"Against Peterborough, they [the Da Silva twins] looked like they'd be playing regular games for the last two years, not missing a year, so that's talent," Ferdinand said. "You ask yourself could an English player do that, the same thing, and it's difficult to say.

"Watching the foreign teams and seeing the touch their kids possess and the way they take the ball, it's a lot different to our kids and the individual skills they have. It's just a comfort on the ball, a different style and a different outlook on how to play.

"We bring other things to the table in terms of desire, energy and will to win, so if we can marry the two of those things together, then we will have a great mix and blend. But until we do that, then we're not going to have the droves of children coming through."