• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic 'complained that Man Utd player wasn't good enough' to Sir Alex Ferguson

Home> Football> Football News> Man Utd

Published 08:00 31 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic 'complained that Man Utd player wasn't good enough' to Sir Alex Ferguson

Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic told Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson that one of their teammates wasn't good enough.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic vented to Sir Alex Ferguson about a teammate they thought wasn't at it, according to Patrice Evra.

The former Manchester United captain was incredibly revealing on the latest episode of The Overlap, brought to you Sky Bet.

Alongside Gary Neville, Wayne Rooney, Roy Keane and Ian Wright, Evra provided plenty insight into his time at United and did not sugarcoat anything whatsoever.

And one point in the podcast, Evra peeled back the curtain on David de Gea's early days at the club.

The Spaniard arrived from Atletico Madrid in an £18.9 million move in 2011 when he was just 20.

Advert

Ferguson had missed a League Cup to watch him in action and personally selected him as the replacement for Edwin van der Sar.

But he struggled to adapt to English football and was targeted by the opposition on a regular basis.

Image: Getty
Image: Getty

And according to Evra, United's centre-backs Ferdinand and Vidic expressed their concerns to Ferguson about De Gea's lack of communication compared to Anders Lindegaard.

Advert

"For me, the captain of the defence was Edwin van der Sar," Evra said.

"The problem came when David de Gea came. I remember he didn't talk and Vidic and Rio, they were like: 'Okay, Anders [Lindegaard] is louder. So he needs to play.'

"We'd play one game with Anders, then one game with De Gea. And we said to the boss: 'You need to pick one, because this is making the defence fragile.'"

De Gea made mistakes but Ferguson ultimately stuck with him in a decision that was justified in the end.

Advert

Image: Getty
Image: Getty

He won the club's Player of the Year award on four occasions and holds the record for the most clean sheets in United's history with 190.

Evra added: "I remember there was one game, De Gea was playing really bad. And he [Sir Alex] said to him: 'You know what, you are really s***'. But actually now you are going to play every game, you are going to be the number one. Because I believe in you. I trust you.'

"And that's when David de Gea started play. But Anders told me he was supposed to be the number one. And one training session before that game, he got injured. So that's why the boss had no choice but to go with De Gea."

Advert

De Gea left United last summer and spent a year without a club before returning to football with Serie A side Fiorentina.

He showed his class as they sealed their place in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday night.

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Manchester United

Josh Lawless
Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and WWE. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has covered two WrestleMania events for SPORTbible.

X

@joshlawless_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • GettyGetty
    an hour ago

    Federico Chiesa Handed Liverpool Exit Route After Champions League Squad Omission

    Chiesa could yet leave Liverpool this month despite the Premier League transfer window being closed.

    Football
  • Photo: GettyPhoto: Getty
    an hour ago

    Chelsea Transfer Collapsed After FIFA Blocked Deal Due to Little-Known Rule

    Nicolas Jackson’s move to Bayern Munich prevented another deadline day exit from Chelsea

    Football
  • GettyGetty
    an hour ago

    Barcelona Take Final Stance on Marcus Rashford amid Man Utd Return Reports

    Marcus Rashford signed on loan for Barcelona, who have the option to buy him for £30 million in the summer.

    Football
  • Photo: GettyPhoto: Getty
    2 hours ago

    Ruben Amorim Told to Drop 'Useless' Man Utd Star for Rest of the Season

    United have made an indifferent start to the season having failed to win their opening two league games.

    Football
  • Erik ten Hag has already made his feelings clear on Jose Mourinho ahead of Man Utd reunion in Europa League
  • Patrice Evra reveals David Moyes' 'biggest mistake' at Man Utd that 'upset' squad shortly after he joined
  • Patrice Evra claims Man Utd brought one player back to 'humiliate' Sir Alex Ferguson
  • Sir Alex Ferguson snubbed two Rio Ferdinand transfer recommendations, they scored a combined 199 Premier League goals