Gabby Agbonlahor feels vindicated by Steven Gerrard’s claims about England duty – and couldn’t resist a dig at Phil Neville.Gerrard made headlines this week for claiming there were aspects of England duty he ‘hated’, while also labelling the golden generation team he played in as ‘egotistical losers’. It’s a view which supports Agbonlahor’s suggestion that the culture within the England camp wasn’t the easiest to settle into, especially for new players. Agbonlahor told talkSPORT in 2022 that captain David Beckham didn’t speak to anyone and ‘closed his diary in disgust’ on one occasion when Phil Jagielka tried to strike up a conversation.This was immediately disputed by Neville, who insists Agbonlahor’s tale is ‘bulls***’. A back and forth between the pair followed and Agbonlahor feels Gerrard’s latest claims demonstrate the environment in the England camp wasn’t wholly positive.Gift of the GabReacting to Gerrard‘s claims about the golden generation, Agbonlahor said on Breakfast: “It’s so important, team spirit.“You look at the players when they arrive for international duty, they’re laughing with each other, even at rival clubs… they’re together.“I remember when I came out with it a few years ago and said there were cliques in the England squad and this player would sit with that player…“And that prat Phil Neville came out and said no and it was total lies and it’s so refreshing for me to see Steven Gerrard and Rio Ferdinand saying it. “That’s what it was like back then, it wasn’t fun to go away on international duty. Now it is.”At this point, a shocked Alan Brazil asked Agbonlahor to clarify what he and the many listeners thought he called Neville.Al asked Gabby to repeat what he said about NevilleGabby didn’t mince his words at the first or second time of askingAgbonlahor said: “A prat.”Brazil responded: “Oh dear, who’s rattled your cage today?”What did Steven Gerrard say?Gerrard spoke of the isolation he experienced in the England camp, suggesting he didn’t feel like he was part of a team, unlike when with Liverpool. Asked whether he enjoyed international duty, Gerrard said: “I hated it. I didn’t enjoy it. Hated the rooms.“In my early days, I’d have days where I was down, like low down. Like I’m in this room for seven hours, what am I going to do?“There was no social media, no like, didn’t have a DVD player or anything. Channel 1 to 5 or whatever it was. I used to get low and down.Gerrard is one of England’s most capped players of all time with 114Getty ImagesBut he claims his experience outside of playing matches was largely unenjoyableRio Ferdinand Presents“I used to love the games. I used to love playing for England. Really proud. I used to enjoy the training sessions, but it was 90 minutes a day. And then I was just on my own in London or in Romania or wherever.“I was thinking, I’m in this room from now till I have half an hour dinner, then till the next day. It was like I didn’t feel part of a team. I didn’t feel connected with my teammates with England.“I didn’t feel that with Liverpool. They were the best days of my life. When I used to go abroad to Liverpool or I used to go to an away game with Liverpool, I felt part of a team.“I felt like the staff looked over me, like I felt special. I felt like I couldn’t wait to get there. With England, I just wanted the games and the training sessions and then to be away.”‘Egotistical losers’Gerrard also subscribed to the school of thought that fierce club-on-club rivalries prevented the England teams he played in from fully gelling together.The Liverpool legend admits more effort could’ve been made on the side of the players, claiming: “We were all egotistical losers.England’s golden generation was brilliant on paperGetty“I watch the telly now and I see Jamie Carragher sitting next to Paul Scholes and they look like they’ve been best mates for 20 years.“And I see Carragher’s relationship with Gary Neville and they look like they’ve been mates for 20 years. I’m probably more close and friendly with you (Ferdinand) now than I ever was when I played with you for 15 years (for England).“So why didn’t we connect when we were 20, 21, 22, 23? Was it ego? Was it rivalry?“It was down to the culture within England. We weren’t friendly or connected. We weren’t a team. We never at any stage became a real good, strong team.”“Bitterness, a little bit of hate, a little bit of hatred, a little bit of like, you know, what we want to do. But when you think about it now, looking back at the age I’m at and having gone through a bit of coaching, it’s a bit immature,” Gerrard added.“But also should there have been more emphasis on the staff to go to us, ‘listen, you need to forget that now. We need to connect from day one, more activities, more out of your rooms, more time together.’“But also should there have been more emphasis on the staff to go to us, ‘listen, you need to forget that now. We need to connect from day one, more activities, more out of your rooms, more time together.”