Newly-elected UEFA chief Michel Platini confirmed on Sunday he intends to reduce the number of clubs that England, Spain and Italy are allowed to qualify for the Champions League.

Platini beat incumbent chief Lennart Johansson to take over the presidency of European football's ruling body on Friday.

The 51-year-old Frenchman further announced that his proposal was only "a minor" part of his overall project as head of UEFA for the next four years.

However, Platini effectively confirmed the fears that England, Spain and Italy shared by saying that from 2009 he hoped only the top three finishers from the domestic leagues in England, Spain and Italy would qualify for Europe's premier club competition.

"We need a re-balancing between the countries with big clubs and the clubs in other (UEFA) countries," Platini said.

"England, Spain and Italy are currently allowed to qualify two plus two (two for direct qualification, two for the third preliminary round) but I'm proposing that three clubs be qualified directly for the competition, starting in 2009."

Platini's plan will likely attract the ire of Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and German legend Franz Beckenbauer, a top official with Bayern Munich who openly opposed the Frenchman's bid for the presidency.

Ferguson said after Platini was voted in: "The Champions League has been good. If you take away the fourth place teams, the only way to address that is by reducing the competition or by giving other countries two places. But the appeal of the Champions League is when the giants of Spain or Italy or England come up against each other."

Platini suggested his detractors should concentrate on qualifying for the competition by finishing third in their respective leagues.

"There are many more important issues to focus on than who is going to be the fourth team in 2009," he added. "They should just concentrate on finishing third."

During his campaign Platini was branded a "social romantic" by the German federation president, Theo Zwanziger.

However, the Frenchman has said he would focus his tenure on the issue of "solidarity".

"Today we give a lot of money to the smaller federations. But it's not always a question of money," said the former France and Juventus legend. "Why don't we, for example, invite coaches from countries like Georgia to come and reap the benefits of the French national training centre for two weeks ... all at the expense of UEFA?"

Platini said he had already brushed off criticism of his plans from England and Germany. "The important thing is to work for the greater good of football."

(China Daily via AFP January 30, 2007)