The goalless draw between Fabio Capello's side and group leaders Montenegro at Wembley last night ended in the home team being booed off, and England still trail their opponents by three points.

England do have a game in hand and Ferdinand is already contemplating the return game with Montenegro as a potential group decider if there are no other hiccups.

But the England captain is adamant a lack of passion and will to win when pulling on the Three Lions cannot be levelled at the players - however they perform.

Ferdinand said: "If you watch the players train, you would realise that even results in training matter to players.

"So people can't tell me results at Wembley, or wherever you play, for your country don't matter.

"No matter how much you get paid, it is about pride.

"It's about you going back into your house, looking at yourself in the mirror and saying, 'Have I given 100% today and worked hard enough for my team?'.

"If you can't do that, then you are doing yourself, the fans and the team an injustice."

Ferdinand acknowledges England will be under close scrutiny after their disappointing World Cup campaign.

The Manchester United defender understood the frustration of the 73,000 crowd at Wembley even though England had won their previous 11 games at the stadium.

Ferdinand said: "Coming under the microscope is part and parcel of being an international footballer.

"We expect that and we accept that.

"As international footballers, if we don't perform, criticism is going to come our way and we have to deal with that.

"It was 11 wins on the bounce here before the draw with Montenegro. Sometimes people should take that into consideration.

"But again people pay their money to see us perform and win games.

"Frustration creeps in sometimes but that is part and parcel of being an international footballer. You take the rough with the smooth."

Ferdinand added: "The message to the fans is just to stay behind us.

"We know they pay their hard earned money to watch us play and it's down to us to perform and try to make them happy and we're trying to do that.

"We don't go out there to try to draw or lose games. We go out there to make them happy and win games and we will continue to do so."

Ferdinand, who returned as captain after a seven-game absence through injury, promised England are in a positive frame of mind in their bid to top the group.

He said: "We are not thinking about finishing second in the group. We are not thinking like that at all.

"If we win our next few games and so do Montenegro, the decider will be at their place which will be a difficult game.

"We've been in situations like that before. We'd love to go there and have the group sown up before we get there.

"But, whatever it takes us to get through, we will deal with it."

Ferdinand concedes England could have performed better against a Montenegro side who were hard to break down and content to play for a point.

But he was unhappy with the performance of referee Manuel Grafe.

Ferdinand said: "The manager stressed after the first half that the tempo wasn't quick enough so we upped it and we created a few good chances and the keeper made some good saves.

"Some teams are going to come here and set their stall out to defend and you've got to deal with that.

"We have the same at our clubs at weekends but I also I think on another day we would have had two penalties.

"The referees at this level, you expect them to be up to the standard of international football.

"I don't think we got that but that is the way it is and we have to get on with it."