Former Aston Villa and England defender Gareth Southgate is worried about the national team's place in the local game.

In an interview with the Independent, the 57-cap defender has now admitted that he is concerned for the future of the England team.

He said: "Really, are we serious about international football? Or is our football geared towards the clubs? Because in the end it's always difficult to get the release of players for international junior tournaments, and sometimes that's because clubs want their players to play in friendlies or go on friendly tours.

"So at some point we've got to decide are we really serious about our national team or is it just an add-on?"