Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore believes the England team could be made up of players from outside of the game's elite.
Debating the future of the national side in a round of national newspaper interviews, Scudamore reckons that unless a player is on the books of the likes of Chelsea or Manchester United, they are not considered good enough for England selection.
Prompted by suggestions of a foreign player quota in the Premier League, Scudamore suggested that England manager Roy Hodgson could pick players from the lower half of the top flight and the top half of the Championship, rather than only selecting from the leading clubs - some of whom have a large number of foreign players on their books.
"We get hung up about how they can't possibly be good enough unless they're playing for Chelsea or Man United," he said.
"Of course they can be good enough. How are they going to get into the first teams of Chelsea and Man City? Widen your horizons.
"Why shouldn't the England team come from the top 12 teams in the Championship and the bottom 10 teams of the Premier League?
"Costa Rica played very well in the World Cup, and where are they playing their league football?"
Scudamore added: "Where would England finish in next season's Premier League? Would they win it, finish 10th? I don't know."
With no major trophy since the 1966 World Cup, the England side remains a constant source of debate, but Scudamore believes a new type of player is about to come through which could change that.
"Why is it that the England team don't perform?," he said.
"There has to be a change in the way we develop players. It was the genesis of the EPPP (Elite Player Performance Plan). We're on the verge of producing far more rounded, intelligent footballers. We're seeing a different breed coming through.
"You will see a footballer which isn't just about the English traditions of run hard and work hard."
Source: PA
