Platini's CL Plans Look Set To Fail

[Guest petelfc]

UEFA president Michel Platini's proposals for domestic cup winners to qualify for the Champions League are facing defeat.

Platini has failed to receive strong support from the national associations.

 

A meeting last week of the six biggest associations in Europe, including the Football Association, provided Platini with only lukewarm backing for his plans.

 

As a result a compromise is expected to be put forward where each association would decide themselves if the cup winners should replace the lowest league qualifier for Europe's top club tournament.

 

In England, that would almost certainly maintain the status quo of four clubs qualifying from the Premier League.

 

However, Platini will not budge on his determination to reserve six Champions League group spots for the champions from the bottom 40 countries among UEFA's 53 members.

 

The likely effect of that change would mean the fourth-placed side in England playing two qualification rounds instead of one.

 

William Gaillard, UEFA's communications director and Platini's special adviser, said: "The principle of more champions from mid-sized countries is the core of the project and there will not be a compromise on that.

 

"The proposals for the domestic cups are very much the icing on the cake.

 

"The president is very pragmatic about that. The large associations would prefer for the proposal to be delayed by two or three years due to commercial contracts that would have to be altered."

 

The changes will be discussed at a meeting of UEFA's strategy council on Monday involving representatives of the clubs, the leagues and the players as well as UEFA's top brass.

 

Platini's hope is that by giving way on the domestic cup winner proposal he will persuade the council to back his plans to reserve the six group-phase places.

 

One strategy council member said: "There was a key meeting involving the six big associations from Europe last week but only the Italians were very keen on the domestic cup proposal for the Champions League.

 

"All the others said they would want it delayed by a few years."

 

Meanwhile, Gaillard said he was surprised by reports that G14, the grouping of elite clubs in Europe, were threatening a breakaway competition if Platini pushed through his reforms.

 

Gaillard added: "Relations with the big clubs have never been as good as they are today as a result of the dialogue we have through the club forum and the strategy council.

 

"We have talked to many clubs and we have not had any suggest this."

 

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/06112007/1/p...k-set-fail.html

 

[Stevie H]

as he knew they would. got him a lot of favour with the 'lesser' nations within uefa though.

[Woodsyla]

The likely effect of that change would mean the fourth-placed side in England playing two qualification rounds instead of one.

 

I'd have no problem with that though

[Guest petelfc]

I'd have no problem with that though

 

Me neither. The 2nd round qualifier would be against very poor opposition and more like a pre season friendly.

Edited November 6, 2007 by petelfc

[fyds]

We all knew he'd get nowhere fast with his proposals - expecting Turkey's to vote for Christmas. Like it or not, fans, TV companies and sponsors want to see the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Juventus, PSV, AC Milan, Barca etc in the CL and on their screens - no-one is really craving to see FC Sporting Bonk or Macedonical Minge SV.

[Kindred]

Domestic cup winners will not get to play in the Champions League after a proposal from Uefa chief Michel Platini was rejected, BBC Sport understands.

 

But the team finishing third in the Premier League will now go straight into the group stages and the fourth team will face two qualifying rounds.

 

here

[Rimbeux]

I'd have no problem with that though

 

Was there a plan to alter the way the draw was seeded, some attempt to play off the stronger nations 4th and 3rd placed sides off against each other?

[Gilps]

William Gaillard, UEFA's communications director and Platini's special adviser, said: "The principle of more champions from mid-sized countries is the core of the project and there will not be a compromise on that.

 

well, that's a far more sensible proposal than letting cup winners in. Can't see either happening in practice though.

[MFletcher]

Arsenal beat Slavia Prague 7-0. We beat Besiktas 8-0.

 

I wonder what would happen if we came up against even poorer opposition in the same sort of form. We could be looking at double figures in some games.

[charlie clown]

no-one is really craving to see FC Sporting Bonk or Macedonical Minge SV.

 

speak for yerself.

[ManxRed]

no-one is really craving to see FC Sporting Bonk.

 

Hey! Don't diss my local team!

[wacko]

Silly idea. It's not just the dumping of some of Europe's strongest sides into mickey-mouse games, there's the chance that CL money going to just one club from smaller, poorer leagues could hugely upset the competition in those leagues. So Total Network Solutions finds itself in the CL group stage and pocket a few million. What will that mean for the rest of the Welsh league?

[ManxRed]

I see Platini is now spouting off about how he doesn't want England to host the WC in 2018. Apart from him being a xenophobic little pr*ck (does that me a xenophobe for calling him that, what with him being French and that?), has he got any influence over that anyway? Isn't that for FIFA to assess?

 

The sooner Platini fecks off the better.

[John am Rhein]

I suppose if UEFA don't back an England bid it'll be dead in the water.

 

Platini doesn't seem to be saying exactly why he's against an England bid - or in fact if he's against it at all; he just seems to be refusing to say he'll back it.

 

Chances are he's got some influence-peddling scheme planned and this will involve getting several countries (including England) to compete for his favour.

[Rimbeux]

I see Platini is now spouting off about how he doesn't want England to host the WC in 2018. Apart from him being a xenophobic little pr*ck (does that me a xenophobe for calling him that, what with him being French and that?), has he got any influence over that anyway? Isn't that for FIFA to assess?

 

The sooner Platini fecks off the better.

 

He has a voice, but the momentum is with England. It's going to Europe that much is near certain, and it's probably England or Russia, with Russia wanting the Euros first and foremost. Platini is just being arsey because he's been slapped down at the first opportunity. One quote was interesting from I think an English club administrator, some thing about UEFA wanting to be a regulator when FIFA and the national FA's would rather they stick to organising competitions and leave legislation to them.

[growler]

is it going to Europe? I thought australia were looking strong for 2018

[Rimbeux]

is it going to Europe? I thought australia were looking strong for 2018

 

 

The whole point of ending rotation was so it went back to Europe every other cup as had previously been the case before the changes made to give it to Sth Africa in 2010, with part of the price for that being it went to Sth America next, meaning Brazil as no other country could host it. They pick the hosts and work the conditions to suit.

[Bailo]

I see Platini is now spouting off about how he doesn't want England to host the WC in 2018. Apart from him being a xenophobic little pr*ck (does that me a xenophobe for calling him that, what with him being French and that?), has he got any influence over that anyway? Isn't that for FIFA to assess?

 

The sooner Platini fecks off the better.

Has he actually said he doesn't want England to host? As the comments I read were that he wasn't going to be brought into a debate yet.

 

I still don't understand why Holland is being considered by UEFA as a rival for the World Cup as seeing as they had the Euros in 2000. Same with the US and Japan, who appear to be ready to mount bids.