Rio eyes end to injury woes
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Rio Ferdinand hopes a solid base of fitness in pre-season will help eradicate the niggling injuries that disrupted his 2008/09 campaign.
Ferdinand was a major injury doubt for the Champions League final in Rome, playing on despite having recently suffered a calf injury. That said, Rio still made 43 appearances last term. However, had he not suffered back, groin and rib problems, that figure would certainly have been much higher.
"It's probably the first season I've ever suffered injuries really," said the Reds defender. "But I still played 43 games. I accept I missed a few so hopefully this season it'll be back to normal practice."
The 30-year-old acknowledges that injuries, aches and pains come with the number of games it takes to reach the latter stages of every tournament you compete in.
"You prefer to go into every game feeling you are the best you can be physically. But realistically the football season doesn't allow for that. You carry niggles for most of the season. The Champions League final was no different."
So far, Ferdinand is pleased with the groundwork he has been putting in, first at Carrington, and now on the Asia Tour.
"It's going all right," he told the Press Association. "The main thing, as we say every year, is fitness. We are trying to get ourselves to a good stage of fitness. We enjoy it. It is nice to be playing. You would rather have that than be running around on the training ground. The more games you play the better you feel."
"I have been doing a little bit extra work on my own as well, but I've started the pre-season with everybody else and been happy with it."
Ferdinand also says the Reds squad is "buzzing" after the start Michael Owen has made to his Reds career. It may not have been against top-standard opposition, but Owen's two goals in two games so far this summer is a pleasing sight.
"The lads get a great buzz out of seeing someone like Michael Owen score goals," he said. "When he signed there were a lot of doubters. People said this and that... we've heard it all. But the players go in there with an open mind. We just hope to see the player we know Michael can be.
"So far this pre-season he has played two games and scored two goals. That speaks for itself. There are not many better finishers in world football when he is on his game.
"He is one of those players who you might not see for 90 minutes but in time added on, he will score a goal. Those are the type of players you need to win things. It is great to have him in our squad. He is a great lad as well. Fingers crossed he can have an injury free season and score some goals for us."