My kids don't want to talk about their mother's death- Rio Ferdinand

Ex England player, Rio Ferdinand has said it has been difficult getting his children to talk about their mother’s death. The former captain who lost his 34 year-old wife, Rebecca to cancer in May 2015 told BBC that he gets shut down by the three children, aged 10, 8 and 5 each time he asks about their feeling.

He told BBC Radio 5 live, ahead of a BBC One documentary,  “I didn’t know any techniques to speak to the children. I didn’t know what buttons to push. I’d been starting conversations with them to try and get how they were feeling out, and they would just shut me down, walk away, close the conversation down completely.”

He continued, “It kind of opened everything up and it was a beautiful moment just seeing them talk happily and being joyful about their mum rather than it being sad and negative moments. It switched it from dark to bright.  


“When you come into this situation you understand suicide, you understand people who do that and have those thoughts. I didn’t think about it myself but I understand now how people get to that situation. I can’t judge people like that now, whereas before I’d be sitting there, probably with Rebecca, saying that guy is so ignorant and selfish how has he just done that – left three beautiful kids.Now I could say I understand how he got to that point. I wouldn’t do it, but I understand how he’s there. You do get to those levels – and so it’s a work-in-progress.
 “At the beginning I’d sit and think how am I ever going to be happy? I can’t see a point where I’m ever going to be able to smile, because I can get happy over here, but then I look at my children – and that brings you right back into sadness again because they haven’t got a mum.”
 
Source: BBC
 

Rio Ferdinand is yet to grieve properly for late wife

2 years after losing his wife, Rebecca to breast cancer, ex England captain, Rio Ferdinand has said he is yet to grieve properly for his late wife. He made the disclosure on a new 60-minute BBC documentary on parents who lose partners.
“I don’t think I’ve grieved properly. I’ve not given myself that time to sit down and really flush everything out and go through it.” The father of 3 said.
The ex-Manchester United defender has been praised by Alison Kirkham, the BBC’s controller of factual commissioning and events,  for participating in a “revealing and immensely personal documentary exploring the complexities of grief”. According to her, the “candid” hour-long film – called Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad – would offer audiences “an intimate exploration of the ways in which men similarly bereaved cope with their loss.”
“Rio Ferdinand has courageously allowed the cameras to follow him in this revealing and immensely personal documentary exploring the complexities of grief. This candid film will offer BBC One audiences an intimate exploration of the ways in which men similarly bereaved cope with their loss.” She added.
Source: BBC

Christmas came early! Rio Ferdinand donates £500,000 toy sack to underprivileged children.

 
Rio Ferdinand is set to put smiles on faces this December as the Manchester United legend donates £500,000 worth of toys & 11,500 sleeping bags to to underprivileged children in Manchester this Christmas. The gesture was part of Manchester radio station Key 103’s ‘Cash for Kids’ campaign.
The former England centre-half who didn’t want to be appreciated for the donation said

”As a father myself I couldn’t see children going without opening a present this Christmas Day – the work that Cash For Kids at Key 103 do is truly amazing.”


 

Rio Ferdinand dismisses Paul Pogba-Roy Keane conparison

Albeit he admitted one of Manchester United’s new signings, Paul Pogba was worth the record fee, former Red Devil centre-back, Rio Ferdinand would have none of the comparison between the former Juventusand one of the club’s greats, Roy Keane.  Brushing aside claims that Pogba will step into Keane’s shoes, the 37 year-old said, ‘Pogba is not the new Keano, far from
it. Pogba is a very different kind of personality when you compare him to Roy,
but we can all see the talent he has got and that is why United are trying to
get him back now.
Roy was a driving force for our team,
he was in your face and he demanded high standards of everyone around him.
That’s what made him such a great winner and a true champion for United. There
will never be another Roy Keane. He was a one-off for a variety of reasons.

Pogba is not like that. I was at
United when Pogba was there first time around and he is a kid who will need to
be handled correctly.
He is a bit of an extrovert off the
field and doesn’t always do things in a conventional fashion, but there is
nothing wrong with that if he is producing the goods on the pitch. It doesn’t
matter what anyone says about the fee that Juventus are getting for Paul Pogba
because that is the going rate and the money Man Utd bring in from a variety of
sources means they can justify this kind of transfer.

You are investing in massive
potential. This guy could be the best midfielder in world football for the next
ten years and if he spends those years at United, then it would be a good
investment.

Ferdinand Welcomes Mourinho To The Biggest Club In The World

Rio Ferdinand has welcomed Jose Mourinho to “the biggest club in the world” following claims that the Portuguese completed his move to Old Trafford today.

He wrote on Facebook: “Congratulations to Jose on being announced manager of the biggest club in the world! This is Jose Mourinho’s most exciting & most challenging job yet.
“The first thing he needs to do is install ‘winning mentality’ back into the club. Get this ingredient back into the players but also the people that work inside the club day to day. Give them back that belief so it is breathing throughout the club again, which is so important. But doing the above in the Manchester United way is equally as important.
“I have heard many say the ‘Mourinho WAY’ is not the Manchester United style of playing football. However, the Chelsea team that Jose put together first time round when he entered the Premier League played with wingers and hurt teams with quick attacking play. They had the likes of [Arjen] Robben and [Damien] Duff on the wings who were direct and quick. This is a sign he knows how to get a team playing in a way Manchester United fans can look forward to seeing.”
He also addressed claims that the Portuguese would ditch club traditions.
“Another doubt I keep hearing and being asked is, will he keep in with the tradition of the club which is bringing through the young players? For the moment, I can’t answer this, only time will tell.
“One thing I can tell Manchester United fans is that they have got themselves a true winner in all aspects. His CV shows success!
“After his recent unsuccessful time at Chelsea in the final year, I can assure you this winner is now a wounded animal which makes him such a mouthwatering appointment. Jose went from winning the League cup &Premier League to losing a dressing room at Chelsea and I am certain he will want to restore all of that very quickly.
“He will be desperate to silence the media who have been writing and saying negative things about him (he will have stored it all being the competitor he is) and will be as focused as ever.
“Mourinho’s huge personality is made for this great club, it’s what he has been waiting for. Wishing him all the best!”

Rio Ferdinand pays tribute to late wife as he hangs international boots.

Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand has called it quits with football. The former ‎England captain made the announcement in an interview today.

The 39 year-old QPR player thanked his wife, Rebecca whom he lost 4 weeks ago to cancer for supporting him throughout his career.   

“After 18 years as a professional footballer I now feel it’s the right time for me to retire from the game that I love. As a 12-year-old boy, kicking around a football on the Friary Estate in Peckham, I never dreamt that I would play for my boyhood club West Ham, captain Leeds United, win the Champions League with Manchester United, or re-join my first manager Harry Redknapp at Queens Park Rangers.

“I will always regard the 81 times that I played for England, with immense pride. These are all treasured memories that will last a lifetime.”

“I’d also like to thank and pay tribute to my late wife Rebeccaand my family, including my mother and father, for their sacrifices, their encouragement and their advice throughout my career. And finally, I’d like to thank all the fans from all the clubs, for without them professional football would not exist. I will miss each and every one of you on my Saturday afternoons.”‎ He said

Rio Ferdinand loses wife to cancer.

‎Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand has lost his wife to breast cancer. The mother of three died at the Royal Marsden hospital in London‎, last night.

My soulmate slipped away last night. Rebecca, my wonderful wife, passed away peacefully after a short battle with cancer at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. She was a fantastic, loving mother to our three beautiful children. She will be missed as a wife, sister, aunt, daughter and granddaughter. She will live on in our memory, as a guide and inspiration.” The Queens Park Rangers player announced.

Ferdinand and Rebecca Ellison got married in 2009 and they have three children aged nine, six and four.
May her soul find repose. Amen.

'Sket' tweet earns Rio Ferdinand £25, 000 fine and 3-game ban.

Interesting! QPR defender Rio Ferdinand seems to have bitten more than he can chew. The former Manchester United player has just earned himself a $25,000 fine and a 3-game ban for using the word ‘sket’ in a tweet. Sket is a Jamaican slang for prostitute.

The controversial tweet which was posted on September 1 was in reply to someone suggesting his team needs a new centre-back.
‎The post: “Maybe QPR England Captain will sign a good CB (centre back) they need one” and wrote back: “get ya mum in, plays the field well son! #sket”

The 35-year-old has also been severely warned as to his future conduct” and asked to attend an education programme arranged by the Football Association.

QPR Manager  Harry Redknapp who was taken aback by the FA verdict said he would be meeting with the clubs chief executive to decide whether to appeal.

End of an era: Rio Ferdinand to retire from football at the end of the season.

End of a wonderful era! Queen Park Rangers centre-back, Rio Ferdinand has decided to call time on his career at the end of the season. The former England Captain who left Manchester United in the summer on a free transfer announced on The Jonathan Ross Show that this season with QPR will likely be his last.

“I probably think the end of this season,”I’m not fearful of retirement, I’m looking forward to it, I can see some good stuff hopefully happening ahead.You get to a time where you start understanding your body and the strains playing football [is] putting your body through, going out and training every day.” The 35 year-old said

Rio, who occupied the 17th spot on Telegraph’s 100 Premier League greatest players began his career with West Ham United in 1996, left for Leeds United and then joined Manchester United in 2002 for a fee of £30million, after 12 years at Old Trafford, he moved to Queen Park Rangers.

His 14-year career at saw him winning 81 caps for his country and netting 3 goals. Rio has also won Premier League titles, Champions League, FA Cup, Community Shield amongst others.

Rio Ferdinand's autobiography launch in pictures

We shared excerpts from his autobiography titled 2sides few weeks ago. Former Manchester United star, Rio Ferdinand has finally launched his book. The event was held on October 2, 2014 at the Mayfair Hotel in London. Present at the event include Anton Ferdinand; comedian Jack Whitehall and many more.

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