England must realise it is currently the most they can expect to qualify for World Cups, says Alan Hansen You would look at the Germans and Brazilians and feel they could pick three sides capable of reaching the later stages. They have always had a larger pool of players to choose from, whereas England has always had to rely on a couple of superstars. On top of this, what we currently have is a clash between the incompatible aspirations of the FA and those of the Premier League and the clubs. It would require a complete reversal of everything that has happened over the last two decades in order to undo what has made the English league the most entertaining and richest in the world. Why would the clubs want or sanction that? The overseas players have enhanced the league, attracted sponsorship and subscriptions from every continent and thus enabled the top clubs to spend even more money on the best foreign talent. It is a cycle of success which few of them would want to break. The consequence, inevitably, has been it is more difficult for home-grown players to get opportunities at the top clubs unless they, too, are extraordinarily talented. That is not the Premier League's fault - how can you blame them for being as successful as they can be - but the natural consequence of aspiration where every club, at every opportunity, will also seek to sign the biggest talents regardless of their passport. Unlike 30 years ago, they have the money to do it. If English players are good enough, they do get a chance but I'm also a firm believer in the view you also need the opportunity in order to get better. A quota system of some form would be advisable, but I'd presume there would be legal challenges if such limits were imposed and, again, if the Premier League insists on their clubs choosing lesser player simply because they are English, you end up with an inferior, less attractive and less lucrative league. Who's going to make this happen? Improving the coaching levels at the Academies will also, inevitably, help, but there's no point expecting miracles. You can't make an average player good at the age of 15, regardless of whether you're the most dynamic, visionary youth coach in the world. I made my Liverpool debut at the age of 22 and was undoubtedly assisted in my progress by the quality of those around me, but I also had the ability to force my way into such a side due to my development as a youngster, playing football at every opportunity because in those days we didn't feel as though we had much else to do. The refining of skills has to start at the ages of six and seven, in my case kicking the ball against a wall and learning how to play two-footed. British society has changed in the last three decades to the point where schoolchildren have so much more to occupy their time than go for a kickabout with their friends in the park whenever they have a minute spare. It is all computer games and one of thousands of TV channels to watch now. What I hope coaches and scouts will get away from when watching schoolchildren is this misplaced belief that bigger and stronger is better. If you are watching a team of nine-year-olds, the one who has matured the quickest physically is always likely to shine, but it doesn't mean he'll be the most technically gifted or the best player at the age of 18. I do not envy the challenge facing Greg, or anyone at the FA as they seek to halt a trend which to a large extent is beyond any football organisation's control. To qualify for a World Cup is the least we expect from the England team, but realistically I would suggest it is also be the most anyone should be expecting for a long time to come. England's lack of players has been demonstrated by the rapid promotion of Rickie Lambert, but it is exacerbated by the glaring void at the other end of the pitch. On the basis of the first three Premier League games of the season, John Terry is still as good as anyone in the England squad. He will never be what he was at the age of 25, but you only had to see his recent performance against Manchester United to see he is still reading the game as well as ever. Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka are good players, but not in the class of Terry, who was playing in a charity match in Glasgow on Sunday rather than preparing to fly out to the Ukraine. If I were Roy Hodgson - presuming England qualify for the World Cup - I would do everything possible to ensure I could pick the best players around, and both Terry and Rio Ferdinand come into that category. Sadly, it seems matters beyond football do not make that likely, but England do not have enough resources to allow one of the genuinely world class defenders eligible to play for his country sit at home watching television if he is needed next summer.