Debate: Trophy Presentation

By: Adam | May 18th, 2008

Countdown to D-Day has begun. Its 3 more days to the most important day in the European club football. Teams are done with their preparations. Fans are ready to travel any moment now. We as CL bloggers have wholesale package for our football starved readers. We want to make CL blog as one stop entertainment zone. We will be having debates, previews, predictions, reviews, managerial battles, tactical battles, player profiles etc for next week. This is first post of the package. Today we will be debating on how trophy presentation should be done.

When Michel Platini was chosen as the UEFA’s head, he promised lots of changes in UEFA. He was keen on how trophy presentation is done in UEFA competitions. Under previous regime it was done on center of the ground where captain would come last to lift the coveted trophy. Being successful player in his career he dislikes the idea of this kind of presentation. He had suggested presentation should be done in stadium’s galleria amongst the fans where players should climb the steps. Lets debate which of the two is better.

Football is not the game of classes but masses. Thats why it is so famous and most viewed sport in the world. Every supporter can easily associate with the football. I think that is the biggest success that this game has achieved. Even though players are treated as gods, managers as celebrities. Fans are the heartbeat of football. Its the tradition of football that trophy presentation is done inside stadium surrounded by fans. From world cup to champions league every single competition till 90’s had similar kind of presentation. No doubt fans and supporters must have felt trophy as something of their own fortune. Captain would lead the team by stepping the those famous steps wherein he along with whole team were congratulated by supporters standing besides on every step forward. I’m sure every player must be feeling on cloud 9 at that moment. Your biggest support cheering for the most special moment in the life. This is something lost when presentation is done at the center of the ground. Players feel disconnected with their supporters and vice versa.

On the other hand, football has grown immensely in the last decade. The real support not only comprises match-day support but also the global fans. Due to TV deals, football has become global game. Not every stadium has galleria like Wembley. Which fans are we talking about when trophy presentation is done? The corporates? The ones who sponsor game for their own interests? Last year in Athens, the trophy presentation looked like a messed up thing. There should atleast be some space to stand. Its their one of the most important moment of the professional life. Last year there was hardly any space to stand for whole squad. The camera’s could not even take proper shots. I doubt even the supporters present in the ground would have loved that kind of presentation. At the center of ground its visible from every corner of stadium. Even photographers and TV camera personnel get the best of the views as well as angles. May be football needs this evolution when there is total globalization of the game.

Which type of presentation do you prefer? We would love to hear your opinions and thoughts.