Fulham technical chief Les Reed insists the Premiership's youth system isn't in crisis.

He told fulhamfc.com: "I think there is a defeatist attitude in football in this country that we need to dispel. The more we say our kids aren't gifted, our kids can't pass a ball, whatever, the more we make it a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"The more we tell our kids they're useless, the worse they inevitably become, and it's the same with the coaching. We have to change that attitude and say, 'actually we have some tremendously talented players and some excellent coaches'.

"There isn't anything wrong with foreign players/coaches coming to England BUT we have to get a balance. It should be done because a coach from abroad can add something different, not because we don't have faith in our own home-grown coaches and players. At Fulham we're striving to get a mix of highly talented and gifted foreign players, whilst developing our own talented local youngsters."