Rio Ferdinand Gets the England Armband

If you’d told me Rio Ferdinand was the new England captain five years ago, I’d have choked on my Snakey B. Rio was talented but dozy, and not the sort of man you’d want leading you into battle (or anywhere else.)

But now it’s 2008 and we’ve all done some growing. I rarely, if ever, let Snakey B pass my lips, and Rio Ferdinand has been a colossus for Manchester United this season. I can’t remember him making a single mistake, and he’s certainly outperforming John Terry. And so he’ll captain the England team tomorrow against France.

It’s not necessarily permanent. It’s all part of Capello’s big game of pass the armband (whoever’s wearing it when he yells “stop!” gets to captain the team through World Cup 2010 qualification.) But it’s nice to see England looking beyond the usual suspects (Beckham, Owen, Gerrard, Terry) and letting someone else try it on, and encouraging to think Ferdinand is now responsible enough for something more mature than merking his teammates.