RIO FERDINAND has revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson intervened to save his career shortly after he joined Manchester United.
The defender became Britain’s most expensive footballer when he completed a transfer worth just over £30million from Leeds to Man Utd in 2002.
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It would turn out to be money well spent as Ferdinand marshalled the Red Devils to a historic three-peat of league titles and the Champions League in 2008.
However, the 46-year-old has revealed how some early man management from Ferguson allowed him to become the legendary figure he now is.
Speaking on his podcast, Rio Ferdinand Presents, the ex-England international revealed how Ferguson gave him a timely reality check by referencing Chicago Bulls great Dennis Rodman.
Rodman was known for his party-hard lifestyle, which Ferdinand admitted was a role he fulfilled in the Man Utd squad, until the Scottish boss intervened with an 11-word statement.
He explained: “At one point it would be me (Being the ‘Dennis Rodman of the team’) as I loved it (Going on a night out) I loved it.
“You have to remember that when I was at West Ham it was probably the worst environment to grow up in, it was ‘win or lose, have a booze, if you draw, have some more’.
“The team bus on the way home was like a pub, it was unbelievable right, so everyone was drinking, smoking and me and Frank Lampard used to look back going ‘one day we’ll be back there with those guys’ and then I go to Leeds and the professionalism jumps up, but we still went out.
“It was ok because there wasn’t a game for 48-hours or more, so we went out at the ‘right’ times, but we went out and had good, solid all-dayers.
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“Anyway then I signed with United and, I know from being with England that the United guys liked a drink, but they were really conditioned and professional at the right times, not crazy, like, doing it four times a week.
“So I get there and when I first signed I got injured in a pre-season game before the season started and I was out for six weeks.
“I went out every night, I wanted to see what the atmosphere was like, what the vibes were like.
“But the manager found out and slowed me down with one comment: ‘You want to stay here? You better watch what you do.'”
Ferdinand also took some pointers from the senior stars at the club at the time, adding: “I’d been going out four times a week for six weeks, right, and the people in the restaurants knew my name.
“In the bars they knew me and I was getting tables, this that and the other, I really immersed myself in the culture of Manchester like you should do when you go to a new club.
“And then I realised if I wanted to be successful, as I’m going in half-cut when training starts thinking ‘ Gary Neville ain’t going out, Scholesy (Paul Scholes) ain’t going out, Roy’s (Roy Keane) not going out, Ruud van Nistelrooy‘s not going out’ and the sessions are sharp man.
“Every day, I had to curb that and become much more professional, fit in with the guys, and then my game got better and I grew into a better player.”
When all was said and done, Ferdinand had won six league titles, three League Cups, the Champions League and Club World Cup with United until he left for QPR in 2014 before retiring a year later.
Of English defenders, only team-mates Gary Neville (8) and Wes Brown (7) won more titles in the Premier League era.
In all he made 455 appearances for the Red Devils and earned 81 England caps, so Fergie’s advice more than paid out.
