by Reg » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:05 pm
Platini cant keep his nose out of trouble making politics - its not his role to be trying to keep foreign ownership (and therefore money) out of British football:
Platini urges English soccer fans to oppose foreign owners
March 17, 2008
MANCHESTER, England (AP) -UEFA president Michel Platini urged English soccer fans to spearhead the opposition against foreign owners in the Premier League. Platini believes top clubs are too willing to sell themselves - particularly to wealthy Americans.
"I am totally against that Downing Street will be bought by Americans and (also) clubs bought by Americans," said Platini, referring to the London home of the British Prime Minister. "I think the identity of the city is the identity of the club."
Nine of the 20 first division clubs are currently owned by foreign investors, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Derby County in American hands. For months, Liverpool fans have campaigned to force out American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr.
"The identity of big clubs are the stories of the cities," Platini said Monday. "I can do nothing by laws or rules. Your Parliament or FA (Football Association) can decide things. It's up to you (the English) to do that.
"It's a typical English problem," Platini added. "If people would like to buy in France, because I am a citizen of France I will do my best, but because I am not English I can do nothing."
Platini doubted that FIFA president Sepp Blatter's "6+5" rule, which would limit a club's ability to select overseas players, was feasible.
Platini and Blatter are set to meet next month with European Commission officials to discuss the plan, which is designed to increase opportunities for homegrown talent by forcing clubs to field at least six players eligible to play for the domestic national team.
"To be president of UEFA is not so easy because you have FIFA on your right back and the European Commission on your left back," Platini said. "OK, it's a very good fight 6+5 because I share the views of the (FIFA) president to have 6+5, but I don't know if it will be possible with respect to the laws in Europe."
Platini also appeared to differ with Blatter over artificial surfaces being the future of soccer.
Blatter has said FIFA's plastic field at its Zurich headquarters is the best playing surface in the world, but Platini remains a firm advocate of grass.
"There is more water to put on the field in Europe than in the rest of the world," the former France midfielder said. "It is difficult in Africa to have good pitches or in the north of Europe or the north of Canada or the very east of Asia.
"For the development of football, artificial pitches are wonderful but I have always played on grass. A lot of private owners want an artificial pitch because they also want to stage concerts, I think we need to take care about that."
Platini was speaking at a ceremony in northern England ahead of the UEFA Cup final at Manchester City's stadium on May 14.
AP NEWS The Associated Press News Service