Uefa president Michel Platini clearly has a huge problem with
the success currently being enjoyed by the English Premier
League. He has accused Chelsea and Manchester United of
'cheating' to reach the Champions League final because they
borrowed money to fund their teams-building.
Frenchman Platini, 52, claims England,. the founders of the game,
do not deserve to be involved in Uefa's Euro 2008 tournament which
starts today in Switzerland.
"The fact that England are not at Euro 2008 means nothing to me,"
he was quoted in The Mirror as saying. "All they had to do was
qualify.
"I don't want to say that we will miss England. It would be saying
the Croats are rubbish. If England cannot finish in the top two of
a group of six teams, that is their problem.
"Club football has got nothing to do with national teams. Apart
from Italy and Germany a little, the winners or finalists of the
last World Cups are countries who export their players."
And he went on to reiterate concern that the financial strength of
the Barclays Premier League, with its wealthy club owners such as
Roman Abramovich and the Glazers, needs to be curbed to prevent its
clubs using to debt to fund transfers and players' wages.
"In England the passion is exceptional and hooliganism has been
beaten but for everything else, something has to be done," said
Platini. "I am very disturbed by foreigners buying up English
clubs.
"I can't see why Americans invest in these clubs unless it is to
make money. It is a constant money chase which has seen this
proposal to play a 39th game abroad.
"The objective is no longer to win titles but to make the money to
repay debts. Look at the overdrafts of Chelsea and Manchester
United. Fifa and Uefa owe it to themselves to fight this. Because
nowadays it is the clubs who cheat who are winning."
Platini has an ally in Fifa president Sepp Blatter, who is also
criticising English clubs' recruitment of foreign players.
The Barclays Premier League has not yet commented on that latest
sniping from the two governing bodies, which some see as smacking
of jealousy, although the criticism is hardly likely to support the
English FA's bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
