Thomas Tuchel's critics are wrong - his bold England strategy will fix 20-year Three Lions issue

Twenty years on and we are still talking about the Golden Generation. England’s richest vein of talent for generations with the likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard,Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney failed to deliver at Euro 2004 or the 2006 World Cup

Gerrard called that team “egotistical losers” this week because of the club divide between players fromLiverpool and Manchester Unitedwhile the big names never lived up to their hype.

Rooney backed up Gerrard and insisted the current generation get on better these days - citing Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford working harmoniously - and they have better relationships with the media.

And yet stillThomas Tuchel’s decision to leave out big names like Jude Bellingham, Foden and Jack Grealish has come under scrutiny. Cole Palmer was not available.

England boss Tuchel said he had seen Gerrard’s remarks and had “heard that song before” as he recalled watching the 2006 World Cup in his native Germany while studying for his coaching badges.

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“They obviously couldn’t find a way to buy into a bigger purpose, a bigger goal,” said Tuchel this week. “And yeah, a big, big opportunity wasted.”

Tuchel is determined not to waste the same opportunity with the current squad and, if anything, was rather baffled as to why he was being questioned over his man-management.

Surely it was better, he said, to stick with the players who won 5-0 in Serbia last month for this camp to face Wales and then the World Cup qualifier in Latvia.

After the 3-0 thumping of Wales, Tuchel could not wait to see his most vocal inquisitor and remind him: I told you so. Tuchel had proved his point and yet still there are some who do not fully buy-in to his approach and, in particular, leaving out the big-names like Bellingham and Foden.

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Surely they will make the squad for the United States next summer but Tuchel is determined that they have to fight their way back and there are no guarantees about starting. Tuchel wants to stick with a winning line-up and formula.

If ever there was a good week to pitch that argument then it is now on the back of Gerrard and Rooney plus also another convincing display from Morgan Rogers in England’s thumping win over Wales.

Rogers may not have the same stardust as his close pal Bellingham but he is strong, determined and has shown that he deserves his place in the England line-up.

The same goes for the likes of Ezri Konsa and Elliot Anderson. Understated but reliable. They look together and united as a team. That is the difference between this generation and the England team of 2004 and 2006.

Remember Marcos Senna and his No6 role for the star-studded Spain team which won Euro 2008? Tuchel certainly does. Among all those superstars, the ex-Villarreal midfielder was the glue which held it all together. Sometimes it is not about the biggest names.

That is the point that Tuchel is making and why he believes he is right to go for team spirit over big names in his England line-up.

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