Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier reckons St. George's Park will be the catalyst for improvement in English football.

Houllier, 65, took charge of Paris Saint-Germain in 1985, the same year the French academy at Clairefontaine was originally signed off and he played a key role in its development.

After three years of construction the centre opened and remains one of the most prestigious and well-known football academies in the world.

Clairefontaine, which unlike St. George's Park houses and trains elite players, boasts a host of Premier League players amongst its alumni. The likes of Hatem Ben Arfa, Alou Diaby, William Gallas and Louis Saha have all passed through, while Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka also attended.

And Houllier is convinced St George's Park, The FA's own national football centre, which opened in October in Burton upon Trent, will give English football the added impetus it requires to challenge for honours within a decade.

He said: "To me it is a massive achievement and improvement for English football.

"We entered Clairefontaine in 1988 and the team became World champions in 1998, it is not only a coincidence.

"I think once you have a tool of that dimension it brings unity to the national teams, even referees can train there, national teams from youngsters to the first-team."

Houllier – speaking at the publication of the Castrol LMA European Managers Survey 2012 – believes having a focal point for all levels of the game can be of huge benefit to both players and coaches.

He added: "It brings a unity of place for the coaching and also for the coaches' education and a unity of place for the philosophy and the type of football you want to implement.

"You have the fields and everything to use and to show, instead of running from training ground to training ground, hotel to hotel.

"I think that once you have that you are bound to improve if it is used in the proper way."

For more about St. George’s Park, visit the official website here