Rio Ferdinand announces his retirement from football

Originally Posted by Zorg

Surprised no-one's posted his goals v Liverpool

Maybe later...

I was looking for him sorting Torres out at Anfield...

http://youtu.be/_5IMpnQCGJ0

"After 18 years as a professional footballer I now feel it's the right time for me to retire from the game that I love.
"As a 12 year old boy, kicking around a football on the Friary Estate in Peckham, I never dreamt that I would play for my boyhood club West Ham, captain Leeds United, win the Champions League with Manchester United, or re-join my first manager Harry Redknapp at Queens Park Rangers.
"I will always regard the 81 times that I played for England, with immense pride. These are all treasured memories that will last a lifetime.
"Starting a career, every young man needs mentors. I found mine in Dave Goodwin, the District Manager at Blackheath, and Tony Carr, the Youth Team Manager at West Ham. They installed in me personality traits that lasted throughout my career. I will always be grateful to them.
"I'd like to thank Chris Ramsey, Harry Redknapp, David O'Leary and David Moyes who managed me at various times in my career, all the backroom staff who looked after me over the years, and the players that I played with. I'd would also like to thank the team who managed me off the pitch, Jamie Moralee and everybody at New Era.
"Winning trophies over my thirteen years at Manchester United, allowed me to achieve everything that I desired in football. From a young child to today, that was all I cared about. None of that would have been possible, without the genius of one man, Sir Alex Ferguson. His greatest accomplishment in my eyes will always be how he developed us as men, not just as footballers. He will in my opinion, always be the greatest manager in British football history.
"I'd also like to thank and pay tribute to my late wife Rebecca and my family, including my mother and father, for their sacrifices, their encouragement and their advice throughout my career.
"And finally, I'd like to thank all the fans from all the clubs, for without them professional football would not exist. I will miss each and every one of you on my Saturday afternoons."

Class act

Something in my eye...

Quality statement that. Effortlessly makes Gerrard look even more of a @#%&! too

At his peak he was probably the best central defender in Europe. What a player. We'll do well to find another one half as good as Rio with the same attitude.

Originally Posted by dunk

Quality statement that. Effortlessly makes Gerrard look even more of a @#%&! too

Who would you buy? A 19yr old Fredinand or a 19 yr old Gerrard?

Personally, Rio all day.

Lot of respect for him and a great player. Remember watching German TV in 2002 and they were saying he and Sol C were the best CB pairing at that WC.

Love Rio and wish him all the best.

Rio by £#%&!ing miles

Originally Posted by dunk

Quality statement that. Effortlessly makes Gerrard look even more of a @#%&! too

Indeed. Now that the Stevie G Farewell Tour is over he looks an ever bigger @#%&! every time his name is mentioned.

Ferdinand's turds > Slippy

Originally Posted by Jez Quigley

Who would you buy? A 19yr old Fredinand or a 19 yr old Gerrard?

A 19 year old Gerrard, just so I could lock him in a shed and torture the @#%&!.

Just for a bit of balance. Vidic>Rio any day of the £#%&!ing week.

Originally Posted by HolyMackrelDoodleBonkon

Just for a bit of balance. Vidic>Rio any day of the £#%&!ing week.

No.

Originally Posted by dunk

No.

Well what a £#%&!ing surprise.

Originally Posted by HolyMackrelDoodleBonkon

Well what a £#%&!ing surprise.

That you're wrong? Not really.

Originally Posted by Wez

Class act

Absolutely. A top statement. A leg nqat.

Originally Posted by dunk

That you're wrong? Not really.

I'm £#%&!ing offended.

Originally Posted by HolyMackrelDoodleBonkon

I'm £#%&!ing offended.

It's subjective, obv, everybody prefers different types of players, and Vidic was a fantastic stopper, Rio just a Rolls Royce of a CB/footballer.

Originally Posted by dunk

It's subjective, obv, everybody prefers different types of players, and Vidic was a fantastic stopper, Rio just a Rolls Royce of a CB/footballer.

Aye. Agreed.

The other wouldn't have been half as good without the other. If you catch my drift?

Originally Posted by Billy Redface

took a while to warm to him, but became a top red.

The best defender we've ever had.

Originally Posted by Crumps

Would walk in to any club and or international side ever.

By far the best defender I have ever seen play for United.

Originally Posted by wiganste

Absolutely world class for us. Best defender I've seen for United and a £#%&!ing top guy too.

These. £#%&!ing outstanding in his prime. No surprise we won all those trophies and got to 3 champs league finals. Top red. WGT indeed

Originally Posted by Wez

Class act

It's almost all about other people. Really classy.

Christ we miss him

Top guy is Rio.

Hope the stories about him coming back to the club are true