Worthington wants foreigners cap

Nigel Worthington has called for a limit on foreign players

Northern Ireland boss Nigel Worthington has backed calls for the introduction of quotas on foreign players.

Worthington believes the failure of any of the home nations to make the Euro 2008 finals is partly due to the number of overseas footballers in the UK.

"It's time a cap is put in for the good of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and even the Republic of Ireland," he told BBC 5 Live.

"Clubs should be able to sign three to four foreigners and that's the limit."

Fifa president Sepp Blatter wants all European teams to be subject to a quota on foreign players.

His plan has been supported by Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard along with Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and Reading's Steve Coppell.

"While these players are coming in a lot of our players are being pushed further and further down the pecking order," added Worthington.

"I think it shows - there's none of the home nations going to the Euro finals next summer.

"The state of British football needs to be looked at, from the top down it needs to be assessed and addressed and procedures put in place."

Worthington suggests clubs need to work together in order to bring in the required changes.

"There should be an agreement between the Premier League and all Football League clubs where you are allowed so many foreign players and there's got to be a certain quota of homegrown talent within the structure of each club.

"I think that would be a big way forward and would help all the home nations - it would bring a change in fortunes.

"This has been going on for quite a while and there's been a decline in terms of performances over the years.

"It's come to a head where someone has to look at this very seriously, the figureheads have to get together, get some agreements in place and then work the way forward from there."