Rio Ferdinand believes Jonny Evans' role in last season's title-winning campaign proves the youngster was right to stay at Manchester United.
It was 12 months ago that Evans knocked on Ferdinand's door during the pre-season tour to South Africa and asked for some advice and had Ferdinand been so minded, he could have told Evans it would have been better to leave Manchester United for Sunderland, to give up the unequal struggle for first-team opportunities and to pursue his career elsewhere.
Thankfully for all concerned, except then Sunderland boss Roy Keane who knew exactly what talents the Belfast-born youngster has, Ferdinand's answer to Evans' question about what he should do was somewhat different.
"It was a bit of a no-brainer really," explained Ferdinand. "Jonny was at a stage where he wanted to play every week. He had been at Sunderland the season before and he didn't want to come back and play reserve team football again with United.
"He wanted to play first team, which is the same argument for any young player.
"The question he had to ask himself was whether he wanted to go and play for a team mid-table or be part of a squad where you will have chances to play in a title-winning team or one that wins the European Cup.
"The manager didn't want to let him go anyway but I know where I'd like to be playing my football and Jonny came round to thinking that it was better to be a part of the squad and play when the opportunities came so common-sense was the winner in the end."
As it turned out an early season suspension for Nemanja Vidic, followed by the back and calf problems that kept Ferdinand sidelined for extended periods in the second-half of the season, ensured Evans made 32 appearances last term, far in excess of what he could have previously imagined.
In addition, Evans collected his first Premier League title medal, with appearances in the Carling Cup final and FIFA Club World Cup thrown in for good measure.
As someone whose talent was spotted at an early age by Harry Redknapp at West Ham, Ferdinand knows all the pitfalls that can await young defenders, for whom impetuosity can get the better of them.
"He is a fantastic young player," said Ferdinand.
"It's always difficult to see the best of centre-halves at an early age. There's always the chance of them making mistakes.
"But Jonny keeps that to a bare minimum. He has got a cool head on his shoulders.
"He sat back and watched for a few years when he was younger. Then he went to Sunderland and did very well, so, for obvious reasons, they wanted to buy him.
"But he stuck to his guns, stayed here and last season he had opportunities to play. And when he did so, he was fantastic."
It does not mean 30-year-old Ferdinand is under pressure for his place just yet, more that if either he or Vidic should ever be absent for any reason, Ferguson can be completely confident in their replacement.
The same can be said for most positions across the back four, a fact emphasised by the impressive performances of Fabio Da Silva on United's successful Far East tour.
Twin brother Rafael made his mark last term. But after the 19-year-old underwent minor surgery on his shoulder and Gary Neville was forced to fly home with a groin injury, Fabio has proved capable of swelling Ferguson's ranks of potential right-backs in addition to providing cover for Patrice Evra on the left flank.
"Fabio is a naturally right-footed player but the reason he has always been regarded as a left-back is because his brother is used to being on the right," said Ferguson of the young Brazilian.
"But Fabio has the flexibility and versatility to play in either position, which gives me a few options."
Rio Ferdinand has labelled young Reds centre-half Jonny Evans "fantastic" and claims the Northern Irishman made the right decision to stay at United, despite no guarantees of regular football.
Evans was a prime target for Sunderland last summer after impressing in the Championship during a loan spell at the Stadium of Light. But he opted to remain at Old Trafford, where Ferdinand says he's blossomed into a top-class defender.
"He's a fantastic young player," Rio Ferdinand told the Press Association. "For centre-halves it's always difficult to see the best of them at early ages. There's always a chance of them making mistakes but Jonny keeps that to a minimum.
"He's got a cool head on his shoulders. He's sat back and watched for a few years when he was younger. He went to Sunderland, did very well and they wanted to buy him, for obvious reasons.
"But he stuck to his guns, stayed here and last season he had opportunities to play. When he did so, he was fantastic."
And it wasn't just the odd Carling Cup game, either. Evans made 24 appearances in 2008/09, providing valuable cover for the established central-defensive pairing of Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
But Evans, a full international and one of the game's most exciting defensive prospects, could easily have been lured by regular football elsewhere had Ferdinand not offered the youngster some valuable advice.
"I spoke to him in pre-season last year in South Africa," Rio said. "He was at a stage where he wanted to play every week. He'd been doing that the season before at Sunderland and he didn't want to come back and play for the Reserves again. He wanted to play first-team football.
"It's the same argument for any young player: Do you want to go and play for mid-table team or do you want to be in the squad of a team where you're going to get chances to play in a title-winning or European Cup-winning team?
"When you look at it like that it's a bit of a no-brainer. The manager didn't want to let him go anyway, but I think Jonny came round to
thinking that it was better to be a part of the squad and play when the opportunities came."
got evans, fabio and rafael as potential to succeed the current back 4 after they are gone, utd defence is in safe hands in the future.
Originally posted by marcteng:got evans, fabio and rafael as potential to succeed the current back 4 after they are gone, utd defence is in safe hands in the future.
just need a gd keeper.. foster is decent but.. not sure if world class..
Originally posted by dinky1409:just need a gd keeper.. foster is decent but.. not sure if world class..
he got the potential if he can stay clear of injuries. his kicking is like machiam bosnich lol, so sucky.
if foster does not show any reliability after VDS does retire, fergie will go out and buy buffon or maybe cech.
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand insists the club are "on the right road'' ahead of their opening match of the season against Birmingham City on August 16.
The England international was speaking after United lost to Bayern Munich on penalties in the final of the Audi Cup at the Allianz Arena, after the match itself had ended in a goalless draw.
United have had something of a gruelling pre-season so far with their tour of Asia followed by games against Boca Juniors and Bayern in quick succession in Germany.
Ferdinand believes Sir Alex Ferguson is now ironing out the cracks in his side before the Premier League kicks off again in two weeks' time. United also face Chelsea in the Community Shield at Wembley on August 9.
"I think we showed glimpses of improvement,'' he said. "I think the Asia tour has been a very good workout for us physically and today and yesterday were a step up in class in opposition.
"Physically, we are on the road to getting where we want to be for the beginning of the season.
"I think Asia was a long tour for us physically. We were very tired after that.
"We now get a couple of days off and then we get back to training and working hard, but we are on the right road.''
Ferdinand admitted their system will change following the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo.
"I think that's inevitable,'' he said. "When you lose any players, your team plays differently no matter who you lose.
"We lost two very good players in Cristiano and Carlos, but Manchester United is a club that moves on and has remained a successful side.
"We have done that in recent years when we lost players of the ilk of David Beckham and Roy Keane, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Veron and players like that.
"People thought we would fall by the wayside but it didn't happen.''
While disappointed to miss out on silverware, Rio Ferdinand was quick to grasp the real boon of United's keenly contested draw with Bayern Munich - a thorough workout.
The German giants edged a penalty shootout to take the spoils after a hard-fought game, and Ferdinand welcomed the strenuous test posed by Louis van Gaal's side.
"It's disappointing not to win the game, but the most important thing tonight was to get a good runout for a lot of the lads," Rio told MUTV.
"I was pleased to get to 60-70 odd minutes in each game, to top up my fitness and get to a level where we're all happy. In that sense it's good, but obviously we're all disappointed not to have won the cup in the end."
Bayern asked questions of United, particularly during the first half in the Allianz Arena, and Ferdinand welcomed the sizeable step up in opposition after the relative comfort of the Asia Tour.
"The games in Asia, other than the game in Korea, were fairly straightforward for us," he said. "They were really good for us to get our foot on the ball and start playing and get used to being a team again.
"Obviously the standard's gone up again, against Boca Juniors and again tonight against Bayern Munich. We knew that before we went to Asia and it's still made for a good trip. It wasn't a happy ending, but physically it's good for us.
"Now the lads can't wait to get home. It's been a long two weeks, but an enjoyable trip; being around the lads, training and working hard. Now we'll be pleased to get home and see our families, I'm sure."
Rio Ferdinand says Sir Alex Ferguson should stick by his decision once he has chosen the goalkeeper to stand in for Edwin van der Sar.
Ferguson is still debating whether to go with Ben Foster or Tomasz Kuszczak in Sunday's Community Shield game against Chelsea and Ferdinand, who has faith in both goalkeepers, wants one to play regularly in Van der Sar's 10-week absence.
He said: "It is always great to play consistently with the players around you. It leads to a better understanding.
"But it is a great opportunity for whoever the manager picks. No matter who comes in, we will have great confidence in them for Tomasz and Ben are two fantastic goalkeepers.
"I think sticking with one of them would help the goalkeeper as well as the team.
"Being in an out of the side can be difficult for an outfield player, never mind a goalkeeper.
"But I am sure the manager will do what is right. He is his own man and will make up his own mind."
United are aiming to retain the Shield after beating Portsmouth on penalties last season.
Ferdinand is eager to take on Chelsea after a good pre-season in which he showed no ill-effects of a calf strain that hampered him at the end of the last campaign.
He returned to the side in the Champions League defeat by Barcelona after a three-week absence with the problem.
He is anxious to get his hands on a trophy again and said: "You never go to Wembley to be a runner up, you go there to win the game. That will be the same this weekend.
"It is a great opener to the season and we are fortunate to be in this position. Other managers will be watching to see where we are fitness wise, tactics wise.
"It is for everyone to look at. We will be trying to put on as good a show as we can."
Ferguson is looking forward to going head-to-head with new Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti - a coach he has the highest regard for.
The Italian has stepped into the breach at Stamford Bridge following the departure of temporary manager Guus Hiddink.
Ferguson expects Chelsea to remain a force in the league.
He said: "With Carlo going there he will take up the baton that Guus Hiddink had carried since January. They were galvanised at that time.
"Carlo has his own system of play, which he used at AC Milan for years, of the diamond in the middle of the pitch.
"It is a different system to Hiddink's but Chelsea still have a lot of experience and a number of talented players."
United are aiming for their fourth straight title after Chelsea won it two years in a row.
Ferguson says they raised the bar by re-adjusting their focus and improving their day-to-day work.
He added: "A training session is not just to fill your morning in and keep you out of the house. It is to prove yourself as footballers.
"We are lucky in that some of the players past and present have that desire. It is only through training sessions players can improve."