Platini Pesters the Pack

Michel Platini, FIFA’s golden boy is fast becoming a dislikeable chap since landing the role of top dog at UEFA. First his plans to give Champions League places to domestic cup winners instead of the next highest league-placed teams was strongly opposed by Europe’s leading clubs and then he angered his French counterpart Arsene Wenger when he criticised the Arsenal manager’s policy of buying young players. Not long in the job and Platini is already ruffling more than a few feathers of the football world.

Champions League re-jig
Platini plans to increase the number of league champions from mid-size countries in the group stage of the Champions League, which would mean that the number of clubs qualifying from the ‘big 6’ European leagues would have to be reduced. The new UEFA President feels this is the best and fairest way of improving the standard of football across Europe. In the short term the introduction of weaker nation teams would produce a competition of a lesser spectacle for the viewing public as quality is reduced, viewing figures would go down, along with revenue and prize money. Also many teams that rely on qualifying via 2nd, 3rd or 4th place would suddenly be faced with radically diminished budgets for transfers and wages. In the long term, Platini hopes that these weaker teams would soon become stronger from the benefit of the financial gains of the Champions League. Teams from nations like Bulgaria, Hungary and Poland etc. could then be fully competitive and also draw in more viewers from the respective countries.

In Platini’s vision for the Champions League there would be a play-off between 16 winners of the domestic cups, with 4 progressing the group stage. The re-design will mean more effort and respect will be afforded to domestic cups and give chanced for smaller clubs to catch up financially with the annual league winners and European campaigners. This is something that has often been called for in England, where tradition was that the FA Cup was the greatest prize, but has now lost some of its value because there is less financial incentive. Man Utd summed up its diminishing value when they decided not to take part in 2000 in order to participate in the World Club Championship. The plans will be discussed further on November 12th but G14 chief executive Thomas Kurth spoke for the leading European clubs, ‘We are not in favour of a boycott or breakaway, but the clubs are not happy with the changes put forward and we want to be listened to.’

Leave those kids alone
Having managed to turn many of Europe’s biggest sides against him, Platini warmed to his antagonising theme and decided to pick out another aspect of the modern game he felt should change. Despite having a reputation as being one of Europe’s greatest developer’s of young talent, Platini strongly criticised Arsene Wenger’s policy of buying young players. Throughout his career Wenger’s strongest managerial policy has been his ability to turn raw talent into world class performers. Platini though believes it is bad for the future of the game and will only swell the divide between the successful clubs and the rest. ‘I do not like the system of Arsene Wenger. I don’t like that. If the best clubs but the best 15 or 16 players, then it is finished for all the clubs in Europe. If my son is playing at Millwall and at 16 Manchester Utd come in for this player, then when will Millwall have a good team?’ What Platini does not account for is that many players desperately want to sign for the top clubs, big clubs have the best facilities to help fulfil potential, and also Wenger is not the first and won’t be the last to do such a thing.

Major clubs have always had people scouring the land for the best young talent and often sign them from the smaller clubs. It only comes to Platini’s attention now because Arsenal are playing very well in England and Europe with a young team plucked from around Europe at a young age. You can see Platini’s point but ultimately it is an individual player’s choice as to where he wants to develop his career. If, like he says, his son played for Millwall, then he may never progress into the quality of player which a bigger club’s facilities and coaching could provide for. Also players all develop at varying levels, especially when they are young and still growing. It is just as conceivable that an average player develops into a good player by the time he is in his early 20s as it is for a player with immense potential not to live up to his promise. Gabriel Agbonlahor at Aston Villa was not talked about as being a future England star until this season, and he is now 20. Similarly, when Jermaine Pennant was signed by Arsenal in 1999, carrying a price tag of £2million for a 15year old, people said he would be a massive star in the future. However his career has stalled, now aged 24, he has not become the player many expected him to.

Protection
It is obviously harsh and somewhat unfair on the clubs that occasionally lose the stars of their academy, but they can protect themselves against such swoops. It may be an idea for Platini to install some compulsive stipulations in the contracts of youth players around Europe, such as future sell-on fees, as well as appearance and trophy related payments and compensation. There could also be obligations to send that player, or others on loan between the transferring clubs involved. The fact Arsenal’s current squad comprises several players developed at the club and also have a burgeoning youth team is a credit to Wenger’s scouting team for finding players with both the mental and technical qualities required to become good players. Next time he feels like commenting on something topical he would be well advised to choose a subject that got a few friends on board first.
Play nice Platini!