[keane7]

Manchester United and Liverpool have formally declared their opposition to UEFA president Michel Platini's plans for domestic cup winners to qualify for the Champions League.

The English clubs were the most outspoken opponents to the proposals among the 102 members of the European Club Forum who met in Nyon, Switzerland, on Tuesday.

There was a general acceptance of Platini's proposals to secure more places in the group stages of the competition for champions of the smaller leagues in Europe, but opinion was divided over his plan for cup winners.

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

'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 board of the forum will now decide whether to suggest counter-proposals to UEFA, who will decide 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 would not take such a strong position as the other two English clubs.



Its crazy to have the cup winners to play in the champs league. Cups are played over less than 10 games, but leagues are over 38 games. If this crazy plans goes thru, better change the name of champs league.. damm.. Kenyon is ass kisser!!!

 

[andycole9]

i agree with you keane, just look at a few years ago millwall played us in the fa cup final, so say that happens again and we finish top of league, so gain a place to the champs league anyway. does this mean millwall are in the champs league? its total bull shit

 

[keane7]

i think this platini guy sticks his head into the local league affair bit too much.. preffer the previous uefa boss.. Remember it was his election promise that he'll help the smaller country leagues.. thats how he won..

 

[chiboygeorge]

Platini should not change it .. Everyone is used to the current one.

 

[reddwarf]

So do I. Platini is a bloody numpty!

His idea to allow cup winners into the Champions League is ludicrous.

The FA Cup Final in 2004 is the perfect example of why it is a stupid idea. Millwall had not played any Premiership opposition until the final and, because United had qualified for the Champions League, Millwall got into Europe!

Besides, what's the point? No team outside the big 4 has won the FA Cup since 1995 (Everton) so it probably won't make any difference!!!

 

[ARBUCKS]

How can a team quailty for the C.L for winning their domestic cup. Look at last season were Chelsea played league one and Championship teams to the 1/4finals, Playing the likes of Blackpool and Forest etc....It is worthly of C.L football.

 

[ARBUCKS]

Europe's most powerful clubs - the G14 - will not back Uefa president Michel Platini's plan to give domestic cup winners a Champions League place.
"We're opposed to giving cup winners a place in the Champions League," said G14's general manager Thomas Kurth.

"We're very concerned about the quality of the competition and the damage this could cause," added Kurth.

Under the proposals, which could begin in 2009, the Premier League's top three and the FA Cup winners would qualify.

Platini's proposals would give 16 cup winners a separate qualifying route into the Champions League and an allocation of four automatic places in the lucrative group stages.

The proposed shake-up was discussed by UEFA's Professional Football Strategy Council last month but after some opposition from the European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), Platini deferred the final vote by UEFA's executive by one month.

The EPFL, which represents leagues such as the English Premier League, Spain's La Liga and Italy's Serie A, was given until the end of October to come up with alternative proposals.

Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick has described Platini's plan as a "perfectly reasonable suggestion".

 

[Justice]

Hate that French ****.

 

[Wazza1989]

very good.....it's a stupid think....with all due respect to the smaller clubs....this is aa stupid ideea....look for exemple seeing a 3rd league team...winning the FA Cup and going into the Champions League...the dummest ideea ever

 

[Anderson's God]

Platini the French Baguette!

 

[andycole9]

So do I. Platini is a bloody numpty!

His idea to allow cup winners into the Champions League is ludicrous.

The FA Cup Final in 2004 is the perfect example of why it is a stupid idea. Millwall had not played any Premiership opposition until the final and, because United had qualified for the Champions League, Millwall got into Europe!

Besides, what's the point? No team outside the big 4 has won the FA Cup since 1995 (Everton) so it probably won't make any difference!!!

im sure thats what i said

 

[Keano4taoiseach]

Platini abandons cup winners plan

Platini abandons cup winners plan

Platini wants to make big changes
Domestic cup winners will not get to play in the Champions League after a proposal from Uefa chief Michel Platini was rejected, BBC Sport understands.
But the team finishing third in the Premier League will now go straight into the group stages and the fourth team will face two qualifying rounds.

There will also be more places for champions of lower ranked nations if the proposals are ratified next month.

And this will mean a place in the group stage for Scotland's champions in 2009.

But with fewer spots available for qualifiers the team finishing fourth in the Premier League will now face a tougher qualification process.

MIHIR BOSE BLOG
Instead of cutting the power of the bigger leagues like the Premier League Platini has ended up making them stronger


Platini's most controversial proposal was for domestic cup winners to play off for the places that currently go to the teams finishing fourth in the top European leagues, but this idea has been dropped.

Platini had outlined his plans to Uefa's European Professional Football Strategy Council, a 16-member group comprising of officials from Europe's leagues, associations and clubs in Nyon, Switzerland.


The new changes will be ratified at Uefa's executive committee meeting in Lucerne on 1 December.

WHO SITS ON THE EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL STRATEGY COUNCIL?
Four Uefa vice-presidents (including FA Chairman Geoff Thompson)
Four league representatives (Including Premier League chairman David Richards)
Four club representatives (including Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon)
Four Fifpro representatives (Fifpro is the world football players' union)

BBC sports editor Mihir Bose said: "Platini wanted the new club champions to come in from the less privileged parts of Europe.

"He has got that part of the plan through - six new clubs will come in.

"But the other part of the proposal, which involved the cup winners, has been completely abandoned."

The meeting's other significant outcome was the automatic qualification of the team finishing third in the top leagues, including the Premier League.

"The Premier League has won a thumping victory over Platini," added Bose.

The plan had been opposed by the G14, the body which represents 18 of Europe's leading clubs including Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal, who said any change would devalue the reputation of the Champions League.

606: DEBATE
Your thoughts on Platini's proposals

Their view was backed by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

"You have to be careful not to change the Champions League too much by bringing in even more weaker teams because you could find yourself with games with no meaning," he said.

"That would be very dangerous for the quality of the competition."

 

[reddwarf]

There's a surprise

This was always going to be a non-starter for 2 reasons - the same clubs that compete for the league usually compete for the cup and there's a chance of a fluke cup run meaning a crap team get into the Champions League.

What is interesting is that the 3rd placed team in the Prem will now get automatic qualification into the Champions League .

 

[carlyluvsunited]

This man just likes to make change for the sake of it !!

Why add cup winners ffs.......

Already the Champs League has enough rubbish teams in it !!

We don't need more !!

 

[andycole9]

This man just likes to make change for the sake of it !!

Why add cup winners ffs.......

Already the Champs League has enough rubbish teams in it !!

We don't need more !!

yea like slavia prague, steua bucharest, besiktas just to name a few

the lesser teams are finding it easier to qualify these days as the talent is not spread out any more all the top players are in england, germany, spain, italy avoid one of them clubs in qualifying and your laughing

 

[Guest]

How is the Champions league even a league at all ?
It's a knock out competition on the later stages.
How is it a League of Champions when 2nd, 3rd or 4th placed teams or runners up in the FA Cup are champions of............NOTHING.
The Champions League should consist of

Winners of the Premiership ( or equivalent in whatever country )
Winners of the FA Cup ( or equivalent in whatever country, or 2nd placed team if no equivalent ).
If the same team wins both league and FA Cup, then 2nd placed team in the league entered.

Then it should be a LEAGUE, home and away match against all teams.
Top of the league at the end......Champions league winners.

.

 

[RichardsReds]

How is the Champions league even a league at all ?
It's a knock out competition on the later stages.
How is it a League of Champions when 2nd, 3rd or 4th placed teams or runners up in the FA Cup are champions of............NOTHING.
The Champions League should consist of

Winners of the Premiership ( or equivalent in whatever country )
Winners of the FA Cup ( or equivalent in whatever country, or 2nd placed team if no equivalent ).
If the same team wins both league and FA Cup, then 2nd placed team in the league entered.

Then it should be a LEAGUE, home and away match against all teams.
Top of the league at the end......Champions league winners.

.

Interesting points and i agree with everything except it should be a league.

I love the knockout nature of the cup.

I think the format is currently perfect. The best team at the end of the day still wins no matter what. Whoever they face they'll have had to play damn hard oppositions due to the nature. I don't think league makes it any better really.

 

[Guest]

Interesting points and i agree with everything except it should be a league.

I love the knockout nature of the cup.

I think the format is currently perfect. The best team at the end of the day still wins no matter what. Whoever they face they'll have had to play damn hard oppositions due to the nature. I don't think league makes it any better really.

Yep, on reflection i've got to agree, i love the knockout stages. ( some great memories kicking in ).
I think i was tring to justify it being called The Champions League Cup.
Revert back to it being called the European Champions Cup. ( get rid of the word LEAGUE as its NOT a League ).

.

 

[carlyluvsunited]

yea like slavia prague, steua bucharest, besiktas just to name a few

the lesser teams are finding it easier to qualify these days as the talent is not spread out any more all the top players are in england, germany, spain, italy avoid one of them clubs in qualifying and your laughing

Ooooooohhh you nasty man

Don't forget Steaua Bucuresti are only 1 win behind United in this competition !!

But you're right I know Steaua wont win along with many others - and yes maybe they don't belong.........

And you're right about the top players being in English League.....this is why England wont win anything - only 12 English players played in the first 3 rounds of this years competition - out of 4 English Teams !!! Most of them from United.....

Compared with 53 Brazilians (no teams represented), 16 Romanians (1 team represented), and 13 Scottish (2 teams represented).....

How is the Champions league even a league at all ?
It's a knock out competition on the later stages.
How is it a League of Champions when 2nd, 3rd or 4th placed teams or runners up in the FA Cup are champions of............NOTHING.
The Champions League should consist of

Winners of the Premiership ( or equivalent in whatever country )
Winners of the FA Cup ( or equivalent in whatever country, or 2nd placed team if no equivalent ).
If the same team wins both league and FA Cup, then 2nd placed team in the league entered.

Then it should be a LEAGUE, home and away match against all teams.
Top of the league at the end......Champions league winners.

.

Nice......

But why FA Cup Winners etc etc ?

They are not champions of their countries - should be league winners and thats it !

Then all the Champions compete in the CHAMPIONS League - exactly what it says on the tin

 

[Guest]

Ooooooohhh you nasty man

Don't forget Steaua Bucuresti are only 1 win behind United in this competition !!

But you're right I know Steaua wont win along with many others - and yes maybe they don't belong.........

And you're right about the top players being in English League.....this is why England wont win anything - only 12 English players played in the first 3 rounds of this years competition - out of 4 English Teams !!! Most of them from United.....

Compared with 53 Brazilians (no teams represented), 16 Romanians (1 team represented), and 13 Scottish (2 teams represented).....

Nice......

But why FA Cup Winners etc etc ?

They are not champions of their countries - should be league winners and thats it !

Then all the Champions compete in the CHAMPIONS League - exactly what it says on the tin

First of all don't try to change what AC9 said....

He said "all the top players are in england, germany, spain, italy" , never mentioned English players.

Why FA Cup winners?

Because they are the Champions in the FA Cup.
They have Championed over ever every other team .
ie:- ALL other teams have been knocked out. Cue the word FA Cup Champions
Or are you saying that everytime United ( or any other team ) have won the FA Cup they were NOT champions ?
If you are then you are trying to rewrite the whole history of the FA Cup, look anywhere you will see " FA Cup Champions * enter team *, runners up * enter team*.
.