Friday 22 January 2016 07:41, UK
Arsene Wenger has suggested Chelsea and Tottenham could face a big disadvantage when they make temporary moves away from their home grounds.
Chelsea and Tottenham are set to relocate due to building works on their stadiums, with both eyeing temporary moves to Wembley.
Chelsea are seeking a four-year tenancy while Stamford Bridge is redeveloped and Tottenham are likely to need a ground for the 2017-18 campaign due to the redevelopment of White Hart Lane.
Wenger managed Arsenal at the old Wembley when the Gunners decided to play their home Champions League matches at the national stadium instead of Highbury.
Arsenal won just twice in their two-year stay at Wembley, failing to get out of the group stages in either the 1998-1999 or 1999-2000 campaigns.
They then moved their fixtures back to Highbury and, although Wenger said at the time of Arsenal announcing their use of Wembley that the club were in a situation where they needed to "either improve or die", he now admits it was the wrong move.
"It was a nightmare," the Arsenal manager said.
"In hindsight it was the wrong decision. At the time at Highbury we had to cut 5,000 seats. We decided to go to Wembley, but we didn't feel at home.
"The pitch was bigger, the ground was different and for the English players it was something completely unusual.
"We were used at Highbury to a tight pitch and unfortunately we were playing against Dynamo Kiev, who were running everywhere on a very big pitch. It was a disadvantage for sure."
Wenger also insisted he would be against Arsenal sharing the Emirates Stadium with Tottenham, but said any decision would be taken by the club's board of directors.
When asked if Tottenham could ground share with Arsenal, Wenger said: "Not really.
"We suffered a lot to build this stadium and had to be very tight financially to pay it back. I don't know, but I don't feel it is in our plans to do it.
"We don't need it and we have not been approached for it as well. It's a board decision, not mine."
