Former CEO of the National Sports Institute Elite Danish, Danmark team, Michael Andersen, says in an interview with FlashScore that he is very critical of a new recruitment policy approved by the Danish Football Federation (DBU).

The Danish Football Federation, last week, adopted a number of changes to the rules for children’s club transfers and youth players, who came into force on July 1. So far, clubs have been legally allowed to approach other clubs to recruit players after reaching the sub-13 level, but the Danish Armed Forces have now changed the rule to include under-10 players.

“We know that early recruitment of players can be difficult, and as long as children thrive in their local environment, it is best to wait to change your club. However, if clubs still want to recruit, children have better safety that change will suit them with new rules,” says Danish FA.

FA Danish going against their principles

The new rules have sparked outrage by prominent Danish sports, including former Danish Sports Institute of Sports Institute, Danmark, Michael Andersen, who explains his dissatisfaction with the proposal.

“Historically, the Danish Fa were one of the first to see age -related training concepts, where you see what children need at different levels of age. I see quite incredible that the federation now introduces rules that go fully against the Danish Sports Association (Dansk Idræts Forbund), where children should stay in the local clubs,” Michael Anderssen.

“The trend is that clubs are buying players earlier and earlier because they have to respect the ‘Homegrown Player’ rule, and there are examples of players who were bought before they had their debut in the Danish Super League. FA Danish is supposed to set rules to protect children’s well -being in football throughout the country. But with this proposal, they run actions for the clubs in the Danish Super League merely from a financial perspective, “ says Michael Andersen.

Children risk losing the joy of football

If a club recruits a player at the level of sub-10 to the sub-12 year old, it must be committed to offering player training and first team matches until the player reaches the level under 15, says the Danish FA. But this is total folly, says Team Danmark’s former -ceo.

“FA Danish says the clubs are committed to offering players’ training and matches in the first team until the player reaches the under 15 years, but who will control it? That makes no sense in absolutely.”

“What is essential is if you manage to keep the joy children have when playing football. For now, there is only room for 11 players on a football team. There are research that it is very difficult to predict who will go all the way. You risk losing their children and are not chosen,” says Andersen.

Andersen also shows that new rules challenge roles for parents. “This changes parents’ behavior because they indirectly press on children’s performance. Some children can handle it, but in the long run, I think children, even those with talent, will lose their joy if the system gets too tight too early.”

Andersen’s comments are supported by a broad post on LinkedIn by former Danish national team captain William Kvistwho says commercialization in football has come out wild at the expense of children’s well -being.

“We’ve forgotten about 99% of the population”

“We have created a football culture in Denmark, where everything is about finding a percentage that will continue to play on the national team and large foreign clubs. But we have forgotten something important along the way: 99%more!”

“When everything is about finding the right person who is good enough to play in the national team jersey, sports for children turn into a matter of pressure, expectation and selection rather than playing, community and excellent experiences.”

Danish Minister of Culture, Jakob Engel-Schmidt, also has harsh words about the new recruitment rules that are now in use.

“I have to say, I’m very skeptical about the new rules that have been introduced now. It seems that the Danish Federation has completely given up recruiting when they set rules like this.

“Children should be allowed to be children. And they should be allowed to be children for a long time. The age limit for recruiting 13 years should not have been changed.”

FA Danish says they are prepared to discuss new rules with the Minister of Culture.