Scott Parker: 'Steven Gerrard congratulated me'

England midfielder Scott Parker has revealed that there are no hard feelings from fellow countryman Steven Gerrard after the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was given the Three Lions captaincy.

Temporary England coach Stuart Pearce gave the former West Ham United skipper the captain's armband for the national side's 3-2 defeat to the Netherlands at Wembley last night.

Despite Liverpool playmaker Gerrard being the favourite to take the captaincy, Parker has claimed that the 31-year-old was the first to congratulate him over the appointment.

"Steve was fine," Parker told Sky Sports News. "He was the ultra-professional he is. He was the first person to come up to me and congratulate me and said he'd support me. That was pleasing. You wouldn't expect anything else from such a great player."

Gerrard picked up a hamstring strain during the encounter and was brought off after just half an hour of play.