Rio Ferdinand has described the ”Wag” (wives and girlfriends) culture that surrounded England in the days before Fabio Capello took charge as a ”circus”, and admitted that it was central to the squad’s recent failures.
In a remarkably frank interview ahead of a World Cup qualifier with Belarus on Wednesday, the Manchester United defender savaged the celebrity bubble that peaked during the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, where the wives and girlfriends (Wags) of the England squad generated as many headlines as the players themselves.
Underlining the fundamental changes that have been instituted by Capello, England’s stand-in captain also hit out at the Italian’s predecessor, Steve McClaren, and his apparent desire to be best mates with ”Wazza” (Wayne Rooney) and ”Stevie G” (Steven Gerrard).
”In the past we became a bit of a circus, if I’m honest, in terms of the whole Wag situation,” Ferdinand admitted.
”It seems like there was a big show around the whole England squad. It was like watching theatre unfolding and football almost became a secondary element to the main event.
”People were worrying more about what people were wearing and where they were going, rather than the England football team. That then transposed itself into the team.
”This regime in contrast is very water-tight. It feels as if we’re going in the right direction.
”I don’t want to speak too soon, but you can see we’re at the start of something and, hopefully, there’ll be bigger rewards than what we’ve had in the past. Everyone’s very focused and attuned to what we want to achieve.”
Ferdinand’s comments amount to the breaking of a taboo. Until he spoke out, England’s players had unanimously maintained that the media circus surrounding the team at Germany 2006 and subsequently had played no part in their failure to live up to the high expectations vested in what was once termed a ”golden generation” of English players.
”I didn’t realise it at the time,” admitted Ferdinand. ”You were caught up in the bubble — we were in the bubble ourselves.
”I’m talking with hindsight. But being somewhere like Baden Baden [England’s base in Germany], walking around the town, there were paparazzi everywhere and we were in amongst the press as well — and our families were there too. When you step back and look back at that you think like it was a circus.”
With England on track to reach the 2010 finals after missing out on Euro 2008 under McClaren, Ferdinand is confident there will be no mass influx of Wags into South Africa in two years’ time.
”I’m not going to tell the other players what you should or should not do. But, I just think that, as a squad, we were a bit too open in 2006, going out in and around Baden Baden, and probably had too much contact with families.
”Some players may think they’d rather have that contact but I think you’re in a tournament — and you don’t get many tournaments in your career. To give yourself the best chance, you have to be focused.”
With that in mind Ferdinand was delighted when iron-fisted Capello arrived as England manager and produced a list of rules as long as Peter Crouch’s right leg.
”When the new manager arrived I just think that it was very much: ‘I’m the boss and this is what is happening.’ The lads appreciate that and have warmed to that because that’s what happens at their clubs.
”This new regime is a very, very professional regime. It is very result-orientated. You see how he is on the training ground, in our meetings, that there’s a winning mentality there.
”He has a new way of doing things. He isn’t shy of telling you what you’re doing wrong. That’s a big step in the right direction for this team, and that’s maybe what we’ve needed in the past. This squad is in a different frame of mind to the ones I’ve been in for a while. We’ve got a very business-like state of mind.”
Central to that, according to Ferdinand, is the distance between the players and Capello.
”Do you really know any managers?” he asked. ”I don’t know the real Fergie [Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson]. When he comes to football, he’s probably a totally different person to when he’s at home with his wife and grandchildren,” Ferdinand said.
”That doesn’t matter. They’re not here to be buddies, talk about old times or be great friends. They’re here to win football matches.” — Sapa-AFP