Although no one can be certain he is leaving, FIFA is starting to roll out possible replacements for Sepp Blatter. The Jordanian prince who came closest to dethroning him, Ali bin Al-Hussein, is likely to step in again. But he’ll have more trouble this time organizing a united opposition, especially now Michel Platini has announced his candidacy.

Platini has the benefit of experience on his side. He’s run UEFA, the largest and most prestigious conference in soccer, since 2007. Before that, he was one of the great players. He won the Ballon d’Or three times. He earned 72 caps for France and was instrumental in their Euro title in 1984. He won the European Cup for Juventus the next year. His credentials on the pitch are unimpeachable.

But his reign at the top of UEFA has been far less impeccable. To start, he’s had a number of controversial — some would say bad — ideas since he took control. The 6-plus-5 rule, insisting on six players from the home nation and only five foreigners in every starting XI, was a complete failure and had to be abandoned. Not only would it have ruined the Premier League (making it all the more puzzling why the FA is backing him), it also would have made the lineups at Barcelona and Real Madrid impossible. At the same time, his push for financial fair play rules has allowed some clubs — like the Spanish giants above and Manchester United — to buy up ever more talent while keeping upstarts out. It hasn’t limited money in soccer at all, it has just pooled it.

Platini has also made an effort to lead the charge against racism in the sport, an issue that clearly isn’t improving. He wants to fight against young athletes signing to clubs, an act he considers slavery. That’s a comparison he shares with his boss.

And that is the most damning thing of all about Platini. He’s about as inside the organization as possible. He is close enough to Blatter to have always been in the succession conversation, but he never used that influence (publicly at least) to stand against the corruption pulling the organization apart. When the chance arose to run against Blatter this year, Platini declined.

On all the crucial decisions that have led to the FIFA crisis, Platini has been silent or on the wrong side. He supported Qatar’s World Cup bid. There are rumors Vladimir Putin gave him a Picasso to earn his good graces in their own World Cup endeavors.

Platini vociferously denies this, and he may be telling the truth. He may even believe there are good and noble reasons to support a World Cup in Qatar. He still doesn’t look like the man to fix FIFA. To borrow a phrase from the U.S. Supreme Court, a Platini victory would at least give off the appearance of corruption. That’s something FIFA could very much do without right now.

FIFA needs an outsider to set the tone of penitent change. That’s not Platini. He was a great player, perhaps to some a good UEFA president, but it’s hard to see how his election would lead to anything other than more of the same.

Seth Libby is a soccer writer for www.RantSports.com. Like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @sethlibbywrites.