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Far East trip ideal - Ferdinand
Manchester United, 12:40, July 9, 2009 ,
Rio Ferdinand says he is already geared up for a tough pre-season with Manchester United as they aim to start the new season on a high.
The United skipper is looking forward to the Far East trip when United will embark on a four-game tour of Asia late next week as he feels the varied opposition is good preparation for the players. And Ferdinand feels the hard work in the close season will stand Sir Alex Ferguson's men in good stead for the upcoming long campaign ahead.
Ahead of their opening game against a Malaysia XI on Saturday July 18, Ferdinand told MUTV: "The most important thing about pre-season is getting some good training done. One of the main reasons we've been successful in the last few years is because we've had a good base from pre-season.
"It takes a bit of time to get acclimatised to the humid conditions in Asia, but it's a good exercise to play against different teams that pose different threats."