Post by Taxigirl on Feb 20, 2006 9:26:49 GMT
www.sportinglife.com
Newspaper reports claim that the Football Association will this week officially declare that the new Wembley stadium will not be ready in time to stage this year's FA Cup final.
The Daily Mail report that the "worst kept-secret in sport will finally be revealed" on Thursday.
Last week, the FA insisted they will give Wembley's builders Multiplex until the last possible minute to try to complete the stadium in time for this year's May 13 showpiece.
However, Multiplex admitted last month that there was only a 70% chance of Wembley being ready for the March 31 deadline.
Even if they do complete construction by then, that would not guarantee the final being at Wembley.
The new stadium would still need to train up hundreds of staff, and satisfy safety officials it would be able to stage the final in such a short space of time.
Millennium Stadium chief executive Paul Sergeant has confirmed the Cardiff venue can host the 2006 FA Cup final if the new Wembley is not ready on time.
The last five finals have been staged there and he said: "It's the FA cup final. We know what we need to do in terms of staging the game.
"We've been aware since the end of last summer that we are a reserve venue and the date is ring-fenced."
Newspaper reports claim that the Football Association will this week officially declare that the new Wembley stadium will not be ready in time to stage this year's FA Cup final.
The Daily Mail report that the "worst kept-secret in sport will finally be revealed" on Thursday.
Last week, the FA insisted they will give Wembley's builders Multiplex until the last possible minute to try to complete the stadium in time for this year's May 13 showpiece.
However, Multiplex admitted last month that there was only a 70% chance of Wembley being ready for the March 31 deadline.
Even if they do complete construction by then, that would not guarantee the final being at Wembley.
The new stadium would still need to train up hundreds of staff, and satisfy safety officials it would be able to stage the final in such a short space of time.
Millennium Stadium chief executive Paul Sergeant has confirmed the Cardiff venue can host the 2006 FA Cup final if the new Wembley is not ready on time.
The last five finals have been staged there and he said: "It's the FA cup final. We know what we need to do in terms of staging the game.
"We've been aware since the end of last summer that we are a reserve venue and the date is ring-fenced."