Platini Interview

FAIR PLAY FINANCIER

The slippery slope started fifty years ago and we were headed for disaster. We had to react and I took my responsibilities. But be aware that one should not not confuse debt and losses. If a club pays its debt to the bank, no worries. We want to help the clubs, not kill them! Our plan is to block the losses, limiting them in time. Thus, the big clubs will be limited to 45 million euros over three years. They all responded very well. Especially their owners, who have the <some curse word> to pay!

FOREIGN INVESTMENT

Five years ago, I said that I was not a fan when the Americans were investing in Britain. I will not say anything different in regards to the Qataris coming to Paris Saint-Germain. What value is it to this club to have an Italian coach, a Brazilian sports director and German players? Where is the link with Paris? I'm not against it, because I cannot stop it: It's globalization. But I'm not sure how the Parisian are going to connect with their club. And when the Qataris decide to leave, what will happen then?

BI-NATIONALITY

It's a good debate, dual nationality. National Technical Directorate (DTN) is here to train players for the team of France, not Poland, Croatia and Algeria. It is normal that it is the question. For me, I would have players decide at the age of 18. You cannot make the World Cup Under-17 years with one country and the Olympics with another. FIFA has changed its regulations in 2003, at the request of Mohamed Raouraoua, the president of the Algerian Football Federation, who knew what he wanted. And the reform was submitted to a vote, exactly what not to do, because with a vote it becomes political. Imagine that in Algeria there is a great player of 17 years and that the French go and get him! The Algerians would not like it, right?

FIFA

FIFA has been run for four decades by politicians: there was Joao Havelange and then Blatter. I hope that former athletes will soon take over. When the institution that runs the football world is criticized, it is not very good. This is nothing against Blatter necessarily, and besides, he seems committed to solving the problems. We will observe all that carefully. All is not rotten in FIFA, but if some people are corrupt, they will leave. Mohamed Bin Hamman has presented himself more as an anti-Blatter rather than an anti-FIFA. Like many others, he does not accept the way the organization is managed.