[Zed.D]

Calcio Debate: We Should All Support Michel Platini - He Could Save Football

UEFA president Michel Platini has received a bad press due to many of his plans to reform the game. Carlo Garganese believes that the France and Juventus legend should be supported as he attempts to 'save' football…

In the 1970s it was flares, sideburns and John Travolta, in the 80s it was frizzy hair, lycra mini-skirts and Madonna, while in the 90s it was body piercings, tattoos and The Spice Girls. In the latter part of the noughties, it seems to be extremely fashionable to slag off Michel Platini.

And just why, may I ask? Could it be because the Frenchman is seemingly doing everything in his power to save football from self-destruction, reforms that are a threat to certain groups within the footballing world, most specifically the money-men of the game?

The bad press about Platini originated in England, where there was a smear campaign to paint the 54-year-old as this bitter ‘anti-English’ hater, who could not stand to see the Premier League dominate Europe, and would do anything in his power to end this supremacy.

Of course it was utter drivel, as has been proven by Platini’s scolding of Real Madrid’s “vulgar” summer spending spree that has seen them splash more than €200m and counting.

Ignore what much of the media says, Platini is not ‘anti-English’, he is not ‘anti-Madrid’, and he is not ‘delusional’ – Michel Platini simply wants what is best for football. He is a purist who is trying to defend the traditions of the game, and unfortunately much of what is wrong is in the Premier League.

Is it right that some clubs can be close to a billion pounds in debt, yet are still allowed to spend tens, even hundreds of millions on transfers? Hence the reason why Platini is attempting to implement new financial rules in 2012 whereby teams will only be permitted to buy players with their own resources, without any external aid. The argument is not about whether this will help smaller clubs, it is that what many big teams are currently doing is immoral.

Is it right that some top clubs can field a first XI where only one or two, sometimes none, of their players are home-grown? The three-times champions of Italy with only two 18-year-old Italians vying for a starting place, an Arsenal team who often don’t play a single Englishman, a Liverpool outfit who can count on just Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher (and now Glen Johnson), a Chelsea XI with often just John Terry, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard, the captain who could soon leave.

This is where 6+5 was born. There is no soul in football when a London team doesn’t possess even a single Englishman, let alone a Londoner. Where there is not a single Englishman managing a top EPL squad (a different, if not related argument). Where the most famous club in the world, Real Madrid, would rather open their wallet for expensive foreigners than for Spaniards, while offloading talented youth-team players like Juan Mata.

Granted, this is a global game, but there surely has to be some relation between fans and players. What happened to the local lad who graduated up through the youth ranks, became captain of his hometown, scored the winner in the cup final, and spent his entire career as a one-club man? Six-plus-five would help bring back some of these special sensations.

And what about the poaching of minors – a practice described by Platini as “child-trafficking"? Is it fair that a small provincial club like Reggina or Lecce spend seven years nurturing a local wonderkid from the ages of 8-15, only to then see him stolen for an insulting compensation fee by a club who throw a sack of money in front of the boy, offering him and his family a ‘better future’? Is it ‘just’ on the Reggina’s and Lecce’s of this world, and similar clubs who are struggling to survive?

To come back full circle to the issue of money, Platini is against excessive wages, planning to introduce a salary cap. This would ensure more loyalty in the game, certainly at the elite end. When John Terry, ‘Mr Chelsea’, is considering a move to a club like Manchester City, you realise just how desperate things have become in football, and just how badly money is damaging the game. It is pure greed if Terry accepts the offer (or demands a pay-rise in order to stay), and it will be a real hammer-blow. With a salary cap, this would all be preventable.

Unfortunately what Platini wants to do, and what will eventually happen, are two entirely different things. So far we haven’t seen any major changes, but this is purely due to obstacles put in his way. The corporate money-men will do everything in their power to stop Platini’s reforms.

It is time that football fans around the world started supporting Platini. Believe me, what he is trying to do is for the good of our beautiful game.

Carlo Garganese, Goal.com

I personally am in support of Platini and his plans. hope he succeeds!

[kurtsimonw]

I will never be in support of Platini. Not anti-English? I think that's a ridiculous statement. Madrid, Barca, Inter, tonnes of other clubs have been spending stupid money throughout his whole reign at UEFA.. but the second Man City become impossibly rich and threaten to buy everyone, he starts saying he'll put a stop to it? Why not before?

Another thing he seems to be forgetting is these rules will pretty much put Man City at the top end of football right away, it'll make them even stronger. They have no debt, their owners don't need to loan, they have ridiculous sums of money. What's to stop them buying Terry and the rest of Englands top players anyway? They'll still be able to sign top foreign stars as well. It'll just play into their hands more than anything.

I think the article makes a big mistake in claiming not being anti-English, then criticises English clubs. How many Italians do Milan and Inter field? I see no mention of that in the article, just Englands clubs. Villa and Everton regularly finish high, they are also amongst the most succesful clubs in the countries history, why no mention of the 7/8 English players they field every week? Why no mention of United, who field plenty of English/British players every week and win the league every single year?

Pathetic. **** Platini, **** UEFA.

This post has been edited by kurtsimonw: Jul 20 2009, 04:25 PM

[Zed.D]

How many Italians do Milan and Inter field? I see no mention of that in the article, just Englands clubs.

Did you even read the article? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[Zed.D]

As for Milan, we did use Italian players on a regular basis, and if it wasn't for Borriello, Gattuso and Abbiati's injuries we would have fielded even more Italians. Juve have always had a lot of Italian starters. the EPL is definitely another case as it's filled with foreigners, much more than Serie A and La Liga. so the article's point is not that invalid.

[LaPalma]

I will never be in support of Platini. Not anti-English? I think that's a ridiculous statement. Madrid, Barca, Inter, tonnes of other clubs have been spending stupid money throughout his whole reign at UEFA.. but the second Man City become impossibly rich and threaten to buy everyone, he starts saying he'll put a stop to it? Why not before?

Another thing he seems to be forgetting is these rules will pretty much put Man City at the top end of football right away, it'll make them even stronger. They have no debt, their owners don't need to loan, they have ridiculous sums of money. What's to stop them buying Terry and the rest of Englands top players anyway? They'll still be able to sign top foreign stars as well. It'll just play into their hands more than anything.

I think the article makes a big mistake in claiming not being anti-English, then criticises English clubs. How many Italians do Milan and Inter field? I see no mention of that in the article, just Englands clubs. Villa and Everton regularly finish high, they are also amongst the most succesful clubs in the countries history, why no mention of the 7/8 English players they field every week? Why no mention of United, who field plenty of English/British players every week and win the league every single year?

Pathetic. **** Platini, **** UEFA.

Did you have a really bad day?
I often stated that I'm a supporter of Platinis plans. Something has to happen if football shall be saved from itself.

[Milan Are Brilli...]

People are only in support of this as it doesn't really affect Milan. If we could at first attract and then spend £80m on a player like CR7 and Platini was attempting to stop us it would be a completely different story.

[Zed.D]

People are only in support of this as it doesn't really affect Milan. If we could at first attract and then spend £80m on a player like CR7 and Platini was attempting to stop us it would be a completely different story.

Actually it depends on who those people are. because I'd like my club to be more like Barca than Real. seeing youth players graduate to world class ones would be much more exciting for me than what's happening in Real. and there's no doubt which of these two clubs are run healthier. I'm a Madrid fan but I admit Barca's way is what the rest of clubs should follow.

[kurtsimonw]

Did you even read the article? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

I did miss that bit. Partly because it doesn't state the name 'Inter', partly because it's terribly written. Inter aren't 3-times champions of Italy. Last time I checked they were well into their teens in terms of titles.

As for Milan, we did use Italian players on a regular basis, and if it wasn't for Borriello, Gattuso and Abbiati's injuries we would have fielded even more Italians. Juve have always had a lot of Italian starters. the EPL is definitely another case as it's filled with foreigners, much more than Serie A and La Liga. so the article's point is not that invalid.

So? That's in the past. Liverpool are mentioned in the article. What about just a few years ago when they literally had a team full of English players? James, Carragher, McManaman, Redknapp, Owen, Heskey, Fowler, etc. United have dominated football with maybe not a team full of English players, but British.

I often stated that I'm a supporter of Platinis plans. Something has to happen if football shall be saved from itself.

Then that's your opinion.

Save football? These rules will just mean the top clubs buy all the best domestic players instead of the best players in the World. It'll make average teams become worse and the worse teams will be screwed.

It's all well and good if you're the supporter of top clubs, it makes no difference. But if you aren't a supporter of a CL team, you can pretty much wave goodbye to your team ever winning anything ever again. I have to laugh at how many people criticise Sky for their top 4 obsession, yet these same people still only talk about the top clubs in World football. People are ignorant to think that this will make it better for any other clubs in World football, besides the already succesful ones.

[TriniKing_CE]

As for Milan, we did use Italian players on a regular basis, and if it wasn't for Borriello, Gattuso and Abbiati's injuries we would have fielded even more Italians.

You forgot Nesta (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Bluesummers]

It's all well and good if you're the supporter of top clubs, it makes no difference. But if you aren't a supporter of a CL team, you can pretty much wave goodbye to your team ever winning anything ever again. I have to laugh at how many people criticise Sky for their top 4 obsession, yet these same people still only talk about the top clubs in World football. People are ignorant to think that this will make it better for any other clubs in World football, besides the already succesful ones.

+1 sad reality. Smaller clubs right now are becoming bigger because of these stupid price influcuations. But what that also means is that the scale between Milan and Napoli or Manunited and Everton will slowly come to equilibrium. But the other problem to that is those clubs who do spend will become richer, they will get the majority of the supporters, the best tv rights and will ultimately grow from the rest. What will happen is there will be 2-5 top clubs instead of 12-16 we have now.



Do you want 2-5 worldclass clubs and everyone else is around the same level? Or do you want 16 top class clubs while everyone else is sh!t.

take your pick.

This post has been edited by Bluesummers: Jul 20 2009, 10:46 PM

[Milan Are Brilli...]

Actually it depends on who those people are. because I'd like my club to be more like Barca than Real. seeing youth players graduate to world class ones would be much more exciting for me than what's happening in Real. and there's no doubt which of these two clubs are run healthier. I'm a Madrid fan but I admit Barca's way is what the rest of clubs should follow.

True. If you don't have the talent coming through but have the money to spend on the best, then there's only really one way you are going to go though, if you want the club to be bidding to be succesful.

[Jack Sparrow]

I think kurt's point is moot, since Platini's rules basically ensure that you can only spend what you earn. So this means Man City's owners can't help out much, because unless they can show proof that his money is coming in from their earnings, they can't use it to buy players.

Perhaps the owner's money might be allowed to invest in other areas like stadiums, academies, other facilities etc.

[kurtsimonw]

Spending what you earn is even worse!

I don't think Villa have made a profit during my lifetime, teams with small fan bases like Wigan, Fulham and Blackburn are basically screwed. While teams like United who probably make as much as all the other teams in the EPL added together will just win the league every single year without competition.

So it basically brings up my point as before. It's great if you're a big name and have the previous reputation to sell tickets, shirts and have CL revenue, but if you're not one of these teams, you're fucked.

Reading that article still makes me laugh, talking about player loyalty and 'one-club men' and actually talking about John Terry. Last time I checked Terry is still a Chelsea player. It's Platini who left France for the big money of Juventus, hypocrit.

This post has been edited by kurtsimonw: Jul 21 2009, 02:36 PM

[LaPalma]

Wher exactly did Platini say anything about Terry? I can't see any quote on this.
Plus, what can be much worse than the current situation? What you describe, that the gap between the big and the "not so big" teams further widens....it's already there. Realistically there are only a handfull of clubs which can win the CL in a "normal" season. Those are Chelsea, ManU, Liverpool, Barca and now Madrid. Even clubs like Bayern, Inter, Juve or Milan can't compete with the big clubs from England and Spain.
Also, I'm not a support of 6+5. But I'm convinced that there should be equal rules concerning debts in every UEFA league. If clubs in Germany, even big ones like Bayern and Schalke had the debt of Barcelona or Real, they'd already play in god knows which league...but it would definetely not be the Bundesliga.
I'm not saying that the German is better (though I think that clubs should be treated like any other entity). But it's not fair when a club in Spain gets no penalty for a bad financial record and in another country it gets banned from professional football.
And yes, I think a club shouldn't spend more than it earns and I also convinced that clubs have to be able to get along without "individual sponsors" like Roman, some Sheik or even Silvio Berlusconi.

[Guest_Suhail 3_*]

You forgot Nesta (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

SOMEHOW ? yes