UEFA•Direct #167
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No. 167 MAY 2017 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE UNION OF EUROPEAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATIONS UEFA CONGRESS Governance reforms adopted in Helsinki No.167 • May 2017 No.167 HAVING A THE EXECUTIVE FIELD DAY TECHNICIAN COMMITTEE UEFA Direct talks to PSG’s head Fabio Capello shares UEFA bids farewell to five groundsman, Jonathan Calderwood his secrets to success members in Helsinki www.uefafoundation.org EDITORIAL ‘SECURITY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY’ he recent attack on a bus carrying To show UEFA’s commitment to ensuring a Borussia Dortmund players to their UEFA safe environment for players, officials and fans, T Champions League quarter-final against we are setting up a new security unit, which AS Monaco FC unfortunately highlighted the will work alongside our existing Stadium and challenges that we face in organising some Security Committee. of the world’s biggest sporting events. As you know, in the coming months we Furthermore, this incident served as a have several major events to deliver, including reminder that no matter how great the action youth tournaments, Women’s EURO 2017 and on the pitch, it is the safety and security of the the club competition finals. In each case, players, fans, officials and partners that has to we are working very closely with the local be our number one priority for all our matches authorities in order to guarantee the safety and competitions. of the participants, the fans and everyone UEFA has more than 60 years’ experience else visiting the host countries and cities. of organising football matches and we have I sincerely hope that everyone will be able faced many trials and tribulations along the to enjoy these magnificent occasions to the way. As recently as last year, UEFA EURO 2016 fullest. After all, football has the unique quality was staged against a backdrop of hideous of being able to unite people of all nationalities, terrorist attacks that targeted France and races and faiths – no matter how challenging neighbouring Belgium. the times may be. I remember vividly how we spent countless months in consultation with the local organising committee, the French government and local authorities to ensure the safety of the hundreds of thousands of people who attended the tournament – an event that thankfully passed Theodore Theodoridis without major incident. UEFA General Secretary UEFA DIRECT • May 2017 – 03 CONTENTS 11 30 UEFA Getty Images CONTENTS 6 UEFA Congress 22 Under-17s Aleksander Čeferin chaired his first Fifteen teams will be competing Official publication of UEFA Congress in Helsinki on 5 April. alongside hosts Croatia in the final the Union of European Football Associations round of the 2016/17 European Chief editor: Under-17 Championship, while the 11 UEFA Europa League final Emmanuel Deconche Czech Republic plays host to the final Stockholm gears up for 24 May. Deputy chief editor: round of this season’s European Dominique Maurer Women’s Under-17 Championship. 12 Pitch perfect External contributors: Simon Hart (page 12) From the wintry mudbaths and dusty Tomislav Pacak, HNS goalmouths of the not-so-distant past 28 Social responsibility (sidebar, page 23) Terji Nielsen (page 24) to the latest generation of hybrid grass, The EURO 2016 legacy project has left a lasting impact in Saint-Etienne, where Martin Gregor, FACR elite football pitches have become (sidebar, page 26) technological masterpieces. 18 new facilities have been built for the Laure James (page 39) benefit of 24 different communes. Production: Touchline 20 Marketing 30 The Technician Printing: The UEFA GROW programme held its Artgraphic Cavin first summit it Tbilisi, Georgia, where Fabio Capello shared an array of CH-1422 Grandson anecdotes and a wealth of advice with the focus was on growing participation Editorial deadline: in eastern Europe. the coaches attending the first UEFA 10 April 2017 Youth League Coaches Forum. Cover photo: UEFA 40 News from member associations 04 – UEFA DIRECT • May 2017 Getty Images 12 6 28 UEFA Saint-Étienne Métropole Saint-Étienne UEFA DIRECT • May 2017 – 05 ORDINARY CONGRESS UEFA ‘LET US NOT BE AFRAID’ UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin’s message to the 41st Ordinary UEFA Congress in Helsinki on 5 April was loud and clear: UEFA is ready to face the future, and it will show no fear whatsoever in meeting the demands posed by football’s ever-changing world. n his keynote speech at the latest forward thinking in the nurturing of leaders,” he told representatives of gathering of Europe’s football parliament the game. “Football is beautiful. Let UEFA’s 55 member associations and I– his first address to a UEFA Congress us dare to protect it together. Let us prominent guests. since his election last September – the dare to fight for what we believe to “Let us have the courage of our UEFA president called for bravery and be just. That is our responsibility as convictions, our values and our passions.” 06 – UEFA DIRECT • May 2017 ORDINARY CONGRESS The UEFA president emphasised that while very soon. It is your ideas, projects, hopes Mr Čeferin ruled out a closed European respect should always be shown to UEFA’s and aspirations, and those of your clubs, league. “Quite simply, that is not in line past decisions and traditions, change and players and supporters, that will be at the with our values and ideals,” he said. reform should not be cause for trepidation. heart of this vision.” “But we will work together for the good “Like on the pitch, our formula for success Moving on to the relationship between of club football and correct what needs will be efficiency, simplicity and a touch UEFA and football stakeholders, the UEFA to be put right.” Turning to the leagues, of creativity,” he told the audience. “No president emphasised that Europe’s he said that UEFA would “never give in to empty promises; no empty words; no leagues, clubs and players should not the blackmail of those who think they can scandals. Let’s act. With humility, respect be seen as enemies. “They are key manipulate small leagues or impose their and professionalism.” stakeholders in our game,” he said. will on the associations because they think A series of good governance reforms “Partners that we must respect. So why be they are all-powerful on account of the approved during the Congress (see page 9) afraid of dialogue? Why be afraid of telling astronomical revenues they generate”. were described by Mr Čeferin as a them face to face how we could shape the He insisted that money did not rule and necessary rebuilding of UEFA’s future together, hand in hand, in the best that the football pyramid had to be – and foundations. “We realise that these interests of football?” would be – respected, while explaining measures are far removed from the that UEFA would work with the leagues concerns of pure football fans,” he said. for the good of domestic football, in order “But these changes are essential if we are to find practical solutions to their problems. to rebuild our image, restore our credibility Mr Čeferin pledged to continue the and strengthen our legitimacy.” development of UEFA’s financial fair play “It’s not a question of measures, which have helped to stabilise Vision for tomorrow looking at football as it European clubs’ finances. “Financial Mr Čeferin stressed that now was the time is today and asking ‘Why?’, fair play has been remarkably efficient to start moulding the European football but of dreaming about in reducing club debt,” he explained, of tomorrow, and that the national how it could be and asking stressing that these rules should not associations would play a key role in ‘Why not?’” simply be seen as austerity measures. that process. “Together, we will develop “It must be a support mechanism, a strategic vision for European football,” Aleksander Čeferin encouraging greater justice and stability, he explained. “We will initiate discussions UEFA President but also greater investment.” NEW FACES A number of new faces will be present at the next meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee in Cardiff on 1 June, following elections at the UEFA Congress in Helsinki. Eight seats on the committee were up for election, and out of the 11 candidates in the running, the following were elected/ re-elected for four-year terms: • Karl-Erik Nilsson (Sweden) 50 votes (new) • John Delaney (Republic of Ireland) 48 votes (new) • Michele Uva (Italy) 46 votes (new) • Zbigniew Boniek (Poland) 45 votes (new) • Reinhard Grindel (Germany) 44 votes (new) • David Gill (England) 40 votes • Michael van Praag (Netherlands) 36 votes • Servet Yardımcı (Turkey) 34 votes (new) Armand Duka (Albania) received 25 votes, Elkhan Mammadov (Azerbaijan) received 24, and Kieran O’Connor (Wales) received UEFA 11. Kairat Boranbayev (Kazakhstan) withdrew his candidature before the election. In addition, four European members of the FIFA Council were Karl-Erik Nilsson was appointed first vice-president, with elected by acclamation: Sándor Csányi (Hungary), Costakis Fernando Gomes (Portugal), Reinhard Grindel, Grigoriy Surkis Koutsokoumnis (Cyprus) and Dejan Savićević (Montenegro) (Ukraine) and Ángel María Villar Llona (Spain) being named as the for four-year terms, and Reinhard Grindel (Germany) for a other vice-presidents. David Gill (England) was appointed treasurer. two-year term. UEFA DIRECT • May 2017 – 07 ORDINARY CONGRESS Pertti Alaja, president of the Finnish FA, welcomed the Congress participants to Helsinki. UEFA Fighting negative elements with combating these negative elements. UEFA competitions. “Being a social Mr Čeferin made a firm commitment to He explained that “social fair play” fair play organisation also means being maintaining UEFA’s determined stance on would also be a priority for UEFA in the an organisation that does not tolerate violence, doping, corruption, match-fixing, future, with a focus on making football racism,” the UEFA president emphasised.