Departing duo Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard will get it right in America

Two of England’s greatest servants are heading for the United States in the firm belief that the future is bright for Roy Hodgson’s team.

This time last year, Steven Gerrard was preparing to skipper his country at the World Cup, with Frank Lampard as his deputy.

Both retired from international duty after a hugely disappointing tournament in Brazil but, as they pack their bags for the MLS, both are convinced that Hodgson and the FA are on the right track.

“I really think that England will surprise a few in France,” says Gerrard, who is due to make his LA Galaxy debut on July 11.

“I look at the other teams that are going into that tournament, and not many of them scare me that much.

“I just think, somewhere down the line, England will get that bit of luck where they will progress beyond a quarter-final.

“For me it’s more of a frustration than regret when I look back at some of those shoot-outs and see how close we got to progressing to the semi-finals. From there you never know what happens.

“But while there’s frustration, I’ve certainly got no excuses because the stage was there to go and do it. We just fell a bit short.

“I don’t regret playing for England, or turning up and giving it a go, because I loved every minute of it.”

England face the Republic of Ireland in Dublin next Sunday as they prepare for their Euro 2016 qualifier in Slovenia.

Passage to France next summer would be all but assured with a sixth consecutive Group E victory on June 14.

Lampard, whose departure to New York was delayed by a final blast in the Premier League at Manchester City, is encouraged by the implementation of more joined-up thinking in the FA’s coaching structure.

“I think that the foundations now are much better than they were a few years ago,” he says.

“There’s no magic wand, but what the FA is doing is the right way forward. I think we’ve learned the error of our ways.

“Other nations moved ahead of us in terms of coaching youngsters. Spain is the obvious example. In France they had the academies years before us.

“So we’re behind, and the fact we’re playing catch-up probably means we won’t see results for a little bit longer.

“The sort of top-level tournaments that come round every two years are not easy to win. Sometimes you’re waiting for a batch of kids to come through at the right time. Hopefully that will happen.”

One of the trickiest issues England have to deal with is whether to send young players who have already broken through to the senior side back to Under-21 duty.

Harry Kane, for instance, will go to the tournament in the Czech Republic this summer, while Luke Shaw has not been considered at the request of Manchester United and Ross Barkley is with the seniors.

“It’s a tough question and each individual case is different,” says Lampard.

“I look at Harry and see there’s a really big future. What will he gain out of going to an Under-21 tournament when he’s played 50-odd games and been one of the players of the year? That one I can’t call.

“I see both sides. If I was his club manager I’d want him to have a rest. If I was Gareth Southgate, I’d want him involved.”