PREM TOLD: DUMP FOUR CLUBS

[Humpty]

EXCLUSIVE: 16-team league by 2008 or we face Euro ban

 

THE PREMIERSHIP faces calls from UEFA to cut the number of clubs to 16 after the big guns of Europe were all blown out of the Euro 2004 water early.

 

England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France were all eliminated before the semi-final stage to cause concern at the highest levels of the European game.

 

UEFA needs the countries with the largest television and advertising markets to be in at the business end of tournaments to ensure the multi-billion pound cash cow can still be milked.

 

But after a Champions League season which saw Porto play Monaco in the final, senior UEFA figures have decided that radical action is needed.

 

And that could mean the Premiership being forced to slash FOUR clubs over the next three seasons or risk being barred from entering clubs in the Champions League or UEFA Cup.

 

One senior UEFA source told Mirror Sport last night: "There are great lessons here in this tournament. We now have to act according to those lessons."

 

UEFA President and Arsenal fan Lennart Johansson has already indicated that the demands of club commitments have to be reduced. Johansson said: "International football is very important but so is the health of the players. They should play fewer matches for their clubs.

 

UEFA are now drafting proposals that will demand all the major footballing powers cut the number of clubs in their top leagues to 16 before the Euro 2008 finals in Switzerland and Austria.

 

The plans are expected to be announced by new chief executive Lars Christer Olsson in August, with the warning that UEFA will be willing to deny access to its two club competitions to countries that do not promise to fall into line. That would cause indignation among Premiership clubs, where only Arsenal and Manchester United have shown any interest in calls for a reduction to 18 clubs. Coca-Cola League bosses would be furious too, with the third promotion spot under threat.

 

Premier League spokesman Phil French maintained last night: "There are absolutely no plans for a change in the format of the Premier League competition and we have had no contact from UEFA suggesting that they wish to do so."

 

But now it seems that UEFA has decided that action is needed and that the proposals will be dropped on the doormats of the major leagues at the end of the summer.

 

Such a move will bring outrage from the majority of Premiership clubs, who are guaranteed around £15million each year from TV revenues and who would fear a potentially crippling loss of cash from such an enforced cut in the number of top-flight teams.

 

The Premiership and Spain's La Liga would be hit hardest, as both have 20 clubs, while Italy's Serie A and Germany's Bundesliga feature 18 sides.

 

But Bayern Munich president and chairman of the 2006 World Cup Organising Committee Franz Beckenbauer, signalled that Germany would be willing to fall into line, said: "UEFA has to take action on this. There are just too many matches.

 

"It's not just been here in Portugal that the big countries have failed. Look at the World Cup, when France, Italy and Spain went out so early, and the Champions League this season.

 

"Players are arriving at the major tournaments very tired. UEFA must act to cut the leagues from 20 to a maximum of 16 teams."

 

 

[Guest]

I cannot remember where but i found something just yesterday Denying this!

 

Woody

[Guest]

That's rubbish. English clubs bring in the biggest revenue so they would no way ban English clubs.

Not sure where they got their sources from but if true Uefa are doinf their usual and talking out their backsides again.

They're never happy unless they can threaten the English national team or clubs every couple of months, bunch of [****!!****] morons the lot of them.