Last month, FA chairman Lord Triesman, who is leading the country's 2018 campaign, clashed with Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore over the level of debt at the top echelons of the game - and how serious it was for the well-being of the sport.

 

Neither Scudamore nor any other Premier League representative sits on the newly-established 2018 board and Kenyon said it was vital in the coming weeks for a new atmosphere of goodwill to be put in place.

 

He said: "It's important that both parties speak with a single voice because if we are not careful there are own goals that could be scored which don't have to be.

 

"Everyone around the table wants English football to progress and that doesn't mean just club football.

 

"It means ultimately getting the World Cup in 2018.

 

"We have a fantastic product.

 

"The structure of the 2018 project is still being finalised and I'm sure there are plenty of opportunities for a broader group to be active in the bid.

 

"Once this thing gets rolling, it will engage.

 

"As I travel round the world, the leagues and the associations are not contradictory and speak in the same vein on issues.

 

"This is where we need to concentrate our efforts.

 

"We should not be shooting ourselves in the foot at critical times like this."

 

Kenyon was speaking after being named as one of six new bid vice-presidents for England's World Cup bid.

 

The others are England manager Fabio Capello, former FA chairman Geoff Thompson, Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor, Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy and Lord Stern of Brentford, formerly chief economist of the World Bank.

 

They join David Beckham, John Barnes and England women's coach Hope Powell as vice-presidents.

 

Capello said: ''I'm very happy to become a vice-president to the 2018 World Cup bid and I shall do everything I can to help England's cause.

 

''This is an opportunity to offer England's future players the chance to represent their country in front of their own fans and as national coach I know what an exciting prospect that is.

 

''My prime responsibility is to build a national team that will compete at the highest level, but if I can also help to strengthen England's claims to stage the World Cup tournament I shall consider it a tremendous honour.''

 

Thompson, currently both a FIFA and UEFA vice-president, said: ''As FA Chairman, I was part of the decision to make this bid for the 2018 World Cup and there would be a tremendous sense of achievement for everyone involved if we reached our ultimate aim.''