England skipper Rio Ferdinand admits there is
no room in modern football for players "going out on the lash'' if
they want to do themselves justice at the top level of the
game.
Ferdinand's claims come in the aftermath of several high profile
players being in the headlines for alleged drinking sprees in
recent weeks.
Manchester United star Ferdinand concedes alcohol was part of
the culture associated with the game and players during the early
part of his career. Ferdinand believes the current players do "not
have to live like monks'' but accepts they have a responsibility to
themselves to behave appropriately and sensibly.
He said: "In all ways and shapes, you have to accept
responsibility. Nowadays you have a game Saturday, then Tuesday,
then Saturday, then Tuesday. There's no room in the game to go out
on the lash and get smashed like you used to. That was part of the
culture when I was growing up as a kid. The players I looked up to
at West Ham, their social lives were a big part of their lives.
"Nowadays, you can't afford to do that. You're playing against
teams that are physically in tip-top condition. If you're going out
there and are not in the same physical condition, you can't do
yourself or your team justice. There are so many different factors
that determine whether you become a top player. But going out
drinking will definitely be to your detriment and will hold you
back from being a top, top player.
"Your own personal pride and will to win and be a success,
should make you sit and think 'I can't do that on a Saturday night
if I've got a game on a Tuesday or Wednesday'. If you've got a free
week, there's no problem going out, enjoying yourself and letting
your hair down.
"You don't have to live like a monk. But you've got to pick and
choose your right times. It's about managing yourself right. As a
young player, sometimes you take certain steps and then learn from
them. Some people aren't going to be told 'you can't go out'. They
want to find out themselves and will make mistakes along the way.
They have to be strong enough to pick themselves up and carry
on.''
Ferdinand admits he learnt from his own mistakes in climbing to
the top of the footballing ladder by behaving in the right
manner.
He said: "You benefit football-wise. It's not just that you want
to become a better professional. You become a better player, in
simple terms. Look at someone like Michael Owen. I've always used
him as an example because we came through at the same time, went to
the 1998 World Cup, and we had two different outlooks on life.
"I was a social butterfly. He was a real professional who had a
good structure around him and knew exactly what he wanted to do and
where he wanted to go. It took me longer for me to get where I am
than it took him. Looking back, the Nevilles, people used to laugh
at them, saying they were 'so professional' and this and that. But
they were good professionals at a young age. Look at the length of
their careers now.''
Ferdinand accepts that drinking is part of the British culture
in general and is not just part of the footballing way of life.
He said: "It's society. I went to my old football club (Eltham
Town) at the weekend, on Sunday, and the culture is what it is in
England. You go and play a game and, afterwards, you go to the bar
and have a few pints. That is what people do. There's a clubhouse
there where people sometimes go after work. It's part of the social
network. As a footballer, you have to detach yourself from that. It
can be hard if you've been brought up like that.
"It's not just football, it's in society. Kids have to make
decisions and choices in life. Just because you're a young
footballer doesn't mean you're more mature. You've got to make
yourself more mature. It doesn't just happen.''