Whelan hits out at ‘greedy’ Ashley

Nov 17 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

MIKE Ashley has been labelled greedy for looking to make a profit on the sale of Newcastle United and naive in the way he handled the row with former manager Kevin Keegan.

That was the view of Wigan’s outspoken chairman Dave Whelan who, as a close friend of former United chairman Freddie Shepherd, has been unimpressed with the way his sports retailing rival has run things at St James’s Park. He warned Ashley he will never be able to repair the damage he has done.

He said: “If Mike Ashley will sell it for the right money, he will sell it next week.

“Now, is he being greedy? Yes. We don’t actually know how much the club owed and whether he did or not (if he cleared the debt), I don’t know because they said he did no due diligence which surprises me.

“He is trying to get his money back. I spoke to him when the row started and I said Mike, just get your money back and step away. Football is a very difficult game. You have gone to Newcastle who are steeped in history and if you ‘sack’ the golden boy Kevin Keegan you are in serious trouble. I don’t know if he listened. I think he did, but you never really know with Mike. Straight away, when you sacked Kevin Keegan, then you are down the pan. I told him, you have gone.

“I don’t think he has thought things through here at Newcastle and I don’t think he really appreciated just how passionate people up here are about their football. He did like it and he enjoyed it, but you can’t sack Kevin Keegan and expect the fans to get behind you.

“He will never be able to repair the damage between himself and the fans. Even the taxi driver who brought me up today was saying, when are we going to get rid of Ashley.”

Whelan, though, also fears the new owners, when they eventually emerge, will look to poach Wigan’s Geordie manager Steve Bruce. He said: “I don’t want to lose Steve, but in the end I suppose I will have to. He is so good, one of the big clubs will come for him. He has been linked with Newcastle in the past. He is from here. He loves Newcastle.

“I may have to face the fact that sometime Steve will leave Wigan. I hope the day never comes, but if it does I will shake his hand and say thank you for the great job you have done.”