Top clubs warn over Euro, Olympics
Source: Agencies |
February 10, 2011, Thursday
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EUROPE'S top clubs are opposed to their players taking part in both the European Championship in Poland and Ukraine and the London Olympic Games next year, the clubs' association agreed at their General Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday.
Umberto Gandini, vice-president of the European Club Association (ECA), said UEFA should pressure member associations and national team managers not to select the same player for both tournaments.
"We do not think it is appropriate that European players will play in the European championship and then some of the same players will be involved in the Olympics in London a few weeks later," Gandini told a news conference.
"It does not make sense for a club player to be involved in two major tournaments in such a short period of time. We have appealed to UEFA to say that if a player is selected for Euro 2012, he should not be selected for the Olympics.
"As the Olympics are not part of the international calendar we are going to face the same situation we did in 2008 where there will be requests for release of players where the clubs have other activities going on. We hope we can discuss this without getting into conflict as we did in 2008."
Wider concern
Manchester United chief executive David Gill, speaking in his role as an ECA board member, said the debate was part of a wider concern that clubs did not want their players taking part in more than one international tournament a year.
Gill said the clubs would prefer their players to miss the Olympics, which starts four weeks after Euro 2012 ends. "A player who is in the squad for Euro 2012 should not then be in the Olympic squad," he said.
Europe's top clubs also warned FIFA that they were running out of patience with how it runs world football. The clubs are demanding a greater voice in decision-making from football's governing body because their members and players represent the "heart of the game."
"I wouldn't say we are at war because the clubs are very patient, but we have a limit," Barcelona president Sandro Rosell said after a meeting of the 197-member umbrella group. "What we are asking is rational, logical and fair."
The clubs criticized FIFA for managing the game without proper consultation, highlighting the confusion over a possible winter switch for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
On Monday, FIFA President Sepp Blatter reversed his previous public pronouncements and said it was "settled" to play the tournament in summer. Gill said the debate "hasn't been dealt with correctly."
"For it to happen in that way was somewhat surprising," Gill said.
The Qatar debate unsettled the ECA which was founded three years ago to give clubs stronger ties with FIFA and UEFA.
Umberto Gandini, vice-president of the European Club Association (ECA), said UEFA should pressure member associations and national team managers not to select the same player for both tournaments.
"We do not think it is appropriate that European players will play in the European championship and then some of the same players will be involved in the Olympics in London a few weeks later," Gandini told a news conference.
"It does not make sense for a club player to be involved in two major tournaments in such a short period of time. We have appealed to UEFA to say that if a player is selected for Euro 2012, he should not be selected for the Olympics.
"As the Olympics are not part of the international calendar we are going to face the same situation we did in 2008 where there will be requests for release of players where the clubs have other activities going on. We hope we can discuss this without getting into conflict as we did in 2008."
Wider concern
Manchester United chief executive David Gill, speaking in his role as an ECA board member, said the debate was part of a wider concern that clubs did not want their players taking part in more than one international tournament a year.
Gill said the clubs would prefer their players to miss the Olympics, which starts four weeks after Euro 2012 ends. "A player who is in the squad for Euro 2012 should not then be in the Olympic squad," he said.
Europe's top clubs also warned FIFA that they were running out of patience with how it runs world football. The clubs are demanding a greater voice in decision-making from football's governing body because their members and players represent the "heart of the game."
"I wouldn't say we are at war because the clubs are very patient, but we have a limit," Barcelona president Sandro Rosell said after a meeting of the 197-member umbrella group. "What we are asking is rational, logical and fair."
The clubs criticized FIFA for managing the game without proper consultation, highlighting the confusion over a possible winter switch for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
On Monday, FIFA President Sepp Blatter reversed his previous public pronouncements and said it was "settled" to play the tournament in summer. Gill said the debate "hasn't been dealt with correctly."
"For it to happen in that way was somewhat surprising," Gill said.
The Qatar debate unsettled the ECA which was founded three years ago to give clubs stronger ties with FIFA and UEFA.
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