"It will undoubtedly be a helpful resource in developing and training our aspiring coaches and thereby identifying future English managers."

But despite the opening of such a world-class facility, the skepticism remains.

Different way of thinking

David Webb, a young English coach, worked with London clubs Tottenham, Crystal Palace and Millwall before taking up a role as a performance scout for Southampton -- promoted to the Premier League this season.

But his experiences in Germany with Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen convinced him that football in England is way behind its European rivals when it comes to developing both coaches and players.

"Germany are leaps and bounds ahead of us," Webb told CNN. "In Germany, kids are educated from a very early age and their development programs are outstanding.

"It's not all about winning, it's about learning and I think that's key. They have a foresight which we don't seem to have.

"In England, we have a few problems -- education, a lack of cultural identity in a football sense and a divide between the Football Association and Premier League.

"English coaches do OK when they're dealing with kids but as soon as they progress to the 16 to 18-year-old age group, it gets difficult.

"They don't progress any further because clubs want to bring in foreign coaches to work with the first-team because they're often more educated and fit the bill.

"A lot of foreign coaches are multilingual, well educated and have a different way of thinking, which make them attractive candidates."

Webb, who holds a Masters degree in Sports Science, believes the English game needs to do more for aspiring coaches and players from an early age.

"Education is crucial," he said.

"When I was at Leverkusen, they were surprised with me and said that I was more continental in my thinking, the way I worked and my analysis. Perhaps that's because I've had a decent education, and that's important."

Continental style

Few English managers have succeeded abroad in recent times, with the exception of Hodgson, Terry Venables and the late Bobby Robson.

Robson, who passed away in 2009, won back-to-back league titles with Dutch club PSV Eindhoven after leading England to the World Cup semifinals in 1990.

He then went on to win the Portuguese league and cup double with Porto, before guiding Barcelona to the Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup in his only season in charge.

"I loved playing for Bobby, he was my favorite manager," former Newcastle defender and France international Didier Domi told CNN.

"He was one of those few English coaches to have managed abroad and you could tell that. He had that English way about him but also knew about the continental style, and that's why we enjoyed playing for him.

"For me, it was his knowledge which had obviously gained while coaching in Europe which made him special.

"Everybody loved him from the senior players to the younger ones. He had so much knowledge and knew how to handle people.

"He also had a caring side and was great for me."

But while Robson was successful in Europe, he never managed to win the English league title, despite success at Ipswich and Newcastle.

In fact, not since Howard Wilkinson led Leeds United to the league title in 1992 has an Englishman lifted the biggest prize in domestic competition.