AMMAN: UEFA president Michel Platini is not the “right man” to clean up the world federation FIFA according to Jordanian Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein in an interview with CNN Arabic.

Prince Ali, defeated by incumbent Sepp Blatter for the presidency at the governing body’s congress in May, is still considering whether to stand again at the extraordinary elective congress next February 26.

Last May Prince Ali benefited from significant voting support from European federation UEFA but this will switch, inevitably, to Platini next February.

Prince Ali, reitering earlier criticisms, said: “I personally respect Platini as a player and a president of the European football union; and we met and I listened to his opinion but at the end of the day, the matter at hand is not personal.

“I do not think Platini is the right man for the new phase because this stage needs young blood, and minds which can understand the international needs – not just the European ones.”

Blatter, in charge of FIFA since 1998, decided to stand down only four days after being re-elected amid an avalanche of scandal.

Platini has already been promised support from a number of European associations including England and Scotland but CNN claimed a UEFA source to have expressed disappoiontment at Prince Ali’s comments “after all the support that Mr Platini and UEFA gave Ali during his campaign.”

Pressed on his own intentions 39-year-old Prince Ali said: “I am currently consulting some of the football federations, especially those seeking change and a better future for football.

“It is the most popular sport and the entire world would love to see it continuously evolving for the better.”

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