Platini {merged}

[Rammyblues]

This is another veiled attempt to get a super league in my view, what RM president was on about, invited teams only, no relegation Europes so caqlled big clubs in a league of their own. In my opinion it may work for a year or two but I am sure there will be a lot of disgruntled clubs who could well form a rival to it and provided it is based on merit as opposed to "wealth" it will be more sucessfull.

 

[snip]

We could have a suite at home matches charging a £1m per person to attend ( a meal would be included) and each week this suite ,funnily enough,is taken up by certain Arab business men.

 

[i8therags]

This is another veiled attempt to get a super league in my view, what RM president was on about, invited teams only, no relegation Europes so caqlled big clubs in a league of their own. In my opinion it may work for a year or two but I am sure there will be a lot of disgruntled clubs who could well form a rival to it and provided it is based on merit as opposed to "wealth" it will be more sucessfull.

Its tits like platini that could cause major problems in our sport.We could end up with the same isue boxing has,different organisations running diff compatitions..He has to go,for the good of the sport.

 

[Rammyblues]

Getting rid of twatini would be superb but no doubt he appreciates the salary he is on (oops sorry he performs the role because of his love for the game and its history)

 

[johnny crossan]

Here is my original letter to Minister of Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe, his reply and my reply to that
Original
UNFAIR ATTACK ON MAN CITY

Dear Gerry,

Do you think it is time for a government response to M Platini's constant attacks on the Premier League and Manchester City in particular?

His latest specific outburst is as follows, reported today in the context of UEFA plans to ensure (some) clubs have to break even before they are admitted to European competition:

'City can spend £300m if they want to, but if they are not breaking even in three years then they cannot play in European competition' declared Platini.'

The views of the Chelsea owner in this context are interesting as well. Platini went on to say:

'I haven't spoken to Manchester City about this and I don't remember meeting their owner but I'm sure I will. I have, however, met with Roman Abramovich. He is a football person and is passionate about the game. He loves football. But he has come to me and said that we must do something about this. It doesn't matter if one team doesn't agree, because this is what the clubs want. I have spoken to Silvio Berlusconi at AC Milan and Massimo Moratti at Inter Milan, as well as Abramovich; all agree we have to do something. Abramovich, Berlusconi, Moratti, they do not want to fork out any more.'

Platini fails to mention Real Madrid in all this of course.

A more blatant attempt to protect the cartel so-called Elite clubs is difficult to imagine.

I hope you feel this issue merits your official attention. Our FA & Premier League seem strangely silent, no doubt a reflection of the influence within their ranks of the current elite recipients of UEFA largesse.

Yours sincerely,

Johnny Crossan

Reply

Dear Mr Crossan
Thank you for your e-mail of 28 August addressed to Gerry Sutcliffe. I have been asked to reply.
I understand the concerns that you raise over the comments Mr Platini has made with regards to football clubs finances, in particular British clubs. However, I would point out that it is not possible for Ministers to get involved in such issues. Sport is autonomous. In common with all sports, it is for the football authorities to regulate their own internal affairs.

As a European and international football matter, it is the responsibility of UEFA or FIFA to regulate and intervene in these matters where necessary.

Yours sincerely
Robert Gardikiotis

Department for Culture, Media & Sport
Public Engagement & Recognition Unit

My Reply to that

Dear Mr Gardikiotis,

Thank you for replying to my letter on behalf of the Minister of Sport, Mr Gerry Sutcliffe, which I assume he has read and that he has approved your response.

To say that your reply is disingenuous is not enough, it is simply outrageous.

Mr Sutcliffe has launched himself enthusiastically into the media on many occasions in support of Manchester United, the team he supports.

Only a few days after his appointment he joined forces with M. Platini to abhor Real Madrid's pursuit and capture of his hero Ronaldo. <a class="postlink" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jun/11/cristiano-ronaldo-80m-michel-platini-gerry-sutcliffe" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009 ... -sutcliffe</a>

A month or so later he then saw an opportunity to criticize United's arch rivals Chelsea, labelling their wage structure as "obscene".
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/chelsea/article2789084.ece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ ... 789084.ece</a>

He went on to attack Chelsea's indebtedness and the alleged effect it has on ticket prices.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/jan/22/football.newsstory" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/ja ... .newsstory</a>
(He's a United supporter remember!!)

More recently he has branded West Ham a "disgrace" <a class="postlink" href="http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,13864_5514721,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 21,00.html</a> and he has joined forces with Sepp Blatter in opposing an English football team for the Olympics <a class="postlink" href="http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Sports-minister-Gerry-Sutcliffe-does-not-agree-with-all-English-team-at-Olympics-article26654.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Sp ... 26654.html</a>

So far the Minister has remained strangely silent in the face of UEFA's & FIFA's attacks on English clubs - Manchester City, Arsenal and now Chelsea.
But now it looks like Manchester United are going to be given the treatment over their transfer dealings no doubt we will soon hear his impassioned defence.

In the light of the above your statements in reply to my question are simply absurd and an insult to the intelligence of this country's voters.

.."it is not possible for Ministers to get involved in such issues. Sport is autonomous. In common with all sports, it is for the football authorities to regulate their own internal affairs. As a European and international football matter, it is the responsibility of UEFA or FIFA to regulate and intervene in these matters where necessary."

Please be so kind as to inform Mr Sutcliffe that I would value an honest reply to my question.

Yours faithfully,
Johnny Crossan

 

[Balti]

http://fourfourtwo.com/news/restofeurope/35808/default.aspx

MONACO - UEFA president Michel Platini revealed his plans for financial reforms in European football on Thursday which could signal the end of "sugar daddies" buying into the game and transforming the fortunes of a club.

The key to Platini's vision of what he has called "financial fair play" is for all clubs to be made to only spend what they earn in football revenues and he says he has the backing of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and other rich club owners.

The rules, which UEFA is still formulating and which will not be in place at least until 2012, would also mean owners such as Manchester City's Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan would not be able to make huge gifts of cash to their clubs.

The clubs would, according to Platini, "have to live within their means instead."

Platini told a news conference: "We have everyone on board with this, the owners, the players, the leagues, the national associations.

"If a club can get loans from a bank to buy players and is able to pay back bank loans then it is not a problem. But if a club gets a lot of money or subsidies from a big backer and is still in deficit in two years then it is a problem and we don't want that."

Platini added that an independent panel would be set up to judge whether clubs had broken the rules.

"The panel will refer any matter to the disciplinary committee and sanctions will be taken from a reminder to a fine to expulsion from the Champions League," he said.

Many of Europe's top clubs have huge debts, with Real Madrid having an estimated debt of 563 million euros up to the end of the 2007-08 season.

Financial experts have estimated Real's current debt could run to around 900 million euros following their close season spending spree.

Premier League club Chelsea reported losses of 65.7 million pounds up to June last year while Red Football, Manchester United's parent company owned by the Glazer family, recorded a 21-million-pound loss last year and has a total debt of 575 million pounds.

FORK OUT

Platini said he had the backing of club owners. "It's mainly the owners that asked us to do something - Roman Abramovich, (AC Milan's) Silvio Berlusconi, (Inter Milan's) Massimo Moratti. They do not want to fork out from their pockets any more," he said.

"I have told Mr Abramovich about this and he said nothing against it." UEFA would also look at losses incurred by clubs' parent companies who have to service loans, said Platini.

Sanctions - if implemented - would depend on the size of a club's losses, said UEFA deputy general secretary Gianni Infantino, who is in charge of the detailed planning process.

He said around 20 clubs had been sanctioned in the past few seasons and not given a UEFA licence because their finances were not in order.

"The potential sanction will have to be in proportion - it will be different if you make a loss of one million every two years or 100 million every year," Infantino said.

He said the new rules would not stop clubs like Manchester City breaking up the domination of the Big Four in the Premier League - as long as they were run on the right lines.

"We think that the opposite will happen because if you have a rich sugar daddy coming in and throwing money around this is unhealthy in the medium and long-term," he said.

"For the club to be healthy it has to live on its own means and generate income and this is not impossible. Clubs have generated revenues by investing in stadiums otherwise it is an artificial bubble which inflates the system and is unhealthy and unsustainable."

Rich chairmen are not new for a start. Shareholdings have always changed hands in exchange for large chunks of cash. Stock market flotations have provided more money than any club could generate through the turnstiles. Borrowing hundreds of millions and 'leveraging debt' is certainly not living within your means. This French wanker needs a history lesson in how some of these supposedly 'big clubs' became 'big clubs' in the first place. He is only interested in protecting the status quo and the interests of the current so-called 'big clubs' who his own organisation makes wealthier than the rest through the financial inequity of the ECL. He wants a closed shop that favours his wanky organisation.

As for Chelsea backing the plan that is unbelievable. Would they have backed such a plan when they were languishing in the second division with 8,000 attendances and the mighty Kerry Dixon as their hero? Would they fuck.

Hypocrisy of the very highest order.

Scrap UEFA and its meaningless trophies and go back to the European Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup. Make the domestic leagues more competitive and meaningful once again.