September 9 – The European Club Association, which represents the bulk of Europe’s clubs, says it would support Michel Platini if it were able to vote in next February’s FIFA presidential election.
Two ECA members have just been given spots on UEFA’s executive committee under Platini so it is little surprise the body has given the thumbs up in return over the UEFA chief’s candidacy.
The ECA now has 220 members and chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (pictured) has endorsed Platini’s bid to take over from Sepp Blatter.
“We have had a very good experience with UEFA and especially with Michel Platini because we don’t forget that he was one of the ECA founders,” Rummennige said following the ECA’s annual assembly.
“We were sometimes opponents on the field but off the field I would call us friends so we have a lot of respect though we don’t know his programme.
“We are convinced that [if] he will be president, then he will be a good president of FIFA.”
This week’s ECA meeting was addressed by FIFA general-secretary Jerome Valcke who is expected to follow Blatter out of the organisation. Providing a spot of insight, Rummenigge told reporters Valcke had made it clear the current state of affairs at FIFA was “quite difficult, everything except easy.”
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