Alan Shearer: Premier League 'monster' to blame for demise of England

Gareth Southgate's men crashed out of the group stage of a major competition for the third time in a row, leading to much soul-searching in how England approach international tournaments.

Shearer, who scored 13 times in 11 Under-21 appearances before going onto forge a successful senior international career, believes the country are being held back by youngsters not being able to develop naturally as a result of scrutiny placed on any player in the top flight.

"There is no longer an environment at the top level where a player can just evolve," said Shearer in his column in the Sun.

"The Premier League has, in many ways, created its own monster. Young players who show potential are immediately catapulted to a level that is undeserving.

"With that comes demands for bigger contracts from agents and suddenly a teenager or someone in their early 20s is commanding £100,000 a week. With that contract just a little bit of the kid's hunger is taken away.

"Our Premier League is a terrific product. It is exciting to watch but that deludes us into thinking it is of the highest standard. It is not. In fact the standard is not as good now as it was 10 years ago."

The former Blackburn and Newcastle striker also thinks money being pumped into all levels of England football may actually be holding them back.

He said: "The England team is nowhere near as good as it was 10 or 20 years ago. Yet more money has been pumped into our game than ever before. But maybe this is where our biggest problem lies because with the money comes panic."

Shearer, who scored 30 times in 63 appearances for England, added: "Right now, we are miles away from being able to compete with the best."

Alan Shearer is correct. It seems like English football doesn't care enough about the national squad's prosperity. Not with the all-conquering Premier League on its doorstep. Raheem Sterling was too busy on a water hoverboard in Ibiza and eating fast food as he prepares to munch over a £40m plus move to Manchester City to be bothered turning out for the U21s.

Why Sterling wasn't demanding to appear in this tournament seems bizarre, but he is not the only one. Luke Shaw, Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain of Arsenal and Everton’s Ross Barkley were not called up. and would surely have added real zest to the side having accumulated significant experience with England and the senior national side. Club football remains the priority to the detriment of England teams.

If the plan remains preparing an England side capable of going to Qatar to win the World Cup in 2022, prospects look about as inviting as earning a living on one of these wretched construction sites in that part of the world. It is tough to be positive after another dose of failure brought on by what can only be viewed as more self-harming.