There was confusion last night over moves to develop an All-Ireland League as it emerged that, in addition to preliminary work by some Southern clubs to explore the possibility of establishing a 32-county top flight, a second, apparently more advanced, process is under way.
It is understood Fintan Drury, who heads up the Irish end of the British-based sports agency Platinum One and also advises St Patrick's Athletic owner Garrett Kelleher, has been working on a business plan for a league involving the leading clubs from both sides of the Border.
Drury could not be contacted for comment last night but is said to have recruited the former Derry City managing director Jim Roddy to work on the process and both men have held meetings with representatives of clubs as well as a number of politicians to gauge support for the new league.
Officials at several clubs confirmed Drury's involvement and there appears to be plenty of enthusiasm for his proposals.
It seems Drury intends that Platinum One, a company traditionally associated with player management and organising tours and tournaments involving clubs like Manchester United, Barcelona and Seville, would play a central role in the scheme.
The company would source the money to start the new league and would presumably handle commercial and broadcasting aspects of its operation.
The move has become public as club officials confirmed a second process has reached the point where four representatives of clubs in the South have been asked to approach selected Northern outfits this side of Christmas with a view to talks.
This second initiative is the product of five meetings held in Dublin over the last two months. Most have been held in the IFSC offices of Arkaga, the company that owns Cork City, and initially the group was limited to a few of the League of Ireland's big clubs but has been steadily expanding.
One of the early intentions of this group appears to have been to look at ways of challenging the league's new rules on the percentage of turnover that can be paid to players, though that move appears to have hit the rocks early on as it emerged a significant number of the clubs actually supported the rule.
Talk of an All-Ireland league proved more popular, though, and Roddy (again) and representatives of Galway United, Bohemians and Drogheda United were nominated to open talks with Linfield, Glentoran, Glenavon and maybe one other Irish League club.
The whole process is, however, still at a formative and informal stage, as one of those involved explained. "Some of the talk has been a bit exaggerated," he said. "The clubs are keen to see where it can go, but it hasn't gone anywhere yet."
While many leading clubs are clearly enthusiastic about the prospect of playing in a single league, selling the idea to the two associations will be a major challenge for either grouping.
Drury's prospects would not be helped by the fact his relationship with the FAI's key figure, John Delaney, is understood to have been strained since Brian Kerr lost his job as Republic of Ireland manager two years ago.
Previously Delaney had hired Drury to renegotiate Eircom's sponsorship contract with the FAI but it is possible Roddy, who has strong connections on both sides of the Border, would lead any talks with the associations.
Achieving recognition from the governing bodies would be critical for public funding and European football but another club official suggested yesterday the organisations might have to row in behind the initiative - whoever was driving it - if the two existing league's were effectively stripped of their best clubs.
It was confirmed, meanwhile, that the Republic of Ireland will play Serbia in a friendly on May 24th at Croke Park.
The Serbians, are ranked 30th in world football.