24 March 2005    
Rio Ferdinand Press Conference

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Rio Ferdinand admits England stand the best ever chance of winning major silverware next summer since lifting the World Cup back in 1966.

Ferdinand cannot believe the amount of quality which is now available to Sven-Goran Eriksson in every area of the team.

England currently top Group 6 by just one point, but the Manchester United defender knows six points from their next two games will lead them well on the way to a place in the World Cup finals in Germany next summer.

Ferdinand takes his place at the heart of the England defence against Northern Ireland on Saturday knowing the players are now ready to fulfill their undoubted potential and give the England fans something to really cheer about.

Ferdinand said: "This is definitely the best chance we have had to win something since I've been with England. I don't think the manager has ever had a better squad of players to pick from.

"We have got players who have now been to European and World Cup campaigns.

"In all positions we are very strong – Michael Owen is proven, Wayne Rooney is doing fantastic, Jermain Defoe is a great player who is itching to score goals, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Alan Smith and Emile Heskey are all quality.

"And then you have the quality midfield players like Frank Lampard, Stephen Gerrard and David Beckham.

"There's also young players coming into the team who have got good experience with their clubs and I think we've got to put it into practice now.

"A lot of people are saying this team has a lot of great players and great individuals, but it's obvious you don't win anything with individuals, we've got to make sure we become a great collective team.

"Greece hit that home to everybody that if you are prepared and you set your stall out in the right way to suit your players, you have as good a chance as anyone to win the tournament."

Ferdinand has always dreamed of lifting the World Cup and will want to erase the painful memories of his last experience in the Far East in 2002.

England were knocked out the competition by Brazil in the quarter-finals, but the Manchester United defender believes the players have all taken positives from that experience.

After missing out on Euro 2004 last summer, Ferdinand is relishing the chance to show his ability at the heart of the England defence again.

But with John Terry and Ledley King waiting to make their breakthrough into the team, Ferdinand knows he has to produce the goods every time he puts on a three lions shirt.

Ferdinand added: "There has always been competition for places at the back over the last few years. We had Martin Keown who was playing fantastically well before he left Arsenal.

"We also had Gareth Southgate who was captain of his club and has been Mr consistency for a number of years. As long as my name is on the team-sheet, I am not really bothered who I am playing with.

"Sol Campbell and John Terry are good ball winners and are both very strong in the air. They are quality players and we are very lucky that we have a lot of players competing for that position."

Despite boasting a team full of Premiership and European stars, Ferdinand has still warned England fans not to expect an easy ride against Northern Ireland on Saturday.

Northern Ireland have already shown they can compete in Group 6 and are relishing the opportunity to cause an upset at Old Trafford.

And Ferdinand said: "We know that people will expect us to beat them by a cricket score. But that is not the case in international football and the so-called lesser teams always seem to give the bigger sides a hard game.

"As long as we approach the game right and prepare in the correct frame of mind, fingers crossed it should go to plan in a positive way for us.

"The big downfall is if we don’t prepare right and we become complacent. I am hoping that will not be the case."