MOSCOW, July 30. /TASS/. FIFA’s former vice president Vyacheslav Koloskov sees reserved demeanor as the only shortcoming of the president of the Union of European Football Associations Michel Platini who stands for FIFA presidency.
"We have always had normal professional relations with Platini," Kolioskov told Tass. "I can say that he is a man who will not let anybody come too close. He is very selective in choosing his entourage," he continued.
"Maybe this is his personality trait, and possibly the only minus. Platini is a loner, not that communicative as Sepp Blatter. I don’t know whether he has friends at all, we don’t communicate closely. But I know that he is in friendly relations with many former European football players, plays golf with them. I am not part of that company, but I have no doubt that Platini is a very decent person, honest and truly devoted to his job," Koloskov said.
"He managed to settle all differences in UEFA of the times of its former president Lennart Johansson, when we had G14 (organization of European football clubs), the Baltic League, the Atlantic League and so on… He realized that such a big number of organizations would pull UEFA apart and later took all necessary measures to avert that," Koloskov continued, hailing UFA’s present order when all are subordinated to its executive committee.
"Besides, it was Platini’s idea to introduce two additional referees behind the goals. He had nourished this idea for a long time, advancing it, and in the long run everybody realized that it was a very correct innovation," the former FIFA official told Tass.
"And finally, Platini is a very successful financial manager. Nowadays, the UEFA Champions League is one of the most attractive competitions, bringing immense revenues," he added.
Koloskov also hailed Platini’s fight against racism and fixed games, expressing confidence that if elected as FIFA president he would continue his course, this time at the level of international football.
On July 29, Michel Platini officially announced his decision to run for the post of the president of FIFA next year.
Platini, 60, is a former French football player and manager. Considered to be one of the greatest footballers of all time, Platini was elected for the post of UEFA president in January of 2007 and was reelected for the second term in March of 2011 and for another term this year in March.
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