By Andrew Warshaw
September 16 – The English FA has re-iterated that it will support Michel Platini in next year’s FIFA presidential election – even though it nominated Prince Ali bin al-Hussein last time.
The pair are two of the three heavyweight contenders who have so far put their names forward to replace Sepp Blatter and Prince Ali has made two trips to the UK in the past week, either side of his declaration that he intends to stand again in February.
FIFA rules stipulate candidates must have a minimum five letters of support and Prince Ali named six last time: his native Jordan, England, Malta, Georgia, Belarus and the United States.
The Jordanian FA chief, who ended up as the sole opponent to Blatter after Michael van Praag and Luis Figo withdrew, has a strong relationship with the English FA but will have to look elsewhere ahead of the October 26 deadline for nominations this time around.
“We supported Prince Ali last time because he was the only reform candidate,” said Martin Glenn (pictured) who recently took over as the FA’s chief executive. “He took Blatter to a second round but it’s a different world now. We’ve got the head of UEFA putting his hat in the ring. We think there is immense value in supporting a UEFA candidate.”
Prince Ali is distinctly non-plussed with what he perceives as Platini’s opportunistic style and unethical election strategy by wooing fellow confederation chiefs and setting himself up as Blatter’s favoured option. He also believes the Frenchman has little to offer in terms of radical change from the old regime.
But the FA, whose officials recently had dinner with Platini, do not see it that way.
“We know what his agenda is …it will place English football well to have a guy like Michel running FIFA,” said Glenn. “It’s an assessment of whether, when circumstances change, which individual will make more or less the right decisions. That’s our view with Platini. We think he’s got huge experience. He talks about football in a way that makes sense.”
“It’s not just a question of changing the guy at the top. Whoever runs it, FIFA will be a cleaner, clearer, more transparent sporting organisation.”
Prince Ali has been highly critical of Platini for changing his way of behaving since backing him against Blatter in May and argues he is too wedded to the past, having helped Blatter first get elected in 1998. But Glenn countered: “Platini wouldn’t be the first person who, on the road to power, has changed his policies when he gets power. We feel he has got the right views.”
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