The proposed restructuring of the Champions League, which emerged from Uefa’s
strategy council meeting on Monday and which will probably be rubber-stamped
by the executive this month, has been perceived as a significant rebuff for
Michel Platini, the man elected as Uefa president in January. But the former
World Player of the Year, speaking yesterday in a room overlooking Lake
Geneva at the Uefa headquarters, did not resemble a man who had suffered a
humiliation.
“You have to compromise,” the 52-year-old said with a Gallic shrug of the
shoulders. It is a lesson that will need to remain at the forefront of his
mind as he comes to terms with the reality that the commercial power of the
leading clubs permits precious little room for manoeuvre for the
democratically elected head of football’s governing body in Europe.
Although Platini has been forced to drop plans to open the Champions League to
domestic cup-winners, there is at least some truth in his assertion that
this amounts to a strategic concession in pursuit of his vision to spread
power more equally across Europe. Noises emanating from the organisation’s
Nyon base in recent weeks made clear that Platini was always prepared to
drop the cup proposal to secure his manifesto commitment to open the
competition to more champions from the smaller leagues. From 2009, six group
places will be taken by the league winners from Europe’s weaker countries.
“Why hold out for a bone when you have the steak?” William Gaillard, Platini’s
adviser, who was present during the interview, said. Indeed, Platini
strongly implied that the cup proposal was essentially a bargaining chip in
his poker game with the big clubs. “The idea of having cup-winners was a
personal fantasy,” he said, “but it was necessary to open the door to the
other reforms. Maybe we can try this idea again in three years.”
Another benefit of Platini’s “ rebuff” is that it will give impetus to the
dissolution of the G14 group of leading clubs, which includes Arsenal,
Liverpool and Manchester United. Platini created the strategy council for
this purpose: giving the clubs more say within Uefa structures, he believes,
has mitigated the scope for conflict between the governing body and the
clubs.
“I hope they will now disband,” he said of the G14. “There was a time when the
group was important because no one was listening to the clubs. But now they
have the forum of the clubs and the strategy council [which has
representatives from the clubs, leagues, professional players and Uefa].
They can now explain their case from within the Uefa family. If the clubs
want real influence without conflict, there is no need for a special group
to exist.”
Platini’s problem is that the top clubs will not lose sight of commercial
imperatives simply because they are getting their way from within the Uefa
power structure. It is certain they will coalesce again if Platini pushes
his egalitarian ideals too far. The ultimate threat, which has hung over
Uefa since Media Partners first raised the possibility in 1998, is a
breakaway league of super clubs.
The implausibility of any significant tilt at the financial muscle of the big
clubs was revealed by Platini’s reaction to the possibility of breaking the
connection between the value of the domestic television contracts for the
Champions League and how this money is distributed among the participating
clubs (which heavily favours the clubs from the big leagues). “Now we are
going deep into politics,” he said, laughing out loud at the subversive
implications. “Maybe we will look at that one day. For now, it is too early.”
Platini’s inability to shift things decisively in the direction of the vision
articulated when he sought office extends beyond his power struggle with the
leading clubs. He conceded that his ambition to impose a quota system (where
clubs are obliged to field at least six players eligible for the national
team of their league) is effectively a dead duck because of EU regulations
on the free movement of workers, but he vowed to protect younger players.
“I will fight for the youth,” he said. “Imagine your son is playing at
Portsmouth but is allowed to go to Arsenal because they offer him more
money. I am totally against this and will fight it. We need to protect the
club academy system. You can sign a professional contract in England at 16
but not until 18 on the Continent. So it is possible for English clubs to
steal all the players between 16 and 18. The others will be left nothing and
it will destroy the academies.”
Platini’s preoccupation with the importance of national and local identity
expressed through clubs – and his suspicion of the cruder aspects of
capitalism - is equally evident in his distaste for foreign ownership. “I am
totally against the philosophy in England today where Americans are buying
clubs, not because they love football but because of money,” he said.
“I think that [Roman] Abramovich loves football. But I think that many other
people are coming into English football who know nothing about the game –
they only know about profit. Football is part of the cultural heritage of
the nation. How can an American or Chinese understand English football? Do
you think the English could buy nine teams in the NFL? This is an urgent
issue for UK Government.”
Platini was also lukewarm on the subject of England’s 2018 World Cup bid. “I
will support the strongest European bid,” he said. “But that does not mean I
will automatically support England. I need to be convinced.”
The Frenchman has been on a steep learning curve. He has shown adeptness in
the early stages of his presidency, but he has also learnt that his
influence can only ever be exerted on the margins. For good or ill, it is
the untamed forces of capitalism that rule the beautiful game.
Forward thinking
Champions League recommendations for 2009 onwards:
- Plan to open up the tournament to domestic cup winners has been dropped
- Top three clubs from the Barclays Premier League (plus Spain and Italy) will
have automatic entry into the group stage (as opposed to two at present)
- Plan to move the final from Wednesday evening to Saturday to attract younger
audience has been dropped
- Six group places to be taken by the league winners from Europe’s weaker
nations
- Although three proposals will be put to the Uefa executive at the end of the
month, all contain the above recommendations
- The differences between the proposals are relatively minor and mainly
concern the method of qualification to the group stage
