http://espnfc.com/news/story/\_/id/1374088/fifa's-blatter-hits-out-at-multi-nation-euros-plan?cc=5901

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has condemned UEFA's plan to stage the 2020 European Championship in 13 countries, saying it would rob the tournament of "soul and heart".

AssociatedSepp Blatter: 'A tournament has to be played in one country'Blatter, 77, told German football magazinekicker UEFA president Michel Platini's plan would mean it was "no longer a European championship" and said: "A tournament has to be played in one country.

"That's how you create identity and euphoria. Just look at the "summer fairytale" in Germany.

"I once said to Michel Platini that Colonel Gaddafi told me, after the awarding of the 2010 World Cup to South Africa, that all 53 African states should stage one game with the final being held in South Africa.

"He believed in this idea, but I told him it was unthinkable. That's why I told Platini his idea is not new."

Blatter, who was elected FIFA president in 1998 and is serving his fourth term in the post, said he would make way for a successor in 2015 - but said Platini "has not decided yet" whether he will run for office.

He also reiterated that FIFA executives had taken the decision to stage the 2022 World Cup in Qatar during June and July, adding: "If Qatar wishes for something else [a different time of year], they have to approach FIFA. We would have a new situation then.

"So far, Qatar has not made a step into that direction. They still have until 2016, when we set the dates until 2022."

yay

I'm just waiting till the day Platini resigns....
Just because he was a great player doesn't mean that he can be a great representative....
He's too rash and single-minded with his thinking.

Battle of the Idiots. Just happens that Blatter is correct, for once.

^There is certainly a first time for everything, about time Blatter says something right.

@Lodatz & @Jim - Hear Hear

I hope they reneg on this, most ridiculous of ideas.

Thank God this won't happen. Imagine how hard it would be for the players to travel that much? It would totally kill their performance levels.

@ Dynastian

I'm pretty sure the day Platini resigns there will be someone just as corrupt, or even more corrupt to take his place.

I honestly don't think Platini is corrupt. I have no evidence for this but he doesn't strike me as that kind of person.  I just think he cares what other people think, is a bit too found of himself, and has ridiculous ideas. 

*Doesn't care

I still wonder why Platini still has his job...

@Hei

Maybe because of his illustrious career? :/
I actually don't know how he was elected to be UEFA's president.

I wish they'd elect Beckenbauer or Cruyff.

@Lodatz

I believe Cruyff is still coach and manager of the Catalonia National Team (not an official team recognized by FIFA, but he gets paid for it nevertheless), but Beckenbauer's free to the position. He was renowned for his leadership capabilities, and I think his only job nowadays is as a football pundit in Germany, and he writes small newspaper articles on football and the Bundesliga.

I think Cruyff is also in a development role at Ajax again, though that may have changed. Either way, if he dropped those things and took up the reins at UEFA, football would be the winner. :p