UEFA president Michel Platini has called on the elite
clubs' group G14 to disband and drop its lawsuits claiming
compensation for players injured on international duty. Platini
called G14 "elitist" and said it was time for football to put an
end to its "quarrels".
He told UEFA's extraordinary congress in Zurich that a new body,
the Professional Football Strategy Council, would provide a forum
for clubs to air their grievances. He said: "Now we can put an end
to our quarrels, we can stop seeing each other before the courts,
we can stop making a spectacle of ourselves in front of the whole
of Europe.
"I call officially on the major and important clubs in European
football to disband their elitist grouping, to withdraw the various
lawsuits that they have brought before the courts, and to join
together with all the other clubs to engage in a fruitful,
productive and democratic dialogue with the other members of the
European football family.
"Presidents and heads of the major clubs - let us profit from your
great experience and your ideas. "Tell us about your convictions.
UEFA's door is wide open - join us, and I promise you that you will
not be disappointed. "I am convinced that you will hear this
appeal, because it is being made in the sense of history, and with
progress at the service of football in mind."
The congress agreed to change UEFA's statutes so that Platini takes
over the role of chief executive as well. The former chief
executive's title now becomes 'general secretary' - with former
Scottish FA chief executive David Taylor appointed to the
role.
