England’s Golden Generation ‘would have won something’ with manager like Gareth Southgate in charge after failures under Sven Goran-Eriksson and Fabio Capello

England’s so-called ‘Golden Generation’ would have won something had a manager like Gareth Southgate been in charge, talkSPORT was told.

Those teams in the 2000s and early 2010s, managed by the likes of Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello, were littered with greats of the game.

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There were perennial Premier League and Champions League winners and genuinely some of the best players England have produced.

Despite the wealth of talent, the furthest the Three Lions ever reached was a quarter-final.

Eriksson’s side crashed out at that stage in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and Euro 2004.

Meanwhile, Capello only managed to reach the round of 16 at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

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Current England boss Southgate reached the semi-final of the last World Cup and the final of this summer’s European Championship.

talkSPORT host Jason Cundy said: “When you look back at that Golden Generation, I don’t know who named them that, you look back at that team and I think it’s the best back four I’ve ever seen. 

“Ashley Cole, Gary Neville, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand. That back four is better than what we’ve got.”

His Sports Bar co-host, Jamie O’Hara, interjected: “Kyle Walker is better than Gary Neville.”

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Cundy continued: “That back four is better. Let’s go through the team.

“Gerrard and Lampard get in this England team. Rooney, does he get in ahead of Kane? That’s a debate we are going to have.

“But if you go through that team, Beckham, Scholes, how that England side did not get past a quarter-final I will never know.

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“I didn’t believe we had the collective ability to do it, but you know what, if we had a Gareth Southgate back then, there’s a very good chance we would have done something.”

England are back in action tonight facing Poland in their World Cup qualifier, with commentary live on talkSPORT from 7:45pm.

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