New FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce has urged English football executives to "move on" from the disappointment of missing out on hosting the 2018 World Cup, reports Sport Business. The Northern Irishman officially replaced Englishman Geoff Thompson on the FIFA Executive Committee earlier this month at the FIFA Congress, which saw Sepp Blatter re-elected unopposed as president of world football's governing body.
"Some people think there is an element of arrogance among the English footballing family," Boyce told The Telegraph. "I was disappointed when England was not awarded the World Cup but it's time to get over it." England lost out to Russia in the tender for the 2018 tournament as the country's bid to stage world football's top event for the first time since 1966 picked up only two votes.
He added: "I will obviously try to help them in any way I can (in the new role) but they need to move on from their disappointment at the World Cup bid. There seems to be an attitude that English football is owed something ever since '66. That started to wear thin 20 years ago."
He added: "We need to rebuild bridges and strengthen existing relations. I will be doing everything I can to help achieve that and will represent all four British nations."
