Boyce urges FA to build bridges

JIM BOYCE, who takes over as Britain’s new FIFA vice-president today, believes England need to work hard to build bridges to combat an “anti-FA feeling” in world football.

The FA has called for today’s FIFA presidential election to be postponed due to the scandals that have rocked the world governing body.

The Irish Football Association’s Boyce, from Cliftonville, said that was the FA’s right but they should also concentrate on building relationships and move on from the disappointment of their failed 2018 World Cup bid.

“There are 208 associations in FIFA and it’s up to them to decide whether or not there should be an election.

“The FA has a right to do what they feel is fit; all I would say is that the FA needs to be more proactive within both UEFA and FIFA and they need to build bridges and build relationships.

“For whatever reason, there appears to be an anti-FA feeling and I think that is very sad. (But) the FA has to try to build back relationships in both European and world football. There were other countries who were also disappointed that they did not get the World Cup. I think the FA has got to move on.”

Former Irish FA president Boyce takes over from England’s Geoff Thompson in the role as vice-president of the governing body.