UEFA create the ‘Council of Wise Men’ to help provide an ‘independent voice in matters’
Meet the 20 big names of UEFA’s new Council of Wise Men: from Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti… to Juan Mata and Robbie Keane!
- UEFA has reportedly set up a ‘Council of Wise Men’ or ‘Football Parliament’
- The goal is for it to be an open forum that will be used to protect football
- Zinedine Zidane, Paulo Maldini and Fabio Capello are also registered
UEFA has created a new ‘Council of Wise Men’ to gain an ‘independent voice in all football-related matters’, according to reports.
It comes as a historic step for the Football Association, which set up the council to get the perspective of the rules and regulations from former players and managers.
There is already an impressive list of names who have applied to join the initiative, with current England boss Gareth Southgate reportedly on the list.
According to MARCAthe decision was approved at a meeting of UEFA’s executive committee earlier this month, marking the first time in history that a football advisory board of this level has been set up.
The council will be tasked with addressing fundamental issues within the sport, such as the rules of the game, referees, UEFA competitions, tactics and player welfare.
UEFA has set up a new ‘Council of Wise Men’ to help protect the rules of football
Jose Mourinho (L) and Gareth Southgate (R) are both signed on as board members
The commission will hold its opening meeting on April 24 at the House of European Football in Nyon and will be “an open forum that will be used to protect football”.
There are currently 20 confirmed board members, including Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Zinedine Zidane, Gareth Southgate, Rio Ferdinand and others.
UEFA would have selected these members based on their “extraordinary success” within the sport and the “international respect” they command.
Winning a major trophy or more than 100 international appearances are two of the criteria set by UEFA to become a member of the committee.
The board will also be chaired by Zvonimir Boban – a former AC Milan player – with the support of Roberto Rosetti, who is in charge of referees for UEFA.
It serves as the latest step in trying to protect the integrity of football after UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin renewed his attack on Super League.
A22, the company behind Super League, had suggested European football was on the verge of collapse when it outlined a revised format of 80 teams in February.
Ceferin attacked their assessment at the UEFA Congress in Lisbon, claiming that those behind Super League disguise themselves as the saviors of football, but are instead guilty of being ‘selfish’ and ‘greedy’.
“Those promoting this project are now claiming they want to save football,” said Ceferin.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin recently renewed his attack on the European Super League
“In a few months, the Super League has turned into a character from Little Red Riding Hood: a wolf disguised as a grandmother, ready to eat you,” said Ceferin. Marka.
“But nobody is fooled, because here we have two opposing worldviews. We have cynicism over morality. We have selfishness over solidarity. We have greed over benevolence. Self-righteousness over openness to others. Self-interest over altruism.
Shameful lies over the truth. Heirs over builders. Cartel on meritocracy and democracy. Stock prices over sporting merit. The quest for profit over the quest for trophies.”
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus have continued to push for a Super League, which initially consisted of 12 rebel clubs and collapsed in April 2021 after fan protests.