World Cup qual. - Ferdinand: England were a circus

Eurosport - Wed, 15 Oct 13:26:00 2008

England defender Rio Ferdinand said the national team set-up was like a circus until the arrival of Italian Fabio Capello as manager in January.

2008 England Rio Ferdinand - 0

The Manchester United defender, who will captain his country against Belarus in the World Cup qualifier in Minsk as stand-in for the injured John Terry, said the players became obsessed by their celebrity lifestyles.

"I think we got caught up in all the hype," Ferdinand said. "We became celebrities in terms of the WAG (wives and girlfriends) situation. There was a big show around the England squad.

"It was like a theatre unfolding and football became a secondary element to the main event. We were caught in the bubble ourselves."

Ferdinand's claims focused mainly on the 2006 World Cup, when manager Sven-Goran Eriksson allowed the WAGs to stay near the team hotel in the German spa town of Baden-Baden.

"In Baden-Baden, there were paparazzi everywhere, our families were there. When you step back it was like a circus," Ferdinand said.

England lost in a penalty shoot-out to Portugal at the quarter-final stage in Germany following a goalless draw.

Ferdinand contrasted the freedom the players previously enjoyed with Capello's strict approach, which has included banning family, friends and agents from the team hotel.

"This is a very, very professional regime," Ferdinand added. "Very result-orientated, very much like a lot of our clubs. The results come a long way before the performances.

"You see how he (Capello) is on the training ground, in our meetings, that there's a winning mentality there."

England will try to make it four wins from four qualifiers in Belarus.

"This regime is very watertight. We have to take everything we can from the manager because of his vast experience," added Ferdinand. "If we can do that, England will go in the right direction.

"I don't want to speak too soon, but you can see that we're at the start of something and, hopefully, there will be bigger rewards than we have had in the past."

Reuters

Comment 31 - 50 of 70

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  1. 41 - england players arent paid for playing for their country.

    From JONATHAN, on Wed 15 Oct 11:32AM

  2. From the beginning, Fabio Capello seems to have been a good influence on Rio; for instance, his "sensible" hairstyle dates back to the beginning of the new regime. Call me old fashioned (I am nearly 80), but I do believe that all aspects of lifestyle and behaviour reflect on performance. Top Premier League players are paid so much, they owe their public a duty to live and train as professional athletes, not as playboy "personalities". Clubbing and late night drinking sessions, whilst obviously attractive to rich young men, should be outlawed from their culture. The illiterate minority who are intent on knocking Rio Ferdinand should listen and learn from him.
    From Old Jack

    From johnhallett246@..., on Wed 15 Oct 11:27AM

  3. I think we just have to admit that England lack creativity. In the Premiership there's always a foreigner to lift the quality, but England can only win games by working hard and set pieces. Capello seems to have understood this, so let's ignore our frustration to have seen the thousanth boring midfield pass or long ball without midfield support and get behind Capello. At least he gets results.

    From chirpychesters, on Wed 15 Oct 11:05AM

  4. doubt it!

    From doubt.it.man, on Wed 15 Oct 11:04AM

  5. To Paul G, well said

    From sappercommando25, on Wed 15 Oct 10:58AM

  6. At the end of the day, the English have no work ethic and that is why they are incapable of doing anything that counts.

    From sappercommando25, on Wed 15 Oct 10:54AM

  7. excuses excuses....that is what the English are...nothing but a sad excuse

    From sappercommando25, on Wed 15 Oct 10:53AM

  8. post 42 obviously not Newcastle? Going down.

    From Terence P, on Wed 15 Oct 10:50AM

  9. In response to the previous Irishman's comments that we should be satisfied with the players England have. I have worked behind the scenes at a top football club in the north, and met several Irish internationals and in my opinion the big difference in attitudes of the players is simple. Irish players really want to play while hou lads play reluctently.Now that could be the fans, club managers, agents, media or they simpley do not like been reminded their English. So in my mind the Irish passion will allways lift you but if your the long suffering England fans the search for the "HOLY GRAIL", ie; a manager who could win us a trophy will eventually continue.

    From A S 911, on Wed 15 Oct 10:37AM

  10. tell us something we dont know rio!

    they shouldnt get paid to play for england.

    i would walk through a brick wall.

    at least he had the guts to say it.....better than the other show ponies.

    hope capello has the guts to drop "stevie g"

    he was total @#$% on saturday. sunday league standard.

    From geordieprince1, on Wed 15 Oct 10:31AM

  11. wio fewdinand needs to stop talking

    From Dave S, on Wed 15 Oct 10:29AM

  12. Why didnt Ferdinand speak up before, oh yes i forgot he was the head clown, remember him making a beadle like video trying to stitch up Beckham..
    Ferdinand your a disgrace and a two faced @#$%

    From John, on Wed 15 Oct 10:27AM

  13. all you so called england fans should get behind your team, not put them down so what if you pay to see them thats your choice, yes cole was a nob, but dont boo him that wont help the team, listen to post 23 he talks sence and he is irish. you will see the results will change with our new manager.

    From chrishibbert25, on Wed 15 Oct 10:23AM

  14. I can't believe that people are complaining about the manner of the result on saturday - 5-1 was a good result. I think Kazakstahn played pretty well in the first half, they were very energetic - unlike teams like Andorra. We have scored 9 goals in 2 qualifiers, personally its all about the results and getting to the world cup, nobody said it has to be pretty.

    The media create the hype and expectation and set the wages from TV revenues - dont believe everything you read and a salary cap is the only thing that will sort out the crazy wages in the premier league.

    From jonmccol, on Wed 15 Oct 10:19AM

  15. Morning all.......
    WAGS on Tour - absolutely talentless but looked great
    England at Home - absolutely talentless ?
    Rio in 3D = Pug in 2D !
    PS. No.26 - You've obviously been spamming too long if you think Pug is a nice guy - Ha Ha

    From demoniser101, on Wed 15 Oct 9:47AM

  16. Dunno who the whore is... personally, I think it looks like a bloke with a wig

    From boxster, on Wed 15 Oct 9:44AM

  17. Who's the whore on posts 30 - 35?

    From Terence P, on Wed 15 Oct 9:41AM

  18. At this stage of the qualifiers Capello needs results and more time to work with the team so he can figure out his best eleven . So the press and supporters need to back him up and stop been so critical . Let him do the job !!!!

    From petersheridan45, on Wed 15 Oct 9:33AM

  19. Were ? Still are :-)

    When did Rio Ferdinand ever go to a theatre anyway ?

    From art_tidesco, on Wed 15 Oct 9:32AM

  20. if saturdays performance was aything to go by, this so called world cup (possibles)squad would be lucky to win the "Inter 2Bob Cup never mind the world cup. So what difference has Cappelo made

    Neil W.

    From j19naw, on Wed 15 Oct 9:30AM
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