Platini sticks to his guns on technology

UEFA President Michel Platini remains ardently opposed to the use of goal-line technology, which is being employed by FIFA for the first time at the Club World Cup, and said the money would be better spent developing the game.

The technology was employed in Thursday's Club World Cup curtain raiser between Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Auckland City in Yokohama as soccer's governing body FIFA finally answered calls for it to join the 21st century.

While once-sceptical FIFA President Sepp Blatter changed his mind after a series of controversial decisions in high-profile matches, Platini is not for turning.

The Frenchman, in Kuala Lumpur to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Asian Football Confederation on cooperation, delivered a blunt "No" when asked by reporters if he would follow Blatter's lead.

"It is not a question of goal-line technology, it is a question of technology," he said. "Where do you begin with the technology and where do you end with the technology?

"To put goal-line technology in our competitions is 50 million Euros ($64.63 million) in five years. I prefer to give the 50 million to the grassroots and development in football than to put 50 million into technology for perhaps one or two goals per year.

"It's a lot (of money) a goal, yeah?"