Platini- Players cannot retire from international football.

[BensGrandad]

No.

1.. Players are contracted to clubs not nations and I can't imagine any would have that particular clause in.

2. Players can be forced to attend competitive matches by their respective governing body I believe (or a medical examination if the club claim they're unfit to play) but nothing exists to say the same about friendly games.

For ease of clarification I have numbered the 2 points but what I still dont understand is how can no 2 be enforced if no 1 doesnt exist.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

For ease of clarification I have numbered the 2 points but what I still dont understand is how can no 2 be enforced if no 1 doesnt exist.

Because 2 is a rule that (I believe) is backed by FIFA, ensuring that international tournaments aren't bereft of the big names due to club concerns.

As all clubs clubs, leagues and governing bodies are answerable to these rules it wouldn't be possible to have any sort of player contract that prohibits competitive international appearances.

I do understand your confusion though. Think of it as it being written into the governing bodies 'contract' rather than a player's (because why would a club actively encourage international football?).

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I would like to announce my retirement from international football forthwith. Press and all media please note.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I would like to announce my retirement from international football forthwith. Press and all media please note.

We should get Michel Platini on the case immediately.

 

[Marty___Mcfly]

Why do FAs accept these 'retirement' statements? Why not just continue to call up the players you want to play (I.e your best squad), and just make note of those who don't turn up?

Might make it a bit more embarrassing for those who can no longer be bothered to turn up..

 

[drew]

Im not sure Platini has any power to enforce this, Ribery is contracted to play for Bayern however he is not contracted to play for France so is free to choose either way, if he gets suspended for Bayern for not playing for France then I think Platini may be on dodgy ground from a legal viewpoint.

Nothing to do with his contract with Bayern. He plays football under the governance of the various bodies, be the German FA, Uefa or Fifa.

I think the sentiment on platini's part is excellent but he is naive if he thinks he can do anything. Generally I think it's a sad reflection on football and the way it has been going in some ways. It's been used as an excuse for not being picked a lot of the time, but also the move away from an affiliation to national team to club team. And I don't think the latter is necessarily a bad thing. As a Brighton supporter since I knew anything, if I'd ever had a chance to be amazing at football and play for them, I'd certainly choose them over the national team if I ever had to make that choice. But maybe that just makes me a product of my era. Maybe if i'd been born 20 years earlier in the same situation i'd have fought to play for Engand. I think the likes of Scholes who retired deserve some credit for being loyal to the people who nurtured him and paid him.

I agree with this. In principle the rule has been there for a long time and dates from an age when playing for your country was seen as the ultimate honour. The problem is how do you motivate a player to give their best when they don't want to be there!

It's comforting to see the that the President of UEFA has finally decided to step up and make his voice heard on this most important of footballing issues. Forget any other topics, international retirement is clearly the one to focus on.

Obviously, it has nothing to do with Ribery being French. Nope.

I'm no fan of the English hating Gaul but why post that. Do you think this is only thing that has concerned him or maybe it is the one the press have jumped on!!!!

No. Players are contracted to clubs not nations and I can't imagine any would have that particular clause in.

Players can be forced to attend competitive matches by their respective governing body I believe (or a medical examination if the club claim they're unfit to play) but nothing exists to say the same about friendly games.

Either way, Platini is suggesting that retiring from international football isn't something a player should have the power to do, so the nations could (and in Ribery's case should) still call them up, at which point refusal could, in theory, be punished.

Of course, he didn't seem to give a flying when most of the World Cup winning squad retired...or, in fact, anyone barring Ribery.

Refusal to play for your country could end up with a ban so you can't play for your club either, which they wouldn't like. The practicalities are that if you have somewhere in your squad who wants to be elsewhere they might be a disruptive influence. Imagine how bad an influence Terry would be on the squad if he didn't want to be there. He had a bad enough affect on the team when he was keen!!!

I would like to announce my retirement from international football forthwith. Press and all media please note.

Out of interest, when were you last selected for the squad (and which national squad was it)?

 

[brakespear]

Shocking buffoonery from the gallic goon.

Even if he FORCED Ribery to play for France (which he obviously can't), exactly what kind of performance would he expect to get from him in a France shirt, knowing that he no longer wants to play for his country ?

Idiot.

Precisely. Quick own goal should sort out whether you get picked again

 

[BensGrandad]

I would play if picked but my head isnt right was that not a Liam Bridcutt statement and it worked for him with us why not for Ribery and France.

 

[lawros left foot]

Deshamps should call up Platini, see if he turns up

 

[TonyW]

Platini really is a prize dick head.
I wish he'd bleedin' retire.

 

[DJ Leon]

My grasp of human rights law is sketchy, but I'm pretty sure that if he doesn't want to play, he doesn't have to.