RIO Ferdinand is facing a backlash from United fans as talks over his contract reached a new stalemate.
The England defender is holding out for £120,000 a week, with his agent Pini Zahavi stressing that such a figure would befit his status as one of the world's top defenders.
Ferguson last night re-iterated it was take it or leave it for Ferdinand and now the fans - who backed him through an eight-month suspension for failing to take a drugs test - are getting brassed off with what they see as his greedy stance.
Ferdinand's demands have been one of the reasons why some disaffected hard-core United supporters have broken away to form their own club, FC United.
The Glazer takeover was the main reason for the split, but growing disillusionment with players' excessive wage demands, agents' payments and soaring ticket prices have all played their part.
Ferdinand was abused by a section of the United support during the match at Charlton at the beginning of May as patience finally ran out. One supporter at FC United's extraordinary general meeting last week asked that the new club's constitution should include provision that any player that asks for £100,000 a week should be told to leave! He received loud applause from the 700 people in the hall.
United have insisted that any money Zahavi gets for a new Rio deal should come from Ferdinand's own pocket. They adopted that as policy before the Glazer family's takeover, after Irish pair John Magnier and J.P. McManus - who were majority shareholders - forced a review of the club's finances, including transfer fees.
What is your verdict on the Ferdinand saga? Have your say.
Comments
Login or Register to comment
Rio is obviously an excellent player, but his attitude stinks. He seems to have forgotten how United stood by him with the drug test issue. players have become greedy and loyalty is rare. United cannot afford to have a disruptive influence at a time when there are so many other issues to deal with.
We have the Glazer issue, the inability to attract (or afford) top players and the challenge of somehow regaining ground on Chelsea and Arsenal, so Rio's greed is the last thing we need.
Perhaps it is time to sell him and focus on the next batch of homegrown talent that will at least have a sense of pride in the club.
Get rid of ferdinand.Buy owen;
and huth from chelsea.Why wait let him go before season starts.
I have previously defended this guy in earlier stories about the hold out but have to confess that only recently become aware of the amount of money he is currently on, what he has been offered and what he wants and I can only say GET REAL RIO. What are you going to do with the extra 20,000 a week - support a few of the real workers in Manchester who earn this sum a year if they are lucky. M8 you play soccer - its a game and you are rewarded beyond the realms of reality.
As for SAF's dalliance on this matter - it just adds to my thoughts that it is time for him to move on - he cant make the tough decisions any more either strategically or tactically. Bring in Hudink from PSV or even better Bruce from Birmingham - he has done his apprentiship and would rejuvenate what has become a tired looking management team at OT over the past 2 years.
i feel that rio is an assest to the club and has been throw alot but i aslo feel B#120,000 a week should not be allowed and that players should all have fixed week wages
I have enough of Rio, I dont wanna see him wear a United shirt again, He is not worth 110.000 he can have a kick in his ass and told to get out of Manchester ASAP. I look forward to our first game, but mostly to hear fans tell what we feel about Rio. Rio you make me sick.
Well I'm getting more and more "brassed off" everytime I hear Rio Ferdinand's name!!! Can't even believe I just typed his name!
This incredibly ungrateful man should pay back the money he was paid but didn't earn during his suspension, never mind look for a massive pay rise.
Ferdinand is extremely overrated and is not able for the physical side of the game. Look at John Terry, he is a truly great defender. Sell Ferdinand now for 35 million which should leave us with at least 60 million to spend in the tranfer market. I am not sure about Ballack, he maybe getting on a bit. I would go for Diarra & Essien(from Lyon), Carvalho& Gallas (from Chelsea).
No doubt that Rio is a great player and obviesly very important one in our back four. I dont know what the reason for this stalement in negotiation are. If Rio signs a new contract then im very happy about that. If he choose to wait, then fine. I recon the club will keep him for another season and decides to cash in on him next summer. This would give the club some time to search for a replacement. Rio is not uniqe. He can be replaced. I wish him the best of luck whatever his intentions are.
Its really shame if Ferdinand holding up for the extra money. No doubt he is top class & brought stability at the back but doesnt mean he can hold Utd ransom. When he was banned, the club, manager & fans backed him all the way ! How can he forget that? Come on Rio! Sign on!
if we could cash in and get 40 million that would be great...rio is too stupid to see what he could have at utd - unfortunately though, i can't see anyone buying him this summer
He should be told, sign up or you will be placed on the transfer list. He has had a revised offer of 110,000 per week and he is still stalling. What kind of message is this sending out to other players Utd are trying to secure on longer term contracts such as Ronaldo? I believe G.Heinze and Wes Brown central partnership will do a good jo until we find a longer term replacement. Also, a B#30 million pound transfer kitty boosted by the sale of Ferdinand would allow SAF to go out and buy Essien plus another defender. The club needs to take a firm stance and show Rio that he is not irreplaceable.
Who is going to pay 120,000p/w and 20 odd million only Chelsea and I dont think they want him.
Rio is over-rated he makes mistakes and doesn't score goals, which every centre back should add a few to the total. Terry last season 8, Bruce's goals were critical to our title win.
If i were to be cynical I can imagine that they aren't bothered. Keane will retire in a year and that is one huge wage gone from the books. "Reluctantly" usher Rio out of the door and another is gone leaving only Ruud with 3-4 yrs to run on his. If he is stupid enough to believe all Worm-tongue Zahivi tells him then adios. If he realises he has a very generous offer and does want to stay he will sign. If not we will have plenty of money for other transfers. I am totally relaxed about the whole situation.
I like many fail to see why he is still at the club .I would have sacked him for missing the drugs test,He is a disgrace to all the hardworking supporters who pays his wages.
Utter disgrace & immoral. We've just had G8 concert etc & Rio wants to fill his trough again. Just how many Bentleys watches etc does he want. The boy is clearly not very clever & maybe his agent is doing all the dirty work but no excuse. Who is going to pay him B#100k Chelski have got 3 better centre backs already in my opinion. Sell him if we can I say the highest he jumps is when he comes on the pitch like a showgirl. Keano & co must despise him for this so team spirit goes to pot.
Boo hoo hoo ho eh
Pay Rio the money now he deserves and pay him soon.
United F.C. is not MUFC its another club what do we care
what supporters of another team
think. Support the club,players
& manager.
All you lot who think we'll get B#35-B#40 million for Rio, get real! We'd be lucky to get B#20-B#25m, but even that would be enough for me. This whole situation stinks of greed and ego and I think with the money from his sale and the freed up wage bill we could get a Ledley King and still have money spare to spend on midfield. Ballack, Essien, Diarra, Baptista, maybe Gattuso - they're available for the right money.
I do not understand why it has taken fans so long to get upset at Rio and why successive managers have failed to do anything about his atrocious attitude. He has set a truly awful example to United's younger players. While clubs continue to pander to people like Rio and Craig Bellamy footballers will continue to get away with murder. Chelsea had the right idea with Mutu. You won't see people stepping out of line there now!
Rio is symptomatic of the way football has gone in the last ten years and it is just disgusting what he is trying to do (the point made about African poverty is particularly poignant. Apart from that, he wasn't even in the top five players for us last year! Having said that though, what does Utd do - cap wages at 100k and risk being left behind, battling for mid-table annonimity with Villa and Boro? I can't believe that this stupid, hair-style obsessed, numpty is actually being so openly greedy. Who does he think he is? Steve Bruce, now there's a man who deserved 120k.
To be honest, I'd like Utd to humiliate this money grabbing fool. If SAF comes out tomorrow and says he's installing Rio as captain of the reserves and then Rio refuses to play for the reserves, can we refuse to pay him? Let him rot and be unfit for the world cup. To be honest, I always thought Ralph Milne was SAFs worst signing, I'm starting to think it was Rio now!
120 grand a week? He's not even the best defender in Manchester! In a week which has seen G8 events and a terrorist bomb in London, it is utterly obscene that this overpaid footballer wants to be paid in a week what most football fans will earn in four or five years. He's an absolute disgrace.
I reckon this guys a discrace, the club stood by him when he was banned for the whole drugs thing,payed him a fortune so far but still he wants more.He opitimises the word GREED.he want to be payed 120grand a week.No way.not worth it.Man unted are one of the biggest richest clubs in the world you can have almost any player.I say you lot should get rid and buy a quality defender.Hes not the greatest centerback in the world like He and his agent think,hes not even the best defender in England.
Bye bye greedy... over rated