Platini plans to reduce England's Champions League teams to three

[Cunny]

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2006/10/...uce_englan.html

 

Platini plans to reduce England's Champions League teams to three

 

France legend Michel Platini has a radical vision for the future of European football.

Kevin McCarraOctober 21, 2006 01:00 AM

Michel Platini always knew how to run a match and now he wants to run the game itself. He was in London yesterday to step up his campaign for the presidency of Uefa. As befits the winner of the European footballer-of-the-year award for three years from 1983 to 1985, he reminded everyone of his greater affinity with players past and present than with bureaucrats by inviting along Gary Lineker and Thierry Henry. The affability, however, does not stop him from threatening to cut the Premiership's current representation in the Champions League.

 

Platini believes no country should be allowed more than three teams in the competition. The Premiership has four in action currently, although two needed to come through a qualifying round. With Italy and Spain also entitled to a quartet, while France and Germany have three apiece, five countries could in theory occupy 18 of the 32 slots in the group phase.

 

Uefa is made up of 52 associations, with many of them unlikely ever to see one of their clubs participating in the Champions League proper. Should three places be the absolute maximum for any nation? "That's my idea," said Platini. The handful of major countries may well be alienated by that policy but, as he reminds everyone, there are 52 votes to be cast.

 

The deadline for nominations is Wednesday, but so far he is the only challenger to the incumbent Lennart Johannson. The election will take place in Düsseldorf on January 27. Johansson, 76, has been in office since 1990. The Frenchman was mildly surprised to discover the septuagenarian, who has had health problems, appearing on the ballot paper.

 

"I think he is a very courageous man," said Platini, "but he told me two years ago that he would retire to enjoy his family. I think the people who are pushing him to stand are not so courageous." This may well be an important factor since there are football figures who doubt whether Johansson has the vigour to head Uefa beyond his 80th birthday.

 

Platini, 51, makes good-natured jokes about his own age: "My hair is gone, I've got a big belly," he said. "It's time to be president." As a member of Fifa's executive committee, though, he is no innocent. In fact, he intends to wield far more power than Johansson has done by turning the presidency of Uefa into an executive role.

 

Platini has a light touch, but his aim is radical since it could sideline the administrators who, by and large, control Uefa. There would, for instance, be a great reduction in the scope of the current chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson.

 

Platini would like Uefa to be more like Fifa, where the president Sepp Blatter rules the roost. Some already feel he has been too close to Blatter, but Platini insists that the Swiss has been good for football. The challenger to Johansson has many ideas, but will have to show that they form a coherent view of the course the game should take off the field.

 

Previously, Platini has thought most about the game on the pitch. He was instrumental, as part of a task force, in decreeing that goalkeepers should not be allowed to handle pass backs. At present, he argues for giving the referee four assistants instead of two, with a pair of them responsible only for judging off-side decisions. This, he feels, is a better solution than introducing technology.

 

Some will mock that notion. He has work ahead, too, if he is to prove his vision of administration is practical. Platini is suspicious of the involve-ment with politicians that saw Uefa co-operate with the European Union on an independent review. After the Bosman ruling, and with the G14 clubs backing the legal case for compensation when a player is hurt on international duty, Platini dreams of football settling its affairs internally.

 

He sees the new G14 president David Dein, the Arsenal vice-chairman, as someone who can work with the football authorities. Platini's vision is of harmony brought about by every section of football, including players, clubs, Uefa and Fifa, agreeing a charter under which they will operate. "It will not be easy, it might take 10 years," he said. If elected, Platini knows he must be there for the long haul.

 

Michel Platini

 

Age 51

 

Nickname

 

Platoche

 

Image

 

Handsome, brooding Gaul

 

Playing career

 

Three titles and European Cup with Juventus. European Championship winner. 72 caps for France

 

Gongs

 

Knight of the Légion d'honneur. European Footballer of the year three times in a row

 

Friends

 

Sepp Blatter. Diego Maradona

 

Speciality

 

Organising tournaments. TV punditry. Carrying Winter Olympic flames

 

Hobbies

 

Smoking

 

Quote

 

'What Zidane can do with a football, Maradona could do with an orange'

 

Lennart Johansson

 

Age

 

76

 

Nickname

 

Lennart

 

Image

 

Rotund, schoolteacher-ish Scandinavian

 

Playing career

 

None

 

Gongs

 

Supreme Companion of OR Tambo (South Afirca). Winner of presitigious European Broadcasting Union award

 

Friends

 

Lars-Christer Olsson (fellow Uefa bigwig)

 

Speciality

 

Running football associations

 

Hobbies

 

Fishing and music

 

Quote

 

'Sometimes you cry and sometimes you're happy. These are the things that make football such a great game'

[Tosh]

seems like a vote winner

 

Get 4 extra places for the "lesser" associations to ensure their votes

 

get four "qualifying standard" teams in the group phase to see a few drubbings....

[Kahnee]

We could always go back to a competition for winners of each federation's top division

[Gomez]

seems like a vote winner

 

Get 4 extra places for the "lesser" associations to ensure their votes

 

get four "qualifying standard" teams in the group phase to see a few drubbings....

 

Can't see the G14 having any of that.

[John am Rhein]

He should reduce it to one

[Cunny]

the G14 will throw their toys out of the pram and breakaway if he attempts to introduce this

[Stevie H]

the G14 will throw their toys out of the pram and breakaway if he attempts to introduce this

absolutely. he's calling the smaller associations' bluffs and attempting to secure their votes. his plan will never fly.

 

that said, anyone will do in replacing that warthog johansson.

[Buzz]

We could always go back to a competition for winners of each federation's top division

I know we won when we didn't win our league etc but I wouldn't mind if it went back to this to be honest. Uefa cup for also rans etc. or introduce another european cup.

Besides, I bet he wouldn't be taking this stance if France had four and not just three.

[Maldini]

Platini is a dick

[floyd]

Platini is a dick

Correct. But what a player

[Stevie H]

Platini is a dick

he's metamorphing into gerard depardieu.

[Benzo-13]

Correct. But what a player

 

He's on the second or third tier of all-time greatness.

[Stevie H]

He's on the second or third tier of all-time greatness.

top tier for me.

[Benzo-13]

top tier for me.

 

He was nothing without Giresse or Tigana though..

[growler]

I hate the headline. Its not just england, but spain and italy.

 

In all honesty, it does seem a bit strange whya few countries have 4. I think having 3 would be better.

[Guest Barcamania]

I hate the headline. Its not just england, but spain and italy.

 

In all honesty, it does seem a bit strange whya few countries have 4. I think having 3 would be better.

I don't agree at all. For me it is important that all best teams are in Champions League. If the name is incorrect, then you can find another name and replace that Champions part, that's it.

Now, look at some teams in Champions League. They're the champions of their countries, but the results are embarassing for their leagues. The teams like Sevilla, Palermo are not in top 4 of their leagues, but they're far better than the likes of COpenhagen, Dynamo Kiev, Galatasaray, Levski etc.

3 teams? Hell, then who will take those 3 places?

What a crap idea. That will ruin the tournament IMHO.

PS Platini is a dick.

[zimmie4444]

He has very sad eyes. To me, it looks like he's carrying the burden of a hidden pain or anguish. Poor man.

 

I hate the headline. Its not just england, but spain and italy.

 

The Guardian's turned into a tabloid. The headline is trying to induce a bit of xenophobia. I'm all for having just the champions of each country, and I believe that's what Platini's always been in favour of too if you look at some of his previous interviews. I guess that's impossible now though.

 

 

I don't agree at all. For me it is important that all best teams are in Champions League. If the name is incorrect, then you can find another name and replace that Champions part, that's it.

 

Now, look at some teams in Champions League. They're the champions of their countries, but the results are embarassing for their leagues. The teams like Sevilla, Palermo are not in top 4 of their leagues, but they're far better than the likes of COpenhagen, Dynamo Kiev, Galatasaray, Levski etc.

3 teams? Hell, then who will take those 3 places?

 

The results are embarrasing because all the leagues with the exception of the Premiership, La Liga, Serie A, and possibly Bundesliga have been diluted as a result of the Champions League expansions. Their sides have been raided and clubs which had formerly produced great teams like Dinamo Kiev, Steaua Bucharest etc., and even BIG clubs such as Celtic and Ajax will never be able to sustain a challenge year after year because of their geography alone. The Champions League has manipulated an elite of teams that belong in the leagues where the money is, and in my opinion, football is worst off because of it.

Edited October 21, 2006 by zimmie4444

[Maldini]

He has very sad eyes. To me, it looks like he's carrying the burden of a hidden pain or anguish. Poor man.

The Guardian's turned into a tabloid. The headline is trying to induce a bit of xenophobia. I'm all for having just the champions of each country, and I believe that's what Platini's always been in favour of too if you look at some of his previous interviews. I guess that's impossible now though.

The results are embarrasing because all the leagues with the exception of the Premiership, La Liga, Serie A, and possibly Bundesliga have been diluted as a result of the Champions League expansions. Their sides have been raided and clubs which had formerly produced great teams like Dinamo Kiev, Steaua Bucharest etc., and even BIG clubs such as Celtic and Ajax will never be able to sustain a challenge year after year because of their geography alone. The Champions League has manipulated an elite of teams that belong in the leagues where the money is, and in my opinion, football is worst off because of it.

Kiev and Bucharest were only good because of Communism in the first place. The rich clubs have always been the rich clubs, the likes of Liverpool and United have always had more money than Ajax or Celtic, but as the money came in the gap widened. The Champions League is a symptom of the problem rather than the cause.

[zimmie4444]

It exarcebates the problem though. It's true about communism strengthening clubs like Steaua and Dinamo Kiev, but there were others too. Sides like Celtic (60's), Liverpool (70's), Forest, St. Etienne, Moenchengladbach, and Ajax all produced great sides by having expert coaches and managers, and producing great players rather than buying and collecting them. Now, the richer clubs get richer still, and clubs who should be able to compete in terms of fan base and profile, are left in the trail because they happen to play in a smaller league. The group of elite clubs will become a closed shop, and ultimately, competition will dissapate, if it hasn't already eroded completely. I don't want football to be a game where there are only 4/5 clubs from 3/4 countries who can compete. At the moment, there is still a route to the top for any club, but the rich club's are trying to burn all the bridges, and UEFA and FIFA have to act soon before we reach that situation. It might be impossible to deal with ultimately, but they can at least make an attempt to make sure there is competition throughout the game.

[Guest Scot]

I don't agree at all. For me it is important that all best teams are in Champions League. If the name is incorrect, then you can find another name and replace that Champions part, that's it.

Now, look at some teams in Champions League. They're the champions of their countries, but the results are embarassing for their leagues. The teams like Sevilla, Palermo are not in top 4 of their leagues, but they're far better than the likes of COpenhagen, Dynamo Kiev, Galatasaray, Levski etc.

3 teams? Hell, then who will take those 3 places?

What a crap idea. That will ruin the tournament IMHO.

PS Platini is a dick.

 

Cyclical. Top sides get into the European Cup=get more money=get good player=repeat. In the old days there was a far wider spread of talent.

[el_berto]

We could always go back to a competition for winners of each federation's top division

You mean a European competition of Champions from domestic leagues from around Europe? Maybe They could put a league format in to it. Then they could call it "The Champion's League"

[Guest Barcamania]

To all people who replied to me.

I'm against this decision. I didn't say that money didn't change things! But even if you make 3 teams from big leagues, would it change the situation? NO, it will make tournament less inetersting, that's all!

And even if you take ONLY CHAMPIONS, the truth is all good players will want to get more money in big leagues and nothing will change dramatically, except that the tournament would be s****.

The only chance of small clubs would be their luck to be drawn with even weaker champions and at the end to avoid them. And may be a fluke win...

[John am Rhein]

The only chance of small clubs would be their luck to be drawn with even weaker champions and at the end to avoid them. And may be a fluke win...

 

Like 1968?

[Stevie H]

To all people who replied to me.

I'm against this decision. I didn't say that money didn't change things! But even if you make 3 teams from big leagues, would it change the situation? NO, it will make tournament less inetersting, that's all!

And even if you take ONLY CHAMPIONS, the truth is all good players will want to get more money in big leagues and nothing will change dramatically, except that the tournament would be s****.

The only chance of small clubs would be their luck to be drawn with even weaker champions and at the end to avoid them. And may be a fluke win...

do you remember the european cup when it was only the champions of each domestic league competing for it? or are you too young? it was a fantastic competition full of mystery and even adventure.

[Guest Barcamania]

do you remember the european cup when it was only the champions of each domestic league competing for it? or are you too young? it was a fantastic competition full of mystery and even adventure.

it's a nostalgy, NO WAY YOU CAN RETURN THOSE DAYS!

3 teams from big 3 will make tournament weaker, less interesting.

Those days it was an adventure because there wasn't such globalization etc