Representation

174 Mawhinney urges transfer changes , Nationwide.co.uk – Football Matters, 7 July 2003

175 UEFA threatens indebted clubs with Champions League bar, Sportcal, February 18, 2003

176 Interview with Antonio MARCHESI

177 UEFA tells EU; A salary cap will guarantee equality, Sportcal, April 19, 2002.

178 G-14 soccer clubs in favour of a salary caps, Sportcal, May 16, 2002.

Even though, as we have seen, there are several issues on the relationship between top clubs and UEFA, the main concern of clubs and specially G-14 and the one that seems to be in the background of all discussions, is the recognition and representation of clubs in the decision-making of UEFA. The perception of clubs about a lack of representation was accentuated by the way UEFA decided at the last-minute to modify the Champions League in July 2002. Kurth explains:

‘In December 2001, the UEFA Executive Committee had announced that it would maintain the format of the UCL until 2006. During a workshop in February, the vast majority of the clubs present reaffirmed their preference for the system that has been in place since 1999). And now the UEFA ExCo, has decided on their own to reform the UCL without consulting anyone. G-14 does not want an open conflict with UEFA. It does, however, demand to be heard.¹⁷⁹’

But is it true that clubs have no representation? According to Jérôme Champagne, clubs are in a way represented in the traditional pyramidal structure of football through their national associations:

‘For instance when there are discussions at FIFA or UEFA about club issues such as transfer rule, the presidents of each federation which, it cannot be forgotten, are elected b y the clubs of their own countries, are there to represent the interest of the clubs.’ ¹⁸⁰

While recognising that it is unavoidable to give more spaces for discussion and participation to other stakeholders¹⁸¹ driven by changes in our societies, Champagne establishes that there is also an informal representation through the people involved in the main bodies of FIFA and UEFA:

‘Within the Governing Bodies there are some people wearing several different hats, for example, Franz Beckenbauer is the President of Bayern München, is a former national team player and is also present in the decision spheres of FIFA. ¹⁸²I can assure you that interests of clubs and players are being protected. When Platini speaks at UEFA or FIFA¹⁸³ he also speaks with his experience of former national team player.’¹⁸⁴

In addition, Marco Brunelli states that clubs are being represented through their national leagues whose role is to be the representative of the whole family of clubs and not the defender of small clubs and that integrate the Professional Football Committee of UEFA (UPFC).¹⁸⁵ The UPFC as explained before, has the responsibility for drawing up the bases for decisions and exchanging views in several of the main issues previously discussed, including competition formats, solidarity system (i.e. revenue sharing), release of players for national teams, transfer windows and club licensing system. The committee may also have some decision-making powers by delegation of UEFA’s Chief Executive. At the moment, the committee can establish the guidelines on the use of UEFA’s Champions League money allocated to the leagues for the training of young players.

179 Interview with Thomas KURTH

180

Interview with Jérôme CHAMPAGNE

181 Champagne refers in particular to players, ref erees and clubs.

182 Beckenbauer is also the vice president of the German Football Association.

183 Platini is a member of both Executive Committees of FIFA and UEFA

184 Interview with Jérôme CHAMPAGNE

185 Interview with Marco BRUNELLI

Finally, there is the European Club Forum that, as we have previously discussed, was created by UEFA in response to the demands of the top clubs and G-14 for greater participation and is meant to support the Clubs Competitions Committee. Representatives from clubs member of G-14 and other top clubs are represented in this forum and its board. The Club Forum’s four board officials are also members in the Clubs Competitions Committee. According to Lars-Christer Olsson, UEFA’s future CEO, UEFA has learned from conflicts in the past that they need to be more aware of the situation and incorporate the clubs and leagues in the decision making process. He also expresses that the European Club Forum is an example of this and that although it has been in existence for only one year, it has the potential of satisfying the clubs’ interests and their needs for representation.¹⁸⁶

But if there are all these platforms for communication and representation, why are the top clubs still not feeling heard? In general, one of the reasons top clubs are not satisfied is because these formal bodies of representation are mainly consultative and do not have decision-making powers. But, in the particular case of European Club Forum, Thomas Kurth states that this is not the only reason:

‘The European Club Forum is formed by 102 clubs. You have one from Faeroe Islands, one from Iceland, one from Armenia, one from Kazakhstan. I understand that since UEFA is the confederation of all the national associations they have to do this. But by having to obey to certain principles they weaken their own organs. Because in such a circle what can you expect to come up? There are 102 clubs with different agendas, different needs, different realities, and that will never produce anything fundamentally positive.”¹⁸⁷

We may say there is a logical bias on this statement, but it seems other people think the same. For instance, Antonio Marchesi believes that the Club Forum (or even G-14) will not solve the conflict or will be even able to implement their common initiatives (salary cap, for example) because there will always be competition between the clubs while establishing that in order to have participation in the decision-making clubs need to prove first cohesiveness in all fronts.¹⁸⁸

Representation of clubs through the pyramidal structure does not seem to be effective in today’s reality either. One of the reasons is that both national associations and national leagues by definition have a national dimension and must prioritise the national level first. On the other hand, top clubs have transcended their borders and revenues from international competitions or global exposure are becoming more and more important. Another aspect is that national associations and in some extent leagues have several stakeholders and have to find an adequate balance in their representation often leaving the interests of top clubs on the side. ¹⁸⁹ Finally, national associations and leagues are political organisations with internal power struggles and, in most cases, not very institutionalised. In this respect, Michel Guénaire suggests that clubs need to become more institutionalised and so do these bodies.¹⁹⁰ In relation to the leagues, Arnaud Rouger comments that the members of the league’s

186 Interview with Lars-Christer OLSSON

187 Interview with Thomas KURTH

188 Interview with Antonio MARCHESI

189 In France, for instance, the league is composed not only of clubs but also of representatives of players’ unions, referees, medical experts and independent members.

190 Interview with Michel GUÉNAIRE

executive body have often a difficult time to detach themselves from their clubs or personal situation.¹⁹¹

With the current structures being only consultative and not able to effectively represent their interests is not surprising the top clubs feel their voice is not being heard and keep insisting in exercising pressure through a lobby group such as G-14 in order to pursue their objectives. This is why the main current objective of clubs is to have “a voice in the game and a word in its management.”¹⁹² To address this issue, G-14 presented a proposal for a new structure that suggests the creation of a specific body¹⁹³ within UEFA’s structure that would govern European club competitions with UEFA and clubs working together.¹⁹⁴ Thomas Kurth confirmed that the idea would be to replicate the same structures we are seeing at national levels:

“Ideally, it will be under the umbrella of UEFA. It will mirror the situation at the national level. In England you have the FA but you also have the Premier League, and the Premier League is in charge of running the club game at the highest level. And you have the Football League which is running the second division, Division 1. And in Germany you have the DFB and you have the DFL,¹⁹⁵ and in France and Italy the same. So I could imagine that at an international level, the same structure could make sense as well.”¹⁹⁶

The proposal, however, does not specify how exactly this body would be composed to take into consideration the variations in terms of the clubs participating in the competitions¹⁹⁷ or how it will interact with UEFA to assure an adequate balance between national and international football and between national team football and club football. This proposal will most likely face resistance from UEFA that intends to keep a strong hold on the game and would be reluctant to implement a project coming from an external body such as G-14 that according to some lacks of real legitimacy.¹⁹⁸