Former FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce says Michel Platini faces a "difficult task" if the Frenchman wins the FIFA presidential election.
The current UEFA chief announced his candidature for next February's ballot and appears to have key voting blocs lining up in his favour.
But ex-Northern Ireland football association president, Boyce, says FIFA is a different kettle of fish to UEFA.
"I think he's done a very good job as president of UEFA and if he becomes president of FIFA, it's going to be a difficult task because FIFA is a world as you know," said Boyce.
"He has to unite all these different Confederations and associations. He's got to ensure people are behind him, that they're 100 per cent committed to what he wants to do and it's going to be difficult. But I think he is someone, who certainly in the few years I've known him and sat with him on the executive committee meetings at FIFA, he's been very outspoken recently. He wants to see FIFA reestablished and get credibility again."
Boyce also spoke of his confidence that Platini, who voted in favour of Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid would back a re-vote if wrongdoing was found with that country's bid.
Boyce also questioned the criticism aimed at Platini by recent FIFA candidate Prince Ali of Jordan today, observing: "I know at one time, Prince Ali was actively trying to persuade him to stand for president of FIFA so really I just can't understand it".
Boyce also gave his take on the legacy of the much-maligned FIFA incumbent Sepp Blatter, saying "I personally didn't have a problem. I heard Sepp Blatter at many of these meetings demanding that things be changed" but acknowledged that the Swiss' big problem "was not taking action" against some key figures who had been actively involved in corruption pre-2010.
He also went on to call for an age and term limit for future FIFA presidents.
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