Manchester United: Rio Ferdinand tells under-15s they should be 'embarrassed' after 9-0 defeat by Manchester City

The former defender had some words of wisdom for the youngsters following the heavy reverse to their local rivals

Mark Critchley
Saturday 17 December 2016 06:24 EST
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Rio Ferdinand gives advice to Manchester United youth players

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Rio Ferdinand has revealed the advice he gave to a group of Manchester United youngsters following their heavy defeat to neighbours Manchester City.

The former United defender returned to his former club last month while filming an advertisement and took some time out to briefly speak to the club’s under-15s side.

The youngsters, coached by former Crewe Alexandra and Altrincham striker Colin Little, had recently lost 9-0 to their local rivals in a Floodlit Cup match.

Ferdinand paid a visit to the under-15s and, as revealed a video for his Five Magazine project, asked: “You got beat by City the other day didn’t you?”

“I remember getting beat at Old Trafford 6-1 by City,” he continued. “You’ve got to find something within yourself.

“You’ve got to push your chest out and make sure that next time you play them, you deal with them. You have to understand that the badge, Man United, it’s not a joke. When you win, enjoy it, but when you lose, that’s when you’ve got to learn at your age.

“I bet you come [sic] in here today thinking about that game some of you, no? All of you should have been.

“If you ain’t embarrassed, if you ain’t upset, if you ain’t hurt, then you shouldn’t be at the football club, because it doesn’t mean enough to you.

“It should hurt, it’s good when it hurts. Then what do you do after? You train hard,” he added, before making his exit.


Ferdinand joined United from Leeds United in 2002 for £29.1m, becoming the world’s most expensive defender for the second time in his career.

The former England captain went on to win six Premier League titles at Old Trafford and one Champions League, as well as three League Cups, during a successful 12-year-spell in Manchester.

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