If the Premier League cared at all about human rights they would block Newcastle’s Saudi takeover
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CROWN Prince Mohammad bin Salman will bring a whole new meaning to the football cliche ‘facing the axe’ if allowed to complete his £340million Newcastle takeover.
It remains to be seen what the Premier League will make of an owner who has been accused of getting his henchmen to chop critics into little pieces with a bone saw.
Their owners’ and directors’ test allows them to bar anyone, ‘Who has engaged in conduct that would constitute an offence had it taken place in the UK’.
But it hasn’t prevented them from laying out the welcome mat to people accused of a multitude of crimes and other issues.
So don’t hold your breath on MBS’ henchmen’s involvement in the grisly murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi proving to be any kind of impediment for the football authorities when considering his suitability.
Indeed, it seems there is more concern about Saudi Arabia’s failure to prevent a rogue broadcaster from screening Premier League matches, than over their horrific record for human rights.
According to a poll in the local newspaper, more than 80 per cent of Newcastle fans are prepared to turn a blind eye to bin Salman’s atrocities if it means they finally get to see the back of Mike Ashley.
Now Ashley might not be the most agreeable of owners but, as far as I am aware, he has never given the green light to crucifixion, beheading or bombing the c**p out of Yemen.
MBS, on the other hand, arrives at the negotiating table as a representative of the Saudi regime who are covered in blood as he attempts to sportswash his kingdom’s appalling image.
He is joined in the discussions by Amanda Staveley, the businesswoman who is discovering that ‘former girlfriend of Prince Andrew’ is no longer the boardroom door-opener it once was.
Staveley has been involved in three previous Newcastle takeover bids which came to nothing.
But teaming up with the world’s richest family has improved her prospects of success no end.
Given the number of offers which Ashley has rejected in the past, Newcastle fans would be well advised not to get their hopes up too high.
Yet the mere suggestion of Rafa Benitez returning as manager has got them all giddy at the Gallowgate.
Quite why Benitez remains so popular with the Toon Army remains a mystery to those of us outside the North East.
He is still revered for not buggering off after taking them down into the Championship.
In fact, it was another two years before he buggered off to Dalian Yifang to earn £12million a year after tax.
But now it seems that Rafa is ready to rekindle his Geordie love affair as soon as he can get a flight out of virus-stricken China.
So let’s forget the misery of his final season at Newcastle, when his team narrowly dodged relegation while playing some of the most turgid football ever seen at St James’ Park.
And let’s ignore the fact that Steve Bruce is making a far better fist of things this time — despite the apathy of fans.
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If Benitez does get to team up with Prince Charmless at some point in the future, he might need to think twice about using his company mobile for famously indiscreet off-the-record briefings.
For amongst his long list of alleged crimes, MBS is now being accused of hacking the phone of rival billionaire Jeff Bezos.
And Rafa doesn’t want to end up nailed to the cross like the last Messiah.
By the way, if this column doesn’t appear next week, you’ll know that I’ve been invited to the Saudi embassy.