Dubai: Dubai: Football legends Diego Maradona and Jose Mourinho have urged the people of the UAE to show more passion for football in order for the game to progress here.
The pair’s impassioned plea came during a fascinating insight into their respective careers and beliefs on the first day of the star-studded 7th Dubai International Sports Conference at the JW Marrriott Marquis hotel on Friday.
Earlier, Michel Platini was completely dismissive of the notion of holding the Champions League final in the UAE or elsewhere outside of Europe during his reign as Uefa President.
Argentinian great Maradona, who left his job as coach of Dubai’s Al Wasl in the summer after only a season in charge, said he found UAE players were not used to the training methods he had been accustomed to.
“I don’t see the same passion for football as there is in Europe and Latin America. I don’t see a lot of people playing football here, but I see a lot of them playing cricket and basketball,” he said.
Mourinho added: “Do local people want to follow football on TV or play it? I think all UAE people need to convey a passion for football.”
Meanwhile, Platini, who was the first speaker at the two-day event entitled “Professional Ethics: Theory and Practice”, said he was not in favour of the prospect of making the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) a development league for top European clubs.
Platini said Asia would need to develop a greater love of football to justify such an initiative, pointing out that it is not the number one sport in countries like India and China.
The former Ballon D’or winner also lent his voice to growing calls for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to be held during the winter. In a an hour-long speech and question-and-answer session, he also lashed out at ‘evil phenomena’ besmirching the game, such as match-fixing, racism and some clubs’ persistent failure to adhere to Financial Fair Play rules.
In response to a question about the Champions League final being staged at a non-European venue, Platini said: “That will never happen while I am president of Uefa — never.”
The conference was also graced by the uplifting presence of a smiling Bruno Metsu, the former Al Wasl coach who was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this season. Metsu signed a two-year contract with the club in July but resigned in October when his condition was confirmed.
Another familiar figure whose health has been in the spotlight this year, ex-Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba, was also in attendance. The 24-year-old suffered a heart attack during a game with Tottenham in March.
The highlight of Saturday’s final day is likely to be the discussion involving Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao and cancer-surviving Barcelona defender Eric Abidal.
