Obviously stupid

[darmstadt]

Mourinho cited next season's "very strange" Premiership fixture list as evidence of Dein's sway, even though the FA has no say in those fixtures. He noted that Chelsea play away after their first five Champions League games, including at Newcastle, whereas Arsenal are at home each time. Champions League commitments are not taken into account.

And this just sums up how stupid he is...

"I am not the most intelligent person in the world but I'm not stupid and since I arrived I have understood things and things don't change," Mourinho said. "I have a five-year contract with Chelsea. Maybe in 2009 or 2010 Mr Dein will not be in the FA any more and we can have a different season. Or maybe Mr Kenyon [the Chelsea chief executive] will be working in the FA."

Get your facts right...

[WageSlave]

Mourinho is a smart guy, and such statements are simply part of his plan to deflect attention and pressure away from the team.

[wendigo100]

What facts did he get wrong? Are the fixtures not as he says they are?

I understood that the FA does have something to do with the FA Premier League fixtures. If they don't, why not, since it is their competition?

[WageSlave]

Not that he has a motive.... Fergie agrees with Mourinho article

Ferguson said: "Mourinho's dead right, by the way. You look at the fixtures Arsenal have after European games - it has been going on for years."

[darmstadt]

Er....

As unusual as it may be for both Sir Alex and Jose Mourinho to have a pop at the Gunners in one way or another, their latest rants that the north Londoners have always had a fairer deal than most in the domestic fixture list after European games because of their vice-chairman's role on the FA's board appear slightly less than well-researched.

"You look at the fixtures Arsenal have after European games - it has been going on for years," lamented Fergie recently. "I have been complaining about that for seven years and no-one listens to me." Erm, sorry Alex, but we've got some bad news for you:

"Since 1998-99, Arsenal have played 64 Champions League games, followed directly by 34 home and 30 away domestic games - 53%; United's 87 Champions League games have seen 47 home and 40 away dates played directly afterwards - 54%; and Chelsea, well, their 40 Champions League matches have been followed by 22 home and 18 away games - 55%."

This season will probably nudge the Gunners top as they have five home games straight after five European nights, while Chelsea have five away trips after sorties to the continent. But with the current statistics as they are, something about stones and glasshouses springs to mind for Fergie and the Special One...

[wendigo100]

Gunners have five home games straight after five European nights, while Chelsea have five away trips after sorties to the continent.

It seems to me that, far from being stupid, Mourinho did get his facts right and made a valid point. That is five out of six in both cases for the coming season, which is what Mourinho complained about.

I can understand the FA trying to level the playing field a bit, given Chelsea's dominance in the league and Arsenal on the slippery slope, but I don't care much because it is a problem that MK Dons would love to have.