Rio - I hid injury from Fergie

Ferdinand reveals pain from back complaint

Last updated: 21st March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Rio - I hid injury from Fergie

Ferdinand: Back complaint

The day after a game I would waddle into the club like a duck, bent over like an old hunchback.

Rio Ferdinand.
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Rio Ferdinand has admitted he attempted to hide the full extent of his back problem from Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

The England captain has only recently returned to the Red Devils' starting XI after a significant spell out of the side to finally cure the worrying injury.

Centre-back Ferdinand, who has undergone pioneering treatment to treat the complaint, revealed that the 2-0 defeat by Liverpool in October proved a catalyst as he was caught cold by Fernando Torres.

That fact did not escape the attention of the Red Devils manager, and he demanded an explanation from the gifted defender.

Old hunchback

Ferdinand told the News of the World: "The day after a game I would waddle into the club like a duck, bent over like an old hunchback.

"I would be hobbling around, unable to train for four or five days. I would be OK to play the next game, but I must have missed 60-70 per cent of training.

"If I'm honest, I didn't make it clear to the gaffer and the club physios that my injury was that serious.

"I just had an incredible desire to play football and had never had to deal with an injury of this scale before.

"But I was summoned into the manager's office after the Liverpool defeat.

"He told me: 'Last season, Torres would not have scored that goal against you'. As soon as he said that, you sit up and take notice.

"When the manager tells you something like that it hits home. So we made a decision to rest it completely before I could return to the team."

Cushion

Ferdinand received a course of spinal injections to tackle the problem and has been given an orthopaedic cushion to aid his posture when sitting.

"I'm training at full pelt now," he added.

"Now I just need a run of games to get match-fit.

"I'm still using the cushion, it helps my posture. I look daft when I'm sat on it in a restaurant - it makes me look really tall. But it has certainly helped."