Vidic opens up to Ferdinand over ‘nightmare’ start at Man Utd; reveals he almost joined Liverpool

Man Utd legend Nemanja Vidic reveals that he had a “nightmare” start at Old Trafford and argued with Ryan Giggs after just three training sessions.

The Serbian signed for the Red Devils in 2006 and went on to play 300 times for the club over nine seasons, winning five Premier League titles, three League Cups and a Champions League.

He has gone down as a legend at Man Utd but also in the Premier League with Vidic one of the greatest centre-backs that the league has ever seen.

But he admits it could’ve been different if former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez had returned his calls in December 2005 before he signed for Man Utd.

Vidic told Rio Ferdinand on the FIVE YouTube channel: “The first moment I was in contact with the club (United) was December 2005. But at the time Liverpool was also involved.

“I spoke with Rafa Benitez and he was the one who was first in touch with me when I was at Spartak Moscow. My English was not good, my wife Ana was actually talking to him because my English was not great.

“He was asking me if I want to come to England and certain things, everything was great. And then he didn’t call me back for two or three weeks. Fergie obviously got in touch.

“He called and said ‘I’ve been looking at you for the last six months to a year, I like the way you play. I think you’ll be good for the club. Do you want to join?’. I said of course, he said ‘everything will be settled’ and then in one week I was in Manchester.”

Vidic remembers finding it tough to settle in at Man Utd initially with the Serbian recalling an argument he got into with Red Devils legend Giggs.

He explained: “I had come from Russia and in December you have the month off, no training, it is too cold. I said to the gaffer and Carlos Quieroz that I needed a pre-season, I was not fit and I couldn’t play.

“I remember the first training session playing against Giggsy, Cristiano Ronaldo, Saha, Rooney… wow, seriously. That was a nightmare. I was kicking them all training not because I wanted to but because I couldn’t catch them. They were too fast.

“I was arguing with Giggsy after three trainings – he was starting to be angry. ‘Pass the ball, you have to play faster!’ I was like (laughing), “man, come on! I can’t move!”.

“I joined with Patrice (Evra). The first six months was really tough. I played a game for the reserves, Rene Muelensteen was coach and he took us off at half-time! But Patrice had been playing for Monaco and in a Champions League semi-final. I came from Spartak Moscow and nobody knew who I was.”

And Ferdinand admitted that Vidic’s initial struggles didn’t go unnoticed between the rest of the squad.

Ferdinand said: “I remember me and Wazza were talking about you and Patrice and we thought “wow, these guys have a long way to go. They are struggling, they are off the pace.

“But what I didn’t consider is what he just said. No pre-season for one but he was playing against Louis Saha, probably the hardest player in training, Ronaldo, Rooney, Giggsy who at that time was flying. They were struggling and you could see it. You thought ‘these guys better get up to speed’.”

Vidic replied: “You know how to play football, it’s just the intensity. You just have to do it faster. ‘The intensity was too hard, players were too fast.

“These guys were competing every training [session] because no one could guarantee next season you’d be there.

“The gaffer implemented it from the fist day – train like it is the last day of your life and when you play against those players it is hard. I remember Scholesy, every day he’d be the last one on the training pitch but every day, it was a different level.

“In the first two weeks I was trying to understand what other people did. Training finished and Giggy was doing yoga, Rio was in the gym, Cristiano Ronaldo was doing bicycles, Rooney doing finishing. I looked at myself, I see my body… my legs were strong, but I had pillows (gestures at his waist)!

“You realise the mentality, the organisation through the club. You follow the path or you’re no longer going to be there.”

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