Steve McClaren Blames England Failure On League Places: Is He Right?

Steve McClaren said something interesting today. He stated that the reason why England struggled in the World Cup was because the team's players do not see enough first team action.

For some, this is just him simply stating the obvious. With the influx of foreign players in the Premiership it was only natural that first team spots would prove harder to come by for the homegrown talent.

They would have to fight for their positions. In retrospect, players in past decades must be thankful that they were afforded more freedom and opportunity to shine on a regular basis.

Of course, the occurrence of international players in the Premier League has been a constant discussion point of the past few years.

In fact, for any of Europe's prestigious leagues it is easy to question the historical foundations they were built upon. When the number of players from the league's own country continues to dwindle, we wonder whether something should be done.

It is hard to imagine a Premiership currently without the likes of Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres. They breathe life into the league and can encourage youngsters into forging their own careers in football.

For England and the Premier League though, a compromise is not being made. English teams are not fielding enough English players.

I can't help but wonder whether McClaren is right in describing this as the main reason for the national team's failure.

Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool have proved in the last decade that they are the strongest representation that Europe has to offer for one division.

The mass of appearances in Champions League finals over the past five years eclipses that of any other country. It was only this year in the past six where no English side made the final.

Yet this dominance in Europe is not translating globally. In fact, the likes of Spain, Germany, and Holland look lightyears ahead of the England starting 11. This is despite their league teams looking weaker in comparison.

So to succeed on a national level is it now required that the teams in the Premiership need to start being selfishly stubborn?

To increase the potential of the national side, do the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea need to focus a great deal more on the homegrown talent that can emerge through their youth schemes?

You have to feel that a concerted effort by all 20 teams in the Premier League is what is needed to make England's dreams happen.

The under-17 squad triumphed in their recent European tournament. The under-19 team have also started with a 3-2 win against Austria. These are teams composed of players from the lower regions of the Premier League and also the Championship.

They are foundations though, that you feel will be wasted as the years progress and the players in both sides are left out in favour of their international counterparts.

Sadly, it is unrealistic to expect an immediate change.

A team like Manchester United would not transfer to more English talent if no other team was to follow suit. They would just be throwing titles away willingly. They do, after all, have their reputation to uphold.

As a collective, a rule still needs to be brought in to restrict the amount of international players in the Premier League.

Not a single England player at the World Cup plays outside of England. Why, therefore, is the Premier League partly built around the reputations of those in the opposite position—the international contingent in England?

Drastic changes are not a necessity. An efficient balance is possible if the FA works to achieve it.

What we could gain is a league that still threatens and inspires European opposition, but also affords us a national team born from players who compete week in and week out against competitive opposition.

Even if a slight slump in form for the Champions League sides is in the cards, then so it should be. The league should not let the charade go on for much longer.

Something has got to give and the English sides' obligation to produce English talent should now become of vital importance.

For those of us who were not alive when the heroes of 1966 were created, a failure to recreate a similarly credible national team will just leave us with a lifetime of misery.