When big businessmen emerge from meeting rooms, smiling broadly and saying things like, “Everybody wins,” you know you should worry. That’s what happened when Media Partners chief Rudolfo Hecht outlined his plans for the new European Super League. The people who should worry? UEFA, its member associations and the clubs they represent. Namely, the owners of clubs that aren’t likely to be invited into the soccer stratosphere. UEFA, which changed the Champions League to include runners-up of big leagues, is frantically piecing together a rival blueprint. It includes the possibility of “wild-card teams” — i.e., perennial “faves” like AC Milan that haven’t won anything in a while, but hey, they should be there. And the domestic associations are seeking guarantees -û whatever they’re worth û- from the clubs that they won’t join such a venture, weighing in with the prospect of FIFA bans from World Cups for rogue players. Big deal! A player has two, at most three World Cups in him, and he’s unlikely to lose too much sleep over missing out on the big one every four years. If he does, he can count his money. Franz Beckenbauer once predicted that in 20 years a Super League would likely replace the World Cup in importance. Threats, like World Cup bans, will likely hasten the process. But there’s one other player in all this. He has yet to emerge, but carries the most clout of all. Step forward, European Union commissioner Karel Van Miert, scourge of UEFA since the Bosman ruling. Van Miert will likely rule in favor of Media Partners, which has European law on its side. Hecht knows it, and UEFA probably knows it, too. For better or worse û- and I fear the worst û- the Super League is upon us. The backers are powerful, so too are the principal clubs involved, and the law is on their side. And for the regular fans? Not to worry, says Hecht. We can watch it on TV. FANS: LET’S HEAR YOUR VIEW What are your thoughts on the potential European Super League? Will it help or hurt the sport? Click here to log onto (Soccer) American Graffiti. Then click on the topic entitled “Your View: Everybody Wins?” and respond to Duncan Irving in 200 words or less. Don’t hold anything back! Best responses will be reprinted in Soccer America Magazine. If YOUR View is selected, we’ll send you a cool t-shirt and pin… Because You’re FANATIC.