Paddy Crerand- Grade A Tw*t

Death or Glory

Manchester United face fixture hell
By David Anderson 17/06/2008
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Sport picturesThe Premier League have been accused of "not giving a s**t" about
Manchester United.
Old Trafford legend Paddy Crerand attacked League bosses after United were
handed tough away games after all six of their Champions League group games.
Their Euro opener in September falls between daunting trips to Liverpool and
Chelsea, while their other five games are followed by testing matches at
Blackburn, Everton, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham.
Crerand fumed: "The people that bring out this fixture list don't give a s**t
about Manchester United or the other big teams. The truth of it is when it comes
down to who represents the Premier League abroad, it's United, Liverpool,
Arsenal and Chelsea.
Advertisement"The teams they want to see are the Big Four.
They don't want to see your Portsmouths or your Man Citys.
"The Premier League should remember that when it comes to drawing up the fixture
list. Look at the other leagues, like Spain and Italy - they try to help their
big teams and have been doing so for years.
"The Premier League only seems interested in keeping the TV companies happy and
they should remember which clubs fans want to watch."
A League spokesman said: "We have 20 members and have to be fair to all of them.
We can't treat the Champions League teams differently or the teams in the UEFA
Cup. Everyone has equal standing."

It's idiots like him with his ridiculous views that are making football repetitive. What a load of b*llocks that everyone wants to watch the 'Big Four' and that they should be given priority.. how should another team break into the top four if they are given priority? No team should be given priority over the others anyway. He seems to think they have some God-given right to be treated better than the rest. Looking for excuses already before a ball has even been kicked.

Wouldn't be surprised if City fans had a nice 'surprise' for him after comments like that

monkey9

Death or Glory wrote: »

It's idiots like him with his ridiculous views that are making football repetitive. What a load of b*llocks that everyone wants to watch the 'Big Four' and that they should be given priority.. how should another team break into the top four if they are given priority? No team should be given priority over the others anyway. He seems to think they have some God-given right to be treated better than the rest. Looking for excuses already before a ball has even been kicked.

Wouldn't be surprised if City fans had a nice 'surprise' for him after comments like that

Concur completely. I'm so sick and tired of managers moaning about all this. All top four managers have done so at one time or another. For Chr!ist sake, just get on with it. Not everything has to be a big conspiracy.
Games have to be played after the Champions League, so what if they're home or away. So what if they're on at one on Saturday afternoon. It's what success breeds, so get on with it!

Death or Glory

Death or Glory wrote: »

Wouldn't be surprised if City fans had a nice 'surprise' for him after comments like that

Whats that supposed to mean?

Dave!

I find him pretty annoying irrespective of these particular comments

Reganio 2

Deleted User wrote: »

Whats that supposed to mean?

They are gonna take a dump in a brown paper back set it on fire and leave it on his doorstep.

Eirebear

In all honesty if im gonna watch a premiership game, then chances are its gonna be a game involving one of the "big 4".

If someone who doesnt watch the SPL on a regular basis is gonna watch an SPL game, chances are it will be one involving the Old Firm.

Same goes for Spain with Real and Barca, Italy with the Milan Clubs etc etc.

Death or Glory

They get enough help as it is

If a team is playing in the Champions League on Tuesday, then their game on the Saturday before is likely to be moved to an early kick-off, f*cking about not only the fans but other sides who aren't in Europe but just happen to be playing one of the top teams that week.

Same happens with revised Sunday kick-offs if the clubs are in action on a Wednesday

gixerfixer

The man is and always will be a complete ****

Xavi6

Lol typical shite coming out of Crerand. He is one of the most hated people by City fans, and with very good reason.

_blank_

Eirebear wrote: »

In all honesty if im gonna watch a premiership game, then chances are its gonna be a game involving one of the "big 4".

If someone who doesnt watch the SPL on a regular basis is gonna watch an SPL game, chances are it will be one involving the Old Firm.

Same goes for Spain with Real and Barca, Italy with the Milan Clubs etc etc.

Excellent post imo.

Xavi6 wrote: »

Lol typical shíte coming out of Crerand. He is one of the most hated people by City fans, and with very good reason.

So what?

He's not a bland, unopinionated Jamie Redknapp. He's a United fan, and he says things that are biased toward Man Utd. Shock bleedin' Horror ffs.

EDITED TO ADD.

IMO, the BEST teams should be accommodated so they have the best chance of being in the CL. I don't want to watch some shítehawk team in the CL, if I wanted to watch a shítehawk team in Europe I'd watch the UEFA Cup or the Intertoto. The CL is the premier club competition in the world, it shouldn't be diluted any further, and the authorities should do all they can to ensure that the very best teams with the very best players are playing in it.

Death or Glory

Originally Posted by DesF
IMO, the BEST teams should be accommodated so they have the best chance of being in the CL.



You've just contradicted yourself there

_blank_

Death or Glory wrote: »

Originally Posted by DesF
IMO, the BEST teams should be accommodated so they have the best chance of being in the CL.



You've just contradicted yourself there

How?

Death or Glory

How can the teams outside the top 4 aspire to be the best/having a chance at CL qualifictaion, if the top 4 are getting preferential treatment at their expense?

Mitch Connor

that still doesn't indicate a contradiction....

gosplan

This is a load of rubbish IMO.

The fixture list is calculated fairly. Being in the champions league puts a strain on resources but that's why clubs like Man U have squads of 20 top level players.

I wouldn't even mind but Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal practically walk through the champions league group stage these days.

grahamo

Paddy Crerand is a United fan. Of course he's going to defend United's interests.
He wears his heart on his sleeve and is passionate about his team like most football fans.
How does that make him a tw*t?

Xavi6

Looking at United's fixture list you could also say that the Premier League has done them a favour by getting a lot of the difficult games out of the way early. There's no way any team should get preferential treatment. The Premier League is a seperate entity to the Champions League and has a duty to look after 20 teams, not 4. If a club like United can't handle that then they shouldn't be in the competition. However the fact is they can so where's the problem?
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Mitch Connor

gosplan wrote: »

I wouldn't even mind but Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal practically walk through the champions league group stage these days.

That really isn't true though.

last season United got out of the group with a game to spare, but only thanks to a last minute goal against Sporting and a hard fought win against Roma. It was far from easy. Season before we only qualified on the last day, having made it difficult for ourselves, and the previous season to that we didn't get out of the group at all.

On top of that, the toughness of the group isn't the only issue. There is the possibility of playing in Moscow on a Wednesday and then having to travel for an away game in London on the Saturday - with so much travel time preparation time is ruined to the point of being non-existent.

As for someone saying it could look like United being helped as their tough games are out of the way early - it could also mean we are effectively out of the race by christmas.

Overall though, Creard is a bit of a tool - could never really stand listening to his commentary on MUTV when I had it, far too biased. However, I know people who used to regularly attend the reserve games and they spoke to Paddy a lot - said he is extremely approachable and loves to have a chat with fans.

Töpher

Tauren wrote: »

and the previous season to that we didn't get out of the group at all.

Was that the year Fergie had a rant demanding to be allowed bypass the group stages and enter in the knockouts?

Mitch Connor

Einstürzende wrote: »

Was that the year Fergie had a rant demanding to be allowed bypass the group stages and enter in the knockouts?

I honestly have no idea what you are talking about.

DSB

grahamo wrote: »

Paddy Crerand is a United fan. Of course he's going to defend United's interests.
He wears his heart on his sleeve and is passionate about his team like most football fans.
How does that make him a tw*t?

Because he says stupid things. Duh.

s8n

Paddy is a legend. He's also right on this one.

DSB

How? Its unfair on the other 16 sides in the league to give preferential treatment to anyone. It would just serve to make the gap between the 4 regular Champions League sides and the rest even bigger. Platini would go crazy.

grahamo

DSB wrote: »

Because he says stupid things. Duh.

Thanks for that well thought out response.

I for one think Crerand is spot on here. In Italy or Spain and even Scotland the teams playing in Europe are helped by their associations.
The big 4 in England really do have more obstacles put in front of them than the big continental teams.

As for Crerand himself, he's a proper old fashioned football man who always has time to stop for a chat with ordinary fans. Top Bloke!

Death or Glory

Death or Glory wrote: »

Looking for excuses already before a ball has even been kicked.

*Chuckle*, *guffaw*, *chortle * etc. etc. Most ridiculous 'point' in a completely ridiculous thread.

Death or Glory wrote: »

Wouldn't be surprised if City fans had a nice 'surprise' for him after comments like that

I interpret this post as "City fans are probably gonna act like scumbags over this but it's ok, 'cos Crerand is biased towards his own team" :rolleyes:

Eirebear wrote: »

In all honesty if im gonna watch a premiership game, then chances are its gonna be a game involving one of the "big 4".

If someone who doesnt watch the SPL on a regular basis is gonna watch an SPL game, chances are it will be one involving the Old Firm.

Same goes for Spain with Real and Barca, Italy with the Milan Clubs etc etc.

Excellent point, well made.

Xavi6 wrote: »

Looking at United's fixture list you could also say that the Premier League has done them a favour by getting a lot of the difficult games out of the way early.

What he said below. People were writing them off last year after 2 games what with the draw with Reading and a loss to City.
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Tauren wrote: »

As for someone saying it could look like United being helped as their tough games are out of the way early - it could also mean we are effectively out of the race by christmas.

Another few decent points, Tauren, btw.

So Crerand favours United and wants things to fall in his/their favour. Oh Noes!!!!!!:eek: Get a grip FFS, this is a complete non-issue.

DSB

grahamo wrote: »

Scotland the teams playing in Europe are helped by their associations.!

Rangers fans would disagree.

Xavi6

Deleted User wrote: »

I interpret this post as "City fans are probably gonna act like scumbags over this but it's ok, 'cos Crerand is biased towards his own team" :rolleyes:

Already happened. Apparently a group of City fans (scum btw) turned over a pub of his a while back.

Deleted User wrote: »

So Crerand favours United and wants things to fall in his/their favour. Oh Noes!!!!!!:eek: Get a grip FFS, this is a complete non-issue.

Yeah true, considering how irrelevant to football Crerand is.

Mikeyt086

Paddy does irritate me.

Im a regular MUTV watcher and when he commentates he just says stupid **** about the ref and the other teams players if they do anything wrong stuff like "He could never play for a club like United." and "That ref is an insult to the profession."

I know he is supposed to be a bit biased but he is rediculous.

citytillidie

Look every team plays 38 games 19 home and 19 away, does it really matter when they play at home and when they play away?

Anyway the ones out now are just guidelines wait until Setanta and Sky get their hands on them.

Mitch Connor

citytillidie wrote: »

Look every team plays 38 games 19 home and 19 away, does it really matter when they play at home and when they play away?

Anyway the ones out now are just guidelines wait until Setanta and Sky get their hands on them.

eh....yes. It quite clearly DOES matter when and where you play a team.

1. I'd prefer to play a home game after a Champions League away match.
2. I'd prefer to play a team comfortably midtable in May then a team fighting for their premiership lives.
3. I'd rather not play the 'big' teams around christmas cause the schedule is hectic enough.

So, it does matter when you play teams, from a preperation point of view as much as anything else.

I'm not, btw, saying that the fixture should be compiled to suit the big sides, but that your comment that it doesn't matter when you play home or away is way off, imo.

SectionF

How dare he say that about Portsmouth.

citytillidie

Sure why dont the FA let the big four all have home games after a champions league game.

Also put the big four into two mini leagues and half way though each half the seaon, have them play off like a European championship group where for 3 weeks they only play each other, then near the end of the season they all have home and away games against the team at the bottom of the table.

I mean that way they all avoid each other at the christmas period unless they are drawn in the FA Cup.

I am surprissed you United fans have not talked about United trip to Japan in December too, after all they have to factor that in and games will be called off.

UnitedIrishman

Well it's like this all you Crerand/United bashers..

The top four are representing the country in the best club competition in the world. If the four sides in this competition consistently did shít, then there would be less publicity and in turn less money being pumped into the Premier League.

Whilst it may not seem like it, the performance and preparation of the Big Four representing England in Europe also provides quite an amount of money for the rest. Do you think Sky would pay as much for rights to a league that produces sides that play shít in Europe? Not likely.

And as for the early morning kick-offs on Saturday as a supposed help; thats mostly due to television companies getting their hold on it.. not the Premier League helping United.

gosplan

Tauren wrote: »

That really isn't true though.

last season United got out of the group with a game to spare

Tauren wrote: »

Season before we only qualified on the last day, having made it difficult for ourselves

A game to spare is qualifying easily. As you said the season before, you made it difficult for yourselves.

If you look at Liverpool last year, they ambled along until they put themselves in the position where they need to win all their games. But doing that turned out to be simple enough.

The main problem I have with the comments are that it's not about facilitating Man U doing well in the CL, it's about making the EPL easier for them because they've the CL to deal with.

So a team that has the money and sponsorship that comes with the CL should suddenly get an easier ride in the premier league? Why?

Because people want to see the big four? Makes no sense.

Shouldn't it be the other PL teams complaining that they can field one international standard front six in Europe and then simply switch to another for their next game?

It reminds me of Fergie last year saying the sub bench should be increased because he had so many quality players and some of them wouldn't get games or medals? So we change the rules to suit the fact that the big four squads are finding it difficult to keep 22 international standard players happy all the time?

I think the way football has gone has been to create a pyramid of European football over South American, then Italy and Spain over the rest of Europe with England on the top. And the big four immovable at the top of that.

The status quo doesn't reward talent, it doesn't reward players who grew up at the club, it's purely about marketing and capital.

You could say that people like Ferguson and Wenger deserve to be where they are but for this idiot to complain that the system treats these teams unfairly. Well, only a spoiled supporter of a spoiled club would say such a thing.

It's like the royal family bitching because they have to pay VAT.

_blank_

gosplan wrote: »

The status quo doesn't reward talent, it doesn't reward players who grew up at the club, it's purely about marketing and capital.

Yes it does.

It does all of these things.

If a player is good enough, talented enough, he will get a move to the clubs playing at the highest level.

For instance, if player X was at Club Y who are a mid-table PremierLeague club and had a good season, the possibility is that he will then move on to bigger and better things.

All this "growing up at a club" bullshít is from a time far removed from the present situation in top level club football.

It's about the money, and nothing more. The sooner people realise this, the better.

You have zero connection to the clubs and players in the "top 4" of the top leagues in the world any more. All they want is the money, and they will go after it like rabid dogs, any way they can.

It's a runaway train at this stage, so either get used to it, or get out of it.

I-Bleed-White

The moment the Big 4 get accomadated with handy home fixtures so they are not to stressed after the CL is the moment when the EPL goes from being a fair (in some sense of the word) competition to being a show piece to entertain plastic fans all around the world.

If this is the case why not just make it like Pro Wrestling and have pre-determined results and parallel story lines and we could start Man Utd. with a point reduction at the start of the season, looking down and out they could rise from the ashes to beat Chelsea on the last day despite Chelsea scoring 3 illigitiamate goals while the back is turned. We can even turn the trophy into a belt. (Patent Pending)

Mitch Connor

I-Bleed-White wrote: »

The moment the Big 4 get accomadated with handy home fixtures so they are not to stressed after the CL is the moment when the EPL goes from being a fair (in some sense of the word) competition to being a show piece to entertain plastic fans all around the world.

If this is the case why not just make it like Pro Wrestling and have pre-determined results and parallel story lines and we could start Man Utd. with a point reduction at the start of the season, looking down and out they could rise from the ashes to beat Chelsea on the last day despite Chelsea scoring 3 illigitiamate goals while the back is turned. We can even turn the trophy into a belt. (Patent Pending)

Its a bit crap that United have an away game after every single group game though, no?

Töpher

Tauren wrote: »

Its a bit crap that United have an away game after every single group game though, no?

I could be miles off the mark here, and apologies if I am, but did something similar not happen to Arsenal a few years back, and the consenus from the other top 4 managers at the time was tough nuts?

KrazeeEyezKilla

UnitedIrishman wrote: »

Well it's like this all you Crerand/United bashers..

The top four are representing the country in the best club competition in the world. If the four sides in this competition consistently did shít, then there would be less publicity and in turn less money being pumped into the Premier League.

Whilst it may not seem like it, the performance and preparation of the Big Four representing England in Europe also provides quite an amount of money for the rest. Do you think Sky would pay as much for rights to a league that produces sides that play shít in Europe? Not likely.

And as for the early morning kick-offs on Saturday as a supposed help; thats mostly due to television companies getting their hold on it.. not the Premier League helping United.

Sky started paying the money to the Premier League in 1992 when English clubs were $hite in Europe. The PL got rich due to good marketing, Sky and a style of football many enjoyed. Dominating the CL came as a result. While all the clubs benefit to an extent it has created a huge gap which makes it almost impossible for others to compete. Other teams are hardly content to stay in mid table while spending large sums of money.

Coillte_Bhoy

DSB wrote: »

Rangers fans would disagree.

Why would they disagree?? They got their game V Gretna postponed ahead of their CL match V Lyon.

Exit

DesF wrote: »

If a player is good enough, talented enough, he will get a move to the clubs playing at the highest level.

And if a team is good enough, they should be able to succeed without having the fixture list swung in their favour.

I don't know why any football fan would argue that certain teams should be favoured (and more easily facilitated in winning) by the league.

What next? Give the CL teams a 3 point headstart because they're representing England in Europe and bringing in money? Absolute rubbish.

Anyway, isn't the fixture list decided by a computer?

Xavi6

Exit wrote: »

Anyway, isn't the fixture list decided by a computer?

Lol good one. All these 'Super Sundays' hardly pop up every year by coincidence.

Death or Glory

Xavi6 wrote: »

Lol good one. All these 'Super Sundays' hardly pop up every year by coincidence.

Touche

Dcully

Crerrand was always an arrogant prick anyways so this is no surprise.

jank

This is all Bulll$hite. I remember the special one making similar comments about Arsenal and the "influence" David Dein had in the FA. Well no DD now to blame yet people still have a moan.:rolleyes:

Why are we even talking about this nobody.

Nalz

jank wrote: »

nobody.

Won the Champions League, something nobody in an Arsenal jersey has done. Regardless of what he said or quoted as saying.

why am I replying to this nobo post?

gosplan

Trilla wrote: »

Won the Champions League, something nobody in an Arsenal jersey has done. Regardless of what he said or quoted as saying.

why am I replying to this nobo post?

lol, nice off topic uber-brag there :rolleyes:

Nalz

gosplan wrote: »

lol, nice off topic uber-brag there :rolleyes:

Was completely related to topic - Paddy Crerand, and even more so related to the post I quoted. :rolleyes: But anyway, what a silly thing to say!

gosplan

sorry, didn't think you were referring to him. Old European cup not the champions league.

Thought you were simply saying 'Man U have won the champions league - neah neah na na neah neah'