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Don't give up the day job, Rio: Ferdinand has to forget the red carpet and fix his poor form
By Ian Ladyman
Last updated at 11:40 AM on 27th October 2009Asked recently about suggestions that Rio Ferdinand may not make the England squad for the 2010 World Cup, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s response was telling.
‘Well, he has to get good form,’ said Ferguson. ‘That’s an important issue for the coach because I think probably in defence you’ve maybe got more options than other positions. He will need to get his form right.’
Losing his grip: Rio Ferdinand is beaten by Fernando Torres on Sunday (above) and suffers as his casual pass allows Craig Bellamy to score in the Manchester derby last month (below)
The notion of Ferdinand, England’s best central defender for the past two or three years, not going to South Africa is preposterous. Ferguson knows that better than anyone.
But his comments on the matter - made after Ferdinand erred for England during the defeat in Ukraine earlier this month - had a clear and obvious message. It is time for the centre half to get his game together again.
Ferdinand has long had to live with accusations of sloppiness and casualness.
Some of it has been warranted, especially in his early years, and much of it has not.
It is understood, however, that Ferguson feels Ferdinand has begun to believe his own favourable publicity again in recent months and that this has contributed to the problems that have recently blighted his season.
Certainly, Ferdinand’s latest Candid Camera moment in the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday was a stark reminder of how far he has fallen from his own high standards this season.
Starting from a reasonable position as Yossi Benayoun played Fernando Torres in, it was remarkable not that Ferdinand lost the race but how quickly he realised he was in big trouble.
Torres is sprinter quick, of course, but the Ferdinand of last season would have leaned on the striker with his shoulder - a totally legal act - and guided him away from goal, making the shooting angle tighter and tighter.
On Sunday, though, Ferdinand was grappling and grabbing at Torres’ arm from the start. It seemed a shocking admission that he immediately knew he was losing the race and had the Spaniard not remained upright long enough to score Ferdinand could easily have been sent off.
As Torres set off to celebrate the game’s decisive moment, Ferdinand was left on his knees. He looked shell-shocked. He should not have been. Something like this has been coming all season.
Ferdinand himself has spoken through his newspaper columns about his problems this season.
‘The hunger and desire is still there to maintain my standards and nothing has changed,’ Ferdinand told the News of the World nine days ago before stressing to The Sun a few days later: ‘Every time I get criticism I come out in the end a better player. I am sure it will happen again.’
There is nothing wrong with Ferdinand choosing to defend himself, of course, but what is interesting is that the first interview was given to promote a film he has funded and produced with England team-mate Ashley Cole and the second, at least in part, was given as he stood on a red carpet at the movie’s launch last Thursday.
Given that Ferdinand had only arrived back from a Champions League victory in CSKA Moscow at about 3.30am following a four-hour flight, his decision to attend a celebrity event in London that night was a peculiar one.
With United not due at Anfield until Sunday lunchtime, Ferdinand did not break any club rules in attending the event. Nor is there any suggestion that he did not have his manager’s permission.
Out on the town: Rio at the London premiere of his film Dead Man Running with partner Rebecca Ellison
Nevertheless, United trained in Manchester on Friday lunchtime. Would Ferdinand’s trip to London, coming on the back of a tough game in Moscow, have affected him that day? Would it have spilled over to Sunday?
We will never know for certain but the evidence does not look too favourable from a distance.
Ferdinand is not the only footballer to have outside interests. He is intelligent and rounded - something that we increasingly ask our footballers to be. It is certainly likely that he will be doing something more worthwhile than running a pub when he retires while his own football foundation continues to do ever more for under-privileged children in this country.
Nevertheless, Ferdinand loves his football and has spoken of his desire to extend his career for another five or six years.
That being the case, it might be time to re-examine the priorities that he insists still have football right at the very top. United certainly need Ferdinand at the top his game over the next six months. England’s need, meanwhile, will be even greater in South Africa next summer.
Having struggled with back and groin injuries in recent times, Ferdinand’s body is looked after carefully at Old Trafford. But he is 31 in less than a fortnight. He is at the age when small factors can begin to make an altogether more noticeable difference.
It has been an inauspicious start to the season. One would imagine it can only get better.
By Ian Ladyman
Last updated at 11:40 AM on 27th October 2009Asked recently about suggestions that Rio Ferdinand may not make the England squad for the 2010 World Cup, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s response was telling.
‘Well, he has to get good form,’ said Ferguson. ‘That’s an important issue for the coach because I think probably in defence you’ve maybe got more options than other positions. He will need to get his form right.’
Losing his grip: Rio Ferdinand is beaten by Fernando Torres on Sunday (above) and suffers as his casual pass allows Craig Bellamy to score in the Manchester derby last month (below) The notion of Ferdinand, England’s best central defender for the past two or three years, not going to South Africa is preposterous. Ferguson knows that better than anyone.
But his comments on the matter - made after Ferdinand erred for England during the defeat in Ukraine earlier this month - had a clear and obvious message. It is time for the centre half to get his game together again.
Ferdinand has long had to live with accusations of sloppiness and casualness.
Some of it has been warranted, especially in his early years, and much of it has not.
It is understood, however, that Ferguson feels Ferdinand has begun to believe his own favourable publicity again in recent months and that this has contributed to the problems that have recently blighted his season.
Certainly, Ferdinand’s latest Candid Camera moment in the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday was a stark reminder of how far he has fallen from his own high standards this season.
Starting from a reasonable position as Yossi Benayoun played Fernando Torres in, it was remarkable not that Ferdinand lost the race but how quickly he realised he was in big trouble.
Torres is sprinter quick, of course, but the Ferdinand of last season would have leaned on the striker with his shoulder - a totally legal act - and guided him away from goal, making the shooting angle tighter and tighter.
On Sunday, though, Ferdinand was grappling and grabbing at Torres’ arm from the start. It seemed a shocking admission that he immediately knew he was losing the race and had the Spaniard not remained upright long enough to score Ferdinand could easily have been sent off.
As Torres set off to celebrate the game’s decisive moment, Ferdinand was left on his knees. He looked shell-shocked. He should not have been. Something like this has been coming all season.
Ferdinand himself has spoken through his newspaper columns about his problems this season.
‘The hunger and desire is still there to maintain my standards and nothing has changed,’ Ferdinand told the News of the World nine days ago before stressing to The Sun a few days later: ‘Every time I get criticism I come out in the end a better player. I am sure it will happen again.’
There is nothing wrong with Ferdinand choosing to defend himself, of course, but what is interesting is that the first interview was given to promote a film he has funded and produced with England team-mate Ashley Cole and the second, at least in part, was given as he stood on a red carpet at the movie’s launch last Thursday.
Given that Ferdinand had only arrived back from a Champions League victory in CSKA Moscow at about 3.30am following a four-hour flight, his decision to attend a celebrity event in London that night was a peculiar one.
With United not due at Anfield until Sunday lunchtime, Ferdinand did not break any club rules in attending the event. Nor is there any suggestion that he did not have his manager’s permission.
Out on the town: Rio at the London premiere of his film Dead Man Running with partner Rebecca EllisonNevertheless, United trained in Manchester on Friday lunchtime. Would Ferdinand’s trip to London, coming on the back of a tough game in Moscow, have affected him that day? Would it have spilled over to Sunday?
We will never know for certain but the evidence does not look too favourable from a distance.
Ferdinand is not the only footballer to have outside interests. He is intelligent and rounded - something that we increasingly ask our footballers to be. It is certainly likely that he will be doing something more worthwhile than running a pub when he retires while his own football foundation continues to do ever more for under-privileged children in this country.
Nevertheless, Ferdinand loves his football and has spoken of his desire to extend his career for another five or six years.
That being the case, it might be time to re-examine the priorities that he insists still have football right at the very top. United certainly need Ferdinand at the top his game over the next six months. England’s need, meanwhile, will be even greater in South Africa next summer.
Having struggled with back and groin injuries in recent times, Ferdinand’s body is looked after carefully at Old Trafford. But he is 31 in less than a fortnight. He is at the age when small factors can begin to make an altogether more noticeable difference.
It has been an inauspicious start to the season. One would imagine it can only get better.
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015