Pearce, the England Under-21 coach, has been shaping a team for the 2009 European Championship qualifying campaign but only has Theo Walcott in his squad from the teams in the Champions League.

Brooking, the Football Association's director of football development, believes foreign players have harmed the national team.

Pearce admits his scouting is done mainly outside the traditional 'big four' of the top flight.

"The one thing that hit home to me was sitting down and looking at the fixtures and how many players under 21 that were worth me going to watch," said Pearce.

"The numbers aren't very big. Is it worth me going to see Liverpool? No. There's no-one on show. Chelsea? No-one on show. Manchester United?

"Most of the players that we have in the squad come from Manchester City, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Newcastle. Those four sides contribute a hell of a lot to the side we can have."

Pearce's latest squad start their qualifying campaign with matches in Montenegro and Bulgaria over the next week, beginning with the clash in Podgorica on Friday.

As the full-time coach with wider responsibilities for youth football, Pearce is also aware of addressing the problem of getting more top-level youngsters playing regularly.

"It's important that we are aware of the fact that we need to push as many English players as we can. Not just here and now but for the future," he added.

"I would like to say that there are three players in every team worth going to watch. That would be utopia for me doing this job.

"From Steve McClaren's point of view he would like five from every side in an ideal world, but we have to be aware there might be a problem in the future."

Hope for the future lies in the players brought through by Pearce and Peter Taylor before him.

Micah Richards, Ashley Young and Scott Carson have graduated from the under-21s recently, the latter two playing in the Under-21 European Championships this summer and reaching the semi-finals.

In his new full-time role as under-21 boss, Pearce has also spent time with younger age groups at Burton, with the project for a National Football Centre at the site still under review.

"It's not all doom and gloom but we have to be aware of it," said Pearce.

"There's no point in saying that is acceptable, we've got to say what are we going to do about it? Can we improve the standard of coaching at a younger age?

"If you feel as though there is a problem you are naive to ignore it. If we have a strong national side it bodes well for the clubs."

Premier League managers have always pointed to the inflated prices for homegrown talent as the reason to shop abroad but Pearce feels there will always a special bond between a local player and fans.

"Any businessman's instinct is to look cheap," he said. "Who would spend £50 on a cup of coffee when you can get one for £2 down the road?

"But to have players with an affinity to clubs is more attractive to buying a player from elsewhere. The local talent should have the march on the opposition. It's a case of getting the standard of their play to be good enough to break in.

"There will always be good English players and they will be wanted by the top clubs. It's a case from the FA's point of view of how can we make sure we have enough good talent on show."

Steven Taylor, who has been appointed under-21s captain, is one example of a homegrown player Pearce highlighted.

The Newcastle defender was in the full squad for the previous international break, and he could still be called up if there is an injury crisis in the seniors.

"We'll make sure we turn the phones off," Pearce joked.

Michael Johnson will not travel after picking up a groin injury.