According to Sir Alex Ferguson Manchester United had numerous
requests to release highly-rated centre back Jonny Evans on a
year-long loan away from the club, but the Scottish manager felt
the player would develop more at Old Trafford. He'd seen enough
from the Northern Ireland international to convince him that first
team action was not too far away.
Now, Rio Ferdinand, 30, has advised young Evans, ten years his
junior, to be patient in his quest for regular first team football
at United.
"The problem is he will want to play as many games as possible. I
was the same when I was a kid," Ferdinand told the BBC.
"I was behind the likes of Slaven Bilic, Alvin Martin and Marc
Rieper [at West Ham]. But I did not look at how good they were - I
just wanted to play. I wanted the manager to at least give me a
game here and there. Jonny will be thinking that too."
Evans is set to start against Queen's Park Rangers in the Red
Devils' Carling Cup clash with the mega-rich Championship
side.
The stopper continued, "Jonny has been called upon a few times
already in big games this season and done brilliantly. It is crazy
to think he is so young. Roy Keane tried to buy him in the summer,
which tells you a lot.
"He is good with both feet. He is playing regularly for Northern
Ireland and will maybe become their captain in the near
future.
"It explains why the manager made him realise he needs to stay
here. He will have a major part to play at this club in the coming
years," Ferdinand concluded.
