“Sometimes the penny just drops for a player at a tournament, and it the right time for you, in the team.”
According to Ferdinand, that’s precisely what is happening at the current World Cup with Harry Maguire.
The England legend had his reservations about Maguire’s ability for this sort of level, because he has seen times when the Leicester player has been exposed at club level.
But Ferdinand also said that some players are made for the slower pace that comes with international fooball, and that Maguire is thriving with the way that they play.
It’s a completely different way to how his club play, but it also gives the defender a chance to try and play the ball out from the back.
Ferdinand admits that Maguire has played a vital role in the way that Southgate sets up his team.
Before the tournament, Ferdinand and Southgate had a frank conversation about England’s defence, in which the manager laid out what he wanted to achieve.
He told him that he was going to go with three at the back, as he didn’t have two centre halves who have proved themselves.
He also wanted England to be able to set the pace and tempo of each and every game, for which he needed defenders who were confident on the ball.
In the end, Southgate went with Maguire, Stones and Walker at the back, as they all offered something a bit different to the team.
Ferdinand said:
“What I like is that Gareth has not looked at the negatives of any of his centre-halves, and asked: ‘What are they lacking?’ Instead it is: ‘What are they bringing to my team?'”
“His thinking is, ‘well, we are going to have to defend sometimes but, the majority of the time, we are going to have the ball, and I want players who can use it’.”