15 hours ago
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Rio Ferdinand acknowledges there "was some truth" in Steven Gerrard's assertion that their England generation were "egotistical losers" who couldn't fulfil their potential during major tournaments together.
The squad was hailed as a 'Golden Generation' for the Three Lions, yet ultimately couldn't progress beyond a quarter-final at either the World Cup or the Euros between 2002 and 2006. Sven-Goran Eriksson was at the helm for England on all three occasions.
He possessed a squad predominantly drawn from the ranks of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool. This meant stars such as Gerrard, Ferdinand, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney were required to set aside their club rivalries for international duty.
This proved challenging for all involved, given the intensity of their domestic competitions. United, Chelsea and Arsenal each claimed the Premier League title during the specified timeframe, and Gerrard recently admitted their failure to suppress their egos contributed to their disappointing record.
Ferdinand accepts his former teammate made a valid observation. Speaking to The Times, he said: "I think there was some truth in it. There were a multitude of reasons we didn't succeed but it was one of the big factors.
"Our egos stemmed from wanting to be successful at our football clubs. We had to go back to Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsène Wenger or José Mourinho - big, powerful managers who created a dominant drive inside all of us that we had to win with our teams.
"I liked hearing Stevie say what I felt. I'd be sitting across the table at lunch in the England camp looking at Stevie, knowing United have Liverpool in a couple of weeks, thinking, 'I don't even like you right now'.
"I felt the same at times about John Terry, Frank Lampard, or whoever we were fighting in the league. That was a detriment to England. There was no cohesiveness.
"That's where I always give (Gareth) Southgate his props because he managed to change that. And our generation didn't have social media, which I think brings players closer because they have more touch points with each other."
Ferdinand's era of English football has collectively acknowledged their role in a less than stellar period. The Three Lions have since progressed beyond this, largely attributed to Southgate, with the former England manager bringing the nation tantalisingly close to triumph.
Including the 2018 World Cup, England have reached at least the semi-finals on three separate occasions. Twice they've been runners-up at the Euros.
The unity and camaraderie within the current England squad have been widely praised, partly due to a diverse group of players representing a broader range of clubs.
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