BRADFORD manager Phil Parkinson called for a major rethink yesterday on how much money English clubs pay their young players.

Parkinson believes there is no lack of talented young English footballers but their development is still being seriously harmed by inflated wages.

Luke Shaw joined Manchester United at the start of last season on a £120,000-a-week deal at the age of 18 while Chelsea youngster Ruben Loftus-Cheek will bank £1.7 million before turning 20, after signing a professional contract at the age of 17 last year.

“It’s a problem which needs to be rectified,” Parkinson said.

“There’s so much money in the game at the moment and I think we’ve got to be careful that we don’t give our 18, 19, 20-year-olds fantastic salaries.

“My view on it is that English football has a great pool of talent but there’s a big problem in that we pay our young players far too much money before they’ve actually done anything.

“You get players who are 19 or 20 in the Premier League who are multimillionaires before they’ve achieved anything and that, for me, takes the hunger and desire away from them.”

The notion of too much too young in English football has been debated for generations but Parkinson feels the Premier League’s increasing worldwide appeal has seen young players’ salaries spiral out of control.

“All of a sudden they’re millionaires,” said. “There’s so much improvement they still need to make and subconsciously they’re thinking: ‘Why do I need to improve? I’m not doing too badly as it stands.’

“But I think in terms of players in this country and the suggestion there’s a shortage of talent, you only have to look at the options Roy Hodgson has going forward with exciting young players, there’s more than enough.

“But I do feel we’ve got to maintain that hunger and desire that is required.”