English football under threat
England's chances of football success are in jeopardy, according to the man responsible for producing the next generation of talent.
Sir Trevor Brooking told SSB the rising number of foreign players in the top flight has led to a lack of depth in key areas for England.
The FA's director of development warned: "(The national team) has to be under threat - the numbers show that.
"I don't think you can underestimate it. It's a major concern."
Brooking was speaking after a summer of record transfer spending by English clubs - much of it abroad - and before two must-win Euro 2008 qualifiers for Steve McClaren's under-fire England team.
76% of the starting XIs that played on the first weekend of the first Premier League season in 1992 were English, only 37% were English on the first weekend of this season
Only 10% (23 players) of the starting XIs in 1992 were from outside the UK, this season that number had increased to 56% (123)
Non-English players have scored 69% of Premier League goals so far this season - they have even scored two of the three own goals
Of the 118 goals scored so far, only nine have been scored by seven English strikers
According to the latest Deloitte figures for disclosed transfer fees, spending by Premier League clubs rose from £333m in 2006 to £531m in 2007
Half of that went to non-English clubs
Brooking is under no doubt that the growing number of foreign players in the Premier League is depriving domestic talent of first-team football and that is having a detrimental effect on England's chances of challenging at major tournaments.
"Last year about 40% of starting XIs in the Premier League were English," the 58-year-old England and West Ham legend said.
"And with all the buying that has gone on over the summer that will probably fall to under a third. Will there be first-team opportunities for some of our youngsters between 17 and 21?
"If you look at Italy when they won the last World Cup, I think they had over 70% of their league made up of domestic players. Spain, France, Holland, they're all up there too. Germany aren't much better than us but we're the lowest.
"The more that goes down, and the pool of choice reduces, we must come under pressure. In 10 years' time you don't want us just being pleased to qualify for tournaments."
