Phil Greening told Sky Sports News HD that the buck should not stop with Martin Johnson.
Johnson must not become RFU scapegoat, says Greening
Phil Greening believes other people at the Rugby Football Union should follow Martin Johnson's lead and resign.
Johnson stood down in the wake of his side's disappointing World Cup campaign, where he was left angry by off-field controversies and disappointed his side's performance, which ended with a quarter-final defeat to France.
Johnson's resignation may seem to some that he has taken responsibility for what went wrong in New Zealand, but Greening believes the buck should not stop there.
"I am not surprised really knowing Martin Johnson as I do," he told
Sky Sports News HD.
"He is a very honourable and a proud man. I think he feels it is the right thing to do and it is what I expected him to do.
"He is a very shrewd man, he knows this has not been the best event in his life and he has done the right thing. You have to give him credit for that as there are a lot of people in the RFU who should be doing exactly the same thing.
"Martin Johnson is not the only one who should be held accountable, there are people above him and that should be looked at.
"I think backstage Rob Andrew does a very good job but there has to be some accountability somewhere. There is a deeper-rooted problem at the RFU that needs to be addressed."
Greening also believes that the quality of England coaches available are exceptional and all they need is an experienced manager who can let them get on with doing what they do best - coaching.
And with the bookies already giving their odds on who will replace Johnson, he believes Graham Henry deserves to be the favourite.
"Jake White was great with South Africa but no one has touched him for four years - it may be because he didn't' want to go anywhere but you have to question that," he said.
"Warren Gatland is definitely going to stay with wales and I think Graham Henry could easily slot in. The England set-up would suit his role - he really wants to develop coaches and create a coaching team that could really perform.
"We have got a great English breed of coaches - Toby Booth, Mike Catt and Jim Mallinder can really coach - but I think we need someone above them who can take the pressure off them and manager them. "
