UEFA: "We need to return to our roots, development and social role of football" (Michel Platini)

"What exactly did our founding fathers have in mind when they established this institution of ours? They had two major objectives: to develop football across the continent, and to ensure that as many people as possible benefit from its role in society," said Michel Platini, president of UEFA (Union of European Football Associations), at the annual conference of the European body in Astana (KAZ) on 27/03/2014.

"Today, the time has come to refocus on those two fundamental objectives. We need to return to our roots - to go back to basics. We need to refocus on our core tasks, on our social purpose and our raison d'être," said Michel Platini.

"That is why we are launching, in those countries that are keen, a brand new programme to establish and develop football academies for promising young players. This training centre development programme is aimed at discovering talented young players throughout Europe, training them, following their progress and helping them to advance, in order to produce not only great players of the future, but also decent and responsible citizens," added the…