The Beautiful Game

We all know that there is previous between England and France. It started a long time ago and still seems to rumble on. With Michel Platini's surge to power at UEFA it seems as though each season there is something new to talk about that demonstrates his passion against the success of the Barclays Premier League.

Right now it is the amazing decision against Chelsea that will stop them buying any new players till 2011. The punishment was dealt out by FIFA after the club was found guilty of getting a young winger, Gael Kakuta to break his contract with Lens in 2007.

Since achieving UEFA Presidency in 2007 Platini has tried to launch, and shared an official opinion on a number of new ideas and innovations to the game. However, to me it seems that often these are born out of Platini trying to fight the dominance of the English game in Europe.

The vast TV Rights money, huge transfer fees, foreign ownership and clubs mounting debts has created an aura of negativity across Europe against the Barclays Premier League, and the Chelsea ruling seems to be the latest battle. I am sure that this kind of thing has gone on in football for decades and all the top teams from all the top leagues must be guilty of it. I am not saying that I agree with it, and think it is very harsh to punish the young player as well as the club, it is just that it always seems that English teams suffer most.

I grew up watching Italian, Spanish and English football and Eduardo's 8.0 against Celtic looked like a cruncher compared to other examples I have seen throughout European football. Yet it is Arsenal who suffer the ban. It would not surprise me if the paper talk is proved right and Manchester United are the next team to suffer the same kind of ruling as Chelsea, then probably Manchester City. With these two incidents the authorities have set the precedent, and they now have to enforce them each time - I can't wait to see what happens the next time there is a dodgy penalty award against Arsenal.

Platini has recently backed the 6+5 idea (six home international players and five foreign players) to be introduced in top flight team in Europe. Platini has also backed caps on wages and transfer spending - and all foreign ownership of clubs. He has stated that he wants to cut the number of Italian, Spanish and English teams in the UEFA Champions League to a maximum of three instead of four and has also talked about banning clubs from European competition based on the debts of the clubs. All are valid ideas, but it seems that English clubs will get hit the hardest.

Too much money, not enough home-grown talent, clubs built on debt and foreign ownership, money taking over the game, players running clubs. These are Platini's view of the English game and he seems set to try and disrupt it.

I love the Barclay's Premier League, and it is so great because of the big business it has become and I have enjoyed English clubs having success in Europe (and the benefits this seems to be having on the national side) and hope that an English team can lift the UEFA Champions League trophy in Madrid in May and see Platini grit his teeth and applaud.

Sod it, I even wouldn't mind if it's Chelsea.

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Notts County, one of the former giants of the English game are plotting a dramatic revival and charge towards the Premier League - thanks to yet more foreign investment in English football. Okay, this is not quite on the scale of Man City but in a week when UEA investment saved Portsmouth from becoming the first Barclays Premier League club to go into administration, Notts County are also finding a new lease of life under foreign ownership. Indeed, when was the last time Notts County were finding the back pages?!

The reason for all the excitement and media coverage?

The link to former England Manager Sven Goran Eriksson to become either Manager or Director of Football at the club (the latter being more likely).

Quite a journey for a man who has managed at club sides Benfica, Lazio, Sampdoria and Manchester City, led England to two World Cups and recently had a spell with Mexico. Next stop: Coca-Cola League Two.

It is quite a phenomenon for English football, that so many clubs are rapidly finding new hope and optimism. It seems that right through the game big money foreign investment is shaping the future of the English Football League. It is no longer just about Chelsea, this is happening at clubs from QPR to Southampton and now Notts County. I would imagine a number of club chairman are hoping and praying that they are somehow in the shop window..

Not long ago the news was only ever about struggling clubs, knackered by lack of TV money from the collapse of ITV Digital (did Setanta learn nothing?!) and struggling to survive. Now headlines are dominated by the big money that is flowing through the game from Ronaldo to Rodgers as the lucky clubs get a new credit card to use.

I wonder if Brighton & Hove Albion have had any calls?

Actually I’m happy with Tony Bloom as I think the foreign bubble could well burst leaving a lot of clubs struggling and knackered once again

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