When Sven-Goran Eriksson told the fake sheikh in the infamous newspaper sting that Rio Ferdinand was "lazy" it did not amount to the England manager's most revealing indiscretion. Indeed, there were some who thought Eriksson had gone easy on the defender whose form at the World Cup in Germany this summer is so crucial. Ferdinand's supporters say he has the talent to be the natural successor to the great Bobby Moore. They say he shows the same elegance and composure. His critics say he is greedy and ungrateful as well as being one of the most absent-minded footballers in Premiership history.
The neutral could only conclude that his reputation has nose-dived since the last World Cup in Japan when he was universally regarded as England's best player. It is impossible to know exactly which Ferdinand will turn up in Germany, the East End boy made good, the one turned bad, or one struggling to make good again. The one thing for sure is that England's back line has never been more competitive with John Terry, Jonathan Woodgate, Ledley King, Jamie Carragher and even Sol Campbell all ready to give Ferdinand a fight for his place at the heart of Eriksson's defence. At his best, however, Ferdinand is a shoo-in for England and he has been quick to confirm there are no problems with Eriksson, despite the 'lazy' slur. "I certainly don't bear any grudges," Ferdinand says. "There's no problem between us. He supported me during my ban for missing a drug test and has always played fair with me in the past. It hasn't undermined my relationship with him." The truth is England in Germany need the sort of fit and focused Ferdinand who produced a last-minute headed winner, plus a last-ditch clearance off the line to beat Liverpool in his 150th performance for Manchester United at Old Trafford in January. The national side has never been short of blood-and-thunder defenders. Witness the uncompromising style of Jack Charlton and the no-nonsense approach of Terry Butcher. A fit and well Campbell comes from the same mould as does Carragher and to some extent Chelsea's Terry.
Ferdinand at his best gives England that extra dimension, a defender who can carry the ball, who can step out of the back four and instigate attacks, one who is comfortable on the ball and constructive in his passing. Such a player allows a team to treasure the football instead of squandering it cheaply or depositing it in Row Z at the earliest opportunity. It is what took Ferdinand into the West Ham first team at the age of 17 and into the England set-up just eight days after his 19th birthday when Glenn Hoddle named him in his squad for a friendly against Cameroon. | 
