"He's settling into the job really well,'' said Barwick, speaking at a sport business conference in London. "Yes, the last couple of results have been disappointing, but Steve is a very bright man."

Barwick then turned his attention to Wembley Stadium, a venue which The FA Chief Executive believes will be the envy of the footballing world.

"This is a stadium that will host events for the next 50 or 60 years and we should be proud of it. There is no doubt it will be the best stadium of its kind in the world."

The FA chief addressed a number of issues currently surrounding the English game, including the notion that too many foreign players in the Premiership were affecting the quality of the national team - something he rejected.

"We have to make sure there is a good flow of young English players, we have a real responsibility to the game to do that. But I would say the best English players have benefited from playing with some of the best players in the world."

Barwick repeated the FA's intention to bid for the 2018 World Cup following the failed attempt to secure last summer's tournament which went instead to Germany.

"If 2018 is the year it comes back to Europe we will go for it,'' he stated.

Finally, he hinted he was getting closer to persuading the Scottish and Wales FAs to support an all-British Olympic team for the London Olympics.

Barwick said: "We believe there are enough reassurances from FIFA to make identity a non-issue. We would like to put a British side out."