Manager Rob Edwards has called BBC pundit Garth Crooks’ comments “disrespectful” after he said he couldn’t take the Hatters seriously and revealed the club have invited the former Spurs winger to town for a lesson on Luton – but that he’s yet to take up the offer.
After three defeats to start their top-flight campaign, the commentator also said that he thought Luton would be relegated from the Premier League by Christmas.
Having watched Town’s home debut in the division end in 2-1 defeat to West Ham United, the 65-year-old said: “(Kurt) Zouma was the outstanding defender for the Hammers in their 2-1 win against a Luton Town side that is, so far, just making up the Premier League numbers.
“It’s good to see the tangerine colours of Luton back in the big league once more, but I can’t take them seriously and see them down by Christmas.
“They might take a few scalps along the way but don’t let the scoreline fool you, this victory was as comfortable for West Ham as it gets.”
Despite it being a mathematical impossibility to be relegated by the festive period, Crooks’ words drew fury from Hatters fans.
Asked his view, Edwards said: “I think after three games it is disrespectful. I does hurt you when you hear comments like that. I’m not on social media but then people tell you about it and it’s hard to shy away.
“At this level, int he Premier League, you’re there to be shot at and people are going to have their opinions and I suppose that’s what he’s paid to do, but I do think it was a disrespectful comment.
“We have reached out to Mr Crooks, for him to come in and for us to show him what we do, show our plan and why we’re not a team just to be laughed at or not taken seriously.
“But, in the end, our job is to try and get results. Our job is to try and get good performances and change people’s minds.
“I don’t take it too personally at all because, as I’ve said before, when you get promoted through the play-offs, you’re normally favourites to go down.
“When you do it in our way as well, with Luton being a small club and maybe the smallest club to have done it and be at this level, then people are going to think that.
“It’s no problem, but it’s down to us to prove them wrong.”
With an invite to attend Town’s training headquarters at The Brache still to be responded to by Crooks, Edwards said of the offer: “We’re open here and I want to be really open with everyone but, look, it’s no problem if he doesn’t want to come, but it’s down to us to try and change people’s minds with good performances and results and that’s it.”
But Edwards ruled out using Crooks’ comments to add fuel to the fire of his players and their ambitions to stay in the Premier League.
Asked if he’s the type of manager to stick the pundit’s words on the dressing room wall, he said: “No, I think the players can see it. The players will see it. There will be something on a daily basis. I don’t take it personally because we’ve done an amazing thing by getting promoted.
“But now we’re at this level, in the biggest league in the world, there’s going to be a million people chucking comments out and opinions. That’s fine, that’s just the nature of it.
“We’ll brush it off and get on with it. I don’t worry about it too much.”
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