Chelsea and Tottenham in scrap over playing home games at Wembley while new stadiums are being built

  • Chelsea and Tottenham both want to play home games at Wembley
  • Both clubs are having new stadiums built and need an alternative home
  • Wembley calendar would not allow both clubs to play home games there
  • Rugby World Cup outcast Luther Burrell featured advert for sponsors O2 

Chelsea and Spurs are on collision course over who moves into Wembley temporarily while their new stadiums are being built.

FA chief executive Martin Glenn made positive comments earlier this week about accommodating clubs at the national stadium during their construction work. But there is no way Wembley’s calendar would allow both sides to play their home fixtures there when they relocate for the 2017-18 season — Spurs for one year and Chelsea for three.

Wembley Stadium is open to hosting Chelsea or Tottenham home games while their new stadiums are built

Wembley Stadium is open to hosting Chelsea or Tottenham home games while their new stadiums are built

Chelsea are understood to be a lot further advanced in negotiating with Wembley and cannot foresee having to share with their London rivals. And their offer for three years’ use would be far more lucrative to the FA.

However, Tottenham have stirred the mix by saying they would be prepared to share with Chelsea, however unfeasible that would be. And they say they are certain to be ready to relocate in 2017, while Chelsea’s proposed new stadium is not yet at the planning permission stage.

Spurs have also gone on the offensive by saying Wembley have to be even-handed as taxpayers’ money was involved in its building.

Chelsea will need a new home for three years while their Stamford Bridge base is rebuilt

Chelsea will need a new home for three years while their Stamford Bridge base is rebuilt

Tottenham would be looking for a place to play for one season while their new stadium is finished

Tottenham would be looking for a place to play for one season while their new stadium is finished

 

Luther Burrell’s omission from Stuart Lancaster’s World Cup squad came as a surprise to many — including England sponsors O2. The Northampton centre was one of the three players featured with Take That in the promotional centrepiece for Wednesday’s England World Cup send-off at the O2 Arena. Burrell also appears as a cartoon giant in another World Cup advertising film, but not Sam Burgess, who took his squad place.

The England team joined Take That and over 15,000 fans at the O2 Arena on Wednesday for a send-off

The England team joined Take That and over 15,000 fans at the O2 Arena on Wednesday for a send-off

 

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia, who represents owner Roman Abramovich at the club as well as handling transfers and player contracts, emphasised her growing presence at Stamford Bridge by attending this week’s Premier League clubs’ summit. She was there to learn more about the mechanisms of the top flight and introduce herself to other club chiefs. Chelsea have four club directors — Granovskaia, chairman Bruce Buck, administrator Dave Barnard and Russian Eugene Tenenbaum — sharing leadership responsibilities rather than a having a single chief executive.

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia attended this week’s Premier League clubs’ summit

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia attended this week’s Premier League clubs’ summit

 

Tom Daley’s mother Debbie was so angry with British Swimming chief David Sparkes after he criticised her son for appearing on a reality show rather than concentrating on training that she wrote an open letter in the Daily Mail that was scathing about Sparkes. So it was good to see the relationship has mended to the extent that the first thing Daley did on arriving at the reception before the British Olympic Association ball was seek out Sparkes for a friendly chat.

Leeds facing new suit

Yet more staff turmoil at Championship club Leeds, with former first-team fitness coach Matt Pears set to follow education and welfare colleague Lucy Ward in pursuing an unfair dismissal hearing at an employment tribunal.

Pears claims to have had permission from the club to attend his brother’s wedding in Portugal but new manager Uwe Rosler complained to executive director Adam Pearson about Pears missing the pre-season friendly against Everton. Pears was accused of professional misconduct and sacked following a disciplinary hearing two days before he was due a £10,000 bonus from last season. Leeds refused to comment.

Leeds face more staff turmoil with former fitness coach Matt Pears set to pursue an unfair dismissal hearing

Leeds face more staff turmoil with former fitness coach Matt Pears set to pursue an unfair dismissal hearing

 

FIFA, who normally take an age over any inquiry, responded in three days to South Korea’s FIFA presidential candidate Chung Mong-joon’s complaint about election opponent Michel Platini and Asian Football Confederation president Sheik Salman breaking the rules. 

Zurich’s verdict, much to Chung’s anger at its haste, was that there were no violations in letters sent to AFC countries encouraging support for Platini. It is understood many of the AFC’s 47 voters are backing Platini despite both his rivals, Chung and Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, being AFC members. Prince Ali has surrounded himself with PR advisers, including shadowy American ‘high stakes public strategy firm’ Mercury. But it is his sister Princess Haya, former Equestrian Sports Federation leader, who has most influence.

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