Uefa is to embark on an attempt to rein in the powers of Europe’s leading clubs by offering advice to national associations on how to deal with individual clubs.
Uefa is conmcerned that national teams as well as grassroots footballl is threatened by the pre-eminence of clubs sides in leagues such as the Premiership and Serie A.
“We are aiming to prepare the national associations for the role they used to have – again being the governing bodies of the game,” said Uefa’s director of communications William Gaillard.
“In many ways the leagues have become more powerful than the national associations. They have to shape up and revitalise themselves, become more professional.
“We will unveil a programme to improve the situation of those associations and be holding a series of seminars and training for lower-ranking officials of the national associations.
“This is about how we can keep football truly together. Our vision is not an American vision. We look at professional football as the tip of the pyramid and there is a huge base of millions of players.”
