Bearing the bruises of his toughest week in football and, by his own admission, “stung” by personal criticism, Lord Triesman attempted to draw a line under a torrid week for England’s 2018 World Cup bid yesterday by admitting the mistakes that brought the campaign to the brink of crisis.

Triesman’s mea culpa included an acceptance that the bid had lacked focus in recent months because of an unwieldy board and ill-defined roles. It was why, at an emergency meeting this week, he was forced to axe five directors, including some he had only just recruited. He admitted that there had been arguments among the directors as internal politics had intruded.

Triesman also said that he had been forced to look hard at his contribution because of the fierce criticism, not least in The Times, which he quoted yesterday for labelling him “aloof”.

“I’ve never before been told that I’m so aloof that I don’t talk to anybody,” he said. “That came as a surprise to me.”

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Evidently shaken by personal criticisms, many leaked from his board, he said that he “had listened and learnt”.

It must be hoped so because Triesman was never going to relinquish his position as chairman, not least because Fifa wants bids to be led by the heads of national associations.

“Suppose I said this is all too dispiriting, the bricks are flying, I’m getting fed up and I’m not going to do it,” he said. “I would then break what is a clear understanding with Fifa. The damage that would do. And you would be perfectly entitled to say, ‘How strong is this guy’s commitment to his country?’ ”

Triesman sought yesterday to play down the damage that had been done in the eyes of the 24 Fifa executive committee members who will vote in December 2010, talking of the warm reception he had received around the world.

There is time enough for England’s bidders to put this calamitous period behind them, but Fifa’s power brokers can hardly have been impressed by Triesman’s ever-changing cast list.

Of the original seven-strong board, only two remain (Triesman and Lord Mawhinney). And what had swelled to 12 has been reduced again to seven, with Karren Brady demoted without attending a meeting.

“We have reflected very hard upon the criticism,” Triesman said. “That inevitably stings you into thinking very hard about what you are doing.

“The first thing we had to do was to make sure that we had a small group of people, every one of whom had a very specific task. Not a wider group, not people who will come in and argue about what Westminster thinks.

“I am acknowledging that it was too diffuse. Whether you think that is embarrassing or not . . . I have listened and learnt and I think that I have got to a more streamlined and viable approach. If that’s an admission of having got it wrong, then that’s an admission.”

Triesman’s reference to “what Westminster thinks” was, presumably, a passing shot at his old Labour friends who have let him down by failing to come through with funding.

While England’s rivals benefit from huge financial support from central government, England’s bid has received only a £2.5 million loan.

“I look at other bids — I’m not criticising them — and I look at the sorts of resources that are being put behind them,” he said, ruefully.

Without the support, it made no sense to have politicians on the board and Triesman will simply give a weekly briefing to Gerry Sutcliffe, the Sports Minister.

It remains to be seen, though, whether the leaking and infighting have disappeared. Triesman has put aside the strained relations with Geoff Thompson, a Fifa vice-president, and accepted that his predecessor at the FA should have been brought on to the board earlier.

He welcomed yesterday’s backing from the 20 Premier League clubs, with Dave Richards, the League chairman, in the room as he spoke.

A united front is being put forward, although it has not always been that way. Now, though, they attempt to repair the damage in England as well as to win over Fifa’s voters.

“If I didn’t say there was pressure, that would be stupid,” Triesman said. “But I’m very determined that we should win it. I am going to do my level best to prove people wrong and I thoroughly intend to confound your predictions.”

No one ever said England could not win — just that they needed strong, decisive leadership.

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