Rio Ferdinand Announces his Retirement

[DarkSithLord]

A season too late IMO. Should have called it a day after he left Man United

 

[Abertawe]

Might have a tad more to do with his Mrs passing away rather than poor form, just a thought like.

 

[TheWednesday]

I agree should have retired last season, been a fantastic player throughout his career though and won many trophies.

 

[Christian Slater]

One of the greats, Rolls Royce defender. United legend.

 

[Bobbin']

Great defender.

Shame his career has to end as it does.

 

[JJH]

Did some Media work with the BBC whilst the World Cup taken place last Summer, so he should find himself work outside of football fairly soon.

 

[SALTIRE]

One of the greats, Rolls Royce defender. United legend.

One of the greats? Come on now, he was decent at peak but no where near a great. Anyway it looks like I won't be watching MOTD from now on as I'm sure he'll be plastered all over it.

 

[Christian Slater]

One of the greats? Come on now, he was decent at peak but no where near a great. Anyway it looks like I won't be watching MOTD from now on as I'm sure he'll be plastered all over it.

He's up there with the best in my opinion.

You think he was 'decent', but neither of us are showing any bias at all.

 

[Destruction]

Remember when he accidently missed a drugs test?

Good times.

 

[Master D]

He was world class between about 2006-2010. His partnership with Vidic was the best the PL has ever seen.

 

[Smally]

Excellent defender and at one point one of the world's best. One of those who I think was appreciated more on the continent than in the UK.

 

[The One]

United Legend

One of the best ever in the PL and the best defender in the World at his peak

One of the greats? Come on now, he was decent at peak but no where near a great. Anyway it looks like I won't be watching MOTD from now on as I'm sure he'll be plastered all over it.

 

[AdrianDurham]

Good defender on his day, but nothing special. He was not even half the player John Terry is now at this old age. Only Legend in the eyes of United fans, like Ryan "Shagged his brother's wife" Giggs.

 

[Christian Slater]

Father Sick Burns.

 

[Stevencc]

Fantastic ball playing defender in his prime, world class, but he's been on a slow decline for a while now and what with his family situation recently and also being released by QPR I don't blame him for retiring at all.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Great defender, but this is long overdue. It's been 4 or 5 years since he was at the peak of his powers. QPR was a nightmare club to sign for. He needed protecting, not exposing. Seems a decent bloke in the media, he will need all the help he can get from family/friends after the passing of his wife.

 

[SALTIRE]

One of the best ever in the PL and the best defender in the World at his peak

 

[Renegade]

There was a point when the only defender in the world that rivalled him was Nesta. Best or not, he certainly was one of the world's elite defenders for a few years and had a fantastic career.

 

[Stocky]

Easily the best English defender in my lifetime. Was the best defender in Europe between 06-10 as somebody pointed out.

 

[Stocky]

One of the greats? Come on now, he was decent at peak but no where near a great. Anyway it looks like I won't be watching MOTD from now on as I'm sure he'll be plastered all over it.

Seriously what is the point in watching football if you know so little about it or let bitterness overcloud it?

Ferdinand was absolutely immense.

 

[BlueBee]

Easily the best English defender in my lifetime. Was the best defender in Europe between 06-10 as somebody pointed out.

I accept it's your opinion but c'mon Rio was never 'easily' better than John Terry.

It says all you need to know that John Terry just had his best season to date despite his age. Consistency alone makes JT 10x the player Rio was.

 

[mistermagic]

World class in his prime. The £18M United paid Leeds looks like money well spent now.

 

[Christian Slater]

World class in his prime. The £18M United paid Leeds looks like money well spent now.

We paid £30m to Leeds, they got him for £18m from West Ham. Still money well spent.

 

[Christian Slater]

I accept it's your opinion but c'mon Rio was never 'easily' better than John Terry.

It says all you need to know that John Terry just had his best season to date despite his age. Consistency alone makes JT 10x the player Rio was.

I'd say Terry was is probably better overall, but it doesn't mean Rio wasn't better than him for a long time. As for consistency and Being 10x better, Ferdinand has won the league two more times than Terry. The league is all about consistency.

 

[BlueBee]

He was better than him for 3 seasons. That's it.

 

[Red]

Easily the best English defender in my lifetime. Was the best defender in Europe between 06-10 as somebody pointed out.

Maldini, Nesta?

 

[mistermagic]

We paid £30m to Leeds, they got him for £18m from West Ham. Still money well spent.

Yep, I stand corrected. Remember Rio's first game for Leeds, a pretty terrible 3-1 defeat at Leicester.

 

[Christian Slater]

Maldini, Nesta?

Other than playing in a foreign league that always bumps up a players reputation, what's the case for them being better at the time? Nesta won 1 league title at Milan in a much inferior league.

 

[Renegade]

Not about league titles really, but Nesta and Ferdinand were absolutely incredible during the mid 2000s. In the league and in Europe. Maldini however, was well past his best. Fabio Cannavaro is surely a better name to put forward (Ballon d'Or winner like...).

If you're arguing whether Ferdinand was either the second or third best in Europe during that time period, you're not making a very strong point against him.

 

[Stocky]

Not about league titles really, but Nesta and Ferdinand were absolutely incredible during the mid 2000s. In the league and in Europe. Maldini however, was well past his best. Fabio Cannavaro is surely a better name to put forward (Ballon d'Or winner like...).

If you're arguing whether Ferdinand was either the second or third best in Europe during that time period, you're not making a very strong point against him.

The strongest case would be somebody just saying "listen lads, I don't know a lot about football really, I just had a punt and said he wasn't all that great" and most people would probably let them off without ridicule.