Ferdinand confident England can reach Euro 2012

The Three Lions suffered a setback in their hopes to reach the finals in Ukraine and Poland when the former Yugoslavian state claimed a goalless draw at Wembley.

Tuesday's stalemate means Montenegro will end the year on top of Group G on 10 points, three ahead of England who have a game in hand.

Fabio Capello's side are next in competitive action on March 26 when they travel to Cardiff to face Wales.

Ferdinand accepts nothing but a victory in the Welsh capital will do, just as is likely to be the case in the following three group games – against Switzerland at home, Bulgaria away and Wales at Wembley.

Should England claim a maximum 12 points from those games then, providing Zlatko Krancjar's side also embark on a winning run, it will mean the final group game in Montenegro on October 7 next year will decide who automatically goes through in pole position.

Captain Ferdinand said: "We are not thinking about finishing second, not at all. If we win all our games and so do Montenegro then the decider will be at their place.

"That will be a difficult place but we have faced situations like that before. Ideally, we would like to go to their place with it sewn up but we will deal with whatever comes our way."

With the trip to Wales likely to be in the Millennium Stadium as opposed to Cardiff City's new ground due to the home nation needing to maximise revenue, England will be hoping for a repeat of their visit in 2005 for a World Cup qualifier when Joe Cole scored the only goal.

Wales may have had a poor start to qualifying with their three outings so far having yielded no points to leave a side being led by caretaker manager Brian Flynn bottom of Group G.

But with a passionate home crowd determined to put one over the English, an atmosphere more akin to the fervour of a local derby is likely to be generated on March 26.

Ferdinand, however, insists Capello's men will be undaunted stepping into such a passionate cauldron. He said: "We didn't get the three points (against Montenegro) and the next (competitive) game is five months away, which is a long time.

"But we need to win it and can win it. All I can say to the fans is, 'Stay behind us'. It is down to us to perform and we are trying to do that."

England's draw on Tuesday night brought to an end a proud record on home soil under Capello with the previous nine games under his charge at Wembley having resulted in wins.

Overall, Capello's record at Wembley now stands at 11 wins and two draws from 13 games but that did not stop many in the 73,451 from booing at the final whistle. Ferdinand, whose appearance on Tuesday was his first competitive international outing in a year, said: "It is part and parcel of being a footballer that things can come under the microscope. We accept that and have to deal with it.

"We had won 11 games here and maybe that could be taken into consideration.

"But people do come and pay their money.

"Frustration does creep in. That is part of being an international footballer, we have to take the rough with the smooth."

On the performance against Montenegro, Ferdinand added: "The manager said we could have done better in terms of scoring a goal.

"At half-time, he said the tempo wasn't quick enough so we went out and upped that.

"And on another day we could have had a couple of penalties (when Milan Jovanovic appeared to handle and Ashley Young took a theatrical dive that brought a deserved yellow card)."

On a disappointing night, perhaps the biggest concern for England was another below-par display from their talisman, Wayne Rooney.

Ferdinand, a team-mate at club and international level, said: "Wayne put in a good shift. He was asked to work and get on the last midfielder, and I thought he did that well. Sometimes as a striker you just need that little bit of luck. To pick out one player would be unfair."

Davies hoping for a second chance

Kevin Davies is determined to be more than a one-cap wonder after becoming the oldest player to make his England debut for almost 60 years.

The Sheffield-born Bolton striker came off the bench for the final 20 minutes of Tuesday's European Championship qualifier against Montenegro, but was unable to help his country avoid a disappointing goalless draw.

The 33-year-old, England's oldest debutant since Leslie Compton in 1950, was handed his big chance due to injuries to several of Fabio Capello's other forwards.

"I've enjoyed every minute of it, to be honest with you," he said. "I hope I've come down here and made an impression. I've worked extremely hard."