Rio Ferdinand hopes a solid base of fitness in
pre-season will help eradicate the niggling injuries that disrupted
his 2008/09 campaign.
Ferdinand was a major injury
doubt for the Champions League final in Rome, playing on despite
having recently suffered a calf injury. That said, Rio still made
43 appearances last term. However, had he not suffered back, groin
and rib problems, that figure would certainly have been much
higher.
"It's probably the first season I've ever suffered injuries
really," said the Reds defender. "But I still played 43 games. I
accept I missed a few so hopefully this season it'll be back to
normal practice."
The 30-year-old acknowledges that injuries, aches and pains come
with the number of games it takes to reach the latter stages of
every tournament you compete in.
"You prefer to go into every game feeling you are the best you can
be physically. But realistically the football season doesn't allow
for that. You carry niggles for most of the season. The Champions
League final was no different."
So far, Ferdinand is pleased with the groundwork he has been
putting in, first at Carrington, and now on the Asia Tour.
"It's going all right," he told the Press Association.
"The main thing, as we say every year, is fitness. We are trying to
get ourselves to a good stage of fitness. We enjoy it. It is nice
to be playing. You would rather have that than be running around on
the training ground. The more games you play the better you
feel."
"I have been doing a little bit extra work on my own as well, but
I've started the pre-season with everybody else and been happy with
it."
Ferdinand also says the Reds squad is "buzzing" after the start
Michael Owen has made to his Reds career. It may not have been
against top-standard opposition, but Owen's two goals in two games
so far this summer is a pleasing sight.
"The lads get a great buzz out of seeing someone like Michael Owen
score goals," he said. "When he signed there were a lot of
doubters. People said this and that... we've heard it all. But the
players go in there with an open mind. We just hope to see the
player we know Michael can be.
"So far this pre-season he has played two games and scored two
goals. That speaks for itself. There are not many better finishers
in world football when he is on his game.
"He is one of those players who you might not see for 90 minutes
but in time added on, he will score a goal. Those are the type of
players you need to win things. It is great to have him in our
squad. He is a great lad as well. Fingers crossed he can have an
injury free season and score some goals for us."