French footballing legend Michel Platini has been installed as the new favorite to replace Sepp Blatter at the head of the Federation Internationale de Football Association despite not yet confirming that he will run for office.
Michel Platini, arguably one of the most flamboyant and enigmatic footballers to ever grace a blade of grass, could well become the most powerful man in football as the bookies install him as the favorite to become the next President of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
60-year old Platini is currently the President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) after being elected for a third term in March. He has been at the helm of UEFA since 2007 and last summer pulled out of the 2015 FIFA Presidential campaign to concentrate on that job.
Platini wasn’t the only candidate to withdraw from that particular one-sided race. Former Real Madrid & Barcelona star, Luis Figo, also withdrew after suggesting that the electoral process was ‘anything but an election’ calling it a ‘plebiscite for the delivery of absolute power to one man.’
That one man was 72-year old Sepp Blatter, who went on to be elected for his fifth term in office before stepping down amid controversy over the highly publicized corruption within the ranks .
FIFA Executive Committee member, Michel d’Hooghe, himself cleared of ethic breaches earlier this year has hinted that Platini would be a strong candidate for the job. Speaking to the Dutch broadcaster NOS he said:
“Michel Platini has led UEFA well and he has taken on all the challenges. He is a wonderful man, though, in his own way. Michel is highly appreciated in European football.”
Platini has immediately been installed as favorite despite confirming his intention to run for office. Bwin have him at even-money with Prince Ali Al-Hussein his only likely opponent at 6/4. The outside money is on Sheik Ahmad Al-Sabah 8/1, Luis Figo 14/1 and David Gill 14/1.
News reports suggest that should Platini stick his thumb up then he will receive support from South America (Conmebol), North, Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf) and Asia (AFC), giving him more than enough votes to take control of world football.
