Rio Leading By Example

When Fabio Capello handed Rio Ferdinand the temporary England captaincy earlier this year, United fans barely batted an eyelid. After all, the 29-year-old has long been leading by example in the heart of the Reds’ defence.

Composed and classy, Ferdinand is widely regarded as the one of the game’s most consummate defenders. There’s a natural grace and elegance to almost everything he does, although Rio admits he’s also worked mighty hard to iron out his footballing flaws.

Speaking to Inside United as the season reaches its climax, Ferdinand reflects on leadership, learning from mistakes and the loneliness of playing in goal…

The general consensus among fans is that you’ve had your best season in a United shirt this term. Presumably you’re happy with your form?
Well, I always strive for consistency and I think over the last few seasons I’ve managed to be fairly consistent. But at the end of the day it’s about medals and winning things. If I’m performing well and the team is winning then I’m happy. But if we’re not winning then it doesn’t matter how well I’m playing. Maybe in the summer I’ll look back on the season and be able to say: ‘Yeah, I’ve been pleased with my form’. Until then, the focus is all on winning trophies.

On a personal level, is there one performance this season you're particularly proud of?
Probably Roma away. It was a difficult game and a hard place to go. They were the form team in Italy at the time and were playing some very good football, chasing Inter Milan in the league. They came into the game full of confidence – even minus Francesco Totti – but we managed to come away with a 2-0 advantage. As a team performance, I really sensed a different maturity in the side that night. Over the last few years we might have conceded a goal or two in that sort of situation, but we held on for an important clean sheet. On a personal note, and a collective note, that was probably my favourite performance of the season.

Playing at the back is high-pressure stuff: one mistake can prove catastrophic. How do you go about maintaining a consistently high level of concentration?
When I was younger I had a lot of difficulty concentrating for the full 90 minutes. I only started playing centre half at a relatively late age – before that I was always in the midfield – and the concentration levels and what you concentrate on are different. Nowadays, I talk to myself and remind myself of what needs doing. It’s the little things that matter, things like making sure you win your first header, and then the one after that, and looking over your shoulders constantly so you know where everyone is. It’s taken me many years to really master it and feel confident of maintaining my concentration for a full match.

How else have you improved over the years?
I’ve learned you have to make mistakes in order to become a better player. At West Ham, Harry Redknapp always told me that in order to take big steps forward I’d have to make some mistakes. I’ve definitely made mistakes in my career and I’ll probably make a few more, but the secret is being big enough to learn from those mistakes I used to come out of the defence at West Ham and lose the ball and it would cost us a goal. Another manager may have dropped me but Harry kept faith in me and kept picking me. He’d say: ‘Listen, choose the right time to do that’. Moving to Leeds was probably the first real time in my career where I became a defender rather than a ball-playing footballer. Playing there was a massive learning curve. The pressure at that club, at that time, was massive. Leeds were in the Champions League and we were fighting to win the Premier League, too. That environment demands you don’t make mistakes.

Is fear of making mistakes a good motivator?
The last thing you want to do is get caught out in front of 76,000 people…It’s not actually about the crowd. It’s your own pride that hurts. You don’t want to be responsible for your team losing, regardless of how many people are watching. I could be playing Sunday football in a park and I would hate to walk off that pitch knowing I contributed to my team’s downfall. There’s no worse feeling than coming off and thinking: ‘Oh God, I can’t believe I did that’.

When Tomasz Kuszczak was sent off against Portsmouth in the FA Cup you went in goal. What are your memories of that day?
I find it a bit embarrassing, to be honest! I’m quite critical when it comes to goalkeepers. I’m always thinking: ‘Oh he should have saved that!’ or ‘How did he let that one in?’. I think Edwin rolls his eyes at me sometimes, thinking ‘What do you know about goalkeeping?’. And he’s right, of course! I found out myself what it was like against Portsmouth. I’m still annoyed that I went with the wrong hand for the penalty. I think I might have got there had I stretched with my left hand but my instinct was to go with my right. I don’t think they’ll be using that dive as an example on goalkeeper coaching DVDs!

Wayne Rooney had a quick word to you before the penalty. What did he say?
He just told me to pick a side and go for it. He told me not to wait and see which way the kick was going. It was good advice and I got lucky because I went the right way, but to no avail. There was nothing about his run-up or in his eyes that suggested he’d go to my left. I just figured I’d dive that way and if I save it then well done, if not then nobody’s expecting me to save it.

Did you enjoy your time in goal?
I wouldn’t be a goalkeeper. No chance. It’s the loneliest position on the pitch when your team’s attacking the other end. It’s really, really lonely. You’re there by yourself with all that grass around you and no other players. There’s just a crowd behind you and an empty net. It was a little eerie actually.

You’ve been handed the captaincy this season on a few occasions. Does that change the way you prepare for a game?
No. If you change what you do just because you become captain then you won’t get the best out of yourself. The way you prepare for a game shouldn’t be dictated by whether or not you have an extra piece of cloth on your arm. You just go out and do what you normally do. That’s what’s won you the captaincy in the first place, so why change it?

The games come thick and fast at this stage of the season. Are you tired?
No, I don’t feel tired at all. I’ve had a couple of knocks and bruises but it’s nothing that’s going to keep me out. When this stage of the season rolls around you have to go the extra mile if you want to pick up the trophies.

Last season you suffered an injury that saw you miss out on the Champions League semi-final. Were you a little worried that history was repeating itself when you limped off against Middlesbrough?
I was a little. When I went off I was thinking: ‘What’s going on? This can’t be happening!” That injury healed a little and then I went and played against Roma and I ended up needing stitches in my other foot! I had to have injections to play against Arsenal but at this stage of the season you’d almost play on one leg if it means getting a trophy. You’ve worked so hard all season and there’s no way you’d give in easily. Now’s the time to roll your sleeves up and become a man.