UEFA ready to give clubs and players greater say

NYON - UEFA said on Monday that it was ready to give clubs, players and national leagues a greater say on key problems affecting European football for the first time.
UEFA's Executive Committee, headed by new president Michel Platini, decided to recommend the formation of a new 16 person Strategic Council including four representatives each from European clubs, players and leagues, governing body spokesman William Gaillard said.
It will also incorporate UEFA's four vice presidents, from England, Germany, Spain and Turkey.
Gaillard said the statute change needed to set up the council will be submitted for a final decision by member associations at UEFA's extraordinary congress on May 28.
"Clubs, leagues and players will be integrated in UEFA's statutes for the first time," he told journalists, adding that the step was regarded as "revolutionary."
One of the largely advisory council's tasks will be to come up with possible solutions to issues such as football violence, Gaillard said.
"Its role is to smooth out the problems that might exist in the professional game thanks to cooperation between all the families in football," he explained.
The issue of official club representation within UEFA has long been controversial, and football chiefs have often clashed with the G14 lobby group of 18 top European clubs.
Club representatives will come from the more extensive European Club Forum, UEFA said, while the players were likely to be appointed by European members of international professional players' association, FIFPro.

03/26/2007 15:56 GMT