Former (England) winger Chris Waddle turned on the culture of the Premier League after watching his former team fall to the brink of World Cup exit, while fomer international Stan Collymore has called for Steven Gerrad to resign from playing for England.
A 2-1 loss to Uruguay means the odds are stacked against Roy Hodgson's men and an early trip home now seems inevitable. It could be confirmed later today.
Only extreme favours from elsewhere can save them now and Waddle, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, was in no mood to make excuses.
Focussing on the impact he feels the Premier League - and its foreign players - has on the side he won 62 caps for, he said: “I’m not angry, I’m just fed up of talking about the same old problems.
“I’ll tell you what the biggest problem is when you think about it all - the Premier League. They have a product which they sell around the world. It’s entertaining but it’s doing our players no good whatsoever.
“This (England) is a Premier League side playing tonight which is meant to be the best league in the world. You’re not telling me all those Uruguayan players would get in many teams around the world, apart from (Luis) Suarez who was only 75 per cent fit. (Edinson) Cavani, possibly. Apart from that, who else is there?”
The former Sheffield Wendesday man went on to add that he feels it is players like two-goal Suarez who makes the Premier League what it is.
"We go on banging the drum that we've got this and that.. Do you know what makes the Premier League exciting? Players like Luis Suarez - the foreign players," he said.
“We hype our players up massively like we always do, say we’ve got this and that.
“Look at their (Uruguay’s) back four tonight. The kid at centre-half (Jose Maria Giminez) he’s played two games for Atletico Madrid, he’s not had a cap, but they know how to win games.
"The difference between Premier League football and international football is how to win a football match. It's not about picking your star players, he plays for Liverpool, he plays for Man U, it's about getting a balance in the side to get a result and we never, ever do."
Wayne Rooney silenced his critics with England's goal back in his favoured central role, but Waddle believes the media influence England selection too much.
“The media is to blame as much as anyone else as when we drop someone or play someone out of position, we’re on the case asking ‘why, why, why?’.
“Other countries say ‘I’ve got good players but unfortunately so and so is going to sit on the bench’.
“Until we get into that way of thinking... How do you win matches? You start from the back, get organised. Then, if you have two or three creative players, build a side around certain players. Then you get balance. It’s not about wanting the best 11 players of the best 11 flair players, but we never, ever, ever learn.”
Former England striker Collymore has called on captain Gerrard to retire from the international game. Gerrard made errors in the build-up to the two Suarez goals and the night capped a disappointing end of the season for the Liverpool man after his club side's title collapse.
“Steven Gerrard has been a wonderful servant to Liverpool football club and for England,” Collymore said on talkSPORT.
"We remember the Germany performance, the 5-1, and he has drove (sic) our midfield ever since he came into the side at the 2000 European Championship.
“But, for me now, I think he needs to look at himself and say perhaps he wants to extend his club career and retire from the England national scene.”
