Rio Ferdinand has been a Manchester United player for over ten years, but unlike other players who have given the majority of their career to the club, he still splits opinion amongst the fans. We can address all the reasons for and against Rio’s popularity as we go along, but the turning point for most fans came back in 2005.
Ferdinand was on the receiving end of plenty of stick after taking several months to put pen to paper on a contract reportedly worth £100,000 a week. Just a year after his ban, following his missed drugs test, Ferdinand was holding out for a deal worth £120,000 a week. The club had paid him over £2m in wages for the eight months he was forced to sit out, as our title challenge dissolved rapidly in his absence, which frustrated the fans no end.
With contract negotiations still under way, Ferdinand was spotted with his agent and Peter Kenyon in London, with reports of another Chelsea tapping up scandal filling the papers. Both Ferdinand and Chelsea claimed it was a chance meeting, but Sir Alex Ferguson disagreed.
“Some may view the meeting as unfortunate but that’s not my view,” he said. “I want to let my supporters know that we’re not happy with it. It’s an issue for us. I have to say that I believe Rio. Whatever way he was enticed to that meeting, I believe he wants to sign a new contract with us and I believe he wants to stay here.”
In our pre-season friendlies that summer against Clyde and Peterborough Ferdinand was booed. After telling the fans that something dodgy had gone on, Ferguson then had a pop at them for expressing their dissatisfaction with Rio’s behaviour. “I’m not entitely happy with the reaction of the fans,” Fergie said. “Players who go on the field and hear their own fans booing them is not encouraging at all.”
When United played Kashima Antlers further in to the pre-season, Ferdinand stuck two fingers up at the jeering United fans in response to the chants of “Chelsea rent boy”.
His decision to snub our initial contract offer would have likely infuriated our fans regardless, but this period happened to coincide with the Glazer take over. With fans already angry about the direction our club was heading in, more a money making business than ever before, Ferdinand’s decision to ask for even more dosh couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Ferdinand did eventually sign the £100,000 a week contract and his injury time goal against Liverpool a few months later helped in rebuilding his relationship with the fans, but for plenty, the damage had been done.
More often than not, fans give their players the benefit of the doubt, but with Rio, he makes it hard for us not to assume that he’s a prick.
The summer following his contract debacle he introduced the word “merked” to the masses when bringing out a TV show that took the mickey out of England players. Gary Neville was confronted with a scouse copper and Wayne Rooney was left having to break the news to a kid that his dog had died. There were other hilarious stunts set up for his England team mates, with Rio behind the scenes cracking up. “You got merked, bruv!”
The next season he scored another goal against Liverpool, a blinder, but then chose to repeatedly “brap!” at the crowd in celebration, which didn’t do anything for me. Then there was the disastrous Christmas party, with Rio organising girls to be shipped in, with no wives or girlfriends allowed, which saw Jonny Evans accused of rape. This was the last Christmas party our players were allowed to have.
The following year Ferdinand launched his next project, partnering up with Ashley Cole, to make a gangsta movie starring Danny Dyer and 50 Cent. The plot was focussed around drugs, gangs and violence, which was slightly puzzling when you consider that Rio signed up as an anti-gun crime ambassador two years earlier.
Rio began to draw more attention to his off-field ventures, with him setting up his own restaurant in town, an online magazine, a clothing line and a record label. I understand that football is a short career and it’s sensible for players to make plans for the future, but when you are one of the fortunate ones like Rio, earning close to half a million a month, is it really necessary to have so many distractions whilst you’re still playing? No fan wants that from their players, let alone one that held the club to ransom for more money a few years before.
Whilst it’s easy to write Rio off as a prat, he does have some redeeming characteristics, which is why he’s managed to escape universal dislike from our fans. To start with, he’s an exceptional defender who, even despite his lack of pace these days, is still in our first choice XI. It’s easier to forgive a player for being a cock when they’re talented, as Kieran Richardson learnt the hard way. Rio’s crowning moment came when he captained us to European Cup glory in 2008 though, as he put on an outstanding display against Chelsea in Moscow. When a player is significantly contributing to your club winning trophies, it’s easier to turn a blind eye to their flaws.
However, I don’t think it’s as difficult to like Rio as some may make out. Watch him the next time United score an important goal, if you haven’t spotted it several times already, and see just how much it means to him. We can talk about his distractions and how this must demonstrate his lack of passion for the game, but when you see him celebrate a big goal, going absolutely bonkers like one of the fans, it’s obvious how important winning still is to him. More recently against City, before getting pelted with the coin, he was having a fit in front of our fans, and that’s something you couldn’t fake. He’s a winner, course, but he actually seems to appreciate what being a United player means too.
“I couldn’t stand United when I was 21 or 22 because they used to win everything,” he said a few years ago. “A United fan came up to me once and said ‘I bet you’d love to come to United’. I said ‘I’ll never go there’. But I have to admit I was so excited when I arrived. The first thing I remember doing when I got into the changing rooms was feeling the kit, touching the socks and realising this was a Manchester United kit.”
It’s not just on the field where Rio is having an influence but behind the scenes in the dressing room too.
“He has taken on that role of the influential person in the dressing room,” Ferguson said. “He’s great in the dressing room with the players. That’s the advantage you have if you can keep players long enough for the influence to spread. In the modern game, as we know, it’s difficult to keep players for more than five or six years. But the longer they stay here the better the influence spreads to them and they can maybe take over from the older players as they disappear.”
It is likely that Rio will be one of the older players who disappear this summer though, hopefully adding another trophy or two to the five league titles, European Cup and two League Cups he’s won with the club. By the end of the season, he will feature in the top twenty players for number of appearances made, having played more games for us than the likes of Denis Law, Peter Schmeichel and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. We will only offer him a year long extension on a pay cut and that provides little security for an injury prone 34-year-old. You couldn’t begrudge him for signing a big money deal with LA Galaxy to see out the last few years of his career.
Undeniably, Rio has flaws, and these flaws are too much for some reds, but we should all be mindful that you don’t get eleven seasons in United’s first XI if you don’t have something special about you. His name is in our club’s history books and, whilst he’ll never be the most popular player to wear our shirt, he has definitely contributed to one of the most successful periods we’ve ever seen and whatever you think of him personally, he deserves respect for that.
“I want to retire while at United. It would be great to do what Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes have done and stick with one club for a long time. Finishing my career at United would be a dream come true and those guys are such inspirations. They are all synonymous with Manchester United and I want to achieve that as well. I would like to be remembered as a player who was at United during a successful period in the club’s history. When I first arrived, I knew this place was special and when the time comes to walk away I want to be able to do so with my head held high.”
———–
Originally published in Red News
Man Utd News 24/7
RIO FERDINAND THE MAN THE LEGEND.
THIS GUY DEFINES THE MEANING OF OUR TEAM
this man, will and should be remembered as a lad who is one of the best in what he does.
CMON Rio, I hope that in the future when he retires, he will become a staffmember of Manchester United cause when you look at his diaries of the preseason tours, everybody loves him and he always welcomes everyone to the team and makes them tick.
For me this guy is a legend. We have to take his word for it in terms of the meeting with Kenyon, which he says was by chance and that there was nothing in it. We don’t know either way so we really shouldn’t condemn him.
The greatest centre half of the modern era in my opinion. Arguably the greatest in our history and ever in England. I’ve never seen Sir Bobby Moore play, but if i’m not mistaken he’s not won much in his career apart from the jammy world cup.
At the end of the day he’s spent 10 yrs with us. That’s loyalty. Let’s not go overboard and say he’s a prick, despite all his off-the-field commercial activity he also does a lot of charity work which always goes unnoticed with sportsmen/women
Great read. Rio albeit a twat typifies What a united player should be on the pitch.
i am really surprised that Rio STILL gets a lot of stick for his contract dispute, while Rooney’s desire to leave the club just a couple years ago was (almost) totally forgotten. anyone would please inform me about the supporters’ logic behind that?
Top player, great role model for the kids, and has been a huge influence on the success of Utd for a long time.
I dont care if he did almost go somewhere else, he didnt in the end, he loves playing for Utd, and has given everything during his time for Utd. I dont see what else you could ask for from someone (apart from attending a drugs test)
And I don’t buy into this nonsense about him not concentrating on football because he does other stuff.
Players train for about 2-3 hours per day and then have nothing to do, isn’t it refreshing to see someone do something other than sit on their arse playing fifa? So what if he has his own clothing line, just because he is a top footballer, does it mean he can’t be interested in fashion and doing something with his money.
I’ve met very few fans that don’t like Rio. Just because some idiots booed him doesn’t mean he was hated or just because some little boys go round his house and act hard doesn’t mean he was hated.
The same people who booed rio would welcome Ronaldo back with open arms after all the fucking crying and moaning he did about going to Madrid and I don’t want to hear its ok because it was his childhood dream shit either, some people are hypocrites.
@ north stand
Exactly right he can look at other clubs all he wants but at the end of the day he stayed with us so I never had a problem with Rio or Rooney fir that matter,
He’s been unlucky with injuries that have significantly reduced his speed and turning-circle so that he’s now a significantly lesser player than four/five years ago. BUT he’s still a damned-good central defender and would be a terrific “sweeper” if that kind of role was available in the contemporary game.
The question of “the next contract on reduced wages” is going to be interesting to observe – will his ego get the better of him or will he remain committed to the team-game and run down a glorious career by coming to terms with a lesser role ?
I sure hope it’s the latter as he has a lot to offer in terms of experience and leadership – maybe he could be sent to the Milan medical clinic which did such a great job in coddling TheGreatMaldini who was able to extend his career by several years during which time he continued to be one of the all-time greats in world footie.
Heard a interview few weeks back the way he was talking i think if Utd offer him another contract he’ll take it.He also made a great point about what it takes to be a player at Utd,no player can live on his laurels doesn’t matter what happened 2 seasons ago,it’s what have you done for me lately.Player wants to stick around has to perform at a high level every season or he’s gone.
Best defender United have had in my time (20 years). How could you not respect that? Him and Vidic from 07-09 is one of the best partnerships ever.
Rio is regal.
The only problem here is that he has to get old.
@United Till I die
exactly mate, Rio is one of us and arguably one of the greatest defenders of all time… he’s united through and through I love the way he celebrates every goal we score…. and who can ever forget his goal against the scoucers
Love Rio and is defo a player that I will regard as a legend for what he has done during his time in a Utd shirt, for as long as that maybe!! He is class on the pitch and off it, whenever I’ve see him out in Alderley village (while passing through) he has been surounded by kids getting his autograph and photos with him, all while he’s trying to have lunch or just chilling.
speak for yourself. i have always loved rio and never had a problem with him. parts of this article were very harsh. also i sensed a bit of indirect racism in this article. richardson and ferdinand being singled out despite the many other players who could have been used in examples. just saying
@ bigphil – He is up there mate but Jaap Stam is the best by far, he was an animal!!
Football is a profession for these people. If he did have that meeting so what? Have you never gone for a Job interview at a reveil business while you were still employed with them.
Bottom line is, he stayed with us and never ever showed a lack of desire to fight and play for the club. He has been one of the best 3 defenders we have ever had and I, for one, am proud and honoured to have seen him play for us. Long my he keep playing so damn well for us even with the lost pace. His ability to read the game 4 times faster than the average player proves to be key even today. I just wish him and Stam had played together….Now imagine that! For now lets pray Vidic recovers well.
Rio also said he was visited at his home by hooded mugs demanding he resign his contract. He actually went out and talked to them (with a tonking piece of firewood behind his back) and explained that he had every intention of signing. Doesn’t sound much of a prat to me. But obviously has had sensationally bad press all along.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jan/02/rio-ferdinand-hooded-fans
I think there are people who get Rio and people who don’t. He has been in the national limelight since he was selected by Terry Venables to come to Euro1996 as a teenager of 17 or so. He is freaking good, always has been, and has been immense in every team he has played in since Redknapps West Ham were he made 150 odd appearances as a 19-20yo. At 20, he made an england record £18m move to leads.
The lad has tried to have some swagger, who wouldn’t coming up with the likes of Terry in England defense and I think he has been treated shambolically by the press and by the FA. But I think he is much more human than alot give him credit for.
I would take Rio, Vidic and Evans over any other CB pairing in the league right now.
I love Rio. The only thing I might say is that he talks A LOT. Likes to put himself out there all the time. ALWAYS on twitter with an opinion on everything. I like people who are lot more mellow and don’t address EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. Make you look a bit loud but hey that’s his nature.
As far as commitment to this club goes though, he is TOP NOTCH. Extremely passionate about the cause, served this club unfailingly for more than TEN YEARS. Certified United Legend. RESPECT RIO.
I personally LOVE Rio, Like Scott said he celebrates just like one of us and seeing that, the passion, the love, the enjoyment he has gives you an extra buzz. Knowing your players get just as excited is a great feeling. He’s magical, he glides on the field, distributes brilliantly and to me is one of our great leaders.
Yes he has outside commitments but I’ve never seen it interfere with what he has to do for us. i’d love it if we gave him another season because like SAF says he’s so influential to the younger players coming out. He walks into my all time starting United XI. Brilliant, won’t ever stop singing his praises.
Rio v Stam, – i’ve got to say in the 20 odd years i’ve been watching football, i’ve never seen a defender in England read the game as well as Rio – Even at 34 it’s difficult to tell he’s lost a few yards in pace, he rarely lets himself get in a situation where he’s needing to commit last ditch tackles or being left in a footrace with a quick player (Bale aside, not his fault mind).
A proper defender rarely needs to go to ground. You only go to ground to either cover up your mistakes or your colleagues mistakes. Watching him play football week in week out made me realise that – if you play football, just watch him play and i’ll guarantee you your game will improve.
I can see why he’s not everyone’s cup of team but I like him. He’s shown plenty of maturity in recent times and is still a force to be reckoned with on the pitch. Imo he’s earned another year at the club and hopefully he will come to an agreement with us.
This is too funny!!!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20902177
Keep it up Shitty.
Ha . Great article. That “Brap” shit was cringeworthy. I have no problem with Rio. Like you say I love his passion when we score. A fucking class defender.
Peter – Ha. Priceless. Fucking idiots . Knowing there are cameras there too.
To me, Rio is an idiot savant – great centre back and genius at reading the game, but off the pitch…
It’s a rare athlete who is an example both on field and off. That is why the likes of Sir Bobby are rightly venerated. The most we can ask of them and judge on is how they have performed on the pitch and just hope they remain tolerable off field. Rio has shown his dedication to the club and often his class off the pitch. Not only in terms of all the charity work he has done, which people have already mentioned, but also with maturity he has become a credit to Sir Alex and the way things are done at United. He has had a rough time with the media and the england setup, but for the most part he has gotten on with it. As a defender he remains one of the finest we’ve ever had, and that partnership with Vidic was imperious. Do hope he is around for a tleast one more.
King Eric
response on other thread to Llorente.
As for Rio he is a prize donkey cock of an individual and everything thats wrong with Britain at the moment. As a footballer hes a fine fine footballer as important to the game as Baresi was for milan. He is docter jekyll and mr hyde, jekyll a genius and mr hyde a degenerate “wes side, chikin an rars” reprobate.
The football hero is dead – now we have talented morons.
Tottenham have signed former #mufc defender Zeki Fryers from Standard Liege. via Mandy Henry.
Ha, Who couldn’t see that coming? Classless prat are words better applied to Friers than Rio. Just my view? Probably not.
Interesting article I suppose. Quite balanced and in the end seems to conclude that Rio is a good guy. Personally would have come to that conclusion far sooner. A terrific defender who really has taken on the role of senior person in the dressing room in recent years.
Bebe is the second united Reserve play to go off on loan in January. The club has announced that Bebeb will join Portuguese side Rio Ave on loan until the end of June
http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2013/Jan/sir-alex-confirms-bebe-has-gone-on-loan.aspx
Can I just say, iIf you’re sitting there using his “cos’s” and “inits” as proof of him being a prat, what the fuck does that make you banging on about nothing of any consequence on here? Don’t make me laugh!
Back to the grand scheme of FOOTBALL, our number 5 is a certified genius compared to anybody blogging on RoM. Only an idiot would argue otherwise. Rio knows more about the modern game than any of you lot, just like 50 Cent knows more about Business than any of you lot.
Yes, they both may click their fingers together and go “brap” on occasion, but don’t let some jumped up journo in a skewered industry make you think these blokes are anything less than savvy, proven professionals in their respective fields.
Much as it galls the media to admit it, Rio is the best defender this country has ever produced, and he more than any other senor player is credited with helping the younger lot come through the ranks. Having said that, you lot might wanna have a word with Cleverley. By the looks of his barber and fashion sense he looks like a fully fledged member of the brapping club… not a flat cap in sight.
Haha, thats probably the problem init?
Just to be clear – after that goal Rio could’ve stripped naked and done fucking star jumps for all I care. The real point is he is already up there with ANY past defender that we’ve ever had in our entire history, and whoever says otherwise is a member of a tiny, confused minority that knows fuck all about Football.
Anyway… I was actually looking for some kind of reaction to the Wigan game. I trust that write up will have the same level of effort as this random, unnecessary thread? (in my opinion of course)
Gee totally agree.
Rio is class has been one of United’s and E|ngland’s greatest defenders BUT has always lacked bottle against a physical forward. Big Duncan Ferguson one wednesday night at Goddison comes to mind.
Best United defenders in the Fergie era are the true warriors Stam, Vidic, Pallister. For me it woulkd be VIDIC everyday closely followed by Stam. Vida makes Rio look world class and they were the best ever CD panerships ever bar none
Loans end for Ben Amos (Hull), John Cofie (Sheffield United) and Gyliano van Velzen (Royal Antwerp).
Bit of a surprise seeing Amos back. 17 games for Hull was good experience.
haha, back in my day!
Fuck your day! Its 2013!!!
definately a Legend…I remember when he played for leeds and did not take notice of him that well as I should due to the lack of the whole round aggressiveness you see in great defender i.e. a vida kinda of defender. But boy when he landed to O.T you realized what kind of a different defender he was, quick, great reading of the game and just to good on the ball for a defender. Even now on his day Rio is just unbeatable due to is instinct and anticipation. Of all his off field antics I think he has been good for us.
zeki fryers signed for spurs fraud squad should be informed
Fabio(or Rafael) is not amused.
no offence this article was cringworthy. You have a problem with the brap celebration, he’s from peckham…its a london thing. Do you also have a problem with anderson’s samba?
@FletchTHEMAN – how right you are!
Fryers must be some kind of simpleton.
Some talent – yes; outstanding – no way; at United best club in the world – yes and turned it down; destined to obscurity at Spurs before scratching a living at Brentford or Dagenham – almost certain; nowhere near the standard of Spurs current left-backs – defo; too thick to realise he’s easily been replaced by far better players – Buttner, Fabio and super Tyler.
Turning down United = IQ of a beansprout.
Step forward Fryers.
At the opposite end of the spectrum of real United footballers – Edwards, Robson, Stiles, Nevilles, Scholes, Giggs, Charlton, Taylor, Crerand, Law, Best and so many more………………there they are the 3 greedy bastards – Morison, Pogba and ?? some other twat.
My username when I joined ROM was for him, I love watching him play he’s a true international class player and the english press never appreciated him properly cause he’s not the Terry Butcher/John Terry. Rio doesn’t need to dive in because he’s snuffed it out before that need arises.
Quality player, age is catching up to him but we need him for another season.
Bull. Rio does not spilt opinion. There was a time he did many years ago but that is long long over. Saying Rio is a prat makes the writer a wanker. Rio is a ledgend, inspiration, world class. The end.
RedRich Cheers mate.
Who the hell cares what players do off the pitch? SAF races horses but still focuses as a manager. Rio has always delivered and struggled through gamed when injured for the shirt.
This article is pathetic. What bloody business of anyone is it that he has extracurricular activity? Footballers have lots of free time. So what if he runs a restaurant? Giggs shagged his brothers wife and Rooney ate too many pies. I would rather a player used his brain. Rio has been excellent in almost everything he has done. What about all his charity work? Helping out family financially? No mention of any of that.
And so what if he took “a few months” over his contract? Rooney publically trashed us and I am sure other player take at least a couple of months to agree a deal. If Rio is guilt of anything when he was younger it was being too laid back and naive.
Calling Rio a prat and cocky at his age is going too far. Disrespect. Undeserved. Rude. Reputations are made over time and people age and mature. Rio has over 10 years reached ledgend status and made a massively good contribution to the Club, it was an excellent buy that has repaid itself many times over. So don’t call him a prat or cocky. He is neither.
great piece
NBI Red. My point as well. Fully agree. One feels the hysteria over Rio is fed, and has been feed for many many years, by journo crap and little truth in much if any of it. A very talented lad with more brains than most.
Actions speak volumes. Rio did sign in 05 and again in 2010, just like he said he would. One feels that people were afraid of his abilities on the pitch, and his independent thinking off of it, and only too willing to make his transgressions greater than those of others. The list of United trophies with Rios name on them speaks loudly. His actual words about the club since signing as well.
One more thing needs consideration. Just a few months ago Rio was hung out to dry in the press over what appeared to be a lack of support for the manager in “defending” the kick it out campaign.
Only in retrospect do we understand that Fergie had never spoken to Rio and, in the end, appeared to back Rio’s version of events leading up to the t-shirt incident. I was critical as hell of Rio at the time, more so than Scott who was very critical of Sir Alex.
In hindsight, I feel let down, yet again, by press versions of the events that ended up being completely inflamatory at best, and libelous at worst.
Only thing that can be said is that Rio is no longer our team captain. That probably speaks volumes about his relationship with the manager. In the end we probably will find out more from Rio’s memoirs in a few years time than we will ever find out from the press.
i don’t post often any more but had to surface to stand up for rio. he is a class player and has proven himself over time to be a decent guy. he’s come a long way since that white suit!
let’s be honest, most footballers (and people in general) are nobs. just look at the fryers subterfuge today by way of example. despicable. or prize cunts terry and cole. or even our very own wayne whazzack ‘fathead’ rooney taking the piss out of the club and fans last year.
anyway, rio, in comparison, is a good guy and doesn’t deserve the label of a prat at all!
of course, he is no scholes…but who is? those days, with that calibre of person playing for your club, is long gone i’m afraid. there’s a few decent ones out there and rio is one of them. of course berbs deserves a mention here for his dignity. and a couple more.
@ Fletch – I think the only reason Rio was not made permanent captain after being a stand in for Neville was his injuries were bad back wise then and it was clear he could not play every game and also that his career was at risk as his back problem would need to be managed all the time. SAF said at the time he saw Rio as captain but he also said he needed a player who played pretty much every game a captain.
Vidic was playing every game then, never injured, so he was a logical choice, Evra also as Vice Captain as he plays most games. Giggs Scholes Rio they can’t play every game and need to be managed. I don’t think there is any other reason why Rio was not made captain after Neville other than that. After Neville he was Vice Captain but injuries damaged his ability to lead on field.
Re Kick it Out – I think SAF saw that as a personal decision by Rio, not something Rio discussed. As an old white guy he probably realised this was Rio’s reality and he just let him get on with making his points. Note he never got involved in the choc ice debate either. His opinion when asked was he supported his player but as always his focus was on the game and moving past issues that detract from it. He let Rio express himself, get it said and then get down to business.
NBI Red – Agreed, but the media played up the idea that Rio disrespected Alex and the club, when it seems no one on the inside actually viewed it like that.
I have read Rio’s autobiography, great book lots of fun stories and he tells it like it is..it feels real even if it does have a reporter helping out with the writing. Worth a read if you guys are interested!
It’ll be a sad day if Rio leaves at the end of the season. I love his passion, presence, and he’s still one of the best defenders in the league, even at his age. Like Fergie says also, he’s very important in the dressing room and you need proper characters like that to influence the young players, imparting what it means and takes to be a champion.
I still remember when he first signed for us from Leeds. A transfer record for a defender, and fucking big money at the time. Was I pleased? Absolutely – ecstatic even. How time flies.
STR, are there going to be reactions to the Wigan game?
I have personally always been a big fan of him, regardless of his antics off the field and others opinions of him. Has been a huge player for us for over a decade.
Rio, rio, rio!
Rio Ferdinand is a symbol. He broke with the typical British defender when he started playing for us. Here was a defender that could suddenly pass the ball around like a midfielder, but remained rock strong and fast backwards. When we signed him and he became a success, suddenly types like Rio was needed everywhere.
Rio’s made a massive contribution to the club and I, as you Scot, love seeing him celebrating our goals. You put it quite right, he celebrates it like a fan, and thats a pleasure to see. I don’t care what he does on the side, though, thats his business and it hasn’t affected his play on the field, so I couldn’t care less. As for the contract negotiations, I think its nearly impossible to know whats going on. The case of Rooney, that was unusually open for all to see. With Rio, who knows what really went on. I think the world of a football player is so different from ours that I won’t pretend to know what its like, for better or worse. Maybe Rio was greedy, maybe he thought he could be better off elsewhere and maybe none of this was ever the case. Speculation doesn’t get us anywhere. He signed and has delivered with brilliant consistency over the years. He is no Giggs, Scholes or Neville. But well done on more than 10 years Rio – what an achievement.
We need more breeds of the likes of Giggs, Scholes, Neville, Ferdinand.
@ Redharry – Its a really difficult choice mate, when I look back on the CB’s Utd have had, so much quality, I truly think we have been blessed in that dept. bear in mind that Pique and Shawcross have been let go and how good they have become, Pally and Bruce etc…. we really have had a lot of special talent.
At the end of the day Rio has been loyal to our club, something which doesn’t happen too often now with players
rio is arguably our best defender at 34
and i LOVE HIM
hes one of us,the way he goes mental when we score is such a joy to behold.
he breathes and lives united
Goat Peticoat says:
As for Rio he is a prize donkey cock of an individual and everything thats wrong with Britain at the moment.
Hmmm, wonder what you could mean by that. A dog whistle comment if ever there was one.
Anyway, for me Rio’s most nadir was calling Chris Moyles a faggot live on air. Surprised that doesn’t get a mention.
But he’s clearly matured greatly since then. He’s been a magnificent player, and like Scott says, obviously cares a lot about United.