More Sordid Party Stories – Can Rio Ever Be Our Captain?

Following the rape claims made about Jonny Evans during the Manchester United Christmas party, The Sun has gone on to report more sordid details about what supposedly went on. One girl has sold her story in today’s paper giving the details of one incident she said she overheard. “I was upstairs in the hotel gossiping with a friend when I heard cheering and clapping noises coming from one of the rooms,” she claims. “We could hear the voices of around five or six men – together with the groaning noises of a girl who was clearly having sex. The men were shrieking like hyenas and shouting, ‘Get in there’. My mate and I sat shocked as it was so vile. After a few minutes the men filed out of the room laughing, and rushed downstairs for more booze. I recognised three of them as members of the Manchester United squad – one of them a well-known name. The girl then came staggering out boasting she had just had sex with all the men. She was clearly very drunk and very pretty, and probably about 19 years old. I asked if she was OK and she said, ‘Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I be? They said I was a great shag’ and then she hobbled down the corridor. She looked as if she was in a bit of pain. After that me and my mate left. I was shocked by the idea there had been an orgy at the party. It felt so sleazy.”

The whole party was a recipe for disaster and why Ferguson even begrudgingly allowed it puzzles me. The plans were revealed at the beginning of December, with Rio Ferdinand organising the “ultimate” Christmas party. Ferdinand collected £4000 from each player, using the total of £100,000 to pay for their do. They went to the casino, had drinks in Liz Dawn’s ‘Old Grapes’ pub, then finished the evening at the Great John Street Hotel.

Ferguson, understandably, is furious about the whole thing, with more reports citing bad behaviour emerging on a daily basis. It is believed Neville, Giggs and Ferdinand have received a bollocking over it all, with the manager believing the more experienced players should have had a better grip on the events.

I have stated time and again that despite my feelings of dislike for Rio Ferdinand, I think he would make a cracking captain. However, I wonder if this is just the final nail in his coffin in regards to him fulfilling his wish of taking over the armband permanently. Missing his drug test and facing a lengthy ban, stalling on signing a ridiculously well paid contract, and now this, organising this orgy fest.

When the party was announced, a ‘United insider’ said, “the party is for players and invited guests only, strictly no wives, girlfriends or management. The lads are employing someone to handpick females to attend. There are strict instructions that only the best-looking girls in Manchester are to be invited.”

Knowing that all girlfriends and wives were banned, there will have been money hungry girls all around town wanting to get their grubby hands on all the dosh they could from selling their story. It is impossible for me to dismiss the allegations made against Evans as false, but it was certain allegations of this nature were likely to be made, regardless of what happened. This isn’t the first time we’ve had cries of rape made against our players, with Ronaldo being arrested but not charged of the rape of two girls who followed him back to his hotel in November 2005.

Our captain should be someone who looks after the players, fighting for them and the club. We have seen this in Roy Keane, who essentially lost his place at the club so he could make known the problems with the team. We have seen this in Gary Neville time and again, for club and country, with his most striking example of devotion to his team mates being found when he tried to organise a boycott of England’s game against Turkey following Rio Ferdinand’s ban. In contrast, Ferdinand has lead our players in to a disastrous situation, showing more concern for having a good night out boozing with slags than he does for the reputation of our club and players.

This latest story will probably blow over sooner rather than later, but it is an added distraction this team does not need leading up to the busy and crucial Christmas period. With a difficult game at home to Everton on Sunday, followed by a trip up to Sunderland three days later, and then another away day at West Ham another three days after that, we certainly don’t need these lude stories hanging over us.

Has Ferdinand blown it with Ferguson? Is it three strikes and you’re out as far as his captaincy hopes are concerned?