Del Bosque: England woes not foreigners' fault
MADRID - England's lack of international success in recent decades cannot be blamed on the influx of foreign players and coaches into the Premier League, Spain's World Cup-winning coach Vicente del Bosque said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a media briefing at a UEFA conference in Madrid, Del Bosque said the influence of the foreign contingent was "enriching" and England's team was "full of exceptional talent.
"You can't attribute the poor results of a national team to the presence of foreign players and coaches in the domestic league," Del Bosque said.
"English football is very much up-to-date and the national squad is one of the best in the world."
England fans have suffered disappointment at recent major tournaments as teams featuring some of the highest-profile and best paid players in the world have foundered.
Fabio Capello's side were dumped out of the World Cup in South Africa in the first knockout round, losing 4-1 to a sparkling Germany team that were later eliminated by winners Spain in the semi-finals.
UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh, speaking at the same news conference, said it was wrong to suggest English football was in trouble because of that one game against Germany.
"You can see that they've already bounced back," Roxburgh, a Scot, said, referring to England's winning start to their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.
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"I am not suggesting England are going to win the European Championship and the World Cup but all I can say is watch this space," he added. "They are back up and running again."