Deon P. Green, Gleaner Writer
LONDON, England:
DESPITE CONFORMATION that Jamaica will be among the teams facing England at a rebuilt Wembley Stadium on June 3, prior to England's World Cup encounters, uncertainty looms over the availability of the stadium for the match.
Reports reaching The Gleaner are that the British Football Association is facing the prospect that Wembley Stadium may not be completed in time to stage England's warm-up match against Jamaica.
The British body has already advised their Caribbean counterparts that the friendly may be played either at Old Trafford, Manchester United's home ground, or an alternative venue.
The FA has been relying on builders Multiplex to deliver the stadium being rebuilt at a cost of £757m and there is a guarantee that work will be completed to accommodate the friendly games.
MATCH PREPARATION
The FA has disclosed the final matches for England's preparation for the World Cup which includes games at Wembley against Hungary on May 30, and Jamaica on June 3, with an earlier match against Uruguay at Anfield, Liverpool's home ground, on March 1.
President of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), Crenston Boxhill, is reported to have said English FA counterparts have told him that it was "all systems go" for Wembley, but provisions had been made in case the stadium was not ready.
SHIFT IN VENUE
"They are rooting for Wembley, but they also pointed out that there might be a shift in venue if, for whatever reason, it is not available," Boxhill said.
British FA chief executive, Brian Barwick, has also noted that his governing body plans to book the Millennium Stadium as an alternative venue should Wembley not be ready for the FA Cup Final on May 13.
The Gleaner understands that the delay in completion of the stadium is due to the building of a pedestrian walkway, which has been delayed for four months because of a dispute between Wembley National Stadium Ltd. and another company that owns the land near the stadium.
The problem will affect the formal handing over of the Wembley Stadium to the FA, which was scheduled for March 31. The scheduled hand over would have allowed time for trial events ahead of the FA Cup Final.
Meanwhile, the FA will allocate 9,000 seats to Jamaican fans attending the match and the Jamaican FA's proceeds from the game will be used for a youth development programme. The JFF will earn £100,000 from the game.
