Brian, you've been at The FA for three years now, how do you reflect on your time here?

Barwick: "The job is a great challenge. Getting Wembley Stadium operational was a major achievement. We'll be sold out next week for the game against Switzerland and by all accounts the fans love going there - it is one of the best stadiums in the world. We have passed a structural review which will modernise the organisation and tomorrow [Friday] our new chairman Lord Triesman begins which I'm looking forward to.

"When I first arrived, The FA was badly in need of a period of growth and stability which I think has happened. Last year, we signed new domestic and international TV deals which will bring in over half a billion pounds from 2008-12. This will allow us to raise our investment in all levels of the game, for example our annual contribution to grassroots football will rise from £38 million to £60 million. We now want to build on that and replicate our performance off the pitch, on the pitch."

Just how disappointing was failure to qualify for Euro 2008?

Barwick: "It was a huge disappointment. We had a chance going into our final match and just needed a draw. There are no excuses though, we didn't perform in key games. We now have a world-class man in charge in Fabio Capello, his footballing-CV is second-to-none. Pre-Christmas we conducted a smooth, swift process to get our man in place after consulting leading figures in the game."

Tell us a little about the new manager?

Barwick: "He's a very impressive figure and is held in the highest esteem wherever he goes. I think the whole country has got behind him. Fabio knows he's got a huge job but this is a blank canvas and a real opportunity, England's players will benefit from working with such experience. His appetite for detail is incredible, he has been to many, many games in a short period of time and of course he has committed himself to intensive English lessons!"

Do you have any inkling as to his first squad or choice of captain?

Barwick: "None at all. The manager picks the squad, chooses the tactics and his captain. Sir Trevor Brooking and I have explained the huge significance the England captain takes on in this country, perhaps more than in other countries. It's an incredible honour and responsibility - we've helped him understand this. But I'll be discussing the manager's decisions with him after the event, not before."

And away from the senior England camp, how have the other levels developed in your time here?

Barwick: "We have made enormous progress in the women's game with the national team reaching the quarter-finals of last year's World Cup. It remains one of the fastest-growing sports in the UK with over one million women and girls playing the game in some form. Our Under-21 team reached the semi-finals of the European Championships in 2007, only losing on penalties to the eventual winners Holland. They are currently unbeaten in their 2009 campaign."

What has been done at grassroots level during this period?

Barwick: "The FA's Skills programme sees 66 specialist coaches working around the country to improve technique amongst 5-11 year-olds, allied to a new coaching philosophy based on age-appropriate qualifications. Our National Game Strategy will be published later this year following contribution of over 20,000 participants from the game. This will target key areas such as participation, referee recruitment, on-field behaviour, standards of playing and coaching.

In the boardroom, there have been big changes - what will the new chairman bring to The FA?

Barwick: "Lord Triesman brings a vast amount of political expertise and experience to the organisation. The structural review was a very important step for a 145-year-old organisation, making us more representative and modern. The restructured FA Board will help resolve deadlocked decisions, benefiting the game. And our thanks go to outgoing chairman Geoff Thompson for his enormous contribution to the game - and nine years service - he is hugely respected in the football world."

Looking forward, what are your key challenges?

Barwick: "The NFC. The FA Board have approved the concept for a centre for football excellence, the first choice is the site at Burton. We now have to ensure it will work as a business model. Linked to this is developing young players, we have a real challenge to improve quantity and quality of young players coming through in the professional game. That is a priority. Richard Lewis' report has signposted the way forward so we now need to ensure a consensus between The FA and the leagues.

"But there are always new challenges in this job and The FA is constantly working hard to improve all areas of the game. For example, this weekend we are starting a pilot scheme to address the behaviour of players and spectators.