Rio Ferdinand to Travel to Qatar for England TV Gig Despite Pulling Out of Squad: The Daily EPL
Despite Rio “in again, out again” Ferdinand pulling himself out of the England squad for the two key World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro due to fitness concerns, the Manchester United defender has decided to take a lucrative TV deal to commentate tomorrow’s England match. Problem is that the TV studio is in Qatar, which means he’ll be taking a 15-hour round trip flight even though he has a back problem.
This is yet another silly decision by Ferdinand in a long history of inane moves. The backlash against Ferdinand has already been felt today in the media and social media. It’s a hypocritical decision by Ferdinand to say that he can’t adapt to England’s fitness and medical program, but then decides to take a TV gig in the land of luxury.
Ferdinand has already jumped on Twitter to defend himself saying that he already had some pre-planned downtime, and that it’s no different than what he did on his last international break. The big difference here is that on the last international break, he wasn’t called up for England. This time he was until he (or Ferguson) decided to pull him out.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Ferdinand. Perhaps this is the last straw for his England international career? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Here are today’s Premier League news headlines:
- Rio Ferdinand to travel to Doha to be on TV for England game despite pulling out of squad — The Mail
- Rio Ferdinand has defended his trip to Qatar despite a back problem — Sky Sports
- England’s game in Montenegro avoids UK TV blackout as ITV agree fresh rights deal — Telegraph
- Norwich have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Ricky van Wolfswinkel from this summer — Sky Sports
- Aston Villa announce partnership with US-based soccer club — Aston Villa FC
- Richard Scudamore believes the FA were wrong not to punish Callum McManaman — Sky Sports
- Paul Gascoigne: boredom drove me back to drink — The Guardian
- Chelsea’s Europa League match with Rubin Kazan moved to the Luzhniki Stadium — Sky Sports
- Managing director Ian Ayre convinced Luis Suarez will stay at Liverpool this summer — Liverpool FC
- Reading announce summer deals with Icelandic talent — Premier League
- Swansea City end 32Red sponsorship deal a year early — This Is South Wales
- Platini fires back over Blatter’s Euro 2020 criticism — Sport Business
- Craig Gardner insists Martin O’Neill remains the best man to manage Sunderland — Sky Sports
- Norwich City’s Chris Martin on loan for rest of season — This Is Derbyshire
- Tottenham Hotspur’s Clint Dempsey named U.S. captain — New York Times
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14 Responses to Rio Ferdinand to Travel to Qatar for England TV Gig Despite Pulling Out of Squad: The Daily EPL
Like I always said give this bloke enough rope and he’ll hang himself.
I’m curious what football team Alex muller supports? if I’m not mistaken I think he said before he was a UTD fan.
Much ado about nothing, Muller.
He can do what he wants.
Does it look good? Of course not.
Suarez freaking LFC supporters out by saying he’s happy at LFC but if a club that is competing in international competitions wants to talk to me, we can talk and see what happens.
Does that mean he is off in the summer? perhaps… I hope so
I think he will give them 1 more season. Unless Brenda Rodgers feels he can get 3-4 decent players in from his sale. I don’t see any of the other strikers they have being the type of player who can carry a team and be a number one guy
He should never be allowed to put the England shirt on again.
He wouldn’t get in my team anyway because he’s crap now but this just takes the p***.
Hodgson should come out and make it clear this is unacceptable and state he won’t play for England again
Bitter much.
Rio traveling to Qatar isn’t like a regular punter going, he is going first class ike this.
http://www.emirates.com/english/flying/cabin_features/first_class/first_class.aspx
it wont even feel like he is on a plane… he’s not flying coach.. lol if he was flying coach and wen to play a game with the intensity of a world cup qualifier.
Not bad for 20k.
Comparing sitting in a TV studio for 90 minutes of media work to playing two World Cup games in 4 days is like comparing apples to oranges.
Rio didn’t pull out because he couldn’t handle a 15hr flight he made himself unavailable for footballing reasons and At that point it doesn’t matter where he watches the game.
It’s not like he said he’s injured and is then seen out golfing on the same day as England games. Even if he did do it just to a screw old Woy and the FA over can you blame the fella after the way he’s been treated the last 18+ months by them, what goes around comes around.
This is just the ABU media showing their true colours again and trying to stop the pot.
I think Roy has totally out maneuvered Ferdinand on this one.
Clearly Roy (and/or the FA) bowed to current public opinion and included him in the squad albeit with a suspicion Ferdinand was likely to pull out. Subsequently, Ferdinand pulls out by parlaying some transparent cock and bull training story but gets found out about his jolly to the Middle East.
Resulting in the FA silencing their critics and Ferdinand very clearly becomes the villain of the peace.
Pretty soon, the FA will have to start putting mugshots of the england players in the programme to give fans a hint what these reserves and conference players look like.
As for Rio, he only cares about himself and that twit brother of his.
I’d be surprised if Hodgson recalls Ferdinand to the England squad again. This could be the end of Ferdinand’s international career.