Football Association chairman David Bernstein has admitted there is a "desperate need" to increase the number of English players in the Premier League.
Bernstein said only 30% of players in the top flight were eligible to England compared to more than 50% in Germany - the actual figure in the Bundesliga is now 60%.
The outgoing chairman, who steps down in July, said work was already underway to address the problem.
He said: "On the wider of issue of club and country, the number of English players in the Premier League and the Football League is a really important matter.
"We have this number of around 30% and in Germany it is more than 50% and that 20% is a lot of players.
"We desperately need to increase the pool of real quality players that the manager Roy Hodgson has to choose from. That I think is the big issue.
"All the work we are doing such as in youth development is aimed at doing that over the next few years and it's great to see some very good players coming through now such as Jack Wilshere. There are some coming through but we need many more."
Saints used more English players than most in 2012/13, with the likes of Rickie Lambert, Jay Rodriguez, Nathaniel Clyne, Jack Cork, Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana and Jason Puncheon all playing in 28 or more Premier League games.
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