Rio Ferdinand believes Jonny Evans' role in last season's
title-winning campaign proves the youngster was right to stay at
Manchester United.
It was 12 months ago that Evans knocked on Ferdinand's door
during the pre-season tour to South Africa and asked for some
advice and had Ferdinand been so minded, he could have told Evans
it would have been better to leave Manchester United for
Sunderland, to give up the unequal struggle for first-team
opportunities and to pursue his career elsewhere.
Thankfully for all concerned, except then Sunderland boss Roy
Keane who knew exactly what talents the Belfast-born youngster has,
Ferdinand's answer to Evans' question about what he should do was
somewhat different.
"It was a bit of a no-brainer really," explained Ferdinand.
"Jonny was at a stage where he wanted to play every week. He had
been at Sunderland the season before and he didn't want to come
back and play reserve team football again with United.
"He wanted to play first team, which is the same argument for
any young player.
"The question he had to ask himself was whether he wanted to go
and play for a team mid-table or be part of a squad where you will
have chances to play in a title-winning team or one that wins the
European Cup.
"The manager didn't want to let him go anyway but I know where
I'd like to be playing my football and Jonny came round to thinking
that it was better to be a part of the squad and play when the
opportunities came so common-sense was the winner in the end."
As it turned out an early season suspension for Nemanja Vidic,
followed by the back and calf problems that kept Ferdinand
sidelined for extended periods in the second-half of the season,
ensured Evans made 32 appearances last term, far in excess of what
he could have previously imagined.
In addition, Evans collected his first Premier League title
medal, with appearances in the Carling Cup final and FIFA Club
World Cup thrown in for good measure.
As someone whose talent was spotted at an early age by Harry
Redknapp at West Ham, Ferdinand knows all the pitfalls that can
await young defenders, for whom impetuosity can get the better of
them.
"He is a fantastic young player," said Ferdinand.
"It's always difficult to see the best of centre-halves at an
early age. There's always the chance of them making mistakes.
"But Jonny keeps that to a bare minimum. He has got a cool head
on his shoulders.
"He sat back and watched for a few years when he was younger.
Then he went to Sunderland and did very well, so, for obvious
reasons, they wanted to buy him.
"But he stuck to his guns, stayed here and last season he had
opportunities to play. And when he did so, he was fantastic."
It does not mean 30-year-old Ferdinand is under pressure for his
place just yet, more that if either he or Vidic should ever be
absent for any reason, Ferguson can be completely confident in
their replacement.
The same can be said for most positions across the back four, a
fact emphasised by the impressive performances of Fabio Da Silva on
United's successful Far East tour.
Twin brother Rafael made his mark last term. But after the
19-year-old underwent minor surgery on his shoulder and Gary
Neville was forced to fly home with a groin injury, Fabio has
proved capable of swelling Ferguson's ranks of potential
right-backs in addition to providing cover for Patrice Evra on the
left flank.
"Fabio is a naturally right-footed player but the reason he has
always been regarded as a left-back is because his brother is used
to being on the right," said Ferguson of the young Brazilian.
"But Fabio has the flexibility and versatility to play in either
position, which gives me a few options."