UEFA

[Gerrit]

What do you all think of Michel Platini's election as new UEFA president? Good thing for football, or not?

I am quite enthousiast about it. Especially his plan to reform the Champions League and have less teams per country, this is a welcome change that actually offers clubs the chance to grow (rather than keeping the same small group of clubs as established giants). It hopefully will bring some new teams into the CL and offer clubs from countries like Norway, Israel, Croatia, Austria, Serbia, Poland, Switzerland, etc an honest chance to qualify for the group phase.

I think it's a good thing to see UEFA lead by a former player, someone who knows football also from outside the office environment, someone who knows the sport from the perspective of players and fans as well. It was about time to have some new faces leading UEFA, and Platini comes across to me as capable (he also had success in organising the France 1998 world cup)

Go Platini, and definitely do those CL reformings
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Rosenborg, forever pride of the North!

[Torbjørn]

I am not sure what to think about the election of Platini. It might turn out to be a nice change, and I too like the idea of having less teams per country in the Champions League. It was about time, if you ask me. On a sidenote, our old and beloved tv commentator Knut Th. Gleditsch, finally got what he wanted - in every Rosenborg match in the Champions League he took a few seconds off to swing his sword against UEFA for not letting RBK directly into the tournament without having to qualify. And this might make it easier for the teams from the smaller nations to make it into the distinguished party.

Still, it was recently announced by Platini and his administration that our own Per Ravn Omdal is finished as vice president in UEFA. Probably to make it clear that there will be changes in the organization. Omdal has been doing an excellent job in UEFA, so it leaves me a bit perplexed.
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Nils Arne Eggen.

[2mas]

The big nations and clubs won't allow UEFA to reorganize Champions League in the way Platini says he want to. I actually doubt this was much more than "election promises" to the Eastern European countries.

[Green Apes]

As you said its very good for a team like ours, and we also needed him for my football team, you know we don't play in our home stadium in european games right? He said he can change that.
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~GA

[Gerrit]

Maybe there will be CL reformations, maybe not. At least we have someone in charge who wants to change it. Regardless if it will work out or not, we have hope. And the big teams are afraid, Man United, Arsenal and Bayern all told they are concerned (Hoeness even literarly said "I am afraid Platini will do all against the big teams, but no one is interested in a final between Rosenborg and Legia Warsaw" - what an arrogance! Porto-Monaco was well-watched despite the lack of 'traditional giants' in the final...)

If Platini gets the go-ahead (I said 'if'...) then new clubs will have the chance to grow. The establishment may change, and that is a very good thing IMHO It's up to the big teams now to prove that they can remain at the top without protection from UEFA.

And more teams from more countries can never be disastrous for attendances like Bayern fear. You don't need two giants to have many people interested. Countries like Poland, Israel, Norway, Sweden, Serbia, Croatia, Austria, Switzerland, etc now just fail to deliver a CL team often, because they are barred by the nr 3 or 4 from another league. If you let those countries' champions enter the tournament, the number of people in these countries that follow the games will be very big. So there's no way that having teams from 'smaller' leagues will be negative for the number of people interested, on the contrary.
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Rosenborg, forever pride of the North!

[Kjetil Rekdal]

I hope Platini will leave the CL as it is. Arsenal or Levski Sofia?
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In Rekdal We Trust!

[Gerrit]

Levski! They are actual CHAMPIONS and therefor deserve to be more in the CHAMPIONS League than the nr 3 from England. With all respect for Arsenal, but their place is in the UEFA Cup if they don't win the Premier League.

Admit, we always see the same teams in the CL... Look at the quarter finals this season. Apart from AS Roma, I have a very big "deja vu" feeling, it almost gets boring. And three English teams out of 8, in a league for CHAMPIONS, is beyond ridiculous.
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Rosenborg, forever pride of the North!

[Kjello]

I think a change could be very good for European football. And I think that both Champions League and the Uefa Cup will become bigger for the clubs.
Champions League becouse it will be more exclusive too get a CL spot in the bigger leagues.
And Uefa Cup becouse there will be alot more of the bigger clubs in the cup.
And with more clubs from smaller leagues I think we may get an more even international stage, the lead the big clubs have will get smaller and clubs like Rosenborg, FC København etc. will take a step up. But on the other hand, why cange something that works so well?

[Green Apes]