Alex Ferguson was preparing his team for a Champions League game in Copenhagen when an unexpected guest arrived in the form of P Diddy.
The rapper was in town for the MTV European Music awards and Rio Ferdinand reportedly orchestrated the bizarre encounter between the rapper and the Manchester United manager.
The year was 2006 and the Red Devils ended up losing to FC Copenhagen 1-0 in the group stages.
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Four years ago, Ferdinand posted the throwback picture on social media, writing: “I always kept the boss up to speed with the R&B/Hip Hop scene. I know he always appreciated that!! Happy Birthday Boss. #Legend #Diddy
(Image: Getty Images Sport)
But in 2013, seven years after the Diddy meeting, Ferguson revealed in his autobiography that he had to tell Ferdinand to stop focusing on off-field interests.
He even expressed his frustration about his star’s plans to arrange to interview P Diddy and he wrote the following 15-word reply.
Fergie fumed: “Give me a break Rio, is he going to make you a better centre half?”
Despite being a huge admirer of his defender, who he signed from Leeds United, Fergie added that “his life expanded in more directions than we were happy with” and that he would “not be with us much longer” if it carried on.
(Image: Manchester United via Getty Images)
(Image: Getty Images)
Ferdinand soon got in line after agreeing with his agent to keep his gaffer updated on his activities outside of football. It was reported in 2007 that Ferdinand and P Diddy were planning a “peace gig” together to tackle gun and knife crime.
At the time, P Diddy said: “I’ve been touched by gun crime personally, I’ve lost friends and I want to get the point across that the violence has to stop.”
Ferdinand added: “It’s so important to me to get the message across that there is no point in carrying a knife.”
(Image: Getty Images Contributor)
Rio was once asked what it was like interviewing 50 Cent and P Diddy and he replied: “I got the idea they were both more interested in business than hip-hop. These guys haven’t got to where they are just with hit songs, a lot of what they do is calculated. ”
The defender went on to become a successful pundit for TNT Sports but P Diddy meanwhile has been embroiled in scandal. He has been at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, New York, for almost two weeks, after he was arrested and charged with sex trafficking and racketeering.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
A law enforcement source spoke to People on Sunday (29 September) and told the publication that he is “focussed and very strong” while “concentrating on his defence and preparing for his trial”.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
