“We’ll never die!” Rio refuses to let an idiot dampen his spirits
There’s very few ex-United players who can make even the most hardened Red look objective but Paddy Crerand is arguably the most biased one-sided ‘commentator’ in the history of media. While at times, Crerand can be embarassing at times such is his tendency to not so see everything through red tinted specs- regardless of the evidence, however his latest ‘outbust’ is actually more than justified.
For those of you who’ve been in a bubble for the past 24 hours, Rio Ferdinand was hit by a coin from a City fan while he celebrated in front of the UNITED fans yesterday following Robin Van Persie’s dramatic last-minute winner.
It’s also worth noting that a City fan ran onto the pitch to try and ‘attack’ Ferdinand- before being restrained by Joe Hart, while Wayne Rooney was also pelted with coins whilst taking a corner.
Now to you and I this may seem like a case of a small number of City fans acting like idiots- yet for some reason, certain sections of the media, have tried to place the blame at Rio’s door for having the audacity to celebrate in front of his own fans.
BBC Radio Five Live, did a phone interview with Crerand this morning asking whether Rio was to blame, Paddy didn’t agree…
Here’s the full transcript of the interview:
Chris Warburton: We’ve had a lot of people getting in touch saying the players have to take a bit of responsibility, stop celebrating in front of opposing fans and stoking it up. I just wondered what your thoughts are on that?
Paddy Crerand: Who’s said that? Who’s made that statement?
CW: We’ve had various calls and texts from our listeners, Paddy.
PC: What planet do they live on?
CW: Well, you tell me.
PC: Well, I’ve no idea. I was at the game yesterday, do you expect fans not to celebrate when their team scores a goal?
CW: No, no, what they’re suggesting is that players are going up to opposing fans and celebrating in front of them and that that stokes the crowd up.
PC: I was at the game yesterday and that is absolute rubbish. Who suggested that, and where did that come from? Absolute garbage. How many people phoned you up? One? Two? Three?
CW: No, no, we’ve had various texts this morning saying the same thing as well.
PC: Well how many? Tell me how many. If you’re going to make a statement like you’re making a statement now, tell me how many.
CW: Just take it from me that we have had a good number of texts…
PC: I’m not taking it from you, you tell me.
CW: Well, I haven’t got it to hand Paddy.
PC: Well why make a statement then, if you haven’t got it to hand? No I’m not taking it from you, why do you make a statement like that when you haven’t got the evidence?
CW: Well, what do you think of the point?
PC: I think the point is absolutely ludicrous. You go to a football match, or any sporting situation, and you think people shouldn’t celebrate? What planet are your people on at all?
CW: No, no, that’s not what’s being suggested.
PC: That’s what you’re suggesting.
CW: In terms of…
PC: In terms of what? Now you’re making excuses for yourself.
CW: I was going to ask you a different question Paddy.
PC: Yeah, go on then.
CW: In terms of the environment at a derby, how has it changed from when you were playing?
PC: It’s not changed in any way whatsoever. I don’t care that it’s a derby, or any football match, people celebrate when their team scores a goal. What do you expect them to do, be quiet? I don’t know what you’re suggesting, I’m totally amazed.
Just a minute please – is this a publicity stunt?
CW: No. I think I’ve been quite clear in what I’m saying to you Paddy. Let me ask you a question about the football.
PC: Yeah, well ask me a sensible question then. Don’t talk stupid and ask me daft questions about whether fans should celebrate or not.
CW: Well we asked Danny Mills the question about an hour ago, Paddy, and he gave us quite a reasonable answer.
PC: Well what did he say to you? I’ve no idea what Danny Mills says to you, what was his reasonable answer?
CW: He told us that you can’t hold players in any way responsible.
PC: Of course you can’t. Why make a thing about a sensible answer that Danny Mills gave you that people should celebrate? Of course they should celebrate.
Rachel Burden: I think there might be a bit of misunderstanding here. A number of people texted the programme and people called Five Live…
PC: How many texts? A million?
RB: If you’d let me finish…
PC: Half a million?
RB: If you’d let me finish…
PC: Hundred thousand?
RB: If you’d let me finish the point…
PC: Yes.
RB: …and the point was about Rio Ferdinand going down to an area where home fans were and celebrating in front of them.
PC: Let me say something to you. Did you watch the game yesterday?
RB: I listened to it.
PC: Well you didn’t watch it then, you don’t know what happened then. Rio Ferdinand was nowhere near where the away fans – where the home fans were. He gets struck by a coin that somebody’s thrown from about 15 or 20 yards, it’s not like he was standing in front of their supporters jumping up and down. He was 15 or 20 yards from their fans.
RB: Do you remember things like that happening when you were playing in these derbies?
PC: I don’t remember anything like that happening, no.
RB: So do you think the atmosphere has got worse over the years?
PC: Why did you change commentators? Why have you come on all of a sudden?
RB: That’s just the way it works on the programme, we both join in together.
CW: Don’t worry, I haven’t run scared Paddy.
PC: Oh, I thought you’d run away there for a minute. No, but let me say, it was a great football match, no question about that. When it went to two each, I thought City were the team that were going to win it. Manchester United finished up winning with a deflected goal and you can’t not accept the fact that fans would celebrate when the third goal went in. And derby matches are a lot different from ordinary matches, obviously, but why somebody would throw something at Rio Ferdinand is totally stupid. Why a fan would run on the pitch…
And to be fair to Manchester City, a United fan ran on to the pitch last year when United beat City 4-3. So the effects of football on people sometimes can go to the extreme, it shouldn’t happen but it does happen unfortunately. And particularly in matches that are local derbies.
Hi, Im a big Man u fan. Paddy seems like he needs to take deep breath and maybe someone needs to give him a hug.
United legend he may be, but he’s an idiot as well. Getting riled up like that just made him sound a complete arse.
Paddy pisses me off with his awful commentary but I do love him. On this occasion he was well within his rights to call out the idiot broadcasters on 5 live.
I do not for one second believe they had any texts what-so-ever blaming Rio.
Paddy’s reaction was over-the-top but the presenters definitely wanted to slyly make the point Rio was partly to blame without actually ever saying it. Paddy could have done it better but I’m pleased he showed them what a ludicrous agenda it was that they were pursuing.
I think Paddy didn’t understand the question properly, but the fact is the BBC are stupid. Rio Ferdinand did nothing wrong and celebrated a goal in front of the Man Utd fans. I mean emotions are running high and you cannot control that. I think sometimes these stupid people try to make excuses for people’s behaviour.
right wit u andrew