Michel Platini, the head of the European football body UEFA, has warned Euro 2012 co-hosts Ukraine and Poland to speed up their preparations. Neither Ukraine nor Poland has hosted a major championship before, and Platini has stressed his growing concerns over their 
“We’ve had to wake them up a little and tell them it’s time to get going,” Platini told French radio France Info on Thursday. “The 2012 Euro will still be held (there), but we’ve told them in the nicest possible way to speed things up a bit.”
Platini first warned the co-hosts back in January, highlighting the importance of the next six months.
“I have the distinct feeling that the next four to six months will be crucial in order to avoid any critical slippage in infrastructure projects and to protect the credibility of the Euro project,” he said.
However, Polish sports minister Miroslaw Drzewiecki has insisted that the necessary preparations will be ready in time.
“There is still a slight delay but we will be ready in time,” Drzewiecki said.
Ukraine could lose the right to co-host Euro 2012 unless the government acted quickly to stimulate investment in infrastructure, Ukraine football federation president Grigory Surkis warned on Monday.“The country’s government and the opposition should unite their efforts to make all the necessary changes in the country’s legislation to stimulate investment in the country’s infrastructure,” Surkis told a news conference.“Time is running out. We now have only days and hours – not years and months at our disposal. If we don’t act quickly, Ukraine may lose the right to host the European championships.”
He added however that he did not consider such a move likely and said the problem was more one of government organisation than of will.
“I hope it will never happen,” Surkis said. “I see the desire of the president and all of the country’s top authorities to do all of their best for staging the European championship in Ukraine.”
Last month UEFA president Michel Platini admitted he had been forced to tell the joint hosts of the 2012 European Championships, Ukraine and Poland, to speed up their preparations for the event.
“We’ve had to wake them up a little and tell them it’s time to get going,” Platini said.
“The 2012 Euro will still be held (there), but we’ve told them in the nicest possible way to speed things up a bit.”
Platini warned last month that the co-hosts faced a crucial period after concerns mounted over the state of preparations for the event.
“I have the distinct feeling that the next four to six months will be crucial in order to avoid any critical slippage in infrastructure projects and to protect the credibility of the Euro project,” Platini said.
Ukraine and Poland are both hosting the continent’s footballing showpiece for the first time.