Do UEFA know something about Wembley we dont ?

[clapham_gull]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/5407664.stm

The City of Manchester Stadium has been selected to host the Uefa Cup final in 2008 by Uefa's executive committee.

Apparently they turned down two bids by Wembley for 2008 or 2009.

Uefa communications director William Gaillard said: "We hope Wembley Stadium in London will be completed in time for it to bid for 2010 - and we will then seriously consider the venue for the Uefa Champions League final."

 

[Beach Hut]

It would appear so - a total construction disaster of the highest order.

Does not bode well for the Olympics.

 

[Timbo]

They probably now the same as us, that its been a complete shambles up to now so why will anything change.

 

[SeagullJay]

actually have on very good authority (actually two independent sources) that stadium is finished
BUT
is a massive court case pending regarding payment and cost of completed project
clearly being in Dubai I cannot 'pop along' and have a look BUT my sources I would hope are reliable

 

[RM-Taylor]

Hopefully we can go there in the P-O's if we pick up form, doubt we will though.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

actually have on very good authority (actually two independent sources) that stadium is finished
BUT
is a massive court case pending regarding payment and cost of completed project
clearly being in Dubai I cannot 'pop along' and have a look BUT my sources I would hope are reliable

From what I read in the construction trade journals, and what I have heard from a couple of contacts who have worked on the project, the build has been complete for over two months.

All that is left are snagging works and fit -outs of some non-essential areas [some of the suites, etc]. Basically if the pitch were ready [that, I know nothing about] they could play there tomorrow, but as SeagullJay states there is some major wrangling to be done first over who foots the various bills for late completion / overspend, etc.

In admittedly oversimplistic terms, the gist is that the penalty payments that multiplex are liable for, are very handy to the FA to redress some of the overspend. Thus multiplex are desperate to sign the project off but the FA's consultants are picking up any tiny thing to avoid final acceptance.

"OOh look there - that little bit of skirting's got a smudge on it, and in executive box 276 there's a light switch fitted upside down"

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

I am guessing UEFA are waiting for a game to be played there before they agree to a centre piece game being played there.

 

[Bry Nylon]

...in executive box 276 there's a light switch fitted upside down

COWBOYS !!

 

[Franks Wild Years]

I was chatting to some one who's been working on the audio installation up there. The word on site is that the lawyers are getting heavilly involved in preperation for the whole thing going bust. The latest expected finishing date is 2010 !!

 

[Nobby's Betamax Video]

Bloody frustrating, but when it's completed and games have KO'd there, people will start to forget the wranglings and delays over time.

If you're going to build a world class, show-piece, national stadium, then do it properly no matter how long it takes (although these delays & costs do seem ridiculous).

 

[7:18]

Looked pretty complete to me going by on the train the other day...