Would Rio sell Bruno for £100m? | Why Pep is making his side play DIRECT football

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0:40The question is, would you, if the money came in, you had a chance to sell a hundred million pound Bruno Fernandes, would you accept the money? Yeah, you're director of football today. Saudis are on the phone, ready to give you a hundred million for Bruno Fernandes. Are you accepting it?

1:01Yes, guys, we're back with a new episode of Rare Presents. And we're here in, I'm live from Dubai, guys. I don't know where you are. Sunny, rainy, cold London, Manchester. But now, guys, we're brought to you by Crafted. Listen, I mentioned this last week. I kind of teased it a little bit last week with the chain and the cap that I've been wearing. And they're our new partner for the show. And I'm delighted to be working with these guys. Danny, who's the founder. I've known him for a good few years now. We've been speaking quite a lot over the years. It's been quite an organic relationship that's now turned into a kind of a working relationship.

1:35So they're here now to kind of reward the viewers and listeners and subscribers to the channel. There's going to be loads of competitions going on. And you can get yourself one of these or there's loads of different options of what you can get. But listen, more on that in a little while, guys. I've just got to, we'll discuss obviously United players and we're going through contrasting times at the minute, I know. Contrasting times? Yeah, just let me finish, let me land. But I want to talk about Pep. So you thought I was going to come on to Arsenal. I want to talk about Pep and like changing the way completely.

2:10It's like a big 360 of the way that his team plays again. Showing kind of the way that he's willing to adapt to new kind of themes that he sees. It's the evolution again of a pep side. But I think first we should go to the Emirates and just talk about the towels being at the ready for long throws at the Emirates. What's going on there? What is going on there? Was it the Emirates or the Britannia was that? Yeah. But without Saka and Odegaard, Arteta just kind of reverts back to set pieces. And my big question to you guys, does he really need to do that with the talent and the depth that he's got in his squad.

2:48No. There's a reason why you buy Eze for£68 million and it's not to sit on the bench and start Trossard. I have to be honest with you guys. Today you're going to see a new Joel. The gloves are off, mate. Steve, you've been waiting for this guy for years and he's finally here now. I saw that starting lineup and I was alarmed, startled even. I thought, what's going on here? You've got Trossard on the left. You don't have Odegaard. This is your chance to play Eze down the middle and you choose to not do it. If you weren't going to play Eze down the middle, at least play him on the left. You know, you need the creativity.

3:20I can understand why Saka didn't start straight away. And to be fair, Meduake did well in the first 45 minutes. But Rio, we need to be chomping at this chance. This is the worst City team that I've seen, probably since Pep's second season, I would say, in the Premier League. And yeah, man, we just weren't ballsy enough. I don't know who you Arsenal fans think you are, thinking that you've got a divine right to beat City, that you should beat City. the amount of titles that they've won, the amount of experience they've got, the amount of game changers and winners that they've got, the manager that they've got.

3:52When you're going against people that you're probably going to be your title rivals, not losing is the first thing you think. As long as you go there, you don't lose. But the differences which I feel with this Arsenal team under Arteta compared to the team that I played in is that we would still try and win the game with a bit more kind of be a bit more ballsy, right? But I looked at it and I messaged someone and a few messaged me in the groups on WhatsApp. Setting up at the Emirates with three defensive midfielders. Now on paper, you could say that that's true, but Declan Rice last season was a number eight, right?

4:33And you look at, what's his name again? The Spanish guy that they've got two of them. Marino. there. Marino. Marino. You see him in a Spain shirt. The guy scores goals. I think he's got a hat-trick a lot in the last international window. What I'm saying is the way that your manager is deploying these players. It's not the actual personnel. It's the actual way that he's deploying them. Yes, I can understand and I can see Eze, a new signing. He's looked brilliant in flashes, right? And he's the one who you think he can create something if Odegaard and Saka aren't there, right? So I totally get I would have had him starting 100%.

5:07But those three in midfield, I think it's down to the messaging and the way that you go and put them players out on the pitch. You can't tell me that Declan Rice can't be an eight and can't create things and can't cause havoc and join the attack and run on Moreno. He scored goals for you all last season. It's almost like a false nine. Like, yes, again, on paper, you can say they're defensive players, but they're players that are very capable of being attacking as well. It's just that I don't think your manager was willing to let them off the leash to go and actually take the game. Now, what I would say is as negative as you Arsenal fans have been, when was the last time you actually dominated a Man City team?

5:46Possession, chances at goal, shots, entries into the box. You totally dominated them in that sense. You didn't win the game. I know that. But in terms of all the numbers, you look at the numbers, you look at the way that you finished the game, surely you come away from that not as negative as I've seen your fan base. It's crazy. No, no, you're wrong, Rio. Because the reality is, bring it back to your first point, Steve, stop smirking, right? You said, what divine right do we have as if we can't challenge City? It's not about challenging City at all at this point. It's when you look at our results, our last three results against them at the Emirates, we beat them 5-1 last time.

6:28Okay, you might say that's a, you know, that's a, it doesn't happen all the time. But prior to that, we beat them 1-0 as well. You dominated, you dominated possession and stuff. We dominated them. We did dominate, but again, if you're not doing anything with the ball, Victor Jokeres, no real shots on target. We didn't really threaten them, did we? Like we dominated, we had the ball, but how many times did you go, oh man, Arsenal, that was a great chance. They should have scored that. Oh, a couple of good saves from Donnarumma, but that's it really. So I don't think we should mask it off with these stats because we had 67 % possession.

7:02The issue here is there's a weak City side that were able to get got at and we didn't do it, Ria. We didn't do it. The biggest worry and concern for me would be was how you got bullied on the transition. You lot got opened up on the transition. City have changed the way they play. They're now becoming more of a transition physical type of side, letting the other team have the ball at times and then turning possession over and then being able to run from the halfway line. Haaland cannot believe his luck that it's changed. He's now involved more. He showed yesterday that was a number nine performance.

7:35That was a rolling back the years, number nine performance of the likes of the Drogbas of this world, etc. Being able to hold it up, bring others into play, and then run on to things. It had the hallmarks of someone who's going to break all the records in this league if he stays there. And by the way, he was doing it against two of the best in the league right now, probably the best pairing in the league. he bullied Gabriel and he bullied Saliba he ran off him, he ran past Saliba like Saliba was on a travelator the wrong way it was unreal and what I would like about that is the fact that this is a number 9 that says I don't care about touches, it's shown that he can still score goals without touches of the ball but he seems to, his game's evolved a little bit, I see a couple of deft touches, a little couple of link up play, he's the one who linked up before the goal, I was really pleasantly surprised with the way that he handled the game yesterday and really I thought made the two centre-halves look normal and they haven't done that for two, three years.

8:38Right, are we finished? Because you lot need to just shut up for about 15 minutes while I get this off my chest. That was two teams, right? Two managers that have been there nearly a decade, right? Both managers have been there. They've both spent ungodly amounts of money. Squad on the pitch yesterday or the amount of talent on the pitch and the bench yesterday worth somewhere in the region of about two billion pounds you didn't create a single full goal in xg amongst a pair of yous like 0.87 0.89 it was one of the hands down lowest quality football matches i have ever seen if that was tony pulis and big sam in a dugout you could have forgiven it but these are two managers that get all sorts of applauded for how they're innovative and evolving any chance of evolving into something that's actually watchable for starters right let's just look at the goal that martinelli scored at the end right arsenal win possession in their third pep linders is meant to be this absolute press monster which peps just got in he's evolving them into a team that just stands off dead like a back seven and there's only two arsenal players in the back line one long dosh over the top and martinelli's in?

9:50Why was there no pressure on the ball? Like, if I asked you to go and make a DVD from that game and say, show me three things that are quality. Either individual skill, team play, defending, anything. Could you find anything of any level of genuine quality in that 90 minutes that we saw yesterday? The two goals, Steve. The two goals. The finishes. The pass from Eze, and the link-up play from Haaland, and then the running onto the ball in the finish. Why is he allowed to play that ball though? Why is, why is there no one within 20 meters of him? Yeah, but he said the finishing though. You can't take away from the finishing Steve.

10:27All right, I'll give you the finishing, but like what, what an awful product that is for two teams that are like, what top six or seven in the world for two teams that are probably the, the second and third best teams in England. You've got Liverpool out here just deciding to win games in the 95th minute. They've been rubbish and won every game this season. that's how low the bar is at the moment and this is an indictment on United for everyone saying oh you just upset United crap United crap and it's really crap like it's just crap across the board football has ever been it's level points with City by the way United just saying you know what's crazy yeah Steve I actually agree with you somewhat like of course you do because I'm correct no no for once you're correct you know but like I'm looking at it and I'm going Harlan's performance, Rio, you're spot on.

11:20I thought he was immense yesterday. And I don't even think he's getting the credit he deserves for it, if I'm honest, because everyone's focusing on the possession. You both have three shots on goal. Yeah, but it don't matter. I'm talking about, and the reason why Harlan's performance stands out for me even more is because I'm looking at my striker, right, and I'm thinking if you're not going to score, you need to let the defenders know you're there. You need to bring it back to prime Drogba, where he's not banging in loads of goals unless it's a final, but he's letting people know he's there.

11:47My biggest kind of concern with Arsenal is that I see so many opportunities for them to play forward early. And it wasn't really until Eze came on and started and done that with a goal. And you think to yourself, there's so many times that they just rather the safe ball. I want it to be that Arteta is saying to them, guys, you get in the final third or you get a chance to play forward, just play it. It's not about dominating possession sometimes. It's about creating an opportunity. I feel the same about Man United, right? But Arsenal have got a lot of better players and players with more confidence.

12:19I'm thinking, well, why are you shying away from it? Is the manager asking something different of you? Or is it you want a stat pad? I don't know. Because that will be the downfall of Goykeres. Because people don't want to take risks and play it to him. And it will be the same with Cescola. And we'll move on to that later. But until people in the supply chain are willing to take risks, the number nine, no matter how good you are, will struggle. I don't care if it's Drogba, if it's Wayne Rooney, if it's Shearer, if it's Kane. If the supply chain's not there and they're not playing the ball early enough, I told you this before.

12:53When Van Persie came, he was top goal scorer in the league. Manager called a meeting and said, boys, here's a few video clips of you just playing sideways and backwards and playing safe. Look at where Van Persie is. He's made the run. He's actually in and he's on. You're not passing him the ball. So you guys, Scholes, Carrick, etc., if you don't pass him the ball, you won't play. because we want to win a league. These are conversations that need to be had because it's got to be in your mind that when you get the ball, I look for the striker first. Even me as a centre-back, one of my first two passes was always to look, where's Roode?

13:27Where's Rooney? Where's Cristiano? Where's Saha? And then work backwards. The thought process of a lot of the players today is more like, where can I just get my pass in? And then I might have a little look. And if it ain't on at least 80%, for me to get it to the target, I definitely ain't taking that risk. I'm going to play sideways. And Bruno gets a lot of stick, but he's the only one I see consistently really trying to hurt the opponents. He's not the only one. There's more, obviously, but I'm just thinking off the top of my head. But in the Arsenal team, Saka comes on, and Madureka, he's been your guy since Saka's been out, right?

14:06But you saw yesterday the difference in terms of the level. When Saka comes on, you become more of a threat because he's a bit more consistent. He's got more experience. He's got a consistent kind of train of thought and product. Yeah. But I want to see Maduweki and Sakharin at the same time. Why can't that happen with Eze? Do you reckon, before I get you on to, you mentioned seven bodies being at the back and that's about style of play. But you was talking about making those passes and breaking the lines. Do you reckon that's because the players are afraid of the fans and because we're all a little bit on edge because we know that it's crunch time?

14:45Do you reckon that plays a huge part in it? Yeah, it can play a part 100%, but listen, the top teams find a way. Eze's pass, that's a pass that you don't make enough in transition, get the ball, bang it through the lines. You've got a striker who's a willing runner. He wants to run. He wants to run onto things. That's his game. That's how he's going to score most of his goals if he can do it. Now, I know Arsenal have a lot of possession, but sometimes you might want to say, bring the opponents on to us. Let them have a bit of the ball. This is a tactical game. This is what it's about nowadays.

15:16Not against City, you know. No, I'm not saying against City, but I'm saying in general. Bring them on to you so you can create some space to be able to run through the lines and run against them. Because that's the way you might be able to score goals. You've got Saka, Madueke, Martinelli. These guys want to run on to things sometimes. Play to your players' strengths. You're asking Arteta to play with risk. The guy tucks his T-shirt and his underpants, man. It's not going to happen. I'm not having none of that. It's just... Steve. Steve, leave it at. You know what? It might just be going for a transition though, Steve.

15:48Can it transition to something good though? Any chance of that? Yeah, I think it might be a bit more up and down football rather than just possession-based, which I think I would like. I think if you look at what Pep's done, Pep changes the whole face of football. He's done that before. Are we going to see that again? Because he's, again, like I said earlier, He's actually changed the way the stats are even telling you. They're playing up the pitch so much quicker than they have in previous seasons. Don't give Pep credit for this. Nuno was doing this. Every Premier League team started doing this last season, went more vertical.

16:17But on that point, though, I want to talk youth development, right? Because when I'm watching these games at the moment, I think you just touched on the point. Players are looking at passes. Joel goes, is it because they're scared of the fans? You're saying players are looking at, if it's not 80 % on, I'm not playing it. Is that because we've coached risk and freedom out of players? And we've been putting systems into players at 13, 14, rather than teaching them fundamentals and creativity and creating good, intelligent footballers. I don't think footballers are as intelligent as they used to be.

16:49No, no. They have intelligence. There's a different type of intelligence. They are good. These players now will be great at exams because they're programmed. programmed they're absolutely programmed to do a b or c when you're in the ball because there'll be a trigger for someone to move and then you go down your list of things that where you play it and and uh that's just a process of elimination in terms of what you see right whereas in our generation the big difference was is that you got there was a little bit of structure but it was very much if you go if the ball went into that area and and the picture wasn't the same as what it was highlighted to be in the meeting room or in the video, work it out, mate.

17:29You've got to work it out. Whereas in today, it's like, well, we told you not to play in there because of that. And then the player won't do it then. They'll go to what they're told to. So there isn't the ability to just be imaginative and to play something off the cuff. Where's the man that's just coming off the line and just doing a madness with the ball? The JJ Ococha, the Ronaldinho. Do you know what I mean? He's just doing a madness that you the pyet the king clad's days like these guys that was just matt letizia's like these guys that you look at and go how the hell did he just do that is that actually how how did he even think that he was able to do that like we we're not really saying that as much man and i'm not doing i'm not i'm not saying that the players their levels higher today there's players that could play in any generation that are playing today they're just high high level in a different way.

18:17We've spoken about Arsenal and Pep and the evolution and you know how he's changed his style of football but Man United versus Chelsea I have to ask how satisfied are you seven points from five games after playing Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City? Firstly if you said to me like we said at the beginning of the season how are you feeling about Man United right now I'm the same as I was before a ball was kicked I'm hopeful so I'm not panicking but I'm not sitting here convinced and going right We are bang up for it and I think we're going to finish sixth, seventh right now. So I'm in Hopeland at the moment because I'm not seeing a consistency of results or performance yet that suggests that we've turned the corner.

19:01The stats are telling us that we're creating a lot of chances and we're doing a lot better in that sense, but we're not killing teams off. We're not scoring enough goals to really make them stats stand up and stack up. So if we can improve our finishing, if we can improve our delivery into the front men, if we can improve our capability to finish, it could change the whole picture. But these are big if, buts and maybes. So yeah, I'm in the land of hope right now. Steve? I thought we started nice. And I think the red card changed the narratives big time because now you get no credit for beating a team with 10 men.

19:42but we actually started with the intent of going, sticking it on them. Um, and I think if it had stayed 11 v 11, I think that that would have happened. I think we'd look lost when it got leveled up to 11 v 11. So 10 v 10. Um, it was almost kind of like we, and again, this is going back to the systems thing. Are we so regimented in our understanding of the systems when something changes? Like, okay, now it's 10 v 10. we don't know what to do where am I meant to go with that maybe that is something that they need to figure out with a bit of conditioned game stuff but I still think we look very vulnerable on the transition I think we defend pretty good actually we look vulnerable on transition because of the gaps and I have less than zero faith in the goalkeeper I know the header at weekend Was right in the corner And it was sensational But they had one shot on target And scored one goal I think only the City game Has actually made saves There's the Burnley game They had two shots on target They scored two goals We might as well put a cardboard cutout Of Peter Schmeichel in there It's going to save as many But yeah, I mean Actually, I was going to bring this up I don't think you've given De Ligt anywhere near enough love last season or this season.

21:09I think De Ligt, since he signed, has just been dismissed. Opposition fans have seen him get sold by Juventus and Bayern Munich and just assumed the reasons for those sales. I think he's been absolutely solid. I think he defends properly. He defends aggressively. You always see him on the line with the last niche of goal line clearances. I think he's intelligent. I think he's technically pretty sound. I don't think he's Beckenbauer-like, but I think he's reliable. I just love him. I think he's a real good pro. Yeah, I think he's been magnificent this season. I think he's been, I think like you said, everything I agree with in terms of performance this season, I think he's been solid in all departments.

21:50And I think he's kind of put himself in place to be probably the first name on the sheet. If we go by Jorah being sub at the weekend, then you think, okay, he probably now looks like De Ligt's the number one choice defender in the team from the manager's point of view. I think he's been so sound. and the fact that he's been keeping Harry Maguire out of the team says everything. But that's just probably gone under my radar. But just back to your point about the team at the weekend, and I go back to a quote that Amram said a couple of weeks ago. It's like, United go a goal up, and this team is more in fear of dropping the ball and losing that lead than actually thinking about going and finishing the game off.

22:32And I sense that every time we go a goal up, and the other team get a chance or the game shifts in terms of momentum, we're kind of fractured very, very quickly. And the confidence that that goal's brought is kind of like it diminishes very quickly because of the deep scars that we've got. And that's something that this manager's got to get out of this team. Results will do that. And I feel like a broken record. I keep saying this, but they've got to find some consistency. That's why I can't get overhyped winning one game against Chelsea because after three or four games where we're unbeaten and we're winning and then we're starting to show some performance, then the confidence comes.

23:10Then you go a goal up and then you take your shirt out and you relax a little bit and you start popping it, keeping the ball, pulling teams about a little bit. Everything we do at the moment is like, oh my God, oh my God, please. Everything's agitated. Everything's anxiety. Everything's like rather than relaxed and just seeing it out. We can't do that at the moment and that's down to results And that's down to the long time being a bang average team, if that. So talking about managers swapping stuff. So we had Marescar. He made a whole bunch of mad substitutions. And a lot of the Chelsea fans are absolutely livid about it.

23:47But also Amarim, he's been known for swapping, you know, the back three. Are there any positives from switching the players around as much as he's doing at the moment, both from starting them or from the substitutions? Well, I always scratch my head when I see this. and my phone probably goes as mad for that as much as anything in the WhatsApp groups because we've all grown up. None of us have known that centre-backs get swapped out in games, especially in the last 15 minutes of games. Last 20, 15 minutes are the most nerve-wracking part of a game. So I remember, do you know what? I came on for England when I was young, when I was about 18, 19 or 20, I think I was, against France at Wembley, right?

24:24They had like, I think Zidane or Duguri, Anel Cartieri might have been there, Trezeguet, all these guys, I don't know which one of that mob were playing, but you come on the pitch. You're getting pulled up on HMRC, aren't they? Yeah, yeah, that's why I named them all and said I don't know which one. But I was like, I don't know. I don't know. I'm not confident here. Like, I'm not warm. I ain't warmed up properly. I ain't ready. I'm nervous. Do I want to be the one that lets us concede a goal? I probably was at fault for the goal as well when I came on to make it 2-0. And you're just like, it's not an easy thing to do man it's not easy and and the biggest part of it it's not easy yeah but none of us are used to it we haven't even grown up in grassroots football doing it we've not done it in an academy we've not done it in the first teams and then I'm doing it in national level it was weird to me right and I think I came on for an injury anyway I'm not sure but to be doing it like as as this is my thing this is what I do I just I just don't get it you're not putting, I think, the players in the best position to excel.

25:27I look at teams that win, right? Whether it's my team, whether it's the old Arsenal teams with Tony Adams or with Martin Keone and Sol Campbell, et cetera, or John Terry and Cavalier, William Gallas, or now Van Dyke and Conate. The same centre-ass play every week. I mean, City change a fair bit, to be fair, but they don't change so much in game like that. But there's a consistency with team selection with that pairing at the back that breeds a winning side. Paris Saint-Germain, same two centre-backs all the way through Champions League, bang, win the trophy. The consistency of players in that area of the pitch gives you a better chance to win and this chopping and changing it is just, I find it wild.

26:14I don't like it and I wouldn't like it if I played. What's the specific things of you struggling with? when you come on as a centre-half then? Picking up the pace of the game. The rhythm of the game is... Your first one or two free sprints, you are absolutely hanging onto things. Your lungs are on the floor, red raw. Like, getting into a game is difficult, man. And just getting into that speed of the game and the rhythm of it is hard, man. Why is that different for defenders versus forwards then? Because forwards are the most changed thing, aren't they? You know why? Because they're used to it.

26:48You get brought on all your career. substitute forwards are brought on every game. Substitute wingers are brought on every game. Midfielders, there's not a game that goes by that one of those don't come on. Centre-halves, never. Never happens. Never happened, ever. Did you bring a centre-half for your team? Out of choice? Your centre-halves are players that you do not think about when you're talking about subs, what I'm preparing for substitution-wise. You never think about them. What about Moresca's changes? What did you think when you saw them, when you were watching the game? Were you a bit baffled like the rest of us?

27:19I thought he was just like a rabbit in the headlights. I thought he was maybe not prepared for it. I don't think he was prepared for a player being sent off and then what he would do. I thought he looked like a panic situation. And I can understand their fan base being a bit like, listen, what are we doing here? I actually couldn't believe they didn't bring on Ganacho because he's the type of kid that would have come on and scored. That's the type of kid that he is. He's got the ball to do that. And he would have been sitting there probably chomping at the bit to do it. And he would have celebrated.

27:47so but I was a bit baffled in that sense again you buy Gittins and no this is nothing against him but then you put Tyreek George on like you buy Gittins for 50-60 million and you bring a young kid on and listen come through the academy so on one hand I'm sitting there going that's brilliant but it's a lot of money to spend to just sit on the bench and not I mean two players spent I think it's almost 100 million pound and don't come on the pitch Right man we've got loads still to come right on this pod but we'll be back shortly after this.

28:46reads or run your own ads and track every conversion in real time. Same skills you already have brand new results. Acast, acast.com slash advertise.

29:03You see, um, when you, you're talking like this and every people hear you every week and they're like, Oh mate, Rio, all these guys, these pundits, these ex players, they're talking as if they would be able to solve the situation. Uh, There was a sport Bible post that I know that you saw. It was, and the guy Connor says, Vidic and Rio, fortunate enough to play in a decent team where they were attacking for 70 % of the game. Would have got found out nowadays. No athletic either. So luckily for them, they played back when you didn't need to be as good. Let me answer this, please. It's a seriously struggle.

29:36Let me answer this, please, Rio. Go on. Rio's going to give you some humble, wibble answer here. Right. Rio's got a bad back and he's like pushing 50, man. Of course, he'd struggle nowadays. Like, that's nonsense. But if you're suggesting a prime Rio Ferdinand and a prime Nemanja Vidic, it was lucky enough to be in teams that attack 70 % of the time. That means they started on the halfway line and played 1v1 against pasty players. Are you telling me the likes of Nicholas and Elka aren't fast? Go away, right? I'm sick of these kids today that watch football on TikTok and just come up with utter shite for opinions.

30:11Like, talking about Ryan Giggs wouldn't have been able to adapt to today. The guys are world-class in two positions. Shut your mouth, right? Them two defended 1v1 on a halfway line. And guess what? Have you still got a record for them out of clean sheets? Or minutes of out conceding? In a team that supposedly attacked, not like the Chelsea team, which I might add, that absolutely locked the tank down. They used to have two defensive midfielders sitting in front of all these other so-called world-class defenders. Yeah? Calm the fuck down. you know what I reckon Steve it also goes back to what you were saying earlier on you asked a question you know because there's so much systems being made forgive me if I'm wrong in terms of the terminology but basically would they be able to hack it in today's football I think if you're good enough right you can play in any era bro Joel it's never been an easier time to play football yeah I think I think this is definitely the easiest in terms of because you don't have to be as creative the number of what like Robbie Keane would be a Ballon Darwin and player right now if he was playing.

31:12Like he was a bang average mid-table striker. There was so many Robbie Keens in the league. Yet, the guy would look utter world class. Do you know what those things do? He was good though. You can't say he's an average striker. No, he was above average. He was above average. He was above average. But it was 10 of him in the league, mate. That's what I mean. Yeah, the depth of the strikers back then was like night and day compared to today. But on the same way, listen, kind words, Steve. thanks. But what I would say still... And you're not even the best we've seen, Rio. And the top players today, I think, would be able to adapt to our time as well, though.

31:51I've got to say that. Van Dijk would be able to live in our era, 100%. Would he be the outstanding defender that he is today? I don't know. We don't know. Again, that's another if, buts, and maybe scenario. But I think the top ones will be able to come into our generation. But I think they'd find it harder than they do now, 100%. For starters, they're playing against two centre-forwards on the halfway line, going 1v1 for 90 minutes, not letting your partner handle him for 15, 20 minutes and then having a breather and then coming on to it again. That happens a bit more today. I think, again, things are sorted out for you and sometimes I feel today a lot of the players can hide behind the protection of the system.

32:33You've still got to perform. You've still got to do your thing. But I think a lot of things get sorted out for them in the system Whereas in our generation, it was like, if you can't sort it out yourself, you are absolutely fucked. Okay. Are you suggesting like an era where you was playing against Terry Henry and Drogba? And even people like Morientes, Etu, Adriano, like... Zlatan. Shevchenko. Bergkamp. Come on, man. Del Piero. Ronaldinho. Stop. Rivaldo. VN. Mental. mental and it was two of them okay let's go who's the top top ten strikers today in the world and if you put that against our era whoa it's a big difference you've got Lewandowski who's basically like iron up his pension you've got Haaland and Bape's number one you've got Isak and then you've got no one cares nah nah nah there's more than that but there's just not a lot no but what I'm saying they're not they're not rolling off your tongue that's the point yeah Kane Lewandowski Mbappe Haaland live in any generation yeah they do their thing in any generation you can't deny that after that there's debates I'm sorry there is debates it's crazy isn't it because then after that in the Premier League it's Isak and then believe it or not it's Eketike and those guys and he's just stepped through the door the pool is shallow yeah it's crazy oh yeah tell me that them two wouldn't have done bits because they absolutely would have done bits.

34:11Who? You and Vida. Mate, I reckon I'll play till I'm 42, 43 today. The system's just helping me out so much. I'm not saying that the players aren't good today. I'm just saying that the players should be thankful that the game's really system dominant right now because it helps you so much. That's true. You didn't even mention Wayne Rooney. You don't need to. You don't need to. You don't need to. Speaking of Rooney. speaking of Rudy now now let me let me ask this one right because it's back to that question one thing I do see people saying about Vidic all the time and I do go hmm don't know if he'd get away with that or not is with the advent of VAR could he do some of the shit that he used to do yeah the tackles are nuts we played again for the veterans game like icons match in South Korea with like crazy amount of legends Vida is exactly the same now as he was then He's grabbing onto people.

35:08He's behind up them. He's putting it up. He's like ridiculous. Like still mad, super aggressive. I don't think he'd be in trouble. Vida is intelligent. Vida towed the line. He played the game on the line. Like, but I still think within the rules, he was hard. He was fair. Just on Rooney, by the way, Joel, we got his interview dropping on Wednesday, by the way. So make sure guys, you've got your notifications on and you're subscribing to the channel because you will get that notification that Wayne Rooney's interview is dropping on Wednesday. And he actually talks about defenders and saying that they can't defend properly today.

35:43So make sure you hit that button, that follow button, that subscribe button, and stay tuned. Did you ask him the difficult questions? Like, for example, you know, obviously he's gone through the Tom Brady stuff and just like his career in general. Did you really get into it? Yeah, man, we got into some good stuff. Listen, you'll enjoy it. Of the last couple of interviews that we've done, it's been really good, man. And we're seeing different sides to some of the people that on TV maybe sound and look a different way to what they do on this channel. So it's good. Come on, Rio. Steve, I want to ask you a question, right?

36:17Looking back at Manchester United and the amount of goals that you guys have scored this year, are you worried about the lack of goals? I mean, we're looking at Sesco, still not firing yet. What's your thoughts when it comes to that? Yeah, I did notice the absolute apology fest for Florian Wurz. 150 million pound player joined the champ. He gets the, oh, he's got to take time to adapt. Meanwhile, Sesco's, people are just waiting for the 007. You know, you can smell it already. Like, it's just, it makes me laugh the way Manchester United get treated completely different by the media. But it is football though, Steve.

36:52When you're winning, it gives you time. It does, yeah, you're right. I actually think Sesco is making really good movements. I think he's making good contributions. but I've said this all along when it was Hoyland that was it because I think he's entirely different to Hoyland and a lot better than Hoyland and people are going to be like oh, Hoyland's good for Napoli I don't care, how about that, right? Tell someone who cares when I'm looking at what Sesco's doing when I'm looking at what Hoyland was doing I already see that there's a levelling up and there's going to be a settling in period you've got an entirely new forward line which hasn't started a game still yet as a three once they start playing as a three once we can start having a little bit of confidence the goals are going to start coming because Mbumo is an absolute problem you know, the reason that Chelsea were down to 10 men oh and by the way, I think I called that that exact move Cescou flipping it onto Mbumo to running behind at the start of the season when we signed him we're already seeing the damage of that Chelsea are struggling with it straight off the bat that's going to become something that they recognise between themselves by just playing together a little bit more they'll end up being Kuna getting involved in that somehow as the third man, you'll start to see them cook, but it's just going to take a little bit of time.

38:07I'm already seeing the quality in the play and the quality in the link up, and I'm seeing the movement. And what I used to say with Hoyland is, people say, they're not passing to him. Well, my response to that was, he doesn't move. You have to meet him halfway. Like, there has to be movement that's advantageous for you to get on the ball. It's not just a case of pass him the ball at all times. He's got to free himself from defenders. He was too busy trying to feel up defenders to get the ball played to him. Sesko is making the runs. Sesko will get found. Now, there's that famous line in there of Fergie sitting down, all of these lot and saying, if you don't pass the Van Persie, you're not going to play because we're trying to win a league.

38:47Yes, there's sometimes there's elements of that. But at the same time, the striker has to make the movement. Sesko is making the movement. So in this instance, yeah, I think it is a case of, can we start trying to find him? and I think we are trying to cross the ball a little bit more. We're just not at the accuracy, I think. Yeah, I agree with a lot of that, but I think the responsibility goes for the striker now as well. I think in today's game, there's enough at your disposal technology-wise and clip-wise that you can get it right there in black and white on an iPad and say to your teammates, listen, you know when you got in that position, look at me, just look at me, look where I am.

39:20Ahmad at the weekend, who I thought played well, was in a great position on the left-hand side. Sesko has pulled off the defender in the 18-yard box. He's about 10 yards out from goal. Ahmad's just got to roll it to him. But he's got to be hammering that home to Bruno. Bruno got through, tried to put him in. It was a bad pass. He should have gone to Ahmad. But what I'm saying is it's decision-making in the final third that's going to set him free or isn't. And he's got to try and dictate to a lot of those players either through runs that make it so obvious that he's on or physically telling them after a game, have you not seen me there?

39:54Can you see that? How did you not see me? Right there. Look, look, look. Five yards away from you. Roll it to me. I'm going to be there every time. When you get in that position there, I'm going to be here most of the time. So play it blind and I'll be... If I'm not there, then you can moan at me. They're the type of conversations he needs to have. Because I know that Rude was having that. I see Rude Van Nistelrooy walk in off the training field because Ronaldo had done too many stepovers and he weren't playing it when he wanted it because he'd made his run across the front of the defender. He made a point of making...

40:23belittling Cristiano in front of the whole squad and Cristiano going, what's happened there? What's that about? Not understanding. Young, innocent, inexperienced player. One of the experienced guys going, listen, and then this is a role reversal because Cesco's quite inexperienced but you've got to find it from somewhere to make your teammates know and I think that that'll be the making of him but I also think obviously Amarim has to make sure that the players play and think about him when they get on the ball especially in those attacking areas because he's a lump. Six foot five, six foot six, physical, like Steve says, makes good runs.

40:55When you get in them wide air areas, do not disappoint. That's the old saying, don't disappoint. Play it into areas, make these defenders defend because this area of defenders, and I don't want to keep bashing them, they're not used to defending crosses. It's not their makeup anymore. So make them defend. When it comes to Cescou, I can say though, he needs to be a little bit more greedy as well. There has been one or two times when I see him and I think, you're the marquee signing here. You know what I mean? Make your point as well. And sometimes I feel like he's laying the ball off. He's trying to do the right thing, but I want to see him be a little bit more selfish.

41:27He's having times where he's not doing enough because I think he needs to take control. Yeah, and I understand that and I can agree with that to a certain extent, but in the first half versus 10 men, he's had six touches. You know what I mean? Six touches in the first half. So at that point, you're thinking, as a player, let me just try and bring the ball in and lay it off and keep the ball for my team. It's difficult. And that's why I think they've got to play even in the in the transit play the ball into him and run off him like he's good enough to do that get the ball into him and then run that third man run that Darren Fletcher run you know what I mean Declan Rice can do it do you know what I mean Kevin De Bruyne was brilliant at doing that that run when you get the ball goes into someone they just run beyond and there's a nice link up or the ball just gets left in an area and they get onto it it's just that type and that's easy football in my mind that's not the intricate where you're looking for like little patterns and one-twos and round the corners.

42:25That's like up, back, through. Simple. But you need people who can run, willing to run and actually asked to do it. Do you agree with Steve then, Rio? When it comes to his main point, Sesko will be better than Hoyland. I only think, and I think the same of Goykeres, right? You're only as good as your teammates playing the ball into you and the amount of chances they give you. I understand the point of making the right runs and good runs. But until your teammates are thinking, I've got to get the ball into him, you're always fighting an uphill task. It's an uphill battle. Because you need the players to have the confidence and the understanding that they're getting the ball into you, they're going to get something out of it.

43:07Either you keep possession and bring someone else in or you get a shot off or you get a goal. Once they start feeling that, it's lights out. You get the ball all the time. You're being friendly. No, no, I'm saying that Hoyland didn't play well at Man United. Yeah. Right? Is he a top player? No, he's not a top player right now. Right? But I think he was made to look worse than he actually is at Man United because how bad Man United were. Right? And the fact they weren't getting the ball into him as much as they could have. I watched many a game where he's making good runs and no one see him. Right?

43:42But I watched as many games where he made the wrong runs as well. Right? So it wasn't all one-way traffic. but Cisco's been here two minutes. You can't even judge against who's going to be better. He ain't had enough game time yet. He's not even played five games. When it comes to Bruno, he's the fourth midfielder to score over a hundred goals for the club. So you've got Bobby Charlton, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and then Bruno Fernandes. Steve, if you got a hundred million pounds for Bruno Fernandes this coming January, would you take it? Yes or no? I actually asked him why he's not gone Saudi in the summer.

44:13I just stuck it on him. why are you still here man with the offer that he got like 200 million pound contract something like that it was a madness I wouldn't be at United right now so

44:30he said he's got too much football still to play and I respect that from his point of view from the club point of view from fan point of view I genuinely don't think that there is a right answer I think you can comfortably make a case from the business point of view that selling him at 30 for 100 million is absolutely the right thing to do. I also see the case of selling the best player that you've got, guy that does score 20 goals, gets you 20 assists every single season when you've just finished 15th, is monumentally thick. Like, there's... You can't convince me that you're instantly going to be better by selling your best player.

45:06You have to make sure that there's a succession plan in place and we're going to change the makeup of the team with that money. it can't just go off to pay Glazer debt that's not going to make any sense whatsoever but I probably would lean towards selling him and trying to make a better team with replacements I'm surprised at that I agree with Steve, there's pros and cons to it you'd be mad to sell him and you'd be mad to turn away the 100 million but I don't know which one's right but what I would say is I think Bruno would improve City and definitely improve Arsenal as well. I think he goes into your team and his output is bigger than any of your attacking midfielders.

45:55You said that as if we don't have a better midfield than City. The question is, would you if the money came in, you had a chance to sell£100 million Bruno Fernandes, would you accept the money? Yeah, you're director of football today. Saudis are on the phone, ready to give you £100 million for Bruno Fernandes. are you accepting it? If what I want is available that I think can enhance a team in another area that's very much needed as well I'll probably make that call yeah and because of his age I'll probably take it. So you've got 100 million to spend who's your one or two that you're bringing in to allow him to leave?

46:32I'm taking Belaber and Wharton. Right, if that's doable I'll take him to the airport. but again I still think it's an answer I'm quite comfortable with him staying as well because he's so good I throw him a party though for going and I say thank you because he's been our best least successful player relegated last year without him yeah there's never been a player that has deserved silverware at this club more than they've got it than him guy threw up counting our numbers and leaves without a league title it's not fair I reckon he sits there and thinks if only I was in that generation before me because what I could be doing in that generation like what he would produce in that team would be a joke and do you know what with all the abuse modern footballers get that they don't care that they're they're not serious that they're caring too much about partying Bruno Fernandes is the antithesis of that all he does is graft he grafts on the pitch he grafts off the pitch he's never injured he sets a good example he gets shit for throwing his arms up at decisions guess what I'll show you hours of Ryan Giggs doing the same thing.

47:40Like I'll show you hours of Wayne Rooney doing the same thing. I'll show you hours of Rio doing the same thing when a decision didn't go our way. Like good players give a shit and he gives a shit and he puts it in and he's, yo, he might not be the same sort of captain that Vinic was. He might not be the same sort of captain that Roy Keane was, but you can't tell me he cares 1 % less than either of them. So you're selling him. Got it guys. I'll probably sell him. Just because he's not a tactical fit?

48:13And is that an indictment on the manager that you can't find a way to fit him in? Maybe. Yeah, that's more on the manager because I'm not being funny. You're talking to a guy here who I used to think, and I can put my hand up stupidly, that Odegaard was better than him. And I look now and I go, if we had Bruno Fernandes, right, forget the striker, we're winning the league. I think you'd win the league with Bruno and your team last year. 100%. Do you know what? So Alex couldn't get a tune out of Varon because it wasn't a tactical fit with what we had at the time. You know, sometimes that's the way it crumbles.

48:45Anyway, guys, before we get on to the other talking points, we should go into our new partner, Crafted Jewelry. We were chatting before Rio and it's one that makes a lot of sense personally, doesn't it? Yeah, it's a men's jewelry fashion brand. And you've seen me in it loads of times. I'm sure you guys have watched the show, you've seen me in it loads. but what I would say is it's like you see all these guys wearing these like this jewelry and like whether it's real or fake or not but if you're spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on jewelry like crackers to me mental this is the sweet spot in between where it looks good feels good on you for an affordable price I always like something that's got a bit of meaning to it something that's got a bit of value in it for yourself between you and that piece of jewelry I think it's always nice are you guys the same in that sense that you when you wear something like like a bit of jewelry that you want it to make kind of mean something to you for me it's for now i would say it's definitely my wedding ring man like i i don't think i've ever had a piece where i had a sentimental attachment to it but i understand now how important it is and uh yeah i mean the fact that there's there's pieces available like this that can mean something to us to me that means a lot so yeah i would say my wedding ring what about you steve i mean yeah same thing obviously wedding ring uh because the missus is watching but um i also have i i don't It's only a little cheap thing, but it's like a paracord thing with skulls on it.

50:05And it's a momentum or a thing, just like stop taking everything serious because you're going to be dead soon. So that means a bit to me. They've got a virtues pendant that I've got as well upstairs. It's got the words on it. Again, not that I've asked them to do this, but it's just something that hit a chord with me. And it says a life of purpose and integrity that's inscribed on it. And it's like when you can find something, it's got something that you go, actually that's a, I want to be like that or I am like that or I'm aspiring to be like that. I think they're nice things to have. It's a bit more than just a piece of, like, jewelry, you know what I mean?

50:38I like stuff like that that has little reminders. My phone has Be A Pro on the back of it, like Be A Professional. I like little reminders and stuff. Are there any giveaways and prizes to get everybody involved? Like, obviously, their new partners on board. Yeah, the beauty of this partnership is they want to help me reward the listeners, the viewers, and the subscribers. I've got them down and let me read them so I'll get them right because I know that the T's and C's have to be right man but there's a trip to London with an overnight stay travel and expenses all paid for by our lovely partner backstage access to watch one of our shows the Rare Ferdinand Presents podcast live in London and a thousand pounds crafted voucher listen guys how to enter make sure you follow crafted and Rare Ferdinand Presents obviously on Instagram like the official giveaway post that we're going to be putting out there we'll link it in the description and tag free friends in the comments, right?

51:32So, entries day closed, by the way, on the 27th of September at 5pm British time. I'm on Dubai time, as you know. The winner will be selected at random, as always, alright? So, make sure you join that competition, guys. Sick. That's the day after my birthday, mate. Hey, listen, good luck, man. Good luck. Pardon? Join it. You might win. It might be a lucky day. You never know. It's true. You never know. I want to talk about Raheem Sterling Rio, bomb squad. Where do you stand on this Rio, man? Do you reckon he's been hard done by? What are you doing in this situation? Is Maresca right or wrong? Talk to us.

52:09Well, to start with, just to go back to Maresca, I thought his comment about his dad and it was about having no sympathy for someone like Ream Sterling who's on a load of money, etc. And I think when you look at it like without thinking about it too much. You probably, everyone probably goes, yeah, he's right. Someone who's, who's doing, uh, who's done 30 years or 50 years in a job where you get minimum pay, et cetera, compared to someone who's getting paid loads of money. Do not forget that Raheem Sterling's had to work his socks off to get there. By the way, someone who was from poverty, someone who understands poverty, someone who knows what it's like to have nothing, right?

52:47But then work his way up. So don't ever, ever, ever try and, I think kind of like associate just because now he's earning money that he got an understanding. I think if there's anyone who's playing the game who's got an understanding and a value of a pound note, I would say Raheem certainly will be up there because of his background and where he's from and just knowing of him in that way. I don't know any players who've got a bad word to say about Raheem. So I just thought, I don't know, it could have been a bit more tasteful I think and put in a better way for Maresca. But again, he's under pressure and so I understand And maybe it is emotional kind of reaction, knee jerk.

53:24But I was very much when Isak was using player power and saying, right, I want to go. And I was very much, you know what? He got a right to do that. If he wants to go and he wants to play and better himself and go and have a chance of winning trophies at Liverpool, if they get a fair amount of money, he should be able to go. And Newcastle will move on and buy someone else. I get it, right? People weren't happy with that. But equally, I think if the club say you are surplus to requirements and we don't want you, I think the club are well within their right to do that. But what I would say, the caveat to that is, I think they've got to give you the time.

53:57These are the questions and the answers we need from this situation. Have they given Raheem Sterling enough time to find a new club? Have they given him the right window of opportunity to do that? And then it comes down to what opportunities has Raheem Sterling had? And what does he want? Has he had clubs come in for him? if yes, why hasn't he taken them? Is it because they weren't the right teams level-wise or was it because they weren't the right location? We don't know. These are questions and answers we need the answers to. But what I would say is that his time at Chelsea and then his loan spell at Arsenal, I think they dictate the type of clubs that come in for you normally.

54:34And I think, because he's 30, he's not going to get a team at that level now coming in for him unless he's really lucky, like probably a Rashford who got Barcelona. But Raheem's probably getting teams underneath that level now and going, unless it actually makes sense for me, unless it means that also he's got a young family, you know, his boy's meant to be unbelievable footballer. Karachi was telling me before his boy plays with him and said he's at a different level. So he's probably thinking about all of these things that people don't even consider or think about when a player's got to make a move or he gets an opportunity.

55:03I think Raheem's sitting there going, unless it actually fits what I need for my family and for me, is it a level? Is it the right club? Is it the right location? If it isn't, I'm sitting still. And if I've got a trainer at eight or nine o 'clock at night, so be it. I've got two years left or whatever it is on 300 grand a week. And if I'm going to go permanently somewhere, unless it fits me, also I'll have to take a wage cut. I might have to leave 200 grand a week on the table. I ain't doing it. And I'm with him. Who would do that? If someone said to you, now cut your wages in half or you're going to earn a third of what you was earning for the next two years, are you moving?

55:42No, you're not. So why does it should be different for a player? Ryan Sterling is someone I believe could play till he's 35. If he doesn't leave and go and play football, he finishes at 32 at the end of his contract. So yes, you're looking at a wage cut right now, but that's the circumstances you find yourself in. There's people in regular jobs that find themselves made redundant and cut for things that aren't their fault. Sometimes you just got to get on with it. I think it's two years on X or five years on Y and actually playing players have got to play what's the legacy that you want would you have liked your career to have been you sitting in a bomb squad training in that little weird changing room on your own and training at 8 o 'clock at night away from everyone for the last couple years of your career wait your honour your honour wait a minute hold on he's one he's one of the most decorated English players around exactly he's going to end it by you training with the reses or would you like I don't think no matter what Raheem Sterling does from right now to 35-year-old, anyone's talking about when he retires.

56:43That's true. They're only talking about Man City and his little time at Liverpool. They're not talking about Chelsea. I'm just putting the question to you then, right? You can answer this one. If you are to spend two years where you were being ignored, where you were being treated the way he's been treated, two years, even on the money you're on, right? Because I guess, I don't reckon Raheem Sterling's short for the run. I reckon he's probably all right, right? So I think the money at that time is probably irrelevant. Did you think about how much money you was getting at QPR when you went there?

57:16Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. It doesn't matter how much money you're on, right? If you're on, this is argued that he's on£300 ,000 a week, right? And he gets offered£100 ,000, right? Listen, in the normal world,£100 ,000 a week is like life change for everybody, right? But if you're saying to somebody, don't care what's happened and think about where he's from, to think that he's going to leave£200 ,000 a week, that's over£10 million a year on the table for two years. That's over£20 million, right? Over two years. To leave that on the table, are you mad? Are you crazy, Steve? Are you hearing yourself?

57:51I'll take the risk. Let me finish my question then because I haven't finished my question. Would you have liked to end your career like that, right? And genuinely, I do think regardless of the money that is being talked about, from a mental health point of view, like Fulham was supposedly one of the clubs that are in for him. That's not a long journey away from Chelsea. So I imagine Fulham probably fits in with the life that he's built in London, right? You could go and spend five years and probably enjoy your football for four or five years. And surely that as an athlete is what you want to do.

58:28whether or not you win something whether or not you're part of a team that matches what you've already done in your career don't you want to have that you just spoke about it yourself a second ago purpose what is his mental state like getting up every morning at the moment to just go and put the cones out for the first team and then wait till 8 o 'clock at night to train I agree with that yeah but my point is Raheem Sterling's got a young family and I think this is a big thing for him he's a family guy right we don't see Raheem in the papers with no madness right? He's a family guy. All I hear about him is he watches his kids play football.

59:02He loves that. He enjoys that, right? If he's being asked by clubs, I don't know, say it is Fulham around the corner, okay? And he hasn't got to move. Okay. That's one I understand where you might look at it a bit differently, but is he getting Fulham? He might be getting a team up 0-4 on AM25 somewhere where he's going, I have to spend time away from my kids doing that. Do I really want to do that? and for a massive 200 grand a week pay cut? No, thank you. I understand it. I'm not saying I would do it. I'm just sitting here going, I would not sit here, point the finger and go, what's he doing?

59:35He's out of order. I absolutely understand if he makes that decision. I can't believe, I can't even believe this is too much of an argument. I hear what you're saying, Steve, about you could play to your 35 or you could not. What's guaranteed right now is that 300 and something thousand pounds a week that he's getting and there could be something else at the end of it, but that's an if, but, so maybe. Rio, how much of your net worth would you give up right now to play another season at United or anywhere in your prime? Yeah, I'd give up a lot. I would, I would. You'd play for free, wouldn't you?

1:00:09Yeah, but you've just said to go back and play in your prime. Wait, wait, you've just said to go back and play in your prime. That's the key part. Raheem is not going anywhere to play in any prime. He's on the downward part of the mountain right now, where it's not going to be, but it's not going to be the prettiest and the most enjoyable part of his life. I've been there, I know. So we're not sitting here going, things can only get better if he goes inside for a team. He might enjoy it, yeah, but he ain't winning in my mind. That's what I think. And I think he's, the biggest problem he's got because I think he's probably still got aspirations of playing for England because he's only 30.

1:00:48That's going to, that's the bigger thing for him is like, how do I get back playing to then get back playing for England. And I think that's the way he'll be thinking about it. But again, I think he's not going to do it to the detriment of his family having to move him about the world. Let's be honest. I think you're right to a certain extent, but they are not making this easy, are they? So, and Chelsea... But are they meant to? Are they meant to though, Joe? No, they're not. And that's why I think everybody in this situation just needs to mind their own business because you've got a man that's on 300 and something bags a week.

1:01:17He's seemingly happy over there because he's not gone anywhere. And then you've got the club doing what they're doing. it's 50-50 bro I don't feel sorry for Chelsea either no no I don't feel sorry I'm saying I don't think they're going oh my god this is an absolute disgrace he's not going to play the manager don't want him in a squad we've given him a contract we've got to go by it but we're not going to make it easy for him he can train away from the team and if it means training at 8 or 9 are we within our rules to do that we are ok that's what he's going to do I want what's best as well I always think about the player I want what's best for the player and if he thinks he's staying and sitting there because none of the deals that have come through have been right for him or his family.

1:01:57He's well within his rights to do that. There you go. Well, everybody watching Rio Ferdinand Presents, you let us know what you think in the comments because I do think Raheem Sterling's had it hard during his playing career. But what would you do, you know, if it's your job and you have the chance or they're telling you you're going to earn a third of what you were on before, just in case, let us know. And also, please make sure you don't forget we've got our new partners on board crafted jewellery please make sure you follow the accounts and you do exactly what Rio had said everything's in the description and yeah let us know your thoughts and please make sure you're following us across social media platforms Joel Baer, Rio Ferdinand, Stephen Housen signing out peace

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