Construction firms rubbing their hands with glee as the
world goes super-stadia crazy
The new Wembley will be an impressive sight
WHEN it's finally finished. (¿Empics)
It looks as though the builder's paradise is set continue
with the news that the Football Association of Wales are considering approaching
their Scottish counterparts over a joint bid to host the 2016 European
Championship. With new stadiums springing up in the south of Wales there
is a groundswell of opinion urging the FAW to make a decisive move.
Secretary David Collins has decided to explore the idea after talks with
Welsh sports minister Alun Pugh. "It's worth investigating if Scotland
and Wales could put a bid together," he said despite the fact that
a joint SFA and Football Association of Ireland bid to host the 2008 finals
had been snubbed.
"We were in discussions with Scotland a few years ago to see if we
could put a joint bid together for the Euro 2008 finals but that didn't
really go anywhere. It's such a major event that we'd need the Welsh Assembly
Government and the Cardiff City Council, the Millennium Stadium, the police,
the airport, the Welsh Tourist Board, all those people to be on board."
However, a Scottish Football Association spokeswoman said they had received
no formal approach from the Welsh FA at present, so it appears to be conjecture
at this moment in time. Nevertheless, with Swansea City's 20,000-capacity
Liberty Stadium finished and Cardiff City set to build a new 30,000-seat
home along with the impressive Millennium Stadium then Wales has an abundance
of stadiums that could be utilised for such a tournament.
Another country keen to host a major tournament is Brazil. As if beating
the South American giants wasn't hard enough, they have formally submitted
their application to host the 2014 World Cup, presenting a letter to FIFA
at the Club World Cup in Japan.
Brazil Football Confederation (CBF) president Ricardo Teixeira submitted
the letter after a signing ceremony attended by officials from the South
American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and FIFA. "We have formally
expressed our aspiration to organise the 2014 World Cup," Teixeira
said. "This is something unique for Brazil and its people, who deserve
to be considered as possible hosts."
England's hopes of bidding for any major tournament at present would
be hampered by the fact that Wembley Stadium still isn't finished. The
cost and timescale of the project has exceeded all initial expectations
and has been hampered by a string of setbacks. And there is no let up
for Christmas with the news that the retractable roof will take 40 minutes
longer to close than originally planned.
Initial plans stating that the roof would take 15 minutes to close have
had to be changed because of safety concerns. Engineering magazine New
Civil Engineer has discovered that the process will now take 56 minutes
and 30 seconds - and recommends that the roof is shut only when the stadium
is empty. But Wembley National Stadium Limited insisted the FA Cup final
would not be affected by the discovery.
A spokesman explained: "This won't be a problem on FA Cup Final
day, because we will decide in the morning whether or not the roof will
be open." However, it is yet to be established whether changes in
the roof-closing process may cause problems at other times. The spokesman
added: "We were aware of the change to moving times, and this formed
part of our recent negotiations with Multiplex."
Builders Multiplex also issued a statement which read: "Contrary
to misleading reports the roof at Wembley Stadium has a capacity to close
within one hour, in accordance with the operational requirements of WNSL.
Following completion of the roof it has been tested and witnessed many
times by WNSL - and any suggestion that the roof is unsafe is completely
false."
However, it does appear as though the venue should be ready for next
year's FA Cup Final, which is due to be played on May 19.
Perhaps Multiplex should take a peek at South Africa where stadiums are
emerging on the landscape rapidly in preparation for the World Cup in
2010. The Premier of the Mpumalanga Province, Thabang Makwetla turned
the first sods of soil on the site of the new Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
Earthworks have started, and the city is full steam ahead with the construction
of their $131,224,460 stadium. Upon completion, the stadium will have
a seating capacity of 43,500 and will be used for the group stages of
the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The pylons of the stadium will be giraffe-like in style and the interior
decor of the complex will include trees, which are characteristic of the
Mpumalanga province.With more countries than ever now bidding to host
tournaments it looks as though construction companies' world wide will
be rubbing their hands for many years to come.
By Ian CLARKSON. ,
14-12-06.
Russian ladies dream about happy marriage.
Click on a photo...
¿ Russian National Football Team - RussiaTeam.com
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