Last Updated: 23rd June 2012
RIO FERDINAND claims England are being driven on in theirEuro 2012 charge by a special unity which did not always exist in the past.
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Ferdinand has been heartened by the way the squad has mixed so well with one another, showing no divisions between players along club lines.
The Manchester United star, who made his England debut back in 1997, knows only too well how, in days gone by, intense club rivalries meant camaraderie in the camp was not all it could have been.
Ferdinand said: “When I first started with England, players would sit in distinct groups.
“You would have a table for Manchester United players, another for the Liverpool lads and one for Alan Shearer and his mob.
“I didn’t know where to sit for fear I would upset one group or another and be marked down as in a particular gang.
“It all sounds strange now but that’s how it was in those days.
“I think it was partly because many of the Liverpool boys were proper Scousers, like Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman, while the Manchester United lads were real Mancs, such as Gary Neville and Paul Scholes.
“And it doesn’t need me to explain how bitter the rivalry can be between the two teams, especially if you have grown up with it ever since you were a kid.
“When I was invited along to Euro 96, just to join in training for a couple of days, I sat with Paul Ince, who was with Inter Milan at the time, and Les Ferdinand, because we were Londoners.
“Credit to Jamie Redknapp, who broke ranks and joined us too, even though he was then at Liverpool.
“In the squad today you have plenty of Manchester United and Liverpool players but many have had a different upbringing.
“Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing have moved to Anfield, yet are north-easterners.
“And, of course, Danny Welbeck knows Henderson from the time he was on loan at Sunderland.
“Also, a lot of them have grown up together through the Under-21s, so they are already good friends. It’s great to see, though, in fairness, I don’t think it has just happened in Roy Hodgson’s time.
“Certainly under Fabio Capello, he insisted everyone sat together at meal times and he didn’t expect any cliques.
“For myself, I always tried to mix with as many of the squad as I could once I became more established — and especially when I was made captain.
“That was because I remembered what it was like when I first came on the international scene and how, at times, you could feel a bit isolated.”
Ferdinand has been impressed by how Steven Gerrard has managed to encourage that collectiveness under his captaincy since his appointment by Hodgson. He added: “I’m sure Stevie, from his own experiences, realises the importance of team bonding.
“He has been chosen as the leader by Roy Hodgson when, before, I don’t think managers properly trusted him as captain, even when they gave him the armband.
“Steven will know, like I did, that you can’t have people being left on the fringes, not being included, and he has made a real effort to support all the players. He has more than 90 caps but this feels as if it is his defining moment in an England shirt.
“Stevie has won the Champions League with Liverpool and, if he could help win the Euros for his country, that would be some double.
“He is leading by example, has had three assists and taken on all the responsibility really well. He wants to be the one the team relies on.
“The game against Italy won’t hold any fears for him. In fact, nobody should be afraid of them.
“We are good enough to beat Italy and should go into it with confidence.
“But we have to beware of Andrea Pirlo spraying those passes about. If he gets that chance, he can be very dangerous. And you never know just what you’re going to get with Mario Balotelli.
“There are times when he doesn’t seem to be in the game at all.
“Then he just explodes and does something extraordinary.”
Looking at the tournament as a whole, Ferdinand was delighted to see his old pal Cristiano Ronaldo heading Portugal into the semis as they beat the Czech Republic 1-0 on Thursday.
Ronaldo got some stick during the group games but was back to his lethal best to dump the Czechs. Ferdinand admitted: “I was so pleased for Ronny. He deserves his success and I thought he had a fabulous game.
“This could really be his stage. He looks right on top of his game.
“I reckon it could be the year when he gets voted the world’s best player and Lionel Messi has to accept second.
“Ronny has already won the Spanish League with Real Madrid and, if he added the Euros too, that would surely clinch it for him.
“Obviously, I want England to come back with the trophy.
“But if they don’t, I’d be very happy to see Ronny lifting that cup.”
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