DUTCH GIANTS BACK EURO LEAGUE; Feyenoord and PSV want Old Firm talks.

Byline: Chris Roberts; Keith Jackson 

DUTCH giants Feyenoord and PSV last night told the Old Firm they want urgent talks in a bid to get the North Atlantic Super League off the ground.

Record Sport yesterday revealed Holland's FA president Michael van Praag has thrown his weight behind a proposal to carry out one of the most radical shake-ups in the game's history.

We told how van Praag gave his full backing Turn to Page 71

FromBack Page to the new cross border set-up in a book that went on sale yesterday and he also vowed to persuadeUEFAboss Michel Platini to give it the green light.

Those revelations sparked a rush of clubs all desperate to grab a slice of a potential 40million-strong TV market.

The reaction caught van Praag by surprise and for a while he was even attempting to distancehimselffromtheconcept.

Butwebelieve he will become amajor player in bringing Holland's leading clubs to the negotiating table.

Not that any of them will need muchpersuading.

In fact, Feyenoord are already talking openly about joining a pan European weekly league that would also involve clubs from Belgium, Sweden, Denmark andPortugal.

Spokesman Gido Vader said: "It is importantwedon't slip even further behind the rest of the clubs in Europe.We have been having financial problems so it is something we'dallbe interestedinpursuing."

And PSV are also looking at getting weighed in. Club media chiefPedro Salazar-Hewitt said: "Clubs such as ourselves and yoursinScotlandandScandinavia need to move fast.

"We will always be open for creating a new situation andwe knowUEFAis aware of this problem. Any talks would be welcome by us."

Monster Belgian giants Anderlecht were also quick to voice their approval of the Dutch model.

Communications manager David Stegen said: "In our biggest, most glorious periods in the 70s and 80swehad so many great players butwewant to get back there and the only way to do that is by introducing something like this.

"We were one of the founders of the Champions League and wethoughtwewould be part of its future. The reality iswe created a monster andweare nowmore or less excluded."

Stegen has called for other clubs to embrace the idea.

Hesaid:"Themorecompetitive the league is, the more you earn and the more competitive you can be. The Atlantic League would be a formulawewould be delighted to be involved in and interested in joining.

"IfwequalifyfortheChampions Leaguethenweknowweare going to get trashed.

"The Europa League has helped build a more competitive tournament. That is what the Atlantic League would do and bring us more money."

Therewasalso support from Scandinavia.

Brondby sports manager Anders Bjerregaard said:"We are positive about new actions andwewould listen to what the concept is about."

AIK Stockholm sporting director BjornWesstrom said: "We wouldn't rule it out."

The Atlantic League didn't get overwhelming support, withFC Copenhagen being the one club with little interest in doing anything to jeopardise their Champions League dream.

Club secretary Charles Maskelyne said: "If you are qualifying for the Champions League group stage then when can you fit in an Atlantic League? It is not really an option for us."

DUTCH