³ÉÈËÂÛ̳

Scudamore seems dedicated to the much-criticised plans and, judging from media reports, it would appear the League feels it may somehow be able to persuade Blatter to change his mind - a mind that was very convinced it was a bad idea when, a week ago, he gave to me.

But my understanding is that, if anything, the positions of Blatter and Fifa have hardened.

Indeed, reports that the Premier League may offer sweeteners to Blatter by planning matches in Kolkata as a means of boosting is likely to upset Fifa even more.

For years Fifa has been wrestling with plans to revive Indian football, once the leading football national team in Asia and one of the outside these isles.

Fifa has been involved with Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Indian government to try and revive football in the country.

In April Blatter made a much-publicised which is meant to pump in some $20m (£10.16m) over the next few years – money coming from Fifa, AFC and the Indian government.

English football is very popular in India but the idea of a couple of matches doing more for Indian football than Fifa can will only make Blatter feel the Premier League is being condescending.

If the 39th game idea is still being canvassed after next week's meeting then the weekend of 8 March will provide Blatter and Fifa another opportunity to voice their opinions.

That is when the International Board, consisting of the home countries and Fifa, meet to discuss the laws of the game. This time it is in Gleneagles and some very hard words may flow from Scotland.

The week after that, on 14 March, comes the Fifa executive, where the plan is likely to be formally rejected.

If the Premier League carries on with the idea then the word from world football’s governing body is that Blatter will invoke Article 2 - the catch-all clause of bringing the game into disrepute - at Fifa's Congress in Sydney at the end of May.

In our interview he voiced such a prospect and I am told it is not an empty threat.

This is the horror scenario for who will want to go to Sydney with the world of football concentrating on England's plans to host the 2018 World cup.

The last thing Lord Triesman wants is for world football to be distracted by the 39th game, the media concentrating on the proposal and hostile questions from Fifa members as to why English football wants to invade their territories.

A week is a an even longer time in sport than politics but unless there is a sea change in the attitude of Fifa, the next few weeks could prove a very long time for Scudamore and the Premier League.