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New UEFA board could shift balance of power
FIFA & UEFA - 18 October, 2006
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With UEFA reforming its structure to allow some power to trickle down to top clubs and leagues, English Chelsea and Spanish Barcelona might align to take political control of football and relegate the G14 to an afterthought.
The European Professional Football Strategy Board likely will influence the direction of European football for the next two decades. Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon and Barcelona president Joan Laporta will be prominent members.
This is a setback for the G14, as new president David Dein had talked about reopening negations with UEFA over the matter of player compensation for international matches.
But UEFA said it would not enter talks with the G14 with the organisation's legal battles over player compensation still ongoing.
Laporta told UEFA that he has successfully lobbied nine G14 member clubs to support UEFA's committee ? due to make decisions in December ? and turn on the G14.
Specific terms are being drawn up for the 13-member board, but its composition has been finalised.
For Kenyon, it's a way into the power elite. His club is not a G14 member, but he and Laporta will now be on the UEFA committee along with Italian Milan's Umberto Gandini and Dutch Ajax's Maarten Fontein.
Other members include UEFA president Lennart Johansson, UEFA vice-president Senes Erzik, UEFA vice-president Per Ravn Omdal, UEFA vice-president Angel Mar�a Villar Llona, France's Fr�d�ric Thiriez, Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros of Portugal and Spain's Jos� Luis Astiazar�n.
Each board member will serve at least three years.
England and Spain each have three nominees for the board, meaning the balance of power could tip in their favour.
Kenyon is joined by Football Association chairman Geoff Thompson, a UEFA vice-president, and Dave Richards, the chairman of the Premier League.
Kenyon also sits alongside Gandini, Laporta and Fontein on the 11-member board of the European Club Forum, which has targeted the influence of the G14.
The European Professional Football Strategy Board likely will influence the direction of European football for the next two decades. Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon and Barcelona president Joan Laporta will be prominent members.
This is a setback for the G14, as new president David Dein had talked about reopening negations with UEFA over the matter of player compensation for international matches.
But UEFA said it would not enter talks with the G14 with the organisation's legal battles over player compensation still ongoing.
Laporta told UEFA that he has successfully lobbied nine G14 member clubs to support UEFA's committee ? due to make decisions in December ? and turn on the G14.
Specific terms are being drawn up for the 13-member board, but its composition has been finalised.
For Kenyon, it's a way into the power elite. His club is not a G14 member, but he and Laporta will now be on the UEFA committee along with Italian Milan's Umberto Gandini and Dutch Ajax's Maarten Fontein.
Other members include UEFA president Lennart Johansson, UEFA vice-president Senes Erzik, UEFA vice-president Per Ravn Omdal, UEFA vice-president Angel Mar�a Villar Llona, France's Fr�d�ric Thiriez, Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros of Portugal and Spain's Jos� Luis Astiazar�n.
Each board member will serve at least three years.
England and Spain each have three nominees for the board, meaning the balance of power could tip in their favour.
Kenyon is joined by Football Association chairman Geoff Thompson, a UEFA vice-president, and Dave Richards, the chairman of the Premier League.
Kenyon also sits alongside Gandini, Laporta and Fontein on the 11-member board of the European Club Forum, which has targeted the influence of the G14.
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