FIFA demands top Euro leagues to be cut to 18
clubs
MUNICH, June 8 (Reuters) - FIFA President Sepp Blatter said on
Thursday all of Europe's top professional leagues should be cut to
18 clubs next year, but his plan provoked immediate
opposition.
Blatter said he wanted the reduction to be in place for the 2007-08
season after the 56th FIFA Congress endorsed a package of Task
Force 'For the Good of the Game' proposals.
But he met opposition from the English Premier League whose
spokesman Dan Johnson said there was no way that this would
happen.
'The only people who are going to tell us how to run the Premier
League are the league's 20 member clubs' chairmen.
'They are the only ones who can change the composition of the
league and they are just not going to go for this - no way.'
'There is no appetite for this kind of change in the make-up of our
league,' he said.
Blatter's plans are expected to meet equally robust opposition in
France, Spain and Italy where they also, like England, operate a
20-club top league.
If they refuse to comply, FIFA could choose to use sanctions at
their disposal including a warning, a fine or suspension from the
World Cup for the relevant national association.
But a World Cup shorn of the stars from teams like Italy, Spain,
France and England would be almost unthinkable.
Speaking after the Congress had supported the proposal, Blatter
confirmed that he expected his executive committee to carry the
plan through in one year.
'Yes, now we have the power to do this after the support today from
Congress,' he said. 'We have been given the power now to work on
it.
'We will do it. I think the clubs will be happy and it will give
four more days to the international calendar in those countries
where they have 20 clubs.'
