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Uefa’s Michel Platini backs Greg Dyke’s plan for more homegrown players Uefa’s Michel Platini backs Greg Dyke’s plan for more homegrown players
(about 4 hours later)
The newly re-elected Uefa president, Michel Platini, has effusively backed Greg Dyke’s plan to toughen up the rules surrounding homegrown players and hinted that he intends to follow suit.The newly re-elected Uefa president, Michel Platini, has effusively backed Greg Dyke’s plan to toughen up the rules surrounding homegrown players and hinted that he intends to follow suit.
Dyke has called for the number of homegrown players in each Premier League squad to be increased from eight to 12 on a gradual basis from 2016/17 in a bid to increase the proportion of English talent in the top flight. Dyke has called for the number of homegrown players in each Premier League squad to be increased from eight to 12 on a gradual basis from 2016-17 in a bid to increase the proportion of English talent in the top flight.
At present, Uefa’s rules for its competitions also require a minimum of eight players to qualify as homegrown but Platini said he planned talks with the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, over whether the number could be increased. At present, Uefa’s rules for its competitions also require a minimum of eight players to qualify as homegrown but Platini said he planned talks with the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, over whether the number could be increased. “This is a position we defend. We’re not only talking about England, we’re talking all of Europe. Mr Dyke’s struggle at the FA is something we share and we agree with him,” said Platini, who was re-elected unopposed for a third four-year term as Uefa’s president.
“This is a position we defend. We’re not only talking about England, we’re talking all of Europe. Mr Dyke’s struggle with the FA is something we share and we agree with him,” said Platini, who was re-elected unopposed for a third four-year term as Uefa’s president.
“With the new leader of the European Commission it is important we establish close relations to see how we can protect homegrown young players in the different countries. We share the same perspective. We will work hand in hand to defend an idea that we think is the right one.”“With the new leader of the European Commission it is important we establish close relations to see how we can protect homegrown young players in the different countries. We share the same perspective. We will work hand in hand to defend an idea that we think is the right one.”
Uefa’s general secretary, Gianni Infantino, also backed Dyke’s move. “It’s fantastic, we are at eight out of 25 and we see it is not really as great as it should be so whatever move in favour of increasing homegrown players is something we can only support,” he said.Uefa’s general secretary, Gianni Infantino, also backed Dyke’s move. “It’s fantastic, we are at eight out of 25 and we see it is not really as great as it should be so whatever move in favour of increasing homegrown players is something we can only support,” he said.
Dyke’s plan is unlikely to find favour with all top flight clubs, who want to preserve their autonomy and believe a £340m investment in the Elite Player Performance Plan is bearing fruit.Dyke’s plan is unlikely to find favour with all top flight clubs, who want to preserve their autonomy and believe a £340m investment in the Elite Player Performance Plan is bearing fruit.
“The trouble is that is only any good if the kids get through the system – if they can’t get through the system why bother,” said Dyke in Vienna. “We are open to discussions on all of it. This is a set of ideas which we think will work.”“The trouble is that is only any good if the kids get through the system – if they can’t get through the system why bother,” said Dyke in Vienna. “We are open to discussions on all of it. This is a set of ideas which we think will work.”
Platini, who said he had “the smile of a happy president” following his re-election, also backed the election of the former Manchester United chief executive David Gill to the Fifa executive committee.Platini, who said he had “the smile of a happy president” following his re-election, also backed the election of the former Manchester United chief executive David Gill to the Fifa executive committee.
Gill, who was talked into standing for the vice-president’s position by Platini, received 43 of 53 votes from the Uefa membership and will replace Northern Ireland’s Jim Boyce. Gill, who was talked into standing for the vice-president’s position by Platini, received 43 of 53 votes from the Uefa membership and will replace Northern Ireland’s Jim Boyce. The FA’s decision to put forward Gill as a candidate after the rules were changed around how the British seat on the Fifa executive committee was filled had angered the Welsh FA.
The FA’s decision to put forward Gill as a candidate after the rules were changed around how the British seat on the Fifa executive committee was filled had angered the Welsh FA. It believed that the English FA should keep to the spirit of an earlier rotational agreement, under which it would have been the turn of the Welsh FA president, Trefor Lloyd Hughes. But Platini said the election of Gill, who has been on the Uefa executive committee for two years, is good news. “David will arrive – he is young, he will bring his experience and his knowhow and his solutions,” said the former France midfielder. “There are people who are happy with how things are now. We have to defend European football without breaking world football.”
They believed that the English FA should keep to the spirit of an earlier rotational agreement, under which it would have been the turn of the Welsh FA president, Trefor Lloyd Hughes. But Platini said the election of Gill, who has been on the Uefa executive committee for two years, was good news. Smiling, he added: “ As I told him: ‘You, the English, are never happy.’ Now at least he will be able to express it directly in the Exco instead of through the press.”
“David will arrive – he is young, he will bring his experience and his knowhow and his solutions,” said the former France international. “There are people who are happy with how things are now. We have to defend European football without breaking world football.” Dyke had said he hoped that Gill could form part of an “awkward squad” working inside Fifa for reform. But the Manchester United director said he plans to tread carefully. “What you do is get inside these organisations, understand them and work out how they operate. There is a lot of work to be done. I think there is a time for change,” he said. “Fifa has made strides in certain areas in the last few years. It needs to make more. Fifa has great staff within the administration that do excellent work.”
Smiling, he added: “ As I told him ‘You, the English, are never happy’. Now at least he will be able to express it directly in the Exco instead of through the press.” Fifa’s president, Sepp Blatter, watched as the three rival candidates – the Jordanian Fifa vice-president Prince Ali, the Dutch FA president Michael van Praag and the Portuguese former player Luis Figo – delivered speeches to the Uefa members.
Dyke had said he hoped that Gill could form part of an “awkward squad” working inside Fifa for reform. But the Manchester United director said he planned to tread carefully. Blatter had opted instead for a low-key address to open the Congress, after which Platini made a veiled dig at his determination to carry on as president despite having earlier promised to stand down in May. Later, Platini added: “I supported Mr Blatter in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010 but now it is perhaps time to get some fresh air into the governing body of the world.”
“What you do is get inside these organisations, understand them and work out how they operate. There is a lot of work to be done. I think there is a time for change,” he said. “Fifa has made strides in certain areas in the last few years. It needs to make more. Fifa has great staff within the administration that do excellent work.”
Fifa’s president, Sepp Blatter, watched as his three rival candidates – the Jordanian Fifa vice-president Prince Ali, the Dutch FA president Michael van Praag and the Portuguese former player Luis Figo – delivered speeches to the Uefa members.
Blatter had opted instead for a low key address to open the Congress, after which Platini made a veiled dig at his determination to carry on as president despite having earlier promised to stand down in May. Later, Platini added: “I supported Mr Blatter in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010 but now it is perhaps time to get some fresh air into the governing body of the world.”
In his speech, Platini also warned of the dangers of a rise in nationalism across Europe and a return to the hooliganism of the 1980s inside football stadiums. He recalled his own experiences at Heysel almost 30 years ago and said he feared the “dark days of the not-so-distant past” were in danger of returning.In his speech, Platini also warned of the dangers of a rise in nationalism across Europe and a return to the hooliganism of the 1980s inside football stadiums. He recalled his own experiences at Heysel almost 30 years ago and said he feared the “dark days of the not-so-distant past” were in danger of returning.
“In recent months, we have all been struck by certain images that I thought were a thing of the past. Some of us experienced that past at first hand. In my case, it was exactly 30 years ago… Nobody wants a repeat of such events,” said Platini. “We need tougher stadium bans at European level and – I will say it again – the creation of a European sports police force.” “In recent months, we have all been struck by certain images that I thought were a thing of the past. Some of us experienced that past at first hand. In my case, it was exactly 30 years ago … Nobody wants a repeat of such events,” said Platini. “We need tougher stadium bans at European level and – I will say it again – the creation of a European sports police force.”