Geoff Thompson has been appointed as the new chairman of England's 2018 World Cup bid following the abrupt resignation of Lord Triesman.
England look to rescue ailing 2018 bid
Geoff Thompson has been appointed as the new chairman of England's 2018 World Cup bid following the abrupt resignation of Lord Triesman.
Triesman was forced to stand down on Sunday following an article in the
Mail on Sunday in which the 66-year-old reportedly accused the Spanish and Russian football federations of bribery.
His departure came following a hastily-convened meeting with the FA board at Wembley on Sunday afternoon, at which he also quit his post as chairman of the Football Association.
Thompson, the British Fifa vice-president and former FA chairman, will now be tasked with resurrecting England's flagging bid following the damaging allegations.
Unanimous approval
A statement from England 2018 read: "Following the unanimous approval of the Football Association Board, Geoff Thompson has tonight been confirmed as the new Chairman of England 2018.
"Thompson, who is a vice-president on both the Fifa and Uefa Executive Committees, is England's most senior international football administrator.
"He was part of the five person delegation which delivered England's Bid Book to Fifa president Sepp Blatter in Zurich on Friday and was chairman of the FA for nine years between 1999 and 2008.
"He will take up his new role with immediate effect."
Triesman's plunge from grace came when he allegedly told a former aide that Spain were planning to bribe referees at this summer's World Cup and offer their support to Russia's bid for the 2018 World Cup if they were to help.
The England 2018 World Cup bid team faxed letters of apology to both and distanced themselves from the comments as they attempted to minimise the damage caused.
Traumatic
And Sebastian Coe insists England's bid can be rescued despite their public relations disaster of the past 24 hours.
Lord Coe, chairman of the London 2012 Olympics is on the 2018 bid board, and he and fellow 2012 veteran Sir Keith Mills have spent the weekend formulating a rescue plan.
Coe is understood to have briefed Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke and will speak to Fifa president Blatter about the situation.
He said: "This has been a traumatic 48 hours but this does not become a bad bid overnight.
"Solid foundations are in place, we have the best venues, the most passionate fans, the best market for sponsors and an unparalleled ability to deliver this tournament in safe and secure surroundings.
"The only thing we don't have is the private views of the former chairman."
