Gareth Southgate, the Middlesbrough manager, is concerned that modern society is not breeding the leaders football clubs crave.

Southgate led by example throughout his career, captaining Aston Villa and Middlesbrough and proving a stalwart for England. He now presides over the club's academy, which has produced a series of first-team players in recent years, two of whom, Stewart Downing and David Wheater, have figured in Fabio Capello's England squad.

However, Southgate fears that changes in childhood lifestyles are denying young players the chance to develop their leadership skills, and responsibility is now falling upon the clubs. “There aren't many leaders in football these days,” he said. “We don't breed many leaders in society, so we have to try to develop people while they are with us. Society is different, generally. The way that kids play, they don't play out in the streets together, a lot of their time is spent in front of computers or on personal stereos or DVD players, so there is less communication between people generally.

“There is a lot more communication via the internet and things like that, so there is just a general change in the education of children. Society is changing, that is just a fact of the modern world. You have to develop the skills. There are some things that are brought in from your upbringing within your family and school, but you have to then continue that process and you have to develop the skills of communication and of leadership.”

Southgate handed Downing, 24, the captain's armband for the Barclays Premier League match against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday when Emanuel Pogatetz, the regular captain, was suspended.

“He is our longest-serving outfield player, and I think the responsibility is good for him in terms of growing as a person as well,” Southgate said. “We have got some leaders in the group, but we need more people to come forward as leaders, and he sometimes doesn't realise the impact he can have on the team. It's good experience for him.”