OPINION
There are some people who can step into a city and never have to buy themselves a single drink.
There are others who would be better not setting foot in a city at all.
No prizes for guessing which would be the case with Richard Keys if he were to visit Newcastle.
The beIN Sports presenter has consistently and unashamedly made it very clear as to where he stands on the whole Mike Ashley situation, and it’s safe to say that his stance has done little to endear him to the Toon Army.
As quoted by talkSPORT, the presenter has even gone as far as suggesting that Rafa Benitez should spend his own money in the transfer market if he isn’t happy with the level of backing he has received from the owner.
You would struggle to find a more misguided comment from a professional sports broadcaster, but Keys, ever the agitator, has had a darn good go.
Replying to a Toon fan from his personal Twitter account, he said: “Your club is buoyant – financially stable.
“Your owner tired of Rafa’s constant moaning – and no-one in their right mind gives the manager financial control.
“Rafa won’t get a better job than he had. Newcastle will power on.”
Where to even begin with this one.
There are a lot of words you could use to describe Newcastle’s current situation. “Buoyant” is not one of them.
It is hard to think of a period in which the club has been surrounded by a greater amount of pessimism. This feels like a nadir in many ways, and the fact that Keys would argue otherwise is woefully, and wilfully, ignorant.
As for referring to Benitez’s desire to be given a fair crack of the whip from those in control of the pursestrings as “constant moaning”, how much wider of the mark could he possibly be?
As of last year, as reported by The Mag, Ashley had managed a net spend of just £32 million since buying the club in 2007.
Obviously that figure will have gone up since the signing of Miguel Almiron, but the Paraguayan’s transfer broke a club record that had stood for nearly a decade and a half.
That’s shameful, but sure Richard, everything is hunky-dory.
Perhaps next time Keys thinks about commenting on the situation on Tyneside he should look at some facts first.
Or better yet, say nothing at all.
