"Squads boasting the likes of the Liverpool legend plus David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen reached three successive major quarter-finals between 2002-06 before failing to qualify for Euro 2008 and bowing out of the 2010 World Cup in the last 16 to Germany. Surely they should have done better, is how the story goes, especially with defensive options like Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Sol Campbell, John Terry and Ashley Cole that current boss Thomas Tuchel would surely be envious of."
"Speaking as a guest on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast 45-year-old Gerrard, who won 114 caps and played at six major tournaments without reaching a semi-final, said: "I think we were all egotistical losers. "Why didn't we connect when we were 20, 21, 22, 23? Was it ego? Was it rivalry? "It was down to the culture within England. We weren't friendly or connected. We weren't a team. We never at any stage became a really good, strong team.""
Multiple factors contributed to the England 'Golden Generation' failing to win major tournaments, including tactical shortcomings, misguided managers and strong opponents. A group featuring Steven Gerrard, David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen reached three successive quarter-finals from 2002-06 but then failed to qualify for Euro 2008 and exited the 2010 World Cup in the last 16 to Germany. Abundant defensive options included Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Sol Campbell, John Terry and Ashley Cole. Club-over-country priorities and intense Premier League rivalries weakened national-team cohesion. Personal ego and a culture of poor connection prevented the squad forming a unified, strong team.
Read at www.bbc.com
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