QPRâs Bond explains Ferdinand absence Kevin Bond, QPR assistant manager 30/07/2014 By West London Sport Rio Ferdinand was left out of QPRâs pre-season friendlies this week on the advice of the clubâs medical staff. The veteran centre-back, 35, was initially expected to play at Southend on Wednesday rather than the game at Leyton Orient the previous evening. In the end Ferdinand, who recently moved to Loftus Road following his departure from Manchester United, featured in neither game. He made his Râs debut during last weekâs trip to Gemany and is likely to be involved in Ireland, where the team play Shamrock Rovers on Saturday and Athlone Town next Tuesday. âHeâs fine. He joined us later than everybody else and what you donât want is him getting a niggle,â assistant manager Kevin Bond said after Rangersâ 0-0 draw at Southend. âThe medical and fitness guys just need to make sure heâs ready to take part.â Yun Suk-Young, back after an extended break following his involvement with South Korea at the World Cup, played the first half at Roots Hall. And former West Ham midfielder Jack Collison, who has been training with Rangers, played the whole 90 minutes. Bond added: âYun came back but the younger guys can just come straight in and he got 45 minutes straightaway. âWith the older, senior players who have [injury] history, you need to take care.â
"What you don't want is him getting a niggle, or a twinge which might require a little tweaking, or a tic, or a spasm or even a twitch; not good. Luckily we know the signs here"
I don't get why they'd take Collison over O'Neill... they're about the same quality except you know that O'Neill wants to play for us and is already on good terms with the staff and other players. And he already knows the club and the way we play. O'Neill is fine for backup and we're bloody short on numbers. We don't need to replace him but rather need to make him backup by finding better players to go with him.
Have to disagree there. Not only is Collison 5 years younger but when fully fit, is streets ahead of O'Neil.