England captain Steven Gerrard says he has laid the
disappointment of not winning the title with Liverpool
last season to rest and is fully focused on leading
the country at the World Cup.
Liverpool led the Premier League with three games
remaining but saw their title challenge slip away
after a 2-0 defeat at home to Chelsea was followed
by a 3-3 draw at Crystal Palace.
But Gerrard is keen to take away the positives from
Liverpool's Premier League campaign and revealed
he cannot wait for England's World Cup opener
against Italy.
"I know everyone wants to know what frame of mind
I'm in after the slip that happened to me against
Chelsea," he said.
"I'm over it. It's gone. I can't change it, but of
course I was disappointed in it from a personal point
of view. The title slipping away from Liverpool with
three games to go was a blow.
"But you've also got to look at the positives as well
having Champions League football back, finishing
second in what is the most difficult league in the
world. I can't just focus on one mistake I made over
38 games.
"I'm in a good frame of mind. Everyone's starting to
get really excited and looking forward to the
tournament getting started.
"This is the important part, the preparation, making
sure you get into peak condition. You try and find
your form before that very important game against
Italy."
Gerrard and vice-captain Frank Lampard are the
most senior players in the squad with a combined
212 international caps between them.
Roy Hodgson will lean on the experienced duo to
provide help and guidance to young trio Raheem
Sterling, Ross Barkley and Luke Shaw who have just
six caps between them.
And Gerrard wants the young players, particularly
Sterling, to play with freedom, insisting they will
benefit by not being weighed down by the burden of
expectation.
"I was very pleased for Raheem," he said. "It is
always important being an experienced player that
you have good young attacking talent in the squad.
That you have that no fear and that you are cable to
surprise a few out there in Brazil.
"I think the stage is set for Raheem. He has no
pressure on him at all. The pressure falls on the
experienced players.
"We want the likes of Raheem, Ross Barkley and
Luke Shaw to just go there and enjoy it and keep
doing what they've been doing for their clubs.
"It's very exciting. The managers have picked a
great mix of players. A good mix of players; good
experienced players who have been around the
block and young players who have had terrific
seasons.
"He hasn't picked them because he wants young
players on the squad but he's picked them because
they are good enough and because they've shown
excellent form throughout the Premier League
games.
"They are here because they are very talented. They
are here on merit."
With five Liverpool players in the squad, there are
calls for Hodgson to adopt a similar playing style to
the one adopted at Anfield.
Brendan Rodgers' men became only the third team
in the Premier League era to score 100 goals in a
season but Gerrard insists England will implement
Hodgson's style of play.
"We can't play the Liverpool way," he said. "We are
here to play the England way. The way that Roy
Hodgson, Gary Neville and Ray Lewington want us to
play.
"I'm very proud to have so many team-mates
around, it tells me that as a group for Liverpool
we've done very well."
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