Why England's talent should get off the bench and learn some French... or maybe Spanish!

One of the most hotly debated topics in modern football in this country is the increasing number of foreign players plying their trade in our leagues.

According to some, this is to the detriment of young English talent, who can't get the opportunities at the highest level. This in turn is affecting the national team's performances at major tournament finals, should they qualify, of course.

It is time for a reality check. England have not been a dominant force in international football for decades, failing to qualify for the World Cup Finals in 1974 and 1978 and also the 1976 and 1984 European Championship Finals - long before the Premier League and the foreign player influx had started.

People at all levels of the game, right up to the FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, believe a quota rule of homegrown players should be brought back in across all leagues to redress the balance. As romantic as this sounds, this is never going to happen.