Rio Ferdinand could not have been teammates with Manchester United gamers who had been knocked out of the primary spherical of the Carabao Cup by League Two Grimsby, however he did nonetheless share a dressing room with some irritating figures.
After all, when in comparison with Ruben Amorim‘s present squad, some could say that the likes of Anderson and Bebe would not be dangerous choices to show to nowadays – that is how dangerous issues have turn into. However the actuality is that, beneath Sir Alex Ferguson, each gamers had been lower than the extremely excessive requirements set by Ferdinand and others in that Outdated Trafford dressing room.
|
Man Utd file |
Bebe |
Anderson |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
7 |
181 |
|
Targets |
2 |
9 |
|
Assists |
0 |
20 |
While Bebe was swiftly moved on at Manchester United, Anderson’s sluggish burn from one of many world’s finest younger gamers right into a forgotten star is one that usually pissed off Ferdinand.
The previous centre-back mentioned, when talking on FIVE: “Anderson was a participant that used to frustrate me generally. This child received the Golden Boy, that everybody goes mad about now, he received it when he was at Porto, finest younger participant in Europe.
“The child was unreal talent-wise however we now have a WhatsApp group we all the time discuss, the place he will get hammered. We all the time admire his means however we’re all pissed off that he didn’t in all probability apply himself like he might have, as a result of if he did, he may not have gotten injured as a lot as he obtained.”
It additionally goes with out saying that there have been a lot extra to neglect alongside Anderson and Bebe. In the midst of a dressing room stuffed with success, Diego Forlan additionally did not dwell as much as the hype – scoring simply 17 targets in 98 appearances.
Nonetheless, as disappointing as Forlan and Anderson had been, and as poor as Bebe was, Ferdinand determined to name-drop an sudden Manchester United legend as his “worse teammate”.
Ferdinand names Rooney as “worst teammate”
Out of all of the switch flops that got here and went, it is Wayne Rooney who’s taken the crown as Ferdinand’s worst teammate. In some way, a way, the person with probably the most targets in Manchester United historical past has discovered himself with an undesirable title. However Ferdinand has his causes, because the defender revealed to the Seven Meets Podcast in 2023.
“The worst team-mate I in all probability had probably the most arguments with Wayne Rooney, to be sincere with you. By no means got here to blows, it was on the pitch. We by no means argued in coaching actually, it was simply match day, we in all probability argued as soon as each two or three video games, effing and blinding, screaming at one another as a result of I needed extra from him.
“I knew what he was good at, and I knew he might do extra. I’d need him to be more practical or one thing. The largest factor for me with Wayne is he needed to play 30 or 40-yard passes like Paul Scholes, and he might do it, he was that good. I needed him to attain 30 or 40 targets a season, as a result of he might.”
The Manchester United dressing room had been by no means shy when it got here to airing their grievances. Maybe that is why they proved to be so profitable. Though David Beckham and a sure soccer boot could have one thing to say about that.
