The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Fans to benefit from Euro 2020 change — Platini Posted: 07 Dec 2012 07:52 AM PST  UEFA President Michel Platini smiles during a draw ceremony for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Tel Aviv November 28, 2012. — Reuters pic Platini, president of European football's governing body, admitted that fans had struggled with the cost and logistical difficulties of travelling to Poland and Ukraine for 2012 and said UEFA wanted to make their lives easier. "Before, the fans had to go to the Euro, now the Euro is coming towards the fans," Platini told a round table of reporters from international news agencies. UEFA's executive committee voted yesterday to stage the tournament in an unspecified number of cities around Europe, with bidding from potential hosts due to start in March. Further details will be decided in the next few months. "There is a blank piece of paper," said the Frenchman, who admitted there was a hint of eccentricity in the decision. "I love zany ideas... It's an extraordinary challenge," he said. Any concerns that supporters might have to travel from Lisbon to Astana to follow their team were unfounded, Platini said. "The fans won't have to travel but we are taking the matches to fans and supporters in quite a number of countries," he said. "We have met with the Football Supporters Europe (FSE) recently and we reassured them we will do whatever is possible to make sure that fans get the necessary support when they travel. "We won't have a team playing in Sweden, Portugal and Kazakhstan with fans chasing all over the continent. "This is what we explained to the supporters' association, we told them we were going to help them and they had a much more positive attitude." Fans have had a tough time at major tournaments recently, facing huge costs and travelling difficulties at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and Euro 2012. The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is likely to prove even more expensive and challenging for supporters, with most teams playing their group-stage matches in three different venues around the mammoth country. "It won't be like Poland and Ukraine, with 50 French supporters here and 70 Spanish supporters there," Platini said of the 2020 plans. "It was difficult to go to Poland and Ukraine and I would like to congratulate the British supporters who went there but perhaps they now have the possibility to go to another country that's closer." Platini said he would like the final stage of the competition to be held in one city, although the decision would be taken by UEFA's executive committee. "I'm in favour of the final phase being in one city to give it more importance, that's my idea. The executive committee will decide whether it's a good or bad idea. "I think this would create a very special atmosphere among the supporters. It will be a week of national teams and it could be a great party." Platini said that FIFA president Sepp Blatter had told him of a similar plan by late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for the African Nations Cup. "I got congratulations from the president of FIFA; he said it is a marvellous idea. He said somebody wanted to do it a few years ago with the African Nations Cup and it was Gaddafi," Platini said. — Reuters |
| Unbeaten City cannot afford to lose derby, says Mancini Posted: 07 Dec 2012 07:35 AM PST  Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini watches his players during a training session at the club's Carrington training complex in Manchester, northern England December 3, 2012. — Reuters pic "They can lose. They have three points more. We have three points less and we can't lose," the Italian told reporters today. Champions City, unbeaten in 15 Premier League matches this season, won both encounters with their neighbours last season en route to a first league title in 44 years, including a 6-1 defeat of United in the first clash. However, Mancini said United were always favourites because of their pedigree over the past two decades. "We can't change the history. We are here (for) only two years, playing together, and they are used to playing this game for the title race for 20 years. "This is normal when you play against a team that won everything in the last 15 years. You can't change this in two or three years and you need more time. For this reason, they have a small advantage. "In this moment United are favourites but the season is long." Mancini highlighted United's purchase of Arsenal striker Robin van Persie as a big momentum shift before the current season got underway. "They were a strong team and then they bought Van Persie and (Shinji) Kagawa. They put another player that scores 25 goals into the squad," he said. — Reuters |
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