IT is the question on the lips of every long-suffering England supporter.

After the dethronement of 1970, the wilderness years of 1974 and 1978, the disappointment of 1982, the controversy of 1986, the heartbreak of 1990, the embarrassment of 1994, the penalty woes of 1998, the free-kick of 2002 and the underwhelming showing of 2006, those that follow the Three Lions want to know one thing.

Why should this summer be any different?

During the past four decades, a succession of managers and players have tried but failed to emulate the achievements of Sir Alf Ramsey and his charges back in 1966.

Disappointment has followed disappointment, great expectations swiftly replaced by the realisation England had, once again, fallen short when it mattered most.

It was the same story in Germany four years ago when the team travelled with self-proclaimed hopes of glory only to slip out with a whimper after an uninspired campaign.

So, just why should this summer be any different?

Steven Gerrard believes he has the answer. “For me, the main difference is the Fabio Capello factor,” says the Liverpool captain.

“Look at how we performed during qualifying, we got through comfortably and we played some good stuff along the way.

“With Capello, we have a manager who is right on top of the players, keeping us on our toes. We know we cannot afford to slack off when he is around. The one thing that he has done is instil a winning mentality into the players. That has been very important, and has given us a lot of confidence.”

The hype of England’s impressive qualification has been deflated somewhat by a series of subsequent indifferent friendly performances, but Gerrard reveals the squad have in any case been at pains to keep their feet firmly rooted to the ground.

“We aren’t going to go around saying ‘we’re going to win the World Cup’,” he says. “We have fallen into that trap before and it puts too much expectation on us.

“But we know we have a chance. The manager won’t let us get affected by any expectation, and he wants us to play without fear.

“If we can play well, and keep building on our confidence, and get that little bit of luck on the way that every team needs, then we have an opportunity of getting over the proverbial ‘final hurdle’ that has proven so difficult for us in the past.

“The team spirit is certainly high. We know what is expected of us. The performances can get better and for me that’s an encouraging sign. But as a squad we know how to win games now.

“We’ve been together for a long time. I don’t think there are too many excuses for this team any more. It’s time to deliver.”

A perennial talking point throughout Gerrard’s England career – 80 caps and counting – is where he should be best employed.

Capello has preferred to use Gerrard as the answer to his team’s problematic left wing role, but the Liverpool man shone when pressed into a central role in the recent warm-up victories against Mexico and Japan.

Gerrard has also been used as an attacking foil to Wayne Rooney, but the player himself believes he can do a job wherever Capello sees fit.

“Everyone knows I always enjoy it when I play in the middle,” he says. “I’ve always said that if I make it to the final squad, then I’m aware the manager is going to want me to play in different roles and I’m happy and ready for that.

“Maybe earlier on in my career I’d have sulked a bit if I was asked to play in a few different positions. But I think now I have the maturity and experience to know what is best for the team, and I actually quite like playing in different positions.

“It helps me develop as a player and you learn more about yourself and opponents when you can see the game from different perspectives.”

England begin their campaign against the United States in Rustenburg on June 12, after which come games against Algeria and Slovenia.

And Gerrard says of the Group C opponents: “If we play well I’m confident we can beat them, but I wouldn’t disrespect the other countries and think it’s going to be easy – they will all be tough games.”

The World Cup has not been kind to Gerrard. He was absent in 2002 because of a groin injury and missed a penalty in the quarter-final shoot-out defeat against Portugal four years later.

And having just turned 30, the midfielder knows time is running out for him to leave a lasting impact on football’s biggest tournament.

“Missing a penalty in the quarter-final was the loneliest place in the world and I want to put that right,” says Gerrard. “It’s bad enough losing, but to feel you are responsible is the worst kind of failure.

“If I want to win the World Cup I’m going to need to do it soon. I’m in good shape and I believe I’ve still got five years to fight for the big prizes in football.

“I don’t know if this will be my last World Cup but I want to give it everything.”