Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand received a text message from Sir Alex Ferguson about Ravel Morrison which almost reduced him to tears.
Ferdinand read out the text to Morrison on his FIVE YouTube show as the former Man United youngster opened up to his ex-teammate about the struggles to fulfil his potential.
Morrison was lauded by Ferguson – one of football’s greatest ever managers – as one of the most talented young players he had ever seen.
But Morrison ended up making just three senior appearances for Man United and left the club in 2012 without playing a Premier League game.
Now 28, he has never been able to nail down a long stay at a club and the list of teams he has played for is long and includes West Ham, Birmingham, QPR, Cardiff, Lazio and Ostersunds.
Ferdinand, a key player for United while Morrison was coming through the ranks at Old Trafford, contacted Ferguson to ask for his thoughts on Morrison ahead of their chat on YouTube.
The response made Ferdinand emotional, as Fergie revealed how Morrison had touched him with a gesture he made after his debut for United and lamented that he had been ‘beaten by his background’.
“I text the last manager you played for in the Premier League, which was Chris Wilder – I’ve told you what he said – and I asked for five words from Fergie, Sir Alex Ferguson,” Ferdinand said.
“He text me back this: ‘Rio, my first and last impression of Ravel as a young lad was he has always got time and space.”
“Always available to be on the ball. So unusual for a lad of his age. Give my regards to him, please.
“Another thing about Ravel which I’ve always treasured, which no other player who made their debut did it, after the first game in the first team that he played, the next morning he came to my office and gave me a letter thanking me for giving him his debut. I was gobsmacked, Rio.
“‘The boy had a good heart. He was just beaten by his background.”
Corbis - Getty
After reading out the message, Ferdinand said he ‘almost started crying’ in relation to Ferguson’s touching words.
An emotional Morrison responded: “Yeah man. When I made my debut that was… I don’t know. Words can’t describe it – making your debut for Manchester United.”
Ferdinand pressed further, saying: “What does hearing that from someone like Sir Alex make you feel like?”
“It touches you, do you know what I mean?” Morrison responds. “Because if I could go back in time I would change 90 per cent of my life.”
from Football - news, transfers, fixtures, scores, pictures https://ift.tt/3anNV2X
via IFTTT
No Comment