COMMENT: Any management experience? No. What about coaching? Nah. Well, has he at least done some scouting? Nope again... But for all those crosses, there is a good argument to be made why Rio Ferdinand is a decent shout for the technical director's post at Manchester United.
Ferdinand's comments on Tuesday night were telling. Yes, he had met with former United teammate Edwin van der Sar. Yes, they had spoken about the Dutchman's new role at Ajax this season as chief executive. And yes, it was Ferdinand who initiated and drove the sit down. In the BT Sport studio, the former United defender refused to discuss whether he had actually spoken to Ed Woodward, the club's vice-chairman, about the directorship. But he also never denied it. Which for this column is already a tick in the positive column. These things are done on an understanding. A confidential basis. And too often people inside the game are given a free pass when blurting out what occurred at this interview or that. That Ferdinand was tightlipped on the reports of meeting with Woodward is a credit to him.
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