23 January 2024 , 12:37
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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has opened up about a fall-out with Sir Alex Ferguson that saw the manager go "crazy in the changing room" right before a game.
The incident occurred when Ferdinand refused to wear a Kick It Out t-shirt ahead of a Premier League game against Stoke City in 2012, having taken issue with the organisation as he felt they had not offered enough support to his brother Anton when he alleged he had been racially abused by John Terry.
Ferguson was initially furious with Ferdinand, stating publicly that he was "very disappointed" with the defender. In an appearance on The Obi One Podcast, Ferdinand explained: "I refused to wear a Kick It Out t-shirt because I didn't believe they backed my brother in the situation with John Terry, so I just didn't wear the t-shirt.
"I said I'm not wearing it. My mistake was that I didn't tell the manager. The manager's mistake was that he did a press conference saying all the team would wear it, but he knew the situation that revolved around my brother and didn't ask me. When I said I'm not wearing it, he went crazy in the changing room before the game.
"Luckily, we won and he didn't need to kill me anymore, but I went to see him the next day and we kind of just talked it out. He said maybe he should have come to see me before, because he's an honest guy, that's what I liked about him. He wasn't just wrong and strong.
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"If he thought he could have done something differently, he would always own up to that which, as a player, you respect it even more." Ferdinand had previously revealed in his 2014 autobiography, #2Sides, that Ferguson was planning to fine him over the incident but was persuaded not to by his wife Cathy.
He wrote: "When the manager found out he raged: 'Who do you f***ing think you are? I have told everybody you would wear it.' I said: 'You didn't ask me. I was never going to wear it, I didn't tell you to go on TV and say I would.'
"He said: 'That's it, you are fined a week's wages.' The next day I had to go and see him. He was sat down, I was standing. He said: 'Look, I know it is your family but I just didn't agree with you. You have got to support causes like this. I am a union man.'
Then he said: 'I talked to my wife, and she said did you ask the boy? When I said I didn't, she said: there's your mistake then. I don't often admit mistakes, but I am not going to fine you. I should have spoken to you, that is my mistake and I accept that. I still believe you should have worn it, but I respect that you didn't.'
"I was so impressed. My respect for him went up even more."