IT WAS A PARTY IN 1999

Last updated : 09 April 2004 By Editor

First our treble was a doddle and now PL is harder to win than the CL

The tirade is here:

"I’d like to compare United’s draw in the FA Cup in 1999 to ours and I don’t think it’s comparable."

"The competition was not as strong in the Premiership.

"There are more teams now who can fight and compete with United.

"They could afford to rest a few players against teams with less resistance. But they had an exceptionable team with an exceptionable strength of character. They had great physical potential and mental strength as well. But the competition in the Premier League was of a lesser level for Manchester United then than it is now."

"I still think the championship is a real reflection of the quality of a team because you need consistency and I don't think Monaco would be ahead of Real Madrid if they were playing in the same championship.

"You can always have the feeling that you could have achieved more but it would be wrong to say if you win the championship it's a failure because it's the biggest overall trophy.

"You see big upsets in the cup. Real Madrid lost to Monaco and AC Milan lost to Deportivo La Coruna and at this stage of the season it's just where you stand physically.

"We've had no time to recover. Tiredness is part of it, and that's where the credit comes to Chelsea's finances because they have a bigger squad and have been able to rest more players. But it's a cup competition and there are wrong conclusions taken from European results.

"The team that wins the European Cup is not necessarily the best team in Europe. Just as you can say that the team which wins the FA Cup is not necessarily the best team in the country."

Send for the yellow van, the man is demented.