Platini hints Poland could be sole Euro 2012 hosts

(GETTY IMAGES)

Poland could host Euro 2012 alone if construction problems persist in Ukraine, according to Uefa president Michel Platini.

In an interview with the Daily Dziennik in Poland, Platini sought to dampen speculation that the tournament could be moved to Germany, but revealed continuing concerns over the pace of work on the Kiev Stadium.

Asked about Germany, Platini responded: "Only if the bulldozers are still working at the National Stadium in Warsaw in June 2012, but I doubt that."

"Kiev is another matter," he continued. "If there are late with the stadium, then there is a possibility that Euro 2012 will be hosted only by Poland."

The 2012 tournament has been dogged by speculation that work is not progressing quickly enough on preparing facilities, mainly in Ukraine.

In October, newly-elected Polish football federation boss Grzegorz Lato claimed that Poland would look to co-host the tournament with Germany if Ukraine failed to meet its deadlines.

That sparked an angry reaction in Ukraine, and relations were only repaired this week as Poland's Minister of Sports and Tourism, Miroslaw Drzewiecki, publicly backed Ukraine's preparations while on an official trip to the country.

"The Olympic Stadium in Kiev is being built," said Drzewiecki. "Despite the very difficult conditions, we saw a lot of people doing construction work and lots of work going on throughout the city.

"This mutual understanding (between Poland and Ukraine) is good for us."