So typical of a quasi-politician; attempting to bend the rules to suit their own purblind cause. Michel Platini urged the European Union to allow him to force through a variety of regulations that in all probability would see the J-League or the Hyundai A League become the strongest in the world.

His plan is to institute a cap on the spending and transfer fees for the football clubs of Europe, this would be limited to somewhere between 38%-63% of a club’s income. All done in the hope that fees and wages – like the ones recently seen offered for Kaka of £108m at £275,000 per week – aren’t seen again.  Apparently this kind of offer debases the ‘beautiful’ game and will lead to the implosion of the sport. Platini sees his own plan as enabling football to continue its upward rise in the global sporting stakes. However, if he were to look under his nose and examine the recent developments in English rugby union, he’d discover that a salary cap has caused three English players to move to France. The RFU have successfully found a formulae to destroy rugby from the top down. Platini’s idea would have the same effect.

If the MEPs bend to his will – which they likely will given that most detest wealth and wealth creation – then we can all say goodbye to football being a successful sport across Europe. If we wish to drain the sport of the outside investment it has seen over recent seasons then we’d be going the right way about it. The money will dry up and move elsewhere, along with the successful players. He plainly doesn’t understand basic economics, but then what else would you expect from a French footballer.