Skipper Rio Ferdinand has demanded 'no regrets' from England's nearly-men this time around.
England skipper targeting World Cup win
Skipper Rio Ferdinand has demanded 'no regrets' from England's nearly-men this time around.
Ferdinand has been part of the England squad for the last three World Cup failures, where the Three Lions have achieved a best-placed quarter-final finish twice.
While some are simply hoping England can get past that stage this time around, Ferdinand insists nothing but a win will do as Fabio Capello's side aim to lift football's biggest prize for the first time in 44 years.
Ferdinand said: "The message when we fly to South Africa is that we are going to be doing our utmost to bring the World Cup back.
"We are not out there to finish second, we are not out there to make the semi-finals and think 'we've done a good job because we have got past the quarter-finals.'
"We are there to go and win it. That is what the build-up has all been about, preparing right, recuperating after training, recuperating after games properly.
"It's been about making sure that all the minor little details that need doing are done properly to make sure we have the best chance to win."
Luxury thinking
While Ferdinand is targeting a tournament win, he will not allow himself the luxury of thinking about lifting the trophy on 11th July.
He said: "I don't get that far ahead. That is what is good about this manager. He doesn't let anyone think too far ahead and get carried away with themselves.
"I won't be doing that, thinking and imagining what it is like to win the trophy, until, fingers crossed, it does happen.
"Even before the last World Cup started, we beat Jamaica 6-1 at Old Trafford in a warm-up game and it was almost like creating a false sense of security.
"It kind of papered over the cracks of what we needed to work on but, with this manager, we get into minor details which might add up to being important things and that is the difference between being champions and being an also ran.
"We want to come back with no regrets. In the past I have been to several tournaments and there has probably been an element of regret in each one of them.
"I don't want to finish my England career, if this is going to be last tournament, on that note."
England are 6/1 third favourites with
Sky Bet to lift the world crown but Ferdinand has played down such narrow odds.
Carried away
He said: "Again, that is not something we will get carried away with. We know where we are at.
"We know there is a lot of hard work to do between now and the first game. With the right kind of work, we will be a hard team to play against.
"That is the most important thing, you've got to be a hard team to play against."
On a personal note, Ferdinand never doubted he would be fit for the World Cup after an injury-plagued season with Manchester United.
The 31-year-old added: "I always believed I would make it and, more importantly, I always believed I would be able to play a good few games at the back end of the season for United.
"I thought if I did that, I would get my chance to get into the 30 and from there, get into the final squad for the World Cup.
"I've been pleased since we got together, I've trained every day, I've not missed anything, and long may that continue.
"People say it will be my last World Cup. I'd like to think I've got a few more years left in me and you have to listen to your body really - but each year you have to re-evaluate and go from there."
