Greg Dyke has it wrong, says Wolves head coach Kenny Jackett
Wolves head coach Kenny Jackett today hit out at Greg Dyke's claim a lack of English players in the Premier League is holding back the national team.
The Football Association's new chairman believes the reducing numbers of English players in the Premier League – currently 32 per cent – is affecting the success of the England side, describing English football as a "tanker that needs turning".
But, ahead of tonight's World Cup qualifier against Moldova at Wembley, Jackett argues England do produce world-class players – it's just they aren't moulded into a successful team.
"I presume he (Dyke) is blaming the reduced numbers of English players at the top level on the high input from abroad," said Jackett. "When there were just players from the British Isles in the top division I don't think the national team was more successful.
"I certainly don't think in the 1970s and '80s there were better players when there were no foreign players in the top flight.
"Was Kevin Keegan better than Wayne Rooney?
"It might not be in the amount, but looking at the quality of the English players around, it's very high. Look at Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge."
Jackett believes England have produced world-class midfielders in particular but haven't used them well.
"Look at the midfield from the 1990s onwards," he said. "Look at the midfielders in their mid-30s now – Scholes, Gerrard, Lampard and Michael Carrick.
"That's four outstanding individual players you could put up against anybody in the world. So the players have been there. And I think they are there.
"Scholes is undoubtedly the greatest midfielder of his generation. Zidane said that. Have England done enough to capitalise on Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes?"
Jackett concedes England have missed a world-class striker. "The only thing you might be able to say, is have England had a world-class centre-forward," he added.
England are second in their qualifying group ahead of tonight's game and Tuesday's trip to Ukraine.
One team qualifies automatically with the runners-up playing-off to reach next year's finals in Brazil.
* Kenny Jackett was today pipped to the League One manager of the month award by Leyton Orient's Russell Slade.
Slade won the August award after steering the Os to the top and a club record five straight wins
Former Wolves midfielder Paul Ince took the Championship award with Blackpool while another ex-Molineux man, Paul Cook, was the League Two winner with Chesterfield.
