UEC representatives attended the General Assembly meeting of the Romanian Professional Football League (LPF) on Tuesday, 27 June in Bucharest
UEC representatives attended the General Assembly meeting of the Romanian ProfessionalFootball League (LPF) on Tuesday, 27 June in Bucharest.
At today’s meeting Dennis Gudasic and William Martucci presented to clubs why there is a need for change in the way clubs are represented in the decision making processes and how the UEC can fit into the current stakeholder structures of European football.
In the 1980’s Romanian clubs had a huge success in Europe with Universitatea Craiova reaching the quarter finals and Dinamo Bucharest reached the semi-finals of the UEFA European Cup. Steaua stunned Barcelona, winning the European Cup against them in Seville in 1985-86 followed by a semi-final in 1987-88 and another final in 1988-89.
Romanian clubs should not be considered as small clubs but hugely important in the creation of club competitions as we know them today. In his presentation Dennis Gudasic emphasised: “There are simply clubs that are currently successful and those who are aspirational. Those who are currently successful should not have fixed positions in the hierarchy of success. However, they have pulled the ladder up behind them in recent years preventing aspirational clubs from moving up the ladder. There needs to be a different voice to the exclusive voice which is the only one currently at the decision-making table and a platform where clubs of all clubs can be considered.”
The General Secretary of the Romanian Professional Football League (LPF), Justin Stefan, expressed support for the UEC initiative: “Romanian clubs are not where they should be and should be better represented. The UEC initiative provides this opportunity and we support the UEC in their goals to create a fairer and more sustainable football ecosystem”.
The meeting was attended by representatives of all the LPF clubs and they voted unanimously to support the UEC.
During the meeting the UEC presented the importance of preserving and enhancing national league competitions and the principle of solidarity as a key tool for the survival of Romanian football. The UEC looks forward to a strong relationship with Romanian clubs in the future in which they will help build a much needed counter-balance, helping UEFA to fulfil its role as the protector of the game.
