Former England internationa Jermain Jenas says high-profile players “tended to do things their way” during the so-called Golden Generation – and he felt as though those players would be picked no matter how well anyone else was playing.
Jenas won 21 caps for England between 2003 and 2009, but Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard had a duopoly of the midfield spots during that time, leaving Jenas to feel as though there was nothing he could do at club level to get a proper chance.
“It was difficult for any England midfielder to break up the Lampard-Gerrard midfield combination we had at that time,” Jenas says.
“They were two great players and tended to be automatic picks, which was difficult for players like myself and Michael Carrick, who were pushing to try and get into the England team.
“The frustration from my perspective was that nothing we could have done would change the way the team was selected.
“That was disheartening for players who were not first picks and getting your head around the reality that you probably wouldn’t play got a little disheartening when you met up with England squads.