Rio's England Place Under Threat

Last updated : 24 August 2007 By editor

From the Times:

'Rio Ferdinand will be given two games to prove his commitment to England after the team's third defeat under Steve McClaren, the head coach. A lax performance against Germany on Wednesday led to Ferdinand being taken off at half-time and the identity of his positional replacement, 19-year-old Micah Richards, was believed to be a clear indication from McClaren that the Manchester United player can no longer take for granted his place in the starting line-up.

'The England management grew particularly frustrated with Ferdinand's casual air during the first half with Germany, including sloppy attempts to control the ball and a straightforward pass that ballooned out of play. This follows on from average performances for United, starting with the Community Shield match at Wembley, in which he was outmuscled by Florent Malouda for Chelsea's goal.'