Rio Ferdinand

[Boston Bee]

I honestly don't get it. It's not like there could possibly have failed the test on Saturday but passed on Monday. He missed the DAY but passed the drugs test.

Why on earth is he being put through this???

 

[Carl Super-Hooper]

Playing Mr Cynical for a moment, this strikes me as new FA chief executive Mark Palios making a mark on things.

Despite all his faults, at least Adam Crozier would have by now come out on TV (excuse the pun) and explain his decision to omit Rio from the squad, prior to any charges actually being bought. All we have heard from the FA is a statement full of legal soundbites.

I hope Man U take a stand against the inept FA, the same body which is there to look after both the players rights as well as the image of the game.

 

[West Ealing Bee]

when you put it that way!

Scholes out of form for a year or so with england, the nevilles are a libilty..give johnson a go..as for butt, he has actually done pretty well last few games and world cup but frank lampard is in top form!
Good point!

Who would you rather take to a crunch game in a hostile environemnt.

3 Man Utd players, proven at this level with 130+ caps between then, European Cup winners medals and 8 seasons of European Cup Quarter Finals.

Or two guys who don't have that sort of experince, and aren't even regulars for their clubs in the biggest games.

I can't believe people are suggesting we would be better off without them.

 

[Carl Super-Hooper]

when you put it that way!

Scholes out of form for a year or so with england, the nevilles are a libilty..give johnson a go..as for butt, he has actually done pretty well last few games and world cup but frank lampard is in top form!
Good point!

Scholes has by far been Man U's best player since he returned this season - there is no way England would be a better team without him.

 

[West Ealing Bee]

Playing Mr Cynical for a moment, this strikes me as new FA chief executive Mark Palios making a mark on things.

Despite all his faults, at least Adam Crozier would have by now come out on TV (excuse the pun) and explain his decision to omit Rio from the squad, prior to any charges actually being bought. All we have heard from the FA is a statement full of legal soundbites.

I hope Man U take a stand against the inept FA, the same body which is there to look after both the players rights as well as the image of the game.

I agree, but I think he's got this wrong.

However I also think Man Utd should shoulder some responsibility.
They knew who were meant to be taking the tests, why didn't they ensure it was done?

 

[West Ealing Bee]

Scholes has by far been Man U's best player since he returned this season - there is no way England would be a better team without him.

Thank God there is someone with some sense.

 

[237bee]

Who would you rather take to a crunch game in a hostile environemnt.

3 Man Utd players, proven at this level with 130+ caps between then, European Cup winners medals and 8 seasons of European Cup Quarter Finals.

Or two guys who don't have that sort of experince, and aren't even regulars for their clubs in the biggest games.

I can't believe people are suggesting we would be better off without them.

I'd rather have good players

 

[Markybee]

Thank God there is someone with some sense.

He supports the Scum....can't have that much sense

 

[West Ealing Bee]

I'd rather have good players

So Scholes, Butt and Gary Neville aren't good players?

They've just been selected by a succession of England managers, play for the best team in the country over the last 10 years and have more medals than anyone could possibly imagine.

 

[West Ealing Bee]

He supports the Scum....can't have that much sense

Perhaps not but he doesn't follow the 'They play for Man Utd so I must hate them and they must be rubbish' line like many others

 

[237bee]

So Scholes, Butt and Gary Neville aren't good players?

They've just been selected by a succession of England managers, play for the best team in the country over the last 10 years and have more medals than anyone could possibly imagine.

Scholes is good when on top of his game. With Manure the end result is better than the sum of its parts - the other 3 are average club players no more than that.

 

[West Ealing Bee]

Scholes is good when on top of his game. With Manure the end result is better than the sum of its parts - the other 3 are average club players no more than that.

Gary Neville has been the best right back in this country for nearly 10 years. He consistantly performs for England and when he isn't there we miss him. If Mills is the only other alternative then we must be in trouble.

I do agree that Glen Johnson should be given a go as he has the potential to be a top class player.

Butt proved his quality during the last World Cup, when other England players were not on their game he was carrying the midfield, producing some excellent performances. He is another player who we miss when he isn't there.

I'm not going to defend Phil Neville, who isn't International Class.

 

[Leonardo]

There is a good article in The Times today (see http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,172-846028,00.html ) comparing the amateur and unsatisfactory drug-esting arrangements for footballers with athletes, swimmers and judoists. When some one has been selected to do a test the tester doesn't leave the sight of the person. This was found after 3 German athletes produced the same urine specimens.

Its time for football to drag itself into the 21st century world.

Yes ban Ferdinand, but improve the drug testing procedures.

 

[shaun]

Anyone who suggests that the England team would be better off without Scholes or G Neville would no doubt fail a drug test of their own. Paul Scoles is rated thoughout Europe & G Neville has been in the Man U team for how long?!

Don't blame the FA blame Ferdinand for putting them in their position. At the very best, he is a spoilt, overpaid sh*t who must have the memory of a nat. From what I understand he was too busy shopping @ Harvey Nicks!

 

[Hamburger Hill]

Am I being cynical?

Maybe i'm being cynical but he missed the original test because 'he was moving house'.

How on earth did it take 36 hours to take the replacement test unless he needed the extra time?

surely all the club (or wherever the test was to be) could have called him and said Oi Rio get yourself in here mate...it isn't as though he is likely to be carting his gear around in the back of a lorry is it?

 

[shaun]

Accroding to the paper (mind you it was the Daily Fergie), he went back in the afternoon but the drug testers had already left (& could'nt make it back until 2 days after). Why they could'n t come back before I am not sure as surely it defeats the purpose, i.e. allows drugs to get out of the system?

His ''Albi'' was that he was moving house, but there is a picture of him out shopping!

The ''Conspiracy theory'' is the reason he was so sh*te against Stuggart was that he was worried by missing the test (or that he had overdosed just before the match).

 

[Boston Bee]

Re: Am I being cynical?

I think you are being cynical, yes. If I understand correctly, he 'forgot', because he was moving house. It was a full day before anyone contacted him that he'd missed the test (not sure if they actually said "Oi Rio") . He went in first thing the next morning, 36 hours later, and wee-ed in the little cup for them. And passed. I don't see what possible ulterior motivation he could have had for 'skipping' the test only to take it 36 hours later. As he took the test and passed what does "he needed the extra time" mean?

I hate rules for rules sake.

Maybe i'm being cynical but he missed the original test because 'he was moving house'.

How on earth did it take 36 hours to take the replacement test unless he needed the extra time?

surely all the club (or wherever the test was to be) could have called him and said Oi Rio get yourself in here mate...it isn't as though he is likely to be carting his gear around in the back of a lorry is it?

 

[Hungerford Bee]

Manchester United pay £28,000,000 for Rio Ferdinand and pay him £5,000, 000 a year to play football for them and they can't arrange for him to get to compulsory drug test in time?

Instead of raging at the F.A. maybe they should look at their own organisation?

 

[LIONHEART]

what drugs had he taken-does anyone know

 

[237bee]

steroids to reduce swelling around the top lip area and some hair restorer for his slap

 

[Boston Bee]

Yes. He has officially taken: None. He passed the drugs test.

what drugs had he taken-does anyone know

 

[Stanley]

Manchester United pay £28,000,000 for Rio Ferdinand and pay him £5,000, 000 a year to play football for them and they can't arrange for him to get to compulsory drug test in time?

Instead of raging at the F.A. maybe they should look at their own organisation?

Quite, Rio is taking all the stick but where was the organisation of the "Greatest football club in the world"???

And yes Scholes is a top class player but he has been sh*te for England for some now.

 

[mhead bee]

Who would you rather take to a crunch game in a hostile environemnt.

3 Man Utd players, proven at this level with 130+ caps between then, European Cup winners medals and 8 seasons of European Cup Quarter Finals.

Or two guys who don't have that sort of experince, and aren't even regulars for their clubs in the biggest games.

I can't believe people are suggesting we would be better off without them.

yeah all right mate...calm down, this was done more in fun than anything else! hence the smilies!

 

[West Ealing Bee]

yeah all right mate...calm down, this was done more in fun than anything else! hence the smilies!

There were no smilies in the post I replied to.

 

[Carri Bee Un]

Manu should have ensured he got to the test. It's ridiculous that he didn't.

However on balance, who gives a rats **** about two days. this is England we are talking about, I couldn't give a **** about the ****ing FA. They really need to go and **** themselves. ****ing ****ers.

 

[RodBee]

You're not impressed with the FA then ??!!??

 

[Phoenixkeeper]

Having listened to the raido and read the papers i can only say this whole affair stinks to me and i cannot understand why people are trying to defend Rio Ferdinand or Manchester United.


Manchester United first:
1. The club were notified that four, thats four, players would be being tested that day. The club should have noticed when only three players actually attended the testing.

2. The club should have ensured these players were there for the tests, unless they knew someone had something to hide, or would have difficulty passing the test.

3. Surely all the other players knew who the four were tkaing the tests, so if they saw Rio Ferdinand leaving the ground would have either asked how it went or why he was leaving?

4. The club should have phoned Rio Ferdinand straight away ion his mobile and ensured he returend immediately for the test.

Rio Ferdinand
1. Surely he could not have just forgotten about this test? You might forget to post a letter or turn the telly off, but not soemthing as relevant to your career as this.

2. His agent would surely have reminded him about the test.

3. His mobile phone must have been switched on when he left training?

4. I am sure that a £100,000 a week football does not actually move home himself but pays someone to do it for him. And he could probably afford to pay them for the inconvenience of having to wait a little longer while he was delayed at the ground taking the test.

5. As someone who previously had drug test problems when he was at West Ham, he must have known what would happen if he failed to appear for the test. Unless of course he had something to hide!!

Just my opionions on the matter really!!

 

[Boston Bee]

Alternate possibility: It was just one of those stupid cock-ups that actually happen in real life. When the mistake was noticed Rio was called the next day, he arrived the following morning (36 hours later) took the test and passed. Would it have been less of an incident if he'd come in that night, say 23 hours later? Would it really?

He couldn't really be "hiding" something; there's no way he could mask some substance in 36 hours. And there's no way that anything in his system 36 hours earlier wouldn't show up on the test he took.

People are going slightly mad about something that strikes me as very human screw-up all around. Maybe I'm a big innocent, but if he came back in and passed the test then this is a case of "rules for rules sake" to me.

 

[RodBee]

I am with Phoenixkeeper on this.

All points made by him are correct, plus the FA tried to arrange meetings on Monday AND Tuesday of this week which were declined by Ferdinand on the advice of Man Ure (allegedgly!)

As far as I can see he should be treated like a sportsman in any other sport who failed to attend a mandatory drug test and be banned for 2 years.

However, no doubt the wingeing Scot Ferguson will get it reduced to a £10 fine!

 

[Phoenixkeeper]

Rodbee - thanks fro the vote of confidence!!

Boston Bee - Just another scenario to consider. My company contract states that if i am working under the influence of drugs or alcohol i will be sacked. Supposing i got tanked up at lunchtime, came back to work and was asked to take a breath test. What if i didn't take it then but came back the following day when i knew i would be sober and took it then, thus passing it? Would that be a case of rules for rules sake if i was sacked?

 

[Boston Bee]

What a siilly analogy, which I'm sure you know. You would have failed the test on Saturday and possibly, depending on the sensitivity of the sensor and what was analyzed for, passed on Monday (though I think if they sought acetic anhydride concentration you'd still fail Monday).

Drugs such as they are seeking stay in the system for weeks, most for months and months. If he passed on Monday he would have passed on Saturday. If he would have failed on Saturday, there is no method for passing on Monday. You do see my point, surely?

So we're all agreed on our position then: he's not a drugs cheat, but should be banned for two years for, um, being a drugs cheat.

Rodbee - thanks fro the vote of confidence!!

Boston Bee - Just another scenario to consider. My company contract states that if i am working under the influence of drugs or alcohol i will be sacked. Supposing i got tanked up at lunchtime, came back to work and was asked to take a breath test. What if i didn't take it then but came back the following day when i knew i would be sober and took it then, thus passing it? Would that be a case of rules for rules sake if i was sacked?

 

[sussexb]

I haven't read the whole thread- so apologies if i repeat.

I think Rio should be banned, not necessarily for the full two years, but SOMETHING has to be done. Also, remember a few years ago when Merson got made the nation's darling for his coke habit.... whilst Roger Stanislaus got sacked on the spot by Torquay? One law for the rich... and you don't get much richer than Rio and Man U.

 

[sussexb]

And I meant to say, according to his agent it was 4 days later he took the test. Which is plenty of time to mask a substance.

 

[Phoenixkeeper]

Boston Bee - Realise it is not an ideal analogy!

But i was under the impression that a substance such as cannabis only remains in your sytem for a couple of days, whereas the harder drugs remain for longer.

Sussexbee - I am with you on this, am sure something is being covered up

 

[Boston Bee]

Dude! Do not take a drug test at work within weeks of smokin' dope. I actually know a guy who was in the army. While at home for Thanksgiving (late Nov) he got stoned with the old mates. Just before Christmas he was drug tested and BANG he was in the brig for a few months.

And sussexb, didn't all your examples actually do the drugs? Rio isn't guilty of doing any drugs. It seems to me your second argument is, "I just want to take him down a notch because he's got a big car and loads of dosh, the big egomaniac".

And further I repeat: You can't mask drugs, if you could then he'd have done it day-of. If he'd done drugs, which to date no one is actually accusing him of. The Olympics would just throw up their hands and admit defeat if masking was possible, as those athletes take their drugs weeks or months ahead of time and not near the day of their event.

So, he's not guilty but he should get SOMETHING. SOMETHING needs to be done! I agree. Maybe he could do community service, talking da kids about the evils of drugs and how they've screwed up his career...even though he didn't actually take them.

[writers note: I ****ing hate Man United and so none of this is blinded by Red affection. ]

 

[sussexb]

I wasn't saying he should be punished cos he's got lots of cash! i was just saying that in the past the FA have had a habit of double standards, and so this time I think they're right to make an example of him. I think a ban (a fine's a joke) of a few games and that's that. And he is guilty- not necessarily of taking drugs but of missing the test.

And my second argument was, according to almost all the statements released by the papers etc, cocaine (for example) can be out of your system enough to not show up after 2-4 days. Rio did the test 4 days later (quite a big difference from 36 hours), according to his agent, and passed. But that doesn't prove that he would have passed it 4 days earlier.

I personally don't think anything's being covered up, or that he's guilty of anything other than missing the test. For that, though he needs to be punished (within reason), otherwise it would be a license for players to miss these tests whenever they need to.

 

[Carri Bee Un]

If it's a blood test, which it must be, 36 hours makes no difference. So tell him off, remind him it's serious, and he has a history, fine him, perhaps summarily execute Ferguson, whatever.

But he should be playing for England against Turkey. Whichever way you look at it the FA are a bunch of *****.

Rod Bee I like the way you read between the lines on my initial post.

 

[Boston Bee]

But what if it was an honest mistake, and the testing agency and ManUnited are guilty here as they dropped the ball on this also. You think he should face a lengthy ban for, um, not testing positive.

Ok. I'll let this drop.

I personally don't think anything's being covered up, or that he's guilty of anything other than missing the test. For that, though he needs to be punished (within reason), otherwise it would be a license for players to miss these tests whenever they need to.

 

[finchbee]

If it's a blood test, which it must be, 36 hours makes no difference. So tell him off, remind him it's serious, and he has a history, fine him, perhaps summarily execute Ferguson, whatever.

But he should be playing for England against Turkey. Whichever way you look at it the FA are a bunch of *****.

Rod Bee I like the way you read between the lines on my initial post.

I agree. I thought there was a justified reason why he missed it ?

 

[JBN]

If England Lose on Saturday, the Turks will riot and not get thrown out of the championship.

If we draw, nothing major will happen.

If we lose, Sven will sign up for Chelsea and Mark Palios should resign for his handling of the Rio affair.

There is no doubt that Rio was stupid, but why didn't the dope testers stay with him, IOC testers stay with the competitior from the moment they are told they will be tested, so why was he allowed to leave the ground without a test?

What happened to annonymity? (I know this bit isn't down to the FA, but someone leaked it), what happened to innocent until proven guility?.

From what I can see he has been banned(dropped) from playing, without a hearing.

Ferdinand has been stupid but the FA have been totally brainless in their handling of the situation.

 

[mhead bee]

There were no smilies in the post I replied to.

no you are right there isn't..I apologise, but just for the record i was only having a laugh..up until a year ago scholes was the first name on the sheet for me but he has gone very quiet in international football for last 18 months.

Butt actually raised a lot of eye brows with his ince like displays in the world cup and gary neville has been a solid england player for 7-8 years now. Neville however is still very poor going forward and distribution is woeful..but..in the coldrun I would take the experience of those 4 any time! happy?

 

[mhead bee]

But what if it was an honest mistake, and the testing agency and ManUnited are guilty here as they dropped the ball on this also. You think he should face a lengthy ban for, um, not testing positive.

Ok. I'll let this drop.

eufa have said that if rio had played it makes no difference to them because their rules have not been breached..also the FA have said rio is ok to play for man unt...what is going on with these morons..how can they ban him for this game?

 

[Mark H]

I have been a strong believer that Scholes needs a kick up the back side for some very inept displays in the last two years. Remember he hasn't scored in an England shirt for that length of time. When he plays for Man U he mostly has the luxury of Keane doing his donkey work for him but in an England shirt played as a midfielder he is a luxury given our lack of a decent holding player. Blame him or blame the coach he hasn't been as effective for his country. Gary Neville is exceedingly ordinary and has a very high opinion of himself. He is the one that has lead the call for strikes, he is a very strong union man, he should be out of the team as soon as possible the little S%^T stirrer. Of course you play these two against the Turks but this attitude needs sorting out.

 

[BootBee]

Butt actually raised a lot of eye brows with his ince like displays in the world cup

If memory serves me right, Butt only had one decent game in the world cup, against Argentina. The rest of the time he passed the ball backwards or gave it away. The bloke is not good enough for the international stage.
What next, saying he has the commitment of David Batty
This is not a anti Man U thing. He could be a Bees player and I'd still say the same.

 

[West Ealing Bee]

no you are right there isn't..I apologise, but just for the record i was only having a laugh..up until a year ago scholes was the first name on the sheet for me but he has gone very quiet in international football for last 18 months.

Butt actually raised a lot of eye brows with his ince like displays in the world cup and gary neville has been a solid england player for 7-8 years now. Neville however is still very poor going forward and distribution is woeful..but..in the coldrun I would take the experience of those 4 any time! happy?

Yes, thanks. Very happy.

I think the players proved my point last night