Harry Redknapp believes England’s promising youngsters are failing to make their mark because they get too much, too soon.

There have been several false dawns for a number of talented teenagers, even if the England coach, Roy Hodgson, included a number of young players in his World Cup squad. Raheem Sterling, Ross Barkley and Luke Shaw were all given a chance to shine in Brazil with other young talents such as Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also involved.

But, with photographs emerging of Wilshere smoking a cigarette on his post-tournament holiday and the Sunderland striker Connor Wickham reportedly spending £17,500 on a bottle of champagne on his own break, there are still plenty who question the desire of such players.

And Redknapp, who had the West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison on loan last season – another player who has been held back by off-field issues – is certainly one of those.

“We’ve had too many the last few years, for whatever reason,” the QPR manager said. “I don’t know if it’s the mentality because they get so much so early. I saw a kid the other week buying £17,000-worth of champagne, what’s that about?

“Let’s be honest; he wouldn’t know an Asti Spumante from a £10,000 bottle of champagne – like I wouldn’t, it’s a load of cobblers. From where we have come from, what would we know?”

Redknapp is hoping to add the Cardiff captain, Steven Caulker, to his ranks in the coming days to add to the free transfer of Rio Ferdinand.

The 67-year-old has backed the duo to prove they are committed to their football and insists he will always buy British if possible.

“I want lads that want to have a go, you just have to hope you can get them,” he added.

“You can take chances with too many foreign players, in the main I like players that have played in England and proved they can do it here rather than wait six months to see if they settle in, we haven’t got six months.

“We need to stay in the league this year, so we know what we are getting with the Caulkers and the Rios. We are looking at another English striker so if I can get British players in the main then I will.”

Redknapp also revealed how close he came to leaving QPR and retiring from football management last season, saying he only decided to stay on after they secured promotion back to the Premier League via Bobby Zamora’s last-gasp play-off final winner.

“If we hadn’t gone up this year I would have turned it in,” he conceded. “I would have definitely packed up. I wouldn’t have gone back and done another year in the Championship, it didn’t appeal to me any more.

“If we had got beat I would have turned it in, definitely. With 10 minutes to go I was thinking ‘what golf club should I join this year – should I play here or there?’ and then suddenly Bobby ruined it all.

“But now I am excited again To go to Anfield and Old Trafford is fantastic. I am so lucky to be able to do that.”