Aston Villa academy boss Bryan Jones has slammed the lack of talent in England's youth ranks.

"We should have better depth of young English players," he told the Birmingham Mail.

"We've been treading water for two-and-a-half years.

"There is more money in the game than ever before but I don't see us, in 10 years' time, having capitalised on it."

Former school teacher Jones, who first became Ron Saunders' youth development officer at Villa Park in 1980, said he and other leading clubs are forced to cast their net abroad and flood their academies with the best foreign talent.

"Given the choice I'd want 11 English lads playing on a Saturday morning but the facts are we have recruiting restrictions laid down by the Premier League,'' said Jones.

"That forces us to go abroad and the FA have never addressed this."