Gareth Southgate bidding to reunite the Golden Generation to improve his England side
The FA are reaching out to a host of former stars, including John Terry, to try and help future generations
THEY were England’s Golden Generation.
Now, some of those same players could become a coaching revelation.
Under a bold initiative by the Football Association, moves are afoot to reunite the Three Lions’ best players of the past 20 years in an attempt to improve the national team.
SunSport revealed last month that Wembley chiefs have invited Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole to study their coaching badges at St George’s Park.
They have now made a similar offer to John Terry – a move it is hoped will heal the deep rift that saw the Chelsea captain retire from international football four years ago.
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SunSport also understands the FA has attempted to reach out to David Beckham - with the aim of bringing him on board to help mentor England’s young stars.
Becks’ various commercial interests and ambassadorial roles mean his time is limited and he has shown little interest in becoming a manager.
However, the FA team headed by technical director Dan Ashworth and head coach Gareth Southgate, are determined to harness the experience and knowledge of the country’s best ex pros.
Sunsport revealed two weeks ago that Southgate is keen to have either Gary or Phil Neville on board as England Under 21 manager.
The Neville brothers already have the UEFA Pro License required to coach at the highest level and have club experience with Valencia and Manchester United.
Lampard, Gerrard and Terry are at the start of the education process and have been offered the chance to fast track to their Pro Licence – cutting the process by up to 18months. Cole has yet to decide if he wants to continue playing.
The players will achieve their coaching qualifications and, in return, the FA hope the likes of Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Eric Dier, John Stones, Raheem Sterling will benefit from the experience of their predecessors.
Southgate realises he doesn’t possess the ‘star quality’ of men like Beckham, Gerrard and Lampard who have won everything in club football between them.
But by introducing those characters into England training sessions on a game by game basis it’s hoped they can mentor and inspire this and the next generation of players.
They will be tasked with creating and running coaching sessions as well as mentoring individuals who play in the same role they have done.
Crucially, it’s also the intention that today’s England players can learn from mistakes made in the past.
Between them, Beckham(115), Gerrard(114), Cole(107), Lampard(106), Gary Neville(85), and Phil Neville(59) have 586 caps for England. None has a winners medal.
Since retiring from playing Gary Neville has said he feels the fact he didn’t win a trophy with the national side makes his England career a failure.
FA chiefs feel England players can learn from Golden Generation, in particular the reasons they failed to succeed at tournament after tournament.
It’s no coincidence that all of the players the FA have targeted to help them are also known to be excellent communicators and intelligent footballers.
From the ex players’ perspective, helping younger players to achieve their potential may also help exorcise some the ghosts of their own England careers, which never lived up to expectations.
This is seen as the beginning of a longer term project by the FA to nurture and encourage a new generation of English coaches under a new blueprint for the future.
Wayne Rooney – one of the last of the Golden Generation still playing – has expressed his desire to go into coaching and is viewed as a future student for the FA.
In the past decade, the riches on offer to players at the highest level has meant a career in the game after hanging up their boots is not a financial necessity.
That being the case, encouraging men like Lampard/Gerrard/Terry/Rooney to enter the fray and giving them every opportunity to succeed is seen as critical if England (and Premier League clubs) are to have English coaches in the future.