More for your Euros
Michel Platini has revealed that Euro 2020 may be held all over Europe
UEFA president Michel Platini has revealed the concept of one or two countries staging major tournaments may be abandoned for Euro 2020.
Turkey had been favourites to host the event but their bid has hit difficulties due to a desire to host the Olympic Games in Istanbul in the same year and Platini has confirmed a radical alternative is now being considered.
"The Euros in 2020 could be held all over Europe," said Platini. "It could be either one country and 12 stadiums or one stadium in 12 or 13 cities."
Platini confirmed a final decision would be taken in January or February next year.
"This matter will be discussed very seriously," he added.
Platini continued: "We will have a great debate about 2020 and discuss the pros and cons.
"Then we will make a decision. I think it is a great idea."
Platini repeated his opposition to goal-line technology.
"I am against technology," he told the press conference in Kiev.
"Where do we stop? There was a mistake in the Ukraine-England game. But there was an offside before that."
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And so the Blattini Bandwagon trundles along unchecked. Just think of the... ummmm... "hospitality" that will be available to the Blattini Duo given this scenario. What; you think Mr. Plattini will not ask his chum Mr. Blatter to join him on a "fact finding tournament assessment tour" of multiple cities?
Cynical?
Moi?
Thats a very valid point from Platini and a rare one at that. If there was goal line technology, Ukraine would of been given a goal against us even though it was offside. Nothing's black and white in life and this shows the other side of the coin, theres always going to be debates and talking points in sport and mistakes will always be made whether it is human error or technology blips. Personaly i'm happy the way it is.
I would like to see the schedule he is planing with 2020 and the traveling the teams and supporters will have to do. Europe has no money and many nations will struggle to prepare for such an event on their own, especially with the amount of teams participating going up.
eddie mathieson is such a bigoted a***hole ,typical celt.He must be such a sad LITTLE man spending his day trawling through articles just so that he can have another laughable dig at England and anything English. He is obviously a failure in life and has to vent his spleen through the meaningless drivel he posts day after day on any subject.
How would that work? I suspect it would cost the winning Cities a fortune to provide the local facilities. At the moment they get the benefit of a run of matches with the attendant revenue stream. I can't see how they can hope to recover the costs on the back of a single game. Not that would stop many of them bidding - to the detriment of their citizens' financial futures.
And how will the supporters be able to plan their own itinery if they don't even know what country the later games are going to be held in depending on who wins in the first round.
And as Steven says, below, Does that mean that every country hosting a game will automatically qualify? Jeeze. What would automatic qualification be worth to FIFA and UEFA. It would make the Olympic gravy train look like it was suffering from anorexia by comparison.
Don't bite on eddie mathieson's comments folks. Its what he feeds on. He has the unique distinction of being an even bigger prat than Platini, and gets his kicks by making gormeless statements in the hope of provoking a reaction.
I guess he suffers from Attention seeking Deficit Disorder. If he's still at school, his teachers have my sympathy. If he's not, God help the neighbourhood he lives in,
As for the issues I have read a few times about fans getting around from city to city and country to country to watch games due to the distance between games, and cost involved. Well thats just crap! USA hosted the World Cup in '94. This is a country that covers 3 time zones. I cant remember hearing too many stories about fans having difficulty travelling from city to city to follow their country. The World Cup in 2 years time is in Brazil. A country so Vast that it covers half a continent and during the World Cup part of the country will be in the Summer, whilst another will be Winter. Russia will be hosts for World Cup 2018, a country so vast that it exists in two continents! As for costs, the World Cup in 2002 was Japan/South Korea, countries that were not cheap to get to for European fans. I cant imagine the World Cup in 2022 in Qatar being what could be referred to as cheap for fans to get to and stay in either
