IT is a drum I have been beating for a long time. And after being out in Sweden to cover the recent European under-21 Championships, it is one I will beat even louder now. Football is all about technical ability . . . and England are light years behind at present.

I commentated on all Germany's games except the England qualifier and final and they totally shone with their technical ability.

They looked so organised, they conceded just one goal throughout the whole tournament and had key players in key areas.

Against Italy in the semi-final, they were battered in possession in the first half, Italy had something like 14 shots to their seven. But they could not break Germany down and once they scored, they defended superbly.

They have got it spot on right through the age groups and that is where England need to go out and learn. We need a better game-plan.

Nobody will stop me harping on about this. It needs to be done for the sake of the national team and English players in general. Yes, England did well to reach the final, but they were lucky to scrape through in the end after sacrificing a three-goal lead against Sweden in the semis before drawing 3-3.

Spot kicks saw them through and then in the final, Stuart Pearce's men were totally outclassed by the Germans, beaten 4-0. They were exposed and, for me, it highlighted even more the need for better technical ability in England. We keep going down the same road so often, which it is not working. And it comes down to what is happening in youth football.

Players are plucked at an age when they have barely learned to walk, placed in a bubble and detached from the real world.

Academies restrict them, they are not allowed to play with their mates, their local clubs, in the street.

They are cacooned and it is more about producing athletes than footballers.

Academies are great in the sense they can instil discipline, give players certain things. But they are so wrapped up in cotton wool and a false environment that the talent that got them spotted in the first place is often left behind.

It frustrates me when players are selected because they have big physiques for their age.

I have never heard such rubbish. It does not matter if a player is four foot tall. Can he pass it? Can he cross it? Can he hold it up in tight areas? Can he beat a player with the ball at his feet?

That is what is important. And if some balance was found, with kids still afforded the chance to play with their friends as well as be on the books of a professional club, they would flourish in a creative way.

It will keep them grounded, ensure they love the game for what it is. They will develop.

Work on the technical side of the game, encouraging players to pass and move, stay organised but embrace the skill they possess to do that. Don't be frightened of it. Nurture that natural talent out of a player even more, don't encourage them to keep a lid on it.

This is not just at the top level. It needs to start from youth levels, through under-15s, under-17s, under-19s, under-21s and then the senior side.

It will filter through. But it needs to start now so the benefits can be seen sooner rather than later.

There is a reason Germany reach so many finals and win so many trophies. And there is a reason England do not.

England are not good enough, or comfortable enough, on the ball.

Why else would Germany have just won the European under-17 championships and last year's under-19 Euro tournament ahead of their recent under-21 success? They are technically superior, from the bottom up.

And unless the bigwigs at the top stand up and take notice, we will always struggle at the highest international level.

Some may say we went down in the final because three players were missing in Gabriel Agbonlahor, Fraizer Campbell and goalkeeper Joe Hart.

Ill-discipline cost them their places. Pearce said Hart was unlucky to be booked during the penalty shoot-out, but the referee warned him twice. He was sticking his tongue out and doing all he could to put Sweden's players off. He deserved the yellow card.

And why did England only take three strikers?

It was a thoroughly enjoyable tournament and one in which the likes of James Milner proved real positives on the England side. He is ready to step up.

But for me, it simply proved that other countries are technically better than us.

The FA might want to hide behind the fact we reached the final. But let's not kid ourselves; on a technical side we need vast improvement as a nation.

It is something I feel very passionately about.

I just hope the technical example of Germany is one England can follow. If they do, it will help the country enjoy a lot more success in major competitions for years to come.