Steven Gerrard has described himself and the stars of England's so-called golden generation as "egotistical losers" who failed to deliver due to club rivalries and a lack of team cohesion. Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the former Liverpool captain admitted he hated being away with the England squad despite earning 114 caps and appearing at six major tournaments.
Gerrard cited cliques from Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea as a major issue, with players like Michael Owen, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and Frank Lampard sticking to club allegiances. He also struggled to dovetail in midfield with Lampard, while Paul Scholes also failed to fit in, and said the central midfield system did not work.
"I think we were all egotistical losers," Gerrard said. He noted that relationships between former teammates have improved with age, but questioned why they could not connect during their playing days. "Was it ego? Was it rivalry? 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?"
Gerrard revealed he felt isolated during international duty, saying he hated the rooms and lacked connection with teammates. He suggested the coaching staff should have encouraged more team bonding. "If we'd have been more of a team, more together and liked each other more, it would have come out in the performances more," he added.
Turning to his managerial career, Gerrard reflected on his difficult spell at Aston Villa, which ended in 2022, and said he has "unfinished business" after leaving Al-Ettifaq in January. He expressed interest in a return to management, with a possible move to Rangers reported following the sacking of Russell Martin.
