The FA's response to the modernising reforms suggested by Lord Burns' investigation into the running of the national game in 2005 has been "disappointing" and Sutcliffe has said that the threat of slashing funding from Sport England would be a stimulus for change.
 

He said: "Funding is one lever we've got.

"It would be a last resort.

"But there has to be, and there already is, a recognition that the status quo is not good enough.

"[The FA must] use this opportunity - where good progress has been made - to put their house in order.

"If that doesn't happen the influence of the FA will diminish and football as a sport will suffer."
 

The Burns Report conlcuded that the FA must "adapt or die" following an investigation into issues such as potential conflicts of interests among FA board members, an unrepresentative Council, a lack of confidence in the disciplinary process, too much power being wielded by the Premier League and a lack of representation for the grassroots game.

Sutcliffe said: "We see ourselves as critical friends.

"We have a £25 million investment through Sport England, we contribute £15 million to the Football Foundation, football comes to the Government to ask us to help on European issues around TV rights, around a whole range of issues.
 

"I think it's a fair balance we strike.

"At the end of the day it's football and football should be running the game but as a Government with that investment I think it's right we say what we think

"English football is a success but you want to maintain that success.

""Football is a success, nobody is saying it's dying on its feet.

"But what we have to do is maintain the progress and make sure and the Football Association is the body that can make sure that it's representative and can lead the way.
 

"I think it is competent but as recognised in Burns, there's a long way to go."

Developing the women's game is one area that Sutcliffe identified as needing to be address urgently.

He said: "There needs to be progress in the women's game.

"The fact that we haven't got an elite [women's] league, it's been delayed until 2011, and this on the back of women's football being the fastest growing game in the country.

"We saw the success of the England women's team [reaching the European Championship final] and we want that momentum to be maintained."


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