Karren Brady claims England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup must not be marred by any further controversy.

The former Birmingham managing director was appointed to the board in early October, but stepped down in a reshuffle earlier this month which was aimed at streamlining a board which has been beset by internal squabbling.

Brady told BBC Radio Five Live: "I think there's a lot of people that want to win 2018 and I just hope things can be resolved so that the really important thing, which is actually hosting the World Cup, is at the absolute top of the agenda and not at the bottom.

"We've got an excellent chance and an excellent technical bid, with some wonderful stadia in this country to host the most amazing World Cup, but internal politics can't be seen to get in the way of that."

Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards has stood down from his role as deputy chairman in charge of international relations on the 2018 board.

But Brady does not believe his resignation was designed to destabilise the position of Lord Triesman, the Football Association chairman and leader of the 2018 bid.

"I know Dave well enough to know that if that was his aim he'd come out and say it," added Brady, who now leads an advisory group which includes David Gill and Sir Martin Sorrell.

"He definitely will be involved because he's the chairman of the Premier League, he sits on the FA and has other commitments to football as well."

Richards' resignation was perhaps due to other commitments, Brady suggested.

"It's an incredibly time-consuming role, they want people to be more involved, not less," she said of the 2018 board.

"I don't think Dave's resignation should ever be seen as a fact that he doesn't want England to win 2018, to host the World Cup, but he's obviously made his own decisions and I'd be interested to know what those decisions are about."