England 'worked hard' but underachieved says Rooney

"We didn't win anything. I wouldn't quite put it that way, but I know what [Gerrard] is saying, because there was a lot of big characters in the dressing room and in the team. When you look back with the players we had, could we have done better, I think we could have but it wasn't to be. No, I wouldn't say better attitude because I think that's disrespectful, really, to us as players."

"No, I wouldn't say better attitude because I think that's disrespectful, really, to us as players. We worked hard, we tried, we didn't quite manage to do it. It was difficult to have that relationship with Liverpool and Man United players. I think it's easier now. I used to speak to Steven all the time when we were playing and obviously both scousers."

Steven Gerrard labelled England's 2000s 'golden generation' as held back by egos and strained relationships between rival-club players. Wayne Rooney rejected that label and insisted the squad worked hard and that he had no personal issues with teammates. Rooney acknowledged the presence of many big characters in the dressing room and accepted that the team could perhaps have achieved more but failed to 'get over the line' in major tournaments. Rooney noted that relationships between Liverpool and Manchester United players were difficult at the time but said he personally communicated with Steven Gerrard and felt relations are easier now.

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