Rio Ferdinand Out Of World Cup...

[ibrahim]

England Captain Rio Ferdinand Out Of World Cup; Tottenham Hotspur's Michael Dawson Drafted In - Report

By Matt Monaghan

England captain Rio Ferdinand is reported to be out of the World Cup with a knee injury with Tottenham Hotspur's Michael Dawson called up as a replacement, according to Sky Sports News.


BBC Radio 5 Live stated Ferdinand, 31, picked up the injury during the Three Lions' first training session after a tackle from Aston Villa's Emile Heskey. Manager Fabio Capello confirmed earlier today that Dawson had been drafted in on stand-by after he was initially cut from the provisional 30-man squad.

The skipper's Manchester United campaign was blighted by a recurring back problem, though today's blow is not related. He only started 11 Premier League matches last term as the club finished one point behind champions Chelsea.

Ferdinand was handed the armband in February after John Terry was stripped of the role after newspaper revelations. The duo were expected to start in the heart of the defence.

Ledley King or Jamie Carragher are now the favourites to line-up alongside Terry when England kick off their campaign against the United States of America on June 12.

 

[Payandeh Iran]

BBC about 30 min ago:

World Cup 2010: Rio Ferdinand out of England squad

Ferdinand emerged from the hospital on crutches


England captain Rio Ferdinand will miss the World Cup after suffering a knee injury in the team's first training session in South Africa.

Ferdinand has been ruled out for between four and six weeks with ligament damage to his left knee.

Tottenham centre-back Michael Dawson will fly out later on Friday as Ferdinand's replacement, while Steven Gerrard will take over as captain.

More to follow.

 

[Real Madrid]

Now I can bank On England to make it to the Semi

 

[Chinaski]

I was about to say the same!! I am an england fan but i dont like Ferdinand while Dawson is actually a decent defender.

 

[eshghi]

Seriously, don't know what is so special about him- and I'm a ManU fan.
He is slow and been injured forever. England are better off without him.

 

[Kaz]

Slow? Maybe now kinda but definitely not pre-injury. In the last few years he has comfortably been in the best handful of defenders in the world. I remember Kaka mentioning that Rio is the best defender in the world as he is not only physically imposing, he is quick and can actually play with the ball.

What's eerily funny about this is just a couple months ago I was telling a friend I hope Terry is stripped of the captaincy and Gerrard gets it and that Carra somehow gets in the team. Both have practically happened.

 

[Bache Tehroon]

Is Gerrard captain now? I hope he is. That's the only way I will cheer for England.

 

[#8]

As a Man-U fan I think, Gerrard should have been named captain after Terry fiasco.

 

[ibrahim]

Gerrard is the captain for the next game.