Who better than Prescott's pal to punch sport's weight in the political arena?

When the Prime Minister announced last week that he was changing sports ministers his only explanation was that he was seeking some northern grit. Political analysts assumed that he is expecting a nasty winter and was worried about icy roads in Whitehall; and you could hardly ask Kate Hoey to drive a heavy vehicle at that time of morning.

After all, Denis Howell, the best minister for sport we've ever had, was made minister for drought in the 1970s in addition to his sporting duties. In the early 1980s, Neil MacFarlane had the title "minister for children's play" added to his brief and his successor, Dick Tracey, had royal parks and palaces among his other responsibilities. So there's every precedent for not allowing the sports minister to sit around doing nothing but worry about sport all day.

But, no; Tony Blair was being serious and the grit he was referring to was the sort of steely determination allegedly to be found only among the northern tribes, and instead of responding to our pleas to give this most neglected of posts some extra muscle he has appointed someone who will bring his own biceps.

The new incumbent, Richard Caborn, has a rippling physique, politically speaking at least, and has seen plenty of action in the alleys of power both as a trade union official and parliamentarian over the past 20 years or so. He proceeded to prove it within three days of taking office by laying down the law to Sport England's chief executive, Derek Casey, who promptly resigned.

One wonders why, if this quality was so important, Mr Blair didn't appoint the worthy Tom Pendry four years ago because Pendry was an ex-boxer who could pack a verbal punch as well. But the PM, or whoever advises him on these matters, went instead for Tony Banks, who was sent eventually on a suicide mission called the World Cup 2006 campaign, and then for Kate Hoey, who is now considered unsuitable for some reason yet to be explained.

Successive governments have given the impression that an MP's credentials for the job are given only a perfunctory glance before the appointment is made. Not that suitability matters when you are sent out to battle for sport with only a rubber sword and a putty shield.

Caborn, a former steelworks fitter, has much more in his armoury. For a start, it has not been generally recognised that the job has had an upgrade. Luckless Hoey's official rank was that of Under-Parliamentary Secretary of State, probably the lowest status in the history of sports ministers. Her successor's title is Minister of State and, while a long way short of the place in the Cabinet we wanted, he is at least able to tackle the job on a full-time basis. He was previously Minister of State at the Department of Trade and Industry so, unlike most of his predecessors, he has knocked about at that level in another ministry so he should know the ropes and how to pull them.

In addition to the doughty experience Caborn brings to the job he has a life-long interest in the subject. A former amateur footballer and once a director of Sheffield United, a high-handicapper in golf, a love for rugby league and union... he has a background of interests with which many of us can identify. He is also a friend and ally of John Prescott; if he has similar reactions when dealing with antagonists the sporting world would not complain. The list of liberty-takers who might benefit from a sharp reminder about proper behaviour is uncomfortably long and no doubt Ms Hoey would be happy to underline a few names.

I jest, of course, but a hard line needs to be taken at times if the best interests of the country are to be served. There is a fine line between rescuing a difficult situation and sticking your nose in when it is not required but, on balance, the sporting needs of the nation call for a zealous approach.

Casey, the first casualty of Caborn's reign, is a very able man and a prodigious worker but he is a centralist, not a popular word these days, and it is felt that devolving more of Sport England's power to the regions will speed up the tardy system that exists now.

Caborn has identified his first priority as restructuring our sport and giving it a clearer vision of what needs to be done. I trust that his toughness will be also applied within Whitehall because his success depends on winkling out the funding for projects that can't be allowed to fester further.

Wembley, on which subject he is a touch coy, next year's Commonwealth Games in Manchester and various institutes, academies and initiatives loudly announced but quietly positioned in the pending tray, all need assistance while the Treasury still sit stubbornly on an obscene amount of Lottery money the colour of which we have yet to see. As we reveal in the news section today, the Manchester Games will certainly receive a helping hand with a large wad in it. We daren't let that event flounder through a lack of state help.

The same applies to Wembley. If ever there was a case of too many cooks it was this débâcle. The FA should be told to get on with it and be given help to do so. The argument that there's too much money floating about in football is fatuous.

The new stadium will be there long after the present crop of Premiership moneybags have gone to Barbados or somewhere even hotter. In any case, it is not for them, it is for the fans and, given their unfailing contribution to the game and to the state over the years, they deserve a stadium large and comfortable enough to allow them to watch their national team. Heaven knows, they'll end up paying for it in the end. The new Minister for Sport needn't look far for just causes to throw his weight behind.

Don't give up the day job

Already, misgivings are being expressed about the plans to professionalise referees. An elite panel of 24 and 48 assistants will be named within the next few weeks. The refs will get an annual salary of £33,000 plus £900 per game and will meet for two days of training, fitness work and reviews every fortnight.

They will also be required to visit clubs to build up a better rapport with players and managers. The scheme is worth a try but the theory that the officials will improve if you pay them more has yet to be proved. It hasn't worked with the players, has it? The former top referee Keith Cooper fears that high salaries will increase the pressure on them because the fans will be even less tolerant of mistakes.

Clive Thomas, the old wizard of the whistle, urges referees not to sell themselves cheap. He says they should receive at least £75,000 a year and be led by a strong former ref on £200,000. I feel they deserve every penny they get but that they should not give up their day jobs; particularly if they are policemen, traffic wardens, income inspectors or from any calling accustomed to imposing penalties unflinchingly on those convinced of their innocence.

As usual, the clubs are the key and teaching is probably the most appropriate profession to use as a parallel ­ trying to keep control of a bunch of unruly brats while their mothers wait outside the railings ready to protest if you upset any of their little darlings.

Rootless one football?

A team of asylum seekers in Cardiff played their first football match against a local team yesterday and will play in a tournament in the city at the end of the month. The team includes players from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The fact that they have to combine while speaking nine different languages is not as important as their eloquence in football because a glance through the team lists in the Premiership, and in our top rugby union, league or cricket sides shows there's no such thing as an unwanted alien when it comes to sport. The team have been organised by a Cardiff charity called Displaced People in Action who have received a donation of five pairs of football boots and are a seeking more kit sponsors.

As for an appropriate name, I can't do better than Leyton Disorientated, Baseless Rovers or even Rootless United so I will give a bottle of champagne to the sender of the most fitting title for such a team.

Please write via the sports desk or email to sport@independent.co.uk. Any entry resembling Widdicombe Wanderers will be disqualified and any donations will be gladly passed on.