Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Ferdinand: Full of shit
c+p from the guardian.
Ferdinand vows to learn lesson after 'worst time in game'
By Glenn Moore
Published: 27 March 2007
Anton Ferdinand became one of the first footballers to represent England at the new Wembley on Saturday, but even that honour only temporarily lifted the gloom that has enveloped his season.
Last night he admitted that "this has been my worst time in football" but promised to learn from his mistakes, just as his elder brother, Rio, has done. Anton Ferdinand is one of many West Ham players whose performances have dipped as the club has languished in the relegation zone but his real "crime", in the eyes of many within and without the club, was to spend a recent weekend partying in South Carolina after telling the club he was in the Isle of Wight.
Ferdinand, who was fined and apologised, said: "If you don't make mistakes then you don't learn. No one's perfect and as long as I keep my head on my shoulders, which I do, and keep my feet on the ground, that's all that matters.
"I wouldn't say my reputation was damaged. People that know me know what I'm about. They won't read the papers and assume things straight away, they'll ring and ask me. People who don't know me are going to be quick to have their opinion. That's their choice and I accept that. As long as my family are a strong, tight unit around me, which they are, that's all that matters."
Ferdinand said that he and Rio had sat down and discussed such issues. Rio's past mistakes include being banned for drink-driving, and subsequently being dropped by England, and missing a drug test, for which he was suspended for six months. He has largely stayed clear of problems since then.
Anton said: "He's made mistakes and he's one of the best defenders in the world, if not the best. If the world's best can make mistakes then so can the youngsters coming up. You don't learn unless you do make those mistakes. People who know me know I'm strong at heart. I've got broad shoulders and I'm committed."
Ferdinand's performance was patchy at Wembley but he clearly has talent and was only 22 last month. He is thus likely to play again at the new stadium. "I'm ambitious and I want to fulfil my ambition of playing for the full national squad," he said. "It would definitely be nice to play alongside Rio. It's down to me because Rio's there already."
He added: "Saturday was a nice break but I'm now ready to carry on [the fight against relegation].
"[West Ham] have got to win at Middlesbrough on Saturday. We're starting to show the fight that we should have been doing at the start of the season and we've got a good chance of staying up."
Ferdinand vows to learn lesson after 'worst time in game'
By Glenn Moore
Published: 27 March 2007
Anton Ferdinand became one of the first footballers to represent England at the new Wembley on Saturday, but even that honour only temporarily lifted the gloom that has enveloped his season.
Last night he admitted that "this has been my worst time in football" but promised to learn from his mistakes, just as his elder brother, Rio, has done. Anton Ferdinand is one of many West Ham players whose performances have dipped as the club has languished in the relegation zone but his real "crime", in the eyes of many within and without the club, was to spend a recent weekend partying in South Carolina after telling the club he was in the Isle of Wight.
Ferdinand, who was fined and apologised, said: "If you don't make mistakes then you don't learn. No one's perfect and as long as I keep my head on my shoulders, which I do, and keep my feet on the ground, that's all that matters.
"I wouldn't say my reputation was damaged. People that know me know what I'm about. They won't read the papers and assume things straight away, they'll ring and ask me. People who don't know me are going to be quick to have their opinion. That's their choice and I accept that. As long as my family are a strong, tight unit around me, which they are, that's all that matters."
Ferdinand said that he and Rio had sat down and discussed such issues. Rio's past mistakes include being banned for drink-driving, and subsequently being dropped by England, and missing a drug test, for which he was suspended for six months. He has largely stayed clear of problems since then.
Anton said: "He's made mistakes and he's one of the best defenders in the world, if not the best. If the world's best can make mistakes then so can the youngsters coming up. You don't learn unless you do make those mistakes. People who know me know I'm strong at heart. I've got broad shoulders and I'm committed."
Ferdinand's performance was patchy at Wembley but he clearly has talent and was only 22 last month. He is thus likely to play again at the new stadium. "I'm ambitious and I want to fulfil my ambition of playing for the full national squad," he said. "It would definitely be nice to play alongside Rio. It's down to me because Rio's there already."
He added: "Saturday was a nice break but I'm now ready to carry on [the fight against relegation].
"[West Ham] have got to win at Middlesbrough on Saturday. We're starting to show the fight that we should have been doing at the start of the season and we've got a good chance of staying up."
