<span class="titolo">Platini Reserves His Backing For England 2018 Bid</span></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p> <span class="sommario">Uefa president Michel Platini has refused to give his full support at this stage to England’s bid to host the football World Cup in 2018.</span></p> Speaking on BBC News 24's Hard Talk programme, Platini said he would definitely back a European bid but that England still needed to "convince" him.</p> "As European president, we need to do our best for the best country to receive the Cup in 2018," he said.</p> "I hope for you it will be England but at the moment I have nothing to say."</p> Since Platini took office he has repeatedly attacked English football over its loss of identity, the influence of money, foreign ‘business-minded’ ownership of clubs and the monopoly of the big clubs in qualification to European competitions.</p> The Frenchman raised the same concerns as he discussed England’s bid, as well as highlighting the poor feedback received to a letter he sent to all European heads of government, emphasising what he called "the malign and ever-present influence of money" which represented a "serious threat".</p> England's bid has already received the backing of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and a combined Dutch-Belgian bid is also expected, with Russia widely tipped to enter the race but yet to formally declare their interest.</p> Competition from outside Europe is expected to come from China, Australia, Mexico and the USA. "You will have to convince me," said Platini on England's chances.</p> "If there are two or three European countries going to bid, they all have to convince me.</p> "I am the president of Uefa, I can't say I will vote for England, I will vote for Russia, or I will vote for the Netherlands.</p> "I will vote for one European country, of course, and I will bring all my strength to bring all the European countries to vote for one, and to maybe help. I will do my job.</p> "But why England, why not Russia or the Netherlands? We will look."</p> European backing will be crucial to England's chances of hosting the tournament.</p> The failure of England's bid for the 2006 World Cup was influenced by the suggestion that the Football Association had broken a gentleman's agreement by bidding against Germany, which cost them vital support.</p> </div></p>
<font face="Arial" size="2">that would be an okay idea but i prefer england i am glad the dutch know how to speak english</font></p>
All of Europe does by now. I was in Germany and even the old people knew how to communicate, as for the young, they speak almost just like us. I have family there and their kids have started learning english from 3rd grade. So by the time they're teens, they'll know the language. lol</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (man_u_barmy_army)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <font size="2" face="Arial">that would be an okay idea but i prefer england i am glad the dutch know how to speak english</font></p> </div></p> lol I mentioned that and now theres news about it....http://sportstwo.com/Thread/View/SOCCR/GENERAL/1948858</p> </p> </p>
