Britain has allowed the beautiful game to become tarnished by greed

SIR – On a recent holiday in Croatia, I watched a group of young people playing football below my hotel balcony every evening. They did so with infectious enthusiasm and, in many cases, talent.

Their behaviour was exemplary and their games well-mannered and disciplined. The elder ones patiently helped the younger ones and they all took delight in a well-scored goal or a nifty piece of footwork. We were told that football is a Croatian passion.

I hoped that some of them would go on to represent their country; but, more importantly, I hoped that they would remain untarnished by the loutishness, greed and corruption that appear endemic in some circles of our own game. Ruth Morgan Horsham, West Sussex SIR – Sam Allardyce’s departure as manager of the England football team (report, September 28) is a symptom of the malaise caused by ploughing so much money into the game.

When football is dominated by a plethora of foreign owners, foreign managers and foreign players solely interested in the money on offer, venality can easily spread. I doubt that we have heard the end of it yet. Ron Giddens Caterham, Surrey SIR – The Football Association’s statement that Sam Allardyce left his job as a result of “a significant error of judgment” should surely have been followed by an acknowledgement of their own significant error of judgment in appointing him to the job in the first instance. Michael Kelly Camberley, Surrey SIR – The Allardyce fiasco challenges the apparent competence of those who appointed him. To grant a manager a three-year contract at £3 million a year plus bonuses is outrageous.

The FA also appeared to say that Mr Allardyce had not been fired but had withdrawn from the position. In any other business context he would have been instantly dismissed without compensation. John Ashworth Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire SIR – Perhaps the FA should give the job of England manager to the applicant who will accept the lowest salary offered.

That way, the governing body may perhaps appoint someone who wants the job for its own sake, rather than someone looking to fill their piggy bank as quickly as possible. Steve Tandy Wrexham, Surrey SIR – Since he is clearly a man who likes to have his cake and eat it, Sam Allardyce should present the next edition of The Great British Bake Off and Mary Berry should take over as England manager.

She couldn’t do a worse job than the last five incumbents. Gary Stark Kettering, Northamptonshire