A few days prior to the UEFA Congress in Duesseldorf, Franz Beckenbauer has given his full support for UEFA President Lennart Johansson. As the incumbent, Johansson faces the challenger Michel Platini in the election for UEFA President, which is scheduled for Friday.
"We have every reason to be thankful to Lennart Johansson, most notably for his support of our World Cup bidding. It is the DFB's duty to give our vote to Johansson", said Beckenbauer in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Beckenbauer negated charges that Johansson’s age – the Swedish UEFA President is 77 years old – would speak against his election. “I would think that Johansson will stay in office throughout the entire legislative period until 2011.” Beckenbauer praised Johansson as a man of “directness, honesty and loyalty.” “He always keeps his word, he never wavers. Lennart Johansson is the best and most successful President the UEFA has ever had.”
For a while, Beckenbauer himself had been a candidate as the next UEFA President. “But I have always made it very clear, that I would only run if Lennart Johansson had stepped down. When he decided to return, I immediately withdrew from any considerations”, said Beckenbauer, the President of FC Bayern München.
Instead, the former President of the Organising Committee for the 2006 FIFA World Cup intends to join the FIFA Executive Committee in Duesseldorf. “We’ll see where the other members of the Committee want me to operate. I’d like be active on international missions and assignments, since I know a few places on this globe, and I know ways to help the poor people. That’s where I’d like to lend a helping hand.”
With the 2010 FIFA World Cup in mind, Beckenbauer sees tremendous opportunities for Africa. “Because of our Welcome Tour, I have very fond memories of Africa. I saw kids play football there and it looked like in Germany right after the war. They played on rubble. I would like to offer my help there”, said Beckenbauer. DFB President Dr. Theo Zwanziger likes to call Beckenbauer “our future minister of foreign affairs”.
Beckenbauer also spoke in favour of a new “6+5” rule in club football, an idea originally brought forward by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter. The rule stipulates that in club games, at least six players on the field have to be eligible for the respective country’s national team.
“An important question – it would strengthen the credibility of our national football scenes. It’s really a very subjective decision. We need Brussels to speak on this issue”, said Beckenbauer.
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[bild2]A few days prior to the UEFA Congress in Duesseldorf, Franz Beckenbauer has given his full support for UEFA President Lennart Johansson. As the incumbent, Johansson faces the challenger Michel Platini in the election for UEFA President, which is scheduled for Friday.
"We have every reason to be thankful to Lennart Johansson, most notably for his support of our World Cup bidding. It is the DFB's duty to give our vote to Johansson", said Beckenbauer in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Beckenbauer negated charges that Johansson’s age – the Swedish UEFA President is 77 years old – would speak against his election. “I would think that Johansson will stay in office throughout the entire legislative period until 2011.” Beckenbauer praised Johansson as a man of “directness, honesty and loyalty.” “He always keeps his word, he never wavers. Lennart Johansson is the best and most successful President the UEFA has ever had.”
For a while, Beckenbauer himself had been a candidate as the next UEFA President. “But I have always made it very clear, that I would only run if Lennart Johansson had stepped down. When he decided to return, I immediately withdrew from any considerations”, said Beckenbauer, the President of FC Bayern München.
Instead, the former President of the Organising Committee for the 2006 FIFA World Cup intends to join the FIFA Executive Committee in Duesseldorf. “We’ll see where the other members of the Committee want me to operate. I’d like be active on international missions and assignments, since I know a few places on this globe, and I know ways to help the poor people. That’s where I’d like to lend a helping hand.”
With the 2010 FIFA World Cup in mind, Beckenbauer sees tremendous opportunities for Africa. “Because of our Welcome Tour, I have very fond memories of Africa. I saw kids play football there and it looked like in Germany right after the war. They played on rubble. I would like to offer my help there”, said Beckenbauer. DFB President Dr. Theo Zwanziger likes to call Beckenbauer “our future minister of foreign affairs”.
Beckenbauer also spoke in favour of a new “6+5” rule in club football, an idea originally brought forward by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter. The rule stipulates that in club games, at least six players on the field have to be eligible for the respective country’s national team.
“An important question – it would strengthen the credibility of our national football scenes. It’s really a very subjective decision. We need Brussels to speak on this issue”, said Beckenbauer.
