Too much, too young insists Rio
RIO FERDINAND reckons English football needs an image change – to stop get-richquick kids from losing their way.
Ferdinand is one of the most successful players in England following his rise from the tough Friary Estate in Peckham.
Record-breaking transfers to Leeds and then Manchester United paved the way for fame and fortune, but the 35-year-old managed to keep his focus to collect six Premier League titles and 81 England caps.
He is now at QPR, rounding off his career at the club he first represented as a kid, but he fears modern-day society can easily lure the brightest talent in the wrong direction.
He said: “Kids are coming into money so quickly, before they have even proved themselves. It happens within six months of them being at a club.
”I sympathise a bit because I know what it is like. All things bright and wonderful are there for you and it is hard to turn down.
”It took me time to realise my responsibilities. So it is hard in that sense, but it is also easy in terms of financial reward. The balance just isn’t there anymore.”
Ashley Cole, now of Roma, recently spoke out over the need for young English players to move abroad to improve the national team. Ferdinand agrees, but has first-hand experience of wh why it may not happen. He said: “I spoke to Roma when I was a kid, when Fabio Capello was there. Barcelona and Madrid were interested at times, too.
“But when I was at Manchester United I was winning and that is all I played to do. So I never even turned my head to go.
”I think it would be good for the English national team if more young kids went abroad, but if you tell that to a player at a club that is winning things you will be hard pushed to get someone to do it.
“If Gareth Bale had been at United and winning trophies, he wouldn’t have gone to Real Madrid.”
Ferdinand is looking forward to the final step in his playing career as sweeper at Loftus Road, with boss Harry Redknapp adopting a three-man defence which was successful at the World Cup.
“The sweeper system could take off more. I think it may well depend on how successful we are,” he said.
“If we do well then it could become a trend because that is how things happen. Chile, Costa Rica and Holland all used it.”
Ferdinand weighed up his future as a TV pundit after Brazil this summer, but is glad he didn’t quit the game.
“People said to me that in the first two months retirement is brilliant,” he said.
“But then the bubble bursts and you want to get back in. At this age you can’t just turn it on and off.”