2 Jul 2010English football comes under fire from Westminster

Football Leagues/ Association and Governance

The management of English football has been subjected to renewed scrutiny in the House of Commons following the national side's disappointing exit from the FIFA World Cup.

Conservative MP David Amess tabled an early day motion branding England's showing at the competition as "pathetic" and condemning the amount of money paid to the country's underperforming players.

Fellow Tory Robert Halfon, the MP for Harlow in Essex, added to the parliamentary criticism of the state of the national game and directed his ire at the millions of pounds spent on "failed contracts, failed managers and failed payouts".

"'The coalition government [must] recognise the cultural importance of football to England and to change the law so that the FA is truly accountable to England fans," he told the House.

Earlier this week, Labour MP Roger Godsiff urged Commons to impose a windfall tax English Premier League, with funds reinvested in grassroots football facilities.

Written by Terry Mitchell

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