Euro 2016: Rio Ferdinand admits weight of expectation used to kill England at major tournaments

As a lead member of that horribly misnamed band of footballing brothers, the Golden Generation, Rio Ferdinand knows all about jetting off to tournaments with the heft of expectation weighing down your kit bag.

Ferdinand, who won 81 caps, was a key part of England’s back four in the 2002 World Cup in the Far East and four years later in Germany during the Sven years. He also travelled with the Fabio Capello division to South Africa in 2010 but was injured before kicking a ball. On all three occasions there was plenty of pre-tournament hype but very little good to write home about.

The former defender admits now that the burden was too much and is pleased that the current England squad can hop on the Eurostar baggage-free for next month’s European Championship.

“[The expectations] hindered us at the time,” Ferdinand says. “We would say we were not feeling the pressure but looking back, there was definitely a huge pressure. When you play for your country at a major tournament it is a different type of pressure. It consumes you in a tournament, overpowers you almost because you know the country is behind you. They are expecting.

“Our generation of top players were individuals but never became a collective. France [who won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 Euros] had great players but were also a collective which is why they won. It is about a team unit, core values of being together.”

So how did they fail to gel where France succeeded, why was togetherness so elusive for a squad that contained the likes of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Gary Neville, John Terry, Ashley Cole…? How do you create the French feel?

“It is the manager,” Ferdinand, who will be a pundit for the BBC during the Euros, says. “Whatever way he does it, it is down to the manager to create that environment. Until a manager creates that you are pushing against a closed door. It won’t happen. Individual talent can only work so much. Look at Messi in that Barcelona team. He needs that support of a great team. He cannot do it on his own. Look what happens when he wears an Argentina shirt – they only get so far. They are not as good as Barcelona.”

Ferdinand played under five England managers - Glenn Hoddle, Kevin Keegan, Sven Goran Ericsson, Steve McClaren and Capello - and it is pretty damning that he only ever sensed that feel good factor under Hoddle. “He had a team starting to believe in his methods,” Ferdinand says. “Only Hoddle. All the others, no chance.”

Instead of togetherness there was division admits Ferdinand and cliques within the group. “When I first got into the England squad you had Shearer’s table and all his mates. You had the Liverpool table and all the dregs like a couple of Arsenal and couple of West Ham like me. Then there was the United table. Hoddle was very good and organised. We were on to something good. All the others, no.”

Over to Hodgson to create that vibe then. “He hasn’t [managed it] so far - but this is a great opportunity for him. He has a lot of great young players who are starting to show consistency and starting to show some good signs but again, doing it for your Premier League team is different. Look at the Spurs boys. The pressure was not on them to win the Premier League. The expectations came during the season. With England it is different and the young guys must deals with that. There is a lot to deal with but we have seen some promising signs.”

Oh no, not that expectation again? “I just want to see an improvement in the way the team plays, with young players coming into the team and looking comfortable on this stage. Something that gives you hope for the next tournament. This is a good introduction for the World Cup. When that comes they will be in their prime. I would like to see those players ready for the World Cup.

“We cannot sit here right now and say they are potential winners,” Ferdinand adds. “If they win it like Leicester won the league, it will be a great achievement but I don’t think there is anything to suggest they are potential winners when you look at the other teams. This is an inexperienced England squad but that might work well for us.

“I am not saying we will not have a successful tournament. The core of this team have had a good experience this season and played a lot of games – the Tottenham contingent particularly. That core of players may see the other England players feed off them and the positive experiences they have had.”

So who does Ferdinand expect to see lift the Henri Delaunay Trophy in Paris on July 10? “I think it will be an open tournament,” he says. “A number of teams can win it. Obviously Germany, France being the host nation and the talent they have. Spain with what they have done in the past few tournaments and Italy always turn up in the big tournaments.

“Belgium are the No 1 team in the rankings. I don’t know if that tells you much but they have a group of players who can rival anyone. They definitely have the players to potentially win it. I would not back them though. They are a team of individuals. They are not a Spain or Germany. There is not a togetherness.”

And so speaks a man who knows all about that - or the lack of it at least.

The BBC will provide extensive coverage of Euro 2016 across TV, radio and online from Friday 10th June 2016