Football: Ferdinand 'embarrassed' by United plight

MANCHESTER - Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand admitted Sunday that he is "embarrassed" by the English champions humble seventh place in the Premier League.

United sacked manager David Moyes last week after just 10 months in charge and with the team unable to qualify for the Champions League next season.

"I haven't looked at the league table for ages because it is embarrassing," Ferdinand told www.manutd.com "I don't want to see where we are. That is down to us as players and we take responsibility for that as much as anyone else. We are where we are. We have to take some form of responsibility and we do." United will be under the guidance of caretaker coach Ryan Giggs for the rest of the season. His reign started on a promising note with a 4-0 win over Norwich on Saturday.

The game also saw a recall to the starting line-up for Ferdinand who said he intends to keep playing next season even though he is already 35.

"I'm going to continue playing," he said. "Whether it's here, I don't know. But I hope so.

"When you have been successful, you don't ever want to look on a negative perspective or from a negative viewpoint. You always look at it and think: 'What can we win and what do we want to win?' "That will be no different next season, I am sure. Whoever is here, whoever is managing, the aim of this football club is to win trophies and we have done that consistently for the last 25 years. Long may that continue."