Analysis - Platini vindicated by expanded European Championship

By Mike Collett LONDON (Reuters) - It was much derided when announced but UEFA's decision to expand the Euro 2016 championship to 24 teams has revitalised the qualifying competition with a host of countries daring to dream of making it to a major tournament, often for the first time. At the halfway stage, countries such a Wales, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Albania and Norway, who have either never qualified for a major finals or been absent for years, are all in contention for a place in France next year. At the same time traditional powers such a Italy, Germany, Netherlands, and holders Spain have all dropped points, while only England and Slovakia hold 100 percent records with five matches played and five to come. The English FA, for example, might have been less than happy to play the likes of San Marino, Estonia and Lithuania, but there is another side to the argument with far more meaningful matches being played because there are more slots available. It is now nearly seven years since UEFA president Michel Platini announced the expansion of the finals from 16 teams, and faced heavy criticism that he had destroyed the "perfect format" and that by having 24, almost half of UEFA's members, the tournament would be devalued. But he now has good reason to defend the decision, initially instigated by his former general secretary, David Taylor of Scotland, who died last year. "David must be credited for this and it is just a shame he did not live long enough to see it happen," Platini said. "He was right because look at the way the competition has opened up. The fact many more countries now have hope has lifted their game. "European football is now of such a high quality that we do have 24 very good teams who deserve a place in the finals, why should they be deprived? "It is still tough for them to qualify, but this is part of what UEFA does -- develop football throughout Europe -- and this is one way of doing it." Under the new format, the winners and runners-up from the nine qualifying groups plus the best third-placed team -- with the results against the sixth-placed team discarded -- comprise 19 direct qualifiers along with automatically-qualified hosts France. The eight remaining third-placed teams will contest two-legged playoffs to determine the last four qualifiers. WELSH HOPES As it stands, Wales are on course to take part in their first major finals since their sole appearance at the World Cup in Sweden in 1958. In the past great Welsh players such as Ian Rush and Ryan Giggs missed out on major finals as did current manager Chris Coleman, whose unbeaten side are second on goal difference to Belgium with 11 points at the top of Group B. Wales do boast Gareth Bale of Real Madrid, the world's most expensive player, as well as the influential Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal and Coleman believes if they take another nine points from the remaining 15 available they should qualify. "I played in Welsh teams in 1994 and 2004 where we nearly did it and now we have the opportunity to go a step further," he said. If the qualifying competition ended now, Wales would be among the finalists as would Iceland, who are a point behind the Czech Republic at the top of Group A -- but five ahead of the Netherlands. The closest Iceland have come to a major finals was reaching the playoffs for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil when they lost to Croatia. Slovakia, three points clear of holders Spain in Group C, are also relishing the competition and are currently heading for their first European finals since they began playing as an independent nation from 1996. Slovakia did appear in the World Cup in 2010, but a combination of their continuing good form, and the restructuring of the competition, could mean their long wait to sit at Europe's top table will come to an end. (editing by Justin Palmer)