[markdickson]

The top four teams in the Scottish Premier League could take part in a North Atlantic Cup along with clubs from Holland, Belgium and Denmark.

The proposal was revealed by league chairman Lex Gold in an interview with BBC Radio Scotland.

The proposed competition would take place during the winter break, with the four teams at the top of the SPL by that stage taking part.

If any of the top four were still in Europe, the next team in the league would qualify...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...em/2170522.stm

[BrianCappellieri]

Will the Dutch, Belgian, and Danish federations all agree?

UEFA coy on Atlantic talk

UEFA have refused to be drawn over the proposed Atlantic League, insisting they will await approval by the national associations involved...
TeamTalk

Uefa go by the book on Atlantic Cup debate

Uefa insist full agreement between all competing national associations must be given before progress can be made in establishing a North Atlantic League Cup...
Ananova

[SJFC4ever]

The Belgians (according to Ian McLeod) have already unanimously supported the idea. Standard Liege are alleged to be the club who came up with the idea.

As for the Dutch, PSV have always been keen on these ideas.

The Danish are really a makeweight, and are involved because a) Denmark is reasonably close (unlike other candidates) and b) FC Copenhagen are quite keen.

The Old Firm would probably support it. The other Scottish clubs will probably go along, as long as a) it is based on merit (ie the OF don't get an automatic invite) and b) it is more than two clubs invited.

[markdickson]

The orchestrator of proposals for a North Sea League Cup last night launched an offensive on the project's critics by unveiling plans for summit talks on the issue next month.

Former Belgium goalkeeper Michel Preud'homme, now the general manager of Standard Liege, is working closely with top European sports lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont on a blueprint for a post-Christmas tournament to begin in 2004 involving the top four clubs from Scotland, Holland, Denmark and their own nation. UEFA opposition allied to additional fixtures, unfashionable contestants and a lack of public interest has already provoked doubts that the Atlantic League Mark II will ever come to pass.

Despite the storm of derision which met SPL chairman Lex Gold's public revelation of the plans, however, Preud'homme insists that earnest discussions will take place in mid-September and that Scottish football should welcome the new initiative...

http://www.soccernet.com/scotland/ne...snorthsea.html

[Elwood]

Kind of off-topic, but it seems like a good place to ask.

I've heard the 'Atlantic League' mentioned before, but not really what it would be. Could someone fill me in?

Also, looking at this Atlantic Cup, would something like this (which I'm thinking is very similar to the 'Atlantic League' EVER stand a chance of getting approved:

20 teams from 4 countries (or 5, depending, but we'll go with the 4 mentioned for the Cup). Scotland, Belgium, Denmark, Holland. So you have 5 teams from each nation in the top. After each season, the lowest finishing from each country is relegated to that countries 1st Division. So, for example, from Scotland you might have Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Hibs, and Motherwell. At the end of the season, the lowest is relegated back to Scotland, replaced by the winner of Scotland's 1st Division. You could also use 4 teams from 5 nations.

Just an idea, and I doubt it ever happens, but a league like that would likely be a decent draw. Is something like this the future of the lesser European national leagues?