Ferdinand ‘really upset’ as his departure could hit England’

England today recommenced training without their captain, Rio Ferdinand, who has withdrawn from the competition following a knee injury which will see him out of action for at least four weeks.

He has been replaced by Tottenham Hotspur defender Michael Dawson, greeted today by coach Fabio Capello with a handshake at the training ground.

Liverpool midfielder Stephen Gerrard has stepped up as the squad’s captain in South Africa.

Dawson was greeted by fans at the airport holding signs saying: “Dawson – short on experience, never short on courage”, something Channel 4 News’s Keme Nzerem says he, and the rest of the squad, will need after a less than ideal start to their campaign.

“What a way for England to start their World Cup campaign,” he said, describing the mood on the England training pitch as “sombre.”

Frank Lampard, who has known Rio Ferdinand since their days in West Ham’s youth team, said the team had not seen very much of him yesterday evening as he was “really, really upset”.

He also said he was not sure whether Ferdinand would remain in South Africa for the rest of the competition.

Meanwhile the players, who had the afternoon off, tried to take their minds off their problems with golf at a local course in Sun City, about half an hour’s drive away.