While the 10 non-Old Firm clubs in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League prepare to hold a meeting about how the top flight might in future be run, a possible exit route has re-emerged for Rangers and Celtic.
More than a decade after it was first discussed, tentative talks are again being held about an Atlantic League.
The original proposal involved clubs from Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Portugal, Scotland and Belgium. The concept was considered unworkable because Uefa were against the idea, but the Sunday Herald understands that Michel Platini, the Uefa president, is in favour of such a competition, as a means to reduce the dominance of the five leading European football nations: Spain, Italy, Germany, England and France.
"I am aware of [Platini's support], but then again we don't know how it will be played," said Frank Rutten, managing director of the Eredivisie, Holland's top flight. "It's certainly helpful if Uefa would be supportive. But then again we still have to find out what the concept is in order to determine if it is feasible for any clubs to participate."
The plan was originally devised by the Danish Superliga, and a company with links to that comp-etition still owns the Atlantic League trademark. Claus Thomsen, the Superliga chief executive, is responsible for raising again the possibility of trying to make the Atlantic League work, since it would generate television revenue for the clubs involved, and a more competitive environment.
So far, though, there is no indic-ation of which countries would be invited into any discussions, which teams would be asked to play in the competition, and how prom-otion and relegation might work. Uefa also still currently reject the concept of clubs playing in cross-border leagues, even if Platini is in broad favour of this proposal.
"The only thing I can say is that the idea has come up again and that we are looking at whether there are possibilities," says Rutten. "It's a very, very, very early stage, so nothing has been discussed yet in terms of how, when, where. It's just that it has been talked about in the past and there has been some discussion about would it be worth starting to look at it again. My first response was yes, it could be – but we should know what we are talking about. We first have to figure that out."
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