Rio Ferdinand, the former Manchester United player, and current football pundit has once again stirred the pot with his recent comments on Liverpool’s footballing philosophy.
His comments, made on his ‘Five’ YouTube channel, have created quite a buzz among football enthusiasts and pundits alike.
Liverpool’s recent form has been erratic, with their humiliating triumph over Manchester United followed by a loss to Bournemouth, a side they had thrashed 9-0 earlier in the season. Rio Ferdinand has seized this opportunity to criticize Liverpool’s mentality, alleging that they only show up for the big games against their rivals.
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“That is a small club mentality. That screams small club,” Ferdinand commented on the contrasting results.
The former Red Devil went on to compare Liverpool’s mentality to how Everton plays against their local rivals or how the Manchester derby used to play out. Ferdinand’s remarks suggest that Liverpool lacks the winning mentality and the drive to succeed, which is necessary to be considered a big club.
Graeme Souness and Jamie Carragher, two analysts who have been vocal in their support of Liverpool, often at the expense of their rivals, are also included in Rio Ferdinand’s criticism of Liverpool in addition to the players.
Particularly after Liverpool’s triumph over Manchester United, Ferdinand was not pleased with their conduct. He stated: “The manner in which Souness and Carragher celebrated, the manner in which they attempted to rile up the men [Roy Keane and Gary Neville], and then their team does it over the weekend. They ought to feel bad about themselves.”
Rio Ferdinand’s comments have received mixed reactions from fans around the world. Regardless of one’s opinion on Ferdinand’s views, it is apparent that Liverpool needs to address their mentality and consistency issues if they are to return to the top of English football.
However, at the same time, Rio Ferdinand’s former club Manchester United failed to register a victory over relegation-battling Southampton over the weekend.
