Luke Young says Middlesbrough can provide the foundation of future England teams.
"It is a real eye-opener to come to Boro and find half the dressing room from England, and they are there on merit.
"The youth set-up must be doing something right because I cannot think of another club producing anything like as many high-class players, all with a great future in the game.
"The fact that the club has been successful shows that young English players have got ability, but this is one of the few clubs where they get a chance to prove it.
"Everyone wants the England team to do well, but realistically we are lowering the pool from which Steve McClaren can pick. That cannot be good for England," he told Boro's official website.