Manchester United great Bobby Charlton has blamed the influence of overseas players for the play-acting culture in the Premiership.

The issue of diving has reared its head again following high-profile acts of simulation from Chelsea stars Arjen Robben and Didier Drogba among others, and Charlton points to the growing number of foreign players in the game as the root cause of unsporting behaviour within the game.

Charlton, speaking at the launch of a special World Cup MasterCard, said: "The British always used to be called the gentlemen of sport. They would play the game correctly, with a stiff upper lip - but we did it right. And we seem to have drifted into some of the bad habits that others have brought with them.

"We didn't used to have any of this in our country until players from abroad came in."

Charlton, who won the World Cup with England in 1966, also stated his preference for a British manager to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson as national team boss when the Swede steps down after this summer's tournament in Germany.

"I would like to se a British manager, certainly," he added. "But it's not so important, it's not the end of the world if we don't have a British manager. But I think that if you're trying to create drive and impetus and national feeling - and national feeling is really important going into a tournament like this - then maybe that's more attainable with a British coach."