Platini at it again

In Platini's interview with Dauphine Libere, Wenger's name was raised during a question about the introduction of video technology.

Platini replied: "I like to talk about football, him (Wenger) about business. We must stop with Wenger and all that."

Platini then said he hoped video assistance would never come into football, adding: "It would make me happy that Arsene Wenger never sees it."

Later in the interview, Platini again targeted Wenger when asked about his thoughts on Romanian side CFR Cluj's unexpected victory over Roma in the Champions League last week.

"That is what makes football so great," Platini said. "It is what people like Wenger do not want, little clubs beating the big clubs, because they want their business."

===========================

What a c**t.

This guy truly is pathetic and amazingly childish to boot.

Platini: A History of Anit-Englishness.

May 9, 2007: "I'm not sure that the fourth-placed club in Italy, Spain or England is more important than the champions of great footballing countries such as Denmark, the Czech Republic or Poland...perhaps the third and fourth team in England could be drawn together, so they don't take the place of a smaller team in the group stage."

October 31, 2007: "I do not like the system of Arsene Wenger. In France, Italy or Spain, it is easy to buy with money the best players at 14, 15 or 16. I don't like that. If my son is playing at Millwall and at 16 Manchester United come in for this player then when will Millwall have a good team?"

November 13, 2007: "You will have to convince me (about England's bid to host World Cup 2018). If there are two or three European countries going to bid, they all have to convince me. I am the president of Uefa, I can't say I will vote for England, I will vote for Russia, or I will vote for the Netherlands. I will vote for one European country, of course, and I will bring all my strength to bring all the European countries to vote for one, and to maybe help. I will do my job. But why England, why not Russia or the Netherlands? We will look."

November 27, 2007: "I am president of Uefa, of England and Croatia, so when a team like Croatia beat England it is good for football because it proves the irrationality of football...it was surprising that Israel beat Russia and then England couldn't beat Croatia, who were already qualified. So it was a shock for you English but it was a smile for all of Europe."

November 27, 2007: "In Arsenal now you don't have an English coach, English players, maybe not an English president soon. So why are they playing in England? Because of the fans, because of big business, because of the TV, because the clubs like that.

"If you ask me what I like and don't like - I like your football, I like the games, I like the fans and the passion but I don't like the fact that it is too open for me. I do not like the fact that many people are coming into your league, the fact that you sell your clubs to foreign people.

November 27, 2007: "Manchester United against Liverpool should be with players from Manchester and Liverpool, from that region. Robbie Fowler was from Liverpool. He grew up in that city, it was nice, fantastic, but now you don't have the English players. In Arsenal now you don't have an English coach, English players, maybe not an English president soon.

"I like Arsène Wenger, I like Alex Ferguson, I like their players, but it is not in my philosophy. They do what is best for the clubs, but it is not in my philosophy. Generally, football is in a good state across Europe but in England you have to take care."

November 28, 2007: "The government and FA need to take care of the danger to football if they want the World Cup. I have to be convinced that England are part of the family of football. It is a good moment for us to insist on certain points."

March 30, 2008: "I have told the European Commission that we should ban the transfer of minors. The first football contract that a player signs should be for club that trains them. You don't train someone to be sold, you train a player to play. It is important to protect our young people. Minors shouldn't be seen as a machine that can be transferred for the benefit of agents or clubs. They have time enough for that."

February 9, 2008: "It's (39th game) a nonsense idea...Soon you will have in England no English presidents (of clubs), you already have no English (national team) coach, you have no English players and maybe now you will have no clubs playing in England. It's a joke."

May 17, 2008: "There have always been some clubs, and some countries, with more money at their disposal than others and I have no problem with that. The problem occurs when the clubs who run up huge debts always win - and that we must stop. Some clubs, and some leagues, have asked us to. We are preparing a plan that will encourage clubs to reduce their debts and give us clear, clean competition."

May 17, 2008: "Today is a special time for English football. But, if Ronaldo or Rooney go to Barcelona or Real Madrid, it could change. If Drogba goes to Milan, it could change. Next year could be different."

June 6, 2008: "Look at the deficits of Chelsea and Manchester United. FIFA and UEFA are going to have to combat that because, today, it is the ones who cheat who win. The Champions League is run on credit now and it annoys me. We have to find the means, together with the European Club Association, to help clubs sort out their financial problems.

"I am very disturbed by foreigners buying up English clubs. I can't see why Americans come over to invest in these clubs unless it is to get a return. It is a perpetual chase for money, and now we've had this proposal of a 39th game to be played abroad. The aim of English football is no longer to win trophies - instead it is to make money to repay debts."

September 22, 2008: "I like to talk about football, him (Wenger) about business. We must stop with Wenger and all that. It would make me happy that Arsene Wenger never sees it (video assistance)."

http://football365.com/story/0,17033,8750_4185144,00.html

what a conte.

well, a "history of Anti-Englishness"... for the record, here in Italy he's always been stamped with an Anti-Italianness stigma.

I think it's just something with they guy, wherever he goes speaking...
I don't like is style in public, he's a bit arrogant and paternalistic, and while he's not stupid, he always wants to show that he's smarter and cooler than anyone around him. It's something quite common among frenchies in football, btw.


Anyway, I could agree with most of the things he says, but...
they are just the very same things they said about Serie A in the 90's;
the behaviour of the big clubs in any important european league is just the same of english ones;
local rooting in football clubs was already dead when platini was starting to kick footballs.

It's not the english, or Wenger, o the caliphs. It's the whole system that's heading there since decades.
If he really wants to change things he shouldn't indulge in namecalling.

Source BBC Website:

Cluj's unexpected progress through the Champions League qualifers into the main tournament has delighted Uefa president Michel Platini.
The Frenchman has campaigned for a greater share of places in the main competition to countries from outside the top-ranking nations.

"That is what makes football so great," Platini said after Cluj's victory over Roma, while Cypriot champions Anorthosis Famagusta held Werder Bremen to a 0-0 draw.

"It is what people like (Arsenal boss Arsene) Wenger do not want, little clubs beating the big clubs, because they want their business."

Football Genius wrote:Source BBC Website:

Cluj's unexpected progress through the Champions League qualifers into the main tournament has delighted Uefa president Michel Platini.
The Frenchman has campaigned for a greater share of places in the main competition to countries from outside the top-ranking nations.

"That is what makes football so great," Platini said after Cluj's victory over Roma, while Cypriot champions Anorthosis Famagusta held Werder Bremen to a 0-0 draw.

"It is what people like (Arsenal boss Arsene) Wenger do not want, little clubs beating the big clubs, because they want their business."

It's not nice to name Wenger specifically, but it's undeniable that Platini is spot on here....

Cluj !

Do you expect BATE,Cluj etc to progress by the way ?

Wenger's team just put 4 past Portugal champions.

Most of these teams would be hoping to avoid English teams at the moment.

DS wrote:Do you expect BATE,Cluj etc to progress by the way ?

Wenger's team just put 4 past Portugal champions.

Most of these teams would be hoping to avoid English teams at the moment.

So ?

I still rather see a champion than the number four of Italy, Spain or England.

I think it's rather refreshing that BATE, Cluj & Anonymiosis are getting points now (and I also think that that's a good thing for football in Europe a whole)

Same way EMP would like to see African champions etc rather then no. whatever from Europe.

The best competition needs the best teams.

DS wrote:Same way EMP would like to see African champions etc rather then no. whatever from Europe.

The best competition needs the best teams.

Who are they?

Do you really not see the deference? Africa HAS a number of place that go to the WC. Champions of countries below the 10th place don't have a place in the CL (they have to play QR).

Egypt and no I dont because take it as a European rather then a Romanian it is the same of course you dont expect everything to be exactly the same.
So all 53 champions should be in so you wont consider some because of low quality.

DS wrote:Egypt and no I dont because take it as a European rather then a Romanian it is the same of course you dont expect everything to be exactly the same.
So all 53 champions should be in so you wont consider some because of low quality.

Does the champions of Europe qualify automatically for the World Cup? No, in fact Greece didn't make it in 2006. Everyone plays QR so it's more equal then the CL.

There is also the money. A team in the CL gains a lot of money and gets stronger. That is not the case with the world cup (they get money but not that much).

Axeslammer wrote:

DS wrote:Do you expect BATE,Cluj etc to progress by the way ?

Wenger's team just put 4 past Portugal champions.

Most of these teams would be hoping to avoid English teams at the moment.

So ?

I still rather see a champion than the number four of Italy, Spain or England.

I think it's rather refreshing that BATE, Cluj & Anonymiosis are getting points now (and I also think that that's a good thing for football in Europe a whole)

Shakhtar drawing against Barça, Cluj against Chelsea, and Anorthosis beating Panathanaikos

kas wrote:Shakhtar drawing against Barça, Cluj against Chelsea, and Anorthosis beating Panathanaikos

kas wrote:Shakhtar drawing against Barça, Cluj against Chelsea, and Anorthosis beating Panathanaikos

Because of cheating by Farca. Better for Platini to send those thugs out of competition.

zizoued wrote:

kas wrote:Shakhtar drawing against Barça, Cluj against Chelsea, and Anorthosis beating Panathanaikos

Because of cheating by Farca. Better for Platini to send those thugs out of competition.

Did you watch the incident? Or just read the report in AS?



@Gone: in fact, when I first started typing that msg, I had written "beating", but changed it just before posting because that's when Messi scored

Jaime wrote:

Hem fet un mal partit wrote:

Axeslammer wrote:

DS wrote:Do you expect BATE,Cluj etc to progress by the way ?

Wenger's team just put 4 past Portugal champions.

Most of these teams would be hoping to avoid English teams at the moment.

So ?

I still rather see a champion than the number four of Italy, Spain or England.

I think it's rather refreshing that BATE, Cluj & Anonymiosis are getting points now (and I also think that that's a good thing for football in Europe a whole)

It's nice that they are doing well, however giving money to bate, cluj (although they already bought the title), anonymous etc and making them into a version of celtic or rangers is not that great for their domestic leagues. Essentially this money will decide where the domestic title is going for the next few years, and making sure that these specific teams qualify, not teams from those leagues but these specific teams. It's hardly the best thing for football in Europe as a whole.

They were decent last night and although it would be funny to see a CL final between Bate and Cluj, if I received an alternative option to go to a party (or dinner, cinema etc) then I might go to the party and catch the highlights. If there was eventually a final between Chelsea and Inter, I'd watch the game and go to the party later.

110% wrote:

Jaime wrote:

Hem fet un mal partit wrote:

Axeslammer wrote:

DS wrote:Do you expect BATE,Cluj etc to progress by the way ?

Wenger's team just put 4 past Portugal champions.

Most of these teams would be hoping to avoid English teams at the moment.

So ?

I still rather see a champion than the number four of Italy, Spain or England.

I think it's rather refreshing that BATE, Cluj & Anonymiosis are getting points now (and I also think that that's a good thing for football in Europe a whole)

It's nice that they are doing well, however giving money to bate, cluj (although they already bought the title), anonymous etc and making them into a version of celtic or rangers is not that great for their domestic leagues. Essentially this money will decide where the domestic title is going for the next few years, and making sure that these specific teams qualify, not teams from those leagues but these specific teams. It's hardly the best thing for football in Europe as a whole.

They were decent last night and although it would be funny to see a CL final between Bate and Cluj, if I received an alternative option to go to a party (or dinner, cinema etc) then I might go to the party and catch the highlights. If there was eventually a final between Chelsea and Inter, I'd watch the game and go to the party later.

I get what you mean but im not sure that giving a straight place to the winner would result in that. i mean you mention Celtic and Rangers but their rivalry goes back and i dont think has a lot to do with Cl football.
i can use the example from Denmark where Fck has had a lot more money in recent years and they finally got in CL but funny enough the year after they lose the title to Aalborg. now Ob are on top of the league. just having more money wont make monopolyies around Europe.

with that said i like being able to see the best teams square off even though it has become rather boring football the last 4 years or so.Platini's solution of having 3 direct qualified from the big 3 and giving a couple of more places works fine me.

Lyon is probably an example as what you can do with the guaranteed additional money every year but you cant deny entry because of this as these teams deserve it what they can do is lessen the level of difference between Europe's top two competition.

DS wrote:Lyon is probably an example as what you can do with the guaranteed additional money every year but you cant deny entry because of this as these teams deserve it what they can do is lessen the level of difference between Europe's top two competition.

Well they achived what they did because they had great long term planing and they held out for their stars. we could also argue that we need to save the teams outside the top 4 in england because they arent getting any chances because of the money the big 4 get.

Same thing , a bit levelling in prize money in Uefa cup will help , make it more prestigious of course the money difference has to be there in CL and Uefa cup but they could close the huge gap which is there at the moment.

DS wrote:Same thing , a bit levelling in prize money in Uefa cup will help , make it more prestigious of course the money difference has to be there in CL and Uefa cup but they could close the huge gap which is there at the moment.

I definitely agree, because then the teams who finish in the uefa cup get a reasonable amount of money and can still compete with the team that ended up in the CL.

For the point of celtic, lyon etc, of course they had to be successful in the first place but the CL money has made it very very difficult for anyone to catch them. They can just buy the best players off their domestic opposition and directly weaken their teams.

While some people might want to see champions regardless of the quality of the competition, I want to see the best teams and best players. And for example Milan could finish 4th with kaka, seedorf and dinho in their team. I would definitely have them in instead of the Danish or cypriot champions, or the french or german 3rd place team. I don't see a problem with a playoff between 4th in Italy and the danish champions, because if the danes lose 10-0 on the ptich then they have no business in the CL.

So why not chuck the 3rds and 4ths into the UEFA...it'll kill two birds with one stone, because if big teams and popular players are in it, then TV rights value for the UEFA Cup will also go up. Of course the problem here is that the UEFA may become very close to the CL in terms of quality of the semifinalists/finalists/winners, and then it defeats the purpose of having one prestigious tournament and one Cr@p one.

Either way, I think both competitions need to be slimmed down. It's a bit ridiculous when 6th and 7th place teams from big leagues are entering these competitions...ruins the glamour IMO.

Some comments on F365 mailbox this morning:

Spare A Thought For Platini
Poor old Michel Platini. The poor fellow must be distraught this morning at the thought of another year of three Premier League teams in the Champions League semis. He must be pulling out his remaining hair trying to think of a new way of curtailing the domination of English clubs in Europe's top club competition. Might I suggest a two languages rule to start from next season? Clubs can only field players who can speak two or more languages. Let's be honest, most English players can barely manage their mother tongue let alone another one. That should solve his problem of the English menace and maybe leave him time to tackle less pressing issues such as Italian corruption, the debts of Spanish clubs, the naked racism of the eastern European supporters and the crowd violence that blights just about every league outside of the UK.

Just a thought.
Gee, Slough Town Rebel


...Hark, can you hear that...it, it sounds almost like a frog crying and wailing...ah yes, it's the sweet sound of Michel Platini contemplating suicide as 'ze evil Eengleesh' have three teams in the semis again. Pity you don't like English football Michel, because you're going to have to get used to it!
Joe (12th in the Best League in the World¿) BWFC


Supporting Platini In His Quest
I feel I must comment on the continued dominance of four English club teams in the Champions League. People seem to be missing the point in this particular debate, the problem Platini and others have with this current domination is simply down to one reason only: Money. English teams are dominating Europe because they have more money than everyone else, not because of the talent of the current crop of English players.

If you look at similar domination of semi-final places by Italian and Spanish teams over the past decade or so you will see that those teams are comprised mainly of players from their own nations.

Look at the big four's first elevens now, Liverpool have two English players, Arsenal one, Chelsea have three, United have four maybe five. So rather than have a competition of club teams comprised mainly of players from their own country you have teams comprised mainly of foreign players assembled by money.

Platini can see this is certainly not cyclical, this is domination of European Competition via money. It is because of the domination of the Premier League by the big four that they can rely on Champions League money and the vast Premier League TV money to continue the cycle. I think this needs to be stopped and the other 16 teams in the Premier League should support Platini on any of his plans to do this.

Rules on poaching children from other countries needs to stop, wage caps and quotas on number of foreign players will all benefit the game. If nothing is done this will only get worse.
Conor Byrne

Tweedle wrote:Might I suggest a two languages rule to start from next season? Clubs can only field players who can speak two or more languages. Let's be honest, most English players can barely manage their mother tongue let alone another one.

Just a thought.
Gee, Slough Town Rebel

What an incredible clueless muppet !

How many English players are fielded by the EPL teams anyway ?!

By forcing them to kick the token English passengers out, those teams would in fact get stronger

He was of course joking Axes

Tweedle wrote:He was of course joking Axes

I sincerely doubt that.

Article from Bleacher. Haven't heard anything from Platini on this yet. Strange that. The racist fucking French twat.

Back in January, during a speach to the European Parliament, Mr. Platini was a very unhappy man. An English Premier League club had just made a world record bid for AC Milan's Kaka.

Ultimately this bid failed but in these financially troubled times the bid, in all quarters of the press, was labelled "ludricous," "ridiculous," "the death of football." During his speach Platini called into question the morality of Manchester City and warned the game was in danger of imploding unless it followed his call for caps on spending.

Now we fast forward to the present day. Real Madrid have just broken the world record for highest transfer fee paid. They took the record from themselves for the signing of Zinedine Zidane in 2001. When they signed Zidane can you guess who previously held the record?

Yes, that's right, they took it from themselves for the signing of Luis Figo in 2000. It is also rumoured that this new record may not last very long with Real looking to bring in more players this summer. These rumours include the likes of Ronaldo, Ribery, Villa.

Where are all the doomsday quotes now? I remember reading through hundreds of articles lambasting Manchester City in January for spending ridiculous money and yet now that the record has been broken by Madrid these same people are mysteriously quiet.