Sunderland defender Anton Ferdinand has revealed how he took former West Ham teammate Junior Stanislas to the Ferdinand Soccer School in Uganda last summer.

The intention was to prove the 19-year-old needed to work at his game, as well as his own dedication, if he wanted to succeed in football rather than throw away the talent he is currently nurturing on loan at Southend United.

Ferdinand explained: "I've seen the way the African players work and train. They don't have the same opportunities we get so they work hard and the way they take things in is like a sponge.

"I took Junior over there because he is a fantastic player but I always questioned whether he really wanted to be a footballer, to make that step up to the first team. So I thought it would be good for him to go to Uganda and see that there are boys his age that are probably as good as him but who don't have the same opportunities."