What's wrong with Rio Ferdinand? MirrorFootball investigates... By Mirror Football Blog http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opi...irrorFootball-investigates-article186499.html . Rio Ferdinand is one of the best defenders in the Premier League. Right? One of the best in Europe, a genuine star on the world stage. So how come he's started to make the sort of cock-ups that would make a Hackney Marshes scuffler hang his head in shame? Just what exactly is wrong with Rio? MirrorFootball wonders how much the following is taking its toll... 1) He's still not fully fit Rio's injury woes, particularly his back problems, have been well documented. But they are clearly having a debilitating effect on his form. Saturday's match against Ukraine was only the third England game he has started in the past 12 months and, in that time, he has taken part in just 14 of the 40 competitive games played by his country and his club. That is simply not enough at the highest level, where form and fitness generally go hand in hand. 2) Manchester United have rushed him back Ferdy missed the closing stages of last season's Premier League campaign with a calf injury, but was then pronounced fit for the Champions League final. His participation in that Rome defeat to Barcelona, however, meant he was subsequently ruled out of England's two summer World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra. He returned at the start of this season, and played in England's friendly in Holland and the Community Shield against Chelsea, but then sat out United's first four Premier League games. With big games against Tottenham and Manchester City coming up, he was pressed back into action, but was clearly struggling in the derby - not least when Craig Bellamy easily outpaced him for City's last-minute equaliser that looked to have salvaged a point until Michael Owen's last-gasp intervention. The proof is in the pudding - if Rio's not properly fit, United must leave him out. 3) He's suffering from a lack of competition He's been an automatic choice for both club and country for a number of years, and maybe it's all got a too cozy for him. Former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson shook the former West Ham and Leeds defender out of his comfort zone when he dropped him for a World Cup qualifier against Austria in October 2005, preferring instead the in-form Sol Campbell, but Ferdy responded in exactly the right manner by knuckling down, regaining his best form and forcing his way back into the team for the friendly against Argentina the following month. Maybe it's time Fabio Capello took him out of the firing line, as Stan Collymore suggested in his Mirror column this week. 4) His concentration is wandering A common complaint levelled against Ferdinand in the early stages of his career was that he was prone to costly lapses of concentration. He seemed to have eradicated that part of his game as he matured, but those mistakes are creeping back. He blundered twice against City in the derby - firstly with a mis-placed backpass that led to Gareth Barry's opening goal, and then again when he attempted an extravagant chipped pass in the final minute of normal time and succeeded only in gifting the ball to Bellamy for his second of the game. Then came his error of judgement against Ukraine as he mis-read a long ball upfield, with the result that Rob Green saw red and the hosts were awarded a penalty. Perhaps he's too busy thinking about not picking up another injury to be focusing fully on the task at hand? 5) He's got too many off-field commitments Ferdinand is determined to be seen as more than just a footballer. He famously hosted TV show Rio's World Cup Wind-Ups prior to the 2006 finals in Germany, playing a series of Jeremy Beadle-style pranks on his England colleagues, and his media portfolio has expanded considerably since then. He already had his own record label, founded in 2005, and now publishes his own digital magazine, #5. He was also executive producer on 2008 film Dead Man Running, which he also helped finance, is currently filming a documentary about Peckham, where he grew up, to encourage youngsters to steer clear of crime, and he was the guest editor of the February 2009 edition of Observer Sport Monthly. Oh, and just for good measure, he's planning to open a restaurant in Manchester, an Italian eaterie named Rosso, which means red in Italian. 6) He looks to be suffering from ill health As a full-time professional athlete, it would be reasonable to assume that Ferdinand should always look like he is at the peak of fitness, even if he is carrying a few niggles. But, as Martin Lipton observed, the classy defender actually looks ill. He appears gaunt and has a slightly haunted look in his eyes. Maybe it's time for a physical MOT? God he does look sick his eyes are sunk back and he looks like an aids victim
or maybe he was just never that good , the spastick beside him always made him look better than he actually is
i agree he s way overated prob due to his pace and size .startin out at west ham led some idiots to think he was the new bobby moore . throughout his career he s been error prone and injury prone. and to think he s 3rd most exspensive defender ever. shockin .
Ha, yeah thats true,. I hate him,. +1, Classic The elephant man is up there too ,price wise,. [SPOIL]I love it,.[/SPOIL] Delighted for Rio, how come he isn't getting the flak Carra has/is,. At least Carra has only been non-superhuman in a few games this year,. Unlike Rio who has been comical in plenty, both club level and international level,. I wonder when the England fans will start hanging dummies with a Rio jersey in the streets and set them alight,. Only time will tell,.
Grade A to$$er and in cr@p form this season, but the few times I have seen him at Anfield, he has been a quality defender. Despite what people say, imo he is way more important to United than Vidic (same with Terry over Carvalho) people previously latched onto this Carvalho makes Terry look good and same with Vidic and Ferdinand - I dont agree with it. Ferdinand is crocked at the moment, they forced him back for the Champions League Final when he clearly wasn't fit and he still isn't. The longer he is like this all the better, from his own point of view he needs a serious break from football to sort out his back and whatever other injury he seems to have.
A manc I know text me after the City game saying m*****l O**n (the Tramp) is officiall an Old T****ord legend. Ferdinand is an idiot. Now, just shows the type of fan they've got doesn't it. That dog there a wet day and it's a "legend" for scoring against the other sh!te of m'chester but Ferdinand is an idiot. Can you imagine one of us talkin about Carra like that?? Fcukin knobs. Can't stand that ferdinand but I'm just sayin like. Dcikheads they are.