After an impressive qualifying campaign in which they dropped just three points, the 1-0 defeat by Ukraine, the English press are already talking up their national team's prospects of reaching the World Cup quarter-finals and beyond. It is a far cry from two years ago, when England's players had to watch the 2008 European Championships on television after failing to qualify for the tournament under the guidance of Steve McClaren, the former manager.
However, Rio Ferdinand, the England captain, is using his experience of three previous World Cups to keep any over-confidence from creeping into the dressing room. "There is a confidence. But maybe we have been a bit naive in the past and got ourselves caught up in all the emotion that surrounds our country going to a massive tournament," the Manchester United defender told reporters. "People say we are going to win it. But we have respect for the other nations as well."
Ferdinand, who did not get a game at France '98, played as England lost at the quarter-final stage at both Japan and South Korea in 2002 and Germany in 2006 He has arguably profited most from the off-field turmoil that cost John Terry the captaincy. Fitness permitting, it will be Ferdinand who leads England into battle for their World Cup opener against the United States in Rustenburg on June 12. "Being captain is a fantastic honour and a responsibility that I warm to," he said.
"But it is not something that is going to change me. I will conduct myself in exactly the same way. "Even before I was made captain, the younger players knew I was an easy-going guy who they can approach which, in a way, is more important than being captain. "When you have been to tournaments, you are more capable of being the kind of person that a younger player might need to speak to." Ferdinand, who was made captain in March, missed the win over Egypt as he was completing his recovery from a long-standing back complaint. He should wear the captain's armband officially for the first time tonight in a friendly against fellow World Cup hopefuls Mexico at Wembley.
The game is one of two England must play before Fabio Capello, the manager, trims his squad from 30 players to 23. It is a cut which, as Ferdinand knows from experience, can be a shattering blow that ultimately makes you stronger. "I was left out of Euro 2000 by Kevin Keegan and I was devastated," he said. "When I look back, though, it was a blessing in disguise. It made me re-evaluate myself and the way I treated football.
"I probably did not give the game the respect it deserved. After that experience I became a better professional, so I should thank Kevin Keegan for that. "You can't let it kill you, or finish you confidence-wise. You have to turn it into a positive." * Compiled by Thomas Woods, with agencies England v Mexico, 11pm, Aljazeera Sport +3
