FERDINAND: DECADE OF FAILURE UNDER WENGER
RIO FERDINAND has been giving advice to Paul Pogba on how he can live up to his billing as ‘the world’s most expensive footballer’.
Ferdinand criticised Manchester Uni ted’s £89million France midfielder earlier this month when Pogba posted a video on Instagram of a post-match celebration with Jesse Lingard – when Jose Mourinho’s team were languishing in sixth place in the Premier League.
Former United defender Ferdinand has been speaking to Pogba since about the need to concentrate on his performances rather than his presence on social media.
And Ferdinand, who twice became the world’s most expensive defender when he moved from West Ham to Leeds, and then on to Old Trafford, believes Pogba, 23, will now prove that he possesses as much substance as style.
Ferdinand said: “I knew Paul when he was a kid at United and I have spoken to him since I made my comments about what he was doing.
“He’s someone you can try to beat down, but he will still keep coming back because he’s got that confidence, that arrogance you need to be a great player.
“I’ve had time to think since I made my comments about Pogba – and perhaps I should have taken into account the fact that he is playing in a different era. To have a social media presence is important to players these days.
“But when it comes to being a professional, I like my footballers to be old-school.
“My only issue with Paul was timing. For me, timing is key to everything when you put stuff out on social media.
“Only time will tell whether he saw the point I was trying to make.”
Ferdinand broke the world transfer record for a defender when Leeds paid West Ham £18m in 2000.
He shattered that record another top-four finish and Champions League qualification.
Ferdinand said: “We’ve now got to understand that Arsene Wenger has one remit: to finish in the top four.
“That’s what the last 10 years have told us. They finish in the top four and Wenger gets a new contract.
“That is the only priority for the people who run Arsenal. It’s not necessarily about winning. That’s how it again when United splashed out £30m two years later – and walked into a team that was dominant in the Premier League.
Pogba has not had that same luxury.
United are still in transition under Jose Mourinho, but Ferdinand believes it is only a matter of time until Pogba proves he is a winner.
Ferdinand, who shared a dressing room with the midfielder during Pogba’s first spell at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson, said: “My first season with United was different.
“I went to a team capable of winning the league – this United team isn’t capable of winning the league yet. I had experienced team- mates, wellconditioned in the United way.
“We won the seems. History tells you that if Arsenal finish in the top four then Wenger will be there again next season.”
Arsenal have not finished outside the top four for 20 years – but last won the title in 2004.
Ferdinand believes the Gunners have gone soft.
He said: “When I first signed for Manchester United, the games against Arsenal were unbelievable.
“When we went to Highbury and then league that first season but I didn’t feel an integral part of the team. I did OK, but it didn’t feel like my title. I was just carried there a bit.
“Paul has not been afforded that grace. He’s come with a big price-tag, into a team that’s struggling a little, and he’s supposed to be the big talisman straight away.
“I’ll be excited about Paul next season, because he will be accustomed to his surroundings and hopefully we can see the best of him.
“There wouldn’t be a player in the team back then who didn’t recognise what Paul was during his first United spell.
“In terms of his ability, he was frightening.” the Emirates we would have to fight. Then from about 2007, whenever we went there our team talk revolved around outrunning them and overpowering them. They don’t want their feathers ruffled. “Arsenal don’t like it if you’re aggressive and that’s the way we played against them. “It’s been the same since we played them in the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2008. That night we destroyed them, absolutely overpowered them.
“The days when you saw Patrick Vieira in the tunnel you knew that it was going to be a hard game. They had Vieira (left), Petit, Edu, Keown, Sol Campbell. Aggressive players ready to meet you on the front foot.
“Look at United. Roy Keane was one of the strongest, most dominant players. We replaced him with Michael Carrick – different character, but he still has a steeliness and an authority.” Ferdinand added: “You only need three words to describe Arsenal: Robin van Persie (left). “Robin left Arsenal because he wanted to win, so he came to United. Cesc Fabregas left for the same reason... and now it is brewing with Alexis Sanchez. “It isn’t about money. The world’s best players just want to win things.”