West Ham co-owner Karren Brady makes big claims about Mike Ashley & NUFC amid takeover talk
Karren Brady has had some interesting words to say about NUFC ahead of Mike Ashley's long awaited exit, claiming we are a 'tiger waiting to be unleashed' and are a club that can 'challenge the very best' in the Premier League if the right buyer took over from Ashley - a man who Brady believes has realised his limitations when it comes to bringing NUFC genuine success.
Writing in her column in The Sun, the West Ham vice-chairman and Apprentice star suggested that Ashley gambled on the huge potential at the club when buying us 10 years ago.
She then goes on to suggest that Benitez's arrival has made Ashley realise that, from a business perspective, he is unable to operate the 'intricate internal machinery' that is required to bring the necessary ambition and success that Rafa aims for.
Brady believes that Rafa understands what is required to unleash the beast that is NUFC far more than Ashley does, stating that potential buyers with big ideas and big wallets should be jumping at the chance to transform the club into one capable of mixing it with the very best in England:
"There will be smiles of satisfaction that the job is a quarter done (towards survival) and confidence is high after a trio of victories last weekend.
“Benitez went to St James’ understanding far more clearly than his employer (Mike Ashley) that the Toon are a tiger waiting to be unleashed.
“Mike Ashley, the gambler, was initially tempted by the huge potential of the club.
“But Ashley, the businessman, admits he has not been able to work out how to operate the intricate internal machinery that makes one up.
“Rafa’s management skills are responsible for Ashley’s windfall and he now has a fair chance of transforming Newcastle into one of the few clubs with the support and profile to challenge the very best.
“A guaranteed 52,000 home crowd will be a warming prospect to potential buyers with sound ideas and an even sounder wallet — only billionaires need apply.”
Given she is a fellow southerner, it's refreshing to see Brady offer an unbiased view of Mike Ashley's situation at Newcastle United - with the likes of London-based businessman Simon Jordan offering totally false representation of Ashley's time at the club on Sky Sports recently.
I particularly enjoyed her comments on Ashley's stance as a gambler and businessman and feel there's every chance they accurately describe his reasons for first buying and now selling the club.
As she says, we are an attractive prospect, but one that must have owners able to match Benitez's ambitions if we are to reach our full untapped potential.
