Rio's a changed man

Rio's a changed man

Stuart Brennan
17/10/2008

FOUR years ago, Rio Ferdinand was easing his way back into the United team, if not the hearts of their fans.

The £30m defender had returned from an eight-month exile, due to his infamously missing a drugs test, with an effortlessly classy display in a 2-1 Old Trafford win over Liverpool.

That in itself drew comparisons with the return, nine years earlier, of Red god Eric Cantona, banned for nine months for kung fu'ing a Crystal Palace supporter. He also returned against Liverpool, and capped a fine display with the winning goal.

But, while Cantona was received with rapturous adoration on completion of his punishment, the reception for Ferdinand ranged from cool to downright hostile.

And when, a few months into his football rehabilitation, the Londoner began asking for a whopping pay rise, for many it was the final straw.

When one group of supporters met to form rebel club FC United in the summer of 2005, the name of Ferdinand was on as many angry lips as that of takeover tycoon Malcolm Glazer. For many, Rio seemed to epitomise many of the things wrong with modern football.

Carouser

He was seen as a party animal, a carouser who was more interested in blowing the £100,000-plus a week his agent had landed him, than in the glory and grit of earning it.

And yet, four years on, the individual who aroused such mistrust and fury has emerged a better man.

It is tempting to say that Rio has re-invented himself, but that would be unfair. Maybe it is more accurate to say he has simply grown up, as a man and as a footballer.

No doubt the steadying influence of Sir Alex Ferguson, and the no-nonsense approach of Fabio Capello, has had plenty to do with that.

At the age of 30, Ferdinand has made even his staunchest critic think again, and not just for his controlled performances in the red of United and the white of England.

He always had an air of class about him, even as a coltish, ungainly teenager coming through the ranks at West Ham.

At United, his smooth, unruffled defending would often be punctuated by lapses of concentration. He has smoothed out those wrinkles to become one of the best defenders in the world.

Off the field, these days he talks with good sense and directness, is bold enough to speak out on issues which need addressing, and has channelled some of his energies into helping kids from a similarly deprived background.

Last week's eloquent attack on the "circus" surrounding the England camp during the 2006 World Cup made many sit up and listen.

Few footballers have both the nous and the bravery to break ranks in such a way, risking not only the alienation of team-mates, but - more frighteningly - the razor tongues of their wives and girlfriends.

Such plain speaking, in a the public domain, goes a long way, not only to nailing the past inadequacies of the FA, but also to helping ensure such vaudeville is not allowed to accompany England again.

Having said that, going into that World Cup, the TV and newspapers were full of news about Rio's latest career, as a serial prankster in "Rio's All-Star Wind-ups."

A circus, if ever there was one. Maybe he has learned from that, or maybe he has heeded the kind of words from Fergie which once fell on the deaf ears of David Beckham as he slid from football stardom to general celebrity.

Matured

Whatever the reason, Rio does appear to have matured.

Plain speaking does not always go down well in football, where egos roar and the inept are keen to cover their tracks.

And when you step forward to tear a strip off FIFA you had better be prepared for a backlash. And yet Ferdinand did just that. When the Croatian FA was fined £15,000 for the racist abuse aimed at Emile Heskey, most of us shook our heads, sighed and moved on.

That kind of weak-willed, token punishment has become par for the course with world football's governing body, and you despair that the fools' paradise which runs our game will never change.

But Ferdinand was bold enough to speak out, calling for points deductions for countries who do nothing to sanction the backwards element of their support.

Not only did Rio condemn the appeasement of racists, but he also lashed out at the homophobic chants directed at Sol Campbell by some Spurs fans. Two years ago Ferdinand was being roundly criticised for jokingly calling a radio DJ "a faggot" live on air, with no offence intended.

In the macho world of football, where men are men and hotel maids are nervous, queer-bashing is the last bastion of the Alf Garnett generation.

Gay footballers need to stay in the closet, or risk everything.

Perhaps Ferdinand's brave words are the first rays of hope to shine into a dark corner of football's prejudices.

The dabbling with television stardom goes on, but this time Ferdinand is filming a documentary about Peckham, the London borough in which he grew up, and which claimed the life of Damilola Taylor in 2000.

Rio's aim is to try to turn kids in such turbulent areas away from a life of crime - a positive use of celebrity influence if ever there was one.

From image-conscious celebrity to a more thoughtful, outspoken champion of worthy causes, the transformation of Rio is almost complete.

Perhaps Fabio Capello should reconsider his decision to award the England captaincy to John Terry.

What do you think? Have your say.