RICHIE Barker hopes that England have finally learned their lesson after Italy dumped them out of the Euros.

While Roy Hodgson’s men put up a spirited performance and eventually only lost on penalties, the Bury boss believes that the gulf in class on the night should be a massive wake-up call.

And the Shakers’ former youth team coach knows exactly where the rebuilding job should begin.

“There was an element of me, which may be controversial, that was quite pleased we failed the way we did,” said Barker. “But we have this conversation every two years.

“I remember two years ago, after the Germany defeat, Chris Waddle doing a fantastic programme on Radio Five about how poor we are technically as a nation and how it needs to start in youth football. I absolutely, 100 per cent agree.

“Until youth football is restructured we will constantly produce technically inferior players.”

Barker has long since championed the “Barcelona way” and has tried to adapt many of the coaching techniques used in Spain in his work at Bury – in the youth team and more recently in his role as manager of the senior side.

Yet he has been frustrated at every turn.

“I genuinely believe that it’s a nation thing,” said the Bury boss.

“I keep hearing people talk about how England worked extremely hard and the passion they showed, but working hard and passion only gets you so far.

“As a nation we need to stop going on about passion and work rate and how well we defended when we can’t keep the ball.

“You go and watch any kids team on a Sunday morning and you constantly hear the parents shouting ‘get stuck in’ – you don’t hear parents shouting ‘pass, turn, move’.

“It’s a culture we’ve got that I’m not sure how we are going to get out of.”

Barker’s enthusiasm remains undaunted, however. He believes major changes to the structure of youth football, as well as the mind-set, are still possible. His solutions include moving junior football to the summer months, so children can work on their technique on good pitches in good conditions, and increasing investment in youth coaching.

“I don’t understand why kids play football through the winter,” said Barker.

“There’s no coincidence that all the best technically gifted teams are in warmer climates.

“I’m also sure that in junior teams in Spain, Portugal, Italy or France, every Sunday morning kids turn up at training and a coach takes them, not somebody’s parent.

“Until that improves, we will carry on producing poor players.”