ACTUALITE |
12.10.2001
UEFA propose new national team competition
PRAGUE,
European soccer`s governing body UEFA on Friday outlined three proposals for the creation of a new competition for national teams which would effectively replace friendly internationals.
The proposals, aimed at making friendlies more attractive and profitable, were presented before the presidents and general secretaries of UEFA`s 51 member associations in Prague.
"This is an embryo for development," UEFA`s director of professional football and marketing, Lars-Christer Olsson, told the conference.
"Our aim is to get the stone rolling, and we must now all discuss the alternatives."
The proposals have been drawn up in response to requests from small and middle-ranking associations for UEFA to devise a system to boost the appeal of international friendlies.
"We will evaluate the marketing possibilities on the basis of any competition model which would be chosen," said Olsson.
UEFA`s first proposal is for a cup competition over a three-year period, with qualifying and final phases, which has the working title of the Nations Cup, with the finals taking place the year before the European competition.
The two other proposals centre on a league system, with promotion and relegation, called the UEFA A-League.
UEFA`s chief executive Gerhard Aigner suggested a three-year competition might start in 2004 to produce a final in 2007, the year before the 2008 European championships.
Aigner said: "It will depend which model is put in place. We don`t really have a fixed schedule but if we were to have a competition with a three-year timetable we would start such a competition in 2004 and finish it with a final tournament in 2007, one year prior to the European Championship."
He added: "I must repeat that these are initial ideas, and it was our associations who asked us to come forward with proposals based on their reflections."
Discussions between UEFA and the associations about the proposed competition are likely to start later this year.
However there was a mixed response from delegates, with larger associations, such as France, less in favour of yet another competition in an already full calendar.
"France has had reservations for some time because of the already very full calendar of matches and the growing difficulty of clubs to free international players as well as the financial viability," said Gerard Enault, director general of the French Football Federation (FFF).
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