Gerrard: Stop the foreign invasion

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England will miss their first major tournament since the 1994 World Cup if they fail to qualify for Euro 2008 and Gerrard is forecasting a bleak future.

Gerrard is on international duty with England

He said: 'If foreigners do take over completely, it will affect our team and will be even worse than it is now. I can proudly say I am playing in one of the best leagues in the world, but the important thing is to have one of the best national teams as well.'

Gerrard, captain for the international in Austria tomorrow and the final Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia on Wednesday, added: 'It's important to keep bringing quality players through, the likes of Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.

Otherwise the national team will suffer.' Of the so-called top four teams — Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool — only 10 English players made the starting line-ups last weekend.

Liverpool have players in their academy from as far afield as Kosovo and Australia, and Gerrard fears they are preventing English talent blossoming.

He said: 'I'm all for quotas. I support the Liverpool academy now and I'm desperate for another young English player to come through.

'I support the national team as well. There is a big danger that we stop producing quality young kids because of the number of foreigners in the game. Young players have to get the chance.

'I sit here as an international, but I would never have sat here without the chance from Gerard Houllier.'

England will effectively be eliminated from Euro 2008 if Russia beat Israel on Saturday, but the players put on a brave face in training.

Steve McClaren is expected to recall Frank Lampard to the centre of midfield against Austria whileOwen Hargreaves, who is still plagued by tendinitis in his knee, had treatment in Manchester yesterday and will join the squad only if a win against Croatia will secure a place at Euro 2008.

Winger Shaun Wright- Phillips missed training because of an ankle injury but is still hopeful of travelling to Vienna.