English clubs rejects Platini's CL plan

UEFA president Michel Platini's suggestion that domestic cup winners would qualify for the Champions League was not endorsed by English clubs Liverpool and Manchester United. The two clubs were very candid at a meeting of the 102 members of the European Club Forum, which met in Nyon, Switzerland, on Tuesday saying the proposals were not acceptable.

Platini's plan to secure more places in the group stages of the competition for champions of the smaller leagues in Europe was generally accepted but opinion was divided over his plan for cup winners.

"The most opposed to those proposals were Liverpool and Manchester United; they do not want to see a change to the format at all," said William Gaillard, UEFA communications director.

"Across the top seven countries however opinion was mixed. The Italians are strongly in favour because they want to revamp their cup competition; the Spanish and the French said it should be up to their FAs to decide, while the Germans were split among themselves.

"The clubs from the smaller countries were generally in agreement."

The forum board will have to make a decision on whether it will suggest counter-proposals to UEFA, which will make a decision on any changes at an executive committee meeting in November.

Chelsea chief executive, Peter Kenyon, is a member of the forum's board but he is not likely to take such a strong stance as the other two clubs.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.