FA chairman Lord Triesman has branded Richard Bevan's widespread attack on the way the game is being run as "foolish".

The Football Association are determined to press on with the same management structure for both their internal organisation and the 2018 World Cup bid despite the conflicts leading to the announcement on Wednesday that Brian Barwick will be leaving Soho Square.

He may be given only a cameo role in the FA Cup final tomorrow but, one way or another, history beckons for Cardiff's scintillating young talent, says James Corrigan

The Football Association yesterday set out its targets for Fabio Capello and declared that he needs to reach the semi-finals of the 2012 European Championship and the 2014 World Cup to be deemed a success.

Lord Triesman, the chairman of the Football Association, yesterday admitted that there was a "danger" that the Premier League could become predictable and boring. Reacting to the claims of Kevin Keegan, the Newcastle United manager, that the league was becoming less competitive because of the dominance of the so-called "big four" clubs, Lord Triesman said: "There is an important point in what Kevin said. Obviously you want every competition to be as open as possible and for sides to emerge and compete and we have seen that this season with the FA Cup.

Lord Triesman, the chairman of the Football Association, has condemned the decision by football's world governing body Fifa to abandon trialling of goal-line technology in favour of experimenting with extra referees behind the goal.

Anyone who has ever changed in the rain by the side of a pitch, who has experienced the abuse of players and parents towards referees and children, or who has groaned at the inadequacies of the English footballer, should welcome the Football Association's forthcoming investment of £220m in developing the game's grass roots, announced yesterday.

The England goalkeeper David James has signed a new contract at Portsmouth which will see him into his 40th year.

Stuart Pearce has accepted a role in Fabio Capello's backroom staff for England's senior team while continuing as coach of the Under-21s, the Football Association has confirmed.

Screaming, shouting, fistfights, firearms – and that's just the grown-ups. Simon Usborne discovers why a record numbers of children's football games are abandoned due to parental hooliganism.

English clubs thrive but national side's stock plummets as fears grow over overseas influence. By Steve Tongue

FA look to future with new chairman and national centre

PFA chief executive says panic measure to appoint Italian highlights serious problems with game in this country

Fabio Capello has promised every player eligible to represent England, including David Beckham, that they will receive a fair crack of his whip when he starts work early in January. But there is a warning from a man well known as a disciplinarian that nothing less than total dedication and application on and off the field will be acceptable.