Rio Ferdinand has said that Manchester United's season has been "embarrassing", and that he has been less than keen to go out in public recently. United sit in seventh place, 18 points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.
Speaking to BT Sport, he said: "It's embarrassing – it becomes a personal insult. I don't want to go out when the game is finished and you even stop watching TV,
"I don't want to take my kids to school. I don't want to walk on the school path and think I'm hearing things or seeing people look at me because we lost a game.
He continued: "I don't want to fill my car up with petrol or go to the shops,
"It gets personal with everyone looking at you and talking about the results and the form and stuff. You don't want to live like that. You want to live freely and comfortably. You don't want to see other people lifting titles. That's what we're used to. That's what we want. That's what we train for and work for.
"We've got no divine right, don't get me wrong, you've got to earn that right. And this season we simply haven't done that."
To be fair to Ferdinand, perhaps there is a hint of irony in there. Or maybe not. In any case such a lavishly compensated athlete could easily hire the services of a lackey or hanger-on to fill his car and do the shopping and school runs.
