Comments on: Inside Michel Platini's Bizarre Arsène Wenger Fixation

By: David

David — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 09:50:07 +0000

Ursus dropped the cheese and Brian ran with it. Beautiful.

Brian mate, if by some strange twist of fate you should ever happen upon these words, know this: your comment had me laughing out loud (it's even funnier if you picture it) and for that I thank you.

Write more, do a blog or something.

(I am somewhat inebriated and have not yet slept but I assure you this has no bearing on my reaction.)

Oh and with regards to this palaver, yeah, there must be some backstory.

By: ursus arctos

ursus arctos — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:48:39 +0000

We both know that nations have gone to war over less . . .

And now Michel has his 24 team Euros as of 2016. I wonder if they can arrange the final for Waterloo.

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:24:55 +0000

PLATINI: Who moved my cheese?
WENGER: My view was blocked and I did not see the incident.

By: ursus arctos

ursus arctos — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:41:15 +0000

Perhaps Arsene moved Michel's cheese?

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:38:00 +0000

The "personal backstory" angle is clearly the tantalizing blank in this whole silly controversy. There must be one, but what could it be? As far as I can tell they seemed to get along, at least publicly, before c. 2007. But is there a clue to be found in the fact that Platini's father has sided with Wenger in the disagreement?

By: ursus arctos

ursus arctos — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:58:31 +0000

Part of Platini's "nationalism" is also clearly derived from his power base within UEFA, which is primarily comprised of representatives of "smaller" federations (and of course, the FFF). Add to that the degree to which his entire administrative career has been sponsored by that well known opponent of club football (especially that which he cannot control), Sepp Blatter.

Though I think it would be a mistake to attribute his entire attitude to interest group politics; he clearly believes in a lot of this stuff to a certain extent.

What I find most bizarre about the Wenger attacks is that the two of them go back more than 30 years. Platini's father was still working at Nancy when Wenger was managing them, and given the relatively incestual nature of football in Alsace & Lorraine at that time they have to have known each other well before then.

There's a personal edge to the "feud" that makes one think that there has to be a back story. There have also been suggestions that Platini may have had a glass or two of a good Savoyard white wine before granting the interview in question (allegedly, of course).