He even did so alongside the likes of Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and John O’Shea, all ex-United stars who have gone on to coach.

But, in the same year Ferdinand hung up his boots, his wife Rebecca sadly passed away following a battle with breast cancer at the age of just 34.

She left behind the couple’s three young children Lorenz, Tate, and Tia.

And Ferdinand admits it was for that reason that he could not commit to management.

He said on The Overlap podcast: “I was doing my badges. I wanted to be a coach, manager 100 per cent.

“Me, Wayne, Michael, Sheasy, they’ve all done management now, I was on the same course as them.

“But obviously, personal situations at home happen. If you’re going to be a manager you’ve got to be there 24/7 there’s no time off.

“I’ve seen it with Stevie and Frank in the little time I’ve had with them. The change from being a pundit to a manager, their phones are never off their ear.

“They’re not really fully engaged because they’re probably thinking about a million other things.

“My kids needed me to be 100 per cent with them, I’m at work but I’m contactable, I can still be there I can still get to parents evenings whereas with managers, they miss all that stuff.

“So I had to make a real quick decision. It wasn’t even something I had to think about, really. It was just like, I’m not doing that.”

The former defender later tied the knot again, with former reality TV star Kate Wright – now Ferdinand – in 2019.

And Kate has helped raise Ferdinand’s children while also welcoming two children into the world, son Cree and baby girl Shae.

My kids needed me to be 100 per cent with them, I’m at work but I’m contactable, I can still be there I can still get to parents evenings whereas with managers, they miss all that stuff.

Rio Ferdinand

Ferdinand, 45, now features on fans’ TV screen as a regular pundit on TNT Sports, a role he is still loving.

He said: “I’d be doing this anyway with my pals, going to games.

“Loads of my mates would be coming up to me after the game on the weekend, I’d be on that train or on the mini bus with them.

“But I love it and where we get to see it first hand we’re still close enough you get to smell it and feel it a little bit. I love it.”

Ferdinand with his first wife Rebecca in 2009 who sadly passed away aged just 34Credit: Getty – Contributor

The former footballer is now with ex-reality TV star KateCredit: Instagram

Kate is step mum to Ferdinand’s three kids while they also share two themselvesCredit: Kate Ferdinand / Instagram