Glenn Roeder says that buying British is proving nearly impossible
in the current transfer market.
Glenn - who insists the money he has got for transfers "is burning a hole in my pocket" - has scoured Europe looking for players but admits he would just as happily have stayed on these shores if he felt the talent was there.
"It has got to be a real concern across the board how few English players are featuring in the Premiership," he says.
"We have a terrific group of young English players coming through that will make up a good national team in the next four or five years.
"And I'm sure Sven-Goran Eriksson is excited by the prospect of working with that group.
"Obviously Sol Campbell was a massive signing for Arsenal and Frank Lampard at £11m from us across to Chelsea was another.
"But outside of it, there is not a huge amount of players to choose from.
"And the ones that are there are not being let go by the clubs they are at.
"You still want to keep the core of your team English, but it is very very difficult."
He cites as proof of his theory the fact that very few players have made the step up a division into the top flight by way of a transfer this summer.
"For instance, what first division player has been bought by a Premiership club for the coming season?" he asks.
"It is difficult to name one off the top of my head; it can't be just ourselves that don't think there are players up to Premiership standard down there.
"All the other clubs have got to think the same, which is why, overall, there are more and more foreign players being brought into the Premiership for the coming season."
Looking at players from abroad is, he admits, an altogether more complex process, and he explains:
"It is harder to find out about their characters and how they are as people.
"Usually, when you get an English player, you know exactly what you are getting whereas with a foreign player you are a little bit on a wing and a prayer that they are going to settle in England, and enjoy the life in England and the way the football is in the Premiership.
"Some settle in really well, and stay a long time, and some find it difficult.
"That is the added problem for myself; finding the quality, and the character to go with that quality in terms of settling in."
There is, he admits, no shortage of players in Europe wanting to come here.
"There are lots of players from the continent looking to get into the Premiership," he says.
"But just because they are from abroad it doesn't mean they are going to be of a high enough level."
Glenn insists he will not buy in a panic, even with the season just around the corner.
And he asks supporters to be patient as he uses what funds he does have to the best effect.
"People have got to understand that Chelsea are in a position to buy four players for a total of £32m to add to what is already a big squad," he says, comparing transfer budgets.
"I've been told there is an amount of money to spend and once that is spent that is it.
"That doesn't mean to say that if we absolutely needed to make a signing during the season more funds were would not be made available.
"But at this stage I know how much I have got to spend and it is burning a hole in my pocket.
"I'm not comfortable with it there: I want to spend it but I want to spend it wisely.
"I want to cover every eventuality, and if there are mistakes to be made they will be honest mistakes.
"Once we have completed these signings we can then shut up shop and basically say 'this is our squad' for the coming season, then we can attack it to the best of our ability."
Glenn - who insists the money he has got for transfers "is burning a hole in my pocket" - has scoured Europe looking for players but admits he would just as happily have stayed on these shores if he felt the talent was there.
"It has got to be a real concern across the board how few English players are featuring in the Premiership," he says.
"We have a terrific group of young English players coming through that will make up a good national team in the next four or five years.
"And I'm sure Sven-Goran Eriksson is excited by the prospect of working with that group.
"Obviously Sol Campbell was a massive signing for Arsenal and Frank Lampard at £11m from us across to Chelsea was another.
"But outside of it, there is not a huge amount of players to choose from.
"And the ones that are there are not being let go by the clubs they are at.
"You still want to keep the core of your team English, but it is very very difficult."
He cites as proof of his theory the fact that very few players have made the step up a division into the top flight by way of a transfer this summer.
"For instance, what first division player has been bought by a Premiership club for the coming season?" he asks.
"It is difficult to name one off the top of my head; it can't be just ourselves that don't think there are players up to Premiership standard down there.
"All the other clubs have got to think the same, which is why, overall, there are more and more foreign players being brought into the Premiership for the coming season."
Looking at players from abroad is, he admits, an altogether more complex process, and he explains:
"It is harder to find out about their characters and how they are as people.
"Usually, when you get an English player, you know exactly what you are getting whereas with a foreign player you are a little bit on a wing and a prayer that they are going to settle in England, and enjoy the life in England and the way the football is in the Premiership.
"Some settle in really well, and stay a long time, and some find it difficult.
"That is the added problem for myself; finding the quality, and the character to go with that quality in terms of settling in."
There is, he admits, no shortage of players in Europe wanting to come here.
"There are lots of players from the continent looking to get into the Premiership," he says.
"But just because they are from abroad it doesn't mean they are going to be of a high enough level."
Glenn insists he will not buy in a panic, even with the season just around the corner.
And he asks supporters to be patient as he uses what funds he does have to the best effect.
"People have got to understand that Chelsea are in a position to buy four players for a total of £32m to add to what is already a big squad," he says, comparing transfer budgets.
"I've been told there is an amount of money to spend and once that is spent that is it.
"That doesn't mean to say that if we absolutely needed to make a signing during the season more funds were would not be made available.
"But at this stage I know how much I have got to spend and it is burning a hole in my pocket.
"I'm not comfortable with it there: I want to spend it but I want to spend it wisely.
"I want to cover every eventuality, and if there are mistakes to be made they will be honest mistakes.
"Once we have completed these signings we can then shut up shop and basically say 'this is our squad' for the coming season, then we can attack it to the best of our ability."