Former sports minister Richard Caborn has criticised the running of English football's national governing body, the Football Association (FA).

Caborn, who served in Tony Blair's government between 2001 and 2007, told the BBC that the organisation had been unable to "stand up to its responsibilities" and was not fit for purpose. The criticism follows England's poor performance in the 2010 World Cup, while the FA has also hit by the departure of chief executive Ian Watmore and chair Lord Triesman in recent months.

Caborn told the broadcaster: "The FA need to say we have to look at ourselves very seriously and we need to modernise ourselves. In Germany in 2000 there was a repositioning of the governance of German football. "I think that has been to the benefit of German football, and we are seeing some of those results at the current World Cup."

However, FA director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking expressed confidence that English football has "sound foundations" to build on in future years. Writing in the Sunday Times, Sir Trevor said the new national football centre at Burton-upon-Trent would provide England with a much-needed facility for development and training.

Sir Trevor said: "We are the only leading football nation without a Centre of this kind, but St George's Park will be something to be proud of - a symbol of national pride and hope for the future."