The businessman masterminding proposals for a breakaway European Super League has spoken out publicly to insist he is "more confident than ever" that the project will go ahead as planned in two years' time.
Rudolfo Hecht, the president of Media Partners, the TV and marketing rights company behind the Super League plans, came out of the shadows on the eve of tomorrow's Premier League meeting, at which the 20 club chairmen will discuss the issue.
Arsenal and Manchester United will undoubtedly come under severe pressure to explain themselves at the meeting in London, one of a series of regular Premier League get-togethers.
The Super League would replace the Champions' Cup and involve 36 clubs.
There would be 18 `founder clubs', chosen "solely on sports merit" over the past 10 years, who would have their positions reviewed every three years on the basis of performances on the pitch.
The remaining 18 places would be up for grabs each year based on clubs' performances over the previous season in domestic leagues and cups.
A Pro-Cup would replace the Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Cup. This would involve 96 clubs from across the whole of Europe in a two-legged knock-out competition after they had qualified through national leagues and cups.
All matches would be played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays so national leagues could continue at weekends.
The project expects to generate more than £1.25 billion every season for the first six years and donate £60 million of this every year to the development of youth football in Europe.
Hecht added: "The European Football League will be open and accountable.
"It will be 100 per cent owned by the clubs - like the existing national leagues in England, Scotland and Holland.
"The clubs support offering a regulatory and administrative role to UEFA based on the English FA/Premier League model.
"UEFA have also been offered responsibility for allocating the money which will be generated by the EFL for the good of amateur and youth football."
Many clubs not among the chosen few are still worried about the possible impact on the domestic game, especially if some teams are assured of places in Europe for three years at a time, while UEFA appear unwilling to co-operate.
