Ferdinand brands WAGs era "a circus"

Rio Ferdinand believes that English football is back on track after an era when footballers' wives were more important than action on the pitch.

The stand-in captain told The Independent: "We became a bit of a circus, if I'm honest, in terms of the whole WAG situation. It seems like there was a big show around the whole England squad.

"That then transposed itself into the team," he said, adding: "It was like watching a theatre unfolding and football almost became a secondary element to the main event.

"People were worrying more about what people were wearing and where they were going, rather than the England football team."

Ferdinand said Fabio Capello had ended "the circus", praising his "business-like approach" and professionalism.