Rio Ferdinand is, obviously, no longer at the peak of his powers but Nedum Onuoha believes he remains a special player.
The former Manchester United man has struggled for form with QPR this season and his lack of pace, compared to earlier in his career has been a cause for concern at Loftus Road .
But the defender believes the former England captain's experience has been an eye-opener for him the season and loves working with him.
Onuoha said: “He's obviously a bit older and he'd say he isn't at his peak. When you see him on a one to one basis you can see why he's had the career he's had.
“There are things he can't do as easily now but as English centre backs go, he's a special player.
“He's not slow. He's not as quick as he was but he's not slow. He's exceptional in the way he reads the game. It's been what we've needed at times. To have him here is brilliant.”
Ferdinand is not used to battling relegation but Onuoha believes it is similar to fighting for the title, given the importance of each game.
He added: “The experience he's got, as I say is it's similar being involved in a relegation fight. For Man United it might be winning games 5-4 but the biggest thing is achieving all three points.”
