Then it was the North Atlantic League. 
It will surely now only be 
a matter of time before the Old Firm start to make enquiries about joining one of the 20,000 leagues under the sea.

It is fair to say Rangers and Celtic have been pursuing alternatives to a lifetime of perceived monotony and poverty in the Scottish Premier League with some relish of late, their enthusiasm matched only by a media with acres of newsprint and hours of air space to fill during a quiet fortnight.

The North Atlantic League -- or the North Sea And Portugal League as it should surely be called given it is unlikely Greenland, Canada, or Cuba will be invited to participate any time soon, although never rule it out -- is an interesting concept, albeit one that has been put forward several times without ever getting off the drawing board.

The Dutch are leading the charge again, most notably Michael van Praag, president of their FA and a member of Uefa’s executive committee, who believes he can have far more influence from inside the tent peeing out, rather than outside trying to pee in.

“There was no way we could push it through before because Uefa at that time were conservative and full of fear,” he said. “Now I am part of Uefa and, for this course, I can begin the lobby. It makes sense to start the lobbying now.”

He has, in Michel Platini, a progressive Uefa president open to change but one who may prefer to continue tinkering with his own toys rather than help pave the way for a revolutionary set-up that could one day rival his own competitions.

On his watch, Platini has helped remodel both the Uefa Cup and the Champions League with his own brand of soccer socialism, giving clubs from the traditionally less glamorous, wealthy or influential nations a fighting chance taking their place at the top table.

Eight debutants participating in this season’s Champions League group stage is a sign that, on that front, things are moving in the right direction.

The premise of the NAL would seem to be an extension of that way of thinking. If clubs from countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Norway and Scotland cannot compete with those from the European superpowers -- England, Spain, Italy, France and Germany -- on an individual basis, then perhaps by working together they will give themselves a better chance of levelling the playing field.

Television will again call the tune, the hope being that the broadcasting revenue on offer for each club will rise in line with the increase in potential viewing figures. If a rough calculation of the populations likely be involved comes out at around the 60 to 70 million mark, then it stands to reason that the likes of Rangers and Celtic would make substantially more money compared to a TV deal based on a Scottish population of around five million.

So far, so very lucrative. And if Uefa is supposedly on board then all the better. But how would it all work? And would there be sufficient interest to make it a viable proposition?

At this early stage, it is unclear whether the proposed NAL would replace domestic leagues or operate alongside them, and whether those clubs involved would still be able to play in Uefa’s European competitions.

Were Rangers or Celtic to finally leave the SPL would their supporters be any more enthused about the prospect of playing Malmo, AIK Stockholm or Brann Bergen on a fortnightly basis than they currently are when Hamilton, Kilmarnock or St Mirren are in town?

And when neither side could fill their stadiums for recent European ties -- when Rangers hosted Sevilla, the third-best side in Spain, and Celtic were at home to Rapid Vienna -- will the punters be persuaded to turn out twice a month to watch teams of a similar or lesser pedigree? The creation of a Europe-wide league would also almost certainly mean the end of the traditional away support as we know it. Even the most wealthy, enthusiastic and devoted would struggle to head fortnightly for the continent, with even fewer coming the other way to Glasgow.

And if ticket prices were to be set at a similar level to that currently charged for the visit of European opposition -- an adult wanting to take their child to the three Champions League group matches at Ibrox this year would have had to shell out almost £200 -- then the empty seats might not just be restricted to the visitors’ end. The TV companies wouldn’t like that one bit.

Like an inquisitive toddler, 
the questions continue unabated. Which clubs would be considered? Who would select the chosen few? And, once in, would they be guaranteed to remain there forever? Or would there be promotion and relegation to and from the domestic leagues? Having given up domestic football, what would be the clubs’ avenue into the Champions League, assuming this new league was to run alongside Europe’s premier club competition, and not as an alternative?

So many questions, so few answers. They, and more, will need to be resolved before this latest reincarnation of an 
old idea ever becomes a reality.