He told the News of the World: “Anyone who thinks the players don’t care about playing for England and would rather go and spend their money, buy a nice car, buy a house is talking out of their a***.
“You don’t hear that when we are playing for our clubs. Chelsea won the title last year and Liverpool won the European Cup two years ago.
“When they’re winning things, you don’t hear people saying they’re too rich.
“It’s only when things go a bit pear-shaped that people start looking at the money and say they’re pampered. It’s too easy and people use that excuse too often.
“We haven’t got to where we are and play on the stage we’re playing on without hard work, sacrifice, discipline and wanting to do well.
“We’re in a sport where we’re lucky that we’re paid lots of money. But, regardless whether you are on two bob or a million pounds a day, you’ve got to apply yourself in the same way.
“If you go out there and don’t produce or don’t show your all for the team, you’re not going to play. It’s the same for England.
“Name me a player you think who goes out and hasn’t got pride and desire to do well for their country.”
