Rio Ferdinand considers himself ‘cursed’ after a knee ligament injury ruled the England captain out of the FIFA World Cup™, his agent has revealed.

The 31-year-old was injured in a collision with Emile Heskey in England’s first training session in Rustenburg and he was ruled out for up to six weeks following a scan.

It follows an injury-blighted season in which he was restricted to just 13 Premier League games for Manchester United with a debilitating back problem.

Agent Pini Zahavi revealed the central defender’s devastation but backed Ferdinand to lead England in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Zahavi told The Sun: “Rio said: ‘I think somebody cursed me.’ That is honestly how he feels. “Rio is very down. He cannot understand why this has happened to him.

“This injury is nothing to do with the ones he had before. It is completely different and it is very bad luck. Rio was feeling sharp and was ready for the World Cup.

“He has waited so long for this tournament and to try and help England win it. He had prepared himself so well. But he is a very strong man and he will be back.

“I’m sure he will be leading England in four years time at the next World Cup.”

Rio Ferdinand’s hopes of appearing at South Africa 2010 are hanging in the balance after the England captain left hospital on crutches following a knee injury he sustained in training this lunchtime.

Ferdinand went down in agony and was sent for a scan by manager Fabio Capello amid fears he had suffered ligament damage.

The Football Association have still to make an official comment on the Manchester United defender’s injury but at this stage it looks possible he has suffered a major injury and Tottenham’s Michael Dawson has been placed on stand-by.

Ferdinand had been optimistic of enjoying an injury-free FIFA World Cup™ after a season dogged by problems at Manchester United.

He was able to feature in barely a third of their Premier League campaign but had trained with no setbacks during England’s two-week camp in Austria and also came through the friendly internationals with Mexico and Japan unscathed.

Goalkeeper David James also missed training today but Capello is less concerned with that situation and insisted the 39-year-old had “only a slight knee problem”.

Gareth Barry did train on the Royal Bafokeng training pitches this morning. Barry had been an extreme doubt to make Capello’s 23-man squad for the tournament when he suffered ankle ligament damage in Manchester City’s defeat to Tottenham at Eastlands on 5 May.

However, the 29-year-old improved to the extent that Capello was able to pick him in the belief that he will be fit to play a full part in training on the day after England’s Group C opener against USA in Rustenburg on 12 June.

In itself, the sight of Barry going through his paces during the early part of a training session – only the first portion of which was open for public viewing – confirmed nothing.

Yet there is an obvious indication that by the time England go into battle next weekend, the midfielder could be fit, which would save Capello a huge selection headache.

Barry’s presence in the England midfield would allow the Italian to make the most of Frank Lampard’s attacking talents and also push Steven Gerrard further forward.

There was also some good news in that Tottenham defender Ledley King was also present for the start of training, Capello having decided the Tottenham captain’s notoriously fragile knees were capable of withstanding the rigours of a five-week tournament which England hope to end by being crowned world champions.

The training pitches at the Royal Bafokeng complex have been worked on extensively since Capello announced his intention to base the squad north of Johannesburg for the duration of the FIFA World Cup.

England departed for South Africa on Wednesday night as captain Rio Ferdinand revealed a simple formula for winning this summer’s FIFA World Cup™.

Fabio Capello’s squad have had to cope with discussion surrounding the fitness of Gareth Barry, the omission of Theo Walcott and Darren Bent from a 23-man squad and the renegotiation of Capello’s contract. But Ferdinand, looking ahead to the tournament, cut straight to the chase.

“I want to just beat every team we play against, get to the Final and hopefully win it,” he said. “I don’t care who we beat on the way. There’s no fear. The World Cup comes around every four years, I’ve been to three tournaments before this one and I’ve enjoyed every minute.

“It’s just great to go out there knowing that you’re one of the best players in your country, playing alongside the best players in the world, that’s an achievement in itself,” he continued.

Ferdinand also likened Capello to his club boss Sir Alex Ferguson when discussing his new role as captain. “The manager’s open, he’ll take in what you say but not necessarily take it on board and use it,” Ferdinand said. “He’s his own man and works the way he does – likewise the gaffer at United.

“Being captain won’t change a lot in terms of the way I carry myself around the hotel or the way I am on the pitch. If something needs to be said, I’ll want to say something in the changing rooms to anybody. If I think somebody needs to be told something I’ve always done that anyway, so being captain isn’t going to change me, it’s just part and parcel of who I am. It’s a responsibility that I’ve done for my club and it’s an honour, it will be a proud moment when I lead the team out at a World Cup,” he said.

source: www.fifa.com

Rio Ferdinand admits last week’s friendly against Mexico was the first time he felt justified in calling himself England captain.

The Manchester United defender was handed the job as John Terry’s successor in February after his Chelsea counterpart was embroiled in allegations over his private life.

But a persistent back injury meant Ferdinand missed March’s 3-1 friendly win over Egypt at Wembley, meaning the repeat performance in Mexico’s visit to the national stadium was the first time he had led the team out since his elevation.

“I didn’t really get to enjoy it because I wasn’t fit, I wasn’t playing,” he told Sky Sports News. “I missed the Egypt game, so I wasn’t able to go out there and really enjoy it.

“It was only really Mexico the other day. People were saying I was captain for two months and I hadn’t even worn the armband so it was hard to take the accolades until I’d actually done it.”

Recalling when he heard the news of his new status, he said: “I was in bed, having my afternoon nap. I’d just put my little boy to sleep, went to bed and it popped up on Sky Sports News. “Then John Terry rang me and wished me well, which was nice of him.”

source www.fifa.com

It is the conversation all international national managers dread on the eve of major competitions; having to break the news to some of their charges that they have failed to make the final cut. But, more so, it is the one head-to-head that all footballers pray they will never be selected for.

England captain Rio Ferdinand knows only too well how it feels to fall at the final hurdle, for the Manchester United defender has been on the receiving end of such heartbreaking news in the past. When the final squad list was drawn up for UEFA EURO 2000, Ferdinand’s name was omitted, with Kevin Keegan giving Gareth Southgate the nod ahead of the then 21-year-old centre-half on that occasion, leaving Ferdinand to come to terms with the pain of a work-free summer.

“I’ve been there, I’ve had that talk,” Ferdinand told FIFA.com. “I’ve had that conversation about not being experienced enough, not good enough – however they want to dress it up, it’s just you’re not getting that chance to go on the plane.”

After a summer of contemplation, Ferdinand picked himself up and used the disappointment to his advantage. He said: “I thought about it that summer and went back to training and was a better professional, trained better, trained harder, and became a better player, and I recommend for the younger players to do that as well.”

Now, in the role of Fabio Capello’s leading man, and more worldly-wise, the 31-year-old will call upon that experience to help ease the disappointment of those who fail to make the final 23 when the South African-bound squad is announced next week.

“To have to that said to you is not a nice thing. I’ve been there so I’ve got the experience to try and deal with that. When the time comes I’m sure we’ll deal with that in the right way. But the manager is a top drawer manager and I’m sure he’ll sort that out.”

source :www.fifa.com

England captain Rio Ferdinand insists the uncertainty over Fabio Capello’s choice as 2010 FIFA World Cup™ goalkeeper is not having a negative effect on their defence.

As David James started an international for the first time since April 2009, England endured some difficult early moments against Japan on Sunday before finally getting their act together to claim a scrappy victory. With Ferdinand and John Terry paired together for only the ninth time in 24 matches since Capello took charge, perhaps an element of rustiness was inevitable.

But the goalkeeping situation is certainly an odd one. Less than two weeks before the Group C opener against USA in Rustenburg, Capello is refusing to state who his number one will be.

James was first choice during the Italian’s early months in charge before a succession of injuries, and Joe Hart has done well in two substitute appearances over the past week. However, it is looking increasingly like Robert Green will be Capello’s main man after starting eight of England’s last 11 games.

The uncertainty could be viewed as a negative and certainly none of the other leading nations are in the same position. But Ferdinand is quite laid back about the situation. “It is different to what we have had going into tournaments before,” conceded the Manchester United defender. “In the past we have always known who the goalkeeper was going to be. But that is part and parcel of playing tournament football.

“You never know what is going to get thrown up in front of you and you just have to deal with it. The thing is, they have all done well, so I wouldn’t want to be the manager picking the goalkeeper. They all have different attributes that are worthwhile having.”

In much the same way as Capello retains the names of the 23 players who will make up his FIFA World Cup squad in his mind without divulging them to an expectant public, so he presumably knows who his goalkeeper is going to be. The Italian will also give a huge amount of thought about his central midfield pairing against the United States.

Although Gareth Barry’s ankle injury is likely to ease sufficiently to let him make the trip to South Africa, that first game could come too soon. In the past, Capello has turned to Michael Carrick to fill the role, but against both Mexico and Japan, Steven Gerrard’s presence in that position made a vast difference to England’s performance.

As Capello has already outlined, shoving Gerrard alongside Frank Lampard costs England some of the Liverpool captain’s more destructive attacking tendencies, and neither Sven-Goran Eriksson or Steve McClaren ever found a way of getting the best from two key men at the same time. Ferdinand has been around both long enough to understand how much talent they have, and he does not see a problem.

“I have never had any doubt they could play together,” Ferdinand said. “They both did it against Japan. It worked well and we looked very dangerous. Whether it is just down to those two or whether other players have to do stuff I don’t know, but good players can play anywhere and with anyone.

“We have seen that in the past. It is the same with them. Will the manager play them together? We will just have to wait and see, but it wouldn’t be a problem if he did that against the United States.”

There were enough faults to pick at during Sunday’s unconvincing win for no-one to feel too comfortable about the weeks which lie ahead. Yet Ferdinand took one great positive from the performance, in that England’s players were able to drag themselves out of a tight spot in the second half, even after Lampard had missed his second penalty on the trot.

“There is a lot of hard work in front of us and defensively I thought we did quite well,” he added. “The other thing is that maybe we have been a bit ’samey’ in the last couple of tournaments. People know what they are going to get from us.

“Now we have players who can change things and have an impact in different areas of the pitch. A little of other teams not knowing what we are going to do is good for us.”

source : www.fifa.com

Rio Ferdinand will not tempt fate by dreaming about emulating Bobby Moore and lifting the FIFA World Cup™ for England.

After being installed as John Terry’s replacement in February after Fabio Capello’s dramatic reaction to the off-field turmoil the Chelsea skipper found himself in, Ferdinand will eventually pull the armband on for tonight’s friendly against Mexico at Wembley.

It is the start of a journey he hopes will end on 11 July in Soccer City when England hope to be on top of the world for the first time since 1966. Yet Ferdinand dare not think about it, or the iconic status that would come his way should he become only the second Englishman to life the most cherished trophy of them all.

“As a kid I allowed myself to daydream and then we wouldn’t get to the final,” recalled the 31-year-old. “Since then I have always said I wouldn’t let myself get too emotionally involved with various scenarios for fear that it might not happen or I might not achieve the goals I set out to.

“People ask me about being captain or lifting the trophy but I cannot let myself go past that stage. Maybe it is just superstition but I don’t want to do that anymore.”

Low-key captaincy
The philosophy fits in perfectly with Capello’s no-nonsense approach. Being England captain may bring status in this country, but for the manager it is just another box to be ticked before the proper preparation begins.

“The manager told the lads I was the new captain, which was nice, but there was no song and dance,” said Ferdinand. “It was done and then we move on. There is no time for small talk. It is about business and doing the work required if we are going to be successful.”

Ferdinand insists there was never any doubt in his mind he would reach this stage, even when the back injury that plagued him for almost two years showed no signs of going away. At one stage before Christmas, Sir Alex Ferguson claimed he had “no idea” when his £29.1 million defender would eventually return. In the end, a series of injections sorted the matter out.

Ferdinand added: “There was no stability in my spine so in the end I had a series of injections in the ligaments of my spine to stiffen them up. I felt a relief almost immediately. It was a six-week course, with one injection a week. There was a lot of biting on pillows but I felt the relief almost immediately.”

Alongside the injections went intensive training to ensure the spine did not get set in one position. “The specialist told me there would be a re-direction of the nerve pain but other than that he had no fear of any future problems.”

It meant Ferdinand was available for nine of United’s final 13 games, the biggest gap being caused by a groin injured he suffered in the draw at Blackburn that ultimately killed his dream of winning a fourth consecutive title. Whisper it very quietly near Ferguson, but a FIFA World Cup winners’ medal would make up for that disappointment.

Experience is key
And while Ferdinand is not getting lured into the over-confidence for which this country’s football supporters are so famed, he does see genuine reasons to be positive. “This is the most experienced squad we have had,” said Ferdinand.

“A lot of the players have got to the latter stages of the Champions League most years and also played a lot of England games. We have also been together quite a few years now and been through a lot of different experiences. Now it is about pulling us all together and getting that winning tournament mentality.”

It is tempting to state this group of players have been in exactly the same position before. Big things were anticipated in 2002 and 2006 – and expectations were unfulfilled. What is the difference now?

“Fabio Capello has to be one of the best managers,” observed Ferdinand. “He has won the league everywhere he has been and he has won the Champions League.

“Everyone could see the errors of last time but I don’t think there will be any room for distraction this time. The manager would not allow it. You buy into his ethos because he has been successful and a very professional way of doing things.”

For Ferdinand, it is much the same as life at Manchester United, from where a parting good luck message came, if not quite a hope for glory. “He did, yes,” replied Ferdinand when asked whether Ferguson had wished him best wishes. Did he say come back with the trophy? “He didn’t quite go that far, no.”

source : www.fifa.com

Rio Ferdinand has declared himself fit to lead England’s bid for 2010 FIFA World Cup™ glory in South Africa.

The Manchester United defender has been plagued by back problems this season, but is adamant he would not travel to the FIFA World Cup unless 100 per cent fit for fear of putting England’s bid for victory in jeopardy.

“I’d never put myself in a position where I was wearing an England shirt if I was less than physically ready,” he told the Daily Mail. “This is the World Cup finals. You can’t play at the same level if you are carrying trouble around like that. I wouldn’t be doing myself or my country justice if I tried.”

In fact, Ferdinand believes his season for United – during which he has made 21 appearances, 12 from the start – could prove to be a blessing in disguise for Fabio Capello’s team. He added: “I’ve not played a lot this season, and I realise there’ll be attention on that, but I’m fine.

“It has never even crossed my mind that injury would put me out of the tournament. My back troubles happened before Christmas, so I knew the timescale. There’s been a lot of frustration for me at my club and it’s been a disappointing season all round. But if there is any silver lining to be found, it’s that I’ll be fresh and full of energy at the World Cup.”

Ferdinand, though, insists he is yet to contemplate emulating Bobby Moore by lifting the FIFA World Cup as England captain. He said: “I’ve sworn to never get too wrapped up in possible scenarios. You just concentrate on playing and then deal with the outcome later. I switch straight off.’

The call-ups of Jamie Carragher and Ledley King to England’s provisional 30-man squad on Tuesday raised eyebrows, with the Liverpool defender having earlier retired from internationals and the Tottenham defender struggling with a chronic knee problem. Terry’s fitness has also been a concern, but Ferdinand is unconcerned who he partners as long as they help the cause.

“You can stick Father Christmas at the back alongside me at the last minute if it works,” he added. “We want the right people at the right time for the trophy. End of story.”

source : www.fifa.com

Rio Ferdinand gave a boost to Manchester United and England after coming through 27 minutes of Tony Carr’s testimonial match at Upton Park.

Ferdinand has been troubled by back and groin problems all season, which have restricted him to just 11 Premier League starts for United. The England captain made his return from three weeks on the sidelines as a late substitute in last weekend’s victory over Sunderland.

Sir Alex Ferguson gave Ferdinand permission to continue his comeback tonight by honouring the man who gave him his introduction to professional football. Ferdinand partnered his brother Anton Ferdinand in the centre of defence for the West Ham Academy All-Stars and was untroubled in a game that never rose above pedestrian pace.

“Rio rang me this morning at a quarter to nine to say he was heading to the train station to come down and that he could play 20 minutes,” said Carr.

West Ham consider themselves the Academy of Football and, as director of the youth set-up, Carr has overseen the development of seven current England internationals. With Chelsea able to wrap up the title this weekend, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and John Terry were not allowed to play but all three were present at Upton Park.

Michael Carrick, whose wife has just had their second child, Glen Johnson and Jermain Defoe sent their apologies along with Fulham’s Paul Konchesky, who was in Premier League action. Also, Bobby Zamora was with the Fulham squad but did not play because of injury.

source : www.fifa.com