West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady took a subtle dig at Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley while delivering her verdict on the row between him and Rafa Benitez.
The Hammers chief referred to how Magpies fans were clearly on the side of Benitez when it came to clashing with Ashley, and even compared the situation to Brexit.
“As Surely as April brings blossom to the trees, so Rafa Benitez and Mike Ashley enter into another blooming row,” wrote Brady in her column for The Sun.
“Arguments between Newcastle’s owner and his Spanish manager are as blistering as any over Brexit but don’t generally split the fans.
“They are well and truly on Benitez’s side although they must be just as tired of perennial mothers of a row at St James’ Park as any at the mother of Parliaments.”
Brady then added that while she may not know who will win in the row between Benitez and Ashley, she did reveal she thought the Magpies manager would use the media to his advantage, while Ashley will just try to cut the best deal financially.
“One thing is sure, he will be shadow boxing financially with Ashley for the remaining four weeks of the season, at which point his contract comes to an end,” added the West Ham vice-chairman.
“In the one corner Benitez will use every media hit he can and, goodness knows, he punches his weight.
“Ashley will remain as silent and dangerous as Joe Frazier used to be before a Muhammad Ali fight.”
Before rounding off her column on Ashley and Benitez’s relationship, the Hammers vice- chairman appeared to take a dig at the businessman as she claimed he still doesn’t understand the philosophy of running a football club well enough.
“My belief is that when Ashley bought the club he didn’t understand the philosophy of football and a football club well enough,” wrote Brady.
“I suspect he still doesn’t but in appointing Benitez he gave himself a chance — as well as a pain in the neck.”
OPINION
Brady praises Ashley in some of her column by highlighting how good he is at getting the best deal possible, but it’s clear she’s taken a dig at him over his ownership of the Magpies. To say he wasn’t sure what he was getting into when he bought the Magpies is one thing, but to say she still doesn’t belief he understands the philosophy of running a football club is a little below the belt. Ashley is no doubt aware of what it takes to run a football club and how to be successful you need to invest money consistently into player recruitment, it’s just that’s not how he wants to run the club. Ashley will continue to run the Magpies as a business and save money where he can, because that suits him. It’s not because he’s unaware of how football clubs work or anything like that. Also while Ashley is probably clashing with Benitez over getting the manager to sign a new contract currently, to call it a row seems pretty strong as their relationship seems better currently than it has for a while.
