Off the record with PETER WHITE

THE bandwagon condemning the flood of foreign footballers currently forming a veritable invasion of English football continues to gather momentum.

At the wheel is Professional Footballers' Association chief Gordon Taylor, understandably fearful of the consequences for the livelihood of many of his members.

Football Association representatives travel first class behind him, as they worry about the future of the England team if the overseas influx affects the development of home-produced stars for the national side in the next decade.

And, travelling standard class, are journeymen players and club chairman from the lower divisions, afraid that the umbilical cord, connecting them with the lifeblood that transfer market cash from their superiors has always provided, is in grave danger of being severed.

The paranoia about filling the Premiership - and other divisions to a lesser degree - with foreign players, who cost less in terms of transfer fees if not always wages, is understandable. Taylor himself is no xenophobe but a sensible, clear-thinking and progressive administrator whose major concern is for the health of the game in general, which then protects his members in particular.

And who can blame the likes of Rochdale, Hartlepool and Brighton if they can already foresee the day when transfer market cash will no longer be the buffer between comfortable survival and possible extinction?

Yet, among all the hype that the subject has prompted, you rarely read about the investment which has been made, is being made and - if the signs are right - will be made in the development of young English footballers of the future.

Look below the surface and it is potentially enormous and there are two perfect examples close to home.

Blackburn Rovers have invested in a new, expanded youth set-up which will be able to stand alone and continue the work envisaged irrespective of what happens at management and first team level.

Burnley, once famous for their home-produced products, have made significant strides in recent years to steer the club down a well-trodden path once again.

Look at Manchester United and the likes of Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, the Neville brothers, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs - yes, I know he's Welsh - and you have no finer illustration of the work being put in to give youth its chance.

Alex Ferguson has signed a few foreigners in his time, but it hasn't stopped the kids blossoming.

Elsewhere, encouraged by the Premier League, clubs are looking into ways of setting up their own versions of the FA National School of Excellence, linking up with schools to provide an all-round education.

From established Premiership force Newcastle, who have grandiose plans for a top-class youth centre in the North East, to unfashionable and newly-promoted Barnsley, aiming to build their own academy adjacent to Oakwell, clubs are looking long-term not simply short-sightedly at huge annual imports of cut-price Johnny Foreigners.

Providing the game is able to maintain - no thanks to Bosman, who has done far more harm than good, except for a privileged few - some form of compensation when younger players move on, there is every incentive for clubs to invest in youth development and every sign they are doing so.

And to those who say the imports will hold up their progress, there is a ready answer.

If they are good enough, they'll get their chance. Fergie has already proved that and what better example to follow given the recent track record at Old Trafford?

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.