Caborn calls for corruption nightlead

The Football Association has been urged to take immediate action to stamp corruption out of the game by setting up a semi-autonomous body to police both agents and clubs’ financial affairs.

The call came from Sports Minister Richard Caborn on the day England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson met the FA’s chief executive Brian Barwick and fronted the organisation’s Compliance Unit to explain allegations of corruption at the highest level.

Eriksson and his agent Athole Still allegedly revealed to a News of the World undercover reporter – posing as a fake sheikh – that three top level managers were guilty of taking illegal payments.

Asked by the reporter whether managers always get involved with transfers, Eriksson is quoted as replying: “Yeah, and of course they put money in their pocket.”

Still, who met with Barwick yesterday and also addressed the Compliance Unit this morning, denied making any specific allegations – but the pressure is now firmly on the FA to take swift action.

Eriksson’s comments follow revelations made in the last week by Luton boss Mike Newell, QPR manager Ian Holloway and Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan that the offer – and by extension the acceptance – of bungs is rife in football.

And Caborn reportedly wants a unit to be set up before Eriksson leads England to the World Cup in less than five months time.

“This would give tremendous credibility to the FA,” he told the Evening Standard.

“The status quo is not an option. They have to do something about it. This is not going to be kicked out into the long grass.”

The Compliance Unit is effectively the FA’s anti-corruption body and has already heard evidence on bungs from both Newell and Holloway.

The FA has requested all details of the alleged conversations from the News of the World, but they remained silent on the outcome of today’s extraordinary talks with the England manager.

Eriksson also declined to comment as he made a dramatic exit from his office in Soho Square. He was bundled through a media scrum of some 60 journalists, cameramen and photographers and into his waiting car by four police officers and a heavy-handed security guard.

But Still did speak out to deny reports Eriksson’s meeting with Barwick was designed to thrash out a smooth exit after this summer’s World Cup.

“If it’s the case that the FA want Sven to go after the World Cup then it is the FA who will dictate that decision,” Still said.

“At this moment in time no agreement has been reached and no announcement is to be made. But if those discussions do take place, all I can say is Sven has a contract until 2008, which is a huge protection in itself.

“If it is felt it is better for Sven to go after the World Cup then it will be a normal negotiation.”

Barwick, who turned up for work shortly after 8am, was thought to be working late into the night at the FA’s headquarters in Soho Square.

But he did give Eriksson the FA’s full backing yesterday.

“The FA fully appreciates the importance of supporting Sven and the England team in the build-up to and during the World Cup this summer,” Barwick said.

“I’d like to call on everyone connected with the game to get behind Sven and the team over the next five months as we countdown to what we all believe is one of our best opportunities in a World Cup finals for many years.”