Warner believes England’s bid to host the 2010 World Cup failed because of the faceless FA bigwigs, who could not persuade the rest of Europe to back the project. And he criticised new FA chairman Lord Triesman for not making the current trip to the Caribbean.

“In 2006, one of the things they failed to do was get enough of the European votes,” said Warner. “You can’t be in Europe and not have the European vote.

“The second thing they have to do, I believe, is at the FA – people are saying all kinds of things about their chairman. I have never met him. He has to be more known to the football world community and politicians.

The guy has to be a household name.

“Lord Triesman said to me in a letter that he had to undergo an operation. I felt that, if that could have been postponed, it should have been because he has missed a golden opportunity to bond with his fellows.

“He didn’t go to the congress in Australia and people are saying, ‘Who’s Lord Triesman?’ They have heard all kinds of things about him, positive and negative.

“You can’t win the bid by staying in London. You can’t win the bid, whatever Lord or Lady you are, that way.

“You have to win the bid by bonding with people, by knowing people on a first-name basis, by lifting a hand to help your fellow man, by letting people know who and what you are.

“There are so many other countries out there competing against England. You have to go the extra mile.”