Crunch talks for Wembley builders

Wembley's chief executive Michael Cunnah today admitted he does not know when the stadium will be finished.

Despite repeated denials from Wembley and the FA that the project was not falling behind schedule, Cunnah now says he is seeking urgent clarification from troubled builders Multiplex after it announced a two month delay on Monday.

The company, which has revealed it will make a £45million loss on the £757m stadium, is contracted to complete its work by 31 January, but has now set a revised date for the end of March.

Cunnah remains confident that the plans to open next May with the FA Cup Final will not have to be shelved but confessed that any more delays will make it "tight".

Cunnah said: "What we know is what the company has said publicly. What we are doing is talking to the local guys to see what that means for us.

"Multiplex is now talking about March but has also talked about a hand-over and I have to be honest, we are clarifying with the company what that actually means."

Confusion has arisen over the timing of the hand-over - when Wembley takes control and begins to operate the stadium.

This has to happen whenever the building work is completed but Cunnah, who amazingly claims he was not warned about the stock exchange announcement, wants Multiplex to confirm this can take place before 31 March.

Wembley needs to stage test events before the Cup Final and prove to Brent Council it should be awarded a license to operate the stadium.

The FA and Wembley are working on plans for a staggered handover which would allow them to take control and run tests on finished parts of the stadium before the whole building is complete.

Cunnah said: "In Multiplex's view it will be ready for the Cup Final and that is a big reassurance we take from the announcement."

Multiplex face huge financial penalties if they deliver the stadium late and one of the crucial facts Cunnah is trying to establish is whether their two month delay will trigger those payments.

Yet despite all the concerns over the delay and Multiplex's financial crisis, Cunnah insists there are no plans at the moment to talk to Cardiff about using the Millennium Stadium as a back up.

He said: "All things show that plan A is going to work and there is no need for a plan B."

"We are not focusing on a contingency. We are working with Multiplex to be ready."