winners Cup triumph. A further three votes are awarded for every Champions League trophy won, but votes are capped at sixteen to avoid giving clubs with numerous successes too much influence.

Some of its members, e.g., Paris St.-Germain and Marseilles do not justify chief executive Thomas Kurth's claim that G14 should be listened to as it represents 'leading clubs, leading companies in the professional game.' The organisation was relieved that two members, Manchester United and Bayern Munich, qualified for the last eight in the Champions' League. But at least two quarter finalists will be non-members. Arsenal were admitted to the group in September 2002.