Last night's dire 2-2 draw with Macedonia didn't influence this piece. Unfortunately in my eyes, it backed it up.

I've always hated England bashing, you know those guys in the pub who say they can do no right. But I'm finding it harder and harder to refrain from joining in at the moment.

Facts are facts, right? And the fact is that England are pretty poor at the moment.

I'm worried over the state of our national sport at top level. This is a personal point of view of course, and my problem is with the top flight.

My interest in the Premiership has dwindled of late. I used to consider myself a big English football fan. A supporter of Second Division Crewe, nothing's changed there.

But as a neutral fan who used to enjoy watching most Premiership matches avidly, something's gone. I can't really explain it but I've been trying to figure out why. I'm convinced it's the lack of quality English players in the country's top sides.

Watching a bunch of Johnny Foreigners doesn't appeal to me, I was never one to watch Italian or Spanish football.

Fans of clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea and co want their success. If getting the top players achieves it, fair enough, I understand that If Crewe could get Thierry Henry and it wins us the Second Division, I wouldn't mind.

But unless you support the particular team or you are purely an admirer of skill and ability, it's just not the same anymore for your neutral like me.

Where are the next England players coming from? I'm not talking Carrick, Cole and Platt's Under 21 side but beyond.

They're probably there but will we see them?

Look at Francis Jeffers. Hat-trick for the 21's yet he isn't a regular fixture in the Premiership. He'll probably have to leave Arsenal and soon for first team football.

That's tragic.

It's something likely to happen more and more and the national side is certain to suffer. I reckon were about a decade away from Scotland's plight.

Rangers and Celtic are pretty much now foreign teams playing in Scotland.

Home grown talent isn't surfacing to the top domestically anymore.

Their national side's plight must be as a result.

Watching your heroes play for your country's top clubs was part and parcel.

It seems to be getting more infrequent in today's game.