Toshack slates British coaching

Toshack says British coaches are tactically inept

Wales manager John Toshack says the failure of each home nation to reach the finals of Euro 2008 proves the British game needs a major overhaul.

Toshack claimed the players, coaches and managers are no longer rated on the continent because of out-dated methods.

"We play too much 4-4-2 in straight lines and think that's it, the way to play," said the 58-year-old.

"Where are the managers who go abroad from the English game? Clubs in Europe don't rate them and don't go for them."

Toshack guided Wales to a creditable draw with Germany in their final Euro qualifier on Wednesday.

But a string of earlier poor results meant qualification for next summer's finals in Austria and Switzerland had long been out of their reach.

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England, Scotland and Northern Ireland still had a chance of qualifying going into their final group games, but each one failed at the final hurdle.

Toshack added: "Our game does concern me. England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, ourselves, none of us will be going to the finals.

"I'm surprised at England, they will be very disappointed with what has happened.

"It is understandable we are not going to the finals. We have been virtually trying to rebuild a whole team with very young players, anything we achieve is very welcome.

"But nobody else has qualified and that says something about the game here.

"We are not rated on the continent. Managers are not, coaches are not, players are not."

As the inquest into England's failure continues, much of the blame has been levelled at the influx of foreign players into the Premier League.

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard had already called for foreign player quotas before England lost to Croatia on Wednesday, a view echoed by Northern Ireland coach Nigel Worthington.

And Toshack agrees the lack of British players at England's top clubs is hurting the chances of success for the home nations at international level.

"You must not confuse the Premier League with English football or the English game," said the former Real Madrid manager.

"Look at Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool in the Champions League.

"Of the 44 players who started games last time around, only about 10 or so altogether were British, never mind English.

"People abroad, I can assure you, do not have a high opinion of our game. They have of our Premier League because it is full of foreign players."