Michel Platini poised for four more years as president

UEFA president Michel Platini is poised to be re-elected to the post after European football's governing body said yesterday that no other candidates had been put forward.

The election will take place on 22 March at the Uefa Congress in Paris and such is 55-year-old Platini's popularity that it will come as no surprise he is standing unopposed.

"Only one candidate has been announced: current Uefa president Michel Platini will be seeking a second four-year term of office from 2011 to 2015," Uefa said in a statement.

Platini, who succeeded Lennart Johansson as president in 2007, is one of the game's greatest-ever players and helped France win the 1984 European Championship. He was also national team coach between 1988 and 1992.

His first election manifesto was based on inclusivity and fairness.

He wanted to make the Champions League less elitist, giving a chance for smaller countries to compete with the giants of the game. Platini is also introducing financial fair play rules which are being phased in and which will mean clubs must live within their means.

lSteve McClaren has been given a vote of confidence by Bundesliga club Wolfsburg and will still be their coach when training resumes after the winter break on 2 January. The Englishman remains under pressure, with the club labouring in 13th spot in the Bundesliga. They were also knocked out of the DFB-Pokal by second division Energie Cottbus on Wednesday.