My letter to the Football League Show - for the attention of Mr Claridge

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Digweeds Trousers

New member
May 17, 2004
2,079
Tunbridge Wells
This has been e-mailed to the BBC show this morning

Sir,

It is with great sadness I watched Mr.Claridge expound on the footballing approach adopted by Gus Poyet as manager of Brighton and Hove Albion.

As not only an ardent Brighton fan but also an admirer of the beautiful game it was with great regret that I listened to the childish ramblings of a cluless, second-rate pundit admonishing the stylish manner of play that has seen Brighton top of the league for some 5 months.

It may be an emotional and rather personal sentiment that encourages Mr Claridge to take this stance - as you may know he was indeed an Albion player for a handful of games.

Having watched him play for us I can safely advise you that he was some way short of appalling. It may have been his age - at 65 and having played for 189 clubs one should not expect him to fleet of foot or sharp of brain.

He was of course neither.

It is interesting though that the BBC have decided to employ someone who is Jurassic in their mind-set, utterly limited in ability and also bereft of any command of the English Language.

May I also help dear old Steve out with one thing - when one wins League one, one does not move into the Premiership - one has to enter a league called the Championship.

Rather than concern ourselves with our well-deserved demise at the hands of Stoke City - a ground where several Premier League clubs have been battered into submission - we are more interested in our capacity to achieve in the Championship next season should we be promoted.

The signs there are promising - we picked Portsmouth apart 3-1 and won away at then top six Watford. That is more a litmus test of whether this style is effective at a higher level.

Perhpas Mr Claridge would like to engage in lively, factual debate with mr Guardiola and Mr Wenger and Mr Ferguson - all of who appear to advocates of passing football - I suspect due to his hideously underdeveloped vocabularly, inability to string a sentance - let alone a pass - together he would decline.

It also of course important to note that Mr Claridge's managerial trophy cabniet to date matches his brain - barren and empty.

The future of English football must be kept out of the hooves of the likes of Mr. Claridge. If he is to put himself forward as a pundit then he must be able to comment lucidly and relevantly about the game today - listening to his repetitive, predictable drivel it is clear that he able to do neither.

If television pundity is like football then may I refer Mr.Claridge to one of his statements in the program dated 12th January:

'Its all about results - that's what managers are here to deliver'.

In that case Mr'Claridge would you mind awfully popping off to the Natural history museum and allow Mr Poyet et al continue with their vision of devliering successful, attractive football.

Kind regards,
 
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somerset

New member
Jul 14, 2003
6,600
Yatton, North Somerset
That may very well all be true, but what on earth was the point in sending it to the BBC ? Complete and utter waste of time, sorry.

Give it a rest,... I thought it was well targeted,... I can imagine that Miss Blondy would relish reading a couple of snippets out next weekend..... stop being prescious Tricky Dicky
 


nwgull

Well-known member
Jul 25, 2003
13,884
Manchester
You have too much time on your hands to be that bothered about an opinion given by a football pundit, and also a little bit sad to think that what he said actually matters and affects your life somehow (it's not as if it's libellous or anything). Pundits are surely allowed to give their opinion, no?
 


Digweeds Trousers

New member
May 17, 2004
2,079
Tunbridge Wells
You have too much time on your hands to be that bothered about an opinion given by a football pundit, and also a little bit sad to think that what he said actually matters and affects your life somehow (it's not as if it's libellous or anything). Pundits are surely allowed to give their opinion, no?

As I said earlier I felt like it. So I did.
 




Tricky Dicky

New member
Jul 27, 2004
13,558
Sunny Shoreham
Give it a rest,... I thought it was well targeted,... I can imagine that Miss Blondy would relish reading a couple of snippets out next weekend..... stop being prescious Tricky Dicky

Don't think I am, just being realistic, it will go straight in the bin, I doubt very much anyone will read it.
 


mejonaNO12 aka riskit

Well-known member
Dec 4, 2003
21,515
England
Maybe im COMPETELY missing the point but what EXACTLY would this achieve? It's HIS opinion. Its probably wrong but it's still his opinion.

I can't really see the big wigs walking up to him and saying "Hi Steve, we've had this letter which says the Brighton fans don't like your opinion that they're style won't suit the Championship, so next time can you make sure you change your opinion so you don't annoy them?'
 


somerset

New member
Jul 14, 2003
6,600
Yatton, North Somerset
Don't think I am, just being realistic, it will go straight in the bin, I doubt very much anyone will read it.

...just like everything posted on this site,.... doesn't stop us having our say though does it.............. in your case over 5000 times.
 




somerset

New member
Jul 14, 2003
6,600
Yatton, North Somerset
Maybe im COMPETELY missing the point but what EXACTLY would this achieve? It's HIS opinion. Its probably wrong but it's still his opinion.

I can't really see the big wigs walking up to him and saying "Hi Steve, we've had this letter which says the Brighton fans don't like your opinion that they're style won't suit the Championship, so next time can you make sure you change your opinion so you don't annoy them?'

Its a reaction that is being fished for here,.. not a resolution........ ever heard of irony?
 


Tricky Dicky

New member
Jul 27, 2004
13,558
Sunny Shoreham
...just like everything posted on this site,.... doesn't stop us having our say though does it.............. in your case over 5000 times.

Yup, on this site. I don't mind DT putting it on here at all, just don't see the point in sending it to the Beeb.
 


Digweeds Trousers

New member
May 17, 2004
2,079
Tunbridge Wells
...just like everything posted on this site,.... doesn't stop us having our say though does it.............. in your case over 5000 times.

Precisley. Maybe I am a pedantic silly old man. But I write letters to newspapers, I write letters to local politicians - I enjoy writing letters. Not usually in this style but I do not write letters expecting either results or response.

But it is my perogative to share my opinion in which ever way I choose.

Its somewhat odd that some people post on an internet message board stating that its pointless to write to people or share an opinion - is that not what everyone on here does day in day out?
 


somerset

New member
Jul 14, 2003
6,600
Yatton, North Somerset
Yup, on this site. I don't mind DT putting it on here at all, just don't see the point in sending it to the Beeb.

Digweed obviously did and thats all that matters,... I thought it quite amusing,.....
 




BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
Quite interesting to read but more chance of Claridge playing for us again than the BBC taking any notice of it. It will get filed under r or b rubbish or binned. I feel more would have been achieved had you highlighted the differing opinions of Gus and Steve Claridge as to the right approach and to which one has or is achieving results rather than go into a full onslaught of Claridge, even if you are correct in your view.
 


Tooting Gull

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
11,033
By all means have a rant on here about the clueless berk, but that sort of emailed personal attack just makes us sound whiny and chippy.

Apart from which he isn't actually wrong yet, it's just an opinion about the future.

Agree with BG that a wider point about footballing culture and philosophy, and getting players to ditch the knee-jerk response to hoof it, would have been a much better angle.
 


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