'English football is going backwards'

'English football is going backwards' warns Sir Trevor Brooking

Sir Trevor Brooking last night admitted he feared English football will only go backwards if we cannot abandon the long-ball culture.

While Fabio Capello’s squad will travel to South Africa in buoyant mood in the summer, Brooking, the FA’s Director of Football Development, suggested the cupboard may be bare in a matter of years.

Brooking, speaking at the launch of the £100million National Football Centrer at Burton, said: “We’ve not got the depth of talent for a country of 60 million-plus people.

“If you look beyond the 'Golden Generation' of Lampard and Gerrard, what is there? We all ask if they can do it at the World Cup this summer? We’ll wait and see. But after them there isn’t the depth.”

Brooking added: “We’ve not got enough players who are comfortable on the ball, can step into midfield from the back or drop off into the hole."

“We have to get youngsters playing the way Brazil and Spain are playing. That’s the way football is going, with more intricate passing, and for the FA not to prepare our youngsters for that in the future would be stupid."

“If we are honest, we are not developing technical youngsters. The first thing you have to do is make it clear that you do not play long ball at any stage. You have to resist the temptation to do it at 12 or 14 just to win matches at that age."

“It is about building the right principles. We are trying to embarrass the dads who just want their kids to win at any costs. We have to get the message home that they have to play football. That means good quality coaches who can spread the philosophy.”