Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin backs formation of UEC: Without small clubs, there is no footb

Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin has backed the formation of the Union of European Clubs (UEC) and believes it will have an influential impact on the game.

The UEC seeks to give a voice to more than 1,000 professional clubs in Europe, with Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Brentford, Brighton, and Watford being the English clubs represented in the organisation.

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Palkin has been outspoken against UEFA and FIFA due to his belief that they have excluded his club from the game.

He said: “I believe that this organization will support the small and medium clubs and put them all together for one table. 

“I feel that a lot of attention is on the big 25 clubs, almost all of them are represented. They always support just the big clubs and this is the biggest problem.

“Without the small clubs, there is no football. It will be finished completely.”

The UEC believes there are around 1,400 professional clubs in Europe that do not have a voice and should be represented on UEFA decision-making boards in the same way that member clubs of the European Club Association (ECA) are.

Palkin believes his club have been alienated following FIFA’s decision to suspend player and coaching contracts following the invasion by Russia. 

The club are taking their legal case to the European Commission and the Federal Court of Switzerland after its appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against FIFA’s decision was unsuccessful.”

The 48-year-old, who was appointed CEO of the club in 2004, has urged action from football’s governing bodies and refused to remain silent on issues.

He added: “The ECA keeps silent for everything FIFA will do. I want them to resolve problems, not to hide.

“I am afraid that this memorandum of understanding. If you push us to keep silent for whatever FIFA will do, I don’t like the situation. Medium and small clubs feel something is wrong. ECA and FIFA should understand this.

“Everybody should understand that something goes wrong and recognise this union. I am telling you this union will be much, much bigger than (the others) and finally, much more influential because money is not everything in life. 

“We see (big clubs) wanting to do this revolution just for the purpose of money not to create something good for the sport.”

GO DEEPER

"Agents are telling clubs, 'Don’t pay Shakhtar, the players will become free, just pay me'"

(Photo: Getty Images)

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