FIFA vice president Jack Warner has slammed England's 2018 World Cup bid for failing to wow anyone yet, and insisted the country has no divine right to host the tournament.
GettyImages
The FIFA vice president has often caused a stir in the past.
Warner hit out against the campaign, saying there was "something wrong'' with the bid and England had not yet given the judges "the raison d'etre'' to support it.
England has everything needed for a successful bid, but the judges want to see "something innovative, something creative'' rather than the "same old, same old'' bids, he said.
Warner caused a stir in 2007when he commented in that "nobody in Europe likes England. England invented the sport but has never made any impact on world football."
In an interview with Sky News, Warner said: "If I were an Englishman today, I would not be happy at the progress that has been made to date. I don't think they have progressed as far as I would have liked.
"You name it, England have it. But yet they haven't been able to wow the guys who have to vote for them, then there is something wrong.
"England, in the eyes of my colleagues and me, does not have a divine right to host the World Cup.''
He admitted England had the best Premier League in the world, the best football tradition in the world, the best football stadia in the world, and star players. But Warner believes the bid is far from reaching its full potential.
"If I had all these things, I am telling you, any country that wanted a World Cup bid would be far, far behind me," he said. "I don't know why this is not so in England.''
He said FA chairman Lord Triesman, who is leading the bid, needed to step up and "be more visible''. Warner added he will meet both Lord Triesman and Premier League chairman Sir David Richards within the next 24 hours and plans to tell them their shortcomings "in broad terms and in an open and candid way''.
i think it's time we, rival fans, unite together!
they are playing with our club's future!
well, he may be speaking the truth, and it may help England..
btw, Jack, how's the new astons??
Well the recent riot at the West Ham vs Millwall match doesn't help matters.
and the Olympics being held in London doesn't really help their cause either.