Rio Ferdinand had fears from day one he had got it wrong with his Leeds United transfer.
Sat in the away dressing room at Filbert Street on December 2, 2000, Ferdinand, the most expensive defender in world football, watched United drop into the top flight’s bottom half.
The 22-year-old had just been at the heart of a 3-1 defeat to Leicester City, watched captain Lucas Radebe get sent off and seen former club West Ham United rise to sixth.
David O’Leary had torn up everything great about his Whites side and switched to three at the back solely for Ferdinand and what he was used to at Upton Park.
It did not suit United and Leicester ran riot. Ferdinand could not help but feel the £18m had been a mistake.
“David O’Leary changed the formation. They’d never played three at the back in their life and I turn up,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“West Ham played three at the back. He thought ‘big money signing and I’ve got to make it easier for Rio, we’ll play three at the back’.
“Destroyed the whole team, everyone was confused. We got beat 3-1 by an unbelievably good and aggressive Leicester team.
“West Ham won that day and I thought ‘have I made the right decision here?’
“West Ham went above Leeds in the league, I thought ‘I’ve made a right pig’s ear of this’.
“It turned out all right in the end.”
The Hammers would finish the season 15th, United fourth and with a Champions League semi-final appearance to boot.
Asked which player left the biggest mark on him during his one-and-a-half seasons at Elland Road, Ferdinand pointed to his captain there.
The England international would go on to take the armband from Radebe, but would never forget the manner of the South African.
“The humbleness of someone like Lucas Radebe was really important,” he said.
“I came in and within three months I was given the armband he had held and done ever so well with before.
“The way it was handed over to me was a bit embarrassing for me and maybe a bit soon.
“The manager saw it was the right decision and the way he (Radebe) just took it. There was a calmness and respectfulness and the humble way this guy was.
“Always with a smile and something I did take away from him definitely, especially becoming a captain.”
