West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green has blamed the increasing popularity of video games among English boys for the country's failure to reach the finals of the Euro 2008 football championships.
The in-form England international, who saved a penalty to ensure a 1-1 draw with the Hammers top-flight London rivals Tottenham on Sunday, was overlooked by former national coach Steve McClaren for last week's key qualifier with Croatia at Wembley.
Instead McClaren gave a competitive debut, in a match where England had to get a point to have a chance of making it through to next year's tournament in Austria and Switzerland, to Aston Villa's Scott Carson.
Carson gifted the visitors an early lead when when he failed to get his body behind a 30-yard shot from Portsmouth midfielder Niko Kranjcar.
Croatia were on their way to a 3-2 win and England coach Steve McClaren on his way to the sack.
Following the defeat, all sorts of theories were advanced for England's poor performance, including a lack of technique and misplaced notions of innate football superiority.
But Green cited an economic cause as a reason for England's failure.
"We would have the best team if we could go into every household and throw away every PlayStation, Xbox and video game.
"We have the players and the best league in the world. The way the game is played here is so different though.
"Watching the Premier League is like Formula One - it's that quick - and then you go to an international game and it's like a game of chess.
"Other countries seem to bring on world-class players, countries like Argentina and Brazil where often it's football or nothing.
"In contrast we live in a country where we have choices and perhaps the will to do it, the need to escape your own situation, is not so clear."
Green, given his England debut by Sven-Goran Eriksson, now in charge at Manchester City, said another overseas coach, such as Portuguese former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, should replace McClaren.
"For England, it should be the right man for the job. A Swede gave me my debut so I'm not one to say it must be an Englishman.
"I wouldn't look further than Jose Mourinho. He has the character and know-how to deal with the job as well as the passion."
Source: AFP