Football Talk - Capello has faith in Rio Ferdinand - 14/10/09
England coach Fabio Capello has placed his faith in Rio Ferdinand after revealing he has forced the defender to examine his mistake against Ukraine.
Ferdinand's early blunder in Saturday's 1-0 defeat in Ukraine led to goalkeeper Robert Green's being sent off and was the latest in a series of errors by the Manchester United centre-half. However, his place in the England team to face Belarus on Wednesday night has not come under threat after Capello stressed the 30-year-old's importance to the national side.
"I spoke with Rio on Monday and I spoke with him again," said Capello. "I asked him what happened against Ukraine and I spoke with him about the moment when we conceded the penalty. And I'll make him watch the DVD of the game again to understand what happened and I will see the mistakes we made.
"I only spoke with Rio about Saturday's game, not the one in Holland or any other. But I was not tempted to leave him out against Belarus. He is fit and will be in the starting XI because he is one of the best defenders in England. He is a really good man, a big man, an important player for England and for United."
