Richard Caborn launches attack on FA

The former sports minister of the British Government, Richard Caborn, has launched a scathing attack on the Football Association (FA), claiming it is “unfit for purpose”.

The FA has been hit by a series of high-level losses to its management, coupled with the national team having a disappointing tournament at this summer’s FIFA World Cup.

Caborn said: “Is the FA fit for purpose? No I don’t think it is. I believe the governance of the game is not prepared to stand up to its responsibilities. The FA need to say we have to look at ourselves very seriously and we need to modernise ourselves.

“In Germany in 2000, there was a repositioning of the governance of German football. I think that has been to the benefit of German football, and we are seeing some of those results at the current World Cup.”

Caborn even went as far to say that the FA should “franchise out” Wembley Stadium, and the FA Cup, leaving it to concentrate on governing the sport.

He said: “Should a governing body be running that (the FA Cup and Wembley) as well as governing the sport? What is absolutely clear is that they are assets of football and those assets should be put back into the FA.”