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Caborn said UEFA needs new image
FIFA & UEFA - 19 January, 2007
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A week before the UEFA presidency election, Sports Minister Richard Caborn said UEFA needs to come up with a new image and embody the voice of professional leagues to face new challenges.
"There needs to be a better balance between the commercial side of the modern game and its sporting nature," Caborn said in a closed meeting early this week.
The Associated Press obtained Caborn's notes from the meeting.
Caborn had written, "The challenge for football - 'a new UEFA?"' and made it clear that UEFA had to be more inclusive.
"Only by reforming themselves to be more democratic, transparent and professional can governing bodies expect the political authorities to work with them to help them achieve their goals, and expect clubs and leagues to sign up to any new measures," Caborn said at a meeting assessing the future of the European game.
UEFA is constantly at odds with the G-14 group of Europe's richest clubs. The European Professional Football Leagues group of the major European pro leagues insists UEFA give it a decision-making role in running the game.
The divisions have stopped football authorities from providing a united front in facing the 27-nation European Union, which wants the game to adapt to its social and economic ground rules.
A governing federation "needs to be able to demonstrate to the political authorities that it is a credible organisation that can speak on behalf of the whole sector," said Caborn.
On January 26, UEFA's 52 member federations will elect a new president. Voters will choose between Swedish incumbent Lennart Johansson and former France great Michel Platini.
The president will face challenges including a big discrepancy between rich and poor clubs, along with growing commercialism, poor relations between clubs and national federations and issues such as player compensation and insurance for national club play.
The president will also have to work with the EU and make sure UEFA remains the central force in the running of the game.
"If UEFA is to lead on these issues in Europe it must evolve and adapt," Caborn told a group of European federation, league and club officials.
"It needs to have the confidence of clubs, leagues and FAs, and an excellent working relationship with FIFA."
The European pro leagues said it is seeking a direct, decision-making stake in UEFA, a move that would change the balance of power in football on the continent and give professional clubs a bigger say in the running of the sport.
The EPFL said that the influence of its 18 member leagues, which includes England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain along with 500 clubs it represents, must have a substantial impact on the game.
"There needs to be a better balance between the commercial side of the modern game and its sporting nature," Caborn said in a closed meeting early this week.
The Associated Press obtained Caborn's notes from the meeting.
Caborn had written, "The challenge for football - 'a new UEFA?"' and made it clear that UEFA had to be more inclusive.
"Only by reforming themselves to be more democratic, transparent and professional can governing bodies expect the political authorities to work with them to help them achieve their goals, and expect clubs and leagues to sign up to any new measures," Caborn said at a meeting assessing the future of the European game.
UEFA is constantly at odds with the G-14 group of Europe's richest clubs. The European Professional Football Leagues group of the major European pro leagues insists UEFA give it a decision-making role in running the game.
The divisions have stopped football authorities from providing a united front in facing the 27-nation European Union, which wants the game to adapt to its social and economic ground rules.
A governing federation "needs to be able to demonstrate to the political authorities that it is a credible organisation that can speak on behalf of the whole sector," said Caborn.
On January 26, UEFA's 52 member federations will elect a new president. Voters will choose between Swedish incumbent Lennart Johansson and former France great Michel Platini.
The president will face challenges including a big discrepancy between rich and poor clubs, along with growing commercialism, poor relations between clubs and national federations and issues such as player compensation and insurance for national club play.
The president will also have to work with the EU and make sure UEFA remains the central force in the running of the game.
"If UEFA is to lead on these issues in Europe it must evolve and adapt," Caborn told a group of European federation, league and club officials.
"It needs to have the confidence of clubs, leagues and FAs, and an excellent working relationship with FIFA."
The European pro leagues said it is seeking a direct, decision-making stake in UEFA, a move that would change the balance of power in football on the continent and give professional clubs a bigger say in the running of the sport.
The EPFL said that the influence of its 18 member leagues, which includes England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain along with 500 clubs it represents, must have a substantial impact on the game.
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