Austria took control of large swathes of the game and passed it around, keeping possession but lacking the physicality to match England. They pressed for the final 15 minutes but England, with some desperate defending, held on.

A visit to both the Austrian and English Football Association's websites provided very different views.

The FA report it as a comfortable win. "It wasn't to matter though, as England comfortably held on at the other end to seal a perfect start to the competition".

The Austrian Football Association were more accurate in their observation , or at least how I saw the game. England, at times, relied on 'kick and rush' football and were outclassed by a technically superior team.

Needless to say, the U19 set-up is an important transition stage to both the U21 and senior level teams - from the performance against Austria, the patterns of England's senior level shortcomings were there for all to see but more importantly this is at a key stage in player development.

Consider that the French U19 team won two European tournaments in succession - 1996 and 1997. Players like David Trezeguet, Mikaël Silvestre, William Gallas, Thierry Henry, Louis Saha and Nicolas Anelka all featured - many became key players in the French senior team's tournament successes of 1998 and 2000.

The initial development of above players came through French clubs (Caen, AS Monaco, Rennes etc.), before moving on to Italy, Spain or England.

Spain also won four European Championships, two in succession, between 2002 - 2007. Squads from the time featured the likes of Fernando Torres, Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, David Silva, Raúl Albiol, Gerard Piqué, Juan Manuel Mata and others.

Of course, many players did not make the transition to either the U21 or senior level teams, but only limited player retention would be required.

Again many of these players featured in Spain's recent European and World Cup successes. There is a trend in both the Spanish and French footballing success after years of under-achievement - youth player development.

When we further consider that the spine of the Spanish team also came through the Barcelona academy, then planned pathways provided from youth level to senior become vital.

Nathan Blake, England's U-19 manager was quoted stating "There are a lot of good English players in the country ... the pathway is an issue. They show potential at this stage, and a bit younger, and for some reason there is a blockage [at club level] and we need to address that. Other nations provide pathways for players to progress."

To be sure, it is about pathway and currently there is little evidence that any of the big Premier League clubs will provide an opportunity for their development and then a route to regular first team football.

The best Premier League academy is arguably to be found at Arsenal, producing more cultured players but few of these will play for England, let alone make the Arsenal team.

Michel Platini was right, this World Cup has proven that footballing countries planning and structuring player development via academies were to demonstrate later success - but Platini was merely stated a footballing axiom.

Champions League football, and at times the Europa League, is at a higher standard to international football and teams consisting of a depth of players competing at that level will be more successful.

More importantly if many of these same players come through together, through two or three excellent clubs, they will then be fed into their respective national team.

This contributes to two key ingredients - first, not only are they good players but good players with some familiarity, resulting in good team chemistry. This was demonstrated in the case of Barcelona's representation in the Spanish team.

Similarly Germany, for the first time since 1974, had eight players from Bayern Munich in their squad (7). But if we go back in history, it becomes noticeable that this is a trend and consistent marker: 1966 - England (West Ham, considering the starting eleven), 1974 - Germany (Bayern Munich), 1974 Holland (Ajax & Feyenoord), 1978 Italy (Juventus), 1982 Italy (Inter Milan & Juventus) and others.

Another possibility, as a temporary transitional period, is to provide pathways through other European leagues. Mid-table to lower level Bundesliga and Ligue 1 teams offer very good opportunities, vastly improving technique/tactical awareness and regular first team play would be very plausible.

A couple of years loaned to a Championship team can only be detrimental to player development and maintain an insular path (a young French player loaned to QPR is a very different proposition to an English player loaned to the same club. The different football culture will only enrich the youngster from France).

Many of the players from the youth ranks, after two years, aged 21, would then be sold to a lower Premier League team or a strong Championship team and once again, another player is lost.

Names to illustrate this trend? Francis Jeffers, Michael Mancienne, Carlton Cole, Jay Simpson, Justin Hoyte and many more. If players can't break into stronger Premier League teams, then transitional development can be found with many continental clubs.

There is football outside the Premier League, even if BBC, ITV and Channel 5 football commentators can sometimes seem amiss to it, demonstrating remarkable parochialism.