One reason to find fault with Rio Ferdinand already - he apparently likes Phil Collins.
At least that was the impression left by Monday’s superb documentary Rio in Rio, in which the newest QPR centre back’s visits to Rio’s favelas and all its attendant problems was fascinating.
But apart from a dodgy taste in music, what does a man who will be 36 in November bring to the Loftus Road table?
More than kid brother Anton, that’s for sure - a force to be reckoned with he was not as opposition attacks found out after the younger Ferdinand was signed in the final seconds of August 2011's deadline.
But Rio was marginalised at Manchester United last season despite protests from David Moyes, who did little to dispel rumours of the central defender’s departure by selecting Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans, Nemanja Vidic and Phil Jones ahead of the veteran. And this in a lack-lustre United that saw the manager out on his ear in May.
I’m surprised Rangers have gone down the Ferdinand route.
Chairman Tony Fernandes made it plain there would be a different transfer policy from the last Premier League disaster i.e., we won’t be signing sell-by date players on inflated salaries.
Reports suggested there was much head-scratching at boardroom level over paying a man on £100,000-a-year plus when wearing a red shirt.
But former Hoop Rufus Brevett reckoned Ferdinand should be an exception. New team-mate Nedum Onuoha supposed the ex-England international still has what it takes, and Old Trafford’s course had run itself after 12 years.
Money and length of contract aside, plus all the rhetoric of a new challenge for a manager he likes, does Ferdinand still have it?
I would like to think he does.
But whoever it might be, his potential partner in Rs defence needs both pedigree and Olympic sprinter qualities.
Paying out for Ferdinand and then going for a second cheap option has all the ingredients of disaster number two.
Given that happy scenario, a September summer in W12 is on the cards although the defender should seriously consider giving his CD collection to the favela kids along with football kit.
