Irvine, and even Roddy, have reservations about EPPP and they await the Premier League vote on its adoption. But future England managers will be grateful that there is serious thinking about why only one of the Premier League's top eight scorers this season - Rooney - is English.

'Culturally, the environment into which all of us go fishing, the talent pool, is under threat,' Roddy said. 'School sport is in terminal decline where it is most important - primary education, junior school. For football that's a dire situation. That's why the "football family" will have to look after their own. Otherwise that pool will continue to erode.'

These are big issues, some bigger than football. But 38 then per cent is a big issue.

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