Anton: Don't compare me with Rio
West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand has urged fans to judge him on his own talents.
West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand has urged fans to judge him on his own talents rather than compare him to his brother, Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand.Like his elder sibling, Anton Ferdinand has risen through the ranks at Upton Park and has proved his quality this term with some assured displays in The Premiership.
The inevitable comparisons with Rio have been drawn, but Anton wants the chance to develop outside of the shadow of his brother.
"People shout out to me, 'you are not as good as your brother', but this sort of thing has made me stronger," Anton Ferdinand told Sky Sports News.
"I am mentally stronger, things like that don't bother me.
"I just want people to see I am my own type of player.
"People will compare us, but until they see me they have no right to."
Rio Ferdinand has come under fire for some below-par displays this term, but Anton feels his brother has the qualities to emerge a stronger player.
"Everyone is going to have dips," he added. "No-one is perfect, it is the same for everyone, but he has the mental strength and ability to block it out and that is when I feel he is at his best.
"Look at the World Cup, he was our best player and people forget about that."
