World boost for Welsh football

Jan 20 2008 by Chris Wathan, Wales On Sunday

WELSH football has been handed a huge double boost after a major global agreement in the game.

Peace has finally broken out between Europe’s elite clubs and the sport’s governing bodies – safeguarding the future of our national team in the process.

But FAW chiefs are also hailing a move to give Wales a voice among the game’s powerbrokers.

It could mean the likes of The New Saints or Llanelli will be rubbing shoulders with Real Madrid and AC Milan in soccer’s corridors of power.

After years of rows, both Uefa and Fifa have signed a letter of intent with the G14 group of clubs, which will bring an end to the court action that threatened the future of the international game.

The clubs had been backing Belgium side Charleroi and French outfit Lyon in legal action against Fifa, where they claimed compensation for players injured while on international duty.

If they had won the case it would have set a precedent that could have forced Wales to pay to play Premier League stars like captain Craig Bellamy.

But now a compromise has been reached that should see an end to the threat that FAW general secretary David Collins predicted would bankrupt the world game.

Furthermore, G14 have agreed to disband and reform as the European Clubs Association – with representatives from Wales on board.

The FAW are waiting for detailed confirmation of the agreement, made last week in Zurich, but Collins told Wales on Sunday: “If the points highlighted come to fruition then clearly I think it’s a tremendous step forward for Welsh football and the game as whole.

“The Charleroi case and everything that surrounded it was holding a gun to the head of most national associations, including ours.

“It could have come to a stage where many countries simply couldn’t afford to play international football. Now this news seems to suggest a big step forward in the right direction to ease many worries.”

Collins and FAW president Peter Rees expect to discuss the move at a Uefa congress in Zagreb later this month, with the clubs having reached an agreement in principle after Uefa and Fifa proposed to provide insurance and compensation for their two major tournaments from TV cash.

Collins is particularly intrigued to see how that money – normally earmarked for grass-roots projects – will be budgeted.

And it is not yet clear how clubs would be compensated and whether it covers qualifying games.

But it is certain that the powerful G14 lobby group will end and a new clubs association will form with a Welsh voice – talks on the new format beginning tomorrow.

Collins added: “We haven’t been informed how the representation will be decided but one would assume Uefa would wish to see the champion club of the premier league of that national association take the place. But it is great to have that foothold.”

The G14 was created by AC Milan and seen as a way for some of Europe’s elite clubs to provide an united voice in tackling Uefa.

But they have now realised their best hope of giving soccer’s European order more balance – like a more harmonious football calendar – is by compromising, while also expanding its members from 18 to as many as 100, including at least one club from all 53 of Uefa’s member associations. The ECA will remain independent, but it will have an official say on some Uefa matters.

And that will mean the likes of Mike Harris at TNS being able to ensure a Welsh voice is heard next to some of the club games’ major power brokers, such as Peter Kenyon of Chelsea and David Gill of Manchester United.