UEFA backs Romanian initiative

UEFA's constant support for its 54 member associations includes important backing for internal domestic projects – such as a joint football management initiative in Romania, developed by the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) and the Romanian Professional Football League.

The Football Management Scheme comprises four workshops, and is designed in particular to provide clubs within the Romanian Professional Football League with further knowledge and good practices in strategic and operational management, marketing and ticketing, media relations and communication policy, and events and safety and security. Four modules will take place over the next 12 months, and UEFA fifth vice-president Michael van Praag was in Bucharest to attend the first workshop.

Both the Romanian association and professional league have pledged to work together to help the country's football progress in the coming years, and have grasped the importance of education in helping to improve modern football management practices.

UEFA is providing essential support across Europe through various education programmes, such as the Executive Master in European Sport Governance (MESGO) and the UEFA Certificate in Football Management (UEFA CFM). The European body is also active in providing its member FAs with individual assistance adapted to their specific needs, such as with the scheme in Romania.

Thoughts on the scheme:
Sports performance is no longer born today out of hard work on the pitch, but also depends on the managerial capacity of the clubs and of the national associations. UEFA has recently developed a series of educational programmes dedicated to the development of national associations, meant to develop the management abilities of the national federations and their stakeholders. Football needs professionals; it needs to be managed by individuals who possess the specific managerial training.
Michael van Praag, UEFA fifth vice-president, president of the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB)

This programme was elaborated as an answer to Romanian football clubs' needs to improve their capacity of resource management. Today's professional football does not exist without proper management. We at the Romanian Football Federation wish to continue supporting the evolution of Romanian clubs.
Răzvan Burleanu, president, Romanian Football Federation (FRF)

We are very happy that our two football institutions, together with UEFA, have organised such an educational workshop for the first time in Romania, which will lay the base for a brighter future in club football in our country.
Robert Pongracz, vice-president, Romanian Professional Football League