Ferdinand gets England captaincy despite chequered past
John Terry`s sacking as England skipper on Friday opened the door for a significant turnaround in fortune for Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand who will take over the captain`s armband.
|Last Updated: Feb 06, 2010, 09:25 AM IST|Source: Bureau
London: John Terry`s sacking as England skipper on Friday opened the door for a significant turnaround in fortune for Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand who will take over the captain`s armband.
When Ferdinand missed a doping test in 2003 it cost him an eight-month ban from football, ruled him out of Euro 2004 and cast a cloud over the career of one of England`s most talented defenders even though there was no suggestion he had taken drugs.
He also missed the 1998 World Cup finals after being left out by then manager Glenn Hoddle following a drink-driving charge.
Ferdinand, 31, has ridden himself of his bad-boy image in recent years but there are still doubts over his suitability as England captain as he has been hampered by back injuries and only recently returned after being sidelined since October.No sooner had the former West Ham United and Leeds United defender come back than he was involved in more controversy, getting a three-match ban for striking Hull City`s Craig Fagan.
Ferdinand appealed against the charge of violent conduct and the suspension was subsequently increased to four games.
England coach Fabio Capello named Ferdinand vice-captain when he handed the skipper`s armband to Terry in August 2008.
EGYPT FRIENDLY
"When I chose John Terry as captain I also selected a vice-captain and also named a third choice (Steven Gerrard)," Capello said on Friday. "There is no reason to change this decision."
Providing he is fit Ferdinand will lead the team out for the friendly at home to Egypt next month and will have the honour of captaining his country at the World Cup in South Africa in June.
"As a kid you grow up wanting to play for England and lead your country out and I`ve been given that honour of being able to fulfil those dreams," Ferdinand said when he captained the side against France in Capello`s second game in charge.
After the tabloid frenzy of the past week regarding Terry`s extra-marital affair with the former girlfriend of England team mate Wayne Bridge, England will be hoping Ferdinand can smooth over any potential dressing room tension.
"John Terry is by far for me the best skipper in the team but Fabio Capello thinks it`s best for the squad," former Arsenal and England midfielder Ray Parlour said.
"Rio Ferdinand will do a great job. If you`re going to win the World Cup you don`t just need one skipper, you need at least four or five around the pitch."
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.