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"Gutted, gutted,” said United’s Phil Jones. “You work for years to get to this stage and you’re out within days.”

The Reds player was reflecting on England’s disastrous World Cup which saw them crash out at the group stage.

Having lost to Italy and Uruguay, Roy Hodgson’s men were eliminated before their final match against Costa Rica, which they drew.

It is the first time England have been knocked-out of the World Cup finals at the first round stage since 1958.

And although it may not have been a major surprise for many England fans, the early exit was a major shock for Jones.

“We genuinely thought we had a great chance,” he sighs.

“Of what? The knock out stage, quarters, semis?” Jones nods.

“I know there’s always big expectations with England, but we thought that this group of players were big players for their club and their country.

“And I still think that. I don’t care what anyone else says, the future is bright for England.

“But, obviously, it’s difficult to see that now when the lads are devastated as they are.”

When pushed to pick out some positives from England’s three games, in which they picked up just one point and scored only two games.

“The young lads who’ve come through have done really well, but it’s not the time to be picking out points,” he says.

“You can’t use being unlucky as an excuse because you create your own luck, but there were times when we were unlucky.”

Now Jones will turn his attention on to the new season with United under new boss Louis van Gaal.

“We’ll reflect and I’ll try and look forward to the start of the season,” said Jones. “But I’m going to have a break now before we start on United’s pre-season in America.”

Jones will be joined on the tour by Michael Carrick, who wasn’t selected for England’s World Cup squad.

After last season’s disappointment at Old Trafford, with the Reds struggling in both Europe and the Premier League, 32-year-old midfielder Carrick is desperate to put things right next season.

“Last season counts for nothing, for everyone,” he said. “We go into this fresh and really positive and looking forward to a successful campaign.

“I’m not going into this season any different to how I have any other.

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“Whether you win or lose, the next season you’ve got to start again, doing it all over again.

“It’s not a nice feeling when things don’t go right.

“You give your best as everyone did, sometimes it just doesn’t go for us and that was the case over too long a time really.

“You have dips and you expect to get over them quickly – and at times we showed that we were going to get over them – and then just as results and performances were changing we took a step back again.

“That was very frustrating. Looking back, it was a disappointing campaign, but we’ve got to learn from it.

“Never stop learning and take what we can.”

Van Gaal has already moved to bolster his squad for next season with the arrival of Andre Herrera and Luke Shaw – and there is likely to be more to come.

And Carrick believes the Reds have the ability to be fighting for the Premier League title again next season.

“We’ve certainly still got enough quality in the squad – regardless of who is coming in this summer – to be up there challenging again,” he said.