The Manchester United defender
Rio
Ferdinand says he is keen to throw himself back
into pre-season training to help put memories of Manchester City's
title win behind him.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side were pipped to the Premier
League title in the closing seconds of the
campaign in May when Sergio Agüero scored City's winner in stoppage
time against QPR to take the championship on goal difference.
But now the squad have returned to Carrington for pre-season
training Ferdinand is keen to look at what lies ahead.
"The way the season ended the quicker and sooner we can get back
into it the better," said the 33-year-old, whose summer anguish was
compounded when he was left out of England's Euro 2012 squad.
"It's the longest holiday I've had. It's been five or six weeks
and I'm 100% ready to put everything back into football now.
"But when you can see the fixtures and start planning the season
and working things out in your head you start champing at the bit
to start training because the games come thick and fast."
Ferdinand believes pre-season has actually become less painful
for him as the years have passed but admits he has done extra work
during his break to ensure he can still match the pace of the
younger squad members.
"Scientifically it has got easier so they don't try to kill you
on the first day," he told Manchester United's Red Voices
podcast.
"You used to come limping in the first week because you had
muscles you never knew you had aching but now it is more relaxed
and we are eased into it – it is better for me.
"I have always done something [before pre-season] and I've
always done three or four sessions but this time I've done about 10
different runs by myself.
"I am getting to the latter stages of my career so I need to
come back as fit as I can to keep up with the younger guys."