“As a man, he has been fantastic” – Chris Ramsey pays tribute to Rio Ferdinand’s courage

QPR boss, Chris Ramsey, has praised the character and spirit of Rio Ferdinand at what has been an extremely difficult time.

The former Manchester United defender has had to deal with the illness of his wife and mother of his children, Rebecca Ellison, who sadly passed away, aged just 34. And Ramsey has described Ferdinand as a "man mountain" throughout the most trying of circumstances and explained that the player was still a rock around the club even when his wife took sick. Rangers lost to Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday but the result of that game of football was far from the priority this weekend and the manager admitted that the tragic news puts things in perspective. “There is a very solemn atmosphere in the dressing room," Ramsey explained. "Everyone at the club will tell you, as a man, he [Rio] has been fantastic. He has come in and trained and kept it all to himself. He has not been moping and has talked to all the young players.