Post by Salem6 on May 11, 2004 10:26:41 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/3702869.stm
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/3691269.stm
Exiled England defender Rio Ferdinand has backed his international team-mates to ease his pain by challenging for Euro 2004 glory in Portugal next month.
Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is short in defence, but Ferdinand says John Terry and Sol Campbell can anchor the side.
He told BBC Sport: "We've got a really good chance. This is one of our best chances to win a championship."
"We've got great young players who have had the experience of playing on the biggest stage in the world in Japan."
Speaking during a Sport Relief forum, Ferdinand admitted he would be watching the tournament in constant frustration as he is forced to sit out an eight-month club and country ban for failing to attend a drugs test.
But the centre back said it would be equally painful for him to miss Manchester United's FA Cup Final clash with Millwall in Cardiff next week.
"I really can't choose between the two," he said.
"You might think I'd go straight for Euro 2004, but I've never played in an FA Cup Final and I'm gutted to be missing it."
Ferdinand was able to release some of his frustration when he enjoyed a Sport Relief kick-about with youngsters at the Groundwork Tameside project.
The defender relished having a ball at his feet as he joined in with a scheme that uses football to ease tensions between youths from different ethnic backgrounds near Manchester.
"I get as excited by football as I've always done and its great to be around kids who really want to play," Ferdinand said.
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sport_relief_2004/default.stm
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/3691269.stm
Exiled England defender Rio Ferdinand has backed his international team-mates to ease his pain by challenging for Euro 2004 glory in Portugal next month.
Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is short in defence, but Ferdinand says John Terry and Sol Campbell can anchor the side.
He told BBC Sport: "We've got a really good chance. This is one of our best chances to win a championship."
"We've got great young players who have had the experience of playing on the biggest stage in the world in Japan."
Speaking during a Sport Relief forum, Ferdinand admitted he would be watching the tournament in constant frustration as he is forced to sit out an eight-month club and country ban for failing to attend a drugs test.
But the centre back said it would be equally painful for him to miss Manchester United's FA Cup Final clash with Millwall in Cardiff next week.
"I really can't choose between the two," he said.
"You might think I'd go straight for Euro 2004, but I've never played in an FA Cup Final and I'm gutted to be missing it."
Ferdinand was able to release some of his frustration when he enjoyed a Sport Relief kick-about with youngsters at the Groundwork Tameside project.
The defender relished having a ball at his feet as he joined in with a scheme that uses football to ease tensions between youths from different ethnic backgrounds near Manchester.
"I get as excited by football as I've always done and its great to be around kids who really want to play," Ferdinand said.
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sport_relief_2004/default.stm