Former Chelsea player Craig Burley is never shy of an opinion. In fact, if you listen to ESPN FC regularly, you will find that his views on the game are predictable at best.
I never got the impression he likes or has any respect for Manchester United, which is fine, but noteworthy when we are talking about pundits of the game.
In a recent episode of ESPN FC, the panel (also including Dan Thomas, Marciano Vink and Stewart Robson) can be heard discuss Bruno Fernandes’ recent comments about Erik ten Hag’s strictness.
We even covered it on the blog and found it encouraging that we were hearing a game clearly buy into the new manager’s plans.
I think we missed that for a while, and I think, for me, the way I see discipline is important,” Fernandes said, as per ESPN.
“For me, disciple is not only the way you play on the pitch, the position that you have, what you have to do, it’s also off the pitch – don’t be late for the meetings, don’t be late for the meals.
“I think that’s really important because if everyone is on time and someone comes late, he should be punished and I think that’s really good that he’s doing that and for me amazing, because I like to be on time, so I won’t have problems with that.”
Speaking about his impressive performances on tour, Fernandes referred to his own specific game and its strengths, adding: “I keep the ball when I think I have to keep it, I try a pass when I think I have to do it and sometimes it goes good, sometimes wrong.
“Obviously when it goes wrong, I know that shouldn’t be the one, but sometimes when you play in the 10 position you have only a few seconds to think and control the ball and make the pass, so it’s not that much time to think.
“I understand of course that someone has his own opinion, but when I arrived in 2020 I was losing the same amount of balls in those six months and then the year after I lost the same amount of balls, but I scored 28 goals, so people don’t complain about that.
“Now last season, because I scored ‘only’ 10, because for some people it’s only 10 goals, people start complaining, but I’m OK with that, I don’t worry. I do my best, I know I always give my best, I always try to help my teammates. They know that even when I miss the passes, I’m trying to give something to them, so I’m okay with that.”
However, Burley isn’t convinced and has called Fernandes’ comments ‘hypocritical’.
Watch the video below:
Let us know in the comments what you thought about Fernandes’ comments on Ten Hag?
It’s Craig, did you really expect anything different ? Seriously, this guy is not worth listening to and I don ‘t.
yeap..you got that right..worthless opinions, useless punditry and looks always like he has an issue with Man Utd? Maybe because we used to whoop! his ass back then! Correct me if i am wrong but I think he also scored an own goal against Us!
Craig who?
Craig Burley always has shite to say about Man United. Also that Steve Nicol Bloke. The whole of ESPN except Mark Ogden are all ABU’s.
With the current panel it is a bad idea to listen to ESPN as a United supporter