Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hit out at his former team-mate Rio Ferdinand for his televised outburst against Manchester United defender Phil Jones and labelled the pundit “out of order.”
Ferdinand launched a personal attack on the injury-prone United defender this week, accusing him of blocking the progress of younger players and suggesting he should leave Old Trafford.
But the United manager has leaped to the defence of the 29-year-old defender and backed him to resurrect his career after coming through a behind closed doors friendly against Burnley earlier this month.
Solskjaer said: “I think Rio should have called me and asked why Phil hasn’t played or why Phil hasn’t been here.
“Because Phil is a no-fuss, get-on-with-it type of guy and I think that was completely out of order.
“I know more than anyone how it feels to be injured for that long. Phil’s still not 30 years of age and since I came here, he’s battled against this knee injury and put his body on the line every single training session, every single game and he’s never done anything than give everything for the club.
“I haven’t spoken to Rio but I think Rio knows. I think he’s a bit sorry about that one.”
Jones has not seen first team action since scoring in an FA Cup tie at Tranmere in January 2020 and having experienced a similar problem in his own playing days, Solskjaer launched into an impassioned defence of Jones – and criticism of Ferdinand.
He added: “Rio of all should know more than to go out and say this. I’ve wanted to say a lot and I’ve not said too much about Phil’s injury because I’ve more or less protected him.
“Phil never does social media or interviews, he just gets his head down. He’s a proper professional, not fuss, a family man and just wants to get back fit.”
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3gE4Pxj
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