WALES FRIENDLY MATCH AT NEW STADIUM UNDER THREAT

2 March 2005

Wales's proposed friendly with Slovenia to mark the opening of Swansea City's new stadium could be scrapped. The Evening Post understands there has been a disagreement over how proceeds from the game will be shared between the Football Association of Wales and Swansea.

But Vetch Field chairman Huw Jenkins is still hopeful John Toshack's men will play at Morfa as part of the new 20,000-seater stadium's opening celebrations.

"We're hopeful that Wales will play in Swansea," he said.

"It's just that things like this take a long time to sort out."Negotiations are on-going between ourselves and the FAW to try finalise a deal to bring international football to our new home."

Toshack's men will definitely play a friendly in August ahead of World Cup qualifiers against England and Poland in September.

FAW chiefs have indicated that Swansea would be the preferred venue, but the failure so far to rubber stamp the fixture has left them looking at other options.

"We have been offered friendlies abroad and it may be that we have to look elsewhere," said an FAW source.

"We all hope we can play at Swansea's new stadium - it would be terrible not to mark its opening with a Wales game.

"But something has to be sorted out soon.

"As time goes on, you would have say that the game is increasingly under threat."