Steven Gerrard has described himself and the other stars of England's so-called golden generation as 'egotistical losers' who could not see beyond club-level rivalries and failed to deliver on their potential due to an unfriendly environment. The former Liverpool captain, speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, admitted he hated being away with the England squad.
Gerrard won 114 caps and appeared at six major tournaments, yet success eluded him. He cited cliques from Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea as a major issue. The Liverpool contingent included Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher, while the United set featured Ferdinand, Gary Neville, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Wayne Rooney. From Chelsea there were Ashley Cole, John Terry, and Frank Lampard.
Gerrard struggled to dovetail in midfield with Lampard, while Scholes also failed to fit in. He said the system, with a central midfield two, did not work, but the problems ran deeper. 'I think we were all egotistical losers,' Gerrard said. 'Why are we all mature enough now and at stages in our life where we're closer and more connected? Why couldn't we connect as England teammates back then? I think it was down to the culture within England that we were all never connected.'
Gerrard said he hated being in the England squad, spending hours alone in his room. 'I used to love the games. I used to love playing for England. Really proud. I used to enjoy the training sessions but it was 90 minutes a day. And then I was just on my own in London or Romania or wherever.' Ferdinand suggested there was an 'underlying bitterness' between the players. 'Yeah, bitterness, a little bit of hatred,' Gerrard replied, adding that more emphasis should have been placed on team bonding by the staff.
Gerrard also discussed his managerial career, lamenting how his time at Aston Villa ended in 2022 when he could not 'pull it back because you know that the dressing room is maybe not going to help you pull it back.' He said he has 'unfinished business' as a manager after leaving Al-Ettifaq in January and would jump at the right opportunity. He is under consideration for a return to Rangers.
