please log in to view this image Tim Nichols 24 Feb 2012 Potential. It's the word that has followed Anton Ferdinand from West Ham to Sunderland and back to London with Queens Park Rangers - and he has had enough. "People always talk about potential when it comes to me," Ferdinand admits. "It came to a stage when I was sick of hearing that word because I always knew I had potential and what I wanted to hear was that I was a good player. People need to start saying I've fulfilled potential and become a good player." As the younger brother of Manchester United and England defender Rio, it was ever thus for Anton. They both play in central defence, both came through the ranks of West Ham's famed Academy and both are comfortable on the ball. Comparisons were inevitable. But playing in the shadow of the world's most expensive defender clearly doesn't bother the 27-year-old former England Under-21 international. Not that he has ruled out emulating the considerable achievements of his brother's career. "Rio has definitely helped me," says Ferdinand. "That's the beauty of having a brother who does the same job and is in the limelight the same as I am. Obviously, he is in the limelight to a bigger scale. Seeing what he has been through and learning from some of his mistakes has made me learn a lot. It's good to have a brother who does that for you. "He wants me to do well, he's my big brother, he wants to me to do better than him. Whether that will happen or not, I've not got much time but we'll see, there's still time to do it." But as he approaches what should be the peak years of his career, is there still time to earn a senior cap? "I want to be the best I can be," he says without hesitation. "I would like to have a chance of playing for my country. I played a lot of games for the Under-21s and if you ask the managers who were there with me, Stuart Pearce and Peter Taylor, I never looked out of place, I looked comfortable at international level. It's more of a thinking game and I thrive like that. "If I'm playing well, I'd like to think I'm in with a chance because I believe I'm good enough to play for my country and if given a chance I'd take it with both hands." For now, though, he has more pressing matters to worry about. Of course, there is the distraction of John Terry's upcoming court case for allegedly racially abusing Ferdinand, a matter the QPR player is unable to discuss publicly. On the field, his focus is firmly on ensuring Rangers retain their Premier League status. The club have had a difficult season on their return to the top flight after 15 years. With less than two weeks of the summer transfer window remaining, Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes bought the club, ended speculation about Neil Warnock's future as manager and provided funds to buy proven Premier League performers Ferdinand, Joey Barton, Luke Young and Shaun Wright-Phillips. But a bad run of results before Christmas sealed Warnock's fate and Mark Hughes was appointed - his first job since leaving tomorrow's visitors, *Fulham, at the end of last season. Hughes strengthened the Rangers squad in January, bringing in Bobby Zamora and Djibril Cisse to add some potency up front and Nedum Onuoha to provide cover at the back. Not that Ferdinand ever considered the prospect of relegation. He says: "Even without the signings, I never had any doubts. We've added Bobby and Djibril and I've played with them before - it's nice to be playing with Bobby again. He is not just a fantastic footballer, he is a good person and someone I got on well with at West Ham. The same with Djibril. I played with him at Sunderland and I have only good words to say about him. He's a fantastic person and his goal stats speak for themselves." As with Chelsea and Manchester City - clubs that have also benefited from wealthy benefactors - QPR have seen a considerable turnover of players since Fernandes bought the club. Eleven new faces have arrived since the start of the season and more will surely follow. But rather than fear who the owner and manager wish to bring in, Ferdinand welcomes the investment. "I am confident that no matter who would have come in this window I would have backed my ability to claim my shirt for the rest of the season," he says. "The more players coming in the better. Quality players coming in can only be good for the club. I can't talk about other players but, for me personally, I thrive on that. If there is another player next to me or ahead of me I want that shirt and I will do anything to get it. When there is more players in the squad, it breeds competition and that is healthy for any squad." Nothing much appears to faze Ferdinand - certainly not adjusting to a new manager halfway through the season. "I'm used to it because when I moved from West Ham to Sunderland I'd worked with Roy Keane for just three months, then he left," he says. "I've not got a bad word to say about Warnock, he brought me to QPR and restored my confidence and let me play football week in, week out again which is all I wanted to do. But it wasn't meant to be and we have a new manager. "I watched an interview Hughes did when he was appointed and he said he believes he has the best staff around him in the League. After being with him and his coaching staff, I'd say he is not far wrong. "I'm a player who likes to learn who is not scared of being told the truth. Eddie [Niedzwiecki] has been brilliant with me, same as Bo [Mark Bowen] and the same as the gaffer. I'm enjoying working under them. I'm learning things from them which is brilliant. It's not just in games, I'm learning Monday to Friday, during training. Any professional will tell you that is key. "You never stop developing until you hang your boots up but I was going through a stage when I was only really learning in games and not in training. Ask any professional - if you're learning in training, games become easier." Professionalism is a theme Ferdinand keeps returning to during the interview. At West Ham he was, by his own admission, enjoying the life of a footballer a bit too much. "When I was younger, I was enjoying life and playing football," he says. "As you get older, that life has to stop and take a back seat. With moving out of London to Sunderland, I could do that. I've come back a different person, which is good. I've matured. Yeah, that's the best way to put it. I've matured and become a better pro with age." Just don't mention his potential. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-24038298-meet-anton-ferdinand-the-defender-determined-to-realise-his-potential.do? Good interview and a nice article
Surprised to see the comments above. Very comfortable with Anton (and Luke Young when he gets fitness and form back). Just hope Onuoha and Taiwo gel in to give us a solid back four. Signs ain't too bad, just need some clean sheets to get the confidence going imo. Having said that, not unhappy with Gabbi or One Size either. Reckon the defence will have a better chance of realising potential if we can get the midfield asking more questions going forward (thus reducing pressure at the back). Fingers crossed that Diakite is a real prospect and finds his prem feet early (big ask I know). Bit worried about Paddy though. Needs to improve fitness, agility and confidence. Don't fancy relying on Cerny although he's done nowt wrong this season. [Amazing tho' that we've added so much quality to what we had but still waiting for a decent win. Just goes to show dunnit?]
Here Here Brixton!! Only issue with "one-size" is his injuries. This will break up a central pairing understanding if we have to keep swapping around.
If we are preferring Hall to Ferdinand we are in big, big trouble. The plight of the position they play in, and of course even worse for the goalkeepers, is that their mistakes generally result in goals conceded. Hall makes too many and is always likely to give away a penalty. I’m not happy with Gabbidon either. Opposing forwards get across in front of him far too easily and all of his good work is instantly undone. I’m desperate for Onuoha to return to central defence. Is there really no one else who can play right back?
