Steven Gerrard has hit out at ‘'foreigners'’ in the Premier League, complaining that if a quota system is not introduced, foreigners will ‘'take over'’. In his infinite wisdom, Gerrard offered this stunning insight:

''There is a concern that [English] talent will stop coming through if foreigners do take over our league. Something has got to happen otherwise there will be more and more foreigners and they will take over''.

The Liverpool captain should stick to improving his game instead of peddling this kind of ignorant, divisive, simplistic hogwash. Foreigners?! Surely the correct terminology is ‘overseas players’? The word ‘foreigner’ is dismissive, has negative connotations and exacerbates the insidious discrimination bubbling under the surface of society.

Gerrard’s rant sounds like veiled xenophobia to me. Notice that he refers to ''our league'' not ''the'' league. And ''foreigners taking over''? Hmmm. Where have I heard that before? Ah yes – the likes of the BNP, with their campaign of intolerance deliberately couched in similarly moderate terms in an attempt to appear respectable.

'Overseas players and managers are arguably the main reason that the Premier League is considered to be one of the best leagues in the world. The standard has been raised, and English hoofball had nothing to do with it'


I can imagine weak-minded football fans who hang on Gerrard's every word taking his lead and using the ‘'foreigners out’' mantra as a new weapon on the terraces. Indeed, to some extent, many homegrown Liverpool fans have already adopted this dispiriting attitude, moronically campaigning for ‘non scousers’ to be banned from the Kop.

As the so-called captain of a team that contains lots of ‘foreigners’, Gerrard should have thought his comments through before proceeding to slight his colleagues. How will they feel knowing that Gerrard thinks they are ‘taking over’? Such an outburst is typical of Gerrard, though - ill-considered displays of public ignorance have been a feature of his career at Liverpool. I personally expect more diplomacy and intelligence from a Liverpool captain.

Anyway - Let’s just assume for a second that Gerrard is right, and at some point in the future ‘foreigners’ take over the league as a result of a quota system not being introduced. Why exactly would that happen? The answer is simple: overseas players are more intelligent, more disciplined, more technically proficient and more skilful than English players. Always have been and always will be.

English players SHOULD be afraid. They should be very afraid. Overseas players have been highlighting the deficiencies inherent in the English game for years, as well as exposing the limitations of many English players. Additionally, overseas players and managers are arguably the main reason that the Premier League is considered to be one of the best leagues in the world. The standard has been raised, and English hoofball had nothing to do with it.

In his interview, Gerrard also had the sheer gall to suggest that the influx of overseas players had affected the progress of the current England team:

"I think there is a risk of too many foreign players coming over which will affect our national team eventually - even more than it is not doing so now”.

Pure unadulterated claptrap. The consistently poor performance of the current ‘golden generation’ of England players has NOTHING to with overseas players and everything to do with the fact that England’s scandalously overpaid prima donnas are just not good enough. They are a bunch of preening, pampered ladyboys, collectively devoid of character, discipline, humility, leadership and genuine bulldog spirit.

To suggest that overseas players are to blame for England’s continual embarrassing failure is ridiculous in the extreme. We are constantly told how the likes of Gerrard, Wayne Rooney et al are ‘world class’ but where is the proof? As far as I can see, England have been humiliated in the last four international tournaments, failing every time as their painfully limited players are cruelly exposed on the highest stage.

The problem with the England team is not overseas players, it is English players. The likes of Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and Cashley Cole suffer from the typical English football disease: Dulled competitive edge as a result of rampaging egos, more money than sense and becoming drunk on their own hype.

Indeed, this is a view echoed by Russia striker Alexander Kerzhakov, who believes that England are struggling to qualify for Euro 2008 because money has diminished the work ethic of the players. He says:

"England have a team of big stars who earn an awful lot of money from playing with their private deals. Russia have a compact group of players who don't have anywhere near as much money, but with far more hard workers on the field. That's the difference between the countries. That's why we are in a strong position and England have been left just hoping."

Exactly right, though I doubt Gerrard would take any notice of Kerzhakov. After all, he's only a 'foreigner'.

Gerrard should direct his prodigious powers of perception at himself for a change and accept that his impact on England has been less than negligible, and foreigners have nothing to do with it. He is a poor captain for Liverpool and an even worse one for England, as evidenced by the team’s capitulation against Russia. Where was his much vaunted 'inspirational leadership' then?

Or is he going to blame his wretched lack of leadership ability on foreigners too?