Thursday 24 August 2017 08:28, UK
Former England manager Roy Hodgson believes Wayne Rooney's retirement could mark a new dawn for the national team.
Everton forward Rooney, who picked up 119 caps and scored a record 53 goals, announced on Wednesday that he would be retiring from international football.
Hodgson handed more caps to Rooney than any other England manager, and says although the 'new beginning' first came to light after the World Cup in 2014, the 31-year-old 's retirement opens the door to others and marks the end of a 'Golden Generation'.
Asked if Rooney's retirement could mark a new dawn for England, Hodgson said on The Debate: "Why not? I think it's been a new beginning for the last three years.
"I think from 2014 there was a new beginning. When we decided we wanted to totally rejuvenate the team, we took chances in a way with a lot of 'young players' who certainly didn't have the experience necessary to take on the responsibility of playing for England.
"When you think back to that wonderful generation, the Steven Gerrards, the Frank Lampards, the Ashley Coles, the John Terrys, all of them, in my opinion I got to know reasonably late in their careers. They are fantastic football players, and there was a generation.
"Now I think we're going to build up a new generation, and perhaps Wayne retiring just opens the door now."
Welshman Craig Bellamy, who picked up 78 caps between 1998 and 2013, said England's talent at youth level is obvious, having won the U20 World Cup, and a second successive Toulon Tournament, as well as finishing runners-up in the Euro U17 Championship.
"Looking at England, as a Welshman, I'm actually concerned, because actually for the first time now, in so many age groups in tournaments, England are making the final!
"At youth level, that hasn't really happened for England over the years. You see the talent now, I see a lot of young players coming through at this moment that England should be very excited about."
