Roy Hodgson Appointed England's Manager: Why Rio Ferdinand Should Be Captain

The English National Football team under Roy Hodgson is preparing for Euro 2012. The current topic for discussion is who will wear the captain's armband for Euro 2012.

Rio Ferdinand deserves to wear the captain's armband for England in Euro 2012. He has managed to maintain his position in football despite his personal problems.

Ferdinand silenced his critics with his dominance as a central midfielder during various matches for Manchester United. Ferdinand was once captain of Manchester United during the 2008 UEFA Champions League (UCL) final in Moscow, Russia.

Ferdinand is able to take advantage of his dominance in the center field to intercept the ball from opposing players. In addition to his on-field performance, Ferdinand can be a professional off the field.

He praised Javier (Chicharito) Hernandez when the latter arrived at Old Trafford after signing with United. With his praise, Ferdinand revealed a side that certain members of the press rarely report.

Ferdinand deserves to be captain since he is not afraid to speak his mind off and on the field. Ferdinand criticized FIFA for taking a weak stance towards racism in football, challenging the organization to look within itself when dealing with racism.

While the decision about who will wear the captain's armband is decided on the basis of professional accomplishments, it is what happens off the field that should be the basis as well.