Gerrard Brands Failed England Generation ‘Egotistical Losers’

Former England and Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard believes ego and nine rivalry prevented the Three Lions from winning planetary tournaments during his playing career.

Branded a “golden generation,” Gerrard was portion of an immensely talented squad that failed to advancement beyond the quarter-finals of a large tourney nether assorted managers. The 45-year-old, who earned 114 planetary caps, led Liverpool to the Champions League successful 2005.

Manchester United’s harvest of England stars, including Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, and Wayne Rooney, alongside Chelsea’s Ashley Cole, John Terry, and Frank Lampard, enjoyed Premier League and Champions League occurrence astatine nine level. However, Gerrard contended that these nine divisions hindered England’s cohesion arsenic a team.

“We were each egotistical losers,” Gerrard told the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, reflecting connected the camaraderie that present exists among the aforesaid players successful their punditry careers. “So wherefore didn’t we link erstwhile we were 20, 21, 22, 23? Was it ego? Was it rivalry? It stemmed from the civilization wrong England. We weren’t affable oregon connected. We weren’t a team. We ne'er astatine immoderate signifier became a genuinely good, beardown team.”

England is inactive waiting to extremity their drought since winning the World Cup successful 1966. However, they did scope the last of the past 2 European Championships nether Gareth Southgate. After losing the Euro 2024 final, Southgate stepped down, with Thomas Tuchel present astatine the helm of England’s hopes for the upcoming World Cup.

“Gareth Southgate is underrated for however helium connected with the England team,” Gerrard remarked. “Because for me, the endowment was determination (in my time). The players were there. The level of games we were each playing astatine was capable to execute amended than we did.

We had a spot of atrocious luck with penalties oregon whatever. We indispensable instrumentality responsibility, but I person a large vexation erstwhile I look backmost astatine England that we ne'er did better. I deliberation it’s a operation of antithetic factors, but 1 important contented was that we weren’t a team. We were a radical of individuals with talent, and that ne'er works.”

Gerrard’s managerial vocation has stalled pursuing disappointing spells astatine Aston Villa and Saudi broadside Al Ettifaq. However, helium is among the favourites for a instrumentality to Glasgow giants Rangers, with whom helium won the Scottish Premiership successful the 2020/21 season.

“There’s a portion of maine that inactive feels there’s immoderate unfinished concern successful presumption of wanting to look a mates of breathtaking challenges,” the 45-year-old said regarding his instrumentality to management. “But I privation a definite benignant of challenge. If, successful an perfect world, they go available, I’ll leap astatine them. If they don’t, I won’t spell backmost in. I privation to beryllium astatine a squad that’s going to vie to triumph due to the fact that I deliberation that suits maine better.”