Wayne Rooney has defended England’s so-called “golden generation” after Steven Gerrard called them “egotistical losers”, with the former Manchester United striker insisting “we tried”.
Rooney and Gerrard both played in six major tournaments for England but failed to go further than quarter-finals at World Cups and Euros despite a star-studded squad that included Frank Lampard, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole.
Gerrard told former England team-mate Ferdinand that the reason the Three Lions didn’t win anything was down to a lack of cohesion off the pitch, with the former Liverpool captain revealing that club cliques held the national team back.
"It was down to the culture within England,” Gerrard said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast. “We weren't friendly or connected. We weren't a team. We never at any stage became a real good, strong team."
Rooney, however, said that it wasn’t so simple. "Obviously, we didn't win anything," he said on the Wayne Rooney Show.
"I wouldn't quite put it that way but I know what he's saying. There was a lot of big characters in the dressing room.
"I wouldn't say [England squads now have a] better attitude. That's disrespectful to us as players because we worked hard, we tried. We didn't quite manage to do it.
"Even when you look back with the players we had could we have done better? We could have but it wasn't to be."
Rooney agreed with Gerrard that it was easier to be friendly off the pitch now their days of representing Manchester United and Liverpool on the pitch are behind them.
"I speak to Steven all the time,” Rooney said. “You can have better relationships now because you can have a beer together and relax more.
"I was fine with everyone, I got on with everyone. I was aware Becks [David Beckham] and Gary Neville and Scholesy [Paul Scholes], you could see they weren't going to be close to the Liverpool players.
"But one thing for sure is everyone worked hard for each other. I don't think that was an issue. We just didn't manage to get over the line. I didn't see that at all."
