08 Oct 2025 07:24:32
Love him or loathe him, Steven Gerrard has made some pretty telling comments about the "golden generation" of England footballers, labelling them all, and including himself, as "egotistical losers"!
Think he has hit the nail on the head with his insights, which is worth the quick 2min read on SSN. That team underachiever more than any in history, as there was enough talent there to win back to back trophies.
Some of the finger pointing should also be directed at the management of those eras, for failing to create a true "team" that bonded properly, that was probably the missing piece in enabling that talented group deliver the goods!
08 Oct 2025 09:44:34
Agree mate,
That generation was ruined by club rivalry over country, egos and poor managers. Imagine what el tel or Bobby robson would of got out of these players.
I don’t rate southgate at all, awful manager who threw away a few golden chances of glory with a great squad. However what he did perfectly was create a club England and fair play to him for shifting that culture.
08 Oct 2025 09:45:50
I’m really confused Bright?
That lovely chap Gary Neville is highlighting the importance of being United, as one team.
And yet has boasted many times previously (now confirmed by Steven Gerrard) that even when they were playing for their country.
That Devon and Liverpool players would not even speak to each other and did not even try to hide their loathing of each other?
Not like Gary Neville to have made an error of judgement.
Qatar for now…….
08 Oct 2025 09:57:52
Yes bright I've heard a few different voices from that time saying the same thing. The players from different teams just didn't mix. Whether because of the big rivalry at the time with fergie and wenger etc.
I think there has been a lot of that in international football. Some great Dutch sides that never gelled and should have won more.
I think the drinking culture before brought Robsons and venables together. But the generation after that were moving in to the superfit sportsman mould.
They just didn't like or had been told not to or conditioned not to like each other.
Now football has completely gone the other way and player power means all the top players mix socially and have connections with each other outside of football.
Whether that is social media or gaming or all enjoying the lifestyle of the very wealthy.
08 Oct 2025 20:51:53
I always hated the expression 'the golden generation' which was totally inappropriately as they never won anything - they didn't get further than the quarter finals.
Totally overrated, totally underwhelming and I for one applaud Gerrard for calling them out for what they were!
09 Oct 2025 07:04:12
It does confirm that you can not create a great football team without team spirit. Top individual players they may have all been but without a bonding they will win nothing.
Whose fault was that? In my opinion I was everyone’s from the FA to the players themselves.
I guess that at some point after that hugely disappointing period there probably was a collective thought that the players needed bonding and I’m sure that was the main directive of Southgate’s tenure.
Although it appeared he achieved the target in bonding the players, it’s just a pity that he wasn’t a good footballing tactician as well as it looks like that was the missing ingredient to have won two trophies already.
09 Oct 2025 07:52:15
Agree on all points op.
09 Oct 2025 17:26:31
I prefer David James's response to Gerrards claim, that being, there were better teams than us playing at the same time. What's more, that is allowed.
From my own perspective, we have not had any real word class players [in abundance] for a while. Italy 90 was for me was the only team capable of winning the World Cup and the best since 1970, which arguably was a better team than 1966 [that match V Germany was the first time I saw my dad cry! ].
I'm not sure the current team / players have any better chance.
I appreciate Southgate [ I appreciate what he did] got us further than for a while, but our tournaments were scratchy and things went our way, when in the past they perhaps didn't.
09 Oct 2025 23:14:30
Individually they were all great players, but collectively a crap team.
I concur that Southgate was only a mediocre coach, but at least he was a good man manager, and created a team ethos that had been sadly lacking, and which hopfully continues today.