Rio Ferdinand had a dig at both Jamie Carragher and Liverpool by telling him that he has ‘never’ been in a changing room with a player of Cristiano Ronaldo’s stature following his controversial interview with Piers Morgan.
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is around the corner, but the cloud over the Middle East is Ronaldo’s tell-all interview where he dug out near-on everyone at Manchester United and on the outskirts of Old Trafford.
From manager Erik ten Hag to Carragher’s best buddy at Sky Sports, Gary Neville, they all took serious verbal hits.
From day dot, Carragher has questioned the call from Manchester United to initially sign Ronaldo, and since that interview, the Anfield legend has been even more scathing of the player.
But Rio Ferdinand, who played a pivotal role in the Portuguese star returning to Old Trafford last summer, spoke about the player’s current situation.
The former Manchester United defender couldn’t help but dig at the stature of players Carragher has been in the changing room with during his playing days when trying to defend the 37-year-old’s recent actions, as he told Vibe with Five.
“My point was always, and you know what it’s like Jamie (Carragher),” said Ferdinand. “When you are in a club and the manager or the club doesn’t communicate with you properly, then things can go left.
“Someone like Cristiano, given what he has done in the game, he’s in a place where he deserves that. Us mere mortals, like me and you, are dealt with like everybody else, like fodder.
“But these types of players are different. You have never been in a changing room with a player of that stature, I appreciate that, it’s understandable and I am sorry,” Ferdinand grinned, whilst Carragher just raised his eyebrows.
“But someone like that, who goes down as one of the greatest two or three players to ever kick a ball, I am sorry but anyone else and I wouldn’t be saying this, but someone like that, you have to start dealing with that situation differently.”
RACE FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL
Liverpool fans might not like to hear it, but at this moment in time, they are in a race to secure Champions League football at the end of the season.
One of the teams they are battling are Manchester United, and in truth, a situation like this helps ten Hag.
Ronaldo has played his last game for the club and he will be out of the door by the time the January transfer window opens.
Given that he will be wiped off the wage bill, then it will allow ten Hag to spend money on a centre-forward, and other areas of the pitch, which could boost their chances of securing a top-four finish in a jam-packed race for those places.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
