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Dermot Desmond urged to reconsider strategic decision

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Dermot Desmond has been urged to reconsider his decision to pull Celtic out of plans for a UEFA backed ‘Atlantic League’

The ideas of some sort of cross-country league has been around for 20 years with little real substance, early talks mentioned clubs from Scotland, Belgium, Holland, Portugal and Scandinavia.

Irish businessman Andrew Doyle seems to be putting some detail onto plans which would be based around clubs from Scotland, Ireland and Scandinavia.

Celtic and almost certainly the ‘Old Firm’ tag would be a major part of any new set up which UEFA, the SFA and SPFL are all aware of.

Picking up on Cormack’s interview with the Daily Mail, The Sun reports the Aberdeen chairman saying:

This was a serious proposal for Scandinavian teams, a team from Ireland and five teams from Scotland to form an Atlantic League.

There would be promotion and relegation from the national divisions in each country and the money being guaranteed as a minimum was decent money.

But the real opportunity was to bring in 300m or 400m Euros a year in broadcast media rights, which would be significant for every Scottish league all the way down.

The SFA were aware of it. The SPFL were aware of it. And Celtic, Rangers and ourselves and Ron Gordon at Hibs were aware of it. UEFA got behind it, but it was really down to the individual leagues.

I got involved in a couple of Zoom calls in the last couple of months of discussion. And it was then that Andrew Doyle from SAL Partners in Ireland came out and said Celtic had pulled out. I don’t know why. The clubs were simply informed that Celtic had decided to pull out at this stage. And so they are back to the drawing board with it now.

The SPFL is in the first year of a £25m a year exclusive television deal with Sky Sports.

If UEFA gives backing for a new cross-country set up it would give it legitimacy but a big question would be raised about Champions League places with six champion clubs currently going into the qualifying process.

CLICK HERE for Times article on Celtic pulling out.

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