View Full Version : Platini postones Champions League decision
Dub13
30-08-2007, 12:12 PM
Link (http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/mhcwojgbeysn/)
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UEFA president Michel Platini has agreed to postpone by a month a decision on sweeping changes to the Champions League after opposition from leagues and clubs.
Platini today unveiled his plans to reserve four places in the group phase of Europe’s top club competition for domestic cup winners from 2009.
A final decision had been due to be taken by UEFA’s executive committee on September 27 but clubs’ and leagues’ representatives asked for more time to present other proposals.
Under Platini’s plan, England, Spain and Italy would have three teams qualifying automatically for the Champions League group stage via their domestic league and their cup winners entering a parallel qualifying competition.
Currently each have the top two teams going straight into the group stage and the next two going through a qualifying round.
Platini presented his proposals in Monaco today to the new Professional Football Strategy Council, made up of representatives of UEFA, the clubs, the leagues and players’ unions.
He told a media briefing afterwards: “We are not changing the format of the Champions League, there is no question of that.
“There are lots of advantages in the current system but under the new system six more countries will be represented in the Champions League and we will go from nine champions to 16.
“Those who win should play rather than those who are richer or have better media rights.
“It will also mean a very significant enhancement of the domestic cups.”
Platini admitted there had been some opposition to his plans but insisted he will stick to his guns.
He added: “We presented this to the strategy council and some members did not view the entrance of the cup winners very favourably.
“The leagues have asked for some time out and have asked whether it will be possible to delay by a month the decision of the executive committee.
“We have agreed to postpone the decision by a month and the leagues and the clubs will make their proposal. I will stick with mine and the executive committee will be able to make the best decision when it meets in November.”
Platini also outlined several other changes he would like to see made to the final of the Champions League from 2009.
He said: “I would like to see 75% of the stadium being reserved for fans.
“After the final in Athens I would like to see the Champions League final played at a weekend. I was very, very disappointed that there were no children in the stadium – on a Wednesday night families do not have the time and if it was on a Saturday then children and families could come.
“I also want the final in future to be in a big, modern stadium with a capacity of about 75,000 people. There is always vast demand for tickets, and people come without tickets and that creates a security problem.”
UEFA are also planning to revamp the UEFA Cup so that it mirrors the format of the Champions League more closely. Under the proposals, the Intertoto Cup would be scrapped.
liverbird!!
30-08-2007, 01:10 PM
He's A Complete W*****!, If Athens is anything to go by, were screwed!!
Call me crazy, but I kinda like the idea's he's throwing about here. And lets give the man some credit, its not like he's marching around like a dictator barking "You do this, you do that, I'm king of the castle" (copyright Borat movie). When he first got elected he was talking about reducing the allocation of the Champions League for England, Spain and Italy to three, now he see's allowing the cup winners in as a sort of compromise, thus still allowing four entrants from England.
And those who say allowing the FA Cup winners in is a bad idea tell me which four individual teams have won the cup since 1996? And think about how the magic of the cup would suddenly be set alight once again. Personally I'm very disappointed by the attitude of some teams to this competition lately. Man U opting out in 1999/00 season, Rafa playing a reserve team in 2004/05, Reading fielding second teams last season, I'm sure I could dig out plenty more if I had the time to look it up or remember. Should the cup winners be allowed into the European Cup, think of how more exciting the FA Cup would become again.
As for scrapping the intertoto cup, he has my vote, and probably the vote of most fans across Europe I would imagine.
His idea of playing the European Cup final at the weekend I feel is not his own idea, but the idea of tens of thousands of football fans who took part in a uefa survey 2 years ago. There was alot of talk back then about playing the final at the weekend, and as far as I know, alot of people submitted this idea under the "Anything to add" section. But the fact that he's proposing to introduce this idea so soon shows a more fast paced progression within the "UEFA family".
But for me, his pledge to play all finals in 75k+ stadia shows a real sign of listening to fans. He knows that Athens was an absolute disaster, but at least he is willing to learn from it and ensure changes are made.
I have no doubt he'll meet major challenges to his proposals from the big clubs, and I have no doubt alot of Reds fans will disagree with them - in particular the FA Cup winners one - because we are in a comfort zone right now where we believe we will always finish in the top four and thus play in the European Cup every year. But sometimes change can be good, and I see alot of good things coming from Platini. Good luck to him, I think he'll need it.
paddyb
31-08-2007, 12:44 PM
there are some very good points to his plan
The final to be staged on a Saturday night from 2009.
Only the biggest, most modern stadia to be used for finals from 2010.
75 per cent of tickets going to ‘real’ fans.
It a good deal for the fans, he is tackling some of the issues that were raised after athens, not doing nothing as uefa normally do
redchariot
02-09-2007, 09:57 PM
I think that the idea of the winner of the FA Cup getting in to the Champions League albeit a qualifying round is a bloody great idea.
As you are aware, the FA Cup has dwindled in popularity and status over the last decade or so and there is no real "magic of the cup" anymore; the bigger teams only put out their 2nd string team for the games and are not really putting the heart into it as much as the old days.
If there is a Champions League spot available for the winners, it would certainly make the FA Cup much more lucrative
On top of that, I also think that the winners of the UEFA Cup should also be given a Champions League spot; it would give that competition a bit more attraction also
Dub13
02-09-2007, 10:26 PM
Still not sure about the FA cup idea but I have to say I like the idea of the winners of the UEFA Cup be given a Champions League spot.
SUPERFAN
02-09-2007, 10:39 PM
i've been saying for Years now that the Winners of the FA Cup should get a CL Spot,it's a great Idea.
i also think that the Teams who finish 3rd-6th should go in to a Play Off Situation for the Final CL Spot
Malzheimer
03-09-2007, 09:48 AM
i've been saying for Years now that the Winners of the FA Cup should get a CL Spot,it's a great Idea.
i also think that the Teams who finish 3rd-6th should go in to a Play Off Situation for the Final CL Spot
The FA cup winners possibly yes but 6th place in the champions league?? Thats potentially the Bitters or Blackburn meriting a place......not for me
Dub13
11-09-2007, 08:12 PM
Link (http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/mhcwqlmhsnau/)
Liverpool and Manchester United have formally declared their opposition to UEFA president Michel Platini’s plans for domestic cup winners to qualify for the Champions League.
The English clubs were the most outspoken opponents to the proposals among the 102 members of the European Club Forum who met in Nyon, Switzerland, today.
There was a general acceptance of Platini’s proposals to secure more places in the group stages of the competition for champions of the smaller leagues in Europe, but opinion was divided over his plan for cup winners.
UEFA communications director William Gaillard told PA Sport: “The most opposed to those proposals were Liverpool and Manchester United – they do not want to see a change to the format at all.
“Across the top seven countries however opinion was mixed. The Italians are strongly in favour because they want to revamp their cup competition, the Spanish and the French said it should be up to their FAs to decide, while the Germans were split among themselves.
“The clubs from the smaller countries were generally in agreement.”
The board of the forum will now decide whether to suggest counter-proposals to UEFA, who will decide on any changes at an executive committee meeting in November.
Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon is a member of the forum’s board but he would not take such a strong position as the other two English clubs.
I think the F.A cup winners getting a place is a joke. One of the top 4 usually win it so where does the place go then? Back to the league or to the runners up. Imagine Millwall in the european cup. Just like the bitters they'll lose in the qualifing round thus reducing English teams overall seeding. Eventually 4 places may become 3 anyway.
Forgot to add, the winners of the UEFA cup should be giving a place ok. This would motivate the teams in this comp and at least we know they can be competitive.
Garrett
12-09-2007, 01:51 PM
Hi
I also like the idea of the UEFA Cup winners getting an automatic place, lets face it they are probably doing more to qualify for the CL than half the teams that do get into the CL each year.
The FA Cup idea is not a bad one, as it would give the lesser teams a chance to try and compete, in turn perhaps helping them earn extra income etc.
As for Saturday Night Football from 2009, we might aswell, sure the Yanks have been going on about Saturday Night Football for years now ... guess it keeps them out of the pubs etc ;) :D
Only using large stadiums & more control over where the tickets go would be very important and again, suggestions I like ....
Though when all is said and done, Liverbird sums it all up quite well by reminding all of us what happened in Athens etc !
Dub13
12-09-2007, 02:06 PM
On a side note there are only 5/6 grounds in Europe who would meet all the UEFA guidelines and have a capacity of over 75k with Croke Park been one.
On a side note there are only 5/6 grounds in Europe who would meet all the UEFA guidelines and have a capacity of over 75k with Croke Park been one.
Croke Park would be shite for atmosphere though with no fans behind one of the goals, i dont think they'd put in bucket seats for a euro final.
Dub13
17-09-2007, 12:01 PM
Croke Park would be shite for atmosphere though with no fans behind one of the goals, i dont think they'd put in bucket seats for a euro final.
I think the FAI got a dispensation for bucket seats on Hill 16,I could be wrong but I think I read it somewhere.It had something to do with the Hill been built with bucket seats in mind.
Kopite
17-09-2007, 02:52 PM
Croke park is a joke of a stadium, typically something that an Irish organisation would build. I was in it for a Louth gaelic match this year and I got soaking wet to the skin. I actually had a plaster cast on my leg and it was the only time in 6 weeks the leg got wet. It cant be a great stadium if you get soaking wet for the want of a dam roof. I was bitter at getting wet for about 3 weeks :mad: And I was't in on the hill either, I was sitting in the lower cusack. Having said all that Liverpool in a champs league final in croke poark would be great :D
I think the FAI got a dispensation for bucket seats on Hill 16,I could be wrong but I think I read it somewhere.It had something to do with the Hill been built with bucket seats in mind.
Yep, they got that dispensation alright, already had bucket seats installed there last March for the two qualifying games.
It cant be a great stadium if you get soaking wet for the want of a dam roof.
Agree that its a disaster of a set up with the roof, you'd wonder what the point was in only building a roof that only covers half the stand. Any atmostphere that could be built up immediately leaves the ground, might as well be playing in an open bowl stadium in that respect
redchariot
19-09-2007, 07:06 PM
Not only that, why build a perfectly good stadium 80% around the pitch and leave the last bit open. I know there is a whole history behind Hill 16 but if that bit was built like the rest of the ground, Croke Park would surely be one of the best stadiums in Europe. I think it looks awful with that open end.
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