OUR footballers are paid incomes that are stratospheric, yet the English national team fails to perform every two years at international tournaments.

This week English cricketers failed to qualify in a tournament purposefully designed so that major cricketing nations (like England) qualify to at least a quarter final stage.

Our cricket team is now rewarded with central contracts that pay up to £400,000 per year, higher than any other national cricket team.

Every week we read about the excesses of the city of London and the finance sector. The stories about bankers vacillate between their vast bonuses through to their incompetence and failings.

Maybe it's time to rethink how our economy provides reward because it certainly seems high pay does not equate to good performance.

Richard Bulmer, Sheffield.